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PROGRAMS AT THE REGENT (Cont'd) - page 5

Program No 18- July 13-19, 1929

Feature Film: "Anna Karenina" ("Love") (M.G.M. ,1927, Silent) with John Gilbert & Greta Garbo

Support Films: "The Fortune Hunter" with Syd Chaplin

Stage: "Spooks" with Cora O'Farrell, Lois Green, Freddie Hidges, Beverley Glenning and The Regent Ballet

Orchestra: Conducted by E.G. Mitchell

Organ: Eddie Fitch

M.C. Hugh Steyne

Review: (Herald, July 15, 1929)

"Spooks" is the most original (stage presentation) to date - at the Regent - a weird thing, with skeletons dancing in pitch darkness and chairs and tables taking their places without any apparent human aid.

Program No 19- July 20-26, 1929

Feature Film: "The Valiant" (Fox, 1929, Talking) with Don Terry, Marguerite Churchill and Paul Muni

Support Films: "Coney Island" (Talking) with Lois Wilson

Stage: "Neptune's Garden" with Beverley Glenning, Cora O'Farrell, The Regent Quartette, Lois Green, Charles Hilford-Basso, The Regent Mermaids and Freddie Hodges

Orchestra: Conducted by E.G. Mitchell "Raymond Overture" (Thomas)

Organ: Eddie Fitch "Troubles of an Organist"

M.C. Hugh Steyne

Review: (Table Talk, July 20, 1929)

'the critic of Table Talk was not happy with the stage presentation in that he had to sit through sailors doing the hornpipe on the bottom of the ocean, mermaids doing Spanish dances and warbling "Song of India" and the "Barcarole"

Program No 20- July 27- August 2, 1929

Feature Film: "Fazil" (Fox, 1927, Silent) with Charles Farrell, Greta Nissen, Mae Busch and John Boles.

Support Films: "Power" (Talking) with William Boyd

Stage: "Frivolities" featuring the Regent Ballet in a Star Dance

Orchestra: Conducted by E.G. Mitchell selections from "Five O'Clock Girl"

Organ: Eddie Fitch

M.C. Hugh Steyne

Review: Table Talk, July 27, 1929)

"Marshall Hall had a lot of frivolous ideas for the stage presentation during this week, some of which we greatly appreciated, the dancing for instance is good and the ballet excellent. If Lois Green keeps up the progress in her art we are entitled to expect from her youthfulness, she should mark her mark in a few years. The trouble was we didn't get enough of the dancing, for the singing turns cannot be said to be equally satisfactory. The truth is, from our seats in the balcony we could hardly hear the singers at all, and we suspect that it would need a Clara Bautt voice to reach the distant recesses of the vast Regent Theatre.

Program No 21- August 3-9, 1929

Feature Film: "The Younger Generation" (Columbia, 1929, part talking) with Jean Hersholt, Ricardo Cortez and Martha Franklin

Support Films: "Revenge" with Dolores del Rio

Stage: "In Gyspy Land" (Cast of 40) with Lois Green, Beverley Glenning, Merna Stewart and Freddie Hodges

Orchestra: Conducted by E.G. Mitchell "Looking Backwards"

Organ: Eddie Fitch "Impressions of Melbourne"

M.C. Hugh Steyne

Review: (Herald, August 5, 1929)

"This week's Regent stage presentation is a gay conception of "Gypsyland" in which bands of gypsy girls and brigands whirl in colourful dances and sing many choruses of which the most ambitious is the "Anvil" chorus. Eddie Fitch at the organ thoroughly entertained his audiences with a musical impression of various Melbourne streets.

(Table Talk, August 2, 1929)

"Marshall Hall's stage presentation the best yet. A Hungarian gypsy dance by Miss Beverley Glenning and a beggar dance by Miss Lois Green and Mr. Freddie Hodges were very well done.

Program No 22- August 10-16, 1929

Feature Film: "The Donovan Affair" (Columbia, 1929, Talking) with Jack Holt, Dorothy Revier and William Collier Jr.

Support Films: "Annapolis" with J. Mack Brown

Stage: "Ups and Downs and Over" (A Racy Dancing Spectacle) with Victor Brooks, Lois Green, Beverley Glenning, Freddie Hodges and the Regent Stage Band

Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade

Organ: Eddie Fitch "A Lesson in Love"

M.C. Hugh Steyne

Review: Table Talk, August 10, 1929)

"The stage presentation had its inspiration from the racecourse, not altogether a happy source for gentlemen in the audience who had backed unwisely and too well it would no doubt revive unpleasant memories. However in the atmosphere the talented young ladies of the ballet did some clever work, finishing up with a spirited race on pogo sticks. All too little was seen of the sprightly Lois Green and her partner Freddie Hodges. That well known racing song "A Heart That's Free" was also vivaciously rendered."

(Herald, August 10, 1929)

"Something entirely new in the presentation at the Regent Theatre today is a race on the stage by the members of the pony ballet. Three heats will be run daily, and on Friday the winner of the highest aggregate will receive a silver cup valued at £20. Event cards will be given to every visitor at the afternoon and evening sessions so that they will be enabled to follow the chances of the various competitors.

Program No 23- August 17-23, 1929

Feature Film: "Through Different Eyes" (Fox, 1929, Silent) with Warner Baxter and Edmond Lowe

Support Films: "Sal of Singapore" (Talking) with Phyllis Haver

Stage: "A Gilbert and Sullivan Week of Music". The Regent Grand Concert Orchestra conducted by Gustave Slapoffski will render a fantasia on "The Gondoliers"

Orchestra: Conducted by Will Cade "In A Persian Market"

Organ: Eddie Fitch

Review: (Herald August 17, 1929)

"Even most exhibitors of audible films do not rely wholly on that class of entertainment, and they feature the personal element. While Union Theatres Ltd., favours elaborate stage presentations for their chief house, Hoyts Theatres Ltd., have decided to experiment with good orchestral music, for which the directors have received many requests.

The orchestra at the Regent is to be directed in performances on the stage by 'guest' conductors. It will be first heard in arrangements of airs from Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

Gustave Slapoffski is the first 'guest' conductor. This musicican who conducted the last revivals of Gilbert and Sullivan Operas in Australia, has a unique record. When George Musgrove decided to introduce Wagnerian opera here, he brought Mr. Slapoffski to Australia.

When Mr. Slapoffski was a boy, Sullivan was attracted by his

musical talent, and later displayed a great interest in his career. Nobody in Australia has a more intimate knowledge of the composer's music than Mr. Slapoffski, whose talent and wide experience as a musical director should be of the utmost service in helping forward the new policy at the Regent."

"...William Cade is the permanent conductor at The Regent in succession to Ernest G. Mitchell, who will soon leave Melbourne to arrange the musical programme of Hoyts Regent Theatre Brisbane, which is approaching completion."

(Herald, August 19, 1929)

"...The Slapoffski fantasia on the "Gondoliers" is spiritedly played by the Regent Concert Orchestra on a stage decorated in gold and green. There have been many requests for good orchestral music at the Regent and the management intends to supply it instead of stage shows."

(Table Talk, August 22, 1929)

"THE CHEF D'ORCHESTRE"

"In a praiseworthy effort to improve their entertainment, the directors of the Regent Theatre have decided that good orchestral music is to take the place of stage presentations. A start has been made this week, when the orchestra of thirty is being conducted by Mr. Gustave Slapoffski, "Slap" as he is affectionately known to his troops of friends, is a remarkable man. He is one of the most musicianly fine and sympathetic conductors I have ever seen conduct. Nellie Stewart says of him:

"I have known him to be the made positively sick by a discord at an unfortunate time. He lives his music. The best of good fellows, the staunchest of friends. There is never anything wooden or stiff about Slapoffski's conducting. He is himself so intensely alive that he pours life through his orchestra. He is a man of great modesty, and he hasn't the slightest idea of how much Australia cares for him"

This is high praise from an expert critic. "Slap" came to Australia in 1901 as musical director for the late George Musgrove, which what is still remembered as the German Grand Opera Company. There was an orchestra of forty, and several leading instrumentalists had been brought from Europe. Professor Marshall Hall was then alive, and that enthusiast took great interest in the whole scheme. Many of his conservatorium students were in the chorus. The following operas were presented: "Lohengrin", "Tannhauser", "The Flying Dutchman", "Il Travatore", "Faust", "Carmen", "Maritana" and "Bohemian Girl".

Mr. Slapoffski used to be an amateur middleweight champion of England, rather an odd sideline for a musician, and he brought out a sparing partner with him to keep him in good form for the arduous work of conducting Wagner.

(Table Talk, August 22, 1929)

'MUSIC AND THE TALKIES"

"EDDIE FITCH TALKS ABOUT MUSICAL MATTER IN MELBOURNE AND ELSWHERE"

"Of the host of organists throughout the world, comparatively few rise to more than local distinction. Such artists as Mr. Eddie Fitch; who was brought from the United States by Hoyts Theatres Ltd., to conduct the organ services at the Regent Theatre, are among the exceptions. His reputation extends throughout the United States as one of the foremost in the country.

Still a young man, Mr. Fitch received his musical education at the Chicago Musical College, where he studied for five years under Mr. Frank van Dusemann, and Dr. Middleschultz, by whom he was advised to concentrate on organ playing.

"At the time", said Mr. Fitch yesterday, "organs were little

used in picture theatres, where music did not figure prominently in the programmes. With the advent of the Wurlitzer organs came a great change. From that time onward the popularity of organ recitals at picture theatres constantly increased, until today the organ features prominently in nearly all the important picture theatres in the United States...."

"....referring to his broadcasting experiences, Mr. Fitch stated that he was the first organist to broadcast in the United States. Good music was in his opinion greatly appreciated more in Melbourne than was the case in the United States. He based this view on the conclusion that the public taste in Melbourne inclined to what could be termed the lighter classical compositions, such as those of Chopin and Liszt.

Broadcasting was a great education and Mr. Fitch is a strong advocate of good music being generally taught in schools.

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