Evening star., 1943-02-23

would seem superficially to have no
connection with what the Ballet
Russo does cat the box Office in
Dayton, Ohio That Is only super
flcially, however. Actually, it evokes
enormous interest and the Russians
OF the ballet, who are like wonder
ful children in their reaction to
public acclaim, are delighted.
Mr.. Munro is delighted. too,
naturally.
A reallst, however, in his most
tervent moments of enthusiasm, Mr..
Munro's analysis of the triumphal
tour makes room for a purely ma
tional influence in the situation.
People in towns which are not
normally associated with love of
the more abstract arts suddenly find
themselves possessed of more money
than they once had. It's possession
encourages them to broaden the
scope of their entertainment in
terests.
They go on loving the movies.
the theater and the opera with
which they are much more familiar.
Mr.. Munro says, but they also want
to know what the ballet is like. So
they go to the ballet, thus enlarg-
ing their cultural horizon, and prob
ably preventing imitation to some
degree.
Mr.. Munro. who does not want
the city mentioned because it might
be embarrassed at the intimation
1t Is not recognized as the cultural
capital OF America, tells OF one
place where the ballet played a
surprising 5000 night "in a kind
OF arena"
1T was a marvellous place, this
arena" Mr.. Munro says. Every
thing happens there. One night 1t
Is a concert, the next night a poul-
try show, the one after that a prize
fight or a hockey game. The night
before we were there there had
been a wrestling match. Were we
delighted when we drew the largest
audience of any event in weeks?
1t was wonderful. And it was no
flash in the pan. either. We went
back on two other occasions and
drew just as large audiences, capac-
ity each time"
Full as he is OF marvel at the
triumph OF the Ballet Russo on its
Nationwide tour, Mr.. Munro can
be diverted from 1t long enough to
talk about his first. and perhaps
greatest, love, the D'Oyly Carte Gill
bert and Sullivan Opera Co.
TITS still going along in England,
and much the same" Mr.. Munro
says. But not quite the same.
Mr.. Hobbs, the manager you know,
Is no longer with them. Mr.. Hobbs
was killed in the big raid on Bristol.
And Helen Gilliland is gone too.
She was returning from Africa
after visiting her husband. The
boat was torpedoed and sunk. The
others are carrying on, the older
ones who are not in the services"
There is big change in the
repertoire Of the company, and Mr..
Munro thinks it is wonderful. So
do we and perhaps you will too.
"Pinafore," 1t seems has been
dropped entirely. The Royal navy,
the company thought. was doing far
too good job In this world to be
satirized, even SO amiably as in that
light-hearted, elfin opera.
1t Is just for the duration, Mr..
Munro is sure with the sureness of
an Englishman who cherishes all of
his institutions, in the proper order.
Bulletin Board: Random Har-
vest" which follows TN Which We
Serve" at the Palace, will be
screened in the Capitol's new, de
luxish screening room today 3.
Bill Crago, tall, sparse young fellow
whose good diction you used to hear
over WRC, has his first movie role
in Air Force" Earle's next attrac-
ton .. Ludmila Tzelikovskaya, the
Russian prima donna OF Spring
Song" which opens at the Little to-
morrow, has name that would look
more than marvellous on a marquee
&. And a voice that sounds more
than that on screen "Jacare,"
Frank Bucks camera record of AMI
NAL life in the Amazon River jun
giles, will open at the Pix tomorrow.