SONG, STAGE, AND STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

SONG, STAGE, AND STORY.

The Maggie Moore-Harry Roberts Company have been appearing at th* Opra House during the week, jr 'Struck Oil,' the time-honoured dram* with which Miss Mooi-e's namejig. ever associated. The merits of'tier Lizzie Stofel are too wll-known. to dilate npon here, while of Mr Eoberts it may be said that he gives a clever and in all Respects pi-aiseworthy delineation of John Stofel. 'The Silence of Dean Maitland,' which throughout the Company's tour has proved a veritable trump card, was staged for the first time on Thursday evening, and a final performance of this drama will be given to-night\ Last night the Company varied their programme by giving a sacred concert in honour of Good Friday.

The Knight - Ferrar Co. left for Sydney last Monday. On arrival they are to .amalgamate with the of ■ the Cross' jSio. 2 Company, and play; an Easter.season at Brisbane. This; will be followed by a farewell season at Sydney. .. . . Miss Elsie Hall is giving pianoforte recitals in Christchurch.

The whole of the dresses worn xi ■'• the production of The Geisha in Australia., were designed by Miss Nellie Stewart, and were made under her personal direction in the workroom of Mr Musgrove's theatre, 'The Shaftesbury.' The full credit for keeping the costumes in the second act in tones of yellow, which was re* garded as one of the features of the scene in Melbourne ,is also due to Miss Stewart.

Pollard's Opera Company have been playing at the Gaiety Theatre, Napier, this week. They open in Wellington on Easter Monday. Ben Fuller's: Waxworks are at the Alhambra Theatre, Dunedin.

In the course of a long interview with a London correspondent Miss Nellie Stewart stated that at the close of her engagement as principal boy at the Drury-lane Theatre—where, by the bye, daily matinees are the ruleshe would join a new operatic syndicate to make a short tour of five of the chief provincial cities. After that Miss Stewart intended opening at a West-end theatre, where, amongst other pieces, she hoped to stage the Australian version of 'Ma Mie. Kbsette.' Miss Stewart then looked forward' to re-vjisiting' America, and ultimately she hoped to re-appear on the Australian stage. ' The Gaiety Specialty and Comedy' Company -.will open at the City Haft to-night in a varied and attractive programme.Mr Perrier, .the.' father of little Phyllis'"Pdrrier, the\ remarkable chiltl mimic,- is.ill in Christchurch, and to alleviate the faniily's position a';benefit ;| is" being pwmoted, to be held after ; Easter, under the auspices of Bishop Julius- and Bishop Grimes. : Sim'sKeeAes had a. benefit at .St." James' lately, at which fhe octogenarian tenor 'sangI.' His voice has departed, but he is still able to give points in vocal style to many a singer of,the day. He told a 'Daily News' in-:* terviewer^that' he' ' makes a"■ "special study of the" words of a song. 'I have read, them, phrased them in every pqsaitjjle- way, asked myself what1, tfrej? meant, and interpreted them according to my own feeling:. I walk up a.w^ . down, trying this line and drying thai, until I feel that I have struck the rigiffl idea. ..Singers do not study elocution sufficiently, if at all. In a recitative, ! for instance, the words are often sacrificed.'to the music. In my method they are'of equal importance.' ■ . I Mr Brough has purchased the right j of producing' 'Trelawney of the Wells,' a piece has had a phenomenal success in England, and from which has originated the 'Trelawney liat.' Miss Hilda Spong, who made her debut with-Mr Bland Holt's company, has been a prominent figure in the London production of the piece. Mr Charles Arnold sends us, front London, a* souvenir' issued in celebration of the 250 th performance in tha Metropolis of the now famous American comedy,' 'What Happened to: Jones.' Handsome photo-engraving's of the play are enclosed within covers bound with red ribbon, and suitably inscribed. Mr Arnold will visit Australia shortly with this successful play, Mr George Rignold commenced ft season at the Sydney Criterion last Saturday evening, with 'Othello.' In a note, on, the bill Mr Rignold says:— 'This is the first time in my career I as a manager that I have placed "Othello" on the stage, and it is the first time as an actor that I have rep-\ j resented the character of the Moor. If the prodiiction shall win the favour and support that I hope it will deserve, I shall be encourage/1 to attempt the revival of other Shakespearean works, long Amseen, but entirely worthy of the labour and pains involved in their restoration to the stage. The first of these will possibly be "The Tempest," a noble and beautiful specimen of the poetical drama.' Of the promised revivals of. iHehry V.,' 'Julius Caesar,' 'Merry Wives of Windsor,' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' and other Shakespearean masterpieces', Mr RigriolA says:—'l trust that I approach them as an earnest student and enthusiastic disciple, and I do not doubt but that the spirit in which mjy work has been conceived will be manifest in its execution.' Mr Rignold will play 'Othello,' Mr Diver lago,' and Miss Lilian Wheeler Desdemona. ; . .

The revival* of 'Sweet Lavender' at; Terry's Theatre, after an interval of ten years, is exceedingly interesting in many ways. JFor one thing1, it will restore Miss* Maude Millot to the stage (after three years devoted exclusively to domestic bliss), and for another, London AVili again be able to see Mr Terry in his- most characteristic role. This piece marked the first breakaway on Mr Pinero's part from bustling1, farcical comedy, by which- bf' first won his spurs as a dramatist. Mr Terry had great faith in the piec*': from the moment he read it. 'It is difficult vto forecast the chance of; i' play,' he said to an interviewer, wb(> once questioned him about its lon# run, 'but I felt from the first- thiic "Sweet Lavender" was an excellent play, though I will not pretend that I saw the possibilities of such stupendous popularity in it. Letters poured, in \ipon me, and so many people wrote, to say they knew Dick Phenyl. On* day 1 was at the Law Courts with • friend of mine, and he said, "Loak (< I am going to show you Dick Phenyl";! but Dick Phenyl wHs not painted ivora anybody in particxilar—at least not so far as my con*ception of it and makeup were concerned.' The play had 11. phenomenal run at Terry's, reaching i —without a break — close upon one thousand nights, . - _._..-*