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Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 5

Charles Kenningham, undoubtedly the most successful of latter - day musiciil importations has, (says the 'Bulletin') been 'resting' on full salary since the start' Of 'The Geisha,' in which there is no tenor part worth mentioning. Looks as though the Firm had great hopes of 'La Poupee' when Kenningham was engaged, and didn't think of producing the other opera yet awhile. As matters stand, the unemployf-'? tenor represcn+q a discpunt of £25 a week off* 'The

Geisha' profits. .. . Tenor Kenningham possesses the rare.faculty of being able to distinguish musical pitch. Mozart was the first known instance of this. The possessor, on a chord bein" 1 struck in an adjoining room, instantly names the key, and tuis. can be done also wth a single note, which can be named. Kenningham is also a fine pianist and organist. :■.-■;.'■'

Though Sir Henry Irving has no immediate thought of retiring it is probable he will shortly relinquish the cares of management, and. only appear for: occasional seasons on the London stage. Ellen Terry's tour with the' Lyceum Co. minus Irving has done sufficiently well to encourage her-to continue it on her own account.

Mrs Brown-Potter has recovered (writc^ our. London correspondent) andL resunjed her fine performance of 'Miladi' in- 'The Musketeers,' which next to the pantomimes is doing the best business in London. Drury Lane just now affords a sight which can.be witnessed nowhere else. The auditojrum viewed1 from the stalls outrivals in interest the stage itself. Tier upon tier-of laughing children's faces rise one, ab,pvean^t|ier, and- tbe huge, house echoed ah'cT'r'e^ehies with -de-iightea laughter. The present year's show comes well,up *P the ftyerage.-the %oq being a . most successful children's scene. There is also a marvellous cascade (over glass), the water of which turns all colours at once, and a shower of .silver rain which delights the youngsters. All it complain of is. that ti^eJ management give one top many gqod .things- P : ptir and 'a quarter, solid hours , of. blazing; spectacle • reduces 'grbwri ups* of middle age to. a condition 'of unmitigated collapse, which only reckless libations of 'Scotch cold' can retrieve. ... ;

: 'What Happened to Jones' has,.for a purely American play, had a record run'itf /London. 'Playgoers are inquisitive, arid the determination to^find out .what, really did happen to Jones is bringing full houses to the Strand Theatre every evening'—so says, a London journal of recent date; and another paper states that 'something of the play's success is undoubtedly due to the acting of the= American comedian, Mr Charles Arnold.'