STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 167, 27 July 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Grand opera continues to boom amazingly. In this matter "increase of appetite" would verily seem "to grow on what it feeds on"; for the houses for "Tannhauser" and "Lohengrin" on Wednesday and Friday were, record breakers, and that which witnessed "Carmen" on Thursday was little behind either. "Mignon" on Monday was somewhat disappointing, and the house waa rather chilly. With the exception of Madame Slapoffski, who took the whole burden of the opera on her shoulders, and worked as only a truly great artist can, the cast failed to grip the audience ( and the general verdict was that the opera will not bear repetition.

While appreciating- the diplomacy of Herr Benno Scherek in announcing that the Musgrove Grand Opera Company contains no star of greater magnitude or brightness than any other, we cannot agree with lum on the statement as a mere matter of fact. No one Will dispute the right of Madame Slapoffski and Miss Agnes Jansen to be considered very distinct "stars" who shine out from the constellation of Hit: company with unmistakable radiance. Both are truly "great" using that word in a responsible sense, and both have won universal and instant admiration. The histrionic versatility of Madame Slapoffs'ki is little less than amazing. Moreover, she is a born worker, throwing into every part an energy and abandon which must surely take a tremendous lot out of her. Jn singing, too, she certainly tow rers above the sopranos with whom she is bracketed equal by the wily Scherek. As for Madame Jansen it has been said over and over again after her several appearances that she is the most dramatic singer we have ever had in the colonies, and that statement is sheer cold fact—she unquestionably is. Amongst the men moreover Salvi and I'ringle in their respective positions as tenor and bass are undoubtedly the stars of the male, portion of the company. In Wagner Barron Berthald excels, but he never approaches his Italian colleague in other works.

Madame Belle Cole is working- her way steadily northwards, and is meeting with good success. Her voice is said to be as rich and full its ever, and she has lost none of the charm of manner which made her so great a favourite on her last New Zealand tour. She sang in Christchurch at the beginning of the present week.

Many Auekland'ers will remember Mr F. M. Alexander, an eccentric soul and excellent elocutionist, who did exeedinjjly well here as a teacher and a platform reciter. Alexander is now in Sydney, and, according to the local press, having had splendid support tor a production of the "Merchant of Venice" hj his pupils, is now preparing "Hamlet" and "As You Like It."

Madame Van de Veer Green, who gave excellent concerts in New Zealand some years ago, sang before the Duke and Duchess of York at Perth this week. At least, one presumes she did, for by the last Australian tiles one learns that she was cabled for to Sydney, and left the New South Wules capital in hot haste to reach Westralia in time for the Koyal function. She was to sing in the "Elijah" and at a State concert.

Miss Billie Barlow, who unsuccessfully sued the "Bulletin" for intimating- that her duess in the pantomime was rathen —well —eeanty, is known to us only by repute Nm this side, though feverish efforts were niade to secure her with that dress for a tour with a variety company. On June 7 she gave the first variety concert ever held in Zululand, and the programme was printed by Zulu boys. The Boers were 20 miles away, and were expected to raid the camp in which a few surrendered Boers were confined. Hotelkeepers, bank managers, storekeepers, and all available men Had accordingly gone down from Eshowe to the camp with their rifles. MisS Billife Barlow and her husband were jast leaving to cross the Tugcla River drift, and if not "held up" were to appear at Ladysmith, Dundee, and Pietermaritsfburg.

Miss Nance O'Neil, McKee Rankin, and their dramatic company will leave Perth for Capetown by the Aberdeen line about 28th of August. The company which Avill accompany the stars Includes the Misses Lena Brasdh, Bessie Thompson, Alice Crawford, Ricca Allen, Thomas Kingston, Cyril Keightley, Percy Brough, Geo. Becks, Alfred X Tullett, F. Phillips, Reginald Dartrey, and Walter Raynham. The South African season will be inaugurated in Capetown at the end of September.

Jean Gerrady, one of the most famous living masters of the 'cello, gave a concert in Wellington on Thursday. On the other side Mons Gerrady met with an immense reception, and his powers are spoken of in the highest terms. He comes to Auckland later.

At latest advices the Charles Arnold Company was playing in Perth, W.A., and the comedies "What Happened to Jones" and "Why Smitih Left Home" were proving as attractive there as they have done in .the eastern States of Australia and in New Zealand.

Singing is suggested as a preventive of consumption, feays "Health." "It may, we think, be stated as a fact that those nations which are devoted to the culture of vocal music are strong, vigorous races, with broad, expansive chests." If the curriculum of aU schools included an hour of singing daily there would be fewer "drooping, withered, hollow-chested and round - shbuddered children.?' Vocal music is "a gymnastic exercise of the lungs by development of the lung tissue."

The complete Brougli Company, as it will open here at Christmas, if all goas well, consists of the Brougihs themselves, Miss Susie Vaughan, Miss Mary Charteris, Miss Emma Temple, Messrs Cecil Ward, Leslie Victor^ M'Intyre, Ernest .Vere, Gregan M'iMahon, Charles Garry, and Orlando Daly*

University students in Sydney have a strong dramatic society in connection with the College. They will shortly stage "She Stoops ito Conquer" at the Palace Theatre. Mr Tyrone Power, the well-known professional, acts as coach and stage manager. Have our local students &ny idea of reviving, tihe Auckland University Dramntic Club* which died suddenly after "Cyril's Success" some years kgo?

The Josephine StauxrtotJ Comic Opera Company concluded their Christchtirch season on Tuesday, farewelling in that weird and wonderful worrier "Wang." The company are doing fair business.

A London correspondent mentions that Mr Williamson has secured the Australian rights of "Alice in Wonderland," "The Man Who Stole the Castle," "The Christian King," and "Ben Hur." .

The Greenwood Family and their company have just completed a lengthy tour of Queensland and the northern rivers. Their luck lias turned and they have been coining money in Banana Land. The Dix variety shows continue to do good business all over the colony. Here the Haytors still attract. In Wellington Pope and Sayles draw crowds nightly," as did Irene Franklin till withdrawn this week. In D lined in Little Tich (Harry Gray), Frank Clark and Daisy Harcourt are the attractions. John Fuller, with our old friend Cbas. Faning, appears to be getting on with due satisfaction to himself and the public at the Empire, Sydney. A sketch entitled "Fun on the Jetty" is Raid to be amusing, but whether John delights the youth and beauty of Wooloomooioo with his rich nasal notes in "Geraldine," or brings tears to their eves with "We Bon't Know How We 'Love Them Till We Lose them," deponent sayebh not, < An Amateur Opera Club has been formed at Wwtport, and a strong committee have now under consideration tha choice of an opera for the initial production.

Writes our London Correspondent: — The retirement of Mr John Hare, whiqb is now imminent, will leave the English stage the poorer by one genuine actor, whose comedy has always been pure, crisp and spontaneous. In leaving the stage now Mr Hare retires in the very height of his popularity. He is not really an old man yet—only fifty-seven. This is to" say, he is six yeura younger than Sir Henry Irving, one year the junior of Mr Charles Wvn'dham, and the same age as Mr Edward Terry. Mr Hare, however, has never taken'very kindly to the business side of the stage, and it is to escape the worried incidental to theatre management that Mr Hare contemplates retirement. A word as to his career:

Many are the parts I have seen John Hare take, but of all his roles the one 1 liked him in best was that of the elderly husband In "A Pair of Spectacles/

"The Girl From Up There," introduced to us at the Duke of York's by Mr Frohman, is not likely to catch on "down under." Olga is an ice-Edna-May-den of Polaria, who has been imprisoned in the heart of an iceberg for five-hundred years. Small wonder, therefore, that the music-hall comedy is a bit of a frost. Only a flash of lightning can release her, and this is provided by a gay spark of an explorer, who equipped with the latest electrical apparatus, touches the button, severs the iceberg and reveals the lady, fresh and tender as prime Canterbury lamb. But though the lover's cup is full to the brim, there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip, for in ninety days Olga must die unless she quafl! n draught from Olaf's golden cup. A comic burglax-cum-conjuror-eum-gym-nast has collared the cup at the Island of Kokorika, and, of course, the lovers and the whole menage pursue him to Paris. Here in the nick of time amid much frou-frou and frolicking, the cup is discovered and filled with champagne, and contrary to the experience of real life, martial happdnesa is secured by drinking.

The price is the thinnest and most invertebrate of its kind that we have yet had served up to us, and depends for whatever success it may achieve mainly on its "turns," such as a quaint hornpipe and an acrobatic sand dance. Edna May is—well—Edna May, as demure as in the "Belle of New York," the chorus is violently vivacious and restlessly rollicking, but the "gifl" doesn't go as she should. At the end of the performance the gods had a fifteen minutes growl of disapproval. While they were waiting patiently outside, the management admitted some of its friends with passes to the front seats. "The Girl From Up There " has, however, one good point; there is no " polite lunatic " associated with her.

The engagement is nnnounced of two members of the theatrical professionwell known to Australasians, Miss Irene Vanbrugh and Mr. Dion Bducicault. Miss Vnnbrugh has just returned from America, where ahe has been touring with Mr John Hare in "The Gay Lord Quex." Her Sophy Fullgarrey in that play has placed her in the front rank of English actresses. The marriage will take place in a few weeks. Meanwhjle Miss Vanbrugh will "rest." Mr Boucicault was Miss Vanbrugh's manager at the Court Theatre, where they played together in "Trelawny of the "Wella" and "His Excellency the Governor."

Apropos of the Vanbrugh-Bouci-ca,ult engagement, Max Vecht perpetrates the following quip in the "Westminster Gazette.": —

TO IRENE VANBRUGH (On her engagement). So kind to you have been the fates On tour in the "United States," That kindly you.-reta.Uate And enter the "United State." Miss Nor-ah Charring^ton, the daughter of Janet Achurch, "who came upon the world's stage during the Charrington tour in Australia in 1890-91, and is named after the heroine of the "Doll's House," the Ibsen play in which her mother won much fame, made her debut at the Chrystal Palace last week in her father's May Day production of Hauptmann'a "Weavers." Little Nora has inherited some of her mother's talent and Bhould make a name for herself before another decade has sped. For a short time previous to teaching the Metropolis, Mr Hare had played small parts in the provinces with Mr Too.le, but it was not till the production of the Robertson comedies that Mr Hare came into the front rank of light comedians. His "nice old gentlemen" became the talk of the town, and it was to this type that he devoted himself. His make-up was perfect, but he was once caught tripling- by th 6 King- (then thte Prince of Wales), who pointed out to him ttiat the decorations he wore in the part of Prince Perovsky in "Ours" were absurd. ' The Prince was very quick to delect /these things," said Mr Hare, "and' the fact was, ih the hurry I bad allowed myself to Wear a rather mixed lot, among them- being a Masonic off^ri"