STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 78, 1 April 1905, Page 10

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Mr. Biene's "Broken Melody 5 ' season concludes to-night. Put briefly, the performsvnce was a musical a theatrical incident. Of course the 'cello playing of the actor-musician was magnificent, and no one could feel otherwise tiaan glad to have heard certainly one of the two best performers on the instrunrcnt who have % visited New Zealand. Of the play and the acting, the impression left was one that was neither unpleasant on the one-hand, nor of delighted surprise-on the other; one took a lazy intesiest in it while waiting for the next solo.

Dolly Castles, prima donna of tbe J. C. W-Tixaasison Repertoire Company, is reported to be only 19 years of age.

Mr. W. F. Hawtrey and Winnie Austin have Sieen appearing at the .Palace Gardens,' Perth, in a sketch called "His Favourite Pupil."

Sir Henry,lrving will visit Stratford for tlie first 'jime professionally in April, with Mr. F. A. Benson, as Shylock in "The Merchaaat of Venice."

Mr. Georgev Wirth has left for Sydney to arrange preliminaries for tbe opening of a season •in the New South Walecapital on April 15.

Sandow is i contemplating another visit to Australia. 1

Nance .O'NoJl's real name is said to be Gertrude Lauison.

Mr. Harry c Richards' chief attractions in Sydney at present are Cleopatra, a snake charmer, who plays with huge pythons and Umaller snakes as a child would with kittens, and Bonita, a four-teen-year-old girl, who gives some remarkable exhibitions of skill at rifle shooting.

Regina Nage,], whose beautiful voice was heard hen--, in "Ben Bolt" on the occasion of the--visit of the first "Trilby" Company, is still in London. She has not got rid of her nervousness. London papers say thai', sometimes she sings with great power and feeling —other times her nervousness almost leads to a fiasco.

Apropos of aspirants for the stage, Mr. George Gros-tmith, who is good nature itself, once> consented to, give his candid advice to ia lady who was a complete stranger toihim, and very anxious to enter the profession. She called at his honse, and he found her—to put it mildly—as unprepossessing as it is poshiblc for a lady to be. At the end of her song she lodked severely at "Gee Gee." and waited fo*r his verdict. "I don't wish to diseoui_-*gc you," he began, kindly, " but I am arfraid your voice is hardly adapted— perfcaps in a character part you might **? "Character part!" exclaimed the lady,. indignantly; "what do you mean by thai? Can't you see I'm an 'ongenue'?"

An Italian impregsario has hit upon a novel method for suppressing the encore nuisance. This tajkes the form of the following notice pasted up in the theatre:—"Persons de-tiring encores of a piece in the opera, Jor a fragment of ballet, are requested to inscribe their names in the office -when the performance is over, and in consideration of the purchase of a second ticket hy the inscribing persons, all -fee encores they wish for will be given."

When Mr. Tree' reproduced "Ulysses" at Her Majesty's Theatre, London, it will be remembered that Mrs. Brown Potter retired suddenly fnom the cast while the play was in rehes-rsal. Why did this happen? A theatrical monthly dares to suggest that th*"! lady's departure had its. origin,in the fact- that Mr. -StephenPhillips, the drjfiiriatist, addressed her durizrj? the rehearsals as "Mrs. Brown," while she retaliated by addressing him ai. "Mr. Stephens:"

The Brough-Fu-fmihing combination, includes Miss Day, who made a name for herself iin South Africa; Miss Winifred Frascr. Miss K. Gordon Lee, and Miss Ethel Cooper: Messrs. Carter, Pickford. Philip Leslie. Edgar B Payne, and J. Paulton. Both managers will also be included in* the casts. Through the. courtesy of Messrs. Maude and Harrison, the production of Beauty and the Barge will be an exact replica of that at the Haymarket.

Mr J- C. Williamson's next Australian attraction will be Andrew Mack, who begins an extended tanr of the States and New Zealand next- month. With that predilection for specialisation which is so customary nowadays, he describes himself as an Irisi'i singing comedian, and the combination of qualities involved in the epithtefs promises something quite out.of the ordinary.

Mr Fuller Golden, who is the "star" of the Harry Rickards Company which opens at His Majesty's Theatre on Monday night, appisared twice before King Edward. His Majesty asked Golden to give his American monologue without editing, and he did so. This was at Cowes. and His Mfcirjesty handed Golden one of his special brand of cigars. That night ou th<? verandah of the hotel—it was Cowes wseek—Golden smoked the costly RoyaS weed until two American banjoists catsne up and begged for a puff from the big cigar, which Golden granted, and then passed the smoke around among- the guests, who gravely and delightedly took a puff at the cigar, which caiee from King Enward. On another occasion the Royal Life Guards entertained the King, and Golden was summorrrid to appear. The King again compl"it»enting him, and presenting him with a cigar. "He is a delightful Royalty to -work before," says Golden; "His Majesty of England putone quite at his ease, -aiyi, his soothingpresence stimulates you to do your best. He is the esse***ee of charm and dignity, while his beautiful .Consort is the queenliest of worner." Golden still has tbe cigar sent him by the King at the Royal Life Guarcfc' affair. It is a very strong one. He has carried it about with him ever .since, and it has not broken vet.

Madame Lilian Tree*, who makes her first, appearance on the. operatic stage in New Zealand in tlie principal soprano role of the Hill-Birch new comic opera in June next, is an operatic artist of English and Continental celebrity. She made her first appearance at Covent Garden in a special season of Wagnerian opera, inaugurated by Mr. Hedhnondt, the celebrated Canadian tenor. The repertoire included "The Valkyrie," "Flying Dutchman," "Tannhauser" and "Lohengrin." Madame Tree's principal success was Brunhilda, in "The Valkyrie." and at the conclusion of the sea-son she was immediately engaged by tbe late Sir Augustus Harris to play BEunidlda ("Valkyrie"), Santuzza ("Cavajlleria"), Venus ("Tannhauser"), and the Witch ("Hansel and Gretel") for the Royal Italian opera season. Owing to the indisposition of Madame Albani, Madame Tree was specially chosen to sing the role of Elizabeth -in "Tannhauser.'*" in company with the eminent tenor, Senor Alvarez, and Mons. Plancon, basso,' the Venus of the cast 'being Madame Aelina. During her last season in London Madame Tree sang under the baton of the following eminent conductors: Signpri Mancenelli and Randegger, Herr ' George Henschel, Mi-/Henry' Woods (of the Queen's Hall Concert Company), and Sir■ v Frederick Cojren.

A circus .had been.:touring the provinces and business had been bad. Fin-

ally, the performers, with a tumbler nam'ea Zera at their "head, went to the management and insisted on receiving their back pay. They were put off repeatedly. A definite date was at last promised, but the time arrived and still there was no money. Zera expostulated, whereupon the management explained that it had been, arranged tp pay salaries, commencing with the names beginning with A, and so on, but that the money had run out somewhere in the S's. The company walked home. A year later Zera appeared at the offices of the circus and asked for an engagement. "Certainly," said the manager. '"'We will take you on at an increased salary. Now, let mc enter your name. Mr. Zera, is it not?" "One moment," said the performer, 'this year my name is .Ajax."

As for the scorn with which she treated the people of Australia, just as when Nellie Mitchell and Mis Armstrong, Madame Melba is a spoilt, pettish, vain, bad-tempered, and quarrelsome woman, who is always looking for offence where none is intended. Sydney "Newsletter."

Julius Caesar—no, Knight, has taken 'to wood-carving as a diversion, and spends all his off time chopping and whittling at junks of wood till they begin to look like something. Generally what they look like is not what he intended them to be, but he is none the less proud of his resulis. : —Melbourne "Critic."

THE DEADHEAD.