STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 288, 2 December 1905, Page 10

STAGE JOTTINGS.

The Strand Theatre Comedy Company opens at His Majesty's on Monday, December 11th, in "The J.P.," a faicical comedy which has been remarkably popular throughout Australia. Additional interest is lent to the performance by the fivct that two London Gaiety stars are amongst the principals. Both Mr J. J. Dallas and Miss Florence Lloyd have gained a reputation on the Eng.ish stage in opera, musical comady, pantomime and comedy. Miss Florence Lloyd played the same part as she will assume in the production of "the J.P." during the comedy's phenomenally successful run of six hundred nights at the Strand Theatre, London. All the 'members of thja company bare been chosen particularly for their adaptability to the forthcoming production.

The Australasian rights in "Tho Blue Moon," one of the latest successes in musical comedy in London, have been secured by Mr J. C. Williamson, with a view to adding it to the repertoire of the Royal Comic Opera Company. It was produced at the Lyric Theatre, London, by Mr Robert Courtneidge some three mouths ago, and has plainly made a most favourable impression, for the most recent 'mail advices credit it with 50 performances and a rapidly aug.v.untiug popularity. The facts that the incidents of the plot take place in Burmah gives a guarantee of picturesque scenery, while those responsible for the score and the libretto include Howard Talbot, Paul Rubens, Percy Greenbank, and Harold Ellis, so that the tunefulness of the music and tho brightness of the dialogue are assured. Besides Mr Robert Courtneidge himself, an old favourite who has achieved the distinction of being classed as one of the cleverest and most artistic stage managers of to-day, there were several artists favourably known to Australians concerned in tho production. The3e included Miss Carrie Moore, Mr CouVtice Pounds, and Mr Harold Thorley, all of whom have been seen here under Mr Williamson's management.

The new note "in musical plays struck by "Vcronique" at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, has been very cordially responded to by the the-atre-going public, and the piece since the opening night has been received nightly by large audiences with undeniable approbation. An interesting commentary on the effect it had upon the musical taste of its hearers was afforded by the fate of "The Gay Lord Vargy," which succeeded it at the Apollo Theatre, London, about six weeks ago. This particular piece, which approached far more nearly to musical comedy than comic opera, was so chillingly received and public that it was withdrawn after a week. Meanwhile "Veroniquc" is on tour in the English provinces, making every bit as favourable an impres : ion as it did in London, and further than that Mr George Edwardes has demonstrated his conviction that the opera will be as successful in tho United States as it has been in England by going , over to New York to personally suprrintend its production there.

Miss TitteJl Bruno and her company are now engaged at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, upon a series of popular revivals, including "The Second Mrs Tanqueray," "Romeo and Juliet," "Sunday," and perhaps one or two more seleetedvfrom Miss Brune's extensive repertoire. On Saturday next (2nd Deeerbj ber) the forceful play, "Leah Kleschna," which has decidedly been one of the dramatic successes of the year Ln London, will be played by Miss Bruno for the first time in Australia.

With an extended experience of what Australian theatre-goers like, Miss Florence Young found nothing in the United States during the whole oi'her stay there likely to appeal very strongly to them. The musical plays she saw were much too slight, Avhile of the sterner stuff the only ones she thought likely to appeal to the dramatic taste of this side were those of which Mr Williamson has already secured the rights. Two Australian actors were filling leading roles in their respective lines when she was in New York—Mr Wallace Brownlow was certainly the most appreciated baritone in light opera, while Mr Kyile Bellew, in dramatic work, was no less prominent.

A hearty and appreciative reception was accorded to "The Sorcerer" when the Gilbert and Sullivan Company staged it at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, on Saturday, November 18.

"The Girl from Kays," which Mr Geo. 'Edwardes' Gaiety Company made so popular in Australia some little time ago, will in all probability be added to the repertoire of the Royal Comic Opera Company. It should be a comparatively easy task to cast the merry musical play adequately, and Mr George Lav i particularly should find the part of Hoggenheimer much to his liking.

"Tho many Australian admirers of Mark Hambourg will hear with pleasure of the great success attending his South African tour, from which he returned last week," says the London correspondpnt of the "Sydney Daily Telegraph." "It was largely an experimental tour. Since his departure from London in July Mark Hambourg gave %5 recitals in Cape Colony. Natal, the Orange River Colony, and the Transvaal. It is estimated that he played before 35.000 people. The appreciation of classical music during this season was extraordinary and most gratifying. The Russian pianist did not vary his ordinary high-class repertoire, not one so-called 'popular , item appeared on any of the programmes. M~ny amusing experiences fell to Mark Hambourg's lot. Once, driving in a post-cart from King Williametown to Grahamstown, in a blinding rain-storm, the 12 mules went sheer over a cliff into a deep spruit, the pianist luckily escaping -with a ducking;"

<si iJpkUn{e CoTdkle' cdniiiiuci, afnd evTgfi gr6ws," saye a recent issiie of the "Daily Telegraph." "To-day a matinee, organised by the Tigaro,' takes place at the Opera Comique, Parie, in.aid of the sufferers by the recent earthquake in Italy. In the programme figures the name of Mr Charles Warner, who leaves London this morning in order to appear in a scene from Hamlet.' During the" journey from Calais Paris he will change and make-up in the train. At the terminus Mr Warned is to be met by a private motor and whisked off to the theatre, where his companions, Miss Geraldine Oliffe, the Queen, and Mr Charles Cartwright, the Ghost, await his arrival, no doubt anxiously enough. The performance over, and a hasty meal obtained, Mr Warner returns -to London in order to play his part to-morrow Evening in the final representation of 'Leah Klesehna* at the New." '

Mme. Melba, when the last mail left, was singing at the Bristol Festival. She was the guest of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, who wasi to daily run a special train between Badminton and Bristol for her convenience. The famous Australian singer is .also paying a visit to the varidiis provinces, where she will sing, and will motor from London to Glasgow. She will go to Egypt early in the New Tear, after paying a visit to Spain, at the invitation of King Alphonso, who met Madame Me]ha at Buckingham Palace, on the occasion of his visit to England, and who, like all her hearers, was enraptured with her magnificent voice. Madame's original intention was t winter in Southern Californa, where her- father was to meet her. Since her severe attack of bronchitis last November in America, she has been subject to coldi.

Mark Twain cabled to Mr J. Y. W. MaoAlister, editor of "The Library," London, to place on the bier of "his dear old friend, Henry Irving," a wreath wita the following inscription: "All our people mourn, him. He earned their love at his first coming, and never lost it. He was endeared to mc by a warm friendship of thirty three years."

Hermann Sudennann's long-expected new play, with the somewhat twisted title "Stein unter Steinen" (Stone among Stones), was given for the first time last night at the Lessing Theatre, says Ihe Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" (London). ifll that was eminent in Berlin artistic and theatrical circles was present, and among those I noticed was Sudercnann's distinguished rival, Gerhart Hauptmann. In no way was the play great. Its milieu had been carefully studied; that is all. It left its spectators cold almost to indifference. The dramatist was called before the curtain after the first and second acts. After the third act the loudest cries were for the principal actor, and alter the final act signs of disapproval were as evident as applause.

Speaking at Hull, General Booth referred to the death of Sir Henry Irving. He said he was almost paralysed when he heard the news. He had heard that he was a man of great ability, a wonderful interpreter of dramatic writers, and ,of good moral character, and he had learned to respect his name. About his religion he knew nothing; but he thought it a pity that a. man of such ability, compass, and power in talking to the hearts of men was. not a Salvationist, interpreting the Word of God to the children of men.

Questioned with regard to his new play, "Major Barbara, ,, Mr George Bernard Shaw said: "A problem play? Great heavens! don't speak of it as that! About fifteen years ago, for some inscrutable reason, London made up its mind that a problem play meant a cut-and-dried play about an improper fem.ile. I pledge you my word that eveiy woman in 'Major Barbara' goes right through without a etain on her character. There is no drama, no situations, no curtains, no feeling, no heart, no dramatic interest —in one word, no adultery. . . . Certainly I do not consider that the improper female should be forbidden the stage. Do you forget that I am the author of three unpleasant pays? But really I cannot shut my eyes to the fact that there are other aria muh more interesting people in the world than the improper female and her husband and her lover, juat as there are other figures in history besides Lady Hamilton and Mary Queen of Scots."

"Take the case of Mr Pinero, who has given us one or two remarkable stories of unfortunate females," said Mr Bernard Shaw in the same interview. "Well, what has been the result on the stage? First, a representation of Mrs Patrick Campbell, cut by the county, when 3he would obviously hare had it at her feet in a fortnight. Second, Miss Fay Davis being talked at through a whoie evening as an abandoned person, when a bishop would have married her without hesitation at the end of every act. There is only one imposture more transparent than the poor castaway in a police court pretending to be an actress, and that is the eminent actress on a West End stage pretending to be a castiway. Impropiety is no use at the theatre, you can't get it acted."

Critics and managers arc still hard at it against one another (saya the Paris correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," London). M. Catulle Mendes, called the prince of Parisian critics, has told

'•'Gil Bias" that, far from being oversevere, critics are generally over-indul-gent. There ought to be much more slating than there is nowadays. When critics are writing of a bad play, they never say it is bad outright, but "hum and ha" and use all sorts of euphemistic circumlocutions. However, this is not always M. Mendes's own rule. He recalls having written regarding an "infamous melodrama," at a now defunct theatre, as follows: "The title of the next piece will be bankruptcy." He was sued for libel by the manager in the police courts, and acquitted. In the "Figaro" M. Henri Lavedan says point blank that he would never give a play to a manager who attempted to boycott the critics. He is not quite sure that he prefers slating to silence, but is quite sure that some kinds of slatiug are better than some forms of praise. As an author be declines to acknowledge that a theatrical undertaking , is "a business like any other," and "considers that no author would be low enough to allow a play of his to be treated like a patent medicine or a new soap.

The revival of "Sherlock Holmes" at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, gave Mr. William Gillette his 889 th performance of the part of the famous dptective.

Mr J. J. Dallas, the principal comedian, in "The J.P.," was born in Roho Square, and as a boy surreptitiously accepted an engagement to sing alto with Mr Christie's Minstrels. On being brought back and settled in business by his father, he ultimately broke away, with the parental consent, and joined the neighbouring opera company at the Alhambra Theatre, where Mdme, Etaiily Sol dene was the principal singer. Mr Dallas has the distinction of being the only actor who has ever played women's parts at the Gaiety. In the palmy days

wheri -Nellie Farren, Katft saughan, Edwarci Raycß; and Edward Terry were in the cast of "The Forty Thieves," Mr Dallas was Widow Gdgia, and? Iα "Alladin" he was the Cook. In later days her figured prominently at the Avenne, where he was the Marquis to the "Polydore Pdapaft" df Arthur Roberts, and wrote the much-fcnhg - duet, "The Day's When Wβ Were Ydufig.*' This authorship led to the perpetration of an original farce for the Avenue, entitled 'A Warm Reception." Another piece to which the comedian placed his name was "His Only Coat/- for the London Similarly, in after yeats, Mr Dallas wrote and stage-managed three elaborate pantomimes for Manchester; two for the Prince's Theatre, and one for the Palace. After taking part in the "Bric-a-Brac" opera at the Lyric, Mr Dallas joined the Savoy Company for a long engagement, playing -ihe chief comedian's part in "The Nautch Girl." That cast also included Mr Frank Thornton. Following this, Mr Dallas played all the important comedian's parts in most of -ihe Gilbert and Sullivan operas at the Savoy, and produced the "Snow Man," a fairy opera, : it the Lyceum, and appeared in a round of farcical comedies prior to joining Messrs. Meynell and Gunn's Company for Australia. Mr Dallas has writtei thirty-two songs for the leading hall and variety theatres.

THE DEADHEAD.

BANDS AND BANDSMEN

(By Presto. \'

In my notes last week I mentioned that the Ist A.M.R. band took up a collection at the Avondale racecourse the previous Sunday in aid of their con* test fund. This is not correct, a,9 the money collected was given to the St. Jude's Church Ladies' Guild, from whom the band has received a very nice letter of thanks. This' band played on the rotunda at Devonport last Sunday afternoon, and gave a really good account of themselves. They, played their contest march, "Mt. Egfnonfc," as an opening piece, and a splendid thing it is, too. Mr Trus.sell certainly has something to be proud Of in this march, for, in my opinion, he has gone just one better than with his other favourite, •'Rimutaka," which he composed for the Masterton contest.

Mr Hulse writes as follows: "The Onehunga and Papakura bands meet at Otahuhu on~Sunday next, when they will mass ttgether and render a programme. A collection will be taken up to- cover brake hire, etc" I am very pleased to know that Mr Hulse has the Papakura band in a fit condition to appear in public once more; they were certainly very bad when I heard them some seven months ago.

The Garrison band played in the Western Park laat Sunday afternoon, but I am sorry to say I was unable to be present. I would be pleased at any time to receive a few notes from the secretary of this band, also Mt. Albert and the different religious bands. Iklr Jame3 Tyler, first baritone of H.lt. Mission band, was the recipient of a beautiful salad howl from the members on "the occasion of his rnarria"ge."

The medal and trombonu presented by Hawkcs and Son, per the Dresden Piano Company, for the big Auckland contest, have arrived. The caedal is certainly far ahead of any other given at the contest, and the trombone (which is their very latest make) is "a picture, and valued at £22, The former goes to Mr Wynyard. of the Ist A.M.R band, and the trombone was won by the Auckland Garrison.

A prominent bandsman wl/o was present at the performance given by the Ist Battalion band on Sunday afternoon last write.* as follows: "The band fully sustained its reputation, and, taking into consideration the unsettled sfale of the weather, which was accountable for the absence of one or two, players, etc., it may well be said that they even play-e-d better than they did a few Sundays previous. The big selections were 'Veidi' and 'lolanthe.' Mr Mohr has his men well in hand, and exacts from them music, and the playing of the band at times was really brilliant. In a light, catchy mevement the whole band was 'light,' in a fully sustained movement you had it fully sustained, ard it was these minor points that I took most notice of, and thought what an objectlesson they were to other bands, ihe pause notes were solid until released, and then altogether. The attack was never ragged, and the precision grand. These things are the result of hard and constant pegging away at the seemingly unimportant features of a selection, but features which, in the opinion of the musician, shows the ability of the conductor."

To-morrow monster demonstrations are being held in the Opera House, in which the H.H. Mission band (K. G. Hill) and the City Mission (G. F. Cater) are taking part. Messrs Piper and Walker, late of the City S.A. band, have augmented the ranks of tho City Mission. This will give them more confidence at the Charity Contest. Mr Gooch has resigned his position as bandmaster of the Central Mission band, and Mr Alf. Litherland has been appointed bis successor, with Mr P. H. Mohr as instructor.