STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 166, 13 July 1907, Page 10

STAGE JOTTINGS.

FORTHCOMING ENGAGEMENTS. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. July 15 tn 20 — Mr Fred. Shipman July 22 to August 10 — Mr Musgrove's Grand Opera Co. August 12 to 24 — Mr J. C. Williamson August 26 to September 14 — Mr J C. Williamson September 16 to October 5 — Mr Allan Hamilton October 7 to 26 — Messrs MacMahon's Dramatic Co. OPERA HOUSE. Till farther notice — Fuller's Entertainers After a highly successful run of "Brigadier Gerard," a piece which shows Mr. Julius Knight to especial advantage, Mr. Williamson's Company introduced for the concluding nights of the season a very welcome revival of "Monsieur Beaucaire."'

Last month Mr Beerbohm Tree placed the stalls at His Majesty's Theatre at the disposal of the Federal Education Conference for the performance of "A Woman of No Importance, ,, and a large number of delegates accepted the invitation. After the performance, Mr Tree held a reception on the stage, which was transformed into a likeness of Westminster Hall. Hp welcomed the guests in a. speech, to which the representatives of Canada, Australia, and Ireland responded. Supper on the stage,followed.

Mr John Fuller, jun., has arrived in London on the look-out for novelties in the vaudeville world (writes my London correspondent at the end of May). He travelled via Suez and, lanamg at Naples, made an extended tour on the Continent', visiting some of the principal cities in Italy, France, Belgium and Germany. He was disappointed witli the Continental standard of vaudeville, and also with that of London, except as regards the "star" performers. Between the "stars" and the rank and file of the performers there is a great gulf fixed in point of merit. Mr Fuller finds that there is little prospect of inducing the front-rank-ers to visit New Zealand just now, owinnto the phenomenal salaries now being offered to them by the entrepreneurs of America, where a music-hall war between the rival trusts is in full swing. Verdi's "Otello" was produced at the Murlborough Theatre, Holloway, London, on April 26, the version bein<» an English one. "Otello" was orio-ioaJly produced at La Scala, Milan, during February, 18S7.

Miss Audrey Riahardson, the fourteen-year-old violinist from New Zealand, -who made her debut the otheT .lay at the Bechstein Hall, was one of tne soloists at the "Imperial" concert held at the Queen's Hall on Empira Day. She played Saint-Saens' "Rondo Capriccioso," and had three or four times to answer the calls of her admiring audience. Australia was represented in the programme by Miss Amy Castles and Miss Esta D'.irgo, vocalists and Mr. Percy Grainger, the pianist! Madame Alice Gomez represented India and Miss Ada Forrest Natal, while a Canadian vocalist named Miss Edith Miller introduced four French-Canadian songs and a picturesque Indian ditty. Mr. Dalton Baker, Mr. Campbell McInnes, Mr. John McCormack, and, last but not least, Mr. Ben Davis, represented England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales respectively. The concert, which proved a brilliant success, was under the direction of a Canadian composer and organist, Dr. Charles Hariss.

Mr. Bernard Shaw confesses in a London paer that he makes £6000 out of a single play. As he has written quite a number of plays, the information should, be of considerable interest to the gentlemen who look after the income tax.

Miss Pnscilla Verne informs "Prompter," of the "Canterbury Times," that she has disposed of the New Zealand rights of "His rlighness the Bey" and "The Isle of Bhong Bhong" to Mr Tom Pollard for production by his Lilliputian Opera Company. The pieces are musical comedy of the American type, and they have had big runs in Chicago and other American cities.

Mr J. F. Sheridan is touring .New South Wales provinces with ''Cinderella," the successful Adelaide pantomime, for which he and Mr William Anderson were responsible. The whole of the Adelaide principals are retained in the touring cast. After "Cinderella" is done with they.will play musical comedy.

Miss May Chevalier, who will be remembered as leading lady to Mr Cuyler Hastings with the "Sherlock Holmes" Company, has been touring the London provinces, playing the part of Adulolajn "The Last of His Race." The play has been taken in hand, and will be staged by Mr Arthur Collins at the Drury Theatre, with Miss Constance Collier sustaining the same role.

llaskelyne, the Mystifier, is about to produce a spiritualistic sketch at Home, entitled "Spectres of the Sanctum." This entertainment will, it is said, quiie outdo anything that spiritualists can lay claim

to, with this difference, that Mr. Maskelyne declares his seance to bu one of tricks. The other people will not admit the trickery.

Gaston Mervale is retiring from the Tittell Brune Company.

When Mr J. C. Williamson's new Musical Comedy Company begins its tour of Australia —going to West Australia via Ballarat, Bendigo, and Adelaide it will have a most attractive repertoire, consisting of "My Lady Madcap," upon which they are already engaged, as well as the a Three Little Maids" and "Kitty Grey," which so far have not been seen outside Melbourne and Sydney. In all of them the principals have "made their mark in other parts of the world. But it will be New Zealand which will reap the fullest sheaf, for "The Little Michus" and "The Girl from Kay's" have both been reserved for this company in that colony by Mr Williamson. Mr Geo. R. Sims is being shouldered out by the unknown Australian dramatist (says the "Australasian"). Next week we shall have three local productions running, or raging. "The Squatter's Daughter," now Mr William Anderson's trump card, is still being played in Sydney, and with a quick ear to catch the not of public approval, Mr. Bland Holt intends to restore the "Breaking of the Drought" at Melbourne Royal shortly. At the Hippodrome, the rival shop to Her Majesty's, just across the way, they are playing "Hunted Down"—a romance of old Bendigo. In all three the supply of bushrangers, in long boots and long beards, is exceedingly generous, and the price of admission remains just the same. But there are more policemen killed of an evening at the Hippodrome than in all the other theatres put together. One curious fact in connection with the local-ly-manufactured drama is that the author rarely, if ever, reveals himself. He is one of the mysteries of the stage. This may be modesty, it may be prudence, but it is not like ns in either case, and what is good enough for a respectable, law- j abiding audience to applaud ought to be good enough for any author to si°-n

The prohibition of the "Mikado" during the vis-it to England of one of the Japanese princes has recalled other notable instances of prohibition. In a musical comedy, a member of the Turkish Embassy recognised a colourable imitation of his own personality, and the play was prohibited until the'part was made more heroic. A notable instance of a play prohibited for political reasons was "The Happy Land," produced in London m 1873. Three Cabinet Ministers were lampooned, and the Lord Chamberlain insisted upon certain excisions before allowing the piece to continue. During the political strife of the Berry era in Victoria, the same play was adapted for local production—with the same result. Excisions were insisted upon, and the actors made some fun of -the situation by pausing at "the cuts" and whispering the word "Prohibited."

The seating accommodation of the leading theatres and halls of Melbourne and Sydney is as follows:—Melbourne Her Majesty's Theatre, seating 2600; Princess's Theatre, 2100; Theatre \toyal, 1900; Opera House, itiOO; Bijou Theatre (closed for a long period), 1500; Gaiety, 1500; Town Hal.l -i 300- Temperance Hall] 1200; Athenaeum Hall. 900; tote., 15,600. Sydney—Her Maj-;stv's Theatre' 2000-. Theatre Royal. 1900"; Lyceum] 1900; Criterion, 1700; Palace,* 1300; TivoU, 1200: National Amphitheatre. 2200; Oxford Theatre. 700; Town Hall, 3300: Centenary Hall, 1500: YJrf.CA. Hall, 700; Queen's Hall. 700: St. James's Hall,. 500; Victoria Hall, 700: total 20..300.

Australia can fairly claim the latest theatrical heroine Miss Marie Lohr, daughter of the lady known in the theatre world is Miss Kate Bishop and Mr. Lohr, and niece of that sterling comedian, Mr. Alfred Bishop, who made her stage debut in Sydney at the tender age of five. Recently, says the " Star " correspondent in London, she has been playing minor roles in Mr. and Mrs. Kendal's company at His Majesty's. Yesterday she was, so to speak, unknown to the. genera) public; to-day everybody interested in theatrical affairs is discussing her impersonation of Trixie Dupre in an Anglicised version of a French comedy, "Mile Josette. ma Femme," produced by Mr. Harrison this week at the Haymarket under the title "My Wife. - ' With singular unanimity all the leading London papers from the 'Tunes" downwards single out Miss Lohr for special commendation- Her success was electrical; nothing was wanting to complete the sum of her triumphant debut as the heroine in the new Haymarket play. She showed herself to be a veritable queen of high comedy, and the spontaneous cheer of a critical first-night audience after her first exit was a remarkable tribute to her perfectly natural art and artlessness.

Mrs. Kend-al, continues our correspondent, must be proud of her protege, who while still lacking something of eighteen years, has won from some of the most exacting critics notices which she herself would be proud to enshrine in her scrap-book. "My Wife" promises to become the most popular piece current in London, and Miss Lohr, one of the most popular actresses on the metropolitan boards. The role of Trixie Dupre fits her "like a glove." It is no easy one. If the role were that of the typical bouncing English schoolgirl Miss Lohr's task would have been simplicity itself. But the character of Trixie, the child of an English mother and French father, is one of complexity, and is an engaging blend of the chief characteristics of the two races. Trixie is a creature of moods, high-spirited, and ebullient in her recreations and her camaraderie, inexpressibly tender and sympathetic when the occasion requires— an engaging mixture of sunshine and tears. In play she is an irresponsible, wayward girl; in her serious moments the mischief in her eyes masks the purity and goodness of her soul, so that a close analysis of her character offers a fascinating study to an unimaginative bachelor whose position as her guardian ■has brought him into close relationship ■with her. Miss Lohr's Trixie and tne author's Trixie are exactly identical, inseparable. It is one of the happiest examples of the perfect sympatffy of an actress with her paTt that has been seen for many a moon. THE DEADHEAD.