PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 38, 14 February 1910, Page 8

PERSONAL NOTES FROM LONDON.

(From Oor Special Correspondent.)! LONDON, January 7. Knowing the New Zealand playgoers' admiration. for Miss Tittell Brune and her acting, 1 wrote to her asking for an interview, and was bidden by her to orchestra- stalls ■on Saturday—the last ■performance of "The Woman m the Case"—the play in which she has made such a brilliant debut in London. | After the play concluded, even I—intent on "cop 3*" — had to acknowledge that none but the most stony-hearted would approach her, then, to get her to talk. She -was utterly exhausted and unnerved by the heavy strain of the performance, and was only able to send mc a kindly message of appreciation to the New Zealanders, who, I told her, would like to hear of her. A more unlovely and revolting part than the first one—that of a shameless demi-mondaine—she has undertaken in London, it would be difficult to conceive, and the fact that, in spite of that and the really hideous make-up that she must assume, the audience singled her out by name with repeated demands at the end, for "Speech! Speech!" argues well -for Miss Brune's future. After the second act she bad to be led on to the stage rio fewer than seven times, amid frantic cheering and clapping, and when the curtain finally fell on her defeat and exposure, it was at the same time the signal of her great triumph. The audience refused to budge, and, ten minutes later, was still in its place loudly crying for the actress's reappearance and a speech from her. The fireproof screen slowly and heavily descending at sent the crowds home. The manager, surrounded by clamouring actors who had been in the audience, came up to mc and talked over Miss Brune's performance and prospects. He is warmly enthusiastic. "She is the greatest success we have had for years!" he said, and an actor acquiesced, adding, "We've been looking for a .thoroughly fearless actress such as she is, for years. She is magnificent ! The fact that, after the play's long nm. Sir Arthur Pinero and Mr. Henry Arthur Jones have visited the theatre twice since Miss Brune took up her part, speaks volumes. It is at present a secret in London as to what part Miss Brune appears in next, but I am privileged to know that she has rejected an offer from the Coliseum of £125 a week for a month, and that this week she started rehearsals ol a new play adapted from R. L. Stevenson's story, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." She wSI be leading lady in H. B. Lrvmg's production of the play. Mr James Thorn, who stood as Labour and Socialist candidate for Christehurch South, and who is now visiting England, has spent the past six months in studying economics and the Labour and Socialist movement in the United Kingdom, and in getting into touch with slum life and visiting workhouses and schools. Mr Thorn has met many prominent Socialist leaders, among them Messrs H. M. Hyndman, H. Queleh, Herbert Burrows, Belfort Bax, Robert Blatchford, Rev. Masted, Ramsay Mac Donald, Keir Hardie, Will Thorn and the Countess of Warwick. He has done some speaking from Socialist and Labour platforms, and just now he is busily engaged in electioneering. He has already spoken for Will Thorn. M.P., in South West Ham; in Haggerston. for Herbert Burrows; in Woolwich last night for Will Crooks; and to-night he speaks in Leicester for Ramsay Mac Donald; then in Huddersficld and Eccles and Glasgow. Mr Thorn intends to be here at least another fifteen months, and to go to Germany and Denmark. Messrs Darner L. Allen, Archibald R Frith and Percy N. Sargood, all of New Zealand, have joined the Royal Colonial Institute. Lieutenant E. B. Dalby, R.N.R.. of Canterbury, late of ILM cable steamer Iris, has spent the last six months in the Vernon gunnery and torpedo schools at Portsmouth, and has been successful in passing all his examinations and gaining his certificates. He is now on leave. The late Mr George Russell Drysdale, a director of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Ltd., on whose will probate was granted this week, left estate of the value of £32,207. Recent callers at the High Commissioner's office: —Mrs Thomas and Miss Banks (Christehurch), Mr K. R. O'Halloran (Auckland), Mr James Thorn (Christehurch), Mr Charles Cothman (Wellington), Mr Chas. Saunders (Dunedin), Mr G. H. Creasey (late Nelson). The Shaw-Savill liner Tainui left London to-day for New Zealand with the following saloon passengers:—Mr and Mrs Cuthbert, Miss A. Francic, Mr and Mrs Lucas, Miss M. Lucas, Sir J, Batty Tuke, M.P., Mr W. Badger, Mr G. T. Brewer, Mr P. T. Davies, Mrs R. B. Donovan, Miss Donovan, Mr D. A. Eberlet, Mr and Mrs T. W. Evans, Miss M. C. Ewing, Mr W. G. Gaman, Miss G. M. Jay, Miss A. Kerr, Mr J. C. Laurence, Mr W. H. Livens, Mr B. Merchant, Miss D. Mickletb-wa-ite, Mr J. Robinson, Mr R. B. Smyth, Miss J. Tingcy, Mr F. Townson, Mrs E. Tucker, Miss F. C. Weetman, Mr J. Wilson, and 138 thirdclass.