STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 16, 18 January 1913, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

ma MAJESTY'S THEATRE. To-night—' 'Dorothy." Jannary 21 to 25—"The Great McKearn." February 14—Rk—u-ds' Vaudeville Co. February 24 to March B—J. C. Wi_a—son's Comedy Co., "Get Rich Quick Wnlling--ord." TOWN HA—-, January 16 and 18—Madame Kirkby Lnnn. Jannary 28 and 29— T. H. De Spong, Elocutionary Recital. PICTURES. King's Theatre. Royal Albert Hall. Lyric Theatre. King George—Durham Street. Newton Picture Palace (Continuous). Queen's Theatre (Co—in_ons). Globe Theatre—Qneen Street (Continnons). VAUDEVILLE. Opera Honse—Nightly. When the last nt__ left Australia the oianagermeut of the R—tarda circuit in Australia were considering whether or not to add Mi— Minnde Kami_arm to the company to tour New Zealand, beginning at A—-kl—id on February 17. Programmes in all the Australian theatres on the circuits are being remodelled, owing to the closing down of vie Adelaide Tivoli Theatre for rebuilding, and it is possible that Miss haulm—_i may come to New Zealand along with the other big attractions. She is one of the world's greatest trick cyclists, and in addition to her skill on one wheel or two, she is said to be one

of the prettiest and most graceful cyclists who ever came to Australia. Possibly, as some tell us, there was & time when personal character counted for nothing on the stage, and patrons saw no incongruity in the presentation of noble roles by persons of light or scandalous life. That day, if it existed, has gone so far as the American stage is concerned (says the "Detroit Free Pre—"), and good reputation in private life is becoming almost as necessary for the actor and actress of the best type as it is for the lawyer and physician. Paul Pedrini, the clever foot equilibrist now at tbe National Ampn___tre, Sydney, is a native of New Zealand. The style of his act (says the "Referee**) shows his wisdom in getting owwy from the beaten track. Pedrini is a great favourite In the East, espec—Ely in the Straits Settlements. There is said to be a "real live baronet" in the caste of the "Get-J—ch-Quick Wallingford" Company, now' in Aus—-alia. He is reported to be Sir Alex. Mackenzie Macker—:e, the sixth of his line. The baTonet's part in the play is quite a email one; he is one of the crowd that cheers —id waves its hands. Harry Corson Clarke ("Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford") relates this story: "Christn—s—how the name brings back memories;! I recollect a time we were playing in Texas. There was a fete in the town, and we co_<_"i get any accommodation. It meant that several of us had to sleep at the theatre. In the morning I awoke —iff and cold. Daylight was stres—ii ng in. The other men of the oomp-ny wore cv—ing out of their etawber, too. I'm near frozen to death,' said the comedian, wbo was lying well tip stage. 'Gee,' I said, looking at the Betting left from, tbe perfor—once of the previous night, 'I don't wonder; we've been sleeping in a snow scene. Let's have something warmer.' There's a nice warm kitchen cloth in the second act. Let's haul that down.' This idea put all the boys in good humour. TThey lowered the kitchen 'drop,' and we all sat round the painted stove and made pretence at wanning our hands.**

"While I was appearing in New Zealand with one of the J.C.W. companies," said W. S. Percy in a remh—vcent mood, "I was cycling from Napier to Wellington, where we ware to open for the Cbrishmas season, and near a little place called Tarawera I was caught in a terrific downpour of Tain. I was soaked to the skin when I got to the hotel. The proprietor was a Scohchn—n. He was the biggest Scotchman I had ever seen. •His bulk filled a whole room. I borrowed some clothes from hi—, so that you can —iagino what I looked like, with a coat that swept the giroa—d, and trousers in which I had taken in ten reefs. That night, at "the blazing fire, while the rain poured down out—de, we were gathered around, when the landlord turned to mc and 6aid, TTou are one of those comic •fellctWTs. Sing us a funny song.' Well, he had been obliging to mc, and allowed mc to lose myself in some of his clothes, so I —ought I would reciprocate in some way. I sang therm 'Sam—iv, my old friend, Sa__' At the end of the first verse, there was silence. I dashed at the second verse, and again there .w—n't a Bound. I noticed that the —ndlord was looking into the air. When I finished the song, he turned to mc and said. "Look here, we ain't keen on these sentimental songs. Give us a comic.'*' The repertoire of the D. B. O'Connor Opera Company, who opened their Dominion tour at Greymouth, consists of "Our Miss Gibbs," "The Merry Widow," "A Waltz Dream," and the "Catch of the Season." The principals are Mies Eva Moore, Miss Cliff Palmer, and Miss Ida Leggatt, Messrs J. Ralston, D. B. O'Connor, and George Edwards. The remnant of the Maori troupe which remoined in England after the close of the "White City" exhibition last year has been appearing at the small Queen's _all, writ— the "Star" London correspondent. The Press notices of their performances have been very good indeed, but it is to be feared that the British public lias not taken very kindly to the entertairument in spite of the good-natured efforts of the newspapers to "boom" it. The "Times," for instance, devoted nearly a quarter •of a column to the Maori programme, and was very appreciative, advising "anyone who likes to hear simple, artless music perfonwed by people of goodhumoured temperamemt, <who are what Scots call 'gley gleg 5n the uptak,' to bear the Maoris' varied emtertaaurnlent of dances, games and songs, and recitations in excellent English." The "Morning Poet" and -many 'other leading London journa— had also a good word for the performance as a whole, but the public has not risen to the bait, and it is to be feared that the troupe will not become exactly "the rage" in the i metropolis.

Saharet hi.s been starred in the pictures as "the great Australian dancer" (says the ''Theatre'"), and again there crcps up the question of her identity. It was once stated that Saharet told a London newspaper man that she was born in Richmond, Melbourne. Beyond this, nothing appears to be known locally regarding tho dancer, who has been a big star on the Continent and iv London for years. Someone once hazarded the guess that she was '•(junger" Ainsworth, the wife of Woods, the "somewhat different comedian," both of whom appeared at Rkikaras' Opera House, Melbourne, years ago; but the identity of the lady is still shrouded 'a * "* \ The question still stands— '"Who W saharet?

A London -paper on November 28 chronicled — c arrival of Miss >ellie Stewart. It was stated that the popular Austrolian actress bad engaged English and Continental artists "for. her new Winter Garden in Sydney." Miss Stewart will be back in Sydney at "the end of April. The new place of amusement in Bajwwater-road, Darl—gh—-t, should be ready for opening in September under the joint management of Miss Stewart and Mr George Muegrove. It will be a Variety Theatre and r_taarant.

Signor Alberto 'Marini, the operatic tenor, who is to tour New Zealand with the Rickards All-Star Vaudeville Co., was engaged as principal tenor of the Quinlan Grand Opera Co. in Arfriea. It- is said that he pass—sea a bell-like tenor, with an exceedingly high range. In the early part of her stage career in London, Miss Lis Hoey might have said, like the pretty milkmaid, "My face is my fortjp_e." Yet no photographer could have persuaded Miss Hoey to sit or stand before the camera after her recent experience while playing golf. During a Sunday morning game near London Mies May Ethelridge, "sliced*- her ball, and Miss Hoey, who was standing near, was struck between the eyes with such force that she was stunned. A subsequent examination showed that the bone of the nose was broken. Tbe popular musical comedy artist had to drop out of the cast of "Princess Caprice" at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London. Her place was taken by Miss Marie Blanche-

Of the little play written hy Miss. Constance Clyde, of Dunedin, and per' formed art a matinee organised by the Actresses' Franchise League in London on December 6, the dramatic critic of the "Daily Telegraph" writes:—"Mr. Wil—_»on'e Widow," a new play by Miss Constance Clyde, is wrifcteni with the idea of exposing the unfairness of marriage as a part—-ratiSp under the present laws. Mrs Wilkinson staves for her husband and home for a quarter of a century. "You go through it because he saved you from being a epinster" is her idea; "marriage is not happiness, except that holy lrapp-ness which dont count." But when she ds left a. widow, and finds •thaifc her defunct spouse by his will has •left her almost penrni]ess, despite the fact that her own industry had created practically all he posseased, the unfairness of the partnership becomes apparent to hex, and a sorrowing widow is changed into an injured and indignant woman.

The first ortis— to introduce to this side of the world the ragtime singing comedy nonsense, which is now all the rage in London and America, are Earl Taylor and Dick Arnold. They are included in the strong combination which Mr. Hugh B. Mcintosh is sending through the Dominion next monVh. Both men have bi7en star artist of the famous Orpheum Circuit in the United States. They graduated into vauueville from the cafes, which provide the vaudeville stage an America with so many of its most successful performers. Their turn is a revelation in quaint music and skilful comedy. Madame Sam.li ißernhardt was about to set out from Paris to begin her American tour -when the laet mail left London. The tour was to begin at Chicago, and.the, weekly expens— are est—— ted it no* less a sum than £2,400, of which £1,800, including her personal salary of £1,400, go to the famous French actress. The surplus is accounted for by the sum paid for the remaining six turns, requisite to complete the bill, the maintenance of a private Pullman car, and the transportation from Europe to the United States of Madame Bernhardt's staff of twenty people. The tour is to last twenty weeks. Amongst the stories* told of the late Sir Edward Moss, tiie well-kn;own director of music-balls, who died at the end of November, is one which shows his resource as an entertainer. In his early days at Edinburgh he —anaged a fastingman show; "but the enterprise was a failure," he said. ; Tben it occurred to mc that a good many people would be willing to see a man who had not eaten for 30 days break his fast, so I took Waverley Hall, and announced that the fasting man would eat his first meal in public .there. There was something suffteiently novel in seeing a man eat in these conditions. The people came by thousands, and tran—armed, a failure into a success." Mr Allen- Doone will shortly make a second tour of New Zealand. The Sydney "Sun" save: "The Irish Binging comedian has evidently hit tbe populaT taste with hib pretty little Irish plays. No actor of modern times-—.not even excepting the great Dion Boucicault—did more •to obliterate the infamous stage Irishman than has Allen Doone.'' Sir Hassan, the leader of an Arab troupe appear—g in Sydney at the Tivoli, is reputed one 'of the richest men in Morocco. He owns several villas and a great area of valuable grazing land in the Sous Valley, land that is filled with gold, silver, lead, zinc, and coal beds, all of which are easy of access to the Mediterranean. These lands, which he holds by right of purchase, were part of the territory which caneed the late war in •Morocco and! the hostility of the French and German forces there, a hostility which came close to causing a devastating E_'opea-i war. Before it -was over Hassan had to take Man—an—on Brothers, a wealthy Genman firm of engineers, into partnership "with him. Manni—nam» Brothers virtually dictated the terms of the agreement between Germany and France, and Hassan's land was saved. Hassan is a picturesque figure in the theatrical world, where he made most of his money. He controls all the Berber and Arab acrobats who are appearing in American theatres, besides the premier troupe which he has brought to Australia.

"The Sunshine Girl" is ready for production at Her Majesty's, in Sydney, and the only thing that is delaying the AusI tralian production of the musical comedy iis "Florodora." The attendances are so big for hhis that it would be bad business on the part of the Williamson management to withdraw the piece. However, another week should see "The Sunshine Girl" staged. This Gaiety entertainment is in two acts, the first of which is laid at Port Surfight, where there are large soap works. In these Blanche Browne will figure as a workgiri, and Frank Greene as Vernon Btandell, eon of the proprietor of the works, appears on the scene. He is heir to £40,000 a yea r <m certain co_litio—; as to marriage. Mr Leslie Holland will this time appear as a lord, and Miss Grace Palotta as Lady RosabeHe, his future -wife. Miss BUlie Barlow is Lady Rosabeße's cook, and Mr Jack Cannot, the —iter's rni__ng hueband. The co—modore of the soap barges is to be Mr Claude Bartock. mere are numerous bright numbers duets, and quartets. One of the best is a duet "The Nuts," by Mr Cannot and —iss Jessie Lonnen. "Get a Move On " a brisk number with big chorus backin<will also fall to Mies Lonnen. An inter! specialty will be the Gaby glide evidently a movement designed to im(tnorta—j e Gaby Deslys. - THE DEADHEAD.