STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 225, 20 September 1913, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. September 8 to 29—Royal Comic Opera Co. September SO to October 4—Alt. Llnley's Co. October 6 to C. Williamson October 6 to 11—McEwen, Hypnotist October 13 to 23—Mdlle. Genee. October 27 to November B—Julius Knight December 15 to 20—I. C. WiUamson PICTURES. King's Theatre. ttoyal Albert Hall. Lyric Theatre. King George—Durham Street. Ntwtoh Picture Palace (Continuo-i). Queen's Theatre (Continuous). Globe Theatre—Qneen street <Co_t-_uo-«. VAtJDEVILLE. Opera House—Nightly. TOWN HALL. September 20, __—Nordlca Concerts. According to -Mr. Andrew McCunn, who has made an excellent tour abroad for the J. C. Williamson management, the Continental musical comedy composer- have captured both Vhe Ehgli_h and American markets. Everywhere it iB Lena* and Pall who are reaping the royalties. The only English composer who keeps hi_ head up iwlth them is Monckton, composer of "The Quaker Girl." Ivan Caryll hos-gone to America, but Reubens, Leslie Stuart, and the other "hopes" of English music seem to have written themselves out or been musically submerged. •Sydney's newest amusement resort, The White City, will <be opened to the public on November 1. The White City is situated at Rushcutter's Bay, and adjoins the Stadium. The White City occupies nine and a-half acres of ground. One of the features of it will be the scenic railway, a mile long, and costing £8,000. The railway will carry 2,700 passengers per hour. It is controlled by the block signalling system and by patent devices to prevent accidents. The lighting arrangements will comprise 30,000 independent lights, equal to threequarters of a million candle-power. Within the city there will be something like 50 amusement novelties or side attractions. After his first great success, W. E. Penley, the comedian, had to act in many plays, which somehow did not seem to please the public. Some of these (says the "Argonaut") he just kept alive by hi 3 "gagging." On one occasion, when a wretched play had been going for some weeks in this manner, the conceited young author came behind and asked Mr. Penley why he "gagged so much. "The play will be all right," he said, "if you will only speak my lines quietly and wait for the laugh." To this Mr. Penley replied promptly: "That's all very well for you, old man — you live in town; but, you see, I live in the country, and have to catch the 12.15 from Waterloo!" Mr. Arthur Hamme-stein has engaged Evelyn Nesbit Thaw and Jack Clifford for his brother, William Hammerstein, the manager of the Victorian Theatre in New York. They will receive a salary of £800 a week. Mr. Hammerstein Bays: "The immense success of Mrs. Thaw in London made all the managers want her, and hence it was necessary to offer her a big salary." The production of "Miss Hook of Holland" will introduce Mt,'. Leslie-Holland as Mr. 1 Hook, which character he portrayed in the original English production. It is over five years ago since "Miss Hook of Holland" was staged in Auckland. On that occasion it created quite a furore, and its revival on- Tuesday and Wednesday is being looked forward to by playgoers. Mr. Fred. Young, for twenty years stage manager for the Royal Comic Opera Company, was accorded a "sendoff" by his associated on Thursday last, the occasion being his departure for a three months' holiday. He was the re-, cipient of some handsome presents from the artists and staffs of the Royal Comic. Lillie Langtry (Lady de Bathe) recently enacted the role of the heroine for a picture drama, "His Neighbour's Wife," which lias already been shown in the United States, and is shortly to be filmed in England. Miss Dolly Castles (sister of Miss Amy Castles), who played in the last Gilbert and Sullivan revivals, became most popular in "The Sunshine Girl" in America, and has now gone into vaudeville in New York. Mr George Stephenson, writing from Sydney, siiys: -I am leaving with my pantomime company of 52 people by the Coeraki on October 11, opening at the Opera House in Wellington on October 10, Hastings and Gisborne show dates to follow. "Little Po-Peep," "Old Mother Hubbard" and "The Man in the Moon" are the pantomimes. Alf Linley, of Wellington, ih associated with rae in this venture. We have a real fine show." "Tiny Town" is to pay a return visit to New Zealand, arriving in Auckland from Vancouver on the 23rd inst. and opening here early in October. Mr Beaumont Smith, the company manager, who came ahead, arriving by the last 'Frisco steamer, states that he has secured several new amusement enterprises for the present season, and also next year. The first to be presented will be Professor Max Reinhardt's religious, wordless, mystery play, "The Miracle." Special vocal and instrumental music for it has been written by Humperdinek (composer of "Hansel and Gretel," etc.), and it will be rendered by a large invisible choir and operatic orchestra. Early next year, in partnership with Mr Louis Meyer, of the Strand Theatre, Garrick Theatre, etc., in London, Mr Smith will bring out a speaial English Comedy Company to produce "The Glad Eye." Other plays are included in. the repertoire, namely, "The President," "The Chaperone," etc. "What is the good of making people cry, if you can make them laugh?" demanded Mr. W. S. Percy, chatting with a Sydney pressman. "I have always been a comedian, and all my ambitions lie in that direction," he added. "Then, unlike most comedians, you have no desire to play 'Hamlet'?" suggested the pressman. •Mr. .Percy laughed. "Rather not!" he replied prompth'; "although it was the aim and object of predecessor George Lauri to appear in the part. I remember on one occasion we were preparing for an approaching charity matinee, he came to mc and said: — " T think we'd better put on a scene from "Hamlet."' '"All right,' I replied promptly, 'how shall we burlesque it?' " 'We won't burlesque H,' he retorted, indignantly, 'we'll play it straight.' "I was astounded, but I soon discovered that he really meant it. With a heavy heart I gave in, and we did it. Of course, just what I expected happened, the audience refused to take Lauri seriously, and shrieked with laughter all through our turn. In some ways it was a huge success, but Lauri absolutely refused to take any of the curtain calls, and he would scarcely speak to anyone for days. That taught mc a leeson. and I would never think of asking an audience who knew mc to take mc seriously in any parL"

■Mr. H. D. -dolntosh has engaged Paul ' Cinquevalli for Rickard's Australian circuit. The famous juggler, who will sail from England in June next, is investing money in Australia, where he intends to settle permanently. It is little more | than four years 6ince this wonderful I performer last visited Australia and New Zealand. I Madame Bouefve, wife of the former 'French Consul in Auckland, has translated two plays from the French. One of them she has named "In the Midst of ' Life," and in this she has collaborated | with Miss Beatrice Day. The other play is "Mont Matre," and it was forwarded !to Paris, where it was most favourably commented upon by the Societe Dramatique. The translation of "Mont Matre" has been accepted by the management of the Little Theatre Company, Sydney. To an interviewer, Madame Bouefve explained that she had always been a student ot the stage, and had had a comprehensive training for opera. She was a pupil of Tagliafieo, for many years conductor of the Covent Garden Orchestra, and was to have appeared in opera, when aft accident to her throat closed that career for her. Two of the Russian dancers, M. Veroni Vestoff and %L Volinin, did their best to provide a sSydney pressman with a readable interview. Various subjects Were touched upon, and M. Veroni finished up with an excellent story. "M. Volinin, who is a very distinguished dancer," he said, "one day took a boat on the Thames. In the boat he took a lady, also. They rowed for a time. M. Volinin is a very powerful oarsman, as well as a great dancer, and he pulled the boat against the bank, where there was a rock, and ripped a big hole in it. The owner of the boat wanted £4. M. Volinin tried to tell him it was too much, that a new boat could be bought for that money. But he did not Bpeak English enough to do so, and his companion was also Russian, with no knowledge of English. A lot of bargemen gathered, and a policeman came along. The policeman was very rough to M. Volinin, and said to him, •Why don't you pay this man £4?' All tbat M. Volinin understood was that £4 was wanted. That was what, if he were wise, he should not have understood. The policeman demanded his name. M. Volinin said what it was. 'Spell it,' the policeman ordered. M. Volinin spelt it in Russian, and the policeman threatened to arrest him. Then a happy idea occurred to M. \ olinin. He took from his pocket a cutting from the 'Daily Mail,' showinoa_ portrait of himself and Mile. Kyasht. Lnder this were their names, and the fact that they were to appear before King George. He showed it to the policeman, whose manner immediately changed." "And what happened then?" the interviewer asked. "The policeman arrested the owner of the boat," said M. \estoff; adding, "That is not quite true, but it makes a good fir,ish to the article." "With the exception, perhaps, of Miss Beatrice Holloway, there is no ingenue at present in Australia who can compare with Miss Lizette Parkes in an all-round knowledge of the technique of her art, when applied to this particular branch of histrionic art," says the theatrical critic of tlie "Sunday Times," Sydney. "In my humble opinion, Miss Lizette Pari.es has all the essential qualities that go to the making of an ingenue 'lead.' She is remarkably prett.v, she is youthful, which shows -in marked fashion in the personality with which she imbues the characters she portrays, and her acting shows a finish and polish that would he the envy of many a well-seasoned star that I have seen. The news that She has become a member of Mr Lewis Wallers Company, and is to appeaT in an important ingenue role in Mr William Devereux's new play, 'A Fair Highwayman,' is welcome indeed. With Mr Waller she is likely to receive a training such as she has never yet had the benefit of in the past; a training that should make her beyond all doubt a finished and accomplished actress; well able to take her place with credit in any metropolitan class. It ie just this careful handling that she needs—ehe has ability in plenty —and although I know her only slightly personally, I should say she has intelligence, above the ordinary run of girls of her age. That she is a hard and enthusiastic worker, her past performances prove, and under Mr Waller's skilful moulding her command of technique is sure to increase with great rapidity." Tlie grand opera season at Covent Garden closed on July £0, and silence will reign in the operatic 'world for three weeks later. The season is stated to have been one of the most successful during recent years. In a list of 27 operas, the honours, as regards the number of tiroes they were represented, [have been divided by Wagner and Puccini, who have each "been in the bill ion 21 evenings. The opera most frequently mounted was "La Tosca," next in order being "La Boheme" and "Aida"; but, apart from the latter, Verdi has only been drawn upon for "Traviata" and "Rigoletto," the last-named work [Standing lowest in the list, with one I performance only. With five representations to its credit, "Jewels of the Madonna" has well sustained its popularity, while Wolf-Ferrar's "II Segreto de Susanna" has been played twice Gounod, Saint-Saens, and Leoncavallo !have each obtained four and ?t lt . el ?.„ of the two novelties, "Oberst Chabert and "La Dv Barry/ achieved I a third performance. "It took mc some, time to make up my mind to undertake the task of interview- , ing MUe. Halena Schmolz, the Russian ! danseuse, who is at present supporting Mile. Genee at Her Majesty's Theatre," says the writer of an article in the"Sydney Sunday Times." The editor wanted Something ohic to accompany a page of pictures showing the dancer in various poses which the interviewer decided represented the spring of the year," and he proposed to ask the dainty little lady to tell him how the advent of sprina affected her mind. "After the preliminaries of an introduction by M. Volinin had been gone through (he says) I cleared my throat, and true to my preconceived intention, I began 'How do you like spring, Miss Schmolz'' ' ihe chic little dancer smiled sweetly. 'I like it verra much—verra nice placebeautiful harbour,' she replied. "I gasped. T wasnft talking about Sydney,' I explained, slowly. 'I was talking about spring—the season, you know.' "Miss Schmolz smiled again, still more sweetly, this time. 'Ah! yes,' she said, 'I know. Oh! I think they verra nice people —nicest in the world.' "Miss Schmolz," I said, severely, "you have been interviewed in English before." "'Oh, yes! I know!'— another sweet smile ; "interview—newspaper—verra nice newspapers—good writers.' "I turned to M. Volinin helplessly. T want to know what Miss Schmolz thinks of spring,' I pleaded. "He gazed at mc thoughtfully for a few seconds, then he suddenly gave a pleased exclamation, and turned to his companion, speaking rapidly in Russian. Another smile overspread her face. 'Ah, yes!' she returned, eagerly. 'Spring, yes i —it take lot of practice, learn many i years." 5 THE DEADHEAD.