STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 49, 26 February 1916, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

This ] S surely the off -season in Now Zealand for anything big in the way of theatrical enterprise. J. C. Williamson and Co. have several dates booked at H's Majesty's Theatre, in Auckland, but there Jβ no reliable news of any company coming from the big firm to take them up. lhe nest dramatic production in Auckland will probably be i'Peg o' My Heart," v.ith which Messrs. j; and N. Tait are at present having a good run in Australia.

The eminent dramatic actor Tomraaeo Salvinl died recently at Florence. He waa born in Milan in 1829, and became president of the Actors' Dramatic Society in Italy. Salvini was born to the stage, both his father and mother being RCtore. At an early the boy showed great aptitude and was placed at the age of fourteen under the guidance of Gustavo Modena, an actor of great distinction. Making rapid progress Salvini attracted the notice of Madame Rastori I and he became a member of her company. The revolutionary war of 184!) drew him from the stage, and he fought ■with distinction. Returning to the theatre, he played with eminent success the part of OEdipus in a play written for him by Nicolini, and also that of Saul in Alfieri's drama. Hie renown brought him offers from alljmrts of the world. Going to Parie, he to his Italian repertoire Racine's dramas and Shakespeare's Othello. In the latter play he proved himself an incomparable exponent of the title role, a part with which he is identified by the English public. Visiting London in 1875, and again in 1884, he added to his reputation as a pourtraygr of Shakespearean parts, playing Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and Lear. In the United States, which he visited in 1874 and 188S1, ho scored a series of triumphs, mainiy with Shakespeare. In 1884 he retired to his villa in Florence, where he has since enjoyed a life of learned leisure.

"Harrison 0." in the "Bulletin": "At pantomimes or musical-comedy shows the peanut circle is the only part not made the object of unwelcome attention from those on the stage. The stallite suffers most in this respect. He it is who has an electric torch directed at his bald cranium by a serio-chronic who wihee to know, 'W'ho'e your lady friend?' when the person with him is not a friend at all but hie wife He it is also who ie made a target for the personal gibee of comedians too ill-equipped to provide mirth off their own bat. Further, he is always liable to be hit in the eye by a paper streamer, fn the 'Mother Goose' panto, he ie attacked with duetere of balloon* attached to flshing-rode, to the justifiable annoyance of liis favourite barmaid, who has spent hours in arranging her hair; then more balloons and miniature parachutes are dropped on him from the roofj later a lady droops from a swing attached to a wire hung across the auditorium, while he site in gloom reflecting that if ehe falls it will mean the ruin of his boiled shirt; and finally a number of females who are old enough to know better run on t6 a plank in front of the footlights and bombard him with balls, again wrecking the hair which Hebe has spent the interval in repairing. Put nic, I cay, among the gode. Better a dinner of nute where safety js than a stalled scat and danger therewith."

An American writer, Miss Marian Cox, recently made a surprising statement in the ".English Review." "It is," she said, "amazing*to realtte that the United States spends annually £125,000,000 for its people's music, a sum three times greater than that which'it spends for the army arid navy." It is obvious, it these figures* are anywhere near tho truth, that Americans havo acquired, to a much greater extent than Europeans, the habit of concert-going. And coneertgoing is, aitcr all) largely a question of habit. *

Another recruit has stepped from the legitimate into the vaudeville ranks in Miss Pearl Ladd, the talented exponent of Gilbert and Sullivan roles, who is now appearing at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney. Like the dozens of other stars who have taken to the halls, Mise Ladd took the step because she found the work more congenial and the salary correspondingly better. Still, she admits that many a time she has a secret longing to get back to opera. Associated with (Miss Ladd in her turn is Mr. G. Villiere Arnold, another clever exponent of Gilbert and Sullivan roles. Mr. Arnold says he has done everything from A to Z on the stage except play Shakespeare. He made hie name, however, in light opera, and it was for this that he was brought to Australia in the same company as Miss Ladd. In his songs at the Tivoli Mr. Arnold showed his marked ability as a character vocalist, his make-up being most striking, especially when he does "Shanghai" garbed as a Chinese.

In "The Nature Man," a recent Universal release, a man is seen alone in the wilds of the California mountains. He is unarmed, and without tools or provisions. In a succession of scenes the film shows how ho conquers the forces of nature, clothes and feeds himself, and makes a fire, eventually subduing the animal world around him by brute force and cunning. .

Mr. Alexander Yakovlenko, of the Follira, made up his mind to return to Russia and throw in his lot with his countrymen against the Germans. In taking this step Yakovlenko gave up a moet remunerative engagement,. as he waa nnder contract with llr. Mclntosh until the end of the year. Miguel Scherbelis, the strong man appearing at .the Sydney Tivoli, is also a Russian, and he, too, made up his mind to join the colours. An inspection by a medical board appointed by the Russian Consul, however, disclosed the fact that he "wae barred from active" service by reason of an old injury to his leg.

Miss Sarah Allgood's Irieh nationality should eminently fit her for the name part in "Peg o' My Heart," which J. and N. Tait have engaged her to play in in Australia, commencing at Easter. 'Miss Allgood was born, bred, and educated in Ireland, and her stage aspirations were first satisfied by the receipt of an invitation to join the Irish Players at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. Another artist secured for "Peg o' My Heart" is Miss Doris Gilham, a young actress who has won a brilliant reputation both in England and South Africa. Miss Gilham, who is a Sydney native, is well known in England as an artistic portrayer of the type of heroine best represented by Glory Quaylc in "The Christian."

Mr. Roland Foster, who came to Australia with Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerloy Rumford on their last tour, and has since become well-known as a vocal teacher in Sydney, has been appointed Professor of Singing at the New South Wales State Cofuervatorium of Music, Sydneyjjjndef- of. ■Mr. Herir£^f«rlwH^!^Sfyr'S»£%'»Sin^"

One of Bernard Shaw'e dramatic criticism* is tho shortest on record. It was about a play called "Poor Jonathan," and Shaw'e notice Was simjily "Poor Jonathan." After the production of his first play, "Widowers' Houses," he met with so" mixed a reception that he wrote "I became infamous in a single nightj and if the play did not achieve a success, it created an uproar." Not long after "Anne and the Man" appeared, and at the end of the first performance there were loud calls for the author. Mr Shaw came before the curtain, and as he did so a cat-call from a displeased spectator smote his ear. With swift repartee he flashed in the direction from which it came, "Yes, I quite agree with you; but what can we two do against a houseful ?"