STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 67, 18 March 1916, Page 17

STAGE JOTTINGS.

A- new play by Mr. Knoblauch- at the Royalty Theatre, London, is entitled ''The Mouse." .„ Helen Townsend, a tender, retiring, and industrious woman, has to. face the hard fact that Pattison Grey, a middle-aged widower, /whose home she has managed, and ■whosednughter she has educated, is about to marry her own niece. That in itself is a hard blow. A few hours later a mU; delivered letter informs her that her niece, Elsie, is only marrying Pattison Grey in order to save her name from the results of a love affair with a young married man. The House uses all the 'arguments she can, but Elsie is a hard, selfish, non-moral young woman, who refuses to take the consequences with her means to live gaily as a well-considered lady of society. The 'Mouse hereupon strings herself up and tells Pattison Grey the truth. Mr. Knoblauch has the touch of the theatre, and' he keeps this simple story going to the end. He has not succeeded, however, in making his audience enter into the feelings of the Mouse. Her duty, to such a woman, would have been all the more difficult just because she herself was in love with Grey.

Great enthusiasm marked the close of Madame. Sarah Bernhardt' s season at the London Coliseum when the curtain had fallen on "Dv Theatre au Champ d'Honneur." There was round after round of cheers for the great tragedienne, and numerous bouquets, including one from five "Anzac" soldiers and another from a wounded French soldier, representing his comrades in the trenches, were passed over the footlights. Then the audience rase to the strains of the British National Anthem. Madame Bernhardt was so much affected by the warmth of her reception as to be unable to respond to the demand for a speech, and Mr. Arthur Croxton, the manager, expressed her gratitude. The demonstration concluded with the playing of the "Marseillaise." in which Hie entire audience joined, standing.

''The Tivoli Follies" (writes an Australian correspondent), "who are to tour the New Zealand cities shortly. have made remarkable process since they were in the Dominion last voar. With several new artiste, they have been playing to capacity business for many weeks in after ji record Sydney season. The entertainment is a "revue. It opens with a flash and goes with a whizz. Of the people added since last year, Mr Walter Weems and Jlr George Welch come first, ilr Weems is quaint and 6u>btle. iHc grows on his audiences. His note is quiet, llr Welch Us all for broad and rollicking farce. He is a brilliant farce-comedian, who happens also to be an astonishing gymnast and acrobat. :Mks TJielma Rnye its also one of the new successes. She is a refined and gentle English girl with a beautiful voice and beautiful-presence. Hers is a success of personality. The acknowledged queen of the Follies is. however, Mias Vera Pearee. Thiti young Australian 'beauty;' has made the most astonishing progress, and is very firmly established in the favour of Australians. .Mr Jack Cannot is popular as ever. Mr ; Hilly Rego ia the most accomplished artist in ■pure, pantomime that Australia line known. He is as effective and surprising as Mr Chaplin himself, and even quainter to look" at. In the Follies this year' New Zealanders will have an entirely new thing, and it will be a case of book your seats a weok ahead if you want to see the show."

Mary Pickford has become a partner in the Famous Players Company, and the new organisation will be known as the Famous Meyers-Mary Pickford Company, the youthful "star" to have a half interest. Her salary last year amounted to £20,800, and it is stated that prior to her acceptance of. the partnership she was offered £1,200 a week.

H. R. Roberts, the John Stofel of "StrucfiNOfl," and.husband of Maggie Moore, lias left the legitimate stage for the Fuller circuit. H-arry Roberts is a well-known New Zealander, whoi after a few stage appearances in Australia, went to the United States, and was with David Belaseo, the big American producer. During his American stay the well-known dramatist, Edward Peple, wrote "The Prince Chap" specially for him, and Roberts starred in it with great success, both in the United' States and-in England. At one time he studied sculpture under Bertram Mackennal in London, before the Australian sculptor had become famous. He will present a sketch based on a scene from "The Prince Chap."

The "Bulletin" gives some information concerning a film star who hails from Christchurch:—Bland Holt's old success, "The Derby Winner," has been embalmed in nicker in Fogland and will probably be seen on the screen in Australia. The lead is taken by Eve Balfour, who hails from Christchurch (M.L.). Her real name i≤ Eva llulston, and a few years back her dad had a small draper's shop in the Flat City. Eva. a. languid, willowy beauty, married an artist named Balfour, -who spent a few years in Christehurch doing portraits and figure studies. Eight years ago Balfour took his wife to The Smoke, and there she decided on the etage. She got a start with Tree, worked hard, and that, pins good looks, rushed her along. In a short time she was playing leads in Shakespeare, and made a hit as Katherine in "The Taming of the Shrew." Recently she was handed the leading part in a picture representation of "Three Weeks," and made a great 6uc«css of it.

"May Wirth is the latest woman to do things that the world had solemnly declared no woman could do. May is the star equestrienne in the Barnum. and Bailey circus,. She is 16 and pretty. She is built like a brick wall, and elie draws a salary that must give the opponents of woman's independence a pain under their ribs when they think of it.' , .So says the well-known Amcricun authoress, Estelle Lawtoo Lindsay. The writer describes how she interviewed May-- in the dressing tent of the Barnum and Bailey circus, and Bays: "May Wirth stood stolidly, pulling her high priced leps into a pair of pink tights. Turning suddenly to avoid a tornado of dogs, 1 lost my balance and caught her to steady myself. Her flesh was like iron under silk. My face must have betrayed my astonishment, for tlfc girl said carelessly, " That is what my profession does— gives health and strength. 1 began ing when I was eeven. Now I can do things no woman ever did before in the history of the circus business, and some things only three or four men do. For instance, 1 do a forward somersault on tho back of a running horse. No woman ever did that before, and very few men. Since I. came to America from Australia I have learned a more difficult feat still. In circus parlance it i-s called the ' back across.' Now and again one likes to Improve, you see. Tina act consists of turning a somersault from the front of one running horse, to the hind quarters of another in the rear. Don't tell mc women cannot do anything they wish and that 'they will work to do."