STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 36, 10 February 1917, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Kate Campion, a pajolar AmMand ■™ger. «•■»• a recital in AeoUaa Hall, I London, on October 31. ] Two artiata who have been exceedingly popular with Australian playgoers for come years, will shortly leave lor America to seek a wider scope in the profession. These are Mr. Robert Greig and Mies Beatrio* Holloway (Mia. Ih* mmnbws of the J. a WUUsmwn ■KnglMli Comedy Company arrived from Boufch Africa recently. Among the neweomera are some well-known farceur*, including Mr Thomas A. Braidon, who has a good London reputation, having appeared with famous London stars. Another member is Mr Percy Marmont, ■who has toured hfc own comedy organisations in in "The Blindness of Virtue," Cosmo Hamilton's fine play. Miss Elma Royton •Wα! appear in tie central comedy cnaracteir—that of a young wife who decides to get even with her husband, and does so by mixing eocktaOs to her own undoing. Another newcomer is Miss May Nightingale, a clever ingenue. T3ie company toured South Africa with "Pair and Warmer," under direction of the Sontfo African Trust. The comedy had a highly successful season. It has eh) scored brilliantly in New York and London. Save the Melbourne "Age" of Jamuury 22 i —"lt has fallen to very few actors in Australia to receive so warm attribute of publio appreciation as "was accorded to Mr Allan Wllkie and the leading members of hie Shakespearean company at the Princess Theatre last evening. To coiumemmorate the completion ot a year of Shakespearean acting in Australia, Mir Wllkie had arranged a souvenir night, at which the programme oonsisted of the most popular scenes from t>he most popular dramas ho Tiae produced in Melboumo, interspersed with Shakespearean eongs. The theatre -was packed with an audience that could not sufficiently applaud the actors. Every appearance of Mr Wilkie on the stage was the signal for frerfh outburst of vociferous greeting, and every exit an occasion for flattering recall." Vera Pearee, Queen of the Tivoli Follies, hue a new motor car—a 40 h.p. of the latest model. Painted cream and black, upholstered In grey, and handsomely embellished, it is said to be one of the most up-to-date "whizz wagons" on the Australian roads. The latest theatrical papers from America make mention of the doings of several artists who are well remembered by Australian playgoers- Lincoln Plummer is in the cast of "Captain Kjdd, Jun.," a "fiircioal adventure," in three acU. which J. C. Williamson, Ltd., have secured for production In Australia. Frpd Miblo is playing "Hit the Trail holiday" in l!o*ton, with enormous success. Hilda Spong Is playing an important part with E. H. Sothern in "Getting Married." which ia by Bernard Shaw. In the same cast is Lumsdcn Hare. Ola Jane Humphrey, who is married to th* nephew of the former Khedive of Egypt, is to play the title role in "The Empress," to be presented in San Francisco. The programme will call her Princess Hassan, remarks the "Dramatic Nows." One has to go afield for nerwa. Saith the Sydney """Sun":—"Margaret Jewell, now singing at the National, is proud of one of her experience* during her New Zealand tour under the I'idler firmWhile in Auckland she received the news I that her brother. Private Krnest Jewell, i had been killed in battle in fiance, and she sang with a heavy heart, for some time. Just before she went on the stage | at hei Chrietchurch opening a cable arrived stating that her brother had nut been killed, but was recovering from wuuuda in an huglinh hospital. The now a arrived during a recruiting speech j fruin Lhe stage by Mr. Uubden, and ' uuen acquainted with the (act he told Lin- audience about it, concluding tils re | marks with the eai'iuat pica: Now, v tLera one man in the uiuda-uce here who will take the place of I'.mue lirueat Jewell, whilst lie u> lying wounded in hospital V The response wad immediate. A niu.ii in the gallery shouted, "Kighl-o! guv nor, that )vh will do mc, , ami made iiia way to the stage amidst tremendous applause. He was followed immediately by eleven other, recruits." It appears that even such a shrewd journal as the Sydney "Sun" can have it* "leg pulled." Messrs Ohappel and Co. forward for review a budget of new music, which comprise* a capital new waltz, "Sphinx," and a number of delightful new songs, of wliioh it is no exaggeration to nay ■that each is a gem of soug, and the whole for ma collection aa is rarely, if ever, published about the same time. I The list is as follows: —"Good Morning, Brother Sunshine," and "There, Little Girl, Dont Cry," by Liza Lehmann; : "iMoonllght on the Valley," by Maud i Valeric White; "Bird of June," by ' Dorothy Forster; "A Song of Love and i June," by Ouy D*Hardelot; "Down Along in ciovertand," by Robert Coningsby I Clarke i 'The Village Band," by Her- | mann Lohrj "When First You Came," by Samuel Liddle. Mr John Beak, w&© anrrred ia Australia recently from America for J. and ;K. Tait's new musical production "Very ! Good Eddie," is described by iMt E. J. I Tait as "a comedian whose style is new !to Australia," Mr Beck playe t.he parti of the hotel clerk, one of the principal I characters in the second act of the piay. IHe played in the New York production of "The Argyle Caee," wttA Robert Hilliard playing lead. This fitMX ran for 25 weeks to capacity business. Sandwiefhed In between other dramatic productions, and picture work, Mr Beck played with 'Marie Dressier in a musical comedy called Nightmare," and I later with May Irwin, the popular American coon song singer, in a farce comedy. Before eommg to Australia Mr Beck -was appearing with Mr Cyril Maude In Canadian play called "Jeff." •Miss Atherton, who ihas arrived in Sydney from Africa, will play the leads in tit* J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., new farce comedy, "Very Good Eddie.' , Miss Atherton is mi attractive little lady with a high, healthy colouring that accompanies the English brunette. Sh« 1 is a daughter of Willie Bdouin, the celebrated comedian, and a nieoe of Mrs G. B. W. Lewis, which m itself declares she has been born and bred amidst the best tradition of the Englieh-speaking stage. She has just concluded a suooesuful tour of South Africa. Her last English engagements before going to Bouth Africa i were a season at Wyndhame, under Gerald Robertshaw (well known here) ' and a twelve/months' run in the Weet i End in "A Pair of SUk Stocking*," in i which play she will also be seen here later on. Widely traTelled, Miss Atherton's experiences include engagements in America, including successes in playe .with the fascinating titles of "Money Maker* - o*4. "KUrtatien."