STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 208, 31 August 1918, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Mr. Charles Knight, who is advance manager for the " Peg o' My Heart" Company, will also pilot the " De Luxi Annie" Company through Xcw Zealand.

H. C. Borradalo, a well-known New Zealand elocutionist, who toured the Dominion with the Red Dandies, was married in Sydney on July 13 to Olive ("Peg") Merritt.

Caruso recently mot John McCormack in the lobby of a Boston hotel. "How is the world's greatest tenor?" aekod Caruso,.flatteringly. "I didn't know thnt you were singing bass," replied McOormack, with characteristic Irish blarney.

Mdle. Gaby Deelys, the popular French dancer, has lately suffered bad health, and has decided to take a long rest at her home at Marseilles. The vivacious French performer has for years been a favourite with Knglish music hall patrons.

Miss Xan Taylor, formerly of " Bunty Pulls the Stringe," and Miss Madge Siirtees, who played the title role in " Sunday " through New Zealand with the ■Royal Dramatic Company, are members of the " Peg o' My Heart" Company, shortly to visit Auckland.

One- Paris management has had a brilliant idea for theec days of air raids and long-distance bombardments. A now theatre has been constructed underground. It calls itself The Shelter, and ite patrons, instead of taking the usual risks of theatre-goere, are in the safest possible place.

The latest artist to sign a Sydney Tivoli contract is Eve Kelland, who arrived from London recently to play the principal role in a new musical show shortly to be staged in Sydney. She is a blonde, and has been starring in England and South Africa for the last two years in " S'nice," a gay revue.

J. and X. Tait have secured for Australia the American success, "The Eyes of Youth," which is still running in Now York after 333 performances. Mr. E. J. Tait saw in the " star" rolo played in > T ew York by Marjorie Rambcau a great opportunity for Emilie Polini, vtfiosc services he had already secured for "Dc Luxe Annie. ,,

Hugh Buckler, according ten correspondent of "The Theatre." is appearing in "By Pigeon Post" at the (Jarrick Theatre, London. Tie ha." not lost a limb, but is expected to get the U.S.O. for skill and daring during a raid on the German lines. His actual injuries were a bullet wound through his right breast, which just touched the lung.

Some of the American citiee pay generously for their musical culture. At Detroit, which has lately swelled its population to 1,000,000 through the boom in motor car industry, the management, of the local Symphony Orchestra has engaged a Russian pianist and conductor to take charge of an orchestra, at a salary of thirty thousand dollars a year.

Messrs Chapppll and Co., in their new oet budget o f conge, include a number of compositions well worth the attention of vocalists. They are: "Over the Hill* (if Heart's Content," by Hermann Ix>hr; "June Music," and •There's l/ove for I's To-day," by Morel Trent; "Tho Little Place for- You," by Fred W, Sparrow; and "1 Was Carried by a Fairy," by William 0. James.

A dinkiim Australian trio has found its way on to Sydney streets at last (says a " Jsulletin'' correspondent). There are only three members, all of them graduates of the Binghi Coneervatorium ofMueicat La. Perouse. The fullblood in charge of tenderly saws the violin while two half-castes play a gum-lenf apiece placed between the teeth. "Marching Through Georgia" never fails to draw a crowd and a hat sprinkled with small change.

One of the moat fascinating ballets in "Samples," the Sydney Tivoli revue sucerae, is entitled '"The Garden of Eden." This novelty, which is all done in black and white, making a most effective stage picture, was designed and created hy Mr. Frank A. Williams, a returned South Australian soldier. "The Garden of Kden ,, ballet has for its principal exponent lean Keith, ft popular artiste who will bo remembered for her appearances'with the Tivoli Follies. Jean is still in her teen?, and is one of the most accomplished juvenile performers on the Australian i stage.

A 'Bulletin" correspondent says:— "Someone mentions thu fact that Mary Pickford started her stage career in Australia. Mary came from Dunedin (M.L.), where she attained some prominence as an amateur under her correct name. Dolly Nicholson. Dad bring interested in.the fruit industry the family migrated to California. Dolly aided by a letter of introduction from Johnny Sheridan to his ibrother, became v member of the A.B. Company, with Mabel Normand. Alice Joyce and others. lyater she changed her name, to the now famous one of Mary Piekford."

Tile Al Bruce Company arrived in Dunedin, minus the leading comedienne, Mabello Morgan, who at the last moment was transferred by the Fullers to play the leading role in one of their musical productions, " The .Jazz Band." It was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise, therefore, for Manager Hamer and Bruce to receive a wire from Mr. Walter Fuller, announcing that Miss Morgan had sailed from Sydney to rejoin the Bruce show. She is, aa many theatregoers will know, an artist of fine reputation—a fine looking woman and a ripe comedienne. Her only previous experience in New Zealand was as principal ho}' in the -T. <'. Williamson pantomime, "Jack and the ftennetalk." in October. 1911. Slip will take the leading role in the forthcoming Bruce production, " The Back to Nature Chib."

"During the next few weeks" (save the "Sydney Daily Telegraph") |tlioro will bo some important changes in the Sydney and Melbourne Williamson programmes. "On Boy:" closes next week at Her Majesty's, and will be followed by "So Long L«tty." and "High Jinks." Miss Muriel Starr is due for another visit to Sydney, and that may mean a change of l"mie for "Business Before Pleasurn.'" The forthcoming racin™ carnival will | robably induce the staging of another attraction -by the firm. Tonight 'Katinka' enters on its twelfth week at Melbourne Her Majesty's. Were it not for the fact that 'Oh, Oh, Delphine!' lias to be staged this year in accordance with the contract for the Anstralian rights, the present season of the musical comedy might foe extended indefinitely. 'Ob. Oh. Delphine!' began life in Paris, where it was originated by I MM. Georges Bexr and Guillemand."