STAGE JOTTINGS

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1918, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS

The Dominion tour of Alexander Wateon, the noted elocutionist, is limited to two months. Hie Auckland dates are November 23 to 30.

The much-contested <wiH of the late Nordica has been settled at last, in favour of her three sisters, who whom the estate, valued at 400,000 dollars, was bequeathed. In December, 1013, Nordica sailed from Sydney for the East, was wrecked in Torres Strait, fell ill at Thursday Island, and died at Butavia. She married four times and so escaped dying an old innid.

It is understood, that the nert J. C Williamson attraction in New Zealand will \k the dramatic company headed by Miss Muriel Starr. The American actress wifi be seen here towards the end of next month in "The Bird of Paradise," "The Kfisirst Way," and "The Man Who Came Back." Messrs. Louis Kimball and Prank Harvey are members of the eomlipany.

Koy Redgrave, a prominent member of the MacDonell-Waldron Company, is in T>iinediii Hospital with a mending lung, and likely to be detained for a week or two. Mr. Redgrave is a fine actor, who will bp best remembered for his work with Tittcll Brune in 1905 in such rolra as Flambeau in "L'Aiglon,"' Mereutio in "Romeo and Juliet," Andreas in "Theodora," and Aubrey Tanqneray in "The Second Mrs. Tanqucray."

Miss G. Helpn Gardner has been engaged by tho Wellington Operatic Society for tho part of Gianetta in the production of "The Gondoliers." which will commence at the Wellington Grand Opera House on November 2 for a season of seven Mrs. Crofton Umbers (Bathin Huwie-Sbuart), who recently removed from Dunedin to Wellington, hoe l>een engaged to play the part of Tessa in the same production.

Regret will bo felt at the announcement of the death of the well known Scottish vocalist, Mr Robert Kennedy, member of a musical family who enjoyed a great reputation throughout the Commonwealth and elsewhere for many yeare. Mr Kennedy, who died at his home in Melbourne Inst week (says the "Sydney Sun"), left a widow and grown-up family. One son is serving with the Australian Imperial Forces, and another (Corporal Robert Kennedy) was kille<L

Harry Cohen, writing to his father, announces that Ik- has been appointed by his chief (J. 1... Sachs) to the manage•nent of London's national theatre, Drury Lanr., whore Sache is now playing "Shanghai," with Dorothy Brunton in the leading role. The yoiing Dunedinite appears to have settled himself firmly on the ladder of success, and to have won early honoure in a sphere of theatrical activity notoriously difficult of accese and jealous of its prerogatives.

At any other than this war-time the destruction of the Wallaefi-Hagenbeck Circus train, near Gary, U*S.A., in June 22, would have ranked an a most appalinpj calamity (says a "Bulletin" contributor). Owing to a "hot box" the train had ptdled partly into a Biding when an empty troop-train dashed into it, demolishing four of the flimey cireue sleep-ing-cars, and eoneidfirably wrecking the rest of the outfit. Sixty-one members of the company were crushed or burned to death, whilst 170 others, mostly '•auxiliaries," were injured more or lose. Whole families of performers were wiped out. One of the talce of heroism reported from the wreckage wae that o 1 a woman who, ecreaming in agony beneath some burning timbers, saw the flames threatening the men who were trying to release her. "Get away, get away quick, or you'll be irarned, too!" shrieked the poor wretch. Then the flames silenced her. A eimflar catastrophe happened to the Benjamin Wallace branch of the Hagcnbeck-Wallace Cireue about 15 years ago. In that case 2C persona were killed and 50 injured, through a collision between two sections of the train.

There is (eaye tho "Sydney Daily Telegraph") no end to the popularity of a comedian who strikes the public as genuinely funny. Fred Bluett, at the Opera House, is a case in point. Years ago, when he was in the retail boot trade in Melbourne, Bluett sang at amateur concerts, and was regarded as a "bit of a card." 'Tien he plunged boldly into the entertainment line, and became a professional funny man, hieing forth to New Zealand with a burlesque company. He was a very tragic comedian, indeed, when the show 6tranded in Dunedin. But the burlesque failure brought him in touch with the Fuller's, and he spent four years with them in the Dominion. It wae tie Fuller firm that first introduced the coming favourite to Sydney, at the Playhouse, then known ac the Standard.

The forthcoming tour of Now Zealand of J. C. Williamson's Dramatic Co. in the great mystery drama "The Thirteenth Chair" will be notable for the ■fact that rt will introduce to local playgoers one of the most talented actresses ever seen on the Australasian stage, iv the iperson of Mies Margaret Wycheriy, who in private life 13 Mrs. Bayard VeiUer, the author of "The Thirteenth iChair," and also "Within the Law." It will also serve to renew acquaintanceship with a host of old favourites who have successfully toured New Zealand at various times. Included in the liat are Miss Lizette Parkes, Ethel Morrison, Nancye Stewart, Gaston Mervale, Leslie Victor, Sydney Stirling, Thomas Sydney, and lan Maclaren. Mr. Brineley Shaw, the brilliant young American actor, will make hie first appearance in New Zealand as leading man with this company.

Herr Much, the late conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted thp final pair of concerto in the Carnegie Hall, New York, recently. Herr 'Much lias been interned, and the concerts -were held amidst a spectacular bonVbardment of iprotest. A score of policemen lined tlie entrance to the auditorium, while dozens of detectives, some resplendent in evening clothes, mingled with the huge crowd, and eyed everybody with suspicion. The unique spectacle of a New York Symphony Concert heavily guarded was the outcome of a movement launched a week before by Mre. Jay, a wealthy woman of the city, who made vigorous appeals to the Federal and city authorities in her efforts to prevent the appearance of Dr. Much, who had made himself notorious by hit! proGerman utterances. Sir Henry J. Wood, the conductor of the Queen's Hall orchestra, London, England's finest conductor, has been offered the post vacated by Herr Much, at a salary of 27,000 dole. One hundred and fifteen concerts are given each year, and the conductor is allowed unlimited time for rehearsal.