STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 104, 1 May 1920, Page 18

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Mr. Ben Fuller has acquired the Australian rights of the melodramas, "Foul Play," by Henry Bedford, and "Tho Shop Girl and The Master," by Stuart Lomath. News is to hand of the marriage of Miss Rosina Buckmann and Mr. Maurice D'Oialy, who, it will be remembered, was a member of the Quinlan Opera Company. The Taits' new "Daddies" Company, arrived at Wellington from. Sydney this week. In addition to the principals, Miss Ernita Lascelles and Mr. Herbert Kanson, it includes Bryant, Charles Lawrence, Fred Morris, Harold Moran (formerly with the Muriel Starr Company), Misses Lillian Williams, Mias Geeorgina Harvey (previously with the Emelie Prfini Company), and Miss Shirley Maxwell (late of "Peg o' My Heart"). It is intended, also, to produce " The Little Daiuosel" and "Kindling" in the Dominion before the company returns' to Australia, about July next. Allen Doono (says a 'Bulletin' , paragraphist). has been filling his pockets in the principal town in .>outh Africa. It is years since Irish drama has been played in that country, and the brogue pulled likf' fifty elephants. Yet South Africa is not a place where the Irish succeed well. It is the Scotch and the Jews who play the lead—at any rate, in the tragedy of money making. The Actors' Benevolent Fund in London has been able to get managers generally to accept a suggestion—said to have been first made by Charles Wyndham's widow, Mary Moore—that every play reaching 100 performances should give the fund a matinee as a benefit. The first to oblige was the lady herself with "lord Richard in the Pantry," of which Cyril Maudeand Connie F.diss are the stars. Tho second was "The Merchant of Venice," which is running as briskly as though it were a novelty.—Sydney "Bulletin.' , Too many laurels spoil the star. Wherr the J.C.W. grand opera people ireturned from their fine season in Maoriland, one of the Australian girl principals who have done so well jolted the management with a demand for 100 per cent increase in ealary. The management" decided it couldn't be done, so there was a stormy packing-lip of music end a temperament flew the rails. The trouble about these ffreworks displays is that in Australia! there is never another grand opera, management waiting round the corner, for tiie dissatisfied star. There isn't even a screechophone co. eager to make, records.—"Bulletin." In June next there is to be a revival of, Gilbert and Sullivan opeTas under the Williamson auspices. The Grand Opera . Company is to be disbanded at the closes of the Brisbane season of three weeks, but in all probability some of the grand opera artists will be retained for the lighter operatic works. Both in England and America 'last year it was clearly shown that the time was fnlly ripe for Gilbert and Sullivan revivals, which, particularly in London'and the provinces, drew large support. ''Pinafore," with its quaint satire on naval affairs again became extraordinarily popular, "The Gondoliers" had a long run, while "The Sorcerer," too, found many admirers. This season of English opera will fit in well with the visit of the Prince of Wales to Australia in June. In view of tlie imposing naval display which is proposed, n. performance of "H.M.s. Pinafore" would be exceedingly* appropriate. Theatrical marriages have become so numerous of late that managers are growing restive (says the London "Daily Express" of February 26). These "stage romances" entailing sudden withdrawals from the cast, are "bad for business." Mr. George Grossmith uttered a goodhumoured protest a few' weeks ago, apropos of Mr. Leslie Henson's wedding to Miss Madge Saunders. Half a dozen other members of the "Kissing lime" j company followed suit, and there was an epidemic of honeymoon leave at the \yinter Garden. Xow it i.-* Mr. Albert dp Courville's turn to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous matrimony. Miss Donna Leigh, of "The Whirligig," was married last Sunday, Mr. Morris Harvey, of the same production, will wed Miss Mai Bacon, of "Joy-Bells!" next Tuesday. Another "Joy-Bells!" actress. Miss Dorothy Jay, left the revue some months ago to marry an American airman, and Miss Dorothy Turner goes to China shortly after her marriage to Mr. M. Douglas-Ewart, of Hankow. When the last mail left Miss May Beatty was appearing as Dame Agatha Boot at the London Comedy Theatre in "Wild Geese," a new musical comedy with book and lyrics by Ronald Jeans, and music by Cosmo Lennox. Mr. Kevin Tait, writing Iby the last American mail, gives particulars of John McCormack's testimonial concert for the American Legion at the New York Hippodrome on Sunday evening, February 29. The receipts "totalled over 50,000 dollars, efery seat in the spacious building Ibeing occupied. Mary GarJeu supported Mr. McCormack on the programme, and General Pershing was among the speakers. ( Mr. MeCormack ■wne decorated with ths medal of the Legion, in recognition of his successful efforts in raising funds for the Red Cross arifl disabled soldiers. He arrives in Sydney in July. A great crowd went out from Melbourne to Glenhuntly on Sunday afternoon to witness aeroplane flights by prominent members of the Tivoli Company under the pilotage of Captain Eoy King, D.S.O. After Miss Marie Le Varre ( and Miss Waters had made a phorfc flight, Captain King found great difficulty in landing because of the dense crowd, and despite all his pleadings and warnings the spectators would not leave him an open space from which to aecend and alight, and he was compelled to give up any further attempt to fly that afternoon. The "Star's -, London correspondent wrote on February 16: —"A series of Sunday chamber concerts was inaugurated yesterday at the Aeolian Hall, Bond Street, at which Miss Adelaide Van Staveren of Wellington, the fine New Zealand vocalist, who has now established herself in the front rank on the concert platform as well as in the mote sustained work'of opera, took part. Her songs were "Pur Diccsti" (Lotti), and "Witches Interlude (Saul). Parry, and her Russian ?ongs evoked hearty encore. The series sustained.a severe loss on the eve of its start by the sudden death of 'M. Emile Sauret, the violinist, who died on FridsFh The place of the veteran violinist was taken by M. Desire Defauw. Judging by the notices coming to hand of Benno Moiseiwitsch, in America, the Russian pianist (who is shortly to visit Australia and probably New Zealand) is an artist of the first rank. He is becoming as great a favourite there as he now is in England, which is saying a good ?<r£ ,'w, mP6 Huneck er, of the Sew York world, ln a long article, exhausts hi£ weil-known florid vocabulary in praise of the artist. Moiseiwatech i s already regarded by some English critics as perhaps the most important pianist of Ms } generation.