STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 290, 4 December 1920, Page 18

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Mr. Ben Fuller's generosity in giving £ 10X10 to assist the Xew South Wales _liodes scholar. Mr. V. H. Treatt, __*.., to go to Oxford, has enabled the young man to book his passage for London. The Premier of New South Wales (Mr. John Storey) said that but for him (Mr. Storey) the generosity of Mr. Fuller would not have been made public, Mr. Fuller having asked Mr. M. Treatt to "keep it dark."

Miss Dulcie Mitchell, of Christchurch, who was the soloist at the New Zealand reception to the Chatham officers in London, is' shortly giving a recital at the Aeolian Hall. She has just come back to London from the North, after fulfilling some professional engagements, during which time hor mother and sister paid visits to Scotland. They are all now settled in London for the winter, the two sisters having already begun their season's work, doing further study for their professions.

In a private letter Mr. E. J. Gravcstock (representing J. and X. Tait) says that tiie vocalists who arc to accompany the Vcrbrugghen Orchestra to New Zealand in January arc Miss Elsy Trcweek (sopranoJ.Signor Balboni (tenor), and Mr. Carl Formes (baritone). Miss Trcweek is well known in Wellington, having sung here with the Choral Union, besides which she was a member of Williamson's Grand Opera Company n year ago. Signor Balboni was the Faust in Gounod's opera of that name, with the Gonzalez Company, and made a distinct impression here in "I Pagliacci." Mr. Carl Formes was the leading baritone of the Williamson Grand Opera Company. The tour will commence at Auckland.

Under the agreement recently concluded with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., Miss Marie Tempest, supported by Graham Browne and her company, will pay a farewell visit to New Zealand during Decern!ber, January, and February next. The following plays have been chosen for the New Zealand tour: —"The Great Adventure," by Arnold Bennott; "The Duke of Killecrankie," by Captain Marshall ; "At the Barn,' by Anthony Wharton; "Cousin Kate," by Hubert Henry Davis; and "Mary Goes First," byHenry Arthur Jones. The tour will commence at Wellington on Boxing Day, the opening play being "The Duke of Killecrankie."

At the funeral of Florence Young in Melbourne, Canon Hughes recalled that she once taught a class in his Sunday school, and had a tremendous vogue with the nippers on account of her cheery tongue and generous disposition. Flo was a pretty good Scriptural scholar, but infant curiosity over mysterious Bible ihappenings often had her hunting for ha.ppy explanations. One Sabbath the class pondered over tlie tale of Jonah and the "whale," and the smartest babe wanted to know how a whale with its small gullet could get a hefty prophet into its interior. "Well, children," said Florence brightly, "1 suppose the whalo was like one of vs — it could swallow anything.'-"

When returning thanks for the hearty welcome extended to himself and Mrs. Oange, at their recent concert at Masterton, Mr. Fraser Gange remarked that in the past Xew Zealand had not been fairly treated with reference to visits by well known artists. When they did come they had one foot in the grave, nnd were imbued with the idea of taking as much money as possible out of the country. That was not fair to New Zealand. When he returned to England it was his intention to try and persuade a number of the younger nrtists of high rank to visit the Dominion. Both his wife and himself had visited the country, although neither had a foot in the grave, and were still able to pursue their work. (Laughter.) They were both charmed with the country, and much appreciated the warm welcome they had received.

Referring to the proposal to erect a statue l to William Vincent Wallace, composer of "Maritana," in his native city of Waterford, Ireland, a Sydney "Bulletin" correspondent writes from London: As a young man Wallace went to Australia. Arriving in Sydney in 1836, he decided to go in for sheep-raising. It was while on one of his brief visits to Sydney from the country that he attended a party at which he played the violin so well that Governor Bourke persuaded the young man to give a public concert. After a while Wallace left off sheep farming and toured Maoriland and Tassy ns a fiddler. He returned to England, and in 1845 "Maritana" was produced at Drury Lane. Sydney saw the opera four years later, with Mrs. Guerin (who afterwards married Dick Stewart, father of Xcllie) in the title role.

Mr. and Mrs. W. Bailey came from New Zealand on purpose to study (writes the "Star's" London correspondent). Mr. Bailey taking up all branches of stage work and Mrs. Bailey singing. Mr. Bailey is now going through a course of training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Bloomsburyl. The Academy is studying this term "Twelfth Night," in which Mr. Bailey appears as Sir Toby Belch, as Mr. Waldie in "The Waldies," and as Uncle Tom in the "Younger Generation." The last.two named plays are under the direction of ■Mr. Norman Pago, Producer at the Strand Theatre, and Mr. Bailey is assistant stage manager. Mrs. Bailey is studying singing with Signor Guiseppe Bozzelli, and is also taking a special course of dramatic study of Shakespeare and the more modern classic drama aj the Polytechnic. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey came via America, and whilst there they visited the Lakes and Niagara, and came down the Hudson River from Albany to Xew York, a beautiful trip.

Among the successful plays now running End theatres, in addition to "Chu Chin Chow (writes the London correspondent of the "Melbourne Age") aro Sir James Barrie"s "Mary Rose," Mr. John Galsworthy's "The Skin Game," Mr. H. M. Harwood's "The Grain of Mustard Seed," and Mr. Robert Hichens' "The Garden of Allah." Xo one regards it as probable that any of them will rival "Chu Chin Chow," but it is -confidently predicted that Barries "Mary Rose" will rival the success of "Peter Pan," though it is an entirely different type of play, and does not appeal to children as well as adults. The plot of "Mary Rose," which is decidedly thin deals with the supernatural disappearance nnd reappearance of the young wife 'iMary Rose" w_o remaii-ns un|changed in years while in her absence her husband passes into old age and death, and her infant son grows up into manhood and becomes unrecognisable to her.