STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 178, 29 July 1922, Page 18

STAGE JOTTINGS.

"The Cat and the Canary," a> myetery play, has 'been secured by J. C. Williamson, Ltd.

Daiey Jerome, the piquant comedienne who electrified Australia with her radiant personality some years ago, will shortly make her appearance under the management of Sir Benjamin and Mr. John Fuller for a return tour of their vaudeville houses. Miss Jerome arrived in Australia a few week's ago accom.pa.nied 'by her husband, Captain La Touche, and has been enjoying a welldeserved holiday.

Fullers have organised a new company for their vaudeville theatres, to be known as the Jim Gerald Miniature Musical Comedy Company. It is headed by Jim Gerald, one of the most popular comedians Australia has produced, and the personnel includes other favourites in Reg. Hawthorne, Ernest Crosby, Lance Vane, Essie Jennings, Hilda Shannon, Tolly MacLaren, and Winnie Trevoil. The last-named returns to the stage after a lengthy absence.

A new concert organisation, composed of the ten eoloiete of the world-famous Sistine Choir, has been engaged to tour New Zealand. An interesting programme has been arranged embracing a wide range of operatic airs and Neapolitan folk songs. Maestro Emilio Casolari is the conductor and accompanist. In Sydney, the soloists have been appearing three times daily to enthusiastic houses. The Sistine Choir Soloists are expected to appear in Auckland towards the end of September.

It is announced that Sir George Tallis. now in London, will organise a special company to play Gay's "Tho Beggars' Opera, -, -which scored a real triumph when produced in England in 1920. It had a record run in London, and was also a great success in the provinces, in spite of the fact that dire failure had been predicted. When 'The Beggars' Opera" was presented in its original form for the first time at the Lincoln Inn Fields Theatre, in 1728, it was hailed ac something completely different from anything that had been seen before on the London stage.

Speaking at the end of hie act at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, the other day, Mr. George Carney told the audience that he had been shown the sights of America toy Charlie Chaplin. "I have written to him," said Mr. Carney, "and told him that I have been here only a week, but five minutes from my hotel I have found natural beauty to beat any scenery ho showed mc. I have told him to come to Australia, and I am sure he will." Someone in the audience expressed polite incredulity, which brought from the comedian the expostulation, "You Australians are too inclined to treat your harbour as a joke. Visitors don't. When he gets mv letter. I tell you, Mr. Chapliu will come."

Hugh J. Ward, now in New York, ie so well known as a prominent manager in Australia that few persons remember him as one of the most talented character comedians on the American stage nearly a quarter of a' centu*y ago. One Of hie greatest parts (says the New York "Theatre Magazine") was the Baron Chevrial, in "A Parisian Romanco," the short tragi-comedy which the late Richard Mansfield made famous. Mr. .Ward played the rickety old roue according to his own conception of the character, and with many original touches that made it a complete, individual rendition. Australia acquired a shrewd, disconcerting producer when Hugh Ward went there. At the same time, the American stage lost an actor of unusually fine parts.

Theatrical managers, -wiseacres, and quidnuncs shrugged their shoulders

when Allan Wilkie proposed not only to produce a play or two of Shakespeare, but to actually establish a permanent Shakespearean Company that should tour Australasia continuously, and present a change of bill practically every night of the year. To-day, however, Mr. Wilkie'a succee is assured. He has done the impossible thing, and he has made Shakespeare pay! But he has i done more, he has established a company that makes for the educational and artistic advancement of the people, 'besides providing a form of dramatic entertainment that is altogether delightj ful. Mr. Wilkie and his company will commence their third annual tour of I New Zealand in September. "The fiftieth year of the foundation of Trinity College of Music, London (says the "Musical Times"), finds the institution in a condition of great prosperity and usefulness. With some seven hundred students attending the col'ege— and with a list of over fifty thousand candidates -who last year entered for the J local examinations in England and all lover the world—the small band of men ■who formed the original board would have rejoiced to see such an outcome of their work." The jubilee of the colI lege wae celebrated on June 14 and 15 by I a two days' festival under the presii dency of the Earl of Shaftesbury, the ( president of the college. There was a i reception in the college buildine. and a (grand concert at the Queen's Hall. As i a fitting celebration of this fiftieth year the college authorities decided ujjon' improvements and additions to the college building at a cost of some £14,000, and the work is nearinp completion. Madame Marguerite d'Alvarez, a tall, dark, picturesque singer of the most passionate sincerity, completely took by storm the big audience at the Town Hall on Saturday, says the musical ; critic of the "Sydney Daily Telegraph." I Her conquest was unmistakable. The • Spanish contralto appealed as an enI tirely new vocal sensation—a singer with a now message, an artist 'backed !by a singularly powerful personality. On the wings of her contagious imagination, her listeners were caught up, time after time, into a new realm of emotion; or rather into the innermost recesses of the heart, where artists bound by the ordinary conventions of singing jdo not penetrate. Occasionally, at sucli I times, "be-1 canto" took its chances, the ! actress in d'Alzarez, or her strong ■ human emotion, dominating. Yet, i d'Alvarez lias nothing less than a most ' glorious voice, of noble power and under ; fine control in all gradations and 1 nuances; and she equally held her audiences spellbound by its display, as in the opening , number, "0 Rest in the Lord." This beautiful air wae sung with a wealth of tender expression, and with impeccable intonation. Her occasional departures, therefore, from certain vocal ptandards at other times may "be regarded as intentional; as some creative impulse for greater freedom of expression, resulting, it must 'be added, in an unaccustomed, absolute sincerity 1 that entirely engrosses the listener.* .