STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1926, Page 22

STAGE JOTTINGS.

J. C. Willlamaon'e attractions in Sydney are "Leave it to Jane," at Hie Majesty's, with Maude Fane and Athol Tier; "Katja," -with Marie Burke at the Theatre Royal; Muriel Starr and Frank Harvey in "Within the Law" at the Criterion; and "The Farmer's Wife" at the Palace Theatre. The company which Dion Boucicauit intends to bring to Australia, for a cycle of Barrie plays will arrive a little later than waa originally planned. In London recently Irene Vanbrugh. and Dion Boucicauit were welcomed back from their tour at a "dinner-dance" at the Criterion restaurant. Sir Squire Bancroft acted as chairman. There was a distinguished gathering. What is the record <time "that a prima donna devotee to receiving applause and •singing extra songs after her actual concert is over? For forty minutes recently Frieda Hempel was obliged to "carry on" at the Albert Hall to satisfy ■the demands of -her enthusiastic audience. Only when the lights were lowered and the people were in danger of being left in darkness, did they disperse. The prima donna'e last encore was " Dixieland," a strange departure from her usual type of song. Renee Kelly has stolen all hearts down in Melbourne by her impersonation of "Polly With a Fast." But that was to be expected, as she has been a London success since hardly in her teens. She first appeared as a child actress, and then made something of a furore as Judy in "Daddy Long-Legs." Her repertoire as disclosed at present will include this piece, and "The Mask and the Face." Hylon Allen, her producer, is also her husband. It is, in fact, a much married company. When a little girl of four years of age, Estelle Rose, who is now appearing at Fuller's Opera House, was left at home by her father and mother, and whilst they were away she endeavoured to jump about on the tables, as she had seen done by some of the clowns at a local circus. A lamp on the table was knocked down, and the house was set alight. Only through the kindly aid of a neighbour was Estelle saved. Im- V mediately after this narrow escape, Estelle journeyed to America from London with her parents, where her father became a very prominent Hebrew tragedian. In her act she includes, many delightful international impressions. M. Pierret Brisson, the dramatic critic and M. Francois Riehepin, the step-son of the well-known Parteian actress, fought a duel at daybreak on December 17, in the woods near Paris, when two shots were exchanged, neither of which was effective. The duelilete left without shaking hands, and it is likely that the duel will be fought again. M. Brisson, who IB dramatic critic to "Lβ Temps," criticised the acting of Cora Laparcerie, ; M. Richepin's step-mother in the play ' "Voulez vous entre ma pemme?" which was written by M. Jaques Riehepin, father of the duellist. Some days after the criticism had appeared M. Riehepin, jun., approached M. Brisson in the corridor of the Odeon Theatre and sjbruck him violently in the face. M. Brisson then sent hie seconds to M. Riehepin. Miss Moncrieff, who recently left Sydney for New York, with the exception of a contract to make records for the Aeolian Company, has no immediate engagement, but it is unlikely that she will be long in America before a star part is offered to her. Many managers are already aware ot Mi&s Moncrieff's intention to leave Australia, and many know her by the extraordinary reputation she has won in her own country. Miss Moncrieff has received a larger salary than any other Australian in this line of work, but when in. London last year she was offered more than she has ever received in Australia. "There are people who may think I am riteh and greedy," said Miss Moncrieff in a farewell interview, "but that is not the case. When in I was offered £160 a week to star in a new musical comedy, but I could not accept, as I was then on a holiday and had agreed to come to Australia. On my return, J. C. Williamson, Ltd., gave mc a contract at £13.0 a week for a year, and had the option of engaging mc for another twelve months at £180 a week. The firm did not exercise this option, so I am leaving to seek employment elsewhere. I have always been ambitious, and but for the great love 1 feel for my own country would have gone abroad long ago in order to gain experience and new ideas—and perhaps favour —in a wider field., Now that 1. have made up my mind, I am looking forward to the future with great interest. Whatever happens, I will be a better artist as a result of the trip. And whatever Fate has in store for mc, I shall return to Australian audiences, who, by their encouragement, have helped mc to attain what success 1 have achieved." There are many people in Xew Zealand who are interested in the English stage, and who are fully conversant with the romantic story attached to the historic Sadler's Wells Theatre. Next to tlie Old Vie, it is probably the most interesting playhouse in London. The two theatres may shortly be joined under the one management. There has been started at Home, a Sadler's Wells Fund, within the object of establishing the Sadler's Wells Theatre as an Old Vio for North London, putting it under the management of the existing Old Vie as a second playhouse. Largely owing to an important contribution from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, the committee of the fund have been enabled to ;.urchase, with absolute title, the famous, but now derelict theatre. The balance still required for its reconstruction is approximately £40,000. The new schemes will not only double, the sphere of the Old Vie's very valuable activities, but will benefit the work itself in a number of ways; notably by giving sufficient room for rehearsal. At present, drama and opera at the Old Vio are like partners in a three-legged race; each is hindered by the other. Given this second theatre, the plan would be to run drama for a whole week at one house and opera for the same whole week at the other, and then to interchange, the two companies having, as it were, a Box and Cox tenancy of each lodging. Incidentally, this would give London what it has never possessed, continuous opera six times a week, from September to June, at prices all can afford. But perhaps the greatest advantage of all would be financial. Greatly increased receipts would be balanced by much less than a corresponding increase in expenditure. If rebuilt and adapted to the uses proposed, Sadler's Wells Theatre, with its great Shakespearean tradition, will be a worthy tribute and memorial to our greatest poet and dramatist. The Duke of Devonshire Iβ chairman, of the Fund.