MIMES AND MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 83, 4 October 1902, Page 11 (Supplement)

MIMES AND MUSIC.

[By Orpheus.] COMING EVENTS. oi'Er.A nousn. George Musgrove Company, 18th October to 6th November. J. C. Williamson Company, 7th to 22nd November. „ Willoughby-Geach Company; 24th November to 6th December. Charles Hollo way Company, 26th December to 22nd January, 1903. Frank Thornton Company, 24th February to 14th March, 1903. J. C. Williamson Company, 11th April to 2nd May, 1903. Hawtrey Comedy Company, 4th to 30th May, 1903. THEATRE- ROYAL, P. E. Dixs Gaiety Company, in season. II will be interesting to playgoers, says the Sydney Telegraph, to know that Messrs. Williamson ami Musgrove have entered into partnership to produce a pan- j tornime at the Princess' Theatre, Melbourne, next Christmas. Tins alliance of these former old-time theatrical giants \ will be cordially welcomed, even if it is for "this night only." But this temporary association may be significant of greater things to come. One of the first pressmen to get an interview with Ma-dame Melba when, she reached Brisbane was Mr. W. C. Marter, formerly of the staff of the New Zealand Times, and now dramatic critic of the Sydney Daily Telegraph. Mr. Marter was sent specially to Brisbane to meet the famous singer, and went off in the pilot boat to board the Miowera on her arrival at Morton Bay. While waitings for the big vessel the pilot crew had an extraordinary experience with a tiger shark. According to the published version the shark was captured, disembowled, and the teeth knocked out. It was then thrown overboard, whereupon it swam off and was making a speed of four or five miles an hour when lost to view. Miss Kate Hutchings, a soprano singer, who made an excellent impression last Saturday evening on her appearance in conjunction with the exhibition of the King's Coronation pictures, is the daughter of very old and well known Wellington residents. She obtained her initial musical training locally, but subsequently spent some time studying in Australia, and has now returned to settle in her native town. On the 22nd inst. she is to sing at a concert arranged by the Wanganui Liedertafel, and at Christmas she will take the soprano solo work in the performance of "The Messiah" at Wesley Church. It has been decided to rebuild Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney. Plaits have been prepared by Mr. Pitt, M.L.C., of Victoria, who designed the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne, Rickards's Opera House, Melbourne, and the new Opera House, Auckland, New Zeabnd. In the construction of tlie new theatre, a feature will be the lowering of the elevation. For instance, the dress-circle will be no higher than the former ladies' cloak-room, and the stalls will be on a level witli the vestibule and sloping rapidly downwards. Another noticeable feature in the construction of the theatre is that there will be no third tier, the gallery being constructed behind the family circle. Although, when he left New Zealand, Mr. Charles Arnold talked about retiring to a quiet quarter of the globe, -and dropping out of active theatrical work, he writes from New York to an Australian friend that after reading through a score of manuscripts sent him. he ended by securing a farce that has been running for three years in the United States, a really funny piece, which he will stage in London as soon as he can get a suitable theatre. Mr. Broadhurst is busy upon a new play, the English and Australian rights of which are promised to Mr. Arnold. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold left New York for London on 16th August. In the arbitration proceedings in Sydney between the Professional Musicians' Association and Mr. J. C. Williamson, the latter said that expenses had increased by almost double within the last ten years or so. There had been competition among inanagars which sent up the prices of pieces considerably. For instance, he paid £1000 in advance for San Toy and £10 every night he performed it, while he paid £1000 for Sherlock Holmes, his next dramatic 1 production. He would prefer to have an orchestra under reasonable conditions, but ,did not think it absolutely necessary for dramatic performances. As far as he knew, he had always paid the highest salaries to musicians. He considered that the Musicians' Association had no right to dictate to him how he should transact nis business. Mr Kohblanck told him that the professional musicians were backed up by 40,000 unionists. To make an advance to musicians would mean a difference of many thousands yearly, and the rest of his employees would expect to be similarly, treated. It would upset the whole of his business arrangements. If he could have obtained good solo players he would long since have dispensed, with orchestras. The judgment of the Court was against the claimants. The President, Mr. Justice Cohen, said the Court considered that the existing conditions should not be disturbed. Mr. Willjamson had also given preference to . members of* the union, and there was no reason to doubt that he would still continue to do so. The only question in dispute between the two parties was in regard to the matinees. The burden of proving- that there should be a. change in> the existing conditions rested upon v the claimants, and as they had failed to satisfy him, the award, in his opinion, must be for the respondent. This decision was agreed in by Mr. W. B! Cruickshank. Mr., S. Smith dissented. considered that the claim should be granted, inasmuch as the rate of £3 per week was already recognised and paid for by two of the Sydney managers for six performances — namely, Messrs. Bland Holt and W. Anderson. This rate was also paid in Adelaide, and had been paid, in Brisbane. A wage of £3 10s had also been paid in Melbourne by Mr. Rickards for eight performances, and £3 had been paid by other managements in Sydney for six performances. The contention put forward *by the respondent that the granting of the half rate for matinees would necessitate the payment of half rates to the choristers he did not believe. Where the employer was earning money with the assistance of the labour (mental or physical) of an employee, some compensation should be received by such employee. He also considered that the claim for preference to members of the claimant union should be granted so as to prevent any misunderstanding in the future. No order was made as to costs. There hav£ been wars, and there are rumours of wars, in the Auckland Amateur Dramatic Societ}'. Mr. Abel Rowe and his wife, both of whom had important parts, have resigned from the club, and their places have had to be filled (says the Auckland Star). There is also discontent in other quarters. The truth of the matter would appear to be that the said society is too long-winded. "The Guvnor" is not a difficult play — it is quite a favourite with amateurs for this cause — yet it has already been months in rehearsal and i 9 not to be produced till late in December. Had the club had the play ready, as they should have had long ago, they might have persuaded Mr. Abbott to let them have a night next week and opened the new theatre, and that would have been a "scoop" and no mistake. But to attempt to keep a company of amateurs amicable through six i/">ontks of rehearsing would only be at-

tempted by a very optimistic and inexperienced person indeed. Madame Melba has heard so much of Miss Nellie Stewart's impersonation of "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" that she has asked that sprightly Australian, who is a personal friend, to afford her an opportunity of seeing it, and if a date can be arranged Mr. Musgrove is going, to have it done. In view of his possible visit to Australia t Irving stories are being revived. Here is one : —"In New York we were playing 'Faust' at the time of the great blizzard in March, 1888. Ours was the only theatre in the city open that night. Next day I was accused, in a goodhumoured way, by the press of hardheartedness in compelling the members of my company to go to the theatre on such a terrible night. We had never seen a blizzard before, and we none of us realised what it was like. Every single member of the company, however, turned up, and we plajed to one of the most crowded and enthusiastic audiences I have ever acted to in my life. The house was packed from floor to ceiling with — deadheads. Even' seat in the house had been sold, but the weather was too bad for those who had paid to caro to go out. Oa the other hand, all the theatres being shut, and the actors not playing, they came down to us. Ido not think there was an actor in New York who was not at the performance, which was a unique one under the circumstances." A London Shakespeare Commemoration League has been formed. Among the first question for 'consideration will be the suggested erection of' a permanent memorial to Shakespeare in London. Whatever may or may not be its effect on native theatrical art, the great American theatrical trust, of which Mr. Charle? Frohman is the brains, is (says the London Daily Mail) decidedly a 'good friend to the dramatists and the actors of the Old World. Not content nowadays with merely acquiring American rights, Mr. Frohman has airanged for new work from the peris of Mr. J. M. Barrie Sir Gilbert Parker, Mr. Anthony Hope,' Mr. Henry Arthur Jones, and' M. Alfred Capus, the witty author of "La Veine" and "Lea* Deux Ecoles." Messrs. Klaw and Erlanger, also, have given commissions to Mrs. Craigie, Mr. Edward Rose, and Mr. George R. Sims. As regards the actors, under the aegis of Mr. Frohman and his associates, Mrs.' Patrick Campbell, Mr. Charles Hawtrey. Signora Duse, Mme. Sarah Bernhardt, and Mme. Rejane will play in America during the coming autumn ; as also will Mr. Weedon Grossmith, under the management of a more or less independent impresario. Towards the end of next year Mr. Frohman takes Sir Henry Irving *on another American tour, and it is also possible that Sir Charles Wyndham, Mr. George Alexander, and Mr. Tree will all cross the Atlantic. The reason of Signor Mascagni's forced resignation as professor at the Musical Academy "Rossini," at Pesaro, is 'now explained. His indomitable energy raised the academy to one of the foremost in Italy, but the managers did not like many of his innovations, and they brought pressure to bear on him to induce him to resign. v The actual cause of his resignation was his alleged theft of' one shilling from the funds of the academy. Signor Mascagni happens to be a very rich man, which makes the incident ail the more ridiculous. In Melbourne tha chief theatrical event of last month was the production of " Sherlock Holmes " at Her Majesty's Theatre. The new play is described as a clever piece of stage-craft applied to a sensational story of crime, in which Conan Doyle's detective is the , central figure, though otherwise the connection of the drama with the book is. not close. Mr. Wm. Gillette's play appears to have pleased the critics owing to the rapidity of its action, and to the success of Mr. Cuyler Hastings, who is pronounced eminently suited to the part, Miss Mabel Lane as Madge Larribee, Miss May Chevalier as Alice Faulkner, Mr. Hamilton Stewart as the wretch Larribee, and Mr. Atholwood as Professor Moriarty, "the criminal head-centre," were included in the cast. I

Simultaneously with the cabled announcement of the failure of the Nance O'Neil season in London, a play-bill reached me from Mr. Joe St. Clair giving the cast of "Magda," with which Miss O'Neil opened. In addition to the star and Mr. . M'Kee Rankin, Messrs. Thomas Kingston, Herbert Carr, Cyril Keightly, Reginald Dartrey, Alfred Tullett, Mrs. Henry Bracy, Miss Rica Allen, Miss Bessie Thompson, Miss Rose Lemmoine, Miss Ethel Warwick, and Miss Claire Cavendish, took part. M. Paderewski is returning to England in October, having been engaged for the forthcoming Bristol festival and sundry concerts at the Crystal Palace and recitals in London. He will afterwards go on tour in the provinces before again leaving for the Continent. Undeterred by the failure of his last work, "Herzog Wildfang," the indefatigable Siegfried Wagner is now said to be engaged upon a new opera, which is sooa to be produced at .Leipzig. Curiouslyenough, Herr Wagner has hit upon, the same subject as Herr Humperdinck, whose new fairy opera, "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood," is to be staged in Berlin about the same time. Theatrical clips. — Snowden's Dramatic Company, organised here this week, .eaves on a tour of the smalls of this province shortly. . . . Maggie Moore and her dramatic company is in Brisbane. .... Kenningham, the tenor, has' | joined' Johnny Sherman's company. . . Sandow has twelve assistants during his exhibition. . . . Robert Nelson, better known to the profession bs "Old Bob Nelson," died at Invercargill Hospital recently. . . . Myra Kemble is ±W in Melbourne Hospital. . . . Albert i Whelan is in Chicago playing in "Florodora." . . . Walter Bentley is on tour in Scotland. He contemplates a visit to this colony next year. . . . Harry Baxter is manager of the Globe Dramatic Company now touring Southland. . . . Musgrove's "'Chines© Honeymoon" Company left Sydney on Tuesday for Auckland. . . Mrs. Langtry has a site in view for a new theatre, so that her loss of the Imperial will be easily made up. ... Mrs. Craigie ("John Oliver Hobbes") has just com s plcted a comedy in five acts, entitled "The Flutes of Pan," which is to be published in book form before its presentation on the stage. . . . Mrs. Eliza Young, the oldest actress on the American stage, died on 10th August, at the Actress's Fund Home on Stateix Island, aged 92 years. ... In the cast of "A Woman of Impulse," with which the Comedy Theatre, London, waa to be reopened this month, there are the names of Ada Ferrar and Percy Brough. London files announce that Antoinette Sterling has definitely resolved to bid farewell to the concert platform. Before doing so she is to make a tour of England. . . . The death is announced in Melbourne of T. H. Guenett, for many years musical critic pi the Atgus and Australasian. His most distinguished pupil was the lady now known as Mme. Melba. . . . Pinero's new % play will be produced at the Duke of York's, London, late in the autumn. Dion Boucicault and Irene Vanbrugh will both appear in it. ... Julius Knight has been en gaged by Mrs. Langtry to play Napoleon in her revival of "Mile. Mars" in Londonthis month. '. .' . G. W. Anson was recently playing with a comedy company in Edinburgh as Stubbs in "A Brace of Partridges." . . . Enriqueta Crichton, the talented Ortrud and Venus of the Musgrove Opera Company," was engaged for the Moody-Manners season of English opera. Thirty representations were announced; beginning on 25th August and lasting a month. Lulu Evans, formerly of the Pollard Company, is to join Williamson's No. 1 company in Adelaide and play "Dora" in "The Toreador." . . . Musical plays have been all the rage in New York this year. Charles Arnold saw many. They were elaborately staged, he says, but the pieces were weak and the acting not up to the J. C. Williamson standard. . . Alice Hollander, the Sydney contralto, is staying in the suburbs "of Paris, studying French. She has engagements in London for the late autumn.