MIMES AND MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 119, 15 November 1902, Page 3 (Supplement)

MIMES AND MUSIC.

£By Obi'iikus.] COMING EVENTS. OI'KUA IIODSE. i J nn C ; WilliamK °i Company, in season to 22nd November. Wilkughby-Ueach Company, 24th November to 6bh December. Charles Holloway 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. Hawtrev Comedy Company, 4th to 30th May, ]903. THEATRE BOYAL. P. R. Dixs Gaiety Company, in season. One of the duties devolving upon Mr. Tallis during his visit to America on behalf of Mr. Williamson was to see "Way Down East," which the Australian manager has secured for performance in the Commonwealth, and which, but for the outbreak of the plague, and the fire at Her Majesty's, would have already been presented. Mr. Tallis, says Sydney Daily Telegraph, saw the play performed in Ne.w York, and he has cabled to his principal : "Think attraction just the thing for Australia. Success should be certain." The drama will have the advantage of being presented by a company of American actors. JMr. Williamson expects that the company, which will also produce "Lover's Lane," will appear in Australia in about April or May next. There are more unlikely things than Mr. Williamson re-opening Her Majesty's Theatre with the American production. Mr. Williamson says that the architect, Mr. Pitt, reports that the theatre can be ready in about six months' time, and it should, therefore, be available for the season of American drama. Fergus Hume's first serious dramatic effort is a melodrama entitled "Honours Divided," which is now being run through the English provinces by a company with Miss Kate Rorkfc at its head. "Honours Divided" is melodrama of the right sort, without any undue sensationalism, with an intelligent plot, a well-connected story, and incidents which are always interesting, and lead to effective situations. Fault conH easily be found with the construction of the play, says an English paper, but on the whole Mr. Hume is to be congratulated on having achieved a. decided success. His. dialogue is smartly and vigorously written, and contains some witty and epigrammatic sayings, while the more serious scenes ore relieved by pleasant bits of comedy. An extraordinary stage novelty is announced at Vienna, says a recent despatch. Count Stagard, who is to play shortly the character of tlie Pied Piper of Hainelin, will have as realistic accessories a thousand tame rats, who will follow him on the stage as he pipes. In private circles statements are very confidently made that Mr. Brough - has already thought better of his intention to disband his company and return to England after his visit to India and China. One more return to Australia is spoken of as a certainty. Melbourne Argus's London correspondent iv a note on Nance O'Neill's failure has this to say about the supers, "strike" : Her want of success had its effect upon the exchequer of the Adelphi, and on Saturday night there was a crisis behind the scenes, when the "supers." struck for unpaid wpges. Their demonstration was romantic. In the third act of the play, where there are 100 persons on the slags, Queen Elizabeth orders in her guard to arrest the Earl of Essex. On Saturday night Miss O'Neil stamped her foot, according to the text, arid shouted, "What ho, my guards, my guards," but no guards responded. They all kept out of sight, . and the Earl of Essex had to consider himself arrested. None of the "supers" went upon the stage again, and the scene, which should have been conducted with some four-score people on the stage, had to be concluded with the eight principals. At the close of the performance £25 was obtained from th ■ box-office, and the men were paid 6sercii. They were told that th'e rest would be forthcoming on Tuesday; but not a soul was informed that after Saturday the theatre would be closed, and for several hours on Monday a crowd of "supers," "extra ladies," and stage hands, hung around the stage door. Their orders were "Come again to-morrow," and some of them spoke their minds quite freely on the subject. On the morrow, as bidden, the "supers," etc., once more mobbed the stage door, only to be sent empty away. Mr. William Rignold, an old English actor, brother of Mr. George Riguold, who recently left Australia for England, has completely lost his sight, and, much to liis sorrow, will never again appear on the stage. ' After all the good work he lias done during his stage life, extending over half a century, the "Era" thought that a suitable testimonial should be given to him on his retirement from the stage. On the case of the blind actor being brought before Sir Henry Irving, he instantly gave a cheque for twenty guineas to the fund. Mr. Rignold visited Australia some years ago. According to Melbourne "Table Talk," Miss Lulu Evans has met with several romantic incidents during her' stage career. One has to do with an old gentleman who saw her and admired. Now this is what doubtless many old and young gentlemen have done, but this particular one did not stay at that. Failing to meet his idol he bought her picture. Then he died and made the original his heiress. This would have been quite satisfactory had not the trustee of the will, this time a young man, also fallen iv love and shown his devotion by absconding with the money. A remarkable contretemps occurred at the cojicert which Madame Adeline Patti gave in Brecon recently in aid of the local infirmary. While singing the duet "La ci darem," from Mozarlta "Don Giovanni," with Mr. Santley, Patti was annoyed by a wasp which buwed about her head for some time, and ultimately flew into her open mouth while she was singing. The smger had to retire for a moment, but no ill effects followed, and the duet was continued. Doubtless the wasp would ue excused on the grounds tnnt he took the mouth of Patti for a rosebud, and her notes for honey. Luckily it did not sting. From London comes news of the great success of "The Marriage of Kitty," m vvhich Miss Marie Tempest is appearing. Mr J A. E. Malone informs Mr. Williamson that he has just purchased for him the Australian rights of the new comBclv 3Vir Warwick Gainor died in the Roocevelt Hospital, New York, a little while back. He was .last in New Zealand with Simonsen's Opera Company, in which he was principal baritone. Ha sailed for America at the end of 1891, and almost at once secured a year's engagement with Colonel Mapleson's company. From that time on. Mr. Gainor has sung continuously with nearly all the best English grand opera, companies in America. *» Sir Henry Irving has Avon a great reputation as an after-dinner speaker, but, according to Harry Furnisn, his speeches are carefully prepared and printed in very large block type, easily read at a distance. Herein lies the triumph of the actor. These slips are. artfully placed on the table, out of sight of the audience; and while one of the speaker's bands rests ■artistically on his hip, the other toys with a fruit-knife, and with it pages of the speech are turned over as they are read. So perfectly is this acted, so gracefully does the body sway, and so welltimed are the pauses in the speech, that only those seated in close proximity to

Sir Henry are aware he is reading his speech. ' , The fact that Mr. Biand Holt has just purchased by cable the new Drury Lane drama. Ihe Best ot Inends, again by Mr. Cecil Raleigh, gives interest to the press description ot it. The dialogue was pronounced "slow in places," but that fact does not concern Australian playgoers. The first night at Old Drury, in spite of its length, was declared highly Brisbane Courier in connection with the demonstration which greeted Madame aft? ak? swarj crowded, and the people surged round the carriage window. Melba chatted very he did so he spoke to her, and addressed a sermon to those about at tho same time:-' I like you, mum," he frank.y burst out, 'because you le good to your old father "Before the train moved oft he asked Melba would she have something o drink, and fearing he had oftended her, added, 'I mean » bottle of lemonode, or something. Melba graciously declined, .lid as tUe guard s shrill whistle sounded the old fellow showed he did not entertain animosity on toot account. He waved his hat, and called, Good-bye, darlmg." The diva was greatly amused; S°roT as *£ c ?r? ro * ;, r. -„ » • Ihe "Earl of Mar Committee prizes for the best "Coronation March bong have been awarded, the first prize (£100) having been awarded' to. Ahss Alicia Needham, and the second and third^pnzea io r Dr ' Vine^ ni \^ l\ J- a £ Wy?JV i.lessrs. Myles B. lorstcr, and H. M.. Higgs, jointly. Three hundred compositions were sent in to tho adjudicators— Sir J. F. Bridge, Mr. J. Munro Coward, and Mr. J. Mackonzie Kegan. The Governor of Gibraltar has signed the lease for a theatre there. A position has been chosen adjoining the public gardens, and facing the bay, on which a playhouse, capable of seating 1500 peoplo, is being erected, and should be ready to open early next year. It is stated that the municipality of Leipzig has definitely decided to pull down" the rwell-known Thomasschule whero Johann Sebastian Bach acted as cantor so long, and where, at last, he died. The building is of great antiquity, being nearly four hundred years oTd. It is said that a school has existed on the site for upwards of eight hundred years, Managers of the Paris theatres have practically agreed to exclude all newspaper critics from the first nights of new plays in future. Already at the end of fast reason they ceased, as their custom used to be, to give a special dress rehearsal (a first night in all but name) for the critics, and now they mean to cease tneir hospitality entirely, and, more than that to discountenance newspaper criticism of new plays by every means they can The question excited intense interest and a London Evening News representative interviewed one of the leading managers upon it. "Your information is quito-right," he said. "We are skk and tired of the critics. We give -them free places and facilities, ana" they retaliatw with adverse critici&ms which thirs out otir audiences and makes each successive play a failure." 'But if the plays are bad"?" asked the repoiter. "That," said ihe manager, "is not the point. We have decided, and our meeting will ratify the decision, to give no more free places to journalists. Further, if a journalist writes down a play, we shall proceed against him in the law courts. We look upon ourselves as merchants—merchants of pleasure, if you will —but merchants all the same. If a newspaper were to publish an article stating that X.'s cognac was undrinkable, the journalist who wrote

article and the newspaper in wlach it appeared would both be sued for damages. Q,jr case, as we consider it, ia presimilar." »And if the press boycotts the theatres V" The manager threw. Out his hands and shrugged-his nhoulders. »What will you?" he said. "Who shall jjvcj ye Snan gee» „,. ™', ■„ .. „j v. „„_ Chps.-Wi son Barrett and has comP an J as "turned to London after his Austoaha^ In Miss Pajottas opinion, J e c, oim ° °P er \ &*"?«***** SSSHS do not tho & r J „ „ • »,,.i.»oi;» £ ' complete W musical educag£ P* ftfc Alba md wiU hfl pearance J' tJle Ceten. Hng d J* Saturday, 22nd N£ vembe;. f . * Gilbert Doyftf. -new- . <lWhat Wonld a Gentieman Do?» Ls made quite a hit. . . Henry Arthur Jones^ new pj ay "Chance, the Idol" h faiJed t W**s mm >a Theatre. The h unplea/ ant( M(i the reviews are g0 J llnanjnlou 1 sly unfavourable that it is evident,y ' stuff. ... . Charles Frohma£ havo twelve companies appearing simultaneously in England and her possessions. . . Shelley's verses, ..j^.g philosophy," has been put to mHgio b Robifl Ca^by Clarke, and h so £ EugHsh ccr ti CS) received symppthetic musjea.i illustration. . . At Madame Patti possesses the West piano, as well as the most es> ppensi ye.c orchestrion, in the world. Tha latfcer ,ronderfui instrument is .equal to fche Ci(m.bined efforts of sixty performers. Ifc cost £3000, and has a repertoire of over ci, f hty operatic selections and airs. _ "" T£ 6 f,iece in it i 8 Baid tlmt Mra Brown Potter will make her debufc i]l musical comedy is called "The CM f^m Kay's," and is by the author of "Tho Geisha Girl" and "Florodor-a." ... Bret Harte is said to have spent the last ten days of his life working on a comic opera with the unique title of "Alkali Ike." The scenes aro laid in Paris, unS. are said to be very, funny, Music for tiie piece wsis written by Emanuel Moir. „ . Apropos of the compositions of Royal \ personages, Brahms is reported to have said, "Never speak disrespectfully of the music of w prince. One never knows who is the composer of it." . . . The recent Worcester Festival—including the opening services on the Sunday previously— was attended by 19,000 persons. The proceeds were devoted to the assistance pf local charities. . . At the new Westminster (R.C.) Cathedral, London, it is proposed Jo give special prominence to works by English composers of the 16th and 17th centuries. . . The coming, man in Italy is saicb to be Loieazo Perosi. A concert' hall named after the composer arid intended for the performance of his works has'already been erected in Milan, and a society is being founded, liaving for its object the building of a similar hall in Rome. . . At the end of September Grace Palotta was "doing the theatres" in Paris. . . Wil-loughby-Gench Company took £223 on the opening night of "The' Wrong Mr. Wright" at Dunedin Princess. .• ■. . Dunedin AJhambra has been closed for an indefinite period, according to a Dunedin paper. . . Theatre Royal, Invercargill. has been- sold to a firm of ironmongers. Tho building was originally intended for a church. . . George Dean and his "Royal Waxworks" are due °t the Choral Hall about the end of this month. . . Dixs Gaiety Company had » very successful season in Palmorston, during show week.