MIMES AND MUSIC,

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 150, 25 June 1904, Page 13

MIMES AND MUSIC,

£By Oki'Hkus.]

COMING EVENTS. OVER A HOU3R. Woods-Williamson Company, to 28th June. Watkins Mills concerts, 24th, 25th, and 26th August. J. C. Williamson's "Marriage of Kitty" Company, 27th August. Paderowski Concerts, 12th, 13th, 14th September. Stephenson Comedy Company, 20th October to 2nd November. Harry Rickards' Company, sth Novemver to 15 November. J. C. Williamson,, 80-xing Nighb to 14 th January. HIS MAJESTT'B THEATKB., fuller's Entertainers. KXOIIANQE MALL. Mel. B. Spurr, in season. In Melbourne iho chief event of the Jast few weeks has boon the production of "Tho Girl from Kay's" by the London Gaiety Company, whirh, unlike "Threo Littlo Maids," is reviewed as upon the familiar and recognised lines of tho musical comedies of the day. Tho plot shows how Heari Daueau (Mr. Farkoa), a French member of tho London Stock Exchange, marries Nora Chalmers (Miss Delia Mason). Whilst waiting to drive, away to the station on their honeymoon, Winnie Horborough, ft milliner from Kay's (Miss Madge Crichton), arrives with a new hat. Henri llirts with hor, and the matrimonial squabble is not sottlcduntil Mr. Hoggenheimer (Mr. G. P. Huntloy), a German Jew millionaire, succeeds in winning Winnie for himself. Mr. Huntley is credited with a groat success as Hoggenheiiner. Mile. Antonia Dolores writes to an Australian friend from Paris under date 20tli April to explain that hor stay in that city is due to the lamented death of Mmo. Vandour, tho mother of Mile. Vandour, now for many yeais past her friend and secretary. On more general topics tho star soprano adds: — "Wo suffered vary much from Iho cold winter, especially in the north of Europe ; ho now the spring weather is Avelcomo, although wo aii> still burning fires. We visited Germany, Russia, and Austria, making probably our chief success at Vienna. lam booked for a ret'u-n season here next fall, and for tho sumo reason I intend to tour Holland again next winter. Mr. Edward Lang, who played in Mr.' George Musgrove's pantomime of "Aladdin," has joined with Mr. Tom Perman. The new combination will introduce to Australia- a rerks of American comedies and burlesques, which Mr. Lang has recently brought from America, These will includo "In Gay Parcc," "Sara Burnhard's Rival," "At Narragansctt Pier," and many others. Tho entertainments will be contributed to by "The New Gotham Comedy Four, ' who recently arrived by the steamer Ventura. Theso artists wero to appear on the 18tli inst. at the Gaiety Theatre, Melbourne, in "The Gay Paree." - The following is from tbo Australasian — "Trouble seems to follow naturally in the train of Miss Nance O'Neill (writes a San Francisco correspondent). She is now being «ued afc Boston by Edward Ratcliffo, for salary and bi'each of contract, and in the evidence it has transpired that she and M'Kee Rankin had not enough money left to pay their fare to Boston, and had to borrow the wherewithal. There has been a revival at tho Tivoli of 'When Johnny # Comes Marching Homo,' in which Wallace Brownlow made a hit on arrival here, but tho business has been bad, and one night lately there wore not a hundred people- in tho house. Mr. Brownlow has now cancelled his contract, and goes to New York. San Francisco has no theatre nor theatrical company to be at all compared to tho bait in Melbourne and Sydney 5 and ovon first-clo«8 star companies visiting the city do not dream of staging the pieces with the lnxury and completeness with which the Australian audiences are familiar. So far, Miss Marie Narelle, of Sydney, is tho only Australian artist who has secured an engagement at ihe St.' Louis Fair." Mr. Watkin Mills, who will sing Avith tho Wellington Musical Union in August, recently B.ing at Nottingham in tho "Messiah" ■with great -eiTect. The Nottingham Guardian says : — "His reudcring of the air, 'The People that Walked' was a .splendid effort, his perfect vocalisation being a distinctive feature. In tho memorable 'Why do the Nations,' his declamation was superb, and came almost as a revolution. Mr. Millis interpreted the recit 'Behold I tell you a Mystery' with appropriate devotional feeling, but in the succeeding number, 'The Trumpet Shall Sound,' ho achieved a complete artistic trhunpb." A writer in the last number of Uie Tattler says: — "Tho keenest interest was roused by tho publication of tho programme of Mr. Gilbert's new play, 'The Fairy's Dilemma,' an original 'domestic pantomime,' which was due last night at the Garrick. 'Mr. Gilbert is never t happier than in his whimsical mood, and I am glad to think that, in Iho absence of another Sullivan, he has returned to his earlier manner. Tho pantomime is plaj'ed by 'Supernaturals' and 'Unnafcunils,' and tho name of one of the characters, Lady Angola Wealdstone (daughtor of the Marquis of Harrow), played by Miss Violet Vanburgh, serves to remind ua that Mr. Gilbert has made his homo on Harrow Wcnld for mnny years." The run of "The Love Birds" at the Savoy Theatre came to a very abrupt conclusion. The play, which wa« produced ten weeks ago, has resulted in ono of the heaviest losses ever incurred through ope piece in Iho history of the London stage. Ovoi £12,000 has been sunk in the venture, the bulk of this money having been found by the son of a wealthy city man. The "dresses alone cost several thousands. An attempt toimprove the piece by means of a new version by Mr. John Rhino was abandoned. The record as regards (lie loss on any one play in London is held by "Babil and Bijou," which, at Covent i...rdcn in 1872, cost the late Lord Londesborough about £20,000. A new Madame Sans-Gene has been introduced to London in Miss Marie Lloyd. Tho "new song scena" at the Oxford Which givtis scope for the impersonation consists of a song telling the familiar story of the fair blunchisseuse who saved the Groat Napoleon in his early days as a young Corsicnn artilleryman, nnd meeting him years after Emperor in the Tuileries, reminded him of hor old kindness to win from him tho life of a prisoner". This ballad Miss Lloyd sings for the first halt garbed as a blanchisseuse in a laundry, for the second half as a fine lady of the Empire in the throne room of tha Tuileiiea, wjiere the audienco is allowed to See a mute Napoleon. J At last Miss Ada Reeve is to have a comedy all to her sparkling self. There will be s-ome music in it, but not enough to mnke it a musical comedy in the generally understood sense, for "Winnie Brooke, Widow," which is the work of Mr. Malcolm Watson j of the Daily Tele- . gra-oh. and "Fordwvr.U of Aldwvch." is. I

like "Kitty Grey," above all, a comedy with a *tor.y. I (tho critic of M.A.P.) was privileged tho other day to look into this 1 story, while it w.im being fitted by Malcolm Watson's partner with duiogue and lyrics, and 1 dhcoveiod in it two features which should bo of immense assistance to Miss Ada Reeve's venture. One Mas a capital plot, nnd tho other was a first-rate- pait for Miss Reeve. From a private- letter I gather that Pollard's Opera Company will probably be disbanded on tho return to Adelaide from Hrolten Hill, as trouble hus nrUron between tho management and Mr. J. C. Williamson (says Touchstone in the Perth Daily News). One of tho matters in dispute is stated 1 to be tho payment of tho chorus. Mr. WjHiam.«on, who has been backing tha Poll.-ircb, refused to tako over some of the chorus girls at the rates of pay which they had been receiving prior to reaching Adelaido, and Mr. Pollard then decided lo disband the company and rot urn lo New Zealand. Sardon and tho stago celebrated their golden wedding on Ist April. Ho has written 70 plays iv his 50 years of work for tho theatre. He was born 7th September, 1831. He knew for years tho pawnshop, the garret, the roofless bed, the crust of bread. In 1854 ho got his first piece on at tho Odeon, Paris. It was "Tho SludeuL's Tavern" — and a dire failure. Ho was then 23, and the fuilure made him ill. But ho recovered, persevered, and won, as all the world knows, fame and fortune. Tho only lady composer of note, Miss Ethel Smyth, the author of "Der Wold," which, after being produced afc Berlin, with great success, was included in the Covent, Gordon season, and then staged in Now Yoik, is engaged upon another opera, which sho hopes to complete early next year. This time, although the subject is English, the libretto, which has been prepared by the composer herself, is in French. An intei eating performance is to be given in London during Madame- Bernlmrdt's season this year. "Pelleas and Melisande," of M. Majlcrlinck, will bo produced, with tlio great Sarah as Pelleas and Mrs. Patrick Campbell as Melisundo. This will make Madame. Bcrnhnrdt's fourth impersonation nf a male character, the other threo are Lorenzaccio, in De Mussel's drama, Hamlet, and Uio Due do Roichatadt in "L'Aiglon" of M. Rostand. The London correspondent' of the Sydney Telegraph writes :— " By tho death of Mr. G W. Hunt, the well-known musichall song writer, we lost the man wbo added the word ' Jingo ' to tho popular and political vocabulary. When tho trouble- in Eastern Europe had reached a serious pitch in 1877, Mr. nunt was ono di<y seized with an inspiration to write a topical ballad for tho late ' Great Macdcrmott.' Accordingly, 'Mac' camo forward, and* in characteristic style, sang, amidst ilproarious cheers, the now historic chorus ; 'Wo don't want to (igiit, but, hy Jingo, if wo do.' Immediately Macdermott found himself famous. 'We don't want to fight' spread liko wildfire ; " Jingo ' became a current term applicable to enthusiastic patriots, and the Jingo and Jingoism have become part of history. Probubly such a stir will never' again bo created' in this country by a song. Yet the song was perilously near sharing tho fate of Macdermott's domestic rubbish. Hunt sent the song to tho vocalist with the intimation that ho needn't bother to return it, if lie didn't think it good enough. Macdermotfc, after trying tho song over once or twice, decided it was no good, and the W.P.B. reootved it. During tho day, however, the melody kept running through his head, and on reaching home at night ho thought ho would try it over again. But the .vong had disappeared, and was only unearthed after an. hour's search in the dustbin. Finally Macdennott, with some misgivings, thought he'd tiy ir once iv public. Band parts wero hastily prepared, and tho following evening, at the Oxford, the vocalist bellowed out tho now familiar lines. Tho effect* was electrical. He had tho house on its feet cheoing hoai.sely ere he had finished tho fiist vcrsr. Among other well-known songs which Mr. Hunt wrote was ''I he German Band,' ' Poor Uncle Sam,' 'Up in a Balloon,' 'Captain Cuff, 1 'Billy Johnson's Ball.' and ' Uid Brown's Daughter.' Mr. Hunt's" later years wore spent in poverty. His health Woko down, and the man wlm had induced members to leave their duties in the House of Commons in order to hear Macdennott at the Pavilion died an iumate of the Essex County Asylum.' 1 Theatrical Clips. — Tho Royal Comics are duo back in Sydney on the 25th inst., and open with "A Country Girl." . . . G. H. Snnzelle is coming to New Zealand again under the aegis of the MacMahons. George Grimm leaves London next month for Sydney once more, after two years' absence, during which he hus taken his L.R.A.M. in London. . . . Johnny Filler, junr., is in Melbourne, engaging talent for New Zealand. . . . Victor Kelly, of Kelly and Ashby, of bounding billiard-table fume, is in partnership with Emile Lazern. They are in* India. . . . .Minnie Eveiett had to respond to a call on the production of " Tapu " for the clever manner in which rlio taught tho poi-dancers. Steele-Payne Bellringers have disbanded. The principals intend settling in the Aiickland district. . . . Fred Maccnbo wis 73 when he died. . . . WoodsWilliamson Company open the Gishornc theatre when completed. ..." Tho Best of Friends " is the latest drama acquired by Bland Holt. . . . Stated that Fred Graham will join Fuller's Company. . . . Tod Callaway had a good offer from Rickards, but preferred to return to New Zealand. D'Orsny Ogden is to be given a benefit in Sydney shortly. . . . Kitty Lenton, appearing at Christchurch Opera House, will shortly introduce to i\ew Zealand a taking song, " Pansy Faces," which is said to bo all the rage in England. . . . Tlio woiship of My Lady Nicotine on tho stago is not all blis&^ (remarks "Newsletter"), as May Boatly found out the other evening, when she put the lighted end of a cigarette in her mouth, while doing tho "Egypt" turn in " The Roso of tho Riviera," at Sydney Lyceum. . . . Diekens's unfinished novel, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." has been completed and dra'matisod. .1. H. Wilson, a member of tho editorial stuff of the " Boston Transcript," has made tho venture, and entitled his adaptation tho "Jasper Judgment. . . . The management of the London Alhambrn havo instituted many precautions against risk by fire, among them being tho entire relaying throughout of the stage flooiing Avith substantial non-iu-flammaGle timber. . . . George Musgrovo recommences business in Australia in September next. ..." The Pilgrim's Progress" is to be dramatised in America. . . Hcrr Kreissler, the gieat German violinist, is negotiating with Mr. J. C. Williamson lo »tnr in Australia next May. . . . After all i» said and done Cuyler Hastings is not an actor in the strict sense of the word (lemarks Sydney Newslettei). 110 is tho sumo in everything he play<<. But his wonderful magnetism or peisonulily, or whatever you like to call it, pulls him through, and deludes you at fiist into the idea that he is a great actor: The Melbourne Bonrd of Health is going to insist upon £13.000 being spent upon the Theatre Royal-welse tbo shutters will go up immediately The net revenue of the Ciyshil Palace for 1003 amounted to £18,595, which, with tho exception of Coronation year, is tho lurgest, sura during tho pastflvn vpnrs.