MIMES AND MUSIC,

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 98, 22 October 1904, Page 13

MIMES AND MUSIC,

(By. Orpheus.] COMING EVENTS. OFEBA HOUSE. Stephenson Comedy Company, in season till 2nd November. Harrison's Gymnastic School Exhibition, 3rd and 4th November. Harry Rickards' Company, sth Novemver to 15 November. J. C. Williamson, Boxing Night to 14th January. THEATRE EOTAL. Dix Gaiety Company. HIS MAJESTT'S THEATBB. Fuller's Entertainers. Cinquevalß, that King of Jugglers, is at present in South Africa. It was reported a little time back that he had injured himself while doing that risky trick with the cannon ball, but he writes that rumour was a "lying jade." He was to play a six-weeks' season at Johannesburg, and make a similar stay at' Capetown, and he expected to sail on his return home on 15th November. Regarding the present state of affairs in South Africa, he says that times are bad, and many of those ho knew six years ago then "swimming in wealth," are today nearly penniless. "The war seems to have fumed the country." Cinquevalli hopes to revisit New Zealand before he retires irom the public platform. Mr. Williamson's Christmas attraction in Sydney will be the Royal Comic Opera Company, which will have "The Orchid," "The Cingalee," and "The Duchess of Zantzic.' Melbourne is to have pantomime. Some weeks ago Mr. J. C. Williamson was in correspondence with agents in America for M. Ysaye in regard to a tour of Australia early next year. The proposal was that the star violinist, probably the greatest now living, should come to Australia from San Francisco. However, the Australian entrepeneur thought the terms too high, and the whole thing too risky. The following, from a London paper, indirectly throws light upon the subject :— M. Eugene Ysaye, the Belgian violinist, has entered into a contract to carry out a series of engagements to perform at 50 concertsi>in the United States. His tour will open at Philadelphia on 17th November. M. Ysaye will receive 100,000 dollars for the tour." This works out at- £4OO for each appearance, with the cost of management, travelling, and artistic support additional. Mr. 13. Brannigan, the well-known theatrical agent, arrived from Sydney last week, and intends settling 'permanently in Wellington. Referring to the. past London theatrical season, the Era says : — "The theatrical season which began last September and practically ended with July has been on the whole, an exceedingly encouraging one, if only for one reason, i.e., the almost total non-appearance in the list of entertainments of unsavoury adaptations from French farces. The fun which has been created for the British playgoer in 1906-4 has been clean fun. It was inevitable that there should be a certain diminution in the number of remarkable serious plays. Mr. A. W. Pinero and Mr. Henry Arthur Jones cannot 'last for ever,' and- the small output of those gentlemen is a creditable testimony to their scrupulousness, and to their resolve not to present to the public any work of which they are not entirely proud. As yet, the coming men who are to replace our two leading dramatists when they 'retire from business' are not easily discernable; but the large number of pieces by 'outsiders' which have achieved some success this year is a hopeful sign for the future. We see no signs of any change in the attitude of the British patron towards the drama. We can detect no yearnings for morbid anatomy in stage fiction; nor do we discern any 'new departure' for the realms of gruesome analysis, or any genuine desire for the establishment ""of a national theatre. The only discouraging symptom is the secondrateness of most of the 'outsiders' ' plays which have been produced in 190304. What success they have obtained may be attributed to the excellence of the manner in which they have been acted and mounted, and to the popularity of their leading exponents. Indeed, outside the acting, the great mass of the lighter productions of the year has left no impression on the memory." A despatch from New York states that, while the number of actors and actresses has increased enormously, the good ones are so scarce that the following advice has been sent broadcast throughout the theatrical world : "If 'you are a good actor, demand any salary within reason ; if you are a bad one, dont hope to get a position at any figure." Heinrich Conreid, manager of the Metropolitan Grand Opera Company, New York, announces that his season will start on 21st November and continue fifteen weeks. " Aida " will be the opening opera. Ten perf ormaaces of " Parsifal " will be given, then it will be taken to Boston, Pittsburg, and Chicago, one performance to be given in each city. The manager will not tell of all the stars he has secured, but admits that the list includes Nordica, Melba, Sembrich, Eames, Ackte, and the new Italian soprano, De Macchi. Caruso is to be the principal tenor, and another male singer will be a Spaniard, Francisco Nuibo, who is said to have a retnarkable voice. Neither of the De Reszkes will be in the company, nor will Calve, who, Mr. Conreid asserts, "cursed me all over Europe." All the standard operas will be produced (says the Argonaut). The following from an American paper should not be lost on musical comedy and vaudeville artists in this and adjoining colonies. The "writer, in commenting on a production, says, inter alia,: — None of the songs seemed to make any particular impression on the popular taste. Even the song "Sammy," sung with a redundancy of emphasis, ogliags, and gesticulations, all concentrated upon the nearest man in the nearest box, failed to oarry its point. Who Sammy was and what was the matter with him it was impossible to discover. But this I do know : It is an unpardonable liberty for performers on the stage to assail the privacy of occupants of the stage* boxes and compel them to contribute to the evening's entertainment. Nor does it seem | any less so when practised in a first-class theatre. It is a fad that is growing. The performers on the stage should not fail to remember that the pity of the audience for the victim who is thus dragged forth willy-nilly into the limelight may seriously interfere with their appreciation of the joke, if joke that may be called that is a wanton infringement on the rights of a spectator. Following was the cast of "L'Aiglon," produced by the Williamson Company in Sydney last Saturday week:— The Duke of Mios Tettell Brune Flambeau, Roy Redgrave ; Prince Mettemich, Gaston Merrale; Emperor Francis of Austria, Albert Gran ; Count Prokesch, A. E. Greenaway ; Baron Fiedi-rich yon Gentz, Maurice Dudley ; Attache, T. W. Lloyd ; the tailor, Paul Scardon ; Baron yon Obenaus, J. B. Atholwaed ; Count yon Dietrichstein, Fred. Patey ; Marshal Mormont, E. B. Russell ; Lnrie Louise, Miss Mabel Lane ; Archduchess Sophia of Austria, Miss Lillian Meyers; Theresa de Loget. Miss Tracey ; Countess Napoleone Camarata, Miss» Nellie Ferguson ; Fanny Essler, Miss Florence Gleeson. The bydney Morning Herald speaks of the production as a triumph, a vie- . Tory all along the line. Miss Tittell-Brnne

is credited with a great success as the Eaglet, thanks to her sympathy and bril1 liant emotional power, and others in the cost are praised for artistic work in what, concludes the critic, " may be termed a. great and memorable representation." Mr. Wilson Barrett bequeathed £1000 to the Actors' Benevolent Fund, £1000 to the Actors' Orphanage Fund, and £10,000 to his daughter Ethel, with remainder to her children, if any, and in the event of failure of such isaue with reversion of the capital to the testator's two sous, father, biters, nieces, and nephews mentioned in the will. His two eons are left £1000 each ; his sister, Mrs. xviary Heath, has £2000; her husband, the Rev. Frank Heath, £500; his father, £500; his nephew, Charles, £500; and his nieces, Kathleen and Monica, £300 each*; Mr. George H. Smith (formerly Mr. Barrett's manager) has £300 ; and there are sundry bequests, from £200 doiniwards, to certain of those who had been in his employ. Mr. Barrett's theatrical properties, effects, and royalties are left to his daughter Ethel and his sister, Mrs. Hoath ; ajid his books and manuscripts to the Rev. Frank Heath. The following clever play on titles of theatrical productions has been received by a member of the Melbourne Sporting and Dramatic News from a well-known lady in the profession : — To My Love 1 , — You will doubtless be surprised to hear from "The Messenger Boy" that ladies can. propose marriage. It being leap year, therefore, I could not resist the temptation of "Trying My Hana," not having seen you "In Town" since we met at "The Serenade" on "Twelfth Night, when I was staying at "Florodora" with "Charley's Aunt.' I have discovered that "The Only Way" is to make known my love, although people may say "She Stoops to Conquer," and that the best laid schemes of "Mice and Men" gang aft agley. lam not, as you may think, "A Country Girl," nor have I the gaiety of "The Belle of New York" or the charm of "Sweet Nell of Old Drury," but I am a "Daugnter of the Regiment," my father being "Second in Command," while my age is "Sweet and Twenty." I do not mind whether you are "A Great Millionaire," "Toreador," "Silver King," or "A Stranger in a Strange Land," but if you feel like "Facing the Music" we could be married by 'The Little Minister" or "A Village Priest" "In Sight of St. Paulas," and we might have a "Trip to Chinatown," including some "Fun on the Bristol," then settle down, like "Romeo and Juliet," "In London Town" to climb "The Ladder of Life" together. I will not interfere in your affairs, nor ask "Are You a Mason?" but will feel like "Alice in Wonderland" or ."A Slave of Passion." I hope you will accept me, though people may take us for "Beauty and the Beast" ; but then "Mistakes Will Happen," and if perchance I should find out that I had married the "Wrong Mr. Wright," and if you should discover that you are "In the Soup," you could obtain "A Royal Divorce, ana if I did not take pity on "The Private Secretary," and become a "Second Mrs. Tanqueray," I should find relief in "The Tyranny of Tears," and at the same time feel "In Honour Bound" not to tell every "Tom, Dick, and Harry" "Why Smith Left Home." You may think this a "Comedy of Errors" or a "Midsummer Night's Dream," or you may take it "As You Like It."— From yours as ever, "The Darling of the Gods." Mrs. Tom Thumb, made famous by Barnum, is still alive at the age of sixtyfive. She has a regular turn in a "Midget Theatre" at Coney Island, and is driven home each evening in the identical coach presented to Tom Thumb in 1884 by King Edward, rhen Prince of Walesi She is very religious, a member of the Actors' Church Alliance, and of the Woman's Aid Society. Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thumb, with Commodore Nutt and Minnie Warren, visited Australia in 1870. • - • When the King and Queen attend the play, the special programmes which are placed m the Royal box are quite simple. At one time satin was commonly chosen for the purpose, but His Majesty pointed out that when the lights were turned down the programme becomes illegible, and it is now usual for a white card to be printed in boiu type, innocent of advertisement, and seldom decorated. Miss Nellie Stewart had a triumphal receptioD on her re-appearance in^ Melbourne in " Pretty Peggy." Of the" play, the Leader says that, regarded from a dramatic standpoint, "Pretty Peggy" cannot be accepted as a very forcible piece of work. . . . There is a failure to create any vivid and distinctive impressions. The author does not make the past live, nor does she succeed in instilling the breath of life into the phantoms who masquerade their hour or so upon the stage. News is to hand of the sudden death through heart failure of Ellen Wright, the song composer. In private life she was known as Mrs. Percy Cross Standing. One of her most popular songs is "Violets," well known to colonial audiences. Theatrical Clips.— Reginald Roberta, the tenor of the Royal Comic Opera Co., has sailed on his return to San Francisco. May Duprez, recently at the Theatre Royal with the Dix Co., was a passenger by the same steamer. . . . FitzGerald's Circus starts a tour at Wellington on the 27th inst. . . . Pete Hughes, one of J. C. Williamson's late managers, has left New York for London. . . . Guilmant, tke celebrated French organist, is visiting America. . . . "Beauty and the Barge," a stage adaptation by Louis V. Parker of a charming story by W. W. Jacobs, produced recently in London by Cyril Maude, is pronounced "the best farce seen in London for many a day." . . . Cinquevalli was banquetted on arrival at Johannesburg recently by a number of representatives of mining and commercial interests. . . . Milford Haven has left the Woods-Williamson Company, and joins Fuller's Cbristchurch Company tonight. . . . Michael Joseph, in charge of on© of Anderson's dramatic companies, will commence another tour of New Zealand at Dunedin on Boxing Night. More melodrama of a pronounced type will form the staple attraction. ... A London paper predicts a speedy change of fashion in drama. Instead of recounting how many laughs a play is ca.pable of inducing, "a good cry" will be the advertised attraction. . . . Daisy Harcourt, billed as "the Australian coster singer," was appearing at the Lyceum Theatre, 'Frisco, at latest. . . . "The Duke of Killiecrankie," played here by J. C Williamson's Company, has reachits 200 th performance at London Criterion. It is the most successful play of the London season. . . . "What was that awful shriek I just heard?" asked the author nervously. "That," explained the stasre manager as he hurried towards the door, "was the star in the death scene. The audience has got him." . . . Mrs. Brown-Potter was to open the Snvoy Theatre, London, on 22nd September, with a new piece " The Golden Light." . . . Tod Calla-way Jbas gone to Duredin, where he joins the Fullers. i