MIMES AND MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 4, 5 January 1907, Page 11

MIMES AND MUSIC

[Br OnrHETJs.]

COMING EVENTS. OPUItA HQ USE. J. C. Williamson, ;n season to 17th January. ISO 7. Brough-Flemmins Co., 4th to 28th February. W. Anderson, 2'oth February to 23rd .March. J. C. Williamson, 31st Maich to 19th April. O. Holloway, i!2n-J Apnl to 11th May. Allan Hamilton, 10th to 3Dth October. THEATRE lIOYAI.. Fuller's Vaudeville Company. TOWN HAXX. "West's Pictures, m season to 22nd January. Organ Recital {Dr. Bradshavr), 24th January. The stage keeps pace with modeni progress. Mother Goose once flew to the moon astride her magic fowl. In the Melbourne pantomime the trip is dono by aeroplane, and the topical song is sung from the flying machine in cloudland. A postcard from Capetown bears the information that Mr. Alfred Woods and Miss Maud Williamson are now in that country, under engagement to B. and F. Wheeler, for a six months' tour, which was to have commenced at Christmas. Back to Australia Mr. Woods will then go, and he 'expects to be in New Zealand again towards the end of i,nis year. . ■ Miss Emily Soldene, in speaking of her return to Australia, where years ago she was the star of opera-bouffe, says : — "I am, of course, of a buoyant, optimistic nature, by instinct. That is because I qpme of a Welsh stock, and iwas born in Islington ! You can tell it by the name on the wrapper — sol dene means 'sunny place' ! And that is why I am off to the sunny place down South!" Arrangements have been completed by (Mr. J. C. Williamson for a return visit to Australia next year of Mr. Andrew Mack, the Irish singing comedian, whoso previous tour was such a success. Mr. •Alack will bring with him a new com- .^ pany, and a reportoire comprising several fresh pieces. New Zealand may also be visited. Some idea of the great expenses which have to be met under the item "travelling" by Mr. J. C. Williamson, may be gathered from the ccst of carrying the Koyal Comic Opera Company to and from Xow Zealand, says Sydney Daily Telegraph. That organisation when on tour now numbers ninety members, and for fares alone for the round trip across and back, the bill amounted to over £2000. A new play, presenting to those who iove sentiment, scenery, and sensation, all that patrons of the domestic drama can reasonably desire, is the "Village Blacksmith" (says the Australasian). Strong in the three essential qualities of its type, with a wrestling match for a climaXj and virtue rampantly triumphant, we have a play suitable to Christmas time — or any other period of the year. The theatrical knowledge of Australians is so acute that they hardly require a resume of the play, which can be summarised in a dozen words or so — rustic village — blacksmith — forge — scenery — wife — villain — guile — virtue — detective — humorous domestics i— wrestling match — virtue v. vice fractured neck — virtue wins — cur- J tain." Mr. Julius Knight will spend a fortnight or so in New York on his way to Australia across the United States, in order that he may study on the spot the American way of play production (says a Sydney paper). Especially is ho anxious to see Kyrie Bellew in " The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard," in which the latter is starring at present, for he holds that an jictorjian always improve his own inter- ; pretation of a part by comparing it with that of another man, and he hopes to make Brigadier Gerard one of hi best parts out here. He brings with him also complete ideas as to Lewis Waller's representation of "Robin Hood," and Mr. Gerald dv Maurier's " Raffles " (which in

November celebrated its 200 th performiicc at the London Comedy Theatre), i-o rhat, with this addition to his own high talent, each of the throe rolos should he very effective characterisations. "Pramatikts, liko other people, havo before this been converted, but rarely to euch good purpose a-> Mr Owen Hali, who, according to the London Daily Telegraph, has jitet turned himself into a limited liability company. The nominal capital is placed at £12,000. Directors of the proposed company aro Mr. Cecil Raleigh, Prince Victor Dhuleep Singh, Sir" James Home, Sir Theodore Brinrkman, and Mr. Owen Hall himself, end its object isfto exploit musical c6medie3 by, primarily, the author of "Tho Geisha," "Froradora," and "Sergeant Brua," and by, -secondly, other wellkuowu writers. The shares, it is frankly, declared, are not to bs regarded in the light of gilt-endged securities, but of a speculative investment, because, as every one knows, theatrical business is more or less in the nature of a gamble, which may as easily lead to the distribution of a dividend of 100 per cent, as to the loss of the entire capital. Mibs Camille Clifford— the "Gibson Girl " whoso doings have lately been extensively chronicled in consequence of her mariiage with the sou and heir of Lord Aberdare — looking a long way ahead, has just signed a contract to join Mr. George Dance's management whenever " The Belle of Mayfair" shall end its prosperous career at the Vaudeville Theatre. Miss Clifford's contract is for the " star " part in a new musical play which will be written by Mr. Dance himself, who, as the author of " The Chinese Honeymoon," holds the record of the longest running musical comedy ever produced in London. He is also tha author of tho " Gay Parisisnne" and other successes, and in the piece oa which he is at work is writing n. bright and sympathetic part for Miss Clifford. The new play will bo ioured for a short while in the provinces before coming to London, and afterwards, in accordance with the conditions of the contract, Miss Clifford Mill go at tho head of Mr. Dance's company for a season to New York. The matinee hat trouble has been solved at- last, according to the Sketch. A Frenchman has invented a device which enables one to look over the matinee hat or any other obstacle in the line of vision. The device is in appearance like an oiflinaiy walking-stick, opera glasses being fixed near the handle and un eye-piece at tba end of the stick. When the stick is raised so that the opera glasses are above the obstacle the person can see the players through the eye-piece, their images being reflected by ii set of lenses and mirrors. Bernard Shaw's new tragedy, "A Doctor's Dilemma," was pioduced at the Court Theatie, London, during the third week iD November, and has proved Jho exciting cause of much clever criticism, expressing widely divergent opinions, writes Sydney Morning Herald. At one time, long alter readers of the published plays had satisfied themselves thatseveral of his pieces would act, English managers looked askance at anything with this author's name on it. The first success, "Candida," was due to enterprise in New York. In that city, during tha past few weeks, _Jr- H. B. living has won acceptance for "Caesar and Cleopatra," another of the series unknown in London. There the Shaw players have been rather extensively "matinecd," and "John Bull and His island/ "Man and Superman," and "ijajor Barbara" have all been brought forward recently. The new play is more discursive than any of its predecessors, so tLat the physician who remarks "I've lost the thread of my remarks. What was. I talking about?" epitomises the faults of "The Doctor's Dilemma." The satire of 'the medical profession was anticipated by Moliere originally, and recently in Paris by Brieux in "L'Evasion." The plot deals with half a dozen types of medical man, from the Court physician, a platitudinously pompous bungler, to the hardworking East-end "g. p." who begs fashionable consultants for their cast-off

frock-coats 1 This bevy of doctors careers through the play like the wedding guests in "Le Chapeau do Paille d' Italic," generally meeting at the bedside of Louis Dubedat, wit, genius, painter, reprobate, gambler, and blackmailer. He dies on the breast of his beautiful wife, Jennifer, uttering his artist's credo, "I believe in Michael Angelo, and Remhvaudt, and Velasquez, and the Message of Art." Some critics admire the originality « tho scene, otheru denounce it as "bad taste" in its punctuation of solemnity by jokes, and "cheap art" in its employment of such a fact as death (realistic, not poetised death) to <se*juro an emotional thrill. 5 Tho romantic story of the engagement of Mine. Calve to a blind Franco-Ameri-can millionaire hus excited much interest in theatrk.il Paris. Tho prima do:ma has left for a prolonged yachting oruise in the Mediterianean, with* v party of friends, including her fiance. In theatrical circles I learn (says the Daily Chronicle Paris coi respondent) that Calve has definitely promised her future hus-i hand that she will renounce the &ta-»e when sks has fulfilled certain professional engagements next March. Her last public appearance will probably be at the Opera, Comique. The musical staff of the Paiis opera comprises over four hundred peisons including fifty soloists, one hundred chorus singers, one hundred and six orchestral players, one bundled and forty dancers, three orchestral conductor, eight choral conductors, and a large number of supers; and the administrative staff is not leas numerous, consisting of in addition to the director, a general administrator, a geneTal secretary, an undersecretary, a property master, two archivists, two librarians, a chief accountant, a cashieT, a general manager, a sta<ro manager ,and a vast army of sub-con-trollers, clerks, engineers,' attendants, and other subordinates of all kinds. In all gome twelve or thirteen hundred aro on the Tegular pay-roll, whil-2, in addition, there are, of course, hundreds morepainters, decorators, copyists, costumiers, and so or — who draw their incomes indirectly from the same source. No wondre that even the huge annunl subsidy of £32,000 hardly suffices at times to make both ends iKeet. The highest possible takings for a single performance aT6 £920, but this figure is rarely reached. The average leceipte per night aie about £650, and as the cost of each performance to about £800, the neces- ' sity of the subvention to keep things going is obvious. A certain Dr. Nowacki, of Zurich, has made the interesting discovery that a dimpkd chin is an outward and visible sign of a- musical disposition. He noticed years ago, says Musical News, that the chins of Mozart and Beethoven were dimpled, as shown by some busts of these composers, and as a. result of devoting considerable etudy to the question he has further noticed that Liszt, Wagner, Rubinstein, Schumann, Schubert, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Strauss, and others of les&er importance aleo possessed the same distinguishing mark. What is the precise connection between music and dimples is net quite obvious, and apparently the observant doctor has not yet vouchsafed any information as to which is cause and which effect. If there be any truth in his theory, it will be easy to tell whether a person is musical or not, especially ir± these days of shaven chins. Somo years ago Miss Ellis road a paper at the Musical Association on "Musicians' Ears," founded on a life-long study of these aural appendages, but judgment in this case was founded on hightly specialised observation. Thanks to Dr. Nowacki, there is no need now to worry over the question; "Shall we teach our children music?" or "Shall we buy them a gramophone instead?" All that is neces6ary is to look at baby's chin and the matter is settled. New York has another playhouse — Messrs. Shubert's new Lincoln-square Theatre, at Broadway and Sixty-sixth-street. It is described as very handsome and remarkably up to date. -It is co constructed that not a post in the auditorium obstructs the view. The 6tage is separated from the remainder of the

theatre by fireproof walls ; the old asbestos curtain idea has been abandoned, and a heavy stsel curtain 3in thick and weighing 16,000 ib has been installed. Then there lias been uirangc-J a "water curtain," to be turned on nt the proscenium arch, and special ventilating skylights, all operated by electric push buttons. '} he decorations of the house are white, rose pink, and gold. The most impoitant artistic event in London during November was the first production in England of Umberto Giordano'e tragic opera "Fedore,"«which took place at Covent Garden under the direction of Signor Mugnoni. This work was one of the successes of the Italian opera season in Sydney as long ago s-.s June, 1902, when Mile. Bassich, the dark Dalmatian diva, and Signor Carlo Dani played the chief characters under Signor Ha'zon'a br>ton. Tho Bvough-Fleming Company which opened at Hl3 Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, on Boxing Night, to one of the largest audiences ever been in that city, is continuing its success. The opening piece was "Dr. Wake's Patent." a new comedy drama in four acts, by W. Gayer Mackay and Robert Ord, which proved such a great success through Australia, and which it seems likely to repeat throughout this country. Theatrical Clips.— Mr. T. Fawcelt Rowe, who has appeared in New Zeaaland on tho Fuller circuit, is now with the Albert and Edmunds Company playing Moss-Stall circuit in England in a comedy entitled "Neighbourc." , . The Carmos, the clever jugglers' and equilibrists now playing at the Theatre Royal, leave for London, via Melbourne, on the 17th inst. . . Will Stevens. "The Sad-eyed Shriek," after a continuous engagement of eight years with the Fullers, has left for Sydney. The first play to be staged in Australia by the new Julius Knight Company will be "Robin Hood." . . Victor Loydall, of Loydall and Berry, sketch artists, here with the Fullers a few months ago. is in J. C. Williamson's pantomime "Mother Goose." . When the Brough-Flem-ming Company returns to Australia after its New Zealand tour its repertoire will include "Charles 1.," "Olivia, and "Nance Oldfield," purchased from the executors of Sir Henry Irving. . . "The Gardener's Dream," Messrs. George Lauri and Andrew M'Cunn'e pantomime, will be played during the year at London variety houses by Mr. "Edward Lauri and Miss May Bcattie. . . Mr Athol Forde, who was in Australia with Mr. George Musgrove's Shakespearean company is playing in the revival of "The Little Stranger" at tile Camden Theatre, London . . The Marvellous Howards are due to return to Australia in 1909. . Miss Delia Mason is engaged to be married to Mr. Walter Wysand, of Brazil. Sam Rowley, the little man with the big voice, is playing the cheap vaudiville houses in America. . . At latest Tom Nawn was in Boston, playing the same vaudeville sketches. . . "Unless you have a good novelty, which will always be in demand, vaudeville life is a village blacksmith's job," is the opinion of an Australian artist now in America. . . Wallace Brownlow at latest was playing a small part in Boston in "Madamo Butterfly" and understudying. . . Ted E. Box, comedian, who has played tho Fuller circuit in New Zealand, after trying America, h;is gone to South Africa. Lpeds and Le Mar, known in vaudeville in this colony, are playing, in the Unifed States. . .* Bert Bradley and Flo. Barnes were in Boston recently, but not in an engagement. . Sydney Deane, an Australian, who has beenvin America > for some time, was playing in a convict sketch in New York recently, entitled "Christmas Day on Blackwetl's Island." Mr. Deane is the star and his oinging is much admired. . . Mrs. F. M. Clark, wife of the well-known comedian of that name, and proprietor of the vaude\ille company at Melbourne Gaioty, died in Melbourne on Christmas Eve. . In Melbourne Punch's opinion "The Squaw Man" stands out prominently as the best of theatrical attractions in Australia during the past year. . . Mr. William Anderson sends out two touring dramatic companies early this year. . . . It is said Xurs. Langtry comes out to Australia, at a huge salary, for a Dhort vaudeville engagement. . . After many denials and reaffirmation3, the Bland Holts made holiday in England this year. So declares Melbourne Punch, as it says, to stop all discussion. . . It is on tho cards that George Grossmith, junr., and Albert Chevalier visit the colonies this year. . . . Tyrone Power talks of returning to Australia. . . Fred Rivenhall is understudying Joe Coyne, leading comedian in "My Lady Mapcap," in New York. . . Albert Gran made quite a hit in "The Love Letter," with Virginia Harncd as star, in New York. . Paul Scardon is in the cast of "Brigadier Gorard" at the Savoy, New York. Kyrle Bellew plays Gerard. . , In "The Village Blacksmith," William Anderson's latest attraction in Melbourne, there is a big wrestling scene, the combatants in which are being trained by Clarence Weber. . . Mips j Nellie Stewart opens this month in Philadelphia under engagement to Klaw and ErlaTigcr. . . "jfarsifal" opened to a packed house in Sydney.' The religious drama was a big success, and Sliss Brnne receives much praise. . . "Miss Rhoda Dendron" is the namo of a variety artist in Melbourne. . .