MIMES AND MUSIC,

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 78, 28 September 1907, Page 15

MIMES AND MUSIC,

[Bx ORi'nscs.3 COMINU IiVEXI'S. orr.UA nocsr. J. C. Williamson, in reason to 9th October. AiUn Hamilton, *Oth to .10th Oft»l>n. Harrison's Gymnastic Display, 31st Octuber. Ahrlm Swallow's Cuneert, Ist hovcmbci. MaoMiiiiin Cimipun, 2nd to 16tll November. Allan Hamilton, 22nd November to 6th Do•embtr. • l'ollartl'a Juvenile Opera Company, 7th to 17th Dectinber. J. O. Wiliinmson, 18th. to 22nd December. 1.1.1 .1. C AV.lltuaison. 26th December to 16th Jinuary, 1908. ' TIIEATKB BOTAI*. FuUsr"» Vaudeville Company. > A private letter receiv-sd in Sydney from London states that Miss' Carrie Moore comes out next year to play in "Ihc MeTry Widoiv " comic opera, oi which Mr. J. C. Williamson has acquired the Australasian rights. From, the Melbourne letter in the Bulletin: — "Miss Irene Dillon writes fiom Auckland in regard to a par. in this column stating that she was engaged to Mr. WceJon, jun., of Melbourne (29tli September, 1907) : 'I don't know what grounds you have for the statement, and should feel greatly obliged if you will' contradict it.' 'It is hereby contradicted." Miss Dillon- is a. member of tho "Mother Goose" Pantomime Company. "Miss Hook of .Holland," secuTed for Australia by Messrs. MeyneU and Gunn, Is holding its own in London, where it is considered, "according to Mr. Frohman, l 'ti}e best' musical comedy since 'Tho Geisha.' " Mr. \ , Frohman .will make ''Miss Hook of Holland" bib next musical production iit X^w -York. _ • ' A" Queensland piper puDlish.es the following from its Rockhampton correspondent : "The famous Titteil Brune Company gavo a four nights' season, and a rare treat it was to lovers of Tliespis. Unfortunately, however, for the comedians, thoir" visit resulted in a financial loss, the attendance during the last two eights being smalL" Comedians ! shrieks a. Sydney paper. ".Titteil Brune will be wondering whether there was suck a thing as fame. ■> 'Dtic^din amateurs are going in for theatricals on a large scale. Mt. Alfred' HrjlV "Moorish Maid"' opera is to be staged," with t he ~ assistance of professionals ; that pretty little comedy-dramu, "Hans, tho Boatman," is to be presented by a body of amateurs ; the Players' Club has ih% society play, "The CountryMouse," in "rehearsal for production iv. November; and the Amateur Operatic Society is to s\ag'e "Tho Btlle of New York"' in December. The next cbramatic attraction for this city will be Messrs. Meynell and Gunn's Company, biaded-by Miss Maud Hildyard, an English actress of note. The company had a veiy successful season before crossing to Auckland, vrhere it is 'now playing to big business, but it ■was unfortunate in the stait on its tour, for the members were passengers on the Mokoia, which steamer picked up the disabled Monowai and returned to Sydney, in consequence of wLicb the opening night in Auckland had to be postponed. The delay in said to have

cost Messrs. Meynell and Gunn well on to £1000. Since* the opening business h:'s b&su busk. Mr. G. Jtlcman Barnes, the advance manage", will arrivo in Wellington next week to forward details for til? Wellington rr A =tson. Mr. Allan Hamilton's new dramatic company will commence a New Zealand and Tasmanian tour on Ist October. The repertoire will consist of "Homo, Sweet Home," "Little Lord Fauntleroy," and "A Message from Mars." The company will include Robert Inman, George P. Carey, Gcorgo E. Bryant (late of "Squaw Men" Co.), Harold Carr, Augustus Neville, Herbert Shaw (his first appearance in Australasia), E. M. Beresford, S. A. Fitzgerald, Lancelot Vane, Khadijah Cooper, Fanney Erris (just arrived from England), and Baby Watson. Of Meynell and Gunn's new play, presented by their company headed by Miss Madge M'lntosh, Harcourt Beatty, and Gaston Mervale, the v Bulletin says :—: — '"Ths new Theatre Royal (Sydney) pro■•loH-> " a ni? S 1! &<\ P3P 3 H a R s ! G OT}onp Lovo against tho World suggests crude bellowdrama, while in reality the author has essayed something in the nature of a serious romantic play. The devotee of tho "Face at the Window" brand of outJ rage will likely suspect he has been sold a gold brick for the first half-hour of ; this show ; however, after that he should be able to sit up and take peanuts and other nourishment, and in the end go j home feeling quite glad he came. For "thrill" is of "Her Love," etc., the essence." Tho Pollard Company passed through Wellington on Sunday, en route to the West Coast. Mr. W. Low, the treasurer of the company, reports excellent business in Christchurch, T)unedin, and Invei'cargill ; in fact, anticipations have been excefedtd every where. After the coast trip the company proceeds to New Plymouth, and works the smalls to Napier, then on to Gisborne. A return season in Christchmvh follows, opening on 3rd November, ;>nd then the Wellington season comes, on 7th December. Boxing night will sc* the- company at Auckland, and the leturn season here follows, on 19th January. The company is fully booked until 'May of next year. The pieces to bo staged here Jw"e the extravaganza "Bluebell in Fairyland" and the musical comedies, "His Highness the Bey" and "The Prince of Bong Bong." The stupendous Butt's second concert was performed to n full house studded with more or less notable folk, cays tho writer of the Melbourne letter in the Bulletin. The contralto wasn't in her best voice; ' and' her selections 'were of that lachrymose order that makes even the gentlest spinster wonder what drink would exhilarate her. Mr. Butt, however, relieved the melodious gloom with a martial rendering of the "Two Grenadiers" and some ditties that are allegedly of Irish origin. He's really a beautiful young man. The columnal Clara was bound in sweeping green satin draperies, punctuated with a scarlet rose, and an assortment of diamonds. On the platform oiib may observe the, flatness of her heels, and the height of Mr. Butt's elevators. The departure from England of Mme. Clara Butt has given Miss Ada Crossley the offer of many more engagements than she can accept , so that she is booked for a concert of her own at Queen's Hall and f out teen other appearances during the rest of October, and is due to sing on twenty-five important in November. For several months, until March, 1908, Mme. Crossley -will be on

a starring tour with her own party, consisting of Miss Evangeline Florence {soprano). Mi. JoJjd Jlj.rmon tttnoi). Mi-. Hamilton Earle (bass), Mr. Percy Grainger (solo pianist), M. Leon Sumatim (violinist), and Mr. S. Liddle (accompianist). .It- is such a strong cjoibmation that dates, at fir*-t limited to Deconiber, s>esm now likely to be extended until Eapter. •I Miss Fanny .Dango, who came from London under encagement to Mr. J. C. Williamson to play Peggy iv "The Dairymaids," is desciibed by the Australasian, as "pretty, charming dainty in everything that she does," so that she caught the eye and ear of her audience at vn.ee.. She manages a voice npt naturally' strong • with so much »ut that all her songs are effective. She dances well, mid makf« every point that the composer, the librettist, and, most important of_all, t,he opportunity, permits. Miss Emma Temple, as tho severe pedantic schoolmistress, Mrs. Pyechase,, had the warmest of welcomes, and "brougnt ' tho best traditions of coniPdy into her p-u't, though it' svas but a trifle." Mr. Edward Compton, on July 30th, at Kt. James's Theatre. London, produifd ii new comedy-drama "The Eighteenth | Century," dealing with an Earl of Laidlaw (1906) to whom, dropping from the frame of a family portrait in the twilight, comes , a mysterious little bottle with a musty document exp!aining Its /ns-e. Jjiidlav drinks, and at once finds himself in the year 1745, murdering and making love, drinking and gambling, in the style of his ancestors of that period. Remorse obliges him to take an antidote which brings him "up to date again" ai the end of the story. The criticisms are friendly, but dubious. It would be refreshing to see one of these doubtful pienes in Australia, 6ays the Herald. Judging by come of the "successes" they must be pretty had. J. C. Williamson has made sumo linT>ortant engagements for tht- cast of "Brewstor's Millions" to supplement t lie members of the Brune company, who will talce part 'm the production, headod hv Mr. Thomas Ringirrm. Mrs. Through has been uidm-cd to return to the stage she graced for so many years for the character of Dan de Mille, a society leader m Xew .York, and' by a curious coincidence Miss Lily Titheradge has been engaged for the principal woman character, so that, once more the two iiames which meant so much to playgoers a few years ago will appear on the same bill. The male niembars of the company will be augmented by Messrs. Gregan M'Mahon and W. Pardon, both of whom are most favourably known as excellent light comedians. The, new company 1 starts rehearsals alrnvt immediately for the production of the piece on 12th October, ip Sydney. Theatrical Clips -.—The Fuller firm have obtained the sole Australasian rights of the -animated pictures of the Burns-Squires -fight for tho charc>»ionship of_ the world. . . Mr. Blaud Holt's company will disbarid next month. It' has been together for several years. Mr. Holt will go to Colombo to meet his wife on her return from England,' and about next April a now Bland Holt Company will commence a tour of tho colonies. . . . Mr.Winter Hall, late of Cbristehurch, ha? joined the Meyncll-Gunn Company. He will play with it. until Mr. Flemming retxirns from England. . . . Mr. Fred Eivenhall is in the New York production of '"The Belle of Mayfair." Chas.

J. ytinc is principal comedian. Messrs. Harold Can and Gus iSpvillo, members ot Aiiau Hamilton's "Home. Sweot Home" Company, arc natives of Wellington. . . . Hcrr Slapoffski | has besu appointed louductoi of the Sydney Amatn.ur Oiehestral Society. . . . j I At the Criterion Mr. George Giddens ;5; 5 reappearing (31st July) in hi^ old part as Pinglet in "A Night Out," and of him wo read that "his talent is nothing loss than genius." . . . Miss Rosa Musgrove has been engaged by Mr. Otho Stuart for his new comedy company at the Court Theatre, London, which is to produce "Harry Doyle's Rest/ Cure. .. Miss Carrio Moore has been engaged for Mr. Robert Courtneidge'6 "Cinderella" pantomine at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, at Christmas time, playing principal boy to the Cinderella of Miss Phyllis Dare. ... A new comedy, founded on Mrs. Blundell's novel, "Fiauder's Widow," is to be produced at tho London Garrick Theatre next month. . . ' . A new theatre is to be built at Broken Hill. . . . Miss Guildford Quinn is finishing her engagement with Edwin Geach s "Human Hearis" Company, and returns to the . Meynell -Gunn camp. . . A high church dignitary in the U.S.A. has specially written a play for Miss Annie Mack Berlein, of the Andrew Mack Company. . . . J. W. Winton (and M'Ginty) are now on tour in the English provinces. . . . Mr. Charles Pope, a well-known coloured comedian, has joined the -Melbourne Gaiety Com- | pany. . ... Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Williamson have taken" a flat in London, and intend to stay there for a year. . . Mr. AVilliam Collier's "Caught in the Rain" is ono of the new plays to be takeu to London by Mr. Charle.B Frohman shortly. Mr. Collier will go across to play his original role in tho piece. . . . Mr. Alfred Woods, who is to reach Sydney about Christmas, is now playing a return tour of South Africa in "Tho Silver King." . . . Nat Goodwin is really giving up the stage and goes to Mexico prospeccuig. . . . Meynell and Gunn, on taking possession of the Melbourne Royal, intend making additions and improvements. . . . Le Roy, Talma, and Bosco shortly go to America. . . . Miss Ada Reeve has been approached again for a starring tour of Australia. . . . Lato in Juno' a new farce, "The Pocket Miss Hercules" was produced at the London Royalty, and did fairly well. . . Van Biono was to produce his old favourite, "The Broken Melody," at tho Royal Theatre, Dublin, on 19th August. Tho musical play is Hearing its 5000 th performance. . . . "Home, Sweet, Home," tho play winch Mr. Allan Hamilton will produce in Christchurch in tho near future, celebrated its 1000 th parformance at Home recently. . . . Ferry, the Human Froc, is featured in big letters on tho bill 6f the Orpheum, 'Frisco. The turu is entitled "In the Dismal Swamp." . . . Tho Referee says Fred Graham has purchased property in Sydney, and intends to settle down there. His son is receiving a professional training in America. Maude Boatty is appearing with the San Francisco Opera Company at the Marquani Theatre, Portland, Oregon (U.S.A.) She is described as a great favourite. . . . Daisy Harconrc, after het long American tour, is at the t Palnce. London, making a big hit. ... Mr. Harry Rickards will in all probability postpone his departure from London, reaching Australia for Christmas.