MIMS AMD MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 138, 7 December 1907, Page 15

MIMS AMD MUSIC.

[Bs Onrncus.] COMTNu EVENTS. opkua nousn. PolLlrd's Juvcn:lc Opcia Company, in season to 17th Dcccmbor. J. C. Williamson. 18th (o 22ml December. .1. C. Williamson. 251U December to 16tt: January, 1308. TSEATKC HOTAI.. Fuller's Vaudeville Company. To-night theatre-goers of Wellington will onco again be afforded an opportunity of witnessing a Juvenile- «-pera Company, under the supervision of Mr. Tom Pollard. It was Mr. bollard who ■first conceived llio idea of training a troup of children to play opera, and during the past twenty-six years no less than six juvenile companies have- been organised by the Pollards. The one to be introduced is the latest of the six, and it will make its first appearance at the Opera House to-night in "Bluebell in Fairyland," one of the latest London successes. For the last threo months this production has been creating great interest all over the- Dominion, and "full house" has been, the order of each performance. Speaking of tho initial performance tho Christchurch Press says : — "The members of the company aro all artists in their way, their dancing is splendid, in fact quite as good as anything we have ever seen." Tho whole production will be on the same extensive scale which characterises all Pollard's past performances. A large number of seats have already been booked, and a bumper houso is assured to give a hearty welcome to the juveniles. Dams Rumour has been busy lately associating in theatrical management the name of Mr. John Wren with those of 'Messrs. Claude Meynell and John Gtuin, th" new lessees of the Theatro Royal, Melbourne -{says Melbourne Punch). That Mr. Wren is a partner with Messrs. (Meynell and Gunn, that he holds shares in the syndicate these gentlemen represent, and that he bought out one gentleman's interest, are a few of the statements that have been abroad. The facts of the case aro that Mr. Wren intends going in for things theatrical, and has rented the Theatre Royal for certain dates from Messrs. Meynell and Gunn. • It is understood Mr. Wren is engaging abroad a company, and will opsn with it at the Royal. Mr. A. Brahms, who was through tho Dominion recently with the Willough-by-Ward Comedy Company, has accepted the position of musical director of the Pollard Opera Company, and joins the company to-night. Mr. George Darrell, whose latest dramatic work, "The Land of Gold," has jusc been produced by Mr. Anderson at tho Criterion Theatre, .Sydney, has written and produced in America and Australasia no less than twenty-three original plays and ten dramatisations, and has assumed the leading role in all save one. The best known of this series is "The Sunny South," which was originally produced in Sydney early in 1884, and during the same year at the Grand Theatre, Many years later the actor-author created a record by starring in it a second time in London, and he has staged his drama in.

the United States and South Africa, appearing as the hero, Mat Morley, no fewer than 940 times. It is of interest to recall (says the Sydney Herald) that Mr. Dorrell began his career, after study under the late Mine. Fanny Simonsen, in the tenor role- ot Manrico in "11 Travatore," and he sang with tho same prima donna as Prince- Paul in "The Grand Duchess." Later, Mr. Darrcll toured Australasia as Hamlet, Othello, Richard, fago, Romeo, Claudo, and in other legitimate oarls, several of which ho subsequently repeated whilst supporting the famous American actress, Fanny Davenport, in the Lnitcd States. Mr. Darrcll proposes shortly to tour Australasia beforo leaving for London, where he has already secured a re-open-ing date for next year. The second production by the Pollard Juvenile- Opera Company will bo "His Highness tho Bey," an American musical extravaganza, which has proved "a winner" wherever tho company has played it. This piece gives a great opportunity to Master Berb Nicholson, theclCver young comedian of tho company, and of whom Mr. Pollard has great expectations. "Tho Islo of Bong Bong" will probably bo staged also. Mr. Frank Thornton with a company of twelve artists engaged in England has arrived in Australia. This favourite . comedian will tour Australia under the direction "of Mr. Edwin Geach for 44 weeks, visiting every State except Queensland. His principal attraction will be the new farcical comedy, "When Knights were Bold,' 1 just now the reigning farcical success *in Londan and New York. The London Daily Telegraph gives Mr. Thornton a very cordial send-off paragraph in "Drama of the Day," remarking that the modern player is expected quickly to "gut a girdle Tound the earth," and that during next yeaV the traveller hopes to cover a distance of about 16,000 miles in the land of the kangaroo — a feat he has performed on five previous occasions. "Australia is very loyal to old friends and old favourites, and the comedian who gave us so much pleasure both at. the Savoy and the Gaiety, captured its heart many years ago, as ho well deserved to do. Mr. Thornton takes out 'When Knights Were Bold,' fully equipped — it needs a good deal of equipment — and ■will, of course, play in that uproarious farce the character in which Mr. James Welch has gained such success. A special 'send off 1 dinner is lo be £iven the voyager by the Savago Club on Saturday evening." Mr. Thornton opens at the Sydney Criterion on 21st December. The names of the new artists selected by Mr. Herbert Flemming for his reorganised company are announced. Mr. A. S. Home-wood, who has been engaged as lead, has been on four tours iv America with Miss Olga Nethersole, and Mr. E. S. Willard, and played Pantaloon and Steve /Rollo in the tour of, "Alice-Sit-by-the'Fire" with Miss Ellen Terry in 1905. His experience of the English stage extends over 16 years, for his first professional appearance was made at feadler's Wella in 1891, when ho played four small parts in "The King of Iron." Miss Joan "Blair (Mrs. Homowood) will also come to Australia as a member of the company. Miss Blair has had a good deal of work in repertoire companies and pastoral plays. She has had the distinction of touring with Miss Ellen Terry, while she has paid two visits to America in companies headed by Mr. E. S. Willard, and has appeared in South Africa under the management of Messrs B. and F. Wheeler. Miss Elsie Clemens, who

has been engaged for ingenue parts, has had threo years' experience^ with Mrs. Kendal, and several West End engagements. The other new 'members of tho company will be Miss Alice Daintree, Messrs. Herbert Ainsworth, Percy Marton, and Aubrey Mallalieu, and Miss Nellio Mortyno, who was'- hero with "The Message from Mars"-, company. Miss Beatrice Day wi!l continue iis leading lady, while Miss Guildford Quin, and' Messrs. Grcgan M'Mnhon, Winter Hall, John F. Fordo, H. W. Varna, and J. H. Paultou, will complete the v company. Mr. Flemming has secured the rights of Mr. Tree's new play, ■which the celebrated actof recently produced in Dublin, "The Beloved Vagabond," a dramatisation of Mr. Locke's book, and "Simple Simon," a new play in Tout acts, by Murray Carson and Nora Keith. These pieces with "Tho Morals of Marcus,"' "The Red Lamp" and "Olivia." will constitute Mr. Flemrning's chief attractions for the coming Australasian tour. John Fuller, jun., of the well-known Fuller Proprietary, who run four theatres in New Zealand, and practically control the vaudeville business of the Dominion, has returned to Sydney en route to New Zealand from a twelve- months' tour abroad, during which he apparently exercised cinsiderably his faculty of ooservation. Mr. Fuller, in the course of an interview with a Sydney Referee representative, made the following interesting remarks regarding his trip, and tho impressions he has gained: — "I have travelled over 40,000 miles, have been in over 300 theatres in all parts of theworld, and, generally speaking, have seen much that one looks forward to with eagerness and anticipation. And yet, I'm very glad to get back again. I Arent, away with the impression that no doubt the Australian and New Zealand theatrical business was very much behind the tunes. I return with, the great satisfaction of having realised that we aro very much up-to-date. The theatres in Auatralia. and New Zealand are not quite so elaborate in decoration as some of those in other parts of the world ; but for comfort, capacity, internal arrangements, and view of the stage our theatres compare more than favourably. Ag regards. productions, the theatre-going public in this part of the -world are, I consider, better catered for, and put under less expense ' for their amusements than in any other part of the world. Herd the best seat in the house can be had for five shillings. Whj r , the people of London and America think themselvei fortunate if they get a front seat of the top balcony in a good theatre for that price ; and the productions, as presented by Mr. Williamson, are more gorgeou>iy staged, and infinitely superior >n general excellence, than any I have witnessed during my tour — and I saw the very best. For originality in productions, and bright arid funny comedians, London teads ousily; if I were goig to choose a <iri:nuuc star, I should go to America; but for vocalists, blight soubreltes, and every other department, Australia and New Zealand could fill the bill every thne. With regard to the vaudeville cnnie'lta-is, the best artist on the stage, m my opinion, is Harry Lauder, who ha;; recently gone to America. Ho is iuesist'ible. The managing directoTS of the principal London and American t'mlneal enterprises are very brainy men — kaen and pushful ; but in American theatres ihs pericious system of 'graft,' as practised! by the ushers, is eating a hole in tlio takings, and doing a lot of harm. When the ' American business manager

wakes up, he will save his firm manydollais per week. Ac regards Ihe vaudeville world, the demands for 'stars' is undersupplied, while 'ordinary' turns are superabundant, both in England and America. The American manager pays more money for 'acts' than his English confrere, Lut he ought to, as he practically scores aholiday audience every week by virtue ft the authorities allowing Sunday performances. Also, tb'J artists in America havo to work harder. No ; I did not make any bobokings. There is such a demand for 'stars' that keen competition has sent their salaries soaring up to heights that would be prohibitive for Australia and the limited ccaEons> they could run out here. The other kind — we'll, we don't want to import them. As for melodrama, the standard in Australia is ahead of anything ill the- world. That seems a big statement, but it is a fact ; for productions on the same scale as presented by Mr. Bland Holt are only put on at Drury Lane Theatre, London, for a very limited season. I found the theatrical press in England and America very courteous, and mucli alive to all things for tbe betterment of stageland. Altogether, I have had a most enjoyable and instructive trip, and I now fully realise that we in Australia and New Zealand can hold its own against any other part of the -world as regards things theatrical, and many other matters, too. Australians and New Zealandcrs who do not appreciate their own country should take a trip abroad. They will then be convinced of its true value." Mr. Fuller is due in Auckland to-morrow. Ellen Terry, in her reminiscences, remarks : — "My little daughter was a very soveTe critic ! I think if I had listened to her, I should have left the stage in despair. She saw me act for the first time as Mabel Vane, but no compliments -were to be extracted from her. 'You did look long and thin in your grey dress. When you fainted I though you was going to fall into the orchestra — you was to long.'" Theatrical Clips. — Herr Emil Greder and his wife {Fraulein Valeric Waller), of the Grand Opera Company, intend settling in Sydnoj\ . . Miss Carrie Moore this Christmas goes to Birmingham for pantomime. . . A production of "Camille," with Miss Madge M'lntosh in the title role, and Harcourl Bcatt) as> Ar» mand, follows "The Slldnight Wedding" at the Melbourne Royal. . . How universal is Shakespeare. A season of Shakespearian drama is contemplated ih Rome. BaTOn Kftozloi* is painting special scenery for each play, and one ot the greatest ol Italian artists designs the costumes. . . One of the prominent Christmas productions in London -will be "Honeyland," a fafry play based upon Maeterlinck's "Life of a Bee." A lake nt honey and the honeycomb Ballet will bo its finest spectacular feature. . . lime. Lina Cavaliori, a rising star of the Paris Grand Opera, has signed a five years' engagement with the management of iho Metropolitan Opora House, New York, at a salary of £20,000 a year. Mmc, Gbvulicri began life as a folder of newspapers. . . One of tho latest novelties in European variety art is a lady who dances on the tips of her fingers. Philosophers truly observe that it is a "topsy-turvcy" world that we live in. . . In face of unlimited abuse, satire, and ridicule, Boraard Shaw gains ground as a dramatist. One of his plays "The Devil's Disciple," has been Tevived -with marked success at the London Savoy Theatre. . . The Holloway Dramatic Company, which has concluded its Melbourne "season, has disbanded-