SOME THEATRICAL IMPRESSIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 149, 20 December 1907, Page 2

SOME THEATRICAL IMPRESSIONS.

I Mr. John Fuller, jun., a member of tho Fuller Proprietary, has just returned from a tour round the world in which he visited the United Kirfgdom, tho Continent, Canada, tho United States, and ths Far East. In the course of a conversation with a representative- of Tb,e Post Mr. Fuller said ho had been absent ten months, and had visited over 300 different theatres and music halls. That was why he went? away — on a tour of entertainment, to sea what there was to see, to learn all he could learn about the business outside of the Dominion of New Zealand. "I saw vaudeville, drama, comedy, and opera in Italy, Switzerland, Ocrmany, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, America. Canada, Japan, and China in the order named. I set out with the idea that tho style of entertainment provided by the Fuller firm in New v Zealand . would be much behind tho times — old-fashioned, oufc of date. But I found that we are very much up to date. Yes, I should say we ar& well abreast of the times. Shall I prove it? Well, take, tna La; Milo turn. We 'starred' that. We discovered that turn." "Bub La Milo had appeared in Australia before coming to New Zealand." "True, but it was the Fuller Proprietary who recognise^ the importance of the turn, and gave all tho prominence which subsequent events have proved if; closerved. What a success was La Milo's in London ! Sho had tho whole press world at her feet. Personally I saw sheaves of telegrams which she had received imploring her to Jet tho corres- | pondents nave the first photograph of | herself as Lady Godiva in the historic Coventry procession." "And what did you think of the vaudeville outlook in Britain,?" '"It's booming ' just now. Has been so for years. In some parts this form of entertainment^ is served up very ! cheap, ( and good too. I regard it as a. blessing, for it provides the masses of the people with a cheap, harmless, enjoyable form of diversion ; it reduces many forms of viciousness to a minimum ; brings brightness and happiness into many dull homes ; and affords a welcome change to tho monotony of hard work and long hours. I found, too, that overy vaudeville theatre in England and America made it a cardinal principle to engage a "head liner" at a salary ranging from £100 to £500 a week. In these circuinslancos it is inevitable that tho rank and file of the profession must suffer. It is almost impossiblo for Australasian managers to engage tho great 'star' > turns, for work Tor them is so plentiful and they demand, and rightly so, too. that their salaries shall begin when they step on board ship until they return to London again. 1 fear our/ firm would have to ask the Government for a subsidy if we went into business of that sort." When asked if the American Vaudeville Trust was likely to include Australia in its operations, Mr. Fuller said he did not think it would touch New Zealand. The population was not largo enough ; but tho trust might try Australia. "Wo intend to make all our theatres in New Zealand," he said, "quito equal in point ,of comfort, decoration, and equipment to the best in the Old Conntry. We are now established in tho Auckland Opora House and the Princess' Theatre, Dunedin. Wo are going to remodel our Christchurch bouse, and our new theatre in Wellington will certainly bo tho finest in tiio Dominion. I went home specially to learn all T could about theatre-construction for our j Wellington house.. We shall havo, in ! thr near future a circuit of vaudeville J that will, I think, do credit to any tiQiuiJUv that I have seen." \