MIMES AND MUSIC. [By ORTHEUS.] COMING EVENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1909, Page 11

MIMES AND MUSIC. [By ORTHEUS.] COMING EVENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. J. C. Williamson, 23th December to 30th January. Bland Holt, let February to 13th February. J. C. Williamson, loth February to 6th March. , Pollard Company, Bth March to 7th April. Mr. J. C. Williamson, 10th April to Ist May., THEATRE HOYAL. Fullers' Pictures, in season. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Royal Picture Syndicate, in seaton. "The Girl of the Golden West," by David Belasco, will be the opening production of the "Tittell Brune. season" at the Opera House to-night. The play is essentially Western in character, and deals with the life at a minine camp in the days of falilornia's gold boom. 'Ihe repertoire of the company includes two new productions, "The Girl of the Golden West" and "Diana of Dobsons" ; the latter by Cecily Hamilton, deals with the life of a London shop girl. Also two revivals, "Romeo and Juliet" and "Sunday." The following ladies and gentlemen aro included in the company : .Miss TittelJ Brune, Mrs. Robert Biough, Misses Emma Temple, Georgia O'Meara, Nellie Calvin, Edith Lewis, Adele KelIcy, Messrs. Thos. Kingston, George Bryant, Greghan MacMalion, Loring Fernie, Fred Cambourne, Leonard Willey, T. W. Lloyd, R. Staveley, Redge Carey, Harry Sweeney, and Frank Harcourt. Miss Genevieve Ward, who appeared as Lady Macbeth in the "Sleep-walking Scene" at the recent Ristori matinee in London, wore the identical costume worn by Adelaide Ristori in the same part in Drury Lane Theatre many years ago. The historical dress is one of the treasures of the Ristori family, and was sent Over from Italy. Air. Harold Carr, after a successful tour of New Zealand with the "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" Company, has returned to Sydney. The American members open ir San Francisco early In February. "They describe Australia as 'a pleasure territory,' New Zealand 'a picture territory,' " said Mr. Carr. Australians they consider hustling and free ; New Z-ealanders complacent and conservative. One day New Zealand wilJ have a real Government. One and all the Cabbage Patchers say the kind treatment they have received in Australasia will spoil them for a long time to come, and they are determined to return here. Mr. Priestly Morrison, who produced "The Girl of the Golden West" in Australia, is Mr. J. C. Williamson's latest importation from America. Mr. Morrison, after a long experience in the States first as an actor, ther> as a stage-director, ultimately won a big reputatioD in the latter capacity. During his career he has directed some 250 pieces, including "Tho Darling of the Gods," "Leah Kleichna," "The Heart of Maryland," and "In the Bishop's Carriage." Mrs. BucMey, well-known in theatrical circles, mother of the young comedienne, Mi^s Ethel Buckley, now at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, who was for many years chief of the costuming department with Mr George Rignold, and was reeponsibla for the dressing of all his famous Shakespearean and melodramatic productions, died recently. Of late

years Mrs. Buckley was mostly seen In character work in the drama itself, and her last appearance on the stage was as the black gin in "The Squatter's Daughter." Mrs. Buckley was only 47 at the time of her death. — Referee. The late Mr. Georgo Lauri came of an old theatyical family, his fathefc, Mi. .John Lauri, having been a ballet master at the London Aihambra ; his cousin, Charles Lauri, was one of the best animal impersonators on the stage ; and the well-known comedian, Edward Lauri, was also his cousin. George Lauri began his theatrical career at the age of 9. in the Grand Opera House, New York. Pete Hughes (afterwards well known in Australia) Was then in the office, and the late Leon Caron was the first violin in the orchestra. With a feeling, as Mr. says, "almost akin to awe," the American Thaw scandal is being revealed, as far as public knowledge and discretion permits, at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne. The play, which is moral to some extent, in its warning, if not its story, has caught public imagination. Mme. Rosina Lupino, who was formerly premieie danseuse in the Covent Garden and Gaiety Theatres in London, and who was associated with Mme. Celeste and with most of the leading actors and actresses uf two generations ago, has died at Alkham, near Dover, at the age of 77. Madame Blanche Arral, who sang here some time ago, has achieved a triumph in San Francisco. All the newspapers there spealc of her in tha most glowing terms. The San Francisco Call describes Madame Arral as a "discovery destined to duplicate the wonderful success attained by Tetrazzini I after this city, pJacecT the laurels of its approval on the brow of the then unknown songstress." The Pacific Coast Musical Review is even more eulogistic in hailing the Belgian artist as "the only colorature soprano who may justly be considered the legitimate successor to Patti and Sembrich." Other newspapers are equally generous in their praise, and Madame Arral is evidently on the threshold ot a brilliant career in the United States. Miss Roxy Barton, formerly with Edwin Geach's Comedy Company, and now in England, has a part in the trial production of the "The Governess." Mr. Herbert Ross, pleasantly remembered in Australasia for his good work in the quaint "Message from Mar 3," is leading man. Miss Nellie Stewart (says the British Australasian of 3rd December) is at present in London. Since her arrival from Australia she has been spending the greater part of her time in Lausanne, where her daughter is at school. She expects to return to Australia about Easter time. It has now been definitely decided that that prince of jugglers, Paul Cinquevalh, will commence a New Zealand tour at Dunedin on 10th April. The season at His Majesty's will extend to 21st April. He will be supported by a strong company under Harry Rickards's management. The veteran, Harry Lyons, arrived in Melbourne recently from India, having concluded his season with Carter, the magician. The tour was a huge success. Secundrabud being the only town booked and not played, pestilence and stagnation, oh top of the catastrophe reported in our papers, bying the, cause of thjL. Carter was a great success,* and Mr. Lyons, as a result, returns

shortly. He is in fine health, and in .1 new lease of life. In addition to certain private enterprises, Bandmann, the impresario, has authorised him to engage two companies for his theatres. Mr. Lyons saw the opening in Calcutta of Hugh Ward and Miss Grace Palotta in "When Knights were Bold." The show was a great success, and many Australians met aiid supped together afterwards for "Auld Lang Syne." "Australians," Mr. Lyons says, "are scoring in all lines in the East, but the East itself is getting 'fresh,' owing to overeducation, and the English only to blame.' To-night, in Sydney, the Julius Knight Company will stage "The Breed of the Treshams," a play that has had a strange history. Mr. Martin Harvey, the well-known English actor, acquirer! it some years ago from an unknown author, and produced it at Kenningtou Theatre, London, in 1903, with much Huccess, and it was immediately coveted by various managers. Mr. Harvey, however, would not negotiate with any oi them for the rights. He retained" the piece as his solo property, not only_for London and the proviuqps, but for tho remaining portions of the world. Since 1903 the play has been his stand-by, making money for him wherever he hat staged it. When ho was last in England, Mr. Julius Knight endeavoured to get the' Australian rights, but Mr. Harvey would not do business. He said he did not know but he would some day want to take the drama to Australia himself. His recent meteoric success in London, however, has made tho possibility of his ever coming to the colonies a remote one, and for this reason the late Mr. Herbert Plemming was able to purchase the> Australian rightu of "The Breed of the Treshams." As thinjjs e\entuated, the firm of J. C. Williamson had an opportunity of acquiring the pla.v from Mr. Flemming, «md in this way it has remained for Mr. Julius Knight to produce it. The part of Lieut. Raresby, "The Rat," is one My. Knighlt has long been desirous of appearing in, and ha has entered into the production with enthusiasm consequently. The character he will sustain wil' enable him to break new ground, it being totally dissimilar from what are known as "Julius Knight parts." Playgoers will see something in the way of a theatrical novelty when the curtain rises on the first act of " Diana of Dobson's." Half a dozen shop girls are to be seen going to bed in one of Dobson's dormitories after a heavy day's work. With the passing of a fortnight, one of the assistants, Diana, comes into a legacy of £300, and a new life of freedom, travel, and pleasure opens out before her. At a fashionable hotel m Switsorland the detested shop is soon forgotten, and Diana soon has two lovers paying her attention, one a millionaire baronet, the other a lazy ex-Guardsman, who is Jiving aimlessly on £600 a year. When Diana has snent her money by living what she calls a " glorious 'hour of crowded life," .«he returns to London d,nd finds herself in tho ranks of the unemployed. The ex-Guardsman, in his endeavour to live without his income, finds the task too hard, and drifts towards the Thames Embankment. Here he and Diana again meet, and reconciliations, etc.. take place. One of the greatest novelties in the \' Jaelr and Jill !l panto at Her Majesty's (Melbourne) has bean barely noticed 'by many people (records the Bulletin). The eight or ten girls in Heel.md costume who come along, v vith Stella Selbourne

at tbeir head, and help her to sing Harry Lauder's ballad of 11 * ' bonnie, bonnie lassie," are clothed in undress uniform as regards their bonnie, bonnie legs. An ointment of Hazelinc wnow, or Blanco, or what not, lends a superhuman complexion to those glorious uuderstandings, and lends to disguise l.he interesting truth ; but the fact remains that the memberß of Pier Majesty's Caledonian brigade carry no fleshing over and above the cuticle wherewith bountiful Nature provided them. This new invasion of the rights of mnn (who lias ever been a bare-kneed person when he pranced around in breeks aud philibeg) probably explains why Miss Selbourne and Co. are most rapturously applauded by baldheaded gentlemen in the front rows ot the stalls. The homage due to a neatlyturned ankle on n windy day is as nothing compared with the worship of a divinely-dimpled knee that wears only the white flour of a blameless life, so to speak. Therefore the hairless adorers sit at, the feet of the kilted Venuses, and are very, very happy. But one can be happy in .my part of Hor Majesty's these panto- times. " Jack and Jill '" is a remarkably bright show from all points of view. It pleases the child who is father to the man, nnd the woman who is mother to the kiddie. It razzles and it dazzles, and is a going concern all the time. Judging by the box plan, the short season of the Burns-Johnson fight pictures, which commences at the Theatre Royal on Monday, should be very successful. Fuller and Sons have arranged with H. D. M'lntosh, the promoter of the fight, to show the picture throughout New Zealand. They have already bsen shown in Chiistchurch to packed busines?. The films arc said to be exceptionally clear and steady, and give every detail of the encounter. Meynell and Gunn'p Dramatic Company, which, has been touring the inland towns of Victoria and New South Wales, will come to New Zealand. The principal plays will be "A Miner's Titist," an Australian drama, written .b,y an Australian, and "Two Little Sailor Boys." Theatrical Clips. — Paul Cinquevalh, the renowned juggler, is now in Perth, under Rickards's management. He tours New Zealand this year Nance O'Neil has been engaged for the next five years by the Schubert management. .... The Pollards will open their New Zealand tour in Wellington next February with "The Tea Girl." . . . Miss Violet Mount (Jj'lncognito), a native of Sydney, is repeating her London success in the provinces. . . . The Sandow Girls (Harrison and Wyatt), recently in Australasia, have opened at the London Oxford and Tivoli. . . . Mrs. Potter (at £250 a week) is due in New York for vaudeville at an early date Mr. Claude Fleming, who is by birth an Australian, will create the part of Lutteral in the new prize opera " Angelus," to be produced at historic Covent Garden. Mr. Fleming played here with Miss Nellie Stewart in " Sweet Nell of Old Drury." . . . Miss Eileen. Castles, the younger of the three sisters, has been retained by Mr. George Edwardes for stage experience, and is in the touring company for " The Dream Waltz." . . . Miss Madge M'lntosh will return to England on the conclusion of the Sydney reason oi the Bealty - M'lntosh Co., which -follows the company's' appearance in Adelaide. . . . Mr. J. C. [ Leetc, who has been associated with the Tivo'.i Theatre, Sydney, for tventy-one years, will bo given a complimentary performance at tho end of the month.