MIMES AMD MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1909, Page 11

MIMES AMD MUSIC

[Bi Orfhscs.l COMINU EVENTS. OPERA HOUSE. follard Company closes to-night. Urban Pictures, 29th March to 10th April. J. C. Williamson, lOfch April to Ist May. MeyneU afld Gunn, 3rd to 18th May. H. Biekawls, 19th to 27th May. lnemming Company, 2Mb May to 18th June. . Allan Hamilton, 19th June to 24th July. Pollard Opera Company, 26th July to 13th 'Augubt. G. Mnsgrove, 16th to 2Sth August. THEATRE ROYAL. Fullers' Ploturea, in season. Geach Dramatic Co., 'Oth April onwards. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Royal Picture Syndicate, in season. - 1 TOWN HALL. Hoyal Welsh Male Choir, Ist April. West's Pictures, 7th to 24th April. Madamo Helba, 27th, 29th April, and 4th May. One of the attractions in Wellington at Easter will be Edwin Geach's Dramatic Company, which will appear in the Theatre Royal. The company leaves Sydney by the Moana on 3rd April, and ,vdll give its first performance on Easter Saturday with "The Woman Pays," a sensational drama. Mr. Robert Inman •will be leading man, and Miss Ethel Buckley, a young lady who has been making a name in the dramatic world lately, will also be included in the cast. Upwards of 100 tons af scenery will be brought over, and the tour of New Zealand will extend for some months. Another picture company is descending on Wellington — the Urban Pictures — and will commence a season at the Opera House on Monday night. Altogether new pictures are promised, including several that should be of great interest at the present time — that of the vidt of King Edward to the Emperor of Germany, and one of the earthquake at Messina, and scenes of Italy. The management promises quick changes of programme, as it has a large stock to select from. After an absence of nearly two years J. C. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company will make a welcome reappearance in Wellington on Easter Saturday, when Franz Lehar's celebrated light opera, "The Merry Widow," will be seen for the first time in the Dominion. So far as Australasia is concerned, it has, up to the present, once been produced in Melbourne and Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane, when for many -weeks it played to lecord houses, so that Wellington will be the fifth Australasian city to witness what seems to be generally conceded the brightest opera the stage has ever seen for gome years. The New Zealand cast for "The Merry Widow" will be actually stronger than when the piece was played in Sydney and Melbourne, as Miss Fanny Dango was not in "The Merry Widow" in either place. Her character has been added, as it was in England 1 , for the purpose of strengthening the performance. Miss Dango will play the part that Gabrielle Ray played in London. 'All the old favourites are making their reappearance. The most _ noteworthy amongst them are Miss Florence Young. Especial interest is also attached to the first appearance of Mr. Andrew Higgmaon, the baritone, about whom, not only as a vocalist but as an actor, the re-

ports are more than ordinarily favorable. Messrs. Reginald Roberts, Victor Gouriet, W. S. Percy, George Castles, Claude Bantock, Misses Marietta Nash, Nellie Wilson, Jessica Deane, and many othere, making one of the greatest casts of any musical play ever presented to New Zealand playgoers. The English members of Meynell and j Gunn's new dramatic company, which is to open in Sydney in "The HypoI crites," by Henry Arthur Jones, have arrived in Melbourne. The company includes Miss Emily Fitzroy, who was out here as a member of George Rignold''s company some years ago ; Miss Gladys Harvey, a young actress who was in the original production of "The Hypocrites" in London ; Mr. J. W. Deverell, u.ntil recently a prominent member of Mr. Beerbohm Tree's company ; Mr. Charles Randall, a young actor of the manly type, who has been "lent" to Meynell and Gunn by Mr. H. B. Irving ; and Miss Edith Deverell, who has been associated with Mrs. Brown Potter for some time. With Messrs. Beatty, Lindsay, Mervale, and Gannan added, the company ought to be an exceedingly strong one, and do ! full justice to the repertoire of pieces, I which includes "Lucky Durham," and "The Passing of the Third-Floor Back." The Maggie Moore-Harry Roberts Company return from Queensland to Sydney in May, when the stars are booked to re-open. This season Mr. Roberts has secured the rights of four i new pieces, among them one by E. H. Peple (author of "The Prince Chap"), entitled "Dunstin Farman." Mr. Charles Frohman is reported to have made a great hit with it in America. One of the defects of Australian plays, as a rule, is that they do not hang^ well together, as a stage manager would say, on account of the author's lack of knowledge of stage-craft. Mr. Jo Smith, of Melbourne, the author of "The Miner's Trust," which is to be staged here by Meynell and Guiin's dramatic company, however, has had practical stage experience as an actor for a number of years, and the effect, may be seen in his play, which has been described as the Australian "Silver King." The characters are lifelike, the incidents vivid and real, and its literary qualities are also above the average. The piece was an enormous success in Sydney, the shipwreck and rescue scene being described as one of the finest examples of stage realism seen in any drama there for years. Mr. Edmund Sherras, the- English baritone of "The Red Mill" Company, which has just departed from Dunedin, has been invited to remain in Australia until June next. Mr. Sherras had intended returning to London at the termination of the Musical Comedy's tour in Western Australia, but is delighted at the prospect of a further extension, of his time in the Commonwealth. The yonne English actor-vocalist will not know until he arrives in Melbourne what company ho will be drafted to. A new screen has been invented, and recent tests at the Pavilion Cinematinees, Paris, enabled pictures/ to be shown with good effect in daylight or in the full glare of the electric lights, while, in addition to its other qualities, the projector can be used behind the screen with effect equal to that obtained from the front. „,,.„„,! The ex-Pollard artist, "Eddie ' Nable, who played Ichahod Bronson in "The Belle of New York," has not altogether I abandoned his intention of taking a

musical comedy company out to the Far East. It is not generally known that he had all arrangements made for taking out n good show of twenty-six people a few months ago, opening in Calcutta, but decided at the last moment to accept the present engagement under Mr. J. C. Williamson's management. Mr. Nable has done most things worth while since ho left the Pollard Opera Company some years ago. He has toured with his own chows in America, Sonlh Africa, and India, and has gained much experience. The rumour is current in Sydney that a well-known syndicate will shortly build an up-to-date popular drama house in the vicinity of the Redfern railway station for Mr.- Edwin Geach, and that when completed Mr Geach will devote it entirely to popular drama. A firm of London cinematograph managers known as Hoyt's has arranged to open in Melbourne at an early date. A local representative of the firm has secured a ten years' lease of the old St George's Hall, Bourke-street, and a sum of £5000 is to be spent in fitting up the place for the display of pictures. There will be seating accommodation for 2000 persons. A staff of operators will come out from London. During the past few weeks Mr. J. C. Williamson has received several offers of plays based on Major dv Maurier's success, "An Englishman's Home," but adapted to local conditions. The offers have been declined, as it is considered ■ they infringe the copyright law. Writing of Mr. Fred Rivenhall, the New York Dramatic Mirror, of 16th January, says : — "William Morris has imported another comedian who ■will be* come a favourite among Americans. He is Fred. Rivenhall, and he comes from Australia. Mr. Rivenhall possesses a personality and a delivery all his own, and although he reminds one of some of our best concert singers, he is still diffeient. He appeared in a natty gray frock coat, with tall hat and gloves to match, carrying a stick. Mr. Rivenhall has come to stay, it is hoped." A daily said Rivenhall "is well worthy of a place on the same programme as Harry Lauder. ' Miss Fanny Dango, who is a member of the Royal Comics, to open here m the "Merry Widow" on Easter Saturday, is the youngest of fiye sisters, whose family name is Rudge, .-ill of whom are on the stage. The head of this theatrical family is Miss Letty Lind, the Gaiety dancer, who toured this country at one time with the Far-ren-Leslie combination ; then comes Miss Millie Hilton, a pantomime and variety artist ; Miss Adelaide Astor, who married George Grossmith, junr., actor, and author of "The Girls of Gottenburg" ; and Lydia Flopp, who plays with Mr. George £dwardes's companies. Miss Dango, who is the "baby" of this extended family," was one of the "pretty maidens" in '"Florodora" at the Lyric Theatre, London, where she understudied, and for a time replaped, Miss Kate Cutler, as Angela Gilfain. The new recruit stayed there three years, playing various parts, including one in "The Silver Slipper," and was ultimately promoted to the title-role of "San Toy" on tour. During her brief career Miss Dango has played principal girl in several big provincial pantomimes — in every case staged by Mr. Robert Arthur, lessee of the Kennington and other big suburban theatres. Twice has

it been Miss Dango's lot to appear as the princess in "Aladdin," once at Birmingham, with Miss Ada Reeves, as the hero, and once at Liverpool, with Miss Hetty King as principal hoy. During the past two or three years (says a Sydney writer) the output of local pieces has taken the form of comic opera and light comedy, but the new play by Miss Maud D'Arcy Burke, recently read for copyright purposes atthe Royal Society's House, is correctly described as a mystic-religious drama. The motive of the piece appears to be the one employed by Goethe, Wagner ("Senta"), and other great writers for centuries back — the redemption of erring man by the eternal, self-sacrificing love of woman. The curtain rises upon the Court of Lucifer, where he reigns Prince of the Angels before his fall. After that event, the Archangel Michael foretells his possible redemption towards the end of tho world by sonib daughter of Eve named Innocence willing to offer herself a victim of expiation, and to perish by fire in atonement for his rebellion. Lucifer thereupon leaves Hell to wander over the earth as Man and seek Innocence. Towards the end of his six thousand years of banishment he enters the Valley of Hope in the guise of a pilgrim, finds Innocence asleep beneath a tree with her prayerful band of maidens, and is granted a vision "indicating that his Redemption is at hand. Eventually these Children of Hope are tempted to exchange, their retirement for the Kingdom of thes World, and in a Palace of Delights there is a powerful love-scene, during which Innocence convinces Lucifer of her destiny as the Daughter of Eve Tie seeks. The Children of Hope are led back to their secluded Valley, but Innocence remains in the World, is beguiled by the adventuress Fascination, is betrayed intoi the hands of the Magicians, and is burnt as a witch on their Hill. The Prince of Darkness is then revealed ascending through the fire and smoke of his volcanic pit to the Court of Heaven, the Sign of the Cross becomes visible, and the Angel blowing the last trumpet opens the grand finale vision of the End of the World. Mr. Gaston Mervale considers that the play would cost 610,000 to stage, and on that account is not endeavouring to force it on Messrs,. Meynell and Guun, "but rather recommends Mr. Beerbohm Tree as an adventurous producer of the poetically spectacular, and Miss D'Arcy Burke will probably forward it, to him. Theatrical Clips. — Miss Inez Benenson, of Sydney, has had a one-act play, "The Apple," produced by the Play Actors' Society in London. . . . Miss Tittell Brune opens in Melbourne tonight. . . . Julius Knight will play Hamlet in Australia before returning to ..London. . . . Mr. Geo. Marlowe, who will be here at Easter with Edwiu Geach's Company, has acquired th'j Australasian rights of "The War Cloud." . . . Miss Annette Kellermann is now known in America as the "Daring, Diving Daughter of the Deep." . . . G. P. Huntley recently had a row with his management in America ; a youth in the chorus with an exceptionally fine voice was attracting all the attention. . . . "Dv Barry," a new play in Miss Nellie Stewart's repertoire, is, like "Kitty Bellairs," by David Belasco. . . . Miss Nellie Stewart says it is surprising to note the number of Australian actors and actresses on the London stage to-day.