MIMES AND MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 23, 28 January 1911, Page 13

MIMES AND MUSIC.

fBx.OWMBt.J THE SHOWS, OPERA HOUSE. Williamson Dramatic Company, in season Uarfee and Meynell, 3rd to 9th February. Pbtnmer-Denn'ston Company, 11th to 18th February. Dolores, 20th to 23rd March Hugh J. Ward Company, 29th March to 12th April. J. C. Williamson, 15th April to 6th May. Allan Hamilton, Btli to 17th May. .1. C. Williamson, 18th May to 7th June George Marlow, 12th June to Ist July." Clarke and Meynell, 6th to 20th July. J. C. Williamson, 17th to 26th August Clarke and Meynell, 13th to 30th September. J C Williamson, sth to 25th October. Clarke and Meynell, 3rd to 16th November a £ ell> 2nd to 16th December. J. C. Williamson, Christmas season. THEATRE ROYAL. Fuller's New Vaudeville Company. HIS MAJESTY'S THEAXKC '' His Majesty's Pictures. THE KING'S THEATBI. Royal and West's Pictures. BT. THOMAS'S HAIL. Star Picture Company. To-night "Paid in Full 11 will be prosented at the Opera House by the Williamson Company. The keynote of the story is struck at the outset. Joe and Esma Brooks have married for love. Pursued by ill-luck, and unable to improve his position, Joe is maddened by failure into dishonesty, and appropriates a sum of money entrusted to him. The moment comes when he stands face to face with exposure as a common thief, and to escape he sinks yet another step in the path of infamy. His employer has shown admiration for Esma, and Brooks, feeling that he would refuse her nothing if properly approached, does not hesitate to use this means of avoiding j public degradation. The victory, of course, rests with the woman, her gentleness, trust, and belief in the underlying goodness of the man winning the day. Miss Katherine Grey is said to eclipse herself as Esma, and Mr. Desmond has scored another success wherever he has appeared as Jimsy Smith. , Mr. Cyril Mackay, Mr. G. Bryant, Miss Leslie Victor, Miss Susie Vaughan, and Miss Florence Gleeson are credited with filling to perfection the parts allotted to them. A younger generation of .theatregoers, hunting about in its mental archives for memories of "Good old plays when we were boys," is very apt to find among the first some references to "Charley^ Aunt," "The Private Secretary," and "What Happened to Jones.' 1 Only the earnest student of such things can remember anything much beyond the fact that these plays produced a good laugh. Really, that is nearly all that is worth remembering about a farce generally, and one of the advantages of short remembrance of such things is that a revival of a good comedy can be made a sort of moveable feast, recurring every now and then with a benefit to everyone. Of such is the production of "What Happened to Jones," to be produced for a short season at the Opera House, commencing next Friday night, by the George Willoughby Company, under the management of Messrs Clarke and Meynell. The play needs no apologies for its frank absurdities, or for its broad hilariousness. It is one big laughable prank from beginning to end, and the distinguished company which Mr. Willoughby is bringing with him to interpret it is sufficient proof that the business, situations, and general effect of this farcical classic will lose nothing at their hands. First and foremost are Mr. George Willoughby himself, an ably-termed prince of, fun-makers, who will appear as Jones, a purveyor of hymn books, but carries a surreptitious "side line" — namely, playing cards^ — and Mr. Fred B. Sharp (a leading local light), who has been specially retained to repeat his successful performance of Ebenezer Goodley, the prattling, hen-pecked professor. Miss Beatrice Day's advent into farce comedy will be looked forward to, as this capable and cultured artist's ¦work in Mgn-class drama and comedy has become quite memorable. She is said to meet all the requirements of farce comedy. The others in the cast are Mr. Hugh Buckler, Miss Amy Millard, Miss Nellie Mortyne, Miss Agnes Keogh, Miss Florence Leigh, Mr. Arthur Cornell, Mr. Harry Halley, Mr. Harry Overton, and Mr. Leopold Stach. Possessing that rare faculty of making friends anywhere, Mr. Lawrence Campbell, the English and Australian entertainer, will leave behind him in New Zealand, scores of friends who will accord him a royal reception if he decides to return to the Dominion again next year. Several "competition" committees have had their eye on him of late, and it is stated he has been already approached by two large cities in New Zealand. Through all the North Island towns he has been most enthusiastically received, and this evening he will make his farewell appearance in Wellington. Miss Nellie Stewart has concluded her New Zealand "tour ' of the smaller centres with "Sweet Nell of Old Drury," which proved again its re markable drawing power. On 3rd February Miss Stewart will open the .new theatre in Hobart, and follow with a visit to the West Coast of Tasmania, appearing in Launceston on the way. The Victorian, New South Wales, and Queensland towns will then be toured. Already attractive offers have been made to purchase houses by country speculators in Australia, but Miss Stewart has decided against selling, preferring to rely on the admission money. Th© prosperity of "Our Miss Gibbs"' at Sydney Theatre Royal continues anabated. Such satisfactory business is being done, in fact, that though rehearsals are well advanced for the new Rubens musical play, "The Balkan Princess," with Miss Rosina Buckman as the Princess Stephanie, it is quite likely that the Gaiety success will suffice for the entire season. In that case "The Balkan Princess" will be held over until next season, and there will be no chango of programme at tfie theatre until Easter. The widow of Mel. B. Spurr, the society entertainer who died in Melbourno a few years ago, met her death early in November in a tragic manner. She had evidently fallen asleep while reading before a fire and her clothe-s had caught in some unaccountable manner. There was no one in the room at the time, and when a Mrs. Edmonds, who ]ivet> in the same house, heard the screams of the unfortunate woman she hurried to the scene, only to find tbe room full of smoke and Mrs. Spurr in flames. The sufferer was removed to the hospital, where she died from shock. Mrs. Spurr was 59 years of age. Madame Melba has recently been, singing " La Traviata " at the Metropolitan Opera House. New York, with Mr. John M'Cormack, the now well-known Irish tenor, who is promised far the Melba Australian opera tour as principal support. The New York press, besides descanting, with the customary superlatives, upon the diva's singing, devotes some space also to description of the preliminary rush of fashionable New Yorkers, who stood in the rain on Broadway awaiting their turn at the box office. It is a story which will bring no balm to the feelings of Mr. Thomas Beecham, for instance, whose _ three opera seasons, having been specifically directed against the "cfcar" system, came upon, failure. Miss ' Amy Castles's recent succeßtee in grand opera in New Zealand, particu-

larly in the title roles of "Madam Butterfly" and "La Boheme," are still fresh in the minds of New Zealand music-lovers, so that the announcement that Messrs. J. and N. Tait will conduct a concert tour of this celebrated Australian soprano through the Dominion early in February will be received with much delight. _ Miss Castles's concert tour of Australia during last year was temporarily terminated in the midst of a brilliant, series of triumphs so that she could appear as a prima donna with J. C. Williamson's Opera Company. It is confidently anticipated that the coming tour of this gifted artist through New Zealand will I be fraught with the same success that attended her concerts in Australia. In, all probability Miss Castles's tour will commence at Dunedin early in February, and, besides the four principal centres, most of the important smaller towns will [be visited. Miss Castles will be supported by a splendid company of artists who will be entirely new to New Zealand concert-goers. After her New Zealand tour Miss Castles will go tc Loni don. The much-discussed. " Salome " has at last been produced in London. It did not save the Beeoham opera season from failure, but it crowded Covent Garden, at each performance. Much of the interest was merely that of curiosity, of course, and critical notices of the first night, while confessing inability to_ do the work justice on a single hearing, admit the beauty of a good deal of it, th© masterliness of its orchestration, and th© fearsome noise of its mpre characteristically Straussian dramatic passages. On the whole it was summed up as not greater than "Elektra," while Mile. Akbe's performance of the name part, and Mr. Clarence Whitehill's fine delivery of certain noble passages of declamation set for John the Baptist, came in for unanimous praise. The alterations to suit the British Censor appear to have iiesolved into the withdrawal from the last scene of the Baptist's head, and the substitution therefor of & silver salver, with accessories. "What Happened to Jones," the exceedingly funny farce of Geo. BToadhurst's, will be remembered by playgoers of eighfc years or so ago as one of the most diverting and broadly mirthful farces of the day. Jones is oneof the best of Mr. Willoughby's character studies. Jones goes to a prizefight and when the police raid the place he joins in the flight of Professor Ebenezer Goodly, and the latter's prospective son-in-law, Dick Heatherly. The three evade capture, but reach the Goodly home in New York in a battered plight. Then it becomes necessary to throw the police off the scent and the piece goes on to show how Jones, a | fellow of infinite resource, does it. He I disguises himself in the clothes of the Professor's reverend brother, and the fun that ensues is of the fast and furious order. The Kinematograph and Lantern Weekly, published in London, contains •a full page article concerning Mr. Ben Fullers Tecent visit to Europe. There is also a very "speaking" cartoon of the "Brains of the Fuller combination" as the paper describes Mr. Fuller. The article states : "Mr. Ben Fuller, 'of the well-known New Zealand picture entertainment firm and Fuller's biograph supplies, was easily the raciest visitor from abroad English living picture circles have known during the past two or three years. Mr. Fuller's earliest visit to London, after that to his representatives in this country, was, we believe, fco the Weekly cjnee, and one of our representatives had the pleasure of introducing him to many of the manufacturers, to whose projection* rooms hej was a regular weekly visitor during his stay in London, accompanied by M. Firmin, now ably representing the Fuller organisation here. Many regular film. | ! buyers still regret that 'BenV visit was not a longer one, for the extent to which his personality enlivened such occasions can only be appreciated by 'those with the experience of the funeral gloom which mostly prevails among a collection of ultra critical film buyers. Ben's enthusiasm about^ the humorous qualities of long dramas intended to have quite an opposite effect was never quite appreciated at its worth by the saleman, who found "it hard to enjoy congratulations upon the enlivening powers of a subject in which the heroine has used up some 100 feet of film -or so in expiring effectively. Also his anxious desire for information probably appeared a little far fetched when, a subject of no particular merit having been screened, the pertinacious saleman exclaimed, triumphantly, "What do you think of that," and Ben, with enthusiasm in his tones, replied 'Great' —and then, timidly "Er — is *it a dramatic or a comic?' So, also, his Tapid arithmetical calculations on the basis of '4d per ¦foot,' when sub-titles showed signs of remaining indefinitely on the screen, were doubtless most appreciated by his fellow buyers. Nevertheless, Ben's return to New Zealand was regretted by no one more than tne manufacturers, who, as keen, salemen, could appreciate one who was as keen a buyer and as pleasant a companion. Previous to visiting England, Mr. Fuller had done the America of vaudeville and living pictures with characteristic thoroughness and had many eound criticisms to make, which we published in our pages at the time, his view of the American show, one supported by .other observers being that it did not reach the level of that of Australia." The favourite English actress, Miss Olga Nethersole, is appearing at the New York Millionaires' Theatre in a very remarkable Biblical play by Maeterlinck. This is Mary Magdalen, and Miss Nethersole is playing the Magdalen. An American correspondent gives an outline of this extraordinary production. It is founded, he says, upon the Biblical story, but a daring love theme is introduced. Maeterlinck, however, has treated the innovation with skill and reverence. The Christ does not appear on the stage, but is represented by a a Voice. The Magdalen's resistance to Verus, a Roman General, leads to an attack on her. She is reviled by the rabble as a wanton, and is only saved when the Voice is neard proclaiming, "'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." The Magdalen's adoration of the Christ remains throughout the drama her defence against the assaults of Verus. A powerful final act takes place in th© room where the Last Supper was served. All the great Biblical characters who played prominent parts in the tragedy of the Crucifixion are portrayed, and the man whose sight the Nazarene restored describes the spectacle of Christ being led towards Calvary. Finally the wanton Roman general, enraged at the Magdalen's scorn, rushes out to join the cursing mob, leaving the woman faithful to the last. , Needless to say, this amazing work is not likely to be seen in England. The Censor will see to that !

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