MIMES AND MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 71, 23 March 1912, Page 13

MIMES AND MUSIC.

(By "Orpheus."! THE SHOWS. OVEEA HOUSE. Allan Hamilton "Beauty and Barge" Company, in season to 2lith March The Great Jansco. 27th March George Atarlow, 27th April to 18th Slay ■Wulijunsoii's "Everywoman" Company, *2Stli to 28th May. WlUiamMHTs Pantomime. t7th to 30th July. Williamson's "Blue Bird" Company, 14th to 27th August. o»ear Asche Company, 19th October to 2nd November. Williamson's "Ben Hur" Compaiiy, 6th Notember. THEATRE EOYAL. Fuller's Vaudeville Company. SKATIKG KIXK. Fuller's Pictures. THE KING'S THEATRE. Koyal and West's Pictures STAIt THEATRE. Star Picture Company. THE .NEW THEATRE. MacMahon and Donnelly's ficturei. SHORTT'S THEATRE. Sbortt'a Pictures. PARIS THEATRE. Piria Prize Pictures. That memorable old aphorism, "There is nothing new under the sun," is on its death-bed, and on Wednesday next, at the Opera House, unless the unforeseen happens, it will expire. On that night the noted Jansen, illusionist, transformationist, conjurer, and dealer in magic and the art of wizardry, will commence his season, under the management of the new theatrical firm of Messrs. Portus and Talbot, and will exhibit quite a number bf new tricks, or let his reputation perish on the spot. Jansen has jusb completed a comprehensive tour of the East, and created such an impression on the minds of the various native peoples that the name of " The Magic Man," as he was christened, ran from place to place, with the rapidity of the names of the leaders of tho great revolution in China. Jansen was on the fringe of the fighting at several different points while he was in the Flowery Land, and says that the hatred of the Manchus, born of intolerable oppression, amounted almost to a fanaticism. In some of the towns in which he appeared, however, the revolution had had little effect on the usual occupations of the people, and placid audiences nightly sat watching his curious illusions or skilful sleight-of-hand with rapt attention, while the future of their country and the lives of thousands of their countrymen, were the sport of fate. Amongst the many attractions which will be introduced to the Dominion during the present year will be the original English Pierrot*, who made marked impression on the music-loving public of Wellington during the run of the Industrial Exhibition here last year. This company of nine performers have been in existence for the past eight years, giving regular seasons at the Pavilion, St. Kilda, Victoria. The combination is under the direction of Messrs. "W. and R. Thomas, and Maynard Daxin. Mr. Dakin is the comedian of the company, with which he has been associated for many years, and comes with a great reputation from tho halls of England, including the London Pavilion, the Empire Theatre, and has also been an entertainer of long standing in the English concert world. He is the possessor of many original musical numbers and novelties, which are only performed by the English Pierrots. In connection with the production of "Everywoman, 1 ' by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., it is interesting that Miss Katherine Grey, who appeared in Australia and New Zealand under the firm's management, in "The Third Degree" and other plays, has succeeded Miss Laura Nelson Hall in America, in the title role of "Everywoman," which is still one of tho reigning successes. A curiosity in playa is about to be produced at the Eoyalty Theatre, London. It is the first work of a Mr. Basil Macdonald Hastings, and its peculiarity lies in th« fact that there is no woman in its cast of seven. Those [ seven, however, are what might b« called a heterogeneous assembly, including as they do an artist, a dramatist, a Labour M.P., a London County Councillor, a money lender, and a flat porter. In an interview in, the London Evening News, prior to sailing for Australia, Mr. Oscar Asche said that he was taking one hundred baskets of costumes and four hundred tons of scenery to Australia, in addition to some tall Nubians, who appear in "Kismet." His repertoire for Australia will include "Kismet," "Antony and Cleopatra," "The Virgin Goddess," and "The MerryWives of Windsor," while in' New Zealand, not previously visited, he intends staging "The Taming of the Shrew," "Othello," "A* You Like It," and "Tho Merchant of Venice." How celebrated Australian actors are manufactured ! London Weekly Dispatch mentions in the cast of a forthcoming Gaieiy production, "Tom Walls, a well-known Australian comedian." Walls is, the English actor who, as Peter Doody, reproduced he work of another English actor in "Th© Arcadians." He came here as ike celebrated English comedian; he returns to England as the celebrated Australian comedian. — Bulle- i tin. . Mr. Claude Raine, stage manager, and Miss Gladys EUam, ballet mistress, for the production of "The Blue Bird," arrived in Sydney from London a- few ! days ago, and have already begun preliminary arrangements in readiness for the producer, Mr. Norman Page, who was due back last week. Mr. Kains was seven years with Sir Herbert Tree, at His- Majesty's, and has been associated solely with big spectacular playe. He went to the Hayinarket'when Mi*. Herbert French staged "The Blue Bird" at that theatre, where it ran over 300 nights. Messrs. Leslie Board and W. Little are at work on the ecenery, while Mr. Rock Phillips is preparing the many intricate "properties. Private advice has been received in Dunedin that Miss Kitty Campion, the | vocalist sister of Mica Gertie Campion, of "French Maid" and "Gay Parisienne" fame, who, on the advke of j Madam© Calve, went to Paris to (study, has recently undergone an operation in London for appendicitis. Miss Campion has quite recovered, and has returned to Paris to resume her studies. Both Miss Kitty and Miss Gertie Campion were members of Tom Pollard's Opera Company, and with that organisation they toured South Africa, where Mies Gertie developed an illness which threatened to end seriously. She returned to New Zealand, and the pure air of the Waik'lto and the kind attention of the staff of Cambridge Hospital restored the popular Julie Bon Bon to perfect health, j which she enjoys to th« full in Auckland. The Australian Theatre li»b received a glowing testimonial from Miss Jessie Lonnen, who is appearing as Phoebe ia the production of *VThe Quaker Girl," in Sydney. "There is less work here than in England, kindlier management, longer engagements, more money, and f-owej" rehearsals," sayu Mleg Loxmen, who is a daughter of the late. "Teddy" Lonnen. "The theatrical condition of London is appalling. Australia, to the artist, is the promised land, and if there were only a Moses who could part the waters between England and Australia, hundreds of tusm would walk over."- »

Dunedin is to have its continuous picture chow like Auckland and Wellington. Mr. Hugh Wilson has secured a splendid kite in Princese-street, on which work has been commenced to alter the present building and transform it into a picture palace. The initial outlay la something approaching £4000. A long lease has been, bocured. and tho prospects are bright. Mr. Wilson anticipates opening iv two months, this being the Urn& n-ecetisary to effect the alterations. The .new house will boast the ficost vestibule iti New Zealand, and will have an entrance from the principal^ street of 20 feet. There will be one price of admission, namely, sixpence, all over the theatre. Mr. Hugh Buckler, who has been engaged by the Mario w management, will in all probability make hid ih'st appearance at tho Sydney Adelplii on Easter tSatuiday, the datf of the Australian premiere of " Tim Sins of Society." Druiy Laut drama will not be new to Mr Buckler, for duiiug hit London career he appeared in the historic drama house. In addition to Mr. Buckler and his wife, Miss Violet -Paget, George Marlow, Ltd., have secured for ''The Sins of Society" liiss Nellie Mortyne, Miss^Maud Clavering (a recent arrival from* England), and Mr. Lawrence, who appeared in the New York production of this drama. Writes the Sydney Mail's London correspondent :—": — " The musical taete of London kan everlasting puzzle. Go to a classical concert at the Queen' 6 Hall, and you will find the floor crowded with people standing so rapt that you could hear a pin drop. Book a seat the came night at the London Opera House, and listen to Beck as Rigoletto, Felice Lyne as Gilda, Harrold as the Duke, and a caet of almost similar quality all through — and you will find the stalls not more than three-partfi filled, and many of the boxes empty. The performance could not be more perfect ; the passionate grief which the Hungarian singer, with nifi big voice, flings into the part of the jester, the sweet, clear, true notes of Mile. Lyne (one of the few operatic heroines who really looks the parts she actfi), the rich tenor of the Duke — there is nothing that could well have been added from the point of view of art. The cheaper seats, it is true, appear to contain a . crowded audience — probably of the same class that fills the Queen's Hall. There must be a vast number of music-lovers in. a city of between eight and nine million inhabitants. But it iseeme that they are mostly amongst people of moderate means. The wealthier classes in England do net appear to make opera one of their chief delights, as they do abroad. Every little Russian city along the Siberian railway has ite opera house. Small capitals like Stockholm support splendid performances. And yet the question is still being debated whether London, with over 8,000,000 people to draw on, can support the second opera house built for it last year." Two clever comedies are amongst the new pieces jusfc produced in London. Iv "The Pigeon" Mr. John Galsworthy shows at the Royalty Theatre how an irretrievably optimistic philanthropist is taken in by three irreclaiinables, whom he seeks to reform. Apparently the author seeks to bring home the hopelessness of charitable effort when there are so many people ready to deceive the charitable, but he manages thus to challenge discussion while providing a play which is described as irresistibly droll The other notable play is Mr. R. C. Carton's "The Bear Leaders," at the Comedy, with Mr. Edmund Gwenn and Mies Compton in the leading roles as two enterprising^ persons who make a livelihood by introducing people into society. A new farcical fantasy, "The Dust of Egypt," by Alan Campbell, has been produced at Wyndham's Theatre by Messrs. Frank Curzon. and Gerald dv Maurier, and recalls to mind "Niobe" and other pieces, but, it appeals, contains plenty of humour. Theatrical Clips. — "Woman and Wine," a melodrama that Mi* Bland Holt was fond of presenting, is being revived at the New Pi incase Theatre, London. . . In • 1909 Shakespeare's plays were produced 1318 times in Germany, according to the year book of the Deutsche Shakespeare Gecsellschaft. . . Mias Pauline Chase gave her 950 th performance in "Peter Pan" at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, on 2nd February. . . A revival of Gilbert-Sullivan operas is taking place at the Schubert Theatre, Boston. "H.M.S. Pinafore" drew large audiences. . . The well-known Greenwood Company are at present doing good business on the South Coast (N.S.W.). . . Mies Margaret Cooper, monologue entertainer, will reach Australia from London next month, and id due to appear at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, early in June. . . The Bastien 'family of eleven members,! five males and six females, have joined Wirths' Circus in Sydney. The family was specially engaged in Parie by Mr. George Wirth. . . Madame Slapoftfiki is to sail from Sydney for London at the end of the month. Tho other day she was presented with a cheque for over £100, the result of the recent complimentary concert organised by number of admirers in her honour. . . Miss Ada Ward, the "actress-evange-list," who gained much easy advertisement throughput Australasia some years back, is duo in Fremantle shortly. Miss Ward will tour the Commonwealth and New Zealand. . . Gerald Kay Souper, having settled down in Sydney, is now giving lessons in elocution, dramatic expression, and stage deportment. Souper was with the Oscar Asche-Lily Brayton Company. Recently he was in Wellington iv "A Fool There Was." . . . In connection with the «uggeetion that Hugh J. Ward its going to leave the J.C.W. combine, it is interesting to note (eaya Canterbury Times) that Ward's name has appeared on the Theatre Royal Bookings for 1913. . . Chung Ling Soo was the highest-salar-ied artist that the late Mr. Rickarde ever engaged. He received £450 a week, and fares to and from England cost £2400. ... It is stated that Mr. Martin Harvey is considering tho question of visiting Australia at an early date. .... "The Merry Widow" Comic Opera Company, under D. B. O'Connor, late of Pollard's, will visitthe Dominion shortly. "The Waltz Dream" is included in the repertoire, and also "My Friend Napoleon." . . . The fund which was recently opened in Melbourne by the friends and admirers of Mr. Armes Beaumont has been closed, and at a meeting held at the Town Hall a cheque for £483 5s Sd was handed over to the veteran tenor. . . . Carl Hertz, who visited these parts years ago, is now appearing at the Winter Garden, Berlin. Ho will return to the Webt End, in April Mr. Caleb Porter, j who came to Now Zealand with th© first "Sign of the Cross" Company, will visit Wellington, when he tours with tho Oscar Asche Company in November. . . . The Maoriland tour of the New Comic Opera Company, - «vhicb was expected to open at Wellington at Easter, hits been deforred till late in the year. Among modern orators Spurgeon probably held the record for huge audiences. 0n the- National Fast Day, 7th October, 1857, he preached in the central transept of the Crystal Palace to a congregation of 25,000, and was clearly heard by all. Tho physical offorfc involved, however, had a curious effeot upon the preacher. "I was not conscious efc the closo of tho Bemo© of any extraordinary oxhau&tion," bo wrote in hi 6 autobiography, "yet I I must have been very weary, for after I went to sleep on that Wednesday night I did not waken until tho Friday, morn- j i ing, eleopbsf all through -Thursday." i