MIMES AND MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 86, 9 October 1915, Page 11

MIMES AND MUSIC

(By "Orpbeus.") I THE "SHOWS. GRAND OPERA HOUSE. J. C. Williamson Musical Comedy Company, 18th October. J. C. Williamson, "Potash and Perlmutter," 16th December. HIS MAJESTY'S. Fuller Vaudeville. THE KING'S THEATRE. Pictures nightly. STAR THEATRE. Pictures nightly. NEW THEATRE. Continuous Pictures. EMPRESS THEATRE. Continuous Pictures. SHORTT'S THEATRE. Continuous Pictures. 1 PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE. Continuous Pictures. BRITANNIA THEATRE. Continuous Pictures. OPERA HOUSE. Continuous Pictures. Mr. Barry Lupino, who is well known throughout New Zealand as a pantomime artist, has now joined the Fuller vaudeville circuit, and is at present performing at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne. Mr. Arthur Greenaway, an erstwhile favourite with Sydney playgoers, returned to that city from England last week in time to take the part of Dr. Willoughby in "Stop Thief," produced at the Criterion Theatre.

Winter Hall recently appeared at the Tivoli, in Sydney, giving recitations on two Saturday afternoons. He was well received on both occasions, but now has joined the Beaumont Smith Company for "The Barrier." A very "catchy" soldiers' march song and chorus, "There's Only One Way Home, Boys," by Barrie Marschel and Frank E. Crowther, is to hand. Jt possesses all the elements necessary to the achievement of wide nopularity. Fred Bluett, the colonial comedian, is reported to have made a great success of his characterisation, "The Old Sundowner," in Great Britain. He has just entered into a twelve months' engagement with Fred Kitchen to play principal comedian in the Kitchen sketches. Mr. George Marlow states that the-re-novation and decdration of the Adelphi Theatre, Sydney, which he is about to have carried out, will cost about £12,000. It is also his intention to spend the sam? I amount on the Princess Theatre, Mcl bourne. Mr. John Hopkins, who has been arranging the Queen Carnival to be held in Sydney in conjunction with "Allies' Day," expects to leave od his return to New Zc-aland on the 21st instant. Mr Hopkins will then go to Napier to carry out the Mardi Gras in that town. Subsequently, Mr. Hopkins will probably introduce Miss Louiss Mack, the lady war correspondent, who will make a V>ur of the Dominion Edward Branscombe's Violet Dandies were selected to open the new Garden Theatre at Darlinghurst, Sydney, last Saturday. This theatre has just been completed, at a cost of £12,000, for Branscombo, Ltd., and is in fig-tree sheltered grounds, overlooking the

western side of Rushcutter's Bay. The amphitheatre seats 1700 people, and in the grounds is a palatial cafe. " Our Boys' March " is another contribution to the music stands inspired by the war. The march is by Ivan M. Levy, and is published by the Bristol Piana Co. It is in the key; of E flat, time two beats, and is a good, stirring march. The trio movement changes into A flat, introducing a sadder melody, and then returning to the original and brighter key. It is a pleasing composition, and should have its share in popular favour. Children are not so foolish as sometimes their elders believe them. Take little boy 3, for example. A little boy may wish to be an Indian* a detective, a policeman, a fireman, a cowboy, a drum major, a chariot driver in a circus, or a burglar, when he grows up. But (asks Puck) did you ever hear of a little boy who wanted to be an actor? Miss Maud Miles, who recently played Phoebe in the "Yeoman of the Guard," Peep Bo in "The Mikado," and appeared in several other leading roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company which recently toured New Zealand, has forsaken opera for vaudeville, and is now playing under engagement to the Fuller Vaudeville Company at the National Amphitheatre, Sydney. ! Why these redoubled paeans, these offertories, these' bonfires and hymns, to I Madame Sarah Bernhardt> because she possessed the valour to appear on the stage with a wooden leg? (asks George Jean Nathan, a New York dramatic critic). A leg is approximately but a one-sixth part of the human body. There are any number of actresses, therefore, who — in the matter of woodenness — have the Madame beaten by a score of six to one. Mr. John Fuller, sen., is now in Sydney, and Mr. John Fuller, jun., is also there in order to consult with his codirectors with regard to a proposal to erect a number of new theatres in the principal centres of New Zealand. Mr. Ben J. Fuller has returned to Sydney after a visit to Adelaide, where he completed negotiations for building a new theatre there. Important developments are pendine also in Melbourne. Mrs. Fred. Niblo writes to Sydney : "Fred is rehearsing his new piece by my brother (George Cohan), and under his management. New York looks pretty good to me, and we're hoping the new play, 'Hit-the-Trail Holiday,' will be a hit, so it can stop right here. 'Hit-the-Trail' is a new expression which has been made popular by the evangelist Billy Sunday, who has a modern method of carrying his congregation. He asks them to 'hit-the -trail' for heaven — sort of 'follow me.' Fred's play will be a paraphrase (that isn't the word, but burlesque won't do — you know what I

mean) on 'Billy Sunday.' He plays 'Billy Holiday,' a temperance lecturer and an erstwhile bar-tender. It rehearses great." A cable message received in Sydney last week stated that the comedy had been produced on Broadway and was a great success. Comedy appears to be a strong point of "The Girl in the Taxi," the opening production of the Williamson Company. The company is headed by the wellknown English comedian, Mr. C. H. Workman. Other comedians who will be associated with him are Mr. W. H. Rawlins, Mr. Chris Wren, Mr. Field Fisher, Mr. Alfred Frith, Mr. Fred Maguire, and Mr. Hugh. Huntley. The comediennes include Misses Florence Vie, Helen Hobson, and Daisy Yates, with Miss Gwen Hughes as ingenue, and Mr. Paul Plunkett as the leading baritone, and the popular favourites Marie Eaton, Cecil Bradley, and Dorothy Brunton. "The Girl in the Taxi" is by Jean Gilbert, one of the most popular presentday light composers. This musical play has been one of the biggest London successes for many years. Mr. Field Fisher, it is said, will come as a revelation, for he has a most original and infectious style of his own that causes extreme hilarity. Miss Gwen Hughes, who was specially brought out for the company, is said to be one of the most , handsome English artists that have ever visited Australasia. Miss Florence Vie, an English comedienne, was specially selected for "The Girl in the Taxi," "High Jinks," and "The Girl on 'the Film." Mr. C. H. Workman is a wellknown English comedian. He was in two of the biggest London successes of recent years — as Bumerli in "The Chocolate Soldier," and Pomeral in "The Girl in- the Taxi." Mr. Fred Maguire, the light comedian of the company, was selected by the late George Edwardes to play Danilo in the principal provincial tour of "The Merry Widow." J. P. O'Neill, who is now appearing at the Adelphi, Sydney, is assuredly a veteran on the stage, though his work is .too sound to let you say that he lags superfluous. He has been nearly 40 years before the Australian public, and has been playing in drama except for | five years of the time. O'Neill was an Irish boy who ran away from home, and took to the stage when he reached New Zealand. He first struck Australia in 1873, when with Chiarini's circus. He left the- circus in Sydney, and joined a drama company 'playing at the old Victoria Theatre in Pitt-street. His introduction to comic opera was sudden. In 1884, when Emilie Melville was appearing at the old Opera House, the man who was playing the part of the cooper in Boccaccio took ill. It was only the second 'night of the production in Australia. Mr. O'Neill was asked to play the part. He received his script at 5 o'clock, attended at rehearsal at 7 o'clock, called specially for his benefit, and played the part at 8. Mrs. Martin Wirth, better known to circus-goers as Miss "Marizles," is shortly due to arrive in Australia from America. She and her two daughters left Australia in 1911 for a pleasure tour of the world, 1 intending to see all there I was to see in twelve months, then re- ! turn and rejoin her brothers', Messrs. Phil and George Wirth, circus, and continue her calling as an. equestrienne. But when she arrived in New York, she was introduced to Mr. Ringling, proprietor of Barnum and Bailey's circus, who proposed that, i{ they wanted to see the world, they could do no better than see it with his world-renowned circus. After many days' persuasion, and a magnificent monetary offer, the ''Wirth family," as they were christened, were engaged with "The Greatest Show on Earth" for twelve months, with Miss May Wirth ' the feature of that great concern. And she made good, as the Americans say, and it is claimed that she did much to advertise Australia, for she was featured in every city, town, village, and even farm, as the wonderful Australian wizard equestrienne. Mr. Cyril Maud, the English actormanager, who has been on a prolonged tour of America, and who has returned to England, has brought back what he says are the two most popular stories in the States. Two farmers from the MidWest went fishing. They sat silent, for well over an hour and nothing happened. Then one of the fishermen stood up. "I guess I'll quit," he said, "my worm ain't trying." The second tale concerns a certain type of motor-car, about which there is always an abundant harvest of stories. A farmer had had a corrugated iron shed struck by lightning. It was pretty badly twisted up, so he dumped it oh a' lorry and sent it to the motor firm's works. The day after its arrival came a letter: "The only thing we can do is to send you another." A ticket-taker at a musical function held at Timaru was surprised to find, on going through his tickets, that two . of the members of the audience had gained admission by handing in communion cards ! Mr. Harry Hennah (" Harry Linden ") and his wife (Miss Ida Berridge), who have been touring South Africa and the English provinces, are at present in Ireland, but shortly return to fulfil engagements in London music halls. Mr. Hennah is a member of the Holborn Battalion for Home Defence. Mr. Harold Ashton, who for the past two years has been resident director in South Africa for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., is returning to Australia, via America, and England. He was at latest in San Francisco, whence he wrote " Pasquin," of Otago Witness, that he was going on to London, and hoped to be in Australasia in the course of a few months. Mr. "Dick"' Stewart, who relieved Harold Ashton in Africa, has alleady settled down as resident manager in J ohannesburg. Miss Lily Elsie is to return to the London stage. Sir Herbert Tree has engaged her to appear as the heroine in what he describes as a " light-hearted comedy," by Louis N. Parker, at His Majesty's Theatre during this month. Her return to the stage is to be for a, limited time only, and she has decided (says the Daily Mail) to devote her salary to the fund for disabled soldiers and sailors. Miss Elsie's name will always be linked with the success of " The Merry Widow" at Daly's Theatre. Previous to the production of that musical play she was comparatively (unknown. In tiie spring of 1907 Mr. Edwardes decided to give her the title-role in " The Merry Widow." Curiously enough, neither the author nor composer were satisfied with the choice. However, " The Merry Widow " was produced in London on Bth June, 1907, and the next day Miss Lily Elsie was famous. She remained at Daly's Theatre to appear in successive pieces—" The Dollar Princess," the revival of "A Waltz Dream," and " The Count of Luxembourg." It was during the run of this piece nearly four years ago that she made her last appearance on the stage. She married Mr. Lan Bullough at that time, and is at present living in Lincolnshire, near where he is training with his regiment. It is not generally known that Leslie Holland was originally approached by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to come to Australia to appear as Danilo in their production of "The Merry Widow"; but he was at the time under contract, and his release from the engagement could not be secured. Later, when he was free, "The Merry Widow" had already been staged in Australia with Andrew Higginson as Danilo; and when Mr. Holland came to Australia he made his first appearance in the mystical farce-comedy "The Brass Bottle." It is more than likely, however, that Mr. Holland will be seen at some future date as Danilo in , "SCha Merry Widow. 1 -' 1