MIMES AND MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 87, 9 October 1920, Page 11

MIMES AND MUSIC

(By "Orpheus.")

THE SHOWS.

Grand Opera House—Lowell Thomas, Ifi'h October. His Majesty's—Vaudeville. Tho Kind's Theatre—Pictures. Artcraff Theatre—l'icturen. Our Theatre —Pictures. Empress Theatre—Pictures. Shortt's Theatre—Picture*. Strand Theatre—Picture*. Britannia Theatre—Pictures Princess Theatre—Pictures, bverybody's Theatre—Pictures. Queen's Theatre—Picture., paramount Theatre—Pictures

"Sinbad the Sailor" will be Tait, Bailey, and Grant's extravaganza, for production in Melbourne at Christmas time.

"The Gondoliers," revived by the J. O. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, ran for three weeks in Melbourne.

Fullers' Dramatic Players have been presenting a. new drama weekly for the past 166 weeks at the Palace Theatre, Melbourne. The Fullers also have a permanent dramatic company in Sydney, and it is likely that they will extend this branch of their operations to New Zealand.

Lowell Thomas, who will shortly deliver in Wellington his travel-talk with moving pictures descriptive of the Anzacs in Palestine, was the only lecturer in London who was able to do what even Mark Twain was unable to do years ago—fill the Albert Hall, which, holds 10,000 people, night after night. Mr. Thomas presented his entertainment at 250 consecutive performances in London, and was personally congratulated by the Queen and Princess Mary, and the Prince of Wales. The entertainments were attended by over a million people. Playgoers throughout Australasia to whom the name of Howard Vernon is familiar will be interested to know that J. C. Williamson, Ltd., have arranged for a benefit matinee to be tendered him at Her Mejesty's Theatre, Melbourne. It is appropriate that this recognition of Mr. Vernon's brilliant and memorable work extending over many years on tbo Australian stage should take place during the present season • of Gilbert and Sullivan opera at Her Majesty's, in Melbourne, for it was in these plays that the veteran made himself world-famous. "Tho Mikado" will be played at the benefit matinee, with Mr. Howard Vernon as K.o-Ko, the Lord High Executioner.

Miss Bessie Sankey, an American dramatic star of wide reputation, has arrived in Sydney under contract to Ben and John Fuller. Miss Sankey was engaged in New York by Mr. Ben JFuller, who saw her in several productions of which he held the Australian copyright. He selected her, after interviewing no fewer than 50 women playing democratic leads, as ' the actress most suited to Australiar audiences.

In days gone by Carter the Great, who commences a season here shortly, used to produce pigeons and white rabbits from silk hats, but these trifling tricks are no more, for nowadays Carter uses for mystifying purposes a 11751b Nubian lion, but, of course, even Carter cannot produce the lion from a_ eilk hat, but he makes it disappear while in full view of the audience, in the fraction of a second. This unusual occurrence takes place in the progress of the big illusion, "The Lion's Bride." The psychic powers possessed by Evelyn Maxwell are shown in conjunction with Carter in a series of exhibitions of mental telepathy and thought transference.

Miss Maggie Dickinson, Australia's brilliant young dancer, ia to go abroad seeking fresh victories on the stage outside her own country. Miss Dickinson is to join the J C. Williamson Eevue 'Company to appear in New Zealand in "Th.6 Bing Boys on Broadway" and "The Passing Show of 1920." This will be her farewell to New Zealand audiences. On returning to Melbourne, she will make her last appearance in Australia in the J. C. Williamson Pantomime, 'Humpty Dumpty,"' for on the completion of the Melbourne season she will sail for America.

A report cabled from London to the Melbourne Herald on 20th September says:—The film presentation of Mr. 0. J. Dennis' "The bentimental Bloke" has been shown to the moving picture trade at the Alhambra Theatre. It was received enthusiastically, though there were few Australians present. The Globe critic said that the exhibition left tho impression that "The Sentimental Bloke" was the best picture ever seen in London, and the Evening News said: "It is a. great picture, and ifc will take Britain by storm." Mr. E J. Carroll and Mr. Frank Talbot, who are arranging for the presentation of the picture in London, state that they have been rushed' by traders, and all day they have been receiving trunk telephone calls. Associated with ■ Miss Rene Maxwell, the Australian soprano, who shortly tours New Zealand, is Mr. Vernon Sellars, an Adelaide baritone, who gave up study at the Elder Conservatorium in 1914 to enlist. After the Armistice Mr. Sellars studied under Mr. Edward lies, and made his first London appearance with Miss Maxwell He was so successful that he ha-s been offered big engagements in England, but, like Miss Maxwell, he wanted to return to his people first. After their Australasian tour the young singers will, return to London to fulfil engagements.

Miss Ivy Shilling, who attained considerable success on the London and Australian stage, arrived in Sydney recently, after an absence of six years, inder engagement to H. D. M'lntosh. Discussing artists in London well known to Australian audiences, Miss Shilling said that W. S. Percy, the popular cGinedan, was upholding his reputation, while Lorna and Toots Pounds, who visited the Commonwealth many years ago and appeared in vaudeville, were doing splendidly ; and the came could be said of the dancers, Eddie and Decima M'Lean. "During the war," said Miss Shilling, "we had wonderful houses in London—until the air raids came along. Before that the people would sit out any sort of show, but afterwards they became very scared of going to the theatres. While the war was in progress the theatres did remarkable business, but they were not dtiing nearly so well when I left London. London people," concluded Miss Shilling, "have gone rather crazy over picture shows, especially where any big feature film is put on. This is proving very successful business in London, so , much so that quite a number of well-known theatres have been sold and turned into picture houses."

Miss Ethel Drayson, a young English artist, has arrived in Melbourne to take the part of principal girl in the J. C. Williamson pantomime "Humpty Dumpty."