FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Evening Star, Issue 14036, 17 April 1909, Page 8

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

[Bt Call Bot.] BOOKINGS. His Majesty's Thkatkk. Harry Rickards (Cinquevalli).—ln season to April 21. Edwin Geach Dramatic Company.—Mar 14 to 29. 1 J J Chung Ling Soo.—May 51 to June 5. . Meynell and Gunn.—-June 7 to 17 Royal Comics,— June 50 to July 14. ‘Jack and Jill ’ (pantomime).—August 5 to 19. pollard Opera Company.—September 1 to Allan Hamilton’s Dramatic Company.— September 11 to 21. - Competitions Society.—September 22 to October 1. - ■ ■ Julius Knight.—October 14 to 26. PRXNC3SSB ThEATRS. Wide-World Pictures,—(ln season.) Garrison Hall. Madame Melba.—April 17. oamarxj Municipal Opera-house. Madame Melba.— April 19. Claude King, one of Miss Nellie Stewart’s leading men, is an enthusiastic horseman. A New Zealand journalist en route for the Imperial Press Conference writes me from Sydney: “All the theatres here did roaring business at Easter. Our people will like the ‘panto.’ (‘Jack and Jill’), the final scene of which is a veritable work of art.” Mr Haddon Chambers is at Oimiez, completing a new play for Mr George Alexander.

No less than five “first nights” were undertaken by companies under the J. 0. Williamson direction on Easter Saturday. In Sydney there was the premiere of that remarkable play that has “ roused the Empire,” in Melbourne" the reappearance of Nellie Stewart in ‘ Sweet Kitty Bdlairs,’ in Adelaide the Julius Knight season opened with the ‘ The Duke’s Motto,’ in Perth the Musical Comedy Company made their debut in ‘ The Prince of Pilsen, and the Royal Comic Opera Company commenced their tour of New Zealand in Wellington -with ‘The Merry Widow.’

‘The-Flag Lieutenant,’ which is to be one of this year’s dramatic novelties offered to the Australian public by J. C. Williamson, reached the coveted 100 th performance mark in London last month. There was a phenomenal demand for seats at the first night of Nellie Stewart at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne. The management were inundated with letters, and the first nighters alone would easily have filled the stalls and circle if all the seats they wanted in addition to their own had been given them. But a stem face was set against ail such requests, and the ordinary plan thrown open to the public. Interest in ‘ Sweet Kitty Bellairs ’ is only second in importance to the reentry' of Australia’s idol on the scene of her former triumphs, and people are keen to make the acquaintance of the tempestuous petticoat whose Irish impetucsitv succeeded in setting all Bath bv the ears’ Concerning .Miss Rees, of Gisborne, "a member of Mr Allan Hamilton’s new d-~.-matic company, who opened ar Easter in Sydney with ‘A Oueen of tae Nigh;,’ an exchange says: “The initial appearance in Australia of Miss Rosemary Rees was auspicious. The actress has a decidedly graceful movement and charm of manner, and. in addition she possesses a sweet voice.” Miss Maud Chetwynd- is said to revel in the part of Kitty Whifo. She introduces several songs and dances, and receives a demonstration for her rendering of the patriotic air ' Who’s for England?’ Sweden has recently passed a law compelling every foreign artist to pay the heavy tax of not less than 10 per cent, upon 'his entire earnings. Our Income Tax levy, concerning which visiting theatrical managers to the Dominion chafe unmercifully. is a mere bagatelle compared with the Swedish charge. Mrs Daniel Frohman (Miss Illington), who is twenty-eight years younger than her husband, intends to sue for a divorce, on the ground of iiicompatability of temperament. She hates the stage, while her husband cannot leave theatrical management. “There is > nothing' in life worth while for a woman,” she added, “except, home with her own hsubaud to love her and kiddies to keep her busy. If a girl loves the stage, then she gets her compensation as she goes along, but I hate it. I want warm human love. I never enter my dressing room without wishing I was finishing my last engagement. I ve-rebelled, collapsed, and fainted, till I dread a.nd hate the profession. I want what other women want. Let little stage-struck girls remember that there’s only one thing for a woman in this life—a man's name, heart, protection, and home.” The pantomime opened “with a bang” in Sydney at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday, April 3. Coming with a record of fourteen weeks’ fine business in Melbourne and a reputation as the best of good things to precede it, interest was exceptionally keen in the big show, and the house was booked out long before the doors opened. Its welcome was of the warmest. Indeed, the reception accorded ‘Jack and Jill,’ comparing it with ‘ Mother Goose ’ and ‘ Humpty Dumpty,’ augurs that in Sydney, as in Melbourne, the popularity of the third of J. C. Williamsons great trilogy of pantomimes will surpass that of its predecessors.

Ihe Follies, a clever London burlesque company, sought to produce a skit upon The Englishman’s Home,’ but it was prohibited, not upon patriotic grounds, but because music-hall right privileges were, in the opinion of the censor, exceeded. “ Don’t walk on ; begin by acting —no matter how couch the school.” was Sir Charles Wyndham's advice to Mr Thomas Kingston when the latter, despairing of the outlook a stool in a merchant’s office offered, went to him and told him he was determined to go on the stage. Mr Walter Bentley, the .Scottish Shakespearian, will be leaving London shortly for Australia, chiefly for health reasons, th'e winter having tried him considerably. At the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, tonight ‘Cinderella’ will be replaced bv the successful ‘Girl Behind the Counter,’ which had a run of over nine months at Wyndham’s Theatre, London. Included in the cast will be Mr Harold Thorley (baritone), Mr John Paultan (son of Harry Paulton. who was out here some years ago with Alma Stanley), and Miss Daisy Belmore (a member of the late Wilson Barrett’s company). Air Allah Hamilton will have the management of Chung Ling Son’s tour cf the Dominion, while Air Alarcus will do the advance work.

Mr William Anderson has arranged with Air Randolph Bedford, the well-known Australian writer, for the production of his military drama of Australian life entitled ‘Australia, or The White Alan’s Land.’ The piece wifi probably be the next at the King’s Theatre. It deals with a possible invasion of Australia by the Japane c e a few years hence.

Mr Roy Redgrave, William Anderson’s new leading man for the King’s Theatre, will arrive in Melbourne late in April. An interesting feature of ‘ An Englishman’s Home,’ produced for the first time in Australia at the Sydney Theatre Royal on Saturday last, is the fact that from the beginning of its career Hamlet’s declaration, “the play’s the thing,” has most emphatically been verified. It is its inherent strength and extraordinary close grip on the emotions, not the personality of its interpreters, that accounts for its success. In Australia the latter element of strength will most certainly have to be reckoned with in addition, for the company organised, by J. C. Williamson could scarcely be improved upon. The Englishman himself is in the hands of Mr Eardiey Turner, who has always done such fine work on the Australian stage; Mr Henry Kolker plays the seriousminded patriotic volunteer ; and Miss Ola Humnhrey the eldest Brown girl, to whom is, left the final note of tragedy in the piece. Mr Harry Plimraer is Prince Yoland,' commander of the forces of the Empress of the North ;-Mr Cyril Mackay, the young bounder who scoffs at everything, but football; Mr Cambourne is the inefficient captain of the volunteers; and Misses Florence Kelly, Florence Glee.Messrs A. Greenaway, Walter Vinnd I)ion Titheradge are. all ip the east.