FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 14307, 4 March 1910, Page 4

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By Call Boy.]

Mr Allan Hamilton report:; record business at Wellington in connection with the vaudeville season of the Kiekards Company. All the " turns," particularly the Trapnells, Franco Piper (banjoist), and Mr and Mrs Fiizsimrnons. go "big."' From Brisbane I am advised that Mr Harold Ashfon is superintending extensive alterations to the theatre there. These will involve an expenditure of £I.OOO, it being Mr .). ('. Williamson's intention to make fhe building up to dtte in every respect.. Mr John L. Rhine, a well-known Knglish comedian, has been successful in an action for damages against the Mo.-s Enii pircs Limited, a huge theatrical organis*. tion, controlling thirty-five places ofamus*. ment. Mr Shine wa> performing in one of the defendant's theatres, when he fell, owing to defective .scenery, and sustained an injury to his shoulder. He was awarded £II.OOO damages. Mr Shine is a brother of the late Hairy Shine, of Aus* tralia, and of Wilfred Shine.

Miss Nance O'Neil scored a triumphant .success at the Stiiyve-ant Theatre in New York.. This was in a new piece from an essentially French society durum by Pierre Welti' and Gaston Leroux. adapted by David Bclasco under the title of "The Lily.' Miss O'Neil. moving with extreme (juiciness through the lirst half of the play, is seen as (Idelle. the elder daintier bj the Comte de Maiiguy. a French aristocrat, who, allowing himself perfect liberty, rules Odette with a rod of iron, and keeps h-r, a willing sacririee at Ihe parental altai, lo mind bio household. Her younger .-i.-ier seems a!.-o destined to be "a lilv*'

i:::i unloved woman), but her passionate n tin;: involves her with an artist, and wni u fhe eiis.is comes, Odette, faded, v. eary. cat lying in her heart through a prosaic middle age the secret, and unfulfilled pass-ion of her life, suddenly blazes forth as the champion of her beloved little Christine The critic describes the sceno as tiemendously dramatic and touching, and pronounces Nance O'Neil a "'great" ,-n.trers. —Oppia. Heard 200 Miles Away.— The first season of opera- by wireless 'telephone is announcid to begin here this week (saws the New York col respondent of the London ' ])::ily Mail' of January 14). Everybody within a radius of fifty to seventy-live "mile- of the Metropolitan Opera-house, no matter whether they are in an Atlantic iiner o.i a .-tormy sea, in a hold, or iheir own home, may enjoy lha delighls of giand opesa. Such, at any rate, is the amazing .-laicim-iit of Dr Leo Deforcsl, whom I saw busily engaged in fitting up hi.s long-di.-iance radiophone on the top of the opeia-hou.-e. -It is now only a question of time." the inventor declared, -for wireless music and theatre performances, lectures, and church services to bo fhe common possession of stayor travellers at .-ea." Dr Deforest is working in conjunction with Mr kellv Turner, the inventor of the dictograph, an instrument that picks up tho smallest sounds or words siwken many feel- from the transmitter. A number ot dicio2iaphs have been installed on tho -luge."of ihe opera-house, and wires run from them to the radiophone, whence tho music, will be traiiMiiitted and .sent out broadcast from antenna] wires attached io the two masts erected on the room. "Wo aro already in the position," declared tho inventor, "to deliver operatic music to every household in New York'and the surrouu'diii" cities. Next week the music will be free "to all to listen to at the wireless receivers for it. It is easy, however, to arrange a wireless telephone so that only subscribers having instruments keyed in u, certain way can enjoy the luxury of tho radiopera."* Dr Deforest estimates that with such nnf-eiinal wires as are on the roof of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company's building the voice of Caruso may bo heard within a radius of 200 miles. ' PETF' FOR NFAV ZEALAND. HARRY ROBERTS IN A NEW PLAY. The new plav. 'Pete' which Sir Rupert Clarke and Clyde Meynell are sending to New Zealand,' is. to quote one of the smartest Australian pressmen, George Bull (now of the London 'Daily Mail'), one of the most powerful, characteristic human plavs that has been 6een on the singe for a, decade It embraces all the elements of our Australian race, and the best emotions of the Irish, English, and Scotch, wmdi go to make up our Celtic gieaine-s and proud inheritance. The well of truth is somided to jU fullest depths, the spring <>! 61"ccritv bailies contradiction through its smiplc. truth. In Hull Caino and Louis N. Parker's great plav, the principal character, Pete, is that of a simple, trust in/ man, with a sublime and almost doglike ' tm all whom be calk friend. If iK'Biys ' •<! he means it, proving that lie is man or well. This great charade > well known through the medium ■> book to be recapitulated here, but i. -no that requires more than the ordinary t'leiit of a clever actor to fiuccetssfuHv portray, as it require* all the elements which constitute fhe tragedian and all the savoir faire which should demonstrate the high comedian ; ergo, it envbracefi and demands in th-3 enfolding of the strong man an artist of ma"nitu(3e and great resource—-expected, as it were, to play'upon even* string the harp may contain and every emotion of an intellectual audience. To realise thie a great artist must be engaged. Sir Rupert Clarke ami Mr Meynell have succeeded in negotiating with Mr H. R. Roberte for a tour of the Dominion witn the eentinvntal play 'Pete,' Jerome K. Jerome's play "The Passing of the lhnd Floor Back.' "and other London eucceesee. The production in New Zealand will be a replica of that seen at the Lyceum Theatre, London, the scenery being painted bv that celebrated artist Phil Goatoicr, from the original plans. The company will be an English and Australasnn one, meaning the support will be English and. the " star " Australasian. Sir Rupei££Jar.c£ and Clyde Mevnell will endeavor to eslalW lish a precedent in the way of play, coinpuny, and production.