FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Evening Star, Issue 15140, 24 March 1913, Page 9

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

[By Call Boy.] BOOKINGS. His Majests's. March 25 to 29.—Richard's Vaudeville Company. April-3. Crosby-Bratmd Concert Company. April 18 to 26.—Marlow's Dramatic Company ('The Monk and the Woman'). May 16 to 22.—Maeterlinck's 'Blue Bird.' July 29 to August 7.—'Puss in Boots'' Panto. September 26 to October 2.—Julius Knight ('Milestones' and 'Bella Donna') November 19 to 27.—Royal Comic Opera Company. Pbincess Theatre. Fullers' Pictures. Ki.vg's Theatre. Brennan-Fullers' Vaudeville and Pictures. Octagon Theatre. Haywards' Pictures. New Queen-'s Theatke. Continuous Pictures. In is reported that a new continuous picture theatre is to be opened in Duncdin Uio site is said to be in George street, between St. Andrew and Hanover streets , and on tho right-hand side of the street | going northwards. j An arrangement has been arrived at | whereby a duplication of films at some of j the pu'..._■mouses of tho Dominion will be avoided. In -future different pictures will be .-craned under the different management. About 80 members of the theatrical profession, with members of Parliament, writers, and others, were present at a complimentary supper fjiven to Mr -Fred Bluett at the Green Room Club, Melbourne, recently. Mr Bluett was presented with a cheque running into three figures, and many complimentary references were made to his work as a variety artist. He has not been here for a long while, but the mere mention of his name recalls the old waxworks days. _ D'Annuneio's new drama will be entitled 'The Massacre of the Innocents,' and its action will take place during -be earliest period of the Christian epoch. The drama of the great Italian poet- will be set to music by Puccini. Slade Murray, a well-known character actor and vaudeville artist, died in Svdney jon February 28, at the age of 54 vears. Some time ago a paralytic stroke, following nn attack of fever, left him a phvsical wreck, with his memory a blank. Many happy returns: March 23.—Bert Royle. Mabel Trevor. March 25.—Blanche Browne. March 26.—Jack Ralston. Nellie Fergusson. March 29.—Kathleen Duggau. Another picture theatre is to be added to the list of Christchurch attractions, and will boopened in Cathedral square by Mr W. Yeitch in about four weeks' time. The exact- measurements of Germany's fcmous fat man. Mr Egan Cannon, who has just joined the unique Wonder Show in connection with Wirth's Circus at Sydney, are: Height, 6ft; girth, 7ft 6in ; collar, 59iin. Mr Walter Bent-ley's reappearance in Sydney the other day"in 'Hamlet' doesn't seem to have taken the people by storm. Thus the 'Sun':—" The critic hesitates to say anything unkind about so sterling an actor, on the traditional lines of ' the old school,' as Mr Bentley during his career has proved himself to be. Yet in melancholy truth it must be stated thatlast night's ' Hamlet' was an unhappy incident in Shakespearean drama. His (Mr Bentley's) voice lias naturally lost the ripe rotundity it had of old ; but in addition to this shortcoming, which-would be gladly overlooked, Mr Bentlev failed to give dramatic value to many of the most telling passages and lines. His Hamlet was Hat, and possessed no subtle meaning." 'Hamlet' had a-short life. Mr Bentley anriounces that he has quitted the stage, with which he has been identified for 40 years, and will restrict himself to teaching elocution. ° Hugh D. _ MTntosh has extended his vaudeville circuit- to the North Island of -New Zealand. For tho present, at all events, the South Island will be "cut-"" The romantic cantata, •In a, Persian barden, will shortly bo presented in the Garrison Hall. Tho artists engaged are Miss Violet Fraser (soprano). Miss Mabel Jvsqmlant (contralto). Mr John M'Grath, (baritone), and Mr Philips Newbury (tenor) Wherever this work has been presented it has won insthnt favor. The composer, Madame Liza Lehmann, has been signally successful in wedding the words of t]rePersian noei (Omar Khayyam) to the music. The scene ' Ah' Moon of My Dplight/ is, beyond doubt, one of the'most beautiful pieys of modern music. Mr Paget Gale will conduct this interesting work. Sir Frederick Cowen has a friend of over 40 years' standing with which he would not part for untold gold. This is a pianette that stands in his study—a modest little instrument little more than 3ft high, and with well-worn kevs. Everv work he has composed since the" age of 14 has been written with its aid. "It has" Sir Frederick once confessed, "helped me w , lth T ™ re than 500 songs—'The Promise of Life among them—with four symphonies—indeed, with all I have done down to my last work, 'Tho Veil' It was made in the sixties, mid has had its inside cone up once, but it sceins to me to be wearing as well as I am." Mr Arthur Bourchier, the honorary secretary ot the King George's Pension's for Actors and Actresses Fund, has received a letter intimating that His Majesty has been pleased to approve that in each f>,vi V-flwi P eri ;°"™'™»-in aid of the fund shall take place at different West End theatres Ino play selected by Hs Majesty for this year is 'London Assurance, which -will be performed by a star A terrible scene was witnessed at a New lork cinematograph theatre on January 2 During the perlormance a film took "fire" and although the flames were promptly \- unginshed by the operator, the cry "of • nr.v raised by a boy, was sufficient to svart a panic in tho crowded theatre. About a thousand men. women, and children drawn from various nationalities, fought and tore their way out of the buildihc. -" \ hc hottoni of a staircase further exit was barred by the crowd lined up for t«- o next performance, and in a few seconds there was a struggling heap of humanity. \\ hen the panic had subsided, it was found that two women had been crushed to death, while nearly a hundred other persons had sustained injuries, which, in eighteen cases, were so serious as to necessitate the conveyance of the victims to the hospital. The Futurists in Rome gave a theatrical performance recently, and before, the theatre opened distributed pamphlets comparing the city to tho lowest type of woman. The Romans were incensed, and when the play started there was a riot. They bombarded the orchestra with rotten apples, potatoes, and oranges, and the actors and actresses were howled down. In the fight that onsued many members of the aristocracy took a. hand, and ultimately the leaders of the Futurists, with' their clothing torn and faces bruised, escaped, and sought refuge in an adjoining cafe.