FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 15539, 8 July 1914, Page 3

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By Locterkb.] Alias Doily Castles will be principal girl in Williamson’s next pantomime—‘ Cinderella.’ Miss Kura Rcnnelt. the contralto, who is said to have made a very successful debut in London under the direction of Arthur Sharwin is a native of Greymouth. but spent most of her life in Christchurch, where her father was an inspector of schools. Air Reynolds Denniston is reported to be busy promoting a country amusements scheme for Australia. His idea is fo collect a company of players and to give one performance a month in about 20 selected

countrv towns. The financial side of the scheme is to be based upon a company which will have shareholders in the various places to be visited, and by this means it is' hoped that the interest in the company's productions will be maintained. In fact it is something like a touring reoertcrv theatre.

One of the leading picture firms in Australia intends building- a new and up-to-date theatre in the heart ot Hobart at a cost of £20,000. Madame Clara Hurt had a novel experience during her Canadian season last winter. She says : " Once we sang in a converted skating r-nk. it being a free/, ingly cold night. L drove right into the budding in a. motor car, and remained in it in full view of the audience, wrapped in my furs. I got out of the motor car and mounted the platform, and sang when the time came-, returning to the car when my numbers were finished. t Peter Dawson, who is accepted as tne onl'- t-mc basso profundo of England, has arrived in Australia for a 12-wccks’ concert season. . „ .Miss Ellen Toiry will give one farewell recital in Wellington to-morrow ;Thursdav) evening, and sails on I-riday for Sydney, where almost on arnvid she will appear with the Actors Association in ■ the Merchant of Venice/ The cast of characters will include Nellie- Mewait, Essie Jennings, Walter Bentley, Geo. Tiiheradge, and Harry Boherts. It should be a notable production. The J. C. Williamson Dramatic Company engaged in London to play Mithru the" Law * in South Africa, includes several artists well known to New Zealand plav-goers, notably. Mr A. >■ Homewood am] 'his wife (.loan Blair), who appeared with the late ' Herbert Fleming in * T.ie Morals of Marcus.’ and * Ihe Mummy of ifumni’.ng Bird.’ The repertory of tins company will also embrace ’ The Arygle Case’ and ' Bought and Paid I'or. two plays, that New Zealand will see played bv'another Williamson combination. 'll is said that efforts are being made to induce Caruso to visit the Antipodes. According to report a guarantee from New Zetland has been secured, and it remains only to arrange financial details at the Australian end. M. Paderewski, who has given between 70 and 80 recitals during his ninth tour of America, is by this time hohdaymaking at Kiond Besson, his Swiss e-tato at Murges, eight miles from Lausanne. Mme Paderewski, writing to Mr John Lemmons, who directed the great pianists last Australian season, points out that thrv have signed contracts for only 30 concert in the I’nited States, starting next January, "after which it will be sctasv and idc'.sant to revisit your dear country, and such is our intention. Harry Lauder, the .great Scotch comedian. who is now achieving a tremendous success in Australia, confesses that he is no musician, and is quite unable to put in musical symbols the melodies that ho rnrne.'S*’s to his songs. When Lauder composes a fresh song, he is never at a loss for a suitable melody to fit the words, but he has to employ the services of a musician to transfer the air to pap>er. Miss Billie Burke, the idol of New York public, was married at New Jersey in April to "Flo'’ Ziegfeld. probably the most original and enterprising of the American producers. Ziegfeld as a publicity-getter has all his confreres "licked to a frazzle.’’ and the- story ot his marriage is the story of one of the biggest publicity stannts he has ever secur'd. In that month of April New York newspapers had ’“copy ’ better than anything theatrical, in chronicling the end of” the notorious gunmen, and theatre publicity agents were* all waiting till the end of‘the” sordid drama in Sing Sing prison released the attention of the public. Ziegfeld had been courting Billie Burke for” some time, and (so the story runs) they determined to marry on the day of the execution of the gunmen. Next day the Ziegfeld-Burke marriage was featured alongside the murderers’ end. Ziegfeid, by the way. was formerly ' married to Anne Held. Mr Duncan Xeven, avho is in charge of the New Zealand tour of the famous violinist .Miseha Elman (who plays in Dunedin next week) is solo lessee of His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth. Mrs Hornabrook- who will be known to New Zealanders as Miss Bessie Vivian, died suddenly on a train in .Sydney a. week ago. Forty-eight years ago Miss Vivian commenced her stage career with .Mrs Hubert T. Heir (afterwards Mrs George Dan-ell), and subsequently appeared with Marie Durct, George Rignold, and Grattan Riggs. Her final appearance was made in Tasmania with Riggs in Lonn the Shaughraun.’ David Uevant. the London magician, long of the Egyptian Hall, took part in a wonderful programme of entertainment given on board the A.quitania prior to her sailing on her maiden voyage. Miss Vesta Tilley declined a week’s important engagement in order not to be prevented appearing at the "’God-speed” send-off to the great liner. The other performers included George Robey, Barclay Gammon, Violet Essex, the Grotesques, Arthur Prince, and Tiller’s ‘Sunshine’ Girls, Over 5,000 people were present at Miseha Elman’s first .Melbourne concert on June 6, and he was inundated with floral trophies at the conclusion. Among these was a laurel wreath from Madame Melba, with a ribbon bearing the inscription " To Miseha from Melba,” obtained for Madame Melba through her Australian representative (Mr John Lemmone). Attached to the laurel wreath was a personal letter from Madame Melba, dated Paris, April 22, as follows: My dear Miseha,—l am so very sorry I cannot be in my country to wish you the triumphs you are sure to have, so I send you this little wreath to show you I am* thinking of you. Please go and stay at my httle country home when you have a holiday. My son, George Armstrong, will he delighted to have you. All good wishes for happiness and success, --prom >«<ut-s affectionately,.Nellie Melba..

Elman was touched by tin- appreciation, and also by: a cable he received, irony Lord Rothschild* wishing his success. Elman frequently, when in London, performs at Lord Rothschild's private home. ‘ The Rosary.’ with that notable American actor Harrington Reynolds''appearing in the role of Father Kelly, drew capacity business in Wellington,- and is now duplicating the success ,in .Christchurch.; The play is described os/ a.’ very!' •bea.utitni. homely drama—the story of a year in the life of a big. warm-souled priest—-and it combines moving dramatic scenes with u rich vein of comedy. The Dunedin season commences on the 15th inst. Those who were privileged last, Saturday or Monday to hear Miss Ellen Terry would note that the. one , sign of years in

her work was an occasional lapse of memory. This is a failing not uncommon with actors, oven those who were the best ‘‘studies’’ in their youth. Sir Herbert Tree is a persistent offender, and the story runs that on the first night of ‘ Pygmalion,' at His Majesty's, London, the actormanager forgot his lines so much, and gave his leading lady the. wrong cues so often, that .Mrs Pat. Campbell became furious with him, and after the performance informed him, for the edification of bis company, that he ‘‘was no liettor than a amateur.” (From Saturday's ‘Sports Special.’) ‘ Tile Times ’ states that the body of Madame Nordica, the famous singer, who

died in Batavia, was brought to London. It was embalmed, and placed in a leaden shell within ■ U sarcophagus made from two teak trees, embellished with a beau-tifully-shaped lotus flower of Chinese workmanship. The remains have been cremated and placed in a bronze casket within the sarcophagus, and will be taken to America for interment. Caruso has.. just ( signed, under the direction of.. the, 1 Metropolitan of New York, n new engagement for the year 1915.' It is reported' that the terms of the engagement are that ho shall receive £6OO for each appearance. It is announced already that the price of seats for each .performance will be a record.Mr Oscar Hanimerstcin has h«?n defeated in his project to become a manager

of opera once again in New York. The 1 Court of Appeal, by a derision recently, \ affirmed tho judgment of the lower court, restraining him and his son Arthur from producing opera either in New Pork or Boston, until April 26. 1920. John Fuller, jam, announces in a private letter from ’Frisco that lie expects to bo in Wellington the first week ot August. Most of the time Mr Fuller is spending in Fan Francisco, but he intends visiting Los Angeles and Seattle.