FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 16090, 15 April 1916, Page 5

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By Loiterkb.]

Tho Australian mimic Albert Whelan has been engaged for a fourth tour of the United States "big-time" music halls. Whelan appeared in Dunedin under special engagement with tho Pollard Opera Company as Ichabod Bronson in 'The Bcllo of_ New York." His performance was said to bo an almost perfect imitation of tho ill-fated Oscar Girard, who created the part in Australia.

Dorothy Gardner, tho Dunedin singer and comedienne, who became one of the big drawing cards in Branscombe's Violet Dandies, is reported to havo severed 'her connection with that company. Frederic Shipman has been "in Dunedin this week completing arrangements for Paul Dufault's premiere on April 24. The Canadian tenor is duo in Wellincton about the 20th.

According to a Sydney paper Dorothy Brunton is the firat Australian musical comedy actoess to score "the century" at the head of a cast in Sydnev, ' So Long, Letty' having passed its hundredth performance tho other day. If mv memory does not betray me, Miss Carrie- Moore won a similar honor in tho first run of 'l< torodora ' in Melbourne. That was a tine cyst, including Wallace Brownlow, Huo;h Ward, and Grace Palotta, It is stated that Maud Allan, tho American dancer who toured New Zealand, lies in a critical condition in a Now lork hospital, complications having followed an operation for appendicitis. Harold Ashton, the new member of the J. C. Williamson directorate, will be in London shortly, and is duo back in Australia within the next three months. Hubert Marshall-Hal!, a son of tho late. Professor Marshall-Hall, has accepted an engagement as first violin at the Garnek Theatre, London. It Ik stated that Air Brodia Alack. n . brother-in-law of Air Will Douglas (coueral manager of Fullers' vaudeville enterprises), has been appointed assistant manager to Mr Walter Fuller, who controls the Now Zealand end.

Alfred Kaufmann, iho baritone of John M'Cormaek's Concert Companv, was recently engaged to sing in -rand opera in Centra! America. Thomas Knight Aston. a tenor with too Dunning and Wallace's Comic Opera Company, which opened in Melbourne in 1802, died in Australia recently. Max SeLnshy, a famous Russian violinist, who studied under Professor Anes at the fame time as Mischa Elman and Leo Chermavsky, passed through Auckland a week ago to commence his colonial concert tour in Australia, lie expects to touv New Zealand towards the- end of the year. Lan Maclaren, last season leading man with Granville Barker, 13 to become the producing head of a theatrical firm in Australia, where ho is now playing under tho direction of J. 0. Williamson, Ltd.— Xew York 'Dramatic Mirror.' The Prince Musical Comedy Revue Company enter upon the last week of a sevenweek season at the Princess Theatre on Monday night, and their final vehicle of fan—'The Harem Scai-om Girls'—is idiomatically at least the most consequential of their productions. The story narrates tho adventures of a party of white travellers captured by Arabs while crossing the Arabian desert. The comedy angle of the situation is well conceived, arising out of the capture of (1) Sarah Potter (Miss Lilian Colenso), a missionary, come to convert tho inmates of the harem ; (2) the Italian merchant Stromboii; and (3) Joseph Tollyboy, an amorous Englishman, keen on Eastern beauty. The scenic investiture is announced to bo tumsuallv fine. Mrs H. P>. Scotnuy, of Clifton" Hill. Melbourne, has received a cable message that her daughter, Madame Evclvn Sc.ot-ney-White. will leave America for Australia on April 9. It was in February, 1910, that she left Melbourne. For ' a time she was under Marchesi in Paris and Tosti in England, Later she was engaged as leading soprano of tho Boston Opera Company (in 1012-13), and for two years she has been touring America wiih her own company. Her husband. M.r Howard White, is a bass singer, and also a 'cellist. The circumstiintiallv authenticated rumor that Lieutenant Hugli Buckler had lost, a leg in Gallipoli fighting is happilv' contradicted. Lance-corporal Harry Marter (of Sydney), writing"to Iris father from Alexandria, on Fcbruavv 10, states : "'The Tops' front A.exandria have been showing here for two nights; they are fine. The male performers are all in the army, find tho ladies of the cast are officers' wives. Hugh Buckler and Violet Paget appeared last night, and

came in for tibia; reception. It was like old times seeing them on the stage. Tlieir extra number was the third act of ' The Gay Lord Quex ' (Pinerol, and the cast was : —Lord Quex, Hugh Buckler: Sophie Fulgarney, Violet Paget; Her Grace the Duchess of Strocd, Dorothy Lloyd." For one of their February concerts at tho Queen's Hall in London (writes the ' Australasian's ' correspondent) the Royal Philharmonic Society relacted Madamo Lisa Stralia, of Australia, as tho soloist. In all musical circles there is no morn eagerly sought after honor than an invitation from this royal society to appo.'.r at oiio of their concerts. It is only accorded to artists of the first rank who have made an assured and recognised position. For instance, the previous perform-

ance was devoted to Paehmann. who v.-:>s awarded tho coveted gold medal of the society. How rarelv a vocalist i- commanded may lie, gathered from the fact that during" the Est 10 years the only singers who have been so honored were Patti, Melba, Tetra/zmi, and (."I aa: I'.mi. .Madame E!sa S'tralia was known in. private life in Australia as Miss Lisa Fischer. Peter Dawson, the celebrated baritone, who is still starring with signal success in the Hugh 1). ei'lntosh theatre in Sydney, recently talked to an interviewer about New Zealand. Tie said: "Despite all we lie-n' about the Dominion's advanced kghlation. the country is essentially ai-erva-live, and regards every new thing with a good cleai of suspicion. Very loyal to fi. old loves is Xew Zealand. Shig any song endeared by memories, and you're right. Appeal to any good old-fashioned Dr..eh sentiment, and the people are with yon eordia.iy. P." a cheerful country, even when it is hi appearance » iride dour ou top. Everywhere 1 went. I received pn-'h l'i'r-piiaiity, such kindness, as it, warms, my heart to remember. . . . Their

kindness is more fhan skin deep. They really like to make people happy. As a general rule, the brighter ami gayer a simw is tho better New Zealand null likeit-. ■ • - Give my love to Xew Zea-

land. I mean it." ' -\f. Albert Xeekelsoun. the Parisian

master of legerdemain now appearing at the Princess Theativ. j s a mueh-wavelieu artist, whose skill is attested by playbills and Press criticisms from almost all tin; big cities ni the world. He is sln'evu a "shir'' attraction in Paris. Xew York, and London, and in the world tour upon which lie embarked some two years ago. he lias given ''lone hand '' entertainments at Toneriife. Colombo, P.ombay, Calcutta, ami Java. He has two souvenirs of price • —one, a medallion presented to him on the occasion of his appearance in the saLo of the French President of the Chamber of Commerce (M. Lalande), and the other a gold handled walking stick presented by the Emperor of Java (Pahoe Boewono. X.') and inscribed P.P., X. M. Xeckelsomi speaks English with difficulty, and couse quently his act for the music hall stage is a silent one, embracing only one half of his craft. His letters of credit show that he is something more than a sleight of hand adept, having remarkable hypnotic powers. Like every other Frenchman, M. Noc-kelsomi has served his military term, ami ho was hurt in the big annual manoeuvre near the now historic Vordun some

years ago. The new Australian stage magazine, 'The Green Boom,' nails to the counter the oft-reiterated plaint, "give Australians a chance," contending that merit on the stage can win recognition in Australia more speedily than elsewhere. The writer claims that managers are constantly giving Australians changes, and constantly being discouraged, and after referring t-o Australians who have won out (such as Dorothy Brnnton and Beatrice Hollo-way) ho gives instances in support of ins main argument (not mine, remember), one as under: "In 'Under Fho' Miss Beatrice Hollowny, an

Australian girl, is ph.ying a smalt part which, by sheer artistry and intelligence, she makes an essential feature of the play, such as the play is. But for a week or two Miss Ilolloway I\;d to go to Melbourne to take the p; i't of AEss Myrtle Tannehill, who was jr : k. On that Miss Holloway's par'j in ' Under Firo' was taken by Miss Sylvh Bremer. Such a catastrophe as it prow 1! But what Australian girl has had more chances in drama than Mis* Sylvi'- Bremer has?"

SNAPS IN TDK! STUDIOS.

George. Bunny, brot : : ;r of tho late John Bunny, is now appear'Vtg in pictures, and will be seen in tho releases of tho Vitagraph Company. In aco and figure he bears a g?eat rese-nb 1 nco to the famous John. When Sir Herbert ; roe arrived at Los Angeles to appear in -t Fine Arts screen version of ' Macbeth a bodyguard of Western cowbovs rod behind his car on the run to the studio, :-nd made much gun play. Sir Herbert v. s accompanied by his daughter Iris. Moving pictures arc low being produced in Auckland, that 'own having been selected as a locale b\ reason of its wonderful atmosphere aii' ; consequent splendid lighting effects k be obtained. Tho company engaged in -reducing these pictures aro the "Soui-ieru Cross Photoplays," and the intoni on of the company is to produce featuro Mamas dealing with Now Zealand life and scenery. R-awdon Blandford, who was "'ormerly associated with tho J. C. Will id uson companies, is produce!.' for tho company. The first effort, entitled 'Tho Tr t,' was written by William Satchell, of Auckland, and deals with life in the New i'ealand bush.

Tho famous pictm— play entitled 'The P'irlh a; a Nat'on,' h::s been secured by J C. Williamson, Ltd . for Australia. It will be screened fir "the first time in Sydney Tlicittre Iloyal ou Easter Saturday ' The Birth of a iSrvtioii' ran in New York for over a year i< prices of admission the same as charged *'or a star theatre prodaction, and the dttemion it attracted was world wide. The oicti'ro was produced by Griffiths, the i:rea< :st of all moving picture producers. whose sslr.ry is £2(3,000 per year. During its ~l:G'..'ing in New York it was witnessed by ovrr a million people. Anna Held, the veil-known French actress, lias made lir. - . saven debut recently in the faYce-come!/ -Madame. La Presidentc,' to tho immense discomfiture of her £6OO pot. Pekinese do.cr. The New York 'Mirror' relates that "at tho first sight of ii.-t mistress o: *'-i<> screen tho dog ■whined, then and then broke into a frenzied the side of its tn:.--;reso tip and down the projecting room, finally trying to bite, the flickering picture ;ts .ji, jumped, on tlio screen." In the east r.if the production, by the 'vay, 'ls Ly-iia Teamans Titus, the impersonator, who appeared here rider the Fuller banner.