FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 17922, 18 March 1922, Page 10

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

It is understood that the Dominion tour of the ‘ Maid of the Mountains ’ has been cancelled, and that the Wellington dates (Easter) will he filled by a return season by Ella Shields’s vaudeville company. Mr Victor Beck is touring manager for Southwood’s Q.P. Musical Comedy Company at present doing the North Island. To show what can bo done in the way of municipal music it has practically been decided that the Auckland Municipal Choir (numbering some eighty voices) is to undertake a week’s tour during the coming winter. The towns to be visited have not yet been definitely decided upon, but it is certain that, if the tour eventuates, Hamilton and Wanganui will be included, and possibly Palmerston North and Wellington, with Hastings and Napier as an alternative.

One of the best all-round programmes seen on the vaudeville stage for months. This is the opinion generally expressed concerning the px-esent bill, and the artists who will bo seen at the Princess next week. Those specially deserving to be singled out are the Honolulu Four, with their melodious ukulele and guitar offerings ; James Teddy, in his wonderful jumping act (though one must confess that a circus ring is his proper sphere); and Taylor and Summers, a most engaging pair of comedy entertainers. Excellent ■houses have been the order of the week. Miss Ada Reeve is paying a brief visit to Melbourne. She has organised a special company to support her during her tour of the East. While they were journeying from London to Colombo she received cable intelligence of the death® of Dr M'Gillicudy, of Melbourne, who had married her daughter, and she at’once decided to come on to Australia and sec her bereaved daughter. Two of Australia’s best known local actors—a comedian and a leading man were conversing the other, day. The latter expressed the opinion, that it was unfortunate that none of the titled British theatrical celebrities had ever visited Australia. “Neither Irving, Wyndham, Tree, Alexander, nor the recentlyideceascd John Hare was seen hero,’’ ho remarked regretfully, “and I don’t suppose Du Manner or Hawtrey will ever come. We don’t know what a theatrical knight is in this country.” "Pardon me,” interposed the comedian; “you’re forgetting Julius Knight.”

The vaudeville invasion continues (says the Sydney ‘Daily Telegraph’). Practically every boat that drops anchor in Sydney Harbor has a contingent of new artists for the chain of Fuller theatres. This week the Borda brought three new English acts, and the Niagara a couple of smart American turns. Among those to appear at Fullers’ New Theatre are Jack Trent and Sadie, a vivacious pair of sketch artists who have just concluded starring engagements at the London Palace. Trent is a delightful comedian of the Johnny type—monocle and all. His partner is a character comedienne of rare ability. Other newcomers from London are Gladys and Frank Alber, a couple of breezy entertainers, with much that is new.

Ella Shields’s Dunedin season will be for four nights (March 29 to April 1). Tho Auckland ‘ Herald ’ says : “ Supporting the star of Mr Harry G. Musgrove’s company were several vaudeville' specialty artists of .more than average ability. An amazing act was that of Mr and Miss Tree,'described as musical mentalists. As an exhibition of the type of ’■thoughtreading mot unknown hero it had. features entirely different and more mystifying. There were the usual descriptions by Miss Tree,of articles handed to Mr Tree by members of the audience, but the remarkable portion of their. performance followed. Sitting blindfolded at ’a piano on the stage the lady instantly played on the instrument any, composition which any person.in front asked for in a whisper to her partner. From one selection to another she passed as rapidly as these whispers reached Mr Tree’s ears. . There v/ero no mistakes; not a piece that was requested but wis immediately played. The act created something, like a sensation.” Players of the Lyric Theatre stock company at Asbury. Park, New Jersey, U.S.A., in what is believed to be the first strike of its kind on record, have

refused to act in Avery Hopwood’s farce, ‘ Our Little Wife ’ —Mr Hopwood’s latest attempt to shock the New_ York public — on the ground that it is indecently suggestive. Miss Edna Pcckham, the company’s “leading lady,” who headed the strikers, particularly objected 'to lines | which she was called on to speak in an attempt to invade a bachelor’s bedroom. Tho manager of the company has accepted the inevitable, recalled all his posters, “cut” his financial losses, and announces that the new play’s predecessor will, continue for another week. A new theatre record has just been set up; the famous Daly's piece, ‘ The’ Merry Widow,’ has just passed the £1,000,000 mark in takings. From figures just received from tho United States, where the play is now on tour, the takings since it opened in London, to December 31, 1921, totalled £1,003,992. But these figures oven, amazing as they are, do not look like standing long, for ‘The Merry Widow ’ has a very serious rival. That other famous Daly’s production, ‘ Tho Maid of the Mountains,’ which already holds- the record for the number of performances, is hot on tho track of tho ‘Widow.’ Up to December 31 last 'The Maid of the Mountains’ had played to £977,640—£26,352 behind ‘The Merry Widow ’ figures.. Both •plays are still going strong, but with, the advantage to the more recent production. By the end of the run of tho revival at Daly’s on February 4, the difference between _ the takings of the two productions will, it is anticipated, have been reduced to a little over £5,C00. This balance will be reversed, however, by the decision which Mr Robert Evett, managing director of Daly’s, has just made—to take ‘ The Maid of the Mountains,’ with Miss Jose Collins and full London cast, on tour in the largest towns and cities of Britain. This tour will start directly the present London revival finishes. Birmingham ‘ Weekly Post ’ of January 14. Newman has been concentrating the interest of tile world on billiards by his recent wonderful play. His record break of 1,274 dwarfs the feats of that great veteran of the billiard world, John Roberts. Pathe’s have chosen this opportunity, when billiards is claiming the' public eye, to present on the screen a study of t; idc strokes. The method of showing such pictures has been improved upon by the introduction of the glow-motion camera. The pictures reveal the behaviour of the balls under certain conditions in a manner that is impossible when such shots are played at high speed. Allan Wilkie and his Shakespearean company have entered on a lengthy season in Melbourne.

Allen Doone, the romantic Irish actor, is in Sydney for a< brief holiday sojourn. He has returned from a season in South Africa. He made such a hit in Africa in an American comedy farce, ‘Broadway Jones,’ that he has made arrangements to present himself in this daring departure before Sydney audiences.

A J, C. Williamson attraction in Melbourne at Easter will be the first-produc-tion in Australia of ‘The First Year,’ which will be staged by a new company headed by the American actor, Phillips Read. The author of ‘The First Year,’ which is described as “a comic tragedy of married life,” is Frank Craven, the famous American comedy star. 'Mr Craven and John Golden, who presented tho play in New York, where it recently completed the second year of its run, personally selected Mr Read to play the leading foie in the J. 0. Williamson production in Australia. It is safe to say (remarks the Sydney ‘Daily Telegraph’) that most of our young Australian artists cherish the hope of a visit to the art centres of the Old World. And this is only natural. - The artist-matures by broader influences and travel, and benefits in culture and polish to an extent that is not. obtainable by other moans. The latest departure from the Conservatorium on the art pilgrimage is Mies Dagmar Thomson, who has booked her passage in- the Orvieto, leaving on March 18. The well-known violinist is‘a member of the teaching staff 1 of the Conservatorium, and has been given twelve months’ leave. She has appeared' with marked success as a soloist with the State Orchestra, both here and in New Zealand, and also in her own periodical recitals, the proceeds of which during war time jvere entirely devoted to war funds.

The little town of Palestrina, some thirty miles from Rome, was recently gay with flags and decorations; its smalt and tortuous streets thronged with people intent on l celebrating the erection of a memorial to Giovanni Pier Luigi da Palestrina, one of the world’s greatest musicians j tho prince of sacred music and more the real pride of Palestrina than even its art treasures, which include a little marble chapel with fine sculptures bv Bernini and Michelangelo, The sup™o castles of tho Colonna and Savelli families were razed to the ground in the destruction of the city at tho time the adherents of the Colonnas had taken refuge there. The statue of the musician is the work of Aroaldo Zocchi, who executed the stupendous statue of Colombus that was erected lately at Buenos Ayres.. The Palestrina monument is in Carrara marble, me;rsuring, with tho pedestal, about 26ft in height. The inscription, in Italian, is eloquently simple, and runs: “To Giovanni Pier Luigi da Palestrina, the Prince of Music.” Some of Palestrina’s music was sung by a special choir under the direction of Mgr. Raphael Casimiri, tho director of the Lateran Choir. He is said to be accumulating fame as the first living interpreter of Pier Luigi’s music. So, 400 and more years after Ijis death, the greatest of Italy’s musicians is finally honored with-a worthy monument in the village which gave him birth.

PROFIT-SHARING PLAYS

PLAN TO HELP WORKLESS ACTORS.

A novel scheme has been founded in London for the relief of unemployed actors (states the ‘Daily Mail’). It is called the actors’ unemployment fund, and aims at. creating work for members of the profession who are out of engagements by running profit-sharing companies. At the inaugural meeting at the London headquarters 'of the Actors’ Association it was stated that the scheme is not intended to be in, competition with managers. Wherever openings present themselves companies will bo sent out by the fund, and only members of the Actors’ Association will bo employed. There will bo a minimum salary of £3 a week, and the pooled profits after deducting 40 per cent, for the fluid will be divided among the companies. A casting committee will be appointed to be responsible for the good casting of all plays, which may range from .Shakespearean tragedy to revue. Misa Adeline Bourne, who presided, said that although unemployment among chorus girls was reduced during the pantomime teason, 50 per cent, of tho profession are without cn-' gageraents.