FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 19044, 12 September 1925, Page 15

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

The delightful Veterans of Variety, whose work carries us back to the pleasant leisurely and melodious days of variety thirty years ago, will present new selections at the Princess nest week. The new Moon and Morris Revue for Monday is ‘The Nino O’clock Rovuo.’ ‘ The Village Minister,’ the new sketch Jimmy Taylor and Dorothy Summers are to present at the Princess Theatre on Monday, is said to bo, quite one of the most enjoyable acts seen in this city. In it Mr Taylor dares to depart from the conventional and more or less assuredly successful path, bo far as the taste of a normal audience goes. He has noticed, too, that when a parson speaks ho does not so much w sing ” what he says as impart to each work a special and deliberate study of enunciation—a habit, which, to their credit, ministers have unconsciously acquired from much public speaking in rooms ill-fitted for the purpose. So that, instead of the usual curate’s sonorous sing-sing, there is something more subtle about this blandly smilingly old man, who entertains at his village concert; and the way he is apt to say " Doe-roe-thy!” *nd, again, “ to relievo the ‘ moeuotseny ’ of the evening ” (it is difficult to exactly express the thing in print) is richly observant. It is all so different from usual travesty, which relies on such mildewed monstrosities as I shall not be the-ah.” Few artists have travelled the world bo extensively as Violet Victoria, the vivacious singer and dancer who is appearing in Fuller vaudeville at the Princess on Monday. Miss Victoria was born in South Africa, and made her first appearance on any stage at the age of fifteen. She was so successful in'the chorus that, after the second rehearsal she was taken out of the ranks and entrusted with the part of Henri in*‘La Poupoe,’ in which she scored a great success. She followed tliis up with big parts in ‘ The Belle of New York’ and ‘The Chinese Honeymoon.’ Whilst in Africa she was associated with Ada Reeve in musical comedy and rovuo, which she helped to produce. Sho was also connected with another actress well known to Australian audiences, in Muriel Starr, with whom she played in ‘Secrets,’ now running in Australia. Miss Victoria has toured every country in the world, with the exception of Australasia, which sho is now visiting for the first time. She has penetrated the innermost depths of Rhodesia, and oven acted in Bagdad, and was for years with African Theatres, Ltd.

Sir John Taifc is returning to Australia by way of America this month. Messrs Williamson are arranging for a new company of artists to tour the dominion with Gilbert and Sullivan operas. This company will leave England in March next. The management is redressing all the parts. Australian advices state that Maurice Tuohy and Frank Neil have started a stock dramatic company in Melbourne.

The Nellie Bramley Company is _in operation once again, a season being opened most auspiciously at the Palace Tneatre, Sydney, with ‘Fair and [Warmer.’

Madame Amy Sherwin is now widely known as a teacher of singing. The one-time “Tasmanian Nightingale” has established a recognised name in London in that capacity, and has purchased a picturesque house in the Finchley road, St. John’s Room, formerly the residence of an R.A., now deceased. The studio servos as a concert hall and for rehearsing operatic scenes. Madame Amy_ Sherwin’s daughter, Jeanette Sherwin, lias been on the stage for ten years under that name, and is married to a comedian named James Jolly.

Three new plays will be staged in Australia at Christmas and afterwards played in New Zealand. Special artists from Loudon will fill tho loading parts. The first of these pieces is the musical comedy 1 Katja,’ which has been such a great success at the Gaiety Theatre in London. ‘ Toll Me More ’ will also bo played. This revue is at present being plaved at the Winter Garden, with Heather Thatcher and Leslie Henson in the lending parts. The third is another musical play, ‘ Rose Mario,’ which is proving an immense success at Drury Lane. It is a romcnce of the Canadian Rockies.

Just seven years ago_ Minnie Everett’s dancing classes included three girls who have since done well on the stage,, and who are now together in ‘ Kid Boots.’ Chief of these was Josie Melville,, who was then having her first lessons in dancing. The ballet was her coal, hut she attained it long ago, and has since endeared herself to Australian theatregoers as a musical comedy itar as well as a. solo dancer. The ether two are Gladys Hermes, who appears as George Grotty’s partner, and Nellie Hutton, the little girl who made quite a hit in the “shimmy shako ” in ‘Good Morning, Dearie.’ ‘Little Jessie James' is now in its ninth week at the Sydney Grand Operahouse. Theatregoers are embracing every opportunity of saying farewell to Dorothy Brunton before the popular little star sails for London. Miss Brunton’s contract with the Hugh J. Ward management expires shortly, and it is her intention to leave for England immediately afterwards, where a healthy contract awaits her. In the meantime all Sydney' is flocking over and oyer again to enjoy this syncopated musical comedy, in which Miss Brunton has one of the best parts that, has fallen to her lot since her return from abroad. Harry Angers, a brilliant young English comedian, has distinguished himself in the new piece, in which he receives splendid support from a round of favorites, including Leslie Pearce, Lcyland Hodgson, Elsie Parkes, Dancing M‘Leans, and others.

So many years have passed since Now Zealanders were favored with grand opera on a really adequate scale that the news will be particularly welcome of a visit next year of the Gonsaloz Grand Opera Company. Many kind memories of this talented combination are entertained by New Zealand musiclovers, who have not forgotten the last occasion on which it visited here in 1916-17. Mr A. Folli. who is now in Auckland as manager of the Australian and New Zealand tour of the Sistine Choir Soloists, has been appointed manager for the company during an Australian tour, commencing at Sydney in April next year, and ho says it is practically certain that the company will come to New Zealand. The repertoire will include certain operas never presented here before, and among the singers will be a famous Italian lyric tenor, Del Ry.

• [By LOITERER.]

Jot&igi on tli© people of the Stage and Screen and oh the latest recorded Music.

Air E. J. Gravestock’s concert attractions for next year will be Wilhelm Backhaus, the famous pianist, in the early part of the year, and Madame Frieda Hempcl, the well-known prima donna, about August. Air Gravestock is also endeavoring to arrange for the visit of the London Symphony Orchestra, with Sir - Thomas Beecham as conductor.

Paul Althouso, the famous tenor, had the good fortune to bo associated with Caruso at the Alotropolitan Opera, New York. “ Being near this wonderful man was an inspiration,said Air AJthouse. “ During my nine years of singing at the Metropolitan I watched him constantly, and listened always to him whenever he sang. One could learn constantly from this wonderful artist by the process of close observation. When I first joined the Alotropolitan 1 discovered the great secret of Caruso’s success, it was not duo alone to his voice, matchless though it was, nor to his natural gifts. His career was made through a combination of rare intelligence and industry. None of us can hope to approach his artistry, yet wo can at least strive to lake advantage of time by using it profitably, and never slackening our energies to reach the goal of perfection and success.” Atr Florenz Ziegfeld, producer of Ziegfeld's Follies, New York, has selected two girls out of 400 applicants. One h a Sydney girl, Aliss Blanche Satchel, aged about seventeen years. “1 made my first appearance in Sydney in 1910, as Lord Fauntleroy,” said Aliss Satchel. In the last six years 1 have studied dancing and singing. Two mouths ago mother brought me to London, where I joined Prince’s Follies. Atr Ziegfeld hardly looked at me, but asked mo to return later. When I returned Air Ziegfeld said: ‘ You sail for America on Wednesday.’ lam cabling to father in Sydney. He will miss me, but he will understand.” Aliss Satchel, who was formerly in the ballet of J. 0. Williamson pantomimes, is described as “ a golden haired girl, with roguish curbs and brown eyes, and a slight figure.” St. James’s Theatre, Sydney, now being erected by the Ward-Fuller management, is gradually assuming proportions that impress the visitor. The land, which runs from Castlcreagh street to Elizabeth street, was purchased at £I,OOO per font, and has 100 ft frontage to both thoroughfares. The building, which will be twelve stories in height, includes two theatres, one to seat 1,800 people, and a roof garden theatre—to bo served by enormous elevators—to scat 1,600. The building will cost something like £300,000, so that, with the laud, its total cost will bo round about £IOO,OOO. It is the present intention of the management to open the new theatre at Easter with ‘ No, No, Nanette,’ the musical comedy which has made a very decided hit at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, and is likely to run there for some months to 1 come.

As already announced, definite arrangements have been made with Madame Pavlova, the great Russian dancer, to tour Australia and New Zealand. Sir John Tait, when in London, interested himself in this matter. It is expected that Pavlova and her party of forty dancers will sail for Australia about February, and the season should open in r the middle of March. After the Australian season the parly will proceed to New Zealand. Recently the great Russian dancer has been performing in America, and she also had a season in Paris last June. Jn October she opens at Covont Garden, and it is tho Covent Garden party intact, who are all Russians, which will go out with her to tho dominions. The ballets which will bo performed, eight in number, will be the same as those presented in London. .Madame Pavlova will take with her her own special costumes and scenery. A special dancing floor will also bo taken out to lay over ft;o stages in tho various theatres. In Australia an orchestra of thirty people will be organised. "With the great expense of transporting such a large party of artists, tho Williamson management will probably have to charge the high prices necessary on such special occasions. Best scats will probably bo a guinea. This is the first time Pavlova has toured in the Southern Hemisphere, though she has been to raauw countries of the Northern Hemisphere, including the Far East. Floio Align is appearing as Aggie Lynch in 'Within tho Law ’ with Muriel Starr and Frank Harvey. This role was played in the first colonial production by Mary Worth. Floie Allan has not previously played outside of musical plays, with the exception of her appearance as Puck in Oscar Ascho’s production of ‘A. Midsummer Night's Dream ’ —her first appearance in a. speaking role on the stage. On tho silver wedding anniversary of the marriage of Dame Clara Butt and Kennerley Rnmford, which was celebrated in London recently before their departure for Australia, Dame Clara Butt was asked what she considered tho secret of a happy marriage. Tho famous cont ralto replied: “To work hard; to understand and so contrive to seek happiness first within tho house and not outside of it; to share the joys and the trials—this is to realise the fulfilment of the law of lovO, and to ensure that you will bo happy though married for twenty-five years.” By the way, accompanying the singers to Australia is tho parrot which was given them when they were last in Australia. It is now a full-grown bird, with an extensive vocabulary.