FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 19310, 24 July 1926, Page 15

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By LOITERER.]

Walter Vernon, the popular ventriloquist and his jovial little pal, “ Jes«,V ; will make a welcome reappearance at tbo Princess on Monday next. Sir Vernon, besides being a ventriloquist, has a fine baritone voice, and Iris vocal solos are a big feature of the act. His quips with “Jerry” are the essence of dean wit and humor, -and their vocal scenas call for hearty laughter and applause--Reg. Thornton, the ■“ Kangaroqsta,” now appearing in Fuller vaudeville with his “Chicken Doris,” was educated st the North Sydney Grammar School. At school be showed great promise in the first eleven as a cricketer, gaining his colors in IDO9-10. His colleagues consisted of such well-known cricketing celebrities as Jack Gregory, the late Dr Tozor, 11. J. A. Massie, W. L. Trennery, and C. M. Boyce. The Con Moreni Silk Stocking Revue CA.npany will present next Monday ‘Ginger and Pep’—a. series of delightful little comedy sketches, tuneful melodics, attractive ballots, and pretty' frocks. The comedy parts in the sketches will ho in the capable hands of Mr Con Moreni, and the final sketch, ‘The Village Pantomime’ is one long scream. Special attention lias been paid to tljo vocal items, and tho dance specialities will also he a feature of the show. Tito Gilbert and Sullivan season in Melbourne is- nearing the end. The company will go from Melbourne to Brisbane, and then there will ho a tour of New.. Zealand. As Gilda in ‘ Rigoletto,’ Amelita Galli-Curci has been singing to an audience of 8,600 at Cleveland, Ohio. Mr Maurice Ralph, well-known to showmen throughout New Zealand, is now very busy making arrangements I for the New Zealand tour of Bnckhaus, I the world-famous pianist, which com-1 mences under the direction of Mr E. J.Gravestock. Bnckhaus opens inAuekalvnd on July 31.

The Ward-Fuller Comedy Company, engaged to play ‘Abie’s Irish Hose,’ arrived in Sydney by the Sierra, and after a Press lunch left for Melbourne, where the play will have its first showing. It is confidently hoped that the new roof garden theatre on top of the St. James will be finished in time to transfer them to Sydney for Christmas. Toti Dal Monte will commence her New tour at Auckland instead of Wellington, giving her first concert at the Town Hall to-night. The famous Italian singer is visiting Australia and New Zealand during the “off” season in America, and, while it will not bo possible to hear her in actual grand opera season, such ns brought her fame in the older countries of the world, she ■ will nevertheless sing many of the great arias from Italian grand opera with which her name has become associated. _ Two members of the new J. C. Williamson Company now appearing in ‘ Polly With a Past ’ at the Sydney Criterion, made the trip to Australia a honeymoon one. These are Dorothy Faiio_ and Antony Holies, who were married a day or two before sailing. , Miss Fane was for some time one of the leading movie stars in England, and played leads in such films as 1 lieside the Bonny Briar Bush,’ ‘ The Lights o’ London,’ and ‘Bulldog prnramqnd.’ She began her career in farce with Cyril Maude.

Ward Morgan, who was so seriously injured in the Brisbane express train smash, is progressing favorably, though it will be a very long time before be is able to be moved from the hospital at Muswellbrook, where bo was taken after the accident. Ho has received over 3,000 letters of sympathy, but is unable to hold a pen or pencil to answer any of them. A recent picture of him, smiling from his hospital bed, has reassured many of bis friends and admirers of his progress. In the ‘ Katja ’ Company be was, perhaps, the most popular member of them all with his comrades. Mario Burke’s mother has gone to live near the hospital at Scone, where her daughter still is, though convalescing now, and she is able to devote much of her time to visiting them both.

The lot of the touring theatrical company is not always an enviable one, as witness the strenuous programme of the ‘ Optimists.’ On Tuesday, July 6, the company played in Taihape aml the next night in Blenheim. The Taihape ‘Times’ tells how it was done The members of the company finished their performance at about 10.30 last evening, after which they packed their costumes and props, and left by the 4.15 a.ra. limited for Wellington. They were due in Wellington at 9.30, and had to embark for Picton at 3 p.m. Upon arrival in Picton they are to entrain immediately for Blenheim, where ihey will arrive about 8 o’clock, and must be prepared to go on the stage at 8.15.”

As an example of the cost of modern theatrical production, it is stated that the expenses of ‘ Pose Mario ’ since that musical play was first produced on March 20, 1925 ,at Drury Lane Theatre, London, have exceeded £250,000, some of the principal items of expenditure being:—Artists, £66,000; authors and composers; £29,000; orchestra, £13,800; dress, property, and scenery, £25,000; lighting and warming, £10,800; advertising, £14.000; entertainment tax, £48,000. The play has continuously attracted large audiences, and the receipts are between £650 and £7OO for each performance. It is anticipated that a company of entertainers from the Tivoli will sail lor New Zealand on or about July 23, and will tour the dominion. A, R. Shepard, the general manager, is now in Sydney completing the company, and will jail in advance of them. The personnel will include Gautier’s Bricklayers, the cleverest troupe of dogs since the ArkMantell’s Manikins—and by this it will be seen the children are going to have a good time—Katrina and Joan, the two English dancers who are just completing their thirtieth week on the Tivoli circuit, though they only came out for ten weeks, and Van Dock, a cartoonist. The last named is an Italian. M. Gautier is a Swede, but easily mistaken for a Frenchman. Ho makes a brief personal appearance in his act, but for the most part the dogs work by themselves. Their devotion to him is apparent as soon as ho approaches, nil the liny tails wagging in a riot of pleasure. Ho is world famous as an animal trainer, and was appearing in Paris when he was engaged for the southern tour. Muriel Starr’s season in Wellington, commencing at the Grand Opera-house on Wednesday, August 4, should prove of considerable interest to theatregoers of this city (says the ‘Post’). Since her last visit hero she has considerably added to her reputation by the introduction of comedy successes to her extensive repertoire. Miss Starr

Jottings on the people of the Stage and Screen and on the latest recorded Music.

has secured the sole rights of Gladys Unger’s ndptation of a. French comedy entitled ‘The Goldfish,’ which ran for three years in Paris. Tho story of -a girl without friends or money, and a man, clever and wealthy, but on the downward path with drink and drugs, makes the subject of a really interesting and exciting plot. In these roles Miss Starr and Harvey Adams are seen at their very best. ‘ The Goldfish ’ will lie Miss Starr’s opening attraction in Wellington owing to its recent instantaneous success in Australia. Included in,tho company are Bohc Scott, Bertha Ballinger, Clarice Kingsley, Kenneth Brampton, Raymond Lawrence, Felix Bland, and Fred. Coapc. During the Wellington season Miss Starr will also present ‘ The House of Glass ’ and ‘ Tho Outcast ’ by arrangement with J. C Williamson, Ltd. In ‘Lilac Time,’ duo on Friday next at His Majesty’s Theatre, Franz Schubert’s historic attapliment to tho Countess Caroline Esterhazyis transposed into an idyllic love for Dili, tha daughter of Christian Veit, glassmaker to the Court of Vienna. She, with her two pretty sisters, Wili and Tili, are .singing pupils of the master. Inspired with, passion for Dili, he writes his famous ‘ Serenade ’ and then persuades tho youthful, handsome Baron Franz Von Schobor to sing it to her. Hearing tho song, Lili doves the singer. Alas for the hopes of the reticent composer, who can only express his love in melody. ‘With his blessing, ho re.iinnncos all hopes of fair Lili, and retires to worship his muse and his dreams. The daring innovation of ‘ Lilac 'rime ’ is the introduction of Schubert's own songs, adapted to suit tho convenience of tho plot. ‘The Serenade ’ forms the chief love theme; ‘Hark, Hark, the Lark’ is sung as a quintette between Schubert and his male companions; ‘The Flower’ becomes a duct between Lili and her lover, and tho air do ballet from ‘Rosamund’ and snatches of the ‘Unfinished Symphony ’ arc made use of. Tho play is presented by J. C. Williamson, Ltd.’s, Royal Comic Opera Company.

Chalipin, the great-singer, lias arrived in Melbourne with his wife and four daughters. It is interesting to note that the price being charged for reserved scats for his concerts is 12s 6d each.