THEATRE GOSSIP.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 272, 19 November 1919, Page 7

THEATRE GOSSIP.

PLAYS AND. PLAYERS.

(Fra Diavolo.)

The Tenth Mounted Regimen;', al Band is sparing no energy to bring the band up to contest standard, and the committee is. inviting a number of prominent instrumentalists in Marlborough to join up for the honor of the district. It is also advertising for a good solo cornetist. Contest -work requires the best soloist that can be obtained, as he can make or Ear a performance. A meeting ox prominent citizens will shortly be culled, in order to form a special committee of ways and means in view of the projected visit to Dunedin in March next. "Rienzi" hasl been selected as the "own choice" piece for the B grade competition. Two cuartettes and a trombone trio will lTe entered, and there will be at least half, a' dozen competitors from Blenheim for the solo medals.

Booth Tarkington, author of novels which have been turned into plays, tells the story of how, at an artists' Red Cross fair, two pretty girls of sixteen or so came up and asked for his'autograph. "I haven't a fountain pen." I said, much flattered. "Will pencil do?" "Yes/ said the other girl, and so I took out my pencil ana signed my name in the Morocco-bound book that she had given me. The girl studied the signature with a frown. Then she looked up and said: "Aren't you, Robert -W. Chambers?" "No," said 1, "I'm Booth Tarkington;" The girl turned to her friend with a shrug of disgust. "Lend me your rubber, May," she «aid. Some particulars of the tragically sudden death of Sydney James (of Strollers fame) at Karachi, India, are furnished in a letter from George Hurdle, pianist of the show. Under date July 7, Mr Hurdle wrote: — 'We have had a. terrible misfortune, and I daresay you have heard the news already. We finished our season at Bombay on Sunday last and caught the boat for Karachi on Monday ati 1 p.m.—a 42 hours' run. The v/eather was awful, and the whole ciowd had to turn in for the trip. James did not feel his first pain till 3 o'clock Wednesday morning, and Wednesday at 2 o'clock he died under chloroform on the operating table— acute peritonitis. The terrible tossing of the boat undoubtedly killed him. The doctor said that if he had teen taken ill in Bombay and been attended to there, he would have Leen saved. He was as healthy and its lively as could be in Bombay, and also when we sailed. We buried him on Thursday morning, and it was a terrible ordeal. All the company are suffering more or less from nerves. You know what an all-important factor he was in the show, and we are now just 'a ship without'a rudder.' We are stuck here doing nothing and awaiting the arrival of Bandman's general manager on Tuesday. Then we shall see what they intend doing. Our season at Bombay was a record one as regards business and popularity, and we seemed in for a tremendous tour of 12 to 18 monthsxand a fortune for James. Then suddenly he is taken from us. It is indeed terrible."

SCREEN JOTTINGS

Enid Bennett, one of the newest of the Thomas H. Ince stars, was born at York, Australia. She is a blende, with striking blue eyes, that nirror every shade of feeling. Educated under a governess /and at a finishing school, she started upon a "business career in* an office in Perth. But the routine did not suit her •vivacious temperament. Besides, she secretly aspired to footlight fame. Her opportunity came when following a performance of Kathleen Grey in "The Third Degree," she was introduced to the star who later assisted her to secure an engagement as Modesty in "Everywoman," Fywl Jsiblo, whom she afterwards married, was then playing ir. Australia, saw her, and immediately engaged her to appear, in his repertoire company, with the result that she played prominent parts in "The Whip," "The Fortune Hunter," and "Seven Keys to Baldpatei" A cablegram from -Sydney sta-ted that Mr and Mrs Niblo are siring the Australian Bystander %r £10,000 for alleged libel.

It is diisclosed that the vessel purchased by the Poverty Bay Farmers' Meat Company, Ltd., is the Admiral Codrington, of 10 } BCO tons. Mr W. D. Lysn&j1, chainn'an of the company, Ftates that his company paid cash for the boat|, through the assistance of tho shareholders and the reso\ircos of the company, and "that possession of tlie vessel \v?.3 talcen at Port Said on November 7, with t!he full crew and in running order. The boat .is being sent to Colombo to pick up cargo for Australia, whither she will proceed to carry out -an engagement, which was made prior to )ier pxirehaso, to lift n full cargo of Imperial produce for England1. The company will, however, i'rom now on derive the benefit of the full earnings of tho boat, and they li'ivo now absolute control over lier. When loaded tho boat will draw 28ft.. 4in.