Plays and Pictures.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 67, 28 June 1912, Page 12

Plays and Pictures.

*******************£, it Tittell Brune is hailed by tho London "Daily Mail" as "cno of tfin finest emotional actresses at present appearing ou tho English stage." * * « Mdllo. Clairo. Faurena, a noted French beauty aetross, has so many costumes that she needs no fewer than 33 trunks to hold thorn. Well Clairo go to the elephant and bo wise. For Jumbo is bigger than any slape beauty, and yet his one, trunk is sufficient. In tho London production of "The Blurt Bird," the representative of the Wolf, curiously enough, Was named Lamb. According to an American manager, "Margaret Angliii can get more out of a line than any other actress on any stage." X- • # The Wellington season of Portus and Tallwt's minstrel troiijw is from July 1 (Monday next) to July 9, tho subsequent New Zealand dates being: Cliristchuroh, July 11 to 19; Tiniaru, July 20; Duncdin, July 22 to 2G. * • « Included in the luggage of Portus and Talbot's minstrel troupe on the trip to Now Zealand from Vancouver Were 32 crates of chickens and 30 dozen water melons for uso on the voyage. Chicken and melon —in this combination is tho nigger's height of bliss in epicurean excellence. * * * Mr. Alexander Watson, the elocutionist, now , giving his unique recitals in tho Dominion, stands out from the ruck of lone-hand platform artists as shines a good deed in a naughty world. Mr. Watson has astonished tralian and South Island press.~f.nd people by his versatility...understanding, and marvolkmg"mernory. He takes a play or a Diclcenß novel, and in his own person becomes a whole dramatic company, making it all real to those who hear him. * v * It has been a repetition, "How long. 0 Lord, how long?" whenever one or two of the Australian managers who specialise, in melodrama have produced a new piece. They have gone from bad to worse, but "Brought to Ruin,' produced at the Sydney Adelphi, seems to ho the limit. The is described as coarse (which is nothing unlikely ; remember "The Bad Girl of the Family"), the idea sordid, shabby, vulgar, and the- whole unnecessary and unpleasant. Tho last piece adds to the old story of uncleanly happenings tho smothering of a baby by an evil old man who is drunk. Reports state that public opinion will require either that the play be amended or withdrawn. I* * * Discussing Carrio Moore and the secret of her succors, "Asper," of the Christchureh "Evening News," says: "Sho is a mistress of her craft. She has learned tho greait secret which only the big folk of vaudeville know. Sho never satisfies her public; she loaves them hoping she- will come again—and they go to their homes believing that tho song she would not sing is a very fine one. Then, too, she knows more than to fit into a programme. She gives the idea that sho has fitted tho programme about her, and that tho poor (urns before and after arc set thorn so that she may seem the more brilliant. When you have said that sho succeeds because sho has the trick of it, in fairness you must go further, and add ihat she has temperament —nono of her work is colorless —and makes each of lwr talents play its part in tho interpretation of tho items. She knows her limitations, and, in tho stage-world, talent which knows its limitations ia the beginning of genius." * * * Marie Baines, the talented English actress, has proved onoe again the fact that an actor's life is not a bed of roses, and despite her popularity sho recently found that her financial troubles were too much to contend against, and she was forced to file her petition in bankruptcy. At a meeting of creditors, it came out that tho "Lass from Lancashire's" name was Marie Mather, and that she was a married woman, with two children, and a husband to support. Sho said that she was of a very trusting nature, and it was this trait in her character that she blamed for placing hor in her present unfortunate plight. As a creditor remarked, nctors and actresses generally arcvery bad business people. Tho meeting was adjourned sine dio, and it remain.' , only to wish Miss Raines better luck in her future ventures. Miss Bninos's statement that she was getting only £10 per week as her wage hclps'to fin understanding of why so' , many are in vaudeville, travelling tho recognised circuits. Miss_ Bairns is one of the cleverest artists in character work that wo have seen. Sh<* knows how a thing should be done and is nblc to put her theory into practice. And her work is clean-cut and pleasant to hear. Persons of no more than equal skill are heard of every day as drawing more money. And they draw their wage with (absolute certainty, besides having less Work and more time on their hands. —Ex.