Plays and Pictures.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 72, 26 July 1912, Page 12

Plays and Pictures.

"Tho box office talks," according to a theatrical saying. In silvery tones, of course.

Tho recent Drwry La-ne production of "Bon Hur" struck London "Times" ;is '■("hroino-liCliography tinged with religious sentiment."

Formin Arnidi, 7ft. lOin. in heigiil and weighing 425 pounds, is now on exhibition in America. When "roil hungry" he cats five or six dosen eggs and a log of mutton.

Margaret Cooper makes tho piano sing just as expressively as she lmrsolf. She is tho real thing, is Margaret, 'with the brand blown in tho bottle," as our American cousins say. Like Katisha's tooth, she "stands alone." No wise New Zealander will miss hor.

Tho Wellington season of the Harry Riekards Vaudeville- .Company is due to sta.it at the Opera House on Wednesday next, July 31, The combination includes several stars of the brightest effulgence, notably Rinaldo, whoso ragtime stunts on the violiii sound like the. "Hallelujah Chorus" on the Town Hall organ, and Will IT. Fox, who does things on tho piano that Paderewski would go bald-headed in trying to emulate. And thero arc others I

Branscombc's "Red Dandies," who by no means outstayed their welcome in Wellington, have done the Arab act in order to make way in the Emphm City for a similar bunch of delightful entertainers known as the "Green Dandies." The Reds are at present giving the Aucklandej-s an artistic treat.

Mercurial Maggie Moore, the evergreen and perennially youthful, com nience*d a Dominion tour at Auckland last Monday, 22nd inst. "Mrs. McSweeney," an Australian farcical comedy, is the principal piece elie's brought from t'other side to tickle our risibilities- It is guaranteed to inako us laugh out loud and often. Wellington will begin to guffaw on August 8.

J. C. Williamson and Hugh Ward have sent Olive Godwin off to England to have a look at things. They count her a very clever Australian, who only needs a wander round to put her amongst tho topnotchers. And, says the "Bulletin," if it Ik> not presumptuous, one would add <hat they appear to have made a remarkably good guess.

Howard Vernon, the most ancient, probably, of all the actors who have played at Kaiapoi, Uarrytown, Taihape, and other such strange places, is reported at latest from Port Said. Has he, too, decided to tako the road to Damascus? If so, one hopes that he docs not intend to astonish tho natives with ,! A Trip to Saratoga," in which he played a season of one consecutive night in Christchurch, says the local "Evening News."

"Nightbirds," the latest production of the J. C. Williamson New Comic Opera Company in Sydney, has scored heavily. It is said to have the strength and musical coloring of gram} wit h the brightness, sparkle, and humor of comic opera, while from the point of view of staging, mounting, and dressing tho production is one of the. most instable yet put on by tho J. C. AVilliamson management. The dresses alone cost over £3000, and are gorgeous in the extreme, as may be understood from the fact that there i.s not a lady in the chorus whoso frock represents less than an outlay of L2Q.

One of tiie host stage "drunks" Sydney has watched for many moons is Mr. Victor Prince, appearing in ''Nightbirds" as the guzzling governor of tho New Age Prison. Two phases of his

"jag"—the, niglit at the Arum Lily Club and the. morning after—are almost too real. The way lie celebrates and the way 'lie cerebrates set the sen! of a first-class low comedian upon thyoung Australian actor. Mr. Prince i-; a son of the old favorite in Gilbert and Sullivan, Howard Vernon,

It is announced that tho film of "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" will soon be shown in New Zealand, Miss Nellie Stewart in the. namo part. All over the Commonwealth this film has been a record house-getter. They say Nellie S Low art drew £1000 for the study. Perhaps site did; and if sho drew more it would yet have been a good investment for the picture man. To tho student, too, it is interesting. At last we shall have the chance of seeing an artist whoso work we know shown to us in shadow.