DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

Free Lance, Volume XIV, Issue 707, 17 January 1914, Page 12

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

By Footlight. ■"■■• ENTERTAINMENTS. His Majesty's Theatre — Brennan - Fuller Vaudeville (in season) Empress Theatre' (in season)— Continuous Pictures King's Theatre (in season) —Hayward-Ful-lers. Pictures fc,3m " (*■ OTW Town Hall— Complimentary Concert to Mrs. H. N. Fletcher, 21st January gT" •' Town Hall — Wielaert-Pechotsch Concert Company, 22nd, 24th', and 26th January

IT is not fulsome flattery to say that . since the palmiest days of Dix's Gaiety Co., local vaudeville has not till lately attained the high standard set by that firm. Showgoers will all remember that for a brief space of time some world's stars of the first magnitude were seen at the old Theatre Royal. These high salaried artists and the great expense connected with their transport eventually proved too " much for the limited capacity of the theatres ibhen, and consequently variety turns,re- • trograded till one got sick and tired of the same old red-nosed comedian and peroxided soubrette singing the same old sort of songs, and the same old ."juggler doing the same old tricks. To-day,. However, the combined forces of Brennan Ltd, and John Fuller 'and Sons are enabled to contract with stars from England, America, and the Continent, and in their modern and capacious ther atres to keep their houses full. # * * * At. His Majesty's there is showing just now a specially clever combination of vaudeville people. Huntress,, a male impersonator of actresses and dancers, is an entertaining performer. Apart altogether from his wonderful _ make-up as a woman, he has brought with him modern and beautiful stage settings in cos- «• tumes, scenery and effective lighting. A -. gorgeous spectacle is where Huntress flits round the stage as a butterfly what ,time kaleidoscopic lights play on the shimmering wings. Henri French, who last* week sooredTieavily in his drunk-on-the-wheel act, has new tricks, and his impersonation of an abbe, Von Suppe, and Sousa are extremely fine, and Mr. French .hereby receives several pats on the back for his extremely interesting and clever performance. Still another star turn was unpacked on Tuesday evening, when the Straubb Sisters made their debut. They are a really talented duo. One is a vocalist worth listening to, and the other a clever dancer. They conclude their turn with a neat skit on present-day fashions. And there are other good turns. Some have been seen before —as Carlton Max and Camille Cameron in their .novelty talking doll act, and Leonard Nelson in his own songs and sketches, while in Salmon (Happy Harry) and Miss Joy we have two accomplished/ people doing a little

pathetic sketch relieved by a fine presentation of a London policeman. * * * * The programme in store for next week is an unusually attractive one. The stars to twinkle on the new bill include the Franco Midgets, a Tiny . Town of conjurors and illusionists, Hayman and Alton, contortionists and acrobats,, Leo and- Lionel* who are said to be both strong and graceful, and • Creiner and Arnold, comedy sketch artiste". *** . * The Empress Theatre this week has been scoring as heavily as ever with a programme of movies bound to dr,aw the vast multitude every time. Included* in the sumptuous bill provided, and quite apart from the usual offering of photo plays,' were a couple of cinemas that warrant more than passing notice. One was a trip in a; dirigible , balloon— quite a novel and exciting experience at this out-of-the-way speck on the map. As you sat in your seat at the. Empress it was no great stretch of the imagination to fancy yourself one of the passengers in that dirigible "as it passed over the town ,of Compiegne in France. Anyway, it was the nearest approach to an aerial trip that I have experienced. The other film singled out for special mention was a Gaumont scenic, which is hereby handed first oriz© for its coloured photography. It is a view of a large river running through bushland — such another as our own Wanganui river—and it gets as close as possible to Nature with its reproduction of Nature's beautiful tints. *.* * * The feature film, "The Sea Eternal," was an absorbing and feasible narrative, kicking off with an important chapter in the life of a young fisherman and his wife and running into the second veneration. It. shows how two young lives were blighted by the cruel tongue of scandal. "A Detective's Stratagem/ , a popular class of picture-story always in great demand, ranked second on the bill, and for excitement and thrill easily held its nlaoe. "How the Day was Saved," featuring a damsel in a slit skirt and holding Uncle Sam's bobbies up to ridicule, along with two or three other films, completed a generous sixpennyworth, enriched by the sweet strains of the Empress orchestra. "Partners in Crime," a Lubin feature, is promised for •next Monday. • It is described as a dramatic sensation, and it sounds like it. * * # * A complimentary benefit concert to the widow and daughter of the late Mr. H. N., Fletcher is being tendered by a representative committee of citizen's headed by His Worship the Mayor. Mr. Fletcher was one of our most popular vocalists, and was always one of the first to offer, his services when assistance was required in'the cause of charity. The take place in the Town Hall next Wednesday evening,, and all the local talent are, combining to provide a frP-toj? programme.. Book seats at. the Dresden.

Hayward's Pictures at the King's Theatre are -doing record business throughout the week with an exceptionally fine reproduction in pictures of "A Message from Mare.,' 5 enacted for the cinema by the English star artist, Charles Hawtrey and his London com-' pany. The screening creates enthusi.csm nightly. Another very popular item is a remarkable Keystone comic, "When Dreams Come True," which is responsible for shrieks* of laughter nightly. "A Message from Mars" will be shown at a matinee on Saturday and for the last time on Saturdav night. The star attraction of next Monday's new . pictures will be Pathe's reproduction in colours, of ■ the mythological legend, "Psyche," described as one of the most artistic kinegrams yet produced. * * * * A talented concert company, travelling as the Wielaert-Pechotsch Combination, will occupy,the large Town Hall , for a short season commencing January 22nd (Anniversary Night). The programme to be given is choice and varied, ranging from ballads,, violin'and piano solos, concerted numbers, elocutionary items, to humorous songSi Of Herr Raimond Pechotsch, the Auckland "Star" recently said: "Herr Pechotsch has held many important positions in London during the last eight years. Hβ was professor at the Guildhall School of Music, the London Academy, the London College of Music, and the 'Hampstead Conservatoire, and was professor to the Marchioness of Bute's family. Previously to visiting London he was for many years principal soloist and teacher in Sydney. Herr Pechotsch toured Australia with the late Signor Foli, Madame Belle Cole., the celebrated English contralto, and other well-known artists. _ Madame Pechotsch is a gifted vocalist and accompanist, and she will assist her husband." Madame"Wielaert; of Auckland, and others are also in the company. * * ♦ •* Harry Lauder, the great Scotch comedian, will be accompanied by the whole family on his forthcoming tour of Australasia. Mrs. Lauder has always travelled with her husband, but the family, consisting of one large and promising son called John, has been too busy gettins: educated to go wiila. his parents on their tours. Unlike his father, John is rather seriously inclined, and has the definite intention of pursuing, the law wherein a sense of humour is usually fatal to success. The young man, who is now twenty-two, is finishing at Cambridge, and if he is eventually called to the* Bar, raa Harry will be intensely proud. __ Scotchmen, Lauder senior is not insensible of the prestige of having a lawyer in the family. . * * # * Le Hoy,' Talma, and Bosco. the fammagicians,, with a company of 25 artists, were to have sailed from 'Frisco for Australia on the 2nd of January to commence a round-the-world tour. The show will carry over 50 tons of paraphernalia, and will feature Servais Le Roy's latest spectacular illusion. "Leo's Harem," in which 22 people, three lions.

and an elephant are utilised. Sounds more like a circus coming than a inagioshow, don't it? • ■ * * * » The news of the success of the J. C. x Williamson Ltd. Gilbert and Sullivan.' Opera Company in: South Africa was* cabled during the week .to J. C: Williamson Ltd. in Melbourne by Mr. Harold Ash£on, the director of the firmfeenterprises in South Africa. The initiation of the extension of the 'firm's business to South Africa Has proved an unqualified success,' and the opening performances in Johannesburg have put up. a record. Most of the big attraotions of the firm will he sent to South Africa, the next being Mr. Lewis Waller and his company,-wiio leave aftertheir forthcoming short' visit to Sydney. This conclusively indicates that the Lewis Waller-Madge Titheradge Company is not extending its tour to Zealand. * # * * Mrs. Brough will make her re-appear-ance m Melbourne under the management of J. C. Williamson Ltd. in "Diplomacy," the English version of Sardous celebrated drama? "Dorp/ , to be staged by the Julius Knight Company. Mrs Brough will appear as Lady Henry -tairfax—a deaf and not over-wise worn*. an of fashion. ;

Irish tenor John McCormack's two concerts —in the Opera House last Friday and Saturday evenings—were delightful. A couple of years have elapsed since his previous visit, but the impression he then made was reflected in the crowded audiences that besieged the (Opera House on the occasion of both concerts last week. To make a comparison of this renowned tenor's singing on this occasion with that of his first visit would be distinctly unfair, as the acoustic properties of the Town Hall and the Opera House are vastly different, and the latter does not by any means enable a singer of Mr. McCormack's rank to excel. "Whatever the acoustic disadvantages, however, Mr. McCormack would indeed need to be in very poor voice to fail to please —his artistry and temperament being so fine. On Friday ©veningt he opened with "TTn Aura Amorosa" (Mozart) and "La Donna e Mobile" (Verdi), and both alike were splendid. On. Saturday evening we had a glorious item, "On/with the Motley," from. Pagliaeci, and the audience rose to the" occasion for these three fine items. * * * * There is no question that Mr. McCormack is a compelling singer,- and . every time he knocked at the door of . the hearts of his appreciative audience, it was widely opened to him. "Mother o' Mine" (Tours;, "Who is Sylvia?" (Schubert), . "I Hear you Calling Me," ''Thinking 'of Thee," "Recontre" <Faure), "Eleanora" (Coleridge Taylor) were vociferously apo-lauded, and the Irish ballads. "Molly" Brannigan," "The Minstrel Bay/' "Accushla," and "Kathleen Mavourneen" provoked scenes of enthusiasm seldom witnessed in the Opera House, because the well-known patriotic enthusiasm of the Irishman rang out in every note and word of these songs. Mr. McCormack was insistently encored, and the penalty which ne had to pay—and paid so gracefully— was the result of the demand he created himself, and it is only a really fine artist that can create such enthusiasm. • * * * Miss May Huxley, the soprano, is the possessor of a very pretty and welltrained voice. "Caro Nome" was tunefully sung by her, but she did not infuse the necessary 1 Intensity of feeling into it. She was far better in the Donizetti piece, "0 Luce di quest'a anima," desgite the fact that the accompanist gave er little assistance. "Lilac Time," "Ouvre Tes Yeux Bleux" (Massenet), 4r Daddy's Sweetheart" and "Somebody Whispered to Me" were artistically sung indeed, and found much favour. The violinist, Mr. Donald Mcßeath, is young and rather, inexperienced for the professional concert platform. His bowing arm is absolutely incorrect, and Mr. Mcßeath will never soar to any great heights until it is corrected. He played a number of very small "trifles," which were out of place on a first-rate programme. He marred, all efforts at true violin "tone production with the tearing effects on both the up arid down bow. Still there is undoubted temperament in the played and it is understood he intends undergoing a course of study ■under the great Belgian violinist, Caesar Thomson.. Perhaps his best items •were "Traumerei" " (Schumann), "Spanish Dance, 1" (Mbszkowski), and "Minuet" (Beethoven). "Le Cygne" {St. Saens) was spoilt by too clumsy an accompaniment, and in ' the Svendsen "Romance" the intonation in the middle part of the piece was decidedly faulty. and the piano and violin were at sixes and sevens.

: The accompanist, Mr. Vincent ,O'Brien, was ,not highly successful. His playing lacked temperament, so necessary in the operatic items. In some of "the Irish items Mr. O'Brien showed to ■better advantage. One can recall with pleasurable reminiscence the excellent accompanist who was associated with Mr. McCormack on his first visit , ! to this city. Many regrets have been expressed by a number of people who were unable to obtain admission to these concerts, and it will be indeed a great pity if Messrs J. and'N. Tait,, to whom we are indebted for the present tour, cannot arrange a return visit.

Some Australians declare the Williamson revue "rot/ . Others (the majority) think it is' very -wonderful. • As Australian opinion held "Peter Pan," "The Blue Bird," and Margaret Anglin to be rot, Australian opinion doesn't seem to be worth much.

Comparisons are odious, they say, but the recent production of "Monsieur Beaucaire" by Mr. Lewis Waller and Mis 3 Madge Titheradge in Melbourne has set theatregoers of that city busy 'Comparing their performance with that of Mr. Julius Knight and Miss Maud • Jeffries. . This was a favourite and popular piece with the latter. Of the respective performances a "Punch" critic savs: —"That the Beaucaire of Mr. Julius Knight was a highly artistic rand successful performance all Mel-

bourne playgoers have long since recognised, but it is not in the running with that of Mr. Lewis Waller, although the former gentleman was favourably handicapped, bo far as Melbourne was concerned, in getting the first run. With a romantic costume play like "Monsieur Beaucaire/ the actor or actress first seen in it gains a very considerable advantage over all succeeding performers. It is also to be presumed that Mr. Knight had seen Mr. Waller play the part in England—a great advantage in enabling an artist to adopt or discard the first iictor's 'business.' Still, the palm must in justice be given to Mr. Waller. Whether Miss Maude Jeffries saw the London production I cannot say. She did not need to, for by so much as the Waller Beaucai'ie outpaced that of the ■Knight Beaucaire, did the Maude Jeffries Lady Mary Carlisle distance that of Madge Titheradge." Honours, therefore, can be said to be even, so far as the respective productions go.

The "Forty Thieves" pantomime, now in its third week in Melbourne, is timed to reach New Zealand, somewhere about July next.

Fred Bluett, a comedian whose earlier appearances in Wellington carry your memory back to Fuller's waxworks in the old Choral Hall., where now stands the magnificent His Majesty's, has arrived in the Big Smoke. He left Australia last year for South Africa, with London as the goal of his ambition. Now that he has reached it, it will be interesting to hear how he gets on.

It was rather trying for the unfortunate actor in the play "The Lady of the Pluck-up" when he had to ask "Am I acting crook?' , and the gallery as one man shouted, "Yes!" A similar incident happened not so long ago at the Bijou, Melbourne. An actor had to say, "Now is the time to act," and he no sooner uttered the words than a stentorian "god" yelled: "Then why the devil don't yer!" » * «• *

I am informed that Harry Rouclere, one of the leading performers in the magician line in America, contemplates a tour of Australasia this year. He will be accompanied by a strong company of other performers.

The "Forty Thieves," the new J. C. Williamson I/td/s pantomime, set to work on a Melbourne audience on Christmas Eve. Summing it up, a "Bulletin" writer says that the various and beautiful legs of the show are quite satisfactory. Marie Eaton, as captain of the thieves, clamps her tights with metal stars. Jessie Lonnen, as the ~oy, wears ginger-coloured trappings and puts plenty of the same spice into her work, though her voice seems to ha e faded to a sweet piping through the heat. Dame Brett is most startling when he puts on plaid black-and-white "harems." which look quite smart when they have mustard-leaf panniers above them. It may he added that a panto, he-shemale in black ballet dress with black chiffon trouserettes over very slim shanks is a weird sight. This is a year of daring "dames." * * * * Though they were in a sense rivals, Harold Bauer and Paderewski, the pianists, are the closest of personal friends. Their friendship commenced in Bauer's boyhood, and has continued to the pre-

sent day, with no lessening of the intimacy on either side. Bauer himself recognises that he owes a lot to his Polish friend's respect and admiration for Vnm in his early days. When Bauer was working hard for a living in his youth in Paris, it was Paderewski who invited him to play concertos with him and otherwise helped him to keep the wolf from the door. Bauer will never forget this kindly assistance in his need, and naturally holds the Polish virtuoso in the highest regard and affection.

The talented Canadian tenor 3 Paul Dufault, has commenced a starring tour under the management of Frederic Shipman. Still greater interest to -,ew Zealanders is the fact that the management has decided to bring the popular tenor to New Zealand immediately following the inaugural concerts at Melbourne and Adelaide. The Dufault Company will arrive at the Bluff on January 20th., and thence the tour of the Dominion will commence.