DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 795, 24 September 1915, Page 16

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

By Footlight

Annette Kellerman

MERMAIDS have always had; their own delightful place in the stories of imaginative writers, and many a fascinating tale has been built around them. The charm of the mermaid is said, to be vividly portrayed in the thrilling picture-play, "Neptune's Daughter," which will be given its first presentation in New Zealand at the People's Picture Palace next Monday. In it Miss Kellerman, known tbe world, over as the Perfect Woman, her measurements being the same as those of the famous statue of Venus, enacts the role of the mermaid heroine.

The film was taken amid the beautiful islands of Bermuda, where Shakespeare is supposed to have laid the scene of "The Tempest." The clear atmosphere gives extraordinary distinct; ness to the work of the camera, while the crystalline clarity of the water makes it possible to produce some wonderful submarine pictures. Of course, the bewitching Kellerman is the chief feature, and she is shown in all her radiant beauty and in many daring and thrilling feats, diving from cliffs 60 feeb high, escaping from a fisherman's net, and performing acts which would be simply impossible on an ordinary stage. This wonderful screen-production ran for ten months at the Globe Theatre, New York city and has broken all records for length of run in Sydney and Melbourne. •••■■■•,* * * * • There was a private screening of "Neptune's Daughter" in Wellington one afternoon last week, when Mr. Frederic Shipman invited some of his friends to have a first peep at the big star film. The privileged audience fol L lowed the unfolding of what is a beautiful story with close interest, manifesting their delight with frequent outbursts of applause, culminating in an ovation at the highly exciting climax. * * * * 41 Les Cloches de Corneville." Great interest is being taken in the Wellington Operatic Society's production of Planquette's tuneful and stirring opera. The amateurs have been busily

and enthusiastically rehearsing for weeks past, and when the curtain goes up on the: first performance to-morrow (Saturday) evening, every seat in the Grand Opera House should be occupied. The caste is a. strong one, and should give a good account of itself. The leading roles will be taken by Messrs. Dave Kenny (The Bailee), Frank Charlton (the Marquis), Harry Dunn (Grenicheux), Alva Shaw (Gobo), H. G. ■Shakes (Gaspard), and Misses Isabel Wilford (Serpolet.te), and Annie Sullivan (Germaine). The chorus is a big one, and sunnort will be lent to the whole performance by an orchestra 20" strong under the baton of Mr. Bernard Page. Mr. Tom Pollard will stage manage. The season is one of seven niprhts. * * * * King s Theatre.

Select programmes are the rule at the King's, and this week's is no exception to it. The feature film of the programme now being screened is "Alone in London, '' from the wellknown melodrama of that name. It is well filmed by the London Film Company, and the story of Nan, who marries the wrong man —a ne'er-do-well —is •followed with interest. "The Pathe Gazette" is ever interesting, and other supplementary items —scenic, dramatic and comic—complete a fine bill. * * * * Mary Pickford at the King's.

Mary Pickford will appear on the screen* at the King's Theatre next Monday night in a production of the "Famous- Players," entitled "Such a Little Queen," when she will portray the role of Queen Anna Victoria of Herzgovina. The romance concerns the lives of two sovereigns of different kingdoms in the troublous Balkan States in the era of acute jealously and fear between the various kingdoms. As the little queen Miss Pickford is- seen in widely diverse circumstances —in prosperity and adversity ; first when she is the petted darling of her people, and afterwards when she is forced to live in a neutral country, almost penniless and at times forced to cook her own meals. A tip-top programme supports the star subject. * # . * *■ Vaudeville.

A charming and distinctly novel item in this week's bill at His Majesty's is that presented by May Erne and He, a couple of refined performers on their first tour of the Fuller circuit. May Erne is a xylophone player whose playing is a delight, and He has an alto voice of dulcet quality, and they combine their talents with harmonious effect. May Erne contents herself with playing simple melodies on her honeytoned instrument, which in itself is something quite new. Preceding xylophonists have practically hammered all the show pieces to death.

Another new turn at His Majesty s this week are the Jetmets, expert hand, and head balancers. Their work is

clean and neat, while one of them is a veritable Hercules. The Great Lutes is still on the bill, and the way in which he employs his pedal extremities instead of his hands is marvelled at nightly. George Edwards scores an ovation regularly for his recitation of .

■ arrv Marschel's poem, "Kidd from Timaru." He and his pretty partner are a neat double. Miss "Violet Trevenyon, a dainty serio, is another successful performer on the same bill. The Caselli Sisters would do better if they confined themselves to their dancing, which is tip-top, especialy the highkicking part of it. Next week's change atmears in another column. * * * * " Hinemoa.''

The Maori Opera Company topped off a very successful season of six nights in the Wellington Grand. Opera House on Wednesday evening last -with a bumper house. The leading performers were loudly encored for many of their items, and the reception accorded the hakas and poi dances well nigh brought the plaster off the ceiling. Considering that "Hinemoa" is purely a Rotorua production from beginning to end,, it is really a highly laudable effort, and, added to this, the company is travelling for a charitable object. So it deserves well. The company has now set out on a country tour, working its way up the Wairarana line to Gisborne, thence to Auckland. Later it will "tour the South Island, and possibly may cross the Tasman Sea to give Australia a real taste of Maoriland. In the meantime I advise country cousins not to miss "Hinemoa." They will find the dates of the country tour set out in our amusement advertisement columns.

The Wellington Choral Club's concert on Wednesday evening last was really deserving of better patronage.' The performance alone merited it, but, moreover, it was in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund,. and that alone should have drawn* the public. "The Choral Club is out to give assistance, and this concert was one of a series to that end.

The concert was choice, varied to suit all tastes, and very entertaining. The club's choir, under Madame Mueller's efficient direction, sang glees and part songs delightfully. Miss Maltby was heard to fine advantage in. the recitation "A Man One Might Have Married," and stirred the pulses of the audience with her second item, "The Roll Call." Assisted by Miss Stella Putnam and Mr. Phillip. Williams, she also staged a- neat little sketch entitled "A Lesson for Two." Others contributino: included Misses Gladys Watkins, D. Halliburton, E. Harper, Irene Fairclough, and Messrs. R. de Lacy Peek and W. Goudie, while three little girls danced very gracefully.

The soloists engaged for the Royal Wellington Choral Society's performance of "Elijah" on October 26th next are as follow: —Soprano, Mrs. Gower Burns, of Ohristchurch; contralto, Miss Mina Caldow, of Wellington; tenor, Mr. Martin Duff, of Dunedin; baritone, Mr. John Prouse, of Wellington; and the youth's part will be sung by Master Pankhurst.

As a rule, the youth's numbers in "Elijah" are sung by the soprano, presumably because of the difficulty of securing a youth capable of singing the music. In attempting to break away from a custom thalT is not in keeping with Mendelssohn's intentions, the Society does well. It now remains for Master Pankhurst, who has a sweetly pure soprano voice, to do the rest. He has already been heard to advantage in public in ballad singing at various competitions. The principal soloists are all well known. This, by the way, will be Mr. Bernard Page's first performance as conductor of the Society.

The second star feature film, brought to Australasia by the Frederic Shipman Enterprises, Ltd., is entitled "Damon and Pythias," and is founded on the well-known story of the greatest friendshin in history, told in gorgeous spectacular farm. This photo-drama is to be given its first presentation at the Auditorium. Melbourne, commencing October 2nd. It is anticipated that its success will rival that of the first production of this firm, "Neptune's Daughter," which ran for over five weeks at the Auditorium.

Grace Palotta, —whom, by the way, we never see referred "bo nowadays as "the pretty Viennese" —is returning to the staece. She is making her re-ap-pearance in "Nobody's Widow," in Melbourne with the Muriel Starr Company. Previous to this engagement she was playing the more prosaic role of a milliner in real life in a Melbourne millinery shop.

Florence Young is going to figure as Paul Jones in a revival of that tuneful comic opera in Melbourne. It's good news to hear that the shadow of the famous young smuggler is not growing any less. Neither is Florence's substance.

Miss Winnie "Volt, who in the J. 0. Williamson pantomime of

"Puss in Boots" awhile back, has had the misfortune to lose her husband. Captain Saker, in Flanders. An Australian exchange reports that the gallant officer spent a furlough with his wife inr New Zealand just before war broke out, and when preparing to leave the Dominion for service at the front, he was; suspected of being a German army officer. The •deceased soldier held his commission' in the Connaught It angers.

Edmund Waller, an English actor, has just been through, the Divorce Court. It seems there were a ladv and a little week-end trip to Boulogne and a private detective with a kodak all mixed up in the little story ventilated before the court. Wifey, known to stag-eland as Ethel Warwick, was granted a decree nisi.

The story is told of a stage-struck damsel in Wellington who interviewed a certain theatrical manager on the subject of an engagement. When terms were mentioned, the girl said she would not mind starting at £20 a week. The manager, so rumour hath it, only exclaimed "My God!"