MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13722, 11 April 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

BOOKINGS. L ' C HIS MAJESTY'S THEATREI ' : March 23 to April 11-Chaa. MacMahon (Bioy ' graph Entertainment). „ April 18 to May £-J. C. Williamson (Julius K Knight Co.). ! " May 16 to June 6—3. C. Williamson. >- June Bto June 27—Meynell and Gunn. e June 29 to July s—"The Tea Girl." July 6 to July 25—Allan Hamilton. OPEKA HOUSE, ' Kightly—Fuller's Advanced Vaudeville Co. n Next Saturday the Julius Knight season '- will open at His Majesty's Theatre, in s "The Scarlet Pimpernel." The Sydney 0 season was notable for the success of this , play and also for the interesting revival s of " Claudian" and a most popular pro- % duction of "The Prisoner of Zenda," in ', all of which Mr. Knight and Miss Ola f Humphrey both showed to distinct advane tags in the respective roles''.they under--1 ''took.-.''/' , The news of the good reception accords: cd to Alfred Hill's " Poi-Song," 3 as rendered by Mr. Kennerley Rume ford in Australia, reminds me that Mr. Thomas Humphreys, the Auckland author-composer, has written a " Maori Song Cycle," for publication locally, un- . der contract to Mr. A. Eady.- This cycle f includes a "Poi-Song," which is most - characteristic and effective, and compares s favourably with Alfred Hill's work. Mi'. s Humphreys, by the way, is at present I negotiating with a well-known English , " star" artiste regarding a musical play s which that lady desires him to vndertake f for her. In the meantime he is busy upon I Mie score of "The Golden Wedge," and > with "Ptah-Ptah," his new Egyptian opera. Mr. Loring Fernie, the young English actor, who has been specially engaged by J. . C. Williamson to play Captain James Hook i „in the forthcoming production of "Peter I- Pan," arrived in Melbourne by the Omrah ■ last week, almost coinciclently with the ' remainder of the company,, who have come ' over from Sydney, and are already hard , at work rehearsing at the Princess i Theatre. With Miss Tittell Brune as i Peter Pan, having all the advantages of • seeing Maude Adams and Pauline Chase, r a3 v.ell as talking over everything with , J. M. Barrie, with Mr. Fernie, who has I played Captain Hook under Barrie's own eye in London," with Mr. Carlton, who has stage-managed the American production for Mr. Frohmann, with Mr. Weston, one of the cleverest men available • to play Nana, and, finally, with a cast • specially selected by Mr. Williamson him- ■ self to fill the remaining parts, Peter ' Pan" on this side of the world should be • very much above the ordinary. [ There can be no question about, the in- ; stantaneous success" The Lady, Dandies'' t has made at Her Majesty's Theatre, Syd- ; ney. Press and public are loud in their I praise of the new comic opera, with its dainty and delightful music, its gorgeous [ costuming, and its captivating atmosphere of the directoire period. Moreover, its ; cast has revealed the important fact that the Royal Comic Opera have at the present time just that composition that provides for the very best distribution of the characters it would be possible to make. Mr. Reginald - Roberts, for ex- [ ample, shines brilliantly in the sentimen- ; tal part of Dorlis, which gives him opportunities to use his fine voice to the ' most_ excellent advantage, both in stirring martial airs and in tender love ballands. , Miss Florence Young, again, has splendid chances for displaying her wonderful voice, and Mr. Edward Sherras, the new . baritone, sings with an ease and gracefulness that has won him unanimous praise. ; The admirable comedy work of Mr. C. R. Bantock as the timorous St. Armour, and the broader, but no less laughable, humour of Messrs. Fred. Leslie and W. S. Percy, as the dunderheaded police agents, supply abundance of merriment. Lastly, there is the chorus and the "picture," or, rather, the kaleidoscopic succession of them, all vividly coloured and charmingly grouped that go to make the ensemble of the piece. There is a wonderful man at the Theatre Nazionale, Rome. He transforms himself into 12 different persons with the most marvellous rapidity, and the persons whose ' personality he assumes are all " stars" of the first magnitude in the world's field of art. He assumes their dress, their voice, their gestures, their attitude, and even the •expression of their faces, like a living photograph. i An important engagement is pending by the Messrs. Fuller and Sons for a star attraction from Australia. The name of the act has not yet been divulged, but it is possible that it will come out about Easter. i During the next few months Australia and New Zealand will be toured by the Royal Artillery Band, of' Newcastle-on- ■ Tyne. It has been secured by Mr. John Dixon, of Boosey and Co., London, for the Australasian Concert Company, which was recently promoted by Mr. P. A. Howells, who is well known throughout Australia. -\ The band, 36 members of which will visit Australia, has a high reputation in England, and is under the baton of Mr. Robert Smith, who belongs to one of the -known musical families in the Old Country. The tourists will leave London on April 9 in the Medic, open their tour in Adelaide about the middle of May, and afterwards visit the other cities of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. ; - ■ • Florence Hamer, who played so gloriously in the "Marriage of Kitty," is touring India and China. She writes to Miss Roland Watts-Phillips to say that she has married,-'and.on her release from engagement will settle at Rangoon. Raisuli, the capturer of Kaid Mac Lean, is the latest music-hall capture (says the Daily Express). It is stated that Mr. Oswald Stoll in the middle of his quarrel with the Variety Artists' Federation had the idea of engaging the famous brigand as the star turn at the Hippodrome. The idea has borne fruit, and it is stated that London will see Raisuli in a stirring scene riding round the ring of the Hippodrome at full gallop, firing a rifle in the air. " Artistes who, a few years ago, were earning very moderate incomes are now receiving salaries a long way in front of any that a Government would give to a Cabinet 'Minister." The above statement was made by Hugh Astley, who presided at the meeting of the London Pavilion recently. It is probable that Madame Sarah Bernhardt will pay a visit to Japan at an early date. Madame Bernhardt has become very intimate with Sada Yacco, the clever little Japanese actress, who is called by her admirers the " Bernhardt of Japan,""and Sada Yacco declares that Tokio would welcome "Camilte," which has never loon played there by a European. - " Miss Nellie Stewart,", remarked Mrs. J. C. Williamson on her return to Sydney, "I saw in London, looking her old bright self, and not ill, as one was led to believe. Miss Alice Crawford, of Bendigo, is one of London's leading actresses now. She is at present playing in 'The Christian' with great success at the Shaftesbury Theatre with Mr. Matheson Lang. In New York _we met Cuyier Hastings, who is playing lead in 'The Girl from the Golden West.' Mr. Kyrle Bellevv is also in that city. He looks as young as ever. Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Waldron are living a happy married life in New York with their little daughter, and both sent out their love to the Australians, whom they have not forgotten. Mr. Dot' Boucicault is man-ager-director for Mr. Charles Frohman. Madame Mina Fischer is one of the most popular teachers in London, and gives 30 singing lessens a day. Lalla. Miranda is in splendid voice, and has made many successful appearances. Pattie Brown I also met. She is just brimming over with vitality, and is about to appear as Tweeny in 'The Admirable Crichton.'" >*' - MUcICO-DeAMAIICUS^