MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13745, 9 May 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

, V. BOOKINGS. J . HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. -To-nightr-J.V C. Williamson ; (Julius Knight Co.). • - • May 9 to May 15—Perry's Bvorama. ~ May 16 to June 6— John J l . Sheridan. June 8 to June 27—ileynell and Uunn. June 29 to July 5 — " The Tea Girl. July 6to July -Allan Hamilton. ...... CI'EEA HOUSE. , Nightly-Fuller's Advanced Vaudeville Co. At His Majesty's to-night Perry's Biorama season (six night?) will be inaugurated. A good selection of films is advertised and musical items will be interspersed. Fuller's Vaudeville Company will present an entire change of bill at the Opera House to-night. Present combination is a strong one. The surprise of the Julius Knight season, which closed last night, and which was a huge financial success, was the earthquake scene in that \ doleful play, " Claudian. Experienced playgoers in New Zealand have become accustomed to a very much higher standard of stage sensation, particularly from Mr. J. C. Williamson himself. It would never do to let it be supposed that we, in this Dominion, do not know the difference between a first-class example of stage mechanism and that which 1 have referred to. Speaking of Mr. Edmund Duggans new play "The Southern Cross," which Mr. Win. Anderson is successfully producing 111 Sydney, an Australian contemporary says: — Mr. Duggan's long experience of the stage has apparently convinced him that Austialian audiences seek entertainment and amusement rather than instruction and moral lessons; therefore, in constructing his new Anglo-Australian drama he has sought neither to point a moral nor to adorn a, tale. He has sot himself in " The Southern Cross" to build up a drama with a definite Australian atmosphere, and, although lie travels upon well-worn and conventional lines, he has succeeded in keeping his audience fully interested from start to finish. The Anderson-Sheridan Pantomime " Cinderella," to be produced here on Saturday next at His Majesty's had a" most successful run in Wellington. A correspondent from that city says that Mr. John F. Sheridan is still the same humourist/ as ever, an . d monopolises the, fun, but not to the detument of the show. A big feature of the pantomime is the Porcelain March. It is described as a thing of beauty. In theatrical circles everybody is wondering who has been lucky enough to secure the local theatre dates for " Fleet Week, August 9 to 15. It is very difficult to be original nowadays, but, by all accounts, that epithet may with complete justice be supplied to " the Merrymakers," who are to open their Australian tour, under the management of Messrs. J. and N. Tait in Melbourne on May 16. In the first place, instead of the conventional evening dress they garb themselves for their entertainment in bright red Pierrot and Pierette costumes, and clad thus picturesquely, are said to throw themselves heart- and soul into the congenial task of thoroughly amusing their audience. Wjth solos, part songs, duets, and choruses, with jokes. " gags." and smart sayings, with screamingly funnv burlesques and skits, with clever musical sketches, specialities, the fun, it is said, goes unceasingly on until their hearers are almost helpless with laugliter. im . It is anticipated that William Anderson new Melbourne theatre, to be called " llie ICing's," will bo ready for opening about July 4. The Royal Welsh Male Choir is to begin a tour of Australia in September next. Its record for the 22 years of its existence is a remarkable one, and at the present time its position in the musical world of Great Britain is said to be an unchallenged one. Speaking of it the other day both Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerley Kumford. who are. of course, well acquainted with the choir.' predicted that its'perfect tone-blending, and tin- pure freshness of the voices, would conic as a revelation to Australians. A dramatisation of Rudvard Kipling s j "The Story of the Gadsbys" is due in the West End of London at an « arlv date. The . dramatisation is by " Cossy" Hamilton. Better than "Charley's Aunt." more excruciatingly funny than even "Ihe Private Secretary." is the new comedy with which the Frank Thornton Company will begin its New Zealand tour. This (says " Pasf|uin") is none other than "When Knights Were Bold"—:i piece which set all London laughing, and lias of late been creating something of a s-.-nsation on the Australian side. Invereargill is to be honoured with the first visit of the Thornton Comedy Co. The London Daily Mail is responsible for the statement that up to the end of last • year, the Viennese publisher. , Berndardt Herzmanskv. had made £70,000 profit (say £100,000 to date) over " The Merrv Widow" while Lehar has netted quite £75,000 in. royalties, and the librettists about £50,000. The An der Wien Theatre in Vienna has made a huge profit, in New York, the gross receipts from one theatre alone are. each week, in excess of £4000. and one can only guess at what the sale of music amounts to, while in London some 75.000 copies of the, score and -quarter of a million copies of the famous waltz have been sold. Madame Clara Butt has promised to return to Australia in two years' lime. One of those romances that encircle the lives of so many of the world's leading singers is to be found in that of Mr. John Harrison, the tenor who is to accompany Madame Ada Crossley on her forthcoming tour of Australia. Originally he was a " hand" in a cotton mill in Colne, Lancashire, where lie was born some 30 years ago. There he joined a • choir and occasionally sang at concerts. A local philanthropist, struck by the pure natural quality of his voice, offered to give him a proper vocal training, and sought the advice of Mr. Charles Santley, who also perceived a great future for Mr. Harrison. All anticipations were realised when he rose to the position ot tenor at Covent Garden, and won golden opinions for his Wagnerian repertoire in particular. It is rumoured that Miss Violet Mount, - the New Zealand soprano, shortly returns to Australia. Miss Amy Castles tours Australia again in 1910. Mr. H. R. Roberts, the New Zi>a- ' land actor, who after achieving great > success ill England and America, will re- ! appear at Christchurch on June 1, in The • Prince Chays," is the only Australasian actor who has actually "starred" on the London stage. Born in Dunedin, in New Zealand, educated and brought up here and in Australia, he became as a very young , man one of the most popular actors in this I country. He then went to America and : made an enviable reputation, while still in 1 his youth. , ,— t, Miss Jennie Lee may star as Jo before 1 leaving Australia. Writing by the last mail from London the i Hubald's correspondent says:—ln the Era } a charming portrait appears of Miss Rosel mary llees, a young actress and play-wright r from New Zealand, daughter of Mr. William - Lees Rocs. The accompanying letter-press . chronicles each stage of her progress in her : dual role since arriving in England several 1 years ago. At the present- time Miss Rees r is playing one of the principal parts in Mr. f T. B. Davis' dainty play, " The Education 3 of Elizabeth." which has just completed a - long inn at the Haymarket Theatre, and is i now on tour. When "The Merrymakers" open their s Australian tour, under the direction of t Messrs. Tait, they will have with them I as the principal lady vocalist an ex-inem- . her of the famous Follies, who, giving a an entertainment on similar lines to the r Merrymakers, have become ono of the s most popular attractions throughout' Great c Britain during the past few years. Muoico Deamaticus*