MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14566, 31 December 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

\ HIS MAJESTY'S TUKATSB. To-night (three weeks' season)— Alls Hamilton ' \ KING'S THEATKK. I I" f^uson—Fuller's Wide World l'ietiires. \ ROYAL ALBKUT HALL. In seii|,on — Pictures. j • Ol'F.j; \ HOUSE. In season—Vaudeville. The coming of the Christ mas holidays invariably brings joy to the hearts of the proprietors and managers of the various places of amusement in Auckland, for it is then that a large proportion of the hardearned savings of the people finds its way to the box otlice. Taking them on the whole the attractions provided this year have been good, and brisk business is reported everywhere. At several theatres and hulls the accommodation proved quite inadequate" for those who sought admission, and many were therefore forced to seek diveision in other directions. Tonight a successful theatrical year will be brought to a conclusion by a final performance at His Majesty of that old favourite, " A Message from Mars." The play is in the capable hands of the Pliminer-Dcn-niston Company, who will always be sure of a warm welcome in the Queen City. At the Opera House lovers of vaudeville will be catered for, and at the King's Theatro and Royal Albert Hall devotees of the moving picture will have an opportunity of witnessing excellent ptogramnii'S. Numerous other attractions are also to be given, including Barton's Circus, at Freeman's Bay, while the Royal Kink and Wonderland are well worth a visit.

Since the days af he late Robert Brough. a new generation of playgoers has arisen to whom the performances of such pieces as "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray" and "The Profligate." which are both included in the repertoire of the Plimmer-Denniston Conmpany, will corneas a revelation. Since the death of Mr. Hrough no manager has taken up the task of producing pieces of this kind, with the result that the higher forms of dramatic art have for the time disappeared from our stage. Their revival will, therefore, be especially welcome and should meet with the success that it deservos. The pieces mentioned will be preceded by two performances of " Lovers' Lane." a delightful little play, about which there is a refreshing air of rustic sweetness and romance. "The Passing of the Third Floor Rack" will also be staged for four night towards the close of the season.

Californian by birth, but. "cosmopolitan by a good deal of travelling in Continental and Eastern countries during her holidays, Miss Katherino Grey, tho new star of the Williamson Company, created quite a sensation by her brilliant acting at the Theatre Royal in Wellington on Wednesday night. "The Lion and the Moufio'.' was the play given, and at the close of the performance the audience, which tilled the building from stalls to gallery, stood up and cheered again and again." Mr. Desmond. who was engaged to fill the place of Mr. Julius Knight, also met with a great reception. The whole theatre has been? booked for the remainder of the season.

"Wo give all our big productions in New Zealand," said Mr. ,T. C. Williamson in London recently. "We look on New Zealand as a very important factor in our business. Managers over here and in America look astonished when I tell them we send out big companies to New Zealand and make it pay to take such companies about among so limited a population. The whole population of the towns we visit in New Zealand is not as much in the .aggregate as any one of the big towns in England. It is a fine illustration of the spending power of the New Zealanders and of the way in which they respond to good entertainment."

The Now Zealand tour of the George Harlow Dramatic Company commences in Auckland about Easter, it is practically derided that the opening will bo "The Bad Girl of the Family." "Nick Carter" and " The Angel of his Dreams" will be among other new attractions for the Dominion. The company returns to Sydney early in February next, from West Australia, after having covered just over 20,000 miles in 12 months.

" It has been said that none but happy people really care for tragic art," remarks Miss Lily Bray ton. " This seems to have been proved by our Australian tour, for the Australians, as I have said, are undoubtedly a happy people, and we found there a much more general appreciation for Shakes pcrean tragedy than wo have generally found in England. Indeed, 'Othello' was perhaps the most, generally popular play in the whole of our repertory. They are a splendid audience to act to— attentive, intelligent, following the action of the plav with acute understanding and inspiring the artists with well-reasoned appreciation."

Powerful recitations have been given by Mr. Lawrence Campbell at the Concert Chamber of the Wellington Town Hall during the week, including '"A Christmas Carol," by Dickens, and a scene from "Othello." The entertainer has been assisted by M. Eugene Ossipoff. the Russian tenor, and Mrs. Shaw-Mayer, pianiste, who added to the charm of an excellent programme. M. Eugene Ossipoff worked well in his hearers' good graces. His demonstrative style would be considered overdone but for the fact that ho lias a voice to match, and gets good tone on the loudest note. The audience was delighted.

On Saturday night, December 17, the Maori Village concluded its Melbourne season. The. large audience displayed great enthusiasm at Iwa singing and the selections of the Maori Tjand. During the evening Maggie Papakura presented a large framed photograph of the troupe to the exhibition trustees. On the succeeding Monday evening the Maoris were entertained at a farewell dinner given by the leading New Zealand residents in "Melbourne.

The Drury Lane Theatre, London, has made a profit of £37,000 in its working year, after allowing for depreciation. A dividend of 15 per cent, was declared and £20,000 placed on the reserves. The money was all made out of a pantomime and "The Whip."

As she was leaving Southampton for the United States, where she is now giving the Shakespercan readings, Ellen Terry was handed a pot of while heather by Mr. Dickens, a son of the great novelist, who has just returned to England after a long absence in Australia. Miss Terry then gave the following reasons for declining a. cabled offer from an American manager to appear in vaudeville in New York :— " I am not. dreaming of appearing in any music hall. ino actors in their senses should, in my opinion ; at least, not whilst the regulations and privileges are so different for the two places. 1 don't think actors show to advantage in a music hall. They cannot entertain the visitors as some to the manner born (of music hall) can do. To be sandwiched in between past-masters of the art of vaudeville entertainment, such as Cinquevalli and Miss Marie Lloyd, really shows off an actor to ill-advantage. Music hall artists are out of place in a theatre, and actors are out of place in a music hall— at least that is my opinion."

All actors and actresses, however, are not of the same opinion as Miss Terry, and of recent years the music halls of Great Britain have been, encroaching more and more on the domain of the theatrical manager. The majority of the performances at these places of amusement include the production of at least one playlet, and numbers of artists who have made their mark on th* -legitimate stage are now to be seen at West End halls. The people, too, are showing an increasing fancy for the lighter form of amusement, and, all things considered—including the advent of the moving picture—it is not to be wondered that the lot of the theatrical manager of to-day is not a happy one. Musico -Dbamaticus.