MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

BOOKINGS. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. To-aight—J. C. Williamson's New Comio _ Opera Company. • , - January 19 to 24-K ! ;iards Vaudeville Co. January 26 to February 2—Geo. Stephenson « _ Pantomime. „,„,,< Feoruary 3to February 14— J. C. Williamson's "Within the Law" Co. ' March 9to Geo. Willounhby Co. April 11 to May 2—J. C. 'Williamson. May 18 t0.30-Geo. Willoughby's Co. June 1 to 20-J. C. Williamson. . June.27 to July 11— J. C. Williamson. July 18 to August 7-J.,and N.Tart. Aneust 15 to August 29-J. C. Williamson. September 3 to 21—Geo. Willoughby.'j Co. September 28 to October 10-J..0.1 Williamson. - • - - TOWN HALL. January 12—John McCormack Concert Co.' Nowadays insurance companies, will take all sorts of risks.' La Belle Rubee, premiere dariseuse in "The Land of Nod" has insured ' her toes 'for a considerable sum. She realises that accident to hor toes would result in a serious monetary loss to her, because she would not' be able to dancer hence the precaution. This ,is -tho fifth year that La Belle Rubee has paid tier premiums on her toes, but fortunately she has not met with any injury. She is, devoted to her art and'practises for a couple of hours every at the theatre. She has appeared ait several,; of the -leading theatres, in England as premiere danseuse, arid recently refused two good' offers of American engagements. ~ ' One of the artistic triumphs in " The Land of Nod" is the song,-" Shade of My Bungalow," sung by the King. of Hearts, Mr. George Whitehead. It was written by Mr. Tom Armstrong, who plays tho Man in the Moon, and the music was supj plied by Mr. Don Mathews, conductor of the company. It .was always a popular number when "The Land of Nod" was produced in America, and that.it is equally popular here is evidenced by the fact -that Mr. Whitehead his to give an encore every night.

Mies Maud Allan', whose tour of Australasia commences about April next year,' is the most serious exponent of the Salome dance at present upon'the English ing stage. ; Serious in all -things, Miss Allan is most serious in-her assertioa that she is no sensation-monger seeking to. attract the vulgar-minded. In her dance she attempts to give an interpretation of a story that has been, a fruitful theme of inspiration »to litterateurs, painters,' and musicians. She has gone to the greatest trouble to achieve something like historical accuracy in .costume and setting, and has studied an abundance of material for information. Australians will find heV dance an . amazingly clever exposition which is never,, revolting. Incidentally, she will appear under the management of Mr. Angus McLeod, and riot under that of J. and N. Tait, as has been reported.

The Pictures Combine is going to have a rival in tho Fraser Film Release, Compiny, which has an exchange arrangement with Tyler,:-of London. ,In New South Wales alone the company is supplying '11 shows, . arid has distributing branches in' Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, and New Zealand. It-offers local men encouragement, and in the'past nine months has"produced eight of their picture stories ; the best of them will go on to the London exchange. Franklyn Barrett, who did good work for Paths in the South Seas and on the whaling grounds below Australia, has been despatched on a two years' tour for the company, to collect material with his cine-camera. His trip will take in India, Egypt, Europe, Great Britain,, and America.'

Mdme. Polaire, the eccentric French artist, says she received ths inspiration for her sensational one-act dramatic episode, "Le Visiteur," from an actual murder, committed one evening on Rue Cuco while she was passing in her auto. The killing was made at the hands of a band of Apaches, and the'victim a -wealthy pro - - vincial merchant. Polaire witnessed the attack, and; this gave her the inspiration.' The original title of her playlet was "L'Assassin." .but '!Le Visiteur" is more appropriate,, the locale being in the boudoir of a trench star and the visitor a burglar who attempts to rob the actress, but is killed by her.

It is stated that negotiations are in progress for the formation of a company to tour New Zealand with a* number* of the earlier musical comedies and light operas, and produce them at popular prices. Amongst the number it is proposed to stage are "Ira Iris Rosette," "La Poupe«'" A °° nnti y m >" "The Cingalee, "San Toy," "Floradora." and "In Town." Arrangement* have been made with tho Williamson firm for the use of these plays, and early in tho year it is anticipated that this company will, be formed .Not only New Zealand, but the small towns of Australia and Tasmania win bo the happy hunting ground of • tho new company, which it is hoped in time to build up into a pretentious show.. Mr. Tom Pollard will be the stage manager and producer. Ihe promoters and proprietors are Messrs. Q. Stephenson and A. Lindley.

The "turn" of the three Rubes in the pantomime of- " The Forty Thieves" at Melbourne Her Majesty's embraces dancing, humorous musical business, burlesque trapeze act, and pantomime comedy business. The threo Rubes are citizens, of the United States. In private life' they are Messrs. Bowers, Walters, and Crooper.

Miss Grace Palotta has been engaged for one of the principal parts in Mr. George Willoughby's pantomime; " Aladdin." When Mr. Hugh J. Ward joined the J. C. Williamson firm Miss Palotta went back to her mother in Vienna, but returned and joined the Williamson com panics.

One plays on the voice as on the violin (says an American paper). The cavities of the face represent tie body of the instrument; tho vocal cords are the strings; the breath is tho bow.

The now oporetta which Franz Lehar has just produced as "Tho Ideal Wife" at the Theatre an der Wien, the birthplace of his "The Merry Widow," has an Iberian background, and the story by Brammer and Gruenwald deals with the device of a quiet young wife who regains the affection of a fickle husband by posing as her own sister, a much more lively person, to whom he makes violent love.

Miss Muriel Starr,, who is appearing in Wellington with the J. C. Williamson "Within the Law" Company, has been defending the much-criticised and muchbanned tango dance. Speaking to an interviewer in the Southern centre, Miss Starr declared tho dance in question to be a most beautiful one. She described it as being very difficult, with a great many different steps danced in a certain sequence. "It is a languorous, but extremely graceful, dance, ' Miss Starr asserts, "quite Spanish in character.. dance that takes a mighty lot of learning as well as a natural gift for the dance. Many people mix up the tango with ' rags' like 'the turkey trot,' 'the bunny hug,' and ' Texas Tommy.' They are all ' rags,' but the tango is a thing apart."

Mr. H. G. Pelissier, the well-known head of the Follies, who died on September 25, aged 39, left estate of the gross value of £13,098. He confirmed the provisions of his marriage settlement (in favour of his wife (daughter of Mr. Edward Compton and Miss Virginia Bateman), and he left to her also all his household and persona] effects. The residue of his estate he left upon trust for his wife for life, and gave his trustees power to raise out of the income from his estate a sum not exceeding £100 per annum, and apply the same for the support and benefit of "'his son. It has been suggested by a member of the theatrical profession that one of the developments that Australasia may see before many years havo passed is the uprising of a theatrical management in which Sir Rupert Clarke and John Wren i will bo interested-

Mcsico-Dbamaiicus,