MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15912, 8 May 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

BOOKINGS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. To-night— Kennedy Concert Co. May 10 to '22—Geo. Willoughby Co. Mov 24 to 29—Beaumont Smiths Co ("Who's the Lady?"). , _ . May 31 o June 9-J. C. Williamson s Panto

mime. .Tunc 14 to 25—Allen Doone's Co. •Tunc 26 to July 10— Hiieh Buckler's Co. July 12 to 31-Geo. Willoughby's Co. Auk. 16 to 28--J. C. Williamson. Aim. 30 to Sept. 18-oeo. Willoughby Co. S>ent. 27 10 Oct. !»--.! C Williamson.

TOWN HALL, CONCERT CHAMBER. .May 11 to June 26-Edward Branscombe'! Costume to, " Red Dandies." July a to 17Tho Court C'ard6

T ill. death in Sydney of Mr. James Mai- I Mahon. the. popular senior member of the i theatrical and cinematograph linn. Mac.Mahon Bros., was announced earlier in tile week. The late Mr. MacMahon had a very Interesting career. After some veins abroad he was associated with the late Sir Henry living prior to his return to Australia with the better's production of "Borneo and Juliet,' one of the Sliest stage spetacles Australia had then seen. Later Mr. Mai Mahon and Mr. George Leach held a practical monopoly of dramatic productions in Aiiatialasia. They exploited th.; late Dion Boucictuilt. and they •cere responsible for the hist production in New Zealand of "The Silver King." " Lights of London," " Human Nature," "Harbour Lights." "The Private Storetaiv," etc. Then came the association of ' "Jim'' MacMahon with his two brothers. "Charlie" and "doe," in the management of the Melbourne Opera House, mad- famous by William Sauricn Lester. It was there that they piodined "Pan 1 Jones," with the famous English opeiatic "star." Marion Burton, and Nellie Stewart alternating in the '■ portrayal of the title-role. The piece i ran for 14 weeks, a phenomenal season in j those davs. American attractions intraI diked to Australia by the late Mr. MacMahon included " Evangeline" and "The County Fair." He also brought out I John 'l.. Sullivan and bis company, and Ifharle, Harding and Oracle Plaistcd. who 'placed in the first Australian production •of '"The Mikado." Minnie Palmer, in i"My Sweetheart." and John l'\ .Sheridan, j in "Fun on the Bristol," also owed their intiudiictiuiis to Australia to the late Mr. Ma- Mahon,

Mr. Maughan Harnett, Auckland city organist, is to proceed to Wellington eaily next month to conduit the Wellington' Choral Society's pel formalize of "Cavalleiia Paistica'na." Mr. Herbert Blow co.id tor the Wellington Society, is ill at present, and the secretary. Ml"W. K. C.ildow. came to Auckland and arranged with Mr. Maughan Harnett for the la'.ter's services.

People passing Her Majsety's. Melbourse, of late have- wondered at what appeared to be the sound of pistol shots following each other in rapid succession. The fad that they were to be beard nearly every morning at a regular time seemed to indicate that pistol practice was being : ndulgcd in. This was not the. case, however. It was merely Mr. Derek Hudson indulging in whip-cracking practice, in connection with his forthcoming appearance in "The Marriage Market" at Her Majesty's. The principal scene in the new musical play is on a ranch in Southern California, "and the stage is filled with cowboys. Mr. Hudson is an adept with the whip, and be is able to manipulate his 14ft lash so expertly as to flick a piece of paper from an outstretched hand held that distance away.

Robert Parker, the renowned baritone, who is now touring Australia under the .1. and X. Tail direction, sang in one of Iho first English representations of " Parsifal," the last opera I hat Wagner wrote. At the time Mr. Parker was a member of the Henry Savage Opera Company in America, ami to him was given the task of singing the part of Titurcl behind the scenes. It was only a small role, and the famous artist, naturally ambitious to achieve greater things, took to studying the part of (Jurnomauz, the principal baritone character in the opera. One night Putnam Oriswold, who sang Ourncmauz, fell ill, and Robert Parker was ordered to take mi the role at short notice. The conductor, unaware of Mr. Parker's qualities, was horrified, and threatened to resign, but the baritone sang the immense score amidst tumultuous enthusiasm and achieved the greatest success of his career. The next morning the manager telegraphed Henry .Savage tbo laconic message, " Parker groat." and the artist was engaged as principal baritone for three rears.

Amongst new- music to band by the last English mail is a patiiotic song entitled "Come." This was written by Mr. (ieorge Woddell after watching, from his window, the bombardment of Hartlepool by tho Hermans on December 16 lad. The song, the avowed purpose of which is to stimulate recruiting, is published by Novello and Co. Several compositions for piano are to hand from BoswoNh and Co.. ineluding '* Valso ties Larnicf-," fay Krick Meycr-Helinund; "Chant sans Paroles." by Victor Durand: "Simple Historic" and " Heart's Desire." bv Ivan Romanoff; and " Ksquisscs," by Paul Zilcher.

Mr. Paul Dufault, the tenor, collaborated recently with Miss Pelton-Jones in a "harpsichord recital," at the Waldorf.Astoria Hotel. New York. Rich costumes of the Elizabethan period were worn by the aiti-ts, and the reception accorded was unique. Duf.iult sang (Duck's aria from " Alceste." the sixteenth century melody "Sigh No More Ladies," and some very old English songs.

A newcomer' to Australia obtained her introduction in " Bill Adams, the Hero of Waterloo," which was staged at the King's. Theatre, Melbourne, recently. Miss Blanche Maepherson, the newcomer concerned, comes from South Africa, where she has had a varied and exceUcr' stage record.

The general opinion of "The Lifeguardsmen," produced in Sydney by the Julius Knight Dramatic Company, seems to be that the plnvels are much better than the play. But the piodmlion i;. running well.

It i- interesting to note that up to the end of December the official lists published in the Stage showed that 800 members of the theatrical profession in Britain had joined the colours.

Mi. Robert llreig, who was here last with the Niblo Comedy Company, >- now play ing in the same repertoire of comedies under the Williamson banner in Smith Afriia- The company originally landed in Durban from Australia, and made the trip lo ('ape Town by train. "It was the first train through for the month." writes Mr. (Jreig. "owing to the rebellion, and it was a wonderfully interesting trip. Troops everywhere: every bridge guarded, and all the old blockhouses built by Kitchener during the liner War lull of soldiers. Armoured trains, hospital trains, and troops everywhere. The wounded men appeared to be the most cheerful of all. The unrest here is awful -you feel it everywhere, and the rebellion was a very milch graver iflair than you in New Zealand would have imagined."

Mis* Irene Dillon, the young Australia"!!, who has been one of the most successful pantomime ailists : n Britain during the past few years, will probably be out in Australia before long on the Tlickards circuit. Miss Dillon has been booked for a tour of South Africa. Australia, and India. She is to leave Britain in June. Miss Dillon left Australia' six years ago.

A Bill has been introduced into the Legislature of Indiana, providing a penalty to be imposed upon theatrical companies whose advertisements are misleading. Under the provisions of the Bill such advertisements are not to be allowed to make, clciras which cannot ho substantiated* JIrSICO-DEAMATICTJ-S.