MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15930, 29 May 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

BOOKINGS,

BIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

In ;c.i£o)i to Juno s— Beaumont Smith's Co. June 8 to 19—Allen Doone'j.Co. June 23 to July 1-J. C. Williamson's Panto mime. July 12 to 31-Geo. Willoughby's Co. Aug, J6 to 28— J. C. Williamson. Au/j. 80 to Sept. 18-Geo. Willoughby Co. sept 27 In Oct. 9-J. G. Williamson.

TOWN HALL. CONCERT CHAMBER. In season to June 26—Edward Branscombe's Costume Co., " Red Dandies" July a to 17—The Court Cards-

Nkws lias arrived in Wellington of the death at Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A., of Mr. Franklin Holding, the gifted violinist, who visited New Zealand about eighteen months ago with the conceit company headed by Madame Lilian Nordica.

Mr. Hugh .1. Ward, of J. (.'. Williamsou, Ltd., advises us that the matinee given at Her Majcstv's Theatre. Svdi:eV, on May 1-I—Belgian Da'v in N.S.W. -K-'C « net cash result "of £21.000. I his, Mr. Ward ' explains included sales in the theatre, and donations received, during the performance. The street collection totalled £22,000 mid the total fund I raised, so far as was known o.n Mar SO, I amounted to £110,000. The matinee figuies quoted must gurelv constitute a | world's rt-coul.

Amongst new music to hand is a pleasing song cycle entitled " Fairyland Fancies." composed by Robert MeLeod, and written by Margaret A. Sinclair. There are four dainty numbers in the cycle. The publishers are Messrs. Bayley'and Ferguson, of London and 'Glasgow. Another patriotic song. " Britons of the •South,'' especially applicable to New 2ealand. coups from the pen of Mr. Hamilton Thompson with the music by Sir. J. C. Elision. This is published in" Duncdin by Messrs Caxton and Co., Ltd.

■ A private performance was given in (.'hristcliii'ih recently by Master Henri Lissack. the young "violinist, from Auckland, whose accomplishments have attracted considerable attention in the North Island. Master Lissack is of Russian descent, and is about eleven years of age. and his friends are making strenuous ('Hurts to arrange that he should be sfflt to Russia to study. A Press notice ,of the performance' states that the absence of the accomjianiest with whom he had been rehearsing rather disturbed the young player, but- notwithstanding this disadvantage, his playing was undoubtedly sufficient to suggest that the enthusiastic praise accorded him in the north whs not- without justification. Master Lissack showed, for his years, a remarkable execution, and an unusually command of his instrument.

Mr. Paul Rubens, who was the first of the British composers to produce a musical comedy after the banishment of foreign pieces, has had a failure with his " Alter the Girl" at the Gaiety. Now appeals are being made to Sidney Jones, Edward German, Granville Bantock, Leslie Stuart, and Herman T. Finch to provide musical cornedv music.

Mr. Sydney James, the leader of the Royal Strollers, : s said to he a bom mimic and to have exercised his gift at the expense of the animal kingdom with a reality that has deceived the beasts themselves Home years ago when he was indulging in juvenile mockery of domestic bird and animal calls, ha discovered his bent for ventriloquism, and then proceeded to develop this talent to the mystification of his immediate relations.' "Billy," his now familiar and engaging mannikin,' was an invention of those days, and the brilliant artist spent many nights in compiling patter to make " Billy" entertaining. Always S,vdu.\v James strives to invest. " Billy's", remarks with humour and hu'majr>)|j'| and he is said to have succeeded in his 'aim. The ai;tißt will never: forget the unconscious tribute, to tiis-clever-ness by 5 a shortsighted "dowager at a fashionable At •Home" in .London. Mr. James was appearing professionally, and "Billy" was the pivot of a performance that vastly pleased the guests assembled. At the end of Mr. James' turn with Billy." during which that young man' delivered-several whimsical homilies in his best grown-up manner.' the old lady leant forward and said, "What a clever Utile bny! Dn you think he would like a piece of cake?" ''.-'■

Player-goers who have seen Miss Dorothy Bruuton in musical comedy have often marvelled at the deft little dramatic touches she puts into: her work. This was a characteristic of her acting in "Autumn Manoeuvres," particularly in the scene with her father, in the course of which she made one of her biggest successes with her sons, " Daddy Dear," Miss Brunton gained her 'knowledge of dramatic values from her early experience in drama with Mr. and Mrs. Bland Holt, playing child parts. She was ".Little Dorothy Brunton" -then. Her first prominent part in drama was„ Steplianus in "'The Sign of the Gross" with the Julius .Knight Company.' ■;

The " question of the theatre" in Paris has become a controversy. Two camps exist, (he. one favouring the opening of alt playhouses, the other protesting that such a measure is out of spirit nit/r the times. "It is unseemly," says the latter, "tofrequent .amusements when there is mourning in every street." The other replies : " Your prohibition enlarges the area of distress by adding artists to the ordinary victims of war." The French Government, which regulates the State-subsidised houses from the Bureau des Beaux-Arts, has sought refuge in compromise, and decreed that the theatres shall be open for matinees. Music, too, is awakening the soul of Paris.

Mr. Victor Fitzhcrbcrt, a New Zealander, who is a member of the Little Theatre Company, was married recently to Miss Do.'othv Gill, who is also a New Zealander. Mr. Fitzhcrbcrt was here with the Anderson Dramatic Company in 1911.

Mr. Arthur Firth, who plays' Colonel Slaughter in " High Jinks" in Australia, is said to have a unique record in musical comedy. He has played in " A Chinese Honeymoon " in Shanghai and Hongkong, in "The Geisha" in Japan, in "Havnnna" in Cuba, "The Cingalce " in Cevlon and India, «nd "The Blue Moon " in Burma.

Mr. Jack Cannot, comedian, is reported to lie turning his attention seriously to singing, someone having discovered that he bus a good tenor voice.

Scotch residents of New York are laying plans for the erection of a theatre to develop Suotch drama. New York now boasts a French theatre, Irish players, (lonian and Hebrew companies, each exploiting their national drama.

" La Kommandatur," by Jean Francois Foiifo:; is the name of a realistic war play :esentcd by a Belgian company in Loudon. An Enelislr c.ritich Writes: — " A picture of Brussels under tire German heel, in "the daik days just before the fall of Antwerp, by an author who has taken his details on the snot, is a feast of authenticity and actuality "

Leoncavallo has composed a new operetta, which had its first performance in Rom*. It is calVd "La Cundidata." Us hcrjiuc is a French suffragette.

A -training corps from the musical trades in England that is expected to reach 1200 members is being organised.

The New South Wiles Government has sin a cable message to the Agent-General (Sir Timothy Coglilnn) offering the oosition of director of the New South Wales Conseri'itorium of Music to M. Henri Verbruggeu, chief of the Glasgow Choral and Orchestral Union. M. Yerbruggen is a Belgian by birth, and is 42 years of age. This appointment ha« been" recommended to the N»w South Wales Government by the council of the Conservetormnv who acted on the advice 'and .judgment' of leading expert authorities 'in tnjland.

Ml'SlCd-DRAMATICTJS.