MUSICAL and DRAMATIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16300, 5 August 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL and DRAMATIC

BOOKINGS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Ausrust 8 to August 18— Allan WiVkie Shakesper? Co. Aucust 26 to Sept. 9—Allen Doone's Co.

TOWN HALL. This Evening— Servian Fund Concert. August S—Auckland Choral Society s Concert.

Hiijh salaries are tempting some of the best-known artists from other countries to enlist under the banners of the American picture producing firms. One of the latest of these recruits is Miss Betty Nansen, a Swedish actress, who won great popularity as a picture player. This young lady is now with the Fox Corporation *n America.

. The Musicians' Union of Australia has served a new log of wages and conditions on every employer in the Commonwealth, and the increases sought range up to 50 per cent, on the existing rates. It is expected that the log will tome before the Commonwealth Arbitration Court in about a month. The union is asking that for grand opera or ballets casual engagements shall be paid for at the rate of £1 lis 6d, while for weekly engagements the rates shall be £5 per week of six consecutive performances. Five shillings for each rehearsal during the day are sought, with 10s for rehearsals after 6 p.m. The union is also claiming that for general theatres and picture shows the player of an instrument with mechanical or orchestral effects shall be paid not less than £10 per week of six consecutive performances. A minimum of £7 per week is sought for conductors. A time limit of two and a-half hours is fixed for picture shows. For pianola players a minimum of £3 per week is asked, while for circus performances the ! minimum is set down at £4 per week.

Frank Harvey declares that he has never had to work so hard in any play in which he has Appeared in Australia as in " Romance." in which he is now tilling the role of the Rev. Thomas Armstrong and the old bishop at Melbourne Theatre Royal. '" In ' Under Fire' my rule was strenuous enough." said Mr. Harvey, "but it was easy compared with the strenuous part of Rev. Thomas Armstrong in ' Romance.' It is such a complex character, and one that requires not onlv forceful setting but also restraint. The Rev. Thomas Armstrong is a man of extremes. At one time he is shyly shrinking from the advances of the Italian opera singer ; the next moment he is"declaring his love. In one scene he rises to the pinnacle of emotionalism and reaches a frenzy of passion that culminates in a thrilling situation. Then his sanitv returns, and he retreats subdued, humble, and apologetic. It will therefore be seen that the part is extremely difficult to play without losing in effect of realism, and even when I let myself ' go' I have to be ready for the moment when repression and not'forcefulness must be the keynote of the situation. Still, on account of these very complexities I thoroughly enjoy playing the part."

'Peg o' My Heart." which was staged eight times a week throughout the J. and N. Tait season in Sydney, has terminated a record run of 111 performances at the Palace Theatre. The J. C. Williamson production of " Get-Rieh-Quick Wallingford," at Sydney Criterioli, with Fred Nihio, scored 90 "performances in October. 1912. so that it has taken nearly four years to eclipse this record for spoken drama in Australia. The late George Rignold made 78 appearances in "In the Ranks" as long ago as 1887, and' this achievement was not closelv approached until Bert Bailey and Edmund Duggan's Australian melodrama. "The Squatter's Daughter," was staged 72 times under William Anderson's management at the same house. Mr. Frank Thornton and the late Charles Arnold did not get beyond the fifties with " Charley's Aunt" ' and Happened to Jones"—also at the Criterion. On the other hand, these latter figures only" represent a middling run in musical pieces, which constant]? push into the seventies, and often approach the century. In 1881 "La Fille du Tambour Major" was the first Australian production to reach 100 performances. Ultimately a long succession of J. C. Williamson pieces yielded "Florodora" (106 in Melbourne, 94 in Svdnev). "Mother Goose" (97), "A Country Girl" (86), "Our -.uiss (iibbs" (230 in Svdnev, ending May 10, 1911). "The Quaker Girl" (104 in 1912), and " So Long Letty" (115, ending April 14, 1916) —placing spoken drama completely in the shade. It will be seen, however, that Sara Allgood and her colleagues have passed all the musical comedy runs, except the unapproachable " Miss Gibbs." with which the name of Blanche' Browne is identified, and the musical farce "So Long Letty."

The motion picture is making serious inroads upon the legitimate and vaudeville stage in America, the inducement of /uglier salaries proving too great for many to resist. Thus, Weber and Fields, the two dialect comedians, who have enjoved a remarkable degree of popularity "on Broadway for the last twenty years." have now joiued the Triangle Company to film a number of comedies. The first picture almost cost the pair their lives. A motor collision proved too realistic, and it was nearly a day before they recovered consciousness, and a fortnight before thev could return to work. Then, as a finishing touch, the scene was not used for the. film.

Mis* May Beattv, the well known Pollard comedienne of othern days, who has been in Kngland for some years, was at latest appearing as Lady St. Mallorv in '"The Miller's Daughter" with one of George Kdwardes' companies at London Opera House. Another in the same cast is Fred Leslie, the Australian comedian, of •J. C. Williamson companies.

'J he late Mr. David Mitchell's Victorian estate i* valued at £299.717, and is left equally to his seven children. The will provides that, except Madame Melba. who is free to draw the whole share of £42.816. the other participants will draw the incomes of their shares.

The eminent English organist. Reginald boss-Custard, who proposes visiting' Sydney to give, recitals, has been over "to the I tnted States for a short visit, a,nd has given one or two recitals in Xew York. He recently resigned his position as organist at St. Margaret's, Westminster. St. Margaret's has always been a fashionable place at which to get married. During the fourteen years Goss-O'usta'rd was there he officiated at over 600 notable weddings. He is, by the way. a grand-nephew of Sir John (loss, a famous organist in his day. and composer of much excellent church music.

Statistics issued by the British Board of Trade show that whilst during the tost' six months of 1915 the value of the total imports of kinematograph films into the United Kingdom was £618,500, during the first four months of the current year it was £365.000. In the first-mentioned period the imports from the United States amount to £566,000. and in the latter period to £304.000.

Miss Paula Seherek. the clever young violinist, daughter of Heir Bennn Seherek and Mrs. Seherek. who now live in New York, has left for New Zealand, her intention being to live in Dunedin with her brother.

Madame Pavlova, the great Russian dancer, has secured tin: record fee of £10.000 for appearing in a film entitled " 1 he Dumb Girl of Portici." A voting competition, held in Australia returned Mary Pickford at the head of the poll for drama, with Olgo Petrova next, and Pearl White third. Robert Warwick led the men, followed bv WilliamFarnuni, Francis X. Bushman, J. Warren Kerrigan, and H. B. Walthall. Charles Chaplin romped away with the comedy vote, polling more than twice the vote's for the other candidates. Mabel Normand carried the ladies' comedy vote, exceeding even Chaplin's figures. Far Tincher was third. Mtrsico-D&uiA'naM.