MUSICAL and DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16621, 18 August 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

MUSICAL and DRAMATIC.

"Out There the new play by J. Hartley Manners, which Messrs J. and N. Tait are playing at the King's Theatre, Melbourne, has received some remarkable tributes of approval from the New York press. Particularly complimentary is Alexander Woolcott, critic of the NewYork Times, who says:— 'Out There ' is the latest and best of war plays, a simple, uncomplicated, unperplexed study of patriotism. It is incomparably finer and more appealing than most of the war plays, that have been launched at the unprepared and defenceless stranger since Ihe first great assault was made. It is a play of the moment.- It's every line has a hundred associations for everyone of us. It strikes a hundred chords strung tight by the great events to which we march. It is the seventh wonder of the season." * Mr. Talleur Andrew, the tenor singer, just now on the Tivoli circuit, is to shortly rejoin J. C. Wiliamson, Ltd. Maud Allan, the famous dancer, has made application in Los Angeles for passports to leave New York at the earliest opportunity to go to France to nurse the American wounded. Miss Allan, who spent the winter with her mother, near Los Angeles, has placed at the disposal of the American Red Cross her residence in Hyde Park, London, for the use as a hospital for General Pershing's injured soldiers.

Leonard Nelson, the well-known vaudeville comedian, will leave Australia shortly on a world tour, starting in China, under the management of Frederic Shipman.

Messrs. Bert Bailey and Julius Grant are to produce Shakespere. The company managers contemplate commencing a Shakesperean season in Melbourne with lan McLaren as the star.

Messrs. J. and N. Tait intend bringing to New Zealand next year the pantomime " Aladdin." The same management will also cater to theatregoers with a series of modern musical comedies, in which Miss Perry will be Mr. Barry Lupino's co-star.

It is reported that Mr. Allen Doone, is now wearing khaki in the United States army.

Mr. Cyril Mackay has joined the "Peg o' My Heart" Company, and is appearing in Melbourne in the company's new play, "Out There."

During the hearing of a case in Sydney between Wilfred Cotton and Adelaide Cotton Ada Reeve—concerning partnership matters, it. was stated that Ada Reeve's gross, salary per week is £500, out of which she has to pay her company. After these deductions £350 per week remains for Miss Reeve. Miss Reeve is to visit New Zealand shortly.

Miss Mabel Morgan, the Australian "principal boy." who visited New Zealand with the earlier J. C- Williamson pantomines, has returned to Australia after a long absence in America, and is appearing in vaudeville at Melbourne Tivoli under the Mcintosh management.

Following Brieux's play, "Damaged I Goods," which had an immense success ' at London St. Martin's, Ibsen's "Ghosts" was marked out as demanding treatment equally liberal. " Ghosts" has been formally passed by the British censor, but it is only now that someone sufficiently* daring has come forward to include it in the ordinary evening bill. Mr. Victey., Lewis is taking the' step, and will produce Wiliam Archer's version of the much-discussed play. The late Mr. Lewis Waller a brother of Mr. Victor Lewis, achieved one of the most remarkable

successes of his career as Oswald Alving in "Hhosts" at a private performance in 1893.

Miss Daisy Jerome, the high-salaried vaudeville artist, who has visited Auckland three or four times, is married and I divorced. This was stated in the preliminary proceedings to a suit in the Melbourne Practice Court, in which Daisy Cynthia Jerome Watowski, well-known By her stage name, Daisy Jerome, now of New Brighton, U.S.A., claimed from Leslie Francis Smith, manufacturer, of Middle Park, Melbourne, £1000 principal and £163 interest, balance on advance alleged to have been made to the defendant in connection with contracts he had entered into to supply the Commonwealth military forces with military clothing. ' j

Gaby Deslys, who is appearing with such success in " Suzette" at the Globe Theatre, London, proposes spending £5000 on a tombstone which she intends to erect to the memory of her father and sister. The tomb, which is at Marseilles, will eventually become the resting-place of all the members of the family, including the charming comedienne herselfShe has recently posed to a famous Italian sculptor for the figures on the stone, and it is her intention when the -war is over, to visit the place of her dead regularly each year, as is the custom in France.

In the report of the secretary of the Victorian Vocalists' Society, presented to the annual meeting, reference made to the fact that "wealthy Melbourne societies continued to expect professional singers to give their services at public performances without payment." A general appeal was being made to the public to support professionals, not only on' account of their services to charities, but also because of the fact that the had brought penury to some of Victoria's most talented artists. Reference had frequently been made to the fact that some Melbourne vocalists were starving, and financial assistance had been given in several cases of destitution.

Mr. W. Barington Miller, of Sydney, late of Gicborne, states that Charlie Chaplin has just completed with the National Exhibitors' Leaguean amalgamation of the principal theatre-owners in America contract for £200.000 for eight pictures. On this baais Chaplin's salary for the ensuing year will be £3800 per week ! MrMiller, who is associated with the Australasian Films, Ltd., spent some time recently at Los Angeles with Mr. Chaplin, of whom he —"In two years' time Mr. Chaplin will be in Australia; he has given me that definite promise, ins present engagements will carry him into 1919, and then he will make a world tour. In all sincerity he has promised me thisin his tour to make Australia his proiniad land, and probably enact a picture in Sydney during his stay." Charlie Chaplin's present age is twenty-eight. Miss Lillah McCarthy, who has just won her suit for the restitution of conjngal rights against her husband, the well-known dramatist and producer, Granville Barker, was in New Zealand some years ago where she made a great impression on discerning playgoers. She has had a remarkable cureer on the stage, and vao the first in London to portray Bernard Shaw heroines under the auspices of the Stage Society. Shaw himself was mainly responsible for her selection, for he had long admired her abilitv and had picked her out as a very promising novice when she was playing as an amateur and he was the celebrated critifc of the Saturday Review. Granville Barker appeared with her in several Shaw productionsnotably in " Mrs. Warren's Profession," which was banned for public presentation by the English censor; " Captain Brassbound's Conversion," the melodramatic comedy with la Moorish background, "The Man of Destiny," the acute study of Napoleonic egotism : "Candida," the intense and original version of " the eternal triangle ;" and one or two others equally well known. Besides achieving a reputation as an actor, Barker won a separate and endurino- ' fame as a dramatist. Students of the 'literary" drama will remember that he is responsible for " Waste," " The Madras House," " The Marrying of Ann Leete," and " The Voysey Inheritance," the last of which was staged in Melbourne some time ago by Gregaa McMahon's Repertory Co. Musico-DiuiLmctra,