LATE THEATRICAL NOTES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 43

LATE THEATRICAL NOTES

(By “Longnette.”)

- Mr J. C. Williamson has definitely decided that Zangwill’s delightful comedy "Merely Mary Ann/’ which the Tittell Brune Company now has in hand, shall he reserved for the Sydney season, which begins on the 30th of next month (September). It was the original intention to produce the piece during the New Zealand tour, but owing to the fact that Mr Williamson had made two important engagements for that company, it was thought better to postpone it. These engagements are those of Miss Susie Vaughan and Mr Douglas Gerrard, both of whom have had actual experience in the cast of the piece, the former as an inimitable old woman character, a class oi interpretation in which she has always excelled, and the latter as Lancelot, the musician hero of the piece. With these two to strengthen the company, and wrtii Miss Tittell Brune herself in the part o± the "lodging-house slavey/' who comes in to a fortune, the piece, which was one of the most talked-of and best liken comedies of its year in London, should- receive an interpretation tliat will oe ixrucii above tbe ordinary. . ~ There is a very natural desire on tho part of playgoers all over,. Australasia, that the Knight-Jeffries Company, which shares with the Royal Comic Opera Company the most perennial popularity, should not be disbanded at the end of the year after the New Zealand tour. Indeed, some have gone so far as to doubt the fact of disbandment at all. But if the company were to be kept on after this year, it would, on present appearances, resemble Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark, for Mr Jhlius Knight, after many years of really nard work at the head of the organisation, arm with a serious illness to coin plicate matters, is talking about taking a long rest. And Miss Maud Jeffries before settling down to the domesticity of her station home in New South Wales, intends paying a prolonged visit to her relatives in A mb. rica. The trip, as a matter o± fact,will be in the nature of a honeymoon, for "Mr and Mrs Oisborne,” it will be remembered, were married during the time when they were both in active harness with their company. The Royal Comic Opera Company opened to an enormous house in Adelaide on the 7th instant, and throughout the season played to crowded houses. They return to Melbourne in.time to open at Her Majesty's, Theatre on Saturday evening in “The Cingalee.' 5 Melbourne theatregoers have added their verdict of approval to the rest of Australasia as regards the Gilbert and Sullivan Company, which began a season of three weeks at Her Majesty's Theatre there on the sth August." Crowded houses were the rule throughout, and though a whole week was devoted to “The GondoHers/* it certainly did not suffice to exliaust the public apreciation of the* in el odious opera, attendances continuing _ to increase rather than diminish, as the opportunities to witness the piece became fewer. Three night revivals of ine Pirates of Penzance,” and “The Mikado occupied the second week, while for the final five nights “lolanthe” and, “Pinafore” will be produced. The company then leave for Adelaide and. cue West.. The first Australian production of ‘'His Majesty’s Servant” took place during the Knight-Jeffries Company's visit to Perth, and advices from Mr Williamson's representatives there indicate that the romantic costume drama was an immense success. Mr Julius Knight, Mis© Maud Jeffries, and Miss Florence Hamer, all appeared to pronounced advantage in their respective parts, to which they were individually admirably suited. Mr J. C. Williamson's policy of rapid changes of programme was reduced to a fine point in two instances at Brisbane recently—first in the case of the Gilbert and Sullivan Company, which played the whole seven pieces in their repertoire m less than two weeks, and secondly m the case, of Miss Nance O’Neil and her company, who in a season of fourteen nights is putting on no less than six pieces, and is attracting most satisfactory business. In both cases the wisdom of the policy was beyond doubt. Mr J. C. Williamson has recured the Australasian rights of yet another musical play rejoicing in the fantastic name of “The Blue Moon,’’ which when the last mails left Eingland was on the eve of production at the London Lyric Theatre by Mr Robert Courtneidge, well known in Australasia. The music of “The Blue Moon,” which has already been successfully tried in the English Provinces, is Tby Paul Ruben© and Howard Talbot, the first-named of whom is familiar enough to Australasian lovers of musical comedy.