THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4396, 29 June 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

(BY "LORGNETTE.”) Miss Irene Franklin, who is appearing at the Theatre Royal at present with such success, has apparently lost none of tne precocious charm which marked her childhood. She is no longer a child, but she conies to AVellington in the dawn of a womanhood yet more charming. In her first sonsy on Tuesday night she sang with an affectation of demureness which deceived nobody and pleased everybody. In “Peculiar Walks” her genius as a quaint comedienne was convincingly shown. “The Golden Gates” was a delicious* piece of comedy, extravagantly conceived, maybe, but rendered with all the reserve of force and polished ease of the finished professional extraordinary in one so young. As for her stage walk, it is that of a perfectly oroportioned woman, and the slisrhtest gesture reveals the possession of unrivalled grace. This is high praise, but our clever young American cousin deserves all that can be said in her favour.

The Haytors continue to drive dull care away at the Royal with their delightfully funny sketches.

The Stanton Company opened at the Opera House with “Said Pasha,” in the presence of a large and appreciative audience, on Wednesday niodit. The company is a strong one, and the chorus, scenery and dresses are all good, while the orchestra is fully equal to the occasicon under Mr Bell’s experienced direction.

Mr George Kunckel. is one of those dry humourists who appear to be the special product of the United States. That he can convulse an audience he is proving conclusively in his songs every evening.

Miss Josephine, Stanton is a capable actress and a charming singer, and speedily became a warm favourite with the audience, which dealt out unstinted applause whenever she sang.

The Empire Vaudeville Company has been strengthened "by the addition of Miss Ivy Pulton, a young serio of promise who appeared at the Choral Hall on Saturday night last for the first time, and proved an acceptable article. # „

Panst and Walhalla, a couple of musical clown* and acrobatic artists—are lalso -bilJed to appear at the end of this week at that popular house. Mr Will Stevens, ‘an old "favourite at the Choral Hall, is booked to appear there on the 6th proximo, after a successful season at Puller’s Empire Music Hall, Sydney.

The London Lyceum, which is associatee with the grandest Shakespearean productions of the age, as a music-hall with two shows a day! 'Horrible suggestion! writes a London correspondent. The suggestion was not seriously taken by the general meeting of "the Lyceum Theatre Company and it merely represented the dissatisfaction of a shareholder, who was not contented with his dividends. It is rather sad to know that the profits of the Company headed by Sir Henry Irving are made mainly by tours in the provinces and fin America.

The retirement of Mr John'Hare, which Is now Imminent, says a London corres_ nondent, will leave the English stage the poorer by one genuine actor, whose comedy has always been pure, crisp and spontaneous. In leaving the stage now Mr Hare retires in the very of his popularity. He is not really an old man yet—only fifty-seven. This is to say, he fis •ix years younger than Sir Henry Irving, one year the junior of Mr Charles 'Wynd. ham, and the same age as Mr Edward Terry. Of all the parts Mr'Hare played none suited him better than that of the elderly husband in "ATair of Spectacles.”

Mr W. J. Holloway and his company are doing excellent business in South Africa. They -Opened at Port Elizabeth to a large audience, and at the time of writing were playing to record business in Capetown. Recently, Mr Holloway cabled to his'agent in Sydney that he was coming to Australia. This will probably be about "Septem. ber, after the close of the African season.

“The Christian King,” written by Mr Barrett ‘himself, is a new play of a semireligious character, resembling to some extent "The Sign of the Cross” and “Quo Vadis?” A performance for copyright purposes will be given in London in the course of a week or so, but this will be merely a formal reading of the play, technically in public, but practically in pri_ vate. The first regular production of it will be either at Melbourne or Sydney. “Man and His Makers,” “Quo Vadis?” and “Clito” “are also new to Australia • - • » »

Mr Wilson Barrett will produce fifteen plays during his Australian and New Zealand tour, according to present ar. rangements. . The repertoire is made up as follows:—“Man and His Makers,” “Quo Vadis?’ “Clito,” “The Christian King,” “The Manxman,” "Ben-ma-Chree,” “Othello,” "Hamlet,” “Virgin, ins,” "The Sign of the Cross,” “The Silver King,” "Jenny the Barber,” “The Colour Sergeant,” “Chatterton," and “The Clerical Error.” The four last named are short pieces. Three of them will be used at intervals as a triple bill.

A Japanese manager, whose name is Engie Kyobal, and who is manager'of the Shintomaza Theatre, in Tokio, has arrived in the United States with a view Pf studying the American stage. Later on he may visit London.