THEATRICAL GOSSIP

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5474, 31 December 1904, Page 11

THEATRICAL GOSSIP

(BY “LORGNETTE.”) (From the "New Zealand Mail.”) BOOKINGS. OPERA HOUSE. J. C. 'Williamaon—Dec. 23 to Jan. 21. Montgomery’s Entertainers—Jan 23 to 28 (pencilled). Geo. Stephenson—Feb. 17 to 24. J. C. Williamson—Russo-Jap War BioTableau. Feb. 26 to March 4 inclusive. J. C. Williamson—March 9 to March 30. George Musgrove—April 22 to May 13. Ghas. Macmahon—May 30 to June 19. Allan Hamilton—Oct. 18 to Nov. 4. J. C. Williamson—Christmas season, 1906. J. C. SvilUamson— Easter, 1906. THEATRE ROYAL, Dix’s Gaiety Company. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. Fuller’s Entertainers. NOTES BY “LORGNETTE.” The booking for the performance of the old English morality play. “Everyman/’ which opened at the Dresden yesterday morning is exceptionally good and proves that keen interest is being taken in the production of the drama, which takes place at the Reception Room of the Town Hall next Wednesday afternoon, at 3 o'clock. It is to be hoped the management will make arrangements for a second performance to be given on a Saturday afternoon, so as to give persons who are unable to get away from business on Wednesday an opportunity to witness this wonderful play. After a successful run of seven nights “Monsieur Beaucaire" will this evening give place to Mr Hall Caine's dramatisation of his own powerful novel, “The Eternal City." The drama was produced for the first time at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London, on the 2nd October, 1902, some three weeks before "Monsieur Beaucaire” went up at the comedy Theatre. London. The cast which supported Mr Beerbohm Tree was au exceedingly strong one. Tho company which supports Miss Maud Jeffries and Mr Julius Knight ought to give a powerful interpretation of Mr Caine’s work. For the benefit of our readers we publish tho cast of characters of the London production and also the local one. They are as follows: LONDON PRODUCTION, OCTOBER 2. 1902. Baron Bonelli Mr Tree David Rossi Mr Robert Taber Pope Pius Mr Brandon Thomas Bruno Rocco Mr Lionel Brough Commendatore Angelelli...Mr S. A. Cookson General Morra :..Mr Ernest Leigh Colonel Cavalli Mr Asheton Tonge Major Doria Mr Smythe Charles Minghelli Mr William Devereux Tommaso .. Mr Allen Thomas Felice Mr Francis Chamier Sir Evelyn Wise Mr E. Henderson Bland General Potter Mr Fred W. Sidney Don Camillo Murelli ....Mr Eric Leslie Father Pifferi Mr J. Fisher White Maestro de Camera Mr J. Esmond Walla Joseph Master Noel Compton Luigi .......Mr W. Curtis Secretary of the Count Mr Cecil Rose Lieutenant of the Carabineers Mr Spencer Carpenter Usher Mr Frank Stanmore Chamberlain to the Pope, Mr Norman Tharp Donna Roma Volonna Miss Constance Collier Elena Miss Frances Dillon Francesca Miss Mary Brough Nattalina Miss Isabel Collier Princess Bellini Miss Nancy Price WELLINGTON PRODUCTION, DECEMBER 31, 1904. David Rossi Mr Julius Knight Pope Pin., - *. ...Mr G. P. Carey Baron Bonelli Mr Arthur Wontner Bruno Rocco Mr Harry Plimmer Commendatore Angelelli Mr Herbert Leigh General Morra Mr Leonard Willey Don Camillo Murelli Mr Nott Osborne Menghelli (a spy) Mr Franks Stirling Sir Evelyn ‘VJTise ..Mr Percy Walshe Tommaso / Mr G. Lepaatrier Father Pifferi Mr George Chalmers Felice Mr E. M. Beresford Joseph (Bruno’s child)...Miss Kitty Howard Secretary of the Court Mr Cur Tan Dooley Public Prosecutor Mr Norman Jeffries General Potter Mr N. Lightfoot Lieutenant of the Carabineers Mr A. Spence Lieutenant of the Swiss Guard Mr W. Eosevear Princess Bellini Miss Rose Pen dermis Elena ; Miss Marie D’Alton Nattalina Miss E. Guilford Quin Donna Roma Volohna...Miss Maud Jeffries “The Eternal City” will be played for six nights. On Saturday evening “A Royal Divorce" will be revived with Mr Julius Knight in the character of Napoleon and Miss Maud Jeffries as Josephine. The “New Zealand Herald" in a very eulogistic notice on *he first performance of “The Eternal City" at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Auckland, Says: —ln their production of Hall Caine’s “The Eternal City" at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night the KnightJeffries Company made a very favourable impression upon a house packed from roof to floor. Many persons were content to stand throughout what was undoubtedly a very fine performance of an exceptionally powerful drama. It is a characteristic of the author-dramatist to whom we owe "The Eternal City" that his works should be pitched in a minor key. We have come to expect of him more tears than laughter, more of the darker side of the cloud of human life than of its silver lining. He seeks rather to impress than to amuse. So it is in this piece, the action of which comprises a series of tense moments. The story is unfolded in four acts, abounding in soundly constructed aitua tions that irresistibly compel, and continue to hold close-gripped, the attention of the audience. It is consecutively told, and so cleverly apportioned are the scenes, that each act is a complete dramatic or emotional picture in itself. Running as it does through the , whole gamut of human passions—chiefly set In sombre surroundings—this powerful play emerges finally, as it were, from a misty atmosphere of sadness. a conflict of opposing aims and interests, into one gleam of compensating brightness, that illuminates a happily conceived ending.

Mr Jotm Puller, Junr., leaves Dunedin by the Wimmera for Australia next week in search of attractions for the Puller Circuit. Mr Harold Ashton, the courteous touring representative of the Knight-Jeffnes Dramatic Company, was on Saturday evening, the 24th December, the recipient of a handsome silver cigarette case from Mr and Mrs Osborne (Mias Maud Jeffries), which bore the inscription:—"H. A.. from M. and J.O. Xmas. 1904." , „ . The Hawns are the "trump cards at His Majesty's Theatre this week. The nautical sketch, ''Shipmates, affords them aniple opportunity to display their abilities. The programme is an exceedingly fine one. all the inembers of the company appearing to great advantage in their respective items. Mr Herbert Waring, tbo actor, appeared at the London Bankruptcy Court on Tuesday. the Ist November, for his public examination. Mrs Liliie de Bathe (Mrs Langtry) is the petitioning creditor. The debtor applied to pass upon accounts showing gross liabilities £3731, of which £2725 is unsecured, and assets £23. In examination he said that his name . was Herbert Waring Butty. In June, 1901, he, with others, formed ±*lay. Limited," with a capital of £SOOO, to Produce a play called "A Man of His Word. About £4IOO of the capital was subscribed. The play was to be produced at the Imperial Theatre, of which he had a lease from Mrs de Bathe, at £IOO a week, on behalf of the company. The play resulted in a loss of £1930. It cost £2OOO to produce, and only ran for five weeks. The loss was about £SOO a week. He was servea with a writ for the rent, although he had assigned the lease to the company. He defended the action on the ground that the company was liable, and succeeded in the High Court, but the appeal went against him. To the result of that action he attributed his failure. His income averaged £IOOO a year, and his expenditure £ISOO a year. He was at present engaged at £4O a week. Since the writ was issued he had hod an engagement in America at £IOO a week with Mrs Patrick Campbell for 18 weeks, six weeks at the Lyric at £SO a week. 12 weeks at the St. James’s, and 16 weeks at the Haymarket at £4O a week.—The examination was concluded. Mr J. 0. Williamson’s Dramatic Company commenced a season at the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne, last Saturday evening with “L’Aiglon." It is probable that Fitgorald’s Circus will tour the West Coast of the South Island before returning to Australia. The Stephenson Musical Comedy, Company commenced a season at His Majesty s Theatre, Auckland, on Boxing' Night with “The Bose of the Biviera." Miss Beatrice Day will he one of the leading members of the Brough-Fleming Company, which shortly commences a tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Mr P. R- Dix re-opened the Theatre Royal last Saturday evening with a first class programme. Ifiss Lizzie ICirk and Mr Frank Loon met with a most enthusiastic reception, their respective items being right up-to-date. Season’s greetings have been received from Mr Bert Royle, Mr Harold Ashton, Mr Richard Stewart. Mr Albert Clark, Mr George Wirth. Mr Philip Wirth, Mr Dan Fitzgerald, Mr Edwin Geach. Mr A. Cowan, Mr George Stephenson. Mr Alec Verne. Mr Bentley Young. Mr J. A. Miller. Mr W. T. Gardner, Mr Alf. Lin ley. the Driscoll Boys, Mr Ben Fuller. Mr Walter Fuller, Mr John Fuller, senr., Mr John Fuller, junr., Mr P. R. Dix, and Mr Michael Joseph, all of which are heartily reciprocated. Mr William Anderson produced a new drama at the Melbourne Bijou on Boxing Night entitled “Between Two Women." Mr Jas. Rial returned to America by tho last outward San Francisco moil steamer. M. Gabrielle Rejane, the Famous French actress, is in private life Mme- lord, wife of the manager of the Vaudeville. Her daughter, Germaine, is in training for the stage, and it is her mother’s great ambition that the child will one day be able to play English roles. With that object, she is having her thoroughly taught tho la of Spice” and “The Royal Chef/' two musical comedies recently produced in New York, have proved unqualified failures. Wirth’s Circus and Menagerie will shortly commence a tour of New Zealand. It is at present doing splendid business in Sydjicy. Montgomery's Entertainers are doing good business on the West Coast. The Knlght-Jeffries Dramatic Company will give a performance of the old English morality play “Everyman*” in the Concert Room of the Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon, the 4th January. When produced in Auckland a few weeks ago it created a most profound impression. The Auckland “Graphic." in referring to the performance, says:—The production by the Knight-Jeffries Company of “Everyman, one of the old morality plays of early England, is. so far as # the writer’s memory serves, an absolute innovation in the colonial history of drama. Nothing any way similar has previously been attempted, and the experiment was one which must have caused Mr Williamson. Mr Knight, and all those concerned, very considerable anxiety, for between absolute success and ludicrous fiasco there was no middle place. If such a production failed to impress, and impress in detail as well as in general, it must have aroused ridicule and given grave offence to those to whom religion is more than a name. “Everyman” is not a production on. which to .write a damatic criticism, and if it were it would be dealt with in another portion of this paper, but it seems desirable to say here that the initial production in Auckland, will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it, and that it was followed with a breathless interest amid au atmosphere of reverence and complete understanding which spoke volumes for tho skill of those who took part. Completely well done, the medieval air duly preserved, and a severe restraint on every hand, both in acting, mounting, and general effect, “Everyman" was a production of which Mr Williamson and his company may be justly proud, and which will assuredly create an intense interest whenever and wherever it may be repeated. And this brings us at once to the question, Is the production of such plays as this desirable, and does it serve a high purpose? Before seeing “Everyman" last week the writer certainly had his doubts, but these have been completely removed, and it is emphatically his opinion that nothing but good can come of such a play when so produced. The certainty of death, and the fact that the next second may be our last, is familiar, yet somehow we never do realise it completely. We see it fall on others, but we make an almost unconscious exception of our own case. We never (in health, at all events) fully realise it may be to-day with us. And probably this is not entirely ifl. To be constantly and vividly conscious that in the midst of life we are in death would make many men and women morbid and miserable. But. it is assuredly for our good to have the lesson brought home to us occasionally, and the play “Everyman" does this in a manner which none who witness it can, even if they would, disregard. We see every day instances of sudden death, we know those stricken have to render the Almighty their account, but because the instances are so many they pass us by, and do not touch the imagination. Not so with “Everyman." There on the stage in the plenitude of health, high spirits and full enjoyment of all that makes life desirable, we see the presentment of Everyman—suddenly summoned .to tho Eternal Presence to render the account of his life, and every unit in the audience says to his or her soul, "That is myself/’ The . agony, the despairing appeals for a little respite, the fruitless endeavours _to gain comradeship for the Journey, bring our personal position in the matter home with a keen sudden sense of reality which it is entirely impossible to describe. It leaves an impression which no book or no sermon could do, and if it is desirable that wo should think on such things seriously now and then, why assuredly the careful and reverent production of such a play as this is to be desired. It is to be hoped Mr Williamson will repeat the performance in New Zealand, and its production in Australia and its reception there will be awaited with interest.

The new prima donna of Mr Williamson's opera companies, Miss Alexia Bassian, is (says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph”) possessed of the advantages which maMe for success. She has youth and appearance on her side, she has had an excellent vocal training, and during her career of between six and seven years she has had a varied and useful experience, principally in England and America. Miss Bassian was born on the Atlantic, on a voyage to America from Europe. Her father was an Armenian and her mother an American. The family returned to Turkey until Mias Bassian was about eleven years of age, and then they left again for California, where she began the study of music. Following- a three years’ course of instruction in Vienna, Miss Bassian made her first appearance a-s Juliette in Gounod’s "Borneo and Juliette." Then, entering the profession, she appeared in a number of light operas and musical comedies, among the latter being "The Geisha" and “The Circus Girl." After studying under Marchesi in Paris for some time, Miss Bassian sang, at several concerts, and then joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company. During this season, which lasted forty-eight weeks. Miss Bassian appeared in "Carmen," "Cavalleria Busticana," “Tannhauser," and "Don Giovanni." At the close of this engagement Miss Bassian returned once more to America, appearing on the concert platform. She was then engaged by Mr Williamson for Australia. Miss Baasian's accomplishments are not confined to her musical ability—she can speak four foreign languages—French. German, Italian and Turkish. The new prima donna will make her first appearance in Australia as Josephine in a revival of "H.M.S. Pinafore,” which is to follow the production, of "Patience" at Her Majesty's. Miss Marie Lloyd was last month divorced from hsr husband, Mr Percy Charles Courtenay, on a petition filed by that gentleman in which allegations of unfaithfulness were made against his wife, in which a well-known London music hall vocalist was involved. A recent South African exchange has the news of the death of Mr H. C. Ward, formerly of Fitzgeralds’ Circus and Bland Holt's Dramatic Company, and very well known in Australasian theatrical circles. Mr Steve Adson and Miss Jessie Thorne have been engaged by Mr Harry Rickards, and opened with his Adelaide company on the 24th. Some of the most striking passages in the play "L’Aiglou." which will bo seen in New Zealand next year, are those addressed by Metternich to the hat of Napoleon. Now, it seems, one of the six of these hats known to be still in existence has been given by M. Napoleon de Mercey. to the Conde Museum at Chantilly. In a letter to the Paris "Le Matin," M. de Mercey explains:— "This hat became the property of my godmother, .Queen Caroline, on the occasion of a division of the property which came from St. Helena, when my grandfather represented the Emperor's sister. Wishing to bestow on him proof of her gratitude for the devotion ho always showed her, ‘as though she were a well-beloved daughter,' the Queen gave him this hat, ‘worn by the Emperor with the army and at St. Helena.' to quote the exact terms of the autograph letter kept with the hat in a cedar chest. This hat is much worn, and there is attached to it, with a bent pin, a small tricolour cockade," In referring to the production of "The Eternal City" at His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, the "Graphic" says:—The production of that really remarkable drama "The Eternal City," has been drawing absolutely enormous houses to His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, the initial performance on Saturday being given before one of the largest audiences the writer ever remembers in a New Zealand theatre. The book itself is so well known, and the play has now been seen by so many New Zealand theatre-goers, that any detailed description thereof is unnecessary, but it will be generally conceded that the capital acting and excellent mounting of "The Eternal City" transforms a rather dull and heavy novel into a play which cannot fail to interest. Mr Julius Knight and Miss Jeffries are both seen to much advantage, and Mr Wontner’a Baron Bonelli is unquestionably a very fine study. Excellent, too, and far above the average, is the Pope, as played by that veteran Australian actor. Mr G. P, Carey. Hero is a part which needs the most careful handling; in less capable hands it might easily have jarred on the feelings of many. Tact, delicacy, and wide experience enabled Mr Carey to give a study which could not help but charm, and which showed emphatically that Australian actors can hold their own with the best imported artists—so far as we have yet seen at all events. The music is certainly an added attraction, and altogether "The Eternal City" is decidedly a play to see.