PLAYS AND PLAYERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6315, 16 September 1907, Page 5

PLAYS AND PLAYERS

(By ‘LORGNETTE.’’) BOOKINGS. OPERA lIOESE. September 12 to 21—Willougliby-Ward Com* edy Company. September 23 to October 9—J. C. Williamson’s "Mother Goose" Company. October 10 to 30—Allan Hamilton. October 31—Harrison’s Gymnastic Class. November I—Martin Swallow’s Concert. November 2 to 16 —Ma-cmahon Dramatic Co. November 22 to December 6—Allan Hamilton. December 7 to 17—Pollard’s Juveuilc Opera Company. December 13 to 22—J. C. Williamson. December 26 to January 16 —J. C. Williamson. TOWN HALL. September 5. 6. 11, 13. 14, 16—Dr Bradshaw s Organ Recitals. September 10.12—Madame Albaui’s Concerts. September 23—Dresden Company. November 9—Montgomery's Entertainers. December 23 to January 11—West's Pictures. January 20 to 25—Madame Clara Butt. February 15 —Madame Clara Butt. April 18 to May 2—Catholic Bazaar, THEATRE EOFAL. Fuller’s F.nt-prtainera—Permanent.

Mr J. C. Williamson’s “Mother Goose” Pantomime Company has been doing phenomenal business at His Majesty s Theatre, Auckland. The theatre has been packed at each performance. The Wellington season commences on Monday, the 23rd lust., when Mr Williamson will present for the first time the very latest and most successful style ot pantomime imported from the birthplace of pantomime—Drury Lane Theatre London. “Mother Goose must by reason of its extraordinary success wherever produced, represent just that form of entertainment which the public of tho day desire. Of course modem pantomime means no more than an entertainment which strives to excite, interest, and amuse, by every possible stage device, and every trick or . ar --' of the-scenic artist, the mechanician, tho electrician, the costumier, the ballet mistress, tho purveyor of jokes, and the ipcrformer with a specialty. et it is a good thing to be able to lift a community out of the serious grooves ot thought and action now and again, it only for a few hours. “Mother Goose, from all accounts, is a highly spectacular production, the scenes of Toyland. the Hall of Gold, the Meet at the Lam;, the Magic Tool. Cnorti..-xuL nod Gooselaud being said to be some ot the m; specimens of scenic art or Messrs John Gordon and W. It. Coleman. An unfailing attraction is sure to be the ballets introduced—chief amongst which are a top ballet danced by r.ny girhq a floral ballet, and a hunting ballet. Song must of necessity take up a great portion of tho evening’s entertainment. ’lho Swing Song, which reveals gilds on beautifully decorated and electrically lighted swings, and tho “Mocn Dear song, with its remarkable cloud and moon effects, are said to bo two of the leading features. Other vocal items will-be Lilacs'’ and “Somebody’s Sweetheart, by Miss Olive Godwin; “Cupid s the Captain of the Army,” by Alps Mabelle Morgan; and ’'hove Ate and the \Vorld ia Mine,” by Miss Beatrice .English,

Mr J. C. Williamson is tho purchaser of the rights ih the opera, “The Merry Widow," for Australia and New Zealand. The purchase covers the music and lyrics as well as the performing rights, and all concerned are warned against publicly singing any song or songs or- playing any music from the opera. An infringement wil be followed by proM-cution under the provisions of the Commonwealth Copyright Act.

"When Knights Were Bold," which Mr Frank Thornton will exploit in Australia at Christmas, is still one of Tendon’s ' chief successes. The Australian and Now Zealand tour will be under the direction of Mr Edwin Geach.

No fewer than forty-five shows of various kinds—musical, dramatic, variety, circus, and hiograph (specially biograph)—toured Queensland during tho past winter season. Only a few were successful, the greater portion having a very rough time.

Messrs Meynell and Gunn's Dramatic Company, which is headed by Miss Maud Hildyard, will open its New Zealand tour at His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, next Monday. The season will extend over three weeks, after which the following dates will be played;—New Plymouth, October 7th; Wanganui, October Bth; Palmerston . North, October 9th; Wellington, October 10th to 30th; Christchurch, November Ist to 14th; Dunedin, November ,16th to 30th. Hi© company sail from Dunedin for Tasmania on th© Ist December. ’ The tour will bo under the direction of Mr Allan Hamilton, whose interests will be looked after by Mr George Bullet;. The repertoire of the company will include "A Beautiful Fiend," "A Warning to Women," and "The Great Awakening.'

Mr John Fuller, junr., was due to leave Snn Francisco far Japan on th© 11th.. He is expected to reach Sydney on December I'd, b°ing due in Dunedin about the middle of tho same month.

The nrioes of admission the New Zealand tour of "Mother Goose" have been fixed at ss, 4s, and 2s. It is estimated that no less a sum than .£llOO a week will have to be taken to clear expenses, owing to the heavy costs of transportation, etc.

After "Mr Hopkinson" has outstayed his Wellington welcome the WilloughbyWard Comedy Company will stage "The New Clown,"’ a comedy that is said to bo of a particularly humorous nature, and a genuine success wherever produced.

Messrs Meynell and Gunn revived the successful money-winner, "The Fatal Wedding" at the Theatre Royal, Sydney,' last Saturday evening.

Besides Miss Fanny Dango, who was snccially engaged in London by Mr J. C. Williamson for the production of “The Dairymaids," by the Royal Comics, the company has been further strengthened for the niece by the inclusion of Miss Emma Temple, so long and favourably known to Australian playgoers. She plays the part of Miss Pyechase, the autocratic school mistress, under whoso rule the gymnasium girls flourish, in «nite of its" sternness. The part is one that gives most abundant opportunities for an excellent comedy sketch, of which Miss Temple is sure to take full advantage. Mr George Lauri has a part which should suit him every bit as well as Menkin in "The Orchid." or Mr Girdle in "The Spring Chicken,” Miss Florence Young is also congenially suited, and indeed all the old favourites ar© well fitted. The real gymnasium scene, which a team of girls have been assiduously practising for some time pasb, is on© of the features of the piece, the whole of the stage being fitted up with the familiar apparatus of a physical culture school. Th© musical comedy, which is nroduced under the direction of Mr Gerard Coventry, was staged for the first time in Australia at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, last Saturday evening.

>fiss >rTntr~V 3favp<*l| a-n',l G-nuu's p-r-H-rprf denß rw>. n-ill meke h*r first pnrH?avax>r© in ArtsfV* r» OT rol on Ps.**-Hrndsv next Tri« in fb« '*TT~r> T fVtrv WonTH." Tbi'c Tii-S ip for a considerable time, so that all will h* nract ; *-'ll* r rv? bn +b» MTnf-odl r*Tt week Tbe drama, which presents whet i.« des* r ib*d as a ■>~ictrirr> s'* b** in a urj-niM-ifOi*— i= bo o-no of th* morrtro«tlv yet undertaken by Messrs. Meynell and Gunn, because of the great quantity of scenery and the lavish outlay required in military, uniforms. Mr Harcourt Beatty will appear as Eric. Earl of Strathmore, and Air Gaston Mervale as TJlric of

Eavcnsburg; Miss May Congdon aud Mr Vane* will also have parts in this play, and will therefore not accompany Miss Ilildyard to Now Zealand, whilst another member of the re-organised company will be Mr. Harry Halley, who came out to play Sir George Peacock in "The Little Stranger.’’

Mr Edwin Geach has decided to send on the road a Xo. 2 Company with the plays, "The Power of the Cross” and "A Modern Adventuress.” Mr George Marlow will act as business manager.

Quite a novel souvenir was_ presented at the Lyric Theatre, Xew York, last month, the occasion being the two hundred and fiftieth performance of "The Eoad to Yesterday.” The souvenir took the form of a silver statuette, about three inches high, representing the leading lady. Minnie Dupree, in lioy’s costume. The gift was designed a-s a seal, and a stick of wax accompanied it. Each lady in the house received one.

Mr Bernard Espinas.se, the Australian dramatist, is an inmate of the Cardiac Hospital, London.

The Dunedin season of the Pollard •Juvenile Opera Company closes on the Xlth. It has been in every wav as groat a success as the recent Christchurch one. -

After a six nights’ run of _ The Spring Chicken" at Her Majesty s Theatre, Melbourne, by the Koyal Comics, it, was withdrawn on September 7th in’ favour of the London success, “The Dairymaids," which was produced for the first time in Australia.

Amongst the latest recruits to the_English variety stage are Mr Hayden Oofim, Mr Courtice Pounds, and his aster, Miss Louie Pounds.

Mr Andrew McCann, who has been responsible, for such, excellent work while in the conductor’s chair of "the E-oval Comic Opera Company, is taking a holiday trip to England next month. His place will .be filled by Mr Howard Carr, whom Mr Williamson engaged a few weeks- ago in London, and who is on his way out to Australia. Mr Carr is a nephew of Mr Howard Talbot, whoso name has figured as the composer on several musical comedy programmes in Australia, the last examples of his excellent and exhilarating stylo being found in the ’’Blue Moon.” Mr Carr himself is a composer of no mean abilitv, and his musical efforts are not unfamiliar on this side of th© world. He is an excellent musician as well as an experienced conductor.

The management of Pollard’s Juvenile Opera Company has presented .with a gold bracelet Miss Ivy Aldous, the clever child performer who sings the first soio in ‘'Bluebell in- Fairyland, in honour of having received the first encore on the inauguration night. -Tim bracelet has a gold medal attached, to it. showing tho date of the first production and the occasion' of the presentatii n.

The Australasian tour of the Wil-loughby-Wai Comedy Company will terminate at Perth, Western Australia, about the middle of January nest.

The MaoMahon Dramatic Company will commence a tour of New Zealand at Her Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, on October 7th. The company, which has been reorganised, is said to be a strong one.

One of the most important factors in a pantomime is comedy, and Mr J. .<-• Williamson has got an excellent coterie of comedians together for the production of “Mother Goose." Mr Harry Pl?ydora, who plays the name part, is a London comedian of high repute; Queen and Lo Breen are two topnotch animal impersonators, imported direct from Drury Lane; 'Mr "Victor Loydall is a clever Scottish comedian, whose work is said to be one of the brightest spots in the pantomime, in addition to the above, there are Mr H. H. Wallace, formerly of the Repertoire Opera Company; Mr Harry Shine, the well-known burlesque performer; the Little Dartos, Lennon, Hyman; and Lennon, gymnasts; 'the Lazuro troupe of acrobats, and the Troupe *d© Mephisto, who do a demon trap act.

Mrs Tom Fitzgerald starts out next mouth with her circus, for a tour of the Commonwealth. Mr Frank M. Jones. so long Fitgerald Brothers springboard jumper and clown, goes as manager.

The Willoughhv-Ward Comedy Company, after its Wellington season, wall visit Christchurch, Invercargill, and Dunedin, after which a tour of the North Island will be undertaken.

\ number of English music hall, artists who went over to America about the time of the variety strike have returned to London, amongst them, being Miss Vesta Victoria and Miss Alice Lloyd. The former lady is exceedingly popular in New York, where she repeated, with "Daddy Wouldn t Buy Me. a Bow-wow," the success—her first big success—won by that curious ditty in England. "Everybody wanted to give me the bow-wow daddy wouldn't buy me," sbo said, on her return to England, "and if I bad taken them all, the Dogs’ Home would have been a‘ quiet place compared to mine."

Mr Gregan MacMahon has joined the Florence Baines Company, at present appearing at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, in "Miss Lancashire, Limited."

Mr T. J. West, the manager of West’s Pictures, has secured De Green’s ViceRegal Band for his forthcoming tour. This organisation is generally acknowledged to he one of Australia's leading organisations.

Miss Florence Baines, tho English actress, is scoring a big success at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, with the musical play "Miss Lancashire, Limited." Mr Claude H. Whaite is business manager of the company.

Mr William Anderson has decided • to stage the pantomime "‘Hobinson Crusoe" at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, at Christmas.

A hint to Australian managers. Mr Martin Harvey, at the London Adelphi, recently announced that anyone entering the theatre after the raising of the curtain would not be allowed to take their seats until the end of the act.

Mr Edwin Geach’s "Human Hearts” Dramatic Company commenced its Sydney season at the Criterion Theatre last Saturday evening. SOMETHING NEW IN VAUDEVILLE. There is said to bo a scarcity of good vaudeville sketches. This should not and must not be. We offer one below for the benefit of vaudeville sketchists in need of a strictly fresh and novel vehicleEnter Clarice. “Past 8 o’clock, and Jack is not here. While awaiting his arrival, I will proceed to practice my new song and dance. All right, professor. Bing I” (Song and dance.) Enter Jack“Ah, there you are, Jack I Just in time to assist me with, a few fancy steps. Rasp the catgut, professor. Bing!” (\ few fancy steps.) “Clarice, what is the difference between the Brownsville inquiry and a mollycoddle caught in a brain-storm without a paranoia?” “T do not know,” “Neither do I. Ladies and gentlemen, with your kind permission, we will oonclude* our performance with a breakdo *vn and clog. Rattle the horse teeth, professor. Bing!” (Breakdown ’and clog.) Exeunt.—“ Washington Herald/*