PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7027, 15 January 1910, Page 10

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

BOOKINGS AND PENCILLING.S; . OPEEA EOTJSE. I>3o. 26 to Jan. 15.—J. C. Williamson. Jan. 17 to 26.—Carter the Magician. Jan 29 to Feb. 19.-J. C. Williamson. Feb. 26 to March 25.—Allan Hamilton. March 26 to April 18.—J. 0. Williamson. THEATRE EOTAL. Vaudeville (permanent). TOWN HALL. Dec. 26 onwards—West's Pictures. NOTES. [By " LOBGNETTE."] There is a strong programme now holding at the Theatre Royal in which Hiss Priseilla Verne and Mr Tom Armstrong hold first place. I rom start to finish the entertainment supplied by the Messrs Fuller is bright, clean and crisp, and the enterprising firm fully deserve the support accorded them in. supplying a wholesome vaudeville entertainment at a tariff within the reach of all. ' ' Carter, the magician, will open a short season at the. Opera Houso on Monday evening with a programme that includes quite a number of'"new illusions. Since the opening" of histourat inveircargill, some weeks ago. this clever performer has met with nothing but unqualified success. His work is clean and clever from start to finish. Carter carries quite a number'of assistants'and some fifteen: tons of properties. ' "Wellington playgoers are already anxiously awaiting the approaching season of Mr J.-C. Williamson's New Comic Opera • Company, which opens at the 'Opera House" on the 29th inst." _Tho opening production will ho "The King of Cadonia." An example of play, 'tis said, owes' much to the producer. The plot of the piece is simple and clever, the more mention of which suggests a number of comical situations,, Cadonia is a kingdom,' where . anarchists abound, and where, in conserfuence, six kings reign in eight months. The escape of the carefully-guarded king and the reluctance of. the very practical heir-pre-sumptive to accept the. vacant throne, | are the main themes.'on which the action centres.: In addition there is a dainty love-story woven : .into the. opera.) The" book (says an 'exchange), which is by Frederick Lonsdale, is not the strongest feature of the opera, but whatever shortcomings there may ,- ( be .are -amply covered up, and the piece is bright right tnrou'gh.: Now 'it 19 a"triumph in;costuming thatWrprises the audience, now it is the- work vof >the corps-de-ballet, now it is an excellent: chorus, .and now a "special turn. The opera'sparkles 'on its entrancing course, 'and-; last."night's audience was- moved to' continuous' demonstrations of'delight, and 'the curtain had •to bo • raised at the ; end several itimes. The music, which is by Sydney Jcnes, is always tuneful, and occasionally, as in the Cadonian National Anthem, bold and .grand.,, r Sonie of the 6olos and the" soprano and'barftono.duets: are haunting. The , lyrics,-, in which a fair standard of literary excellence is peached. are by Adrian. Ross.

A-correspondent .writing-,from;Sydney 'says'i". "No. one- whor enjoyed: ;Mis9. Florence Young's ■ magnificent''portrayal of Madame Sans' Gone in "The Duchess of Dantzic' could fail-to admit that: the prima, donna ' of the: < ; Royal Comic Opera Company, had: in! .her: all the qualifications necessary -for a drania-; tic actress! But few_were prepared for; the admirable interpretation she is giv-, ing now to the .part of Adelina in "The' iClimax.' It is a most exacting, role full .of subtlety arid requiring. an abundance" of that attribute' known as ..tempera-; .ment while 'the. vocal';demands. upon it; ,are by no means inconsiderable.. And; yet in her rendering: Miss .Young displays a grip on the essentials. a.;perIfect understanding of the artistic poasi.bilities that augur well for her should, ishe ever feel called upon permanently., to desert, the lyrio for 'the ' dramatic (Stage. .It is perhaps,,.needless to jadd' ithat she is ; exce'llently ..supported J. B. Atholwood, as the 'kindly, humor-; oas old music'master; Roberts; as' the doctor, and.Mr,' DionjTitheradge: as the impulsive young Italian." '-_ The' llast performance of the piece was'given last -Saturday afternoon. -,'.. :•,, ' . „

Mr Peter Dawson;' the ba6so of the,' Amy;Oastje Concert-Com,pany;:6ays that; lis- first tour abroad lias taken ,himf ; home! He-' was 'born ':in Adelaide - in ■IBB2, and studied underMr C; J. Ste~" 'phens, conductor of" sotho;of tlie_leadiiig; choral' and- orchestral "'there,' and .was onlyeighteen'-years o~f age'when' 'he appeared as soloist in Gounod's "Re-; 'demption."" His success' was such 'thatj: in 1902 he went to'Sir Charles ; "Santley ; for two years' study," during which time." ,he attended harmony classes at the, Guildhall School of Music, and accepted! useful concert' "engagements. His first] important, tour, .was- in-.Mme.'-•Albani's: .party, which was such a strongcombina-j tion that it also included' Santley,«-.WiI-f liam Green, Adela. Verne. ,Signor>nia.Ra-i' vogli (contralto from;tbe; Royal. Opera), and.: Johannes rWolfi: (violinist).; :it,.will be.observed, that-five of the seven; artists forming it have D-toured ;tlus';iiarti 'of ; .the world.-,: Sinceuthen: Mr.'Dawson* has sung at;the Queen's Hall;Promenade, .and. .many other London .and'provincial; concerts, notably in "Samson and- Deli-; lah" with the London: Choral Society at Queen's Hall, and at the of the Queen's Hall Choral Society under franco, Leoni ;early ; in'.the present year; Mr Dawson exhibits j a feeling:<both fori 'humour, and dramatic; effect;, and: :these.qualities. w'ere ■ probably in- the mind of the composer of .the new-song "Rip VanWinkle," which the basso is now introducing, wherever , hesgoes. '.The-- words, ~; a nd, musioiof: this -.clever■• descriptive song: are by. Herbert; Carroll,' a< pianist s and: composer ;who .was; (at-6chool with ..the,singer in Adelaide. ■ , - ;

,-■ Whether Mr George Hackenschmidt, the 'wrestler, .who.is'to appear; at the Town Hall; on February ,sth.for-a short season, is a theatrical entertainer or an exponent of physical culture, is not clear; neither is it worth considering. In a short season at, the Melbourne Town Hall he made his entertainment musical as well as athletic.. In, wrestling he had. stalwart and active assistants and companions in Gunner Moir ... and ;Aleo Bain, ai stalwart Scot.. Their .wrestling ' was convincing in its earnestness arid activity. With a musical programme and the customary' pictures ..< Hackenschmidt and/his company gave-a'first-rate entertainment. i

lira Fanny Bauer, the voung "Sydney soprano nho'o beautifully trained and pure -soprano is .<yiid to be u«ed with such telling effect in "The Catch of the Season," at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, has had a most interesting careor since she left Australia for a TTuiopean training "some seven years ago. Tho first two years were spent at tho Milan Conscrvatorium, where, amongst thirty-eight competitors from all parts of tho world, she won a scholarship entithna her to froo education in singine, declamation theory, and harmonv. Ilei first operatis success was as Desdomona in Verdi's great work. "Otello," and her next as Violetta, which she plaved at Bucharest. A student's course in Gcrmanv followed, and she lived for somo time in Stuttgart, and received the title of Kammer-Snngorm; or court singer, to the Queen of Wnrtemburg, who made quite a protege of her. For some months- Miss Bauer continued her studies not only in singing but also in violn and organ, and <*ho was a great -favourite • with the residents of the town. Then she went to Dublin visiting relations, an<l her good fortune followed her there, for tho Countess of ' Aberdeen took up the voung Am-trahan and she sang several timea _before vice-royalty.

Her English career, on the platform has been a', most distinguished one. ■

Mr Harold Ashton, "principal touring manager for Mr J. C. Williamson, ihas iiist returnedito Australia after .touring tho United States for a little ;over eight months-: in'search of attritions., for the Australian stage,, ...When'lnte?yiew,ed'M(r Ash'ton 'said] thaij-her.had seen quite', a lot of pieces;'"and had selected several first-class dramas~and:'a .couple of- gooo mnsical playsi arid- also had made' three or four engagements <)f .people to.-visit the Gpjmmion'wealth-next: year,, including a you'ng prima- donna whoso nanie, however, he could not disclose. He waseure she would be a success. A most pleasing feature; of Mr'-Ashton's visit-was the eagerne'sS 'displayed b> ; Americans who had visited" 1 Aiistralia to; come, again. '.v They all spoke;, highly of*-the treatment meted- out to-them in the Commonwealth, and, were quite m love with the people. He. also met oveur there: many Australians, ..including Irene Dillon and who ware doing exceedingly well" in their particular classes. Miss Margaret Anglin, who recently was playing in Australia, had, he said, made a big hit in New York.

STAGE GOSSIP.

Rumoured that a prominent Melbourne picture show- .will-close down in.'■ the near future;': -._.•"■'•- ■"■■' ''y ■ ';';:"/' ■ The 300th performance of'"Our Miss; Gibbs" was given at-the London Gaiety on November 24th. '•'■'■."

■! On account of the illness of her son, Madame Melba cancelled her West Australian concert'toiir..--. ".', I Mt Allan'.. Hamilton's. Dramatic Com-; paiiy'inaugurates a tbur-of Domin•'io'n at' Du'iiedin.on I*ebruai-y. ',;;.; "'ln all ".-probability George',■ Bernard; Shaw's' "Arms alid; the' M&n" ,will follow; /"The Lion and" the Mouse" at i:he;;Syd-> n'cy Royal.'-'■.,'. ~ r ''' '",,,',', ~'--•.-: The" Asche-Brhyton Company' produce i"Count HannibaJ," a dramatisation of: Stanley Weyman's' novel,, at Melbourne; Royal this evening: " "" " :,-•;, .'.'■,.': ■ ! '■' -'You 1 can't get away from",tjie'fact;that vaudevillo "audience's " are'' gettdns; wiser ■every very, ieyr.bt them. "faU," for'- "the "all-join-m-the-chorus';..: stuff* now. ~..■....,.- ' ,'.' ,-". .'." -< : '~. - •'-The*costumes and"scenery have amy-; ed'from'''London for -"The' Virgin God-; •dees,'- T -.is' , to be. done""- "by Osc'ar : ,'Asene and 'company during its;; pteSeut 'season in. Melbourne. "-" ':,'', ;,".,' :- ,'The "Paris authorities" have taken 6nt ; IBernhardt's' telephone because she- acted (emotionally for; the-exclusive benefit_of : ah.operator'.:-Here at least is'fame'-for oriel 'hello: girl:" '■■■ ■ '". ''■■'■'.;'•' '■'•' ''. ; "Mitislaw/'' a Viennese, comic' opera:, in! ..miniature,;;.with- musio -the .composer- of: "The Merry Widow/ j ' was. produced>at the London Hippodrome, ion ;November.;22nd.':i; ";:■ ,-'> :'- : --V-'' -'^• . :.-'Siffnort«-Haionv. :under" whose musical: 'direction J.i?;G.s Williamson's;. Grand; Otpera Company will be v and the Italian' i principals of th'e company, have; sailed;I fl-om; Genoa<;for.»Australia'. ■ 3 ; •"•'!;- . ■ i-Mv; Georg« -H..'Barnes-, -who is ahead of. the Besses ■«'. th' ; Barn. Band, arrived at.';,the Bluff:from*Melbourne by the Manuka. The tour commences in ,churohin>about three;weeks; '■ .";-. • The Royal Cornice's production of 'T"he Catoh ,of the •Season, ''at Her Majesty's Theatre. Sydney,; was "withdrawn'--last, everiinK.. This evening tho company revive "The Menry Widow." •; ; 'Mr Hugh. J. .Ward is talking about: buijding another theatre in Sydney. Two ) of'vt'he recent .new playhouse;' schemes ' ; s'eein" to. hav'e^vanished- into thin-air; Mr; Ward says,lie'fm©ans.:business. "'».-. j'-'-'i '■■'< After a short run of "The Corsican Brothers" at. the'Sydney Royal, the Ju-, lins'Knight Company .last Saturday evening '■' reyived '"A •'. Royal „ Divorce.?'- ;Miss , Bea;tfice'",'DaS .played 'the part.; : pf, Josephine. "«'['■''■■■-*' . '";;';';,.""';, ,-.>,,.-'.• ~'";-'' , ,'" ; -''

MiS'i Katherme Giey, tho clever American acticss, will make hex first ap-1 ptarauce m Australia at tho Sydney Roval m "The Lion and the Mouse Misa Gioy will play the part of Shirley Rcwnore. Eight months 11 reckoned a very long run for a dramatio piece on Broadway, but that is the lecord achieved by "Tho Climax," which at the" end of last October was still filling Webei's Thoatre in New York. At latest advices Mr Fred Graham and Mi«s Nellie Dent were appearing at tho Rvdnoy Tivoli in "Packing TJfr' Thought Mi Graham brought a crip iull of new sketches back with him and that the old ones v>cre to have a rest. It is a coincidence worth noting that out of all London's West End theatres only two —Drury Lano and the the Lyceum—havo a pantomime this >ear, and in both instances "Aladdin" is the subject chosen Cocil,Raleigh,.the well-known dramatio author, says that there are thousands of actois who gpt no more than a week, some only thirty shillings, and there is a thine called a joint engagement of man and wife at thirty-five shillings a week for the two. , 'Tis said M> Harry Riekards will send another company on a-tour of-tho-Do-minion, leaving Sydney on tho 29th inst Tho combination will include Mr and Mrs Bob Fitzsimmons, who will produce their, original sketch, "A Man's a Man For a' TShat." Raploy Holm«». th» stalwart American, who was such a favounts as Big Bill out here with the J. C. Williamson "Squaw Man" Company, is now making a big snocess as Slim: Hooper in "The Round Ud." another West American drima now touring the htates George Marlow's Dramatio Company,

at present ,playing ; at Melbourne Bijou, open a: season at the'Adelaide Royal next Saturday with a dramatisation of Bret Harte's story, "The Luck of Roaring Camp." A -Sydney season with tho same piece follows. Carter, the magician, is 1 writing a book entitled "A Magician, on Tour, which will have' all the atmosphere and colouring of the East.'- To make it more complete it is to be printed' and pub--1 lishedi'in Madras. .Carter opens a Wellington season at the; Opera. House on : Monday evening next, with .an ',, entirely I neiv show. 1 i, ; ; Some- of tho 'best numbers m The ! King of Cadonia" are "The Lady of the Castle in the- Air," "The Woman and the Man," "The - Portrait," "Prince '[ Charming," "The Wind of Love," "Not I Like ]'You." "Situations,"".'. "She Had a .'Lot'-'of Things When She;Camo Back," "Things I Know I Could Do," and "Do Not Hesitate to Shoot;" Mr J. C. Williamson has decided to produce George' Bernard Shaw's "Arms : apd.'.the-Man" .at the'close : of. the : run of.'.The -CorsicanV-BrptJigrs"- at the" Syd-; ney Royali'w'ifh -Mr "Julius Knight as the ' Chocolate.^ream'"Soldier, and Miss Katherine GTey; as Raina, tho impetuous young Bulgarian. It .is worth noting that the clever American actress will ithus] Jnake heKdebift Mfthe same Shaw : play" as"she*did"in' America —being, indeed, _the. fi'rst, Amerjean actress to ,pl?y 'lead-in- a-Sha'w- comedy!-■••"''•: -'- ■'--'"■-. During., the . recent Sydney.. season of "TheCKing 'of -Cadonia" ::.Mr . Herbert Clayton (Kin'e Alexis),had a curious experience, one night whilst singing, his big number." Mr Clayton - was' all the vigour possible into "There's a King in the Land To-day." All went well until the third verse was reached. Then there.was aioss: of memory.on the. sin-; ger's part. Unable to remember a sin-: gle word. Mr Clayton stood mute with' 1 a*conf used'lookhvhile;; the'orchestraplay-i ed the .music. Encouraged by the hearty; applause of the'audience, the baritone; : got'''iip steam' again ,'a'M sang the' con-1 eluding 'verse of tho'-sbng "as" if nothing had; happened;--" -' : 7 "'• " ,ri ' -,'•'" "- •