Plays & Players

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 11

Plays & Players

OPEEA HOUSE. In season to July 29tli.—"Ben Hur" Co. July 31—Rickards’ Vaudeville Co. August B.—Maggie Moore Company. August 15-29.—J.C. Williamson. Ltd., Pantomime. "Sinbad the Sailor." • August 31-September 12. —"The Blue Bird” Co. _ September 23-October 2.—Plimmer-Dcnms-ton Co. , October 19-Novcmber 2.—Oscar Aschc-Ltly Brayton Co. THEATRE ROYAL. Fuller-Brcnnan Vaudeville (permanent). PICTUEE SHOWS. New Theatre: llacmabon and Donnrllj-, Continuous. Fullers’. Skating Rink. Vivian street. Shortl'a Theatre. Willis street. Continuous. The Adelplii, Willis street. BROOKE AS OTHEI.LO. John Reynolds writes in the London "Era,” on May'llth:—“ln a recent issue a writer accuses O. V. Brooke as being a failure in 'Othello.’ In this 1 can assure him he is greatly mistaken. X have seen all the Othcllos for sixty years and more. X saw Brooke’s Othello eighteen times to my great delight, and he certainly topped all others. On the night of his first appearance at the old Olympic, no human being or vehicle could have passed through Wych street, and this was throughout the linest performance I ever saw. He had a noble stage presence, a handsome face and figure, and the most lovely voice throughout its register; moreover, a thorough knowledge of stage business. Next day the leading journal had a column and a half in his praise, ami said, among other things, Edmund Kean has come to life again.’ j 1 fancy this gave umbrage to a wellknown actor who had then recently retired, for on Brooke’s appearance in I Shylock the .notice was about six lines. This retired actor was ceitainly no friend to Brooke, as he admits in his own memoirs. Ho offered Brooke an insignificant jiart at Covent Garden, which Brooke could not, of course, accept. I am an Italian scholar, so derived great pleasure from Salvini’s Ol hello, a fine performances, hut finite Italian, and some of his business was not what Englishmen are accustomed to. However, he did not reach Brooke’s standard by a long way. It haa often been said that painters, poets, and literary men generally leave behind them some walk by which they may be judged in after ages; while the poor player leaves nothing but a name, which may be praised or blamed at the will of any poor scribbler. I suppose your correspondent never saw Brooke, snd should have hesitated to damn his repine tion on such insufficient grounds. How poor Brooke lost his splendid voice and damaged his once great reputation is well known. But I have good grounds for thinking that he had many theatrical enemies in London, who thought it an advantage to encourage him n. his drinking habits, and lost him a London reputation. He was, however, greatly admired in Australia, where they are not all fools.” Brooke was on his way back to Australia when he was drowned in the wreck of the London. The ill-fated ship foundered in the Bay of Biscay on January 11th, 1866. KATHERINE GREY. The "Denver Tost” in a recent issue had the following about the American actress who was in New Zealand a year ago;— "Katherine Grey is at the Orpheum this week. Her drama is a skilful bit of work, adapted from the French by McKee Rankin, and it is called ‘AbovS the Law.’ It is anarchistic in its tendency, and, therefore, brings a message. ' It is a bit of bitter truth that everyone must acknowledge is the rule, and not ,the exceptional case. It is a great drama, for within the short time of one act the motive for plunging a dagger into a man’s heart was born, was developed, and the act was accomplished, thereby satisfying the need of justice being triumphant—even though an individual was forced to take .the law in her own hands. One wonders at the unwritten chapter that must follow logically, and shudders, for law had her again, in its grasp—truly, a wonderful unwritten climax. And what about the interpreter, Katherine Grey? Why, no need to ask. She will be remembered long by Denver for Elitch’s and the Ornheum housed her for weeks at a time not so many years ago. It was she who delighted us with ‘Truth,’ 'Arms and the Man/ ‘The Doll’s House/ ‘The New York Idea,’ and several other pieces. She, like Mrs Fiske, is always the intelligent and sincere artist." GOSSIP Mr H. B. Irving paid a flying visit to Paris recently with the object of witnessing “L’Honneur Japonaise” at the Odeon. It is understood that Mr Irving has secured the English righto. "L’Honneur Japonaise” is a drama in five acts and six tableaux, by Paul Anthelme, and was produced at the Odeon on April 17th. Miss Grace Palotta is playing the part of the gay French dressmaker in, "The Quaker Girl” at Her Majesty’s, Melbourne. The Quinlan Opera Company, during their first week in Sydney, will appear in “Tannhauser,” "The Girl of the Golden West,” "La Boheme," "Tristran and Isolde,” “The Prodigal Son" (Debussy), and "Hansel and Gretel.” With the exception of the opening night of the season, for which a special rate is charged, the prices are: Dress circle and reserved stalls, 10s 6d; stalls, 7s 6d; amphitheatre, ss, and after 7.30 p.m., 3s 6d.

Miss Ethel Irving, who recently returned to England from her tour in Australia, has been engaged by Sir George Alexander to appear in the principal part in the adaptation of “La Flambee,” when the piece Is produced in the autumn, at the St. James’s. At present - "Bella Donna” continues to ‘draw well, and it is Sir George Alexander’s intention to play it till the end of the season.

Under the Brennan-Fuller management in Melbourne, Miss Carrie Moore is singing "The Last Waltz” and "A Woman’s Eyes," besides doing a telephone sketch, “AU Alone.” Three members of the new Williamson Comedy Company who are to appear in "Get Rich Quick Wallingford” arrived in Sydney from America last week by the Makura. They were Mr Fred Niblo, who will appear as Wallingford; Miss Josephine Cohan, the stenographer in the farce; and Mr James Manning, stage manager and Irish comedian. Mr Harry Corson Clarke and Mrs Margaret Dale Owen, two other principals of the company, were already in Sydney.

J. M. Barrie has just completed an "original topsy-turvy” version of “The Taming of the Shrew,” which he has entitled "Shakespeare for Women." The farewell Sydney concert to Miss Rosina Buckmann, who is leaving for England, will take place at the Y.M.C.A. Hall this evening, July 20th. Mr Sid Macdonald, Mr Bruce Carter, and Mr C. Hclleman will assist.

Miss Anita, the "golden-haired little sunshine” of "Tiny Town,” the unique midget village which opens their tour of the Dominion in. August nest, can claim safely to be the smallest woman in the world. Sh’l is twenty-six years old and thirty inches high. Her sister, a splendid circus equestrienne, is a year younger, and one inch higher. In Austria, at their home, they have two

small sisters; one is nine and the other twenty years old. But, strange to say, their parents and brothers are all aver-age-sized people. The Bartz trio are under engagement to Messrs Brennan-Fuller, and commence a season at the Theatre Royal next Monday evening. The entertainment they present is a lightning invisible wire act, and the manner of presentation is unique. The wire is stretched across the stage from side to side. The Bartz trio leap from the stage and appear to be floating unsupported in the air. Their Wellington season will bo a limited one owing to further important engagements. Edith Harmer, an English comedienne, also appears next Monday evening. Tom Lee, a popular English dapjier comedian, will also renew his acquaintance with Wellington audiences at the Theatre Royal for a short season. The “Green” Dandies, the successors to the “Red” Dandies, take possession of the Municipal Concert Chamber on Wednesday next. The company has just concluded a lengthy season in Hobart, and arrive here direct from that city on Wednesday morning. Mr Herbert Walton, who is the principal comedian, comes with a reputation as an entertained. He has had much experience on the boards, not only as a musio hall artist, hut as a comedian in opera, musical’comedy, and drama. Mr Walton played in all the latest musical comedies in South Africa under Wheeler and Edwardes’s management. He is under a five years engagement to Mr Branscombe. Hhe other "Green” Dandies are Misses Elsie Iloeslyn (soparna), Tessa Byrne (contralto), Florence Henderson (soubrette), Messrs Eenn Miller (basso), George Horton (comedian), and William Spiers (pianist). The Wellington season is limited to four weeks.