STAGE AND SCREEN

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12211, 8 August 1925, Page 13

STAGE AND SCREEN

'Mr and Mrs Jim Gerald (Miss Essie Jennings) recently celebrated the thirteenth anniversary of their wedding, and a day or two afterwards the third birthday of the Revue Company originated by this clever Australian comedian. • * • . » . • • There is a great revival of Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera' in New York at present. • • .. •# • • » Mr Guy Hastings, recently leading man with the Nellie Bramley Company,. has joined Anderson's Dramatic Company, at present playing Adelaide. •■* ■ _ . 4 lt is stated that over .E 13.000 was oxB ended on the production of “Kid oots” before' the curtain went up at Hiis Majesty's, Melbourne. -Sir- George Tallis, of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., says that the cost Of theatrical production is still increasing. "Years, ago the most elaborate musical comedy production cost’ less than a fourth of this sum, whilst the famous "Mother Goose” pantomime entailed an expenditure of less than ,£2OOO. The - costuming in “Kid Boots” alone ate up nearly ,£4000.”' \» »• • . Ar big theatrical deal, said vto amount to between £IOO,OOO and £150,000, was recently concluded between -Messrs Lee and J, J. Shubert, Ltd... and Mr W. C. Gaunt, the, Bradford wool magnate. American influence and enterprise thus secure an important holding in the West End of London. ‘ Messrs Lee. and J. J. Shnhert, Ltd., control over. 300 theatres in the TTnited, States,' They have now obtained joint control with Mr Gaunt of His Majesty's Theatre! the Shaftesbury Theatre, and; the Winter Garden ThealuuiiiiiiinmaniiioninnnnnimiiDiiiiiuiiimbimiMiiiiaiimiiiiiiit}

niiiinuiuiPiuiiiiHiiinniiiiiniiiaiiniiiniiiniimiiiiiiionniiiiiiiinni tr*. Mr Gaunt, who began business on his own account at (he age.,of 17, is known in the north as a man' of big, and sometimes colossal, deals. The authorised capital of Grossmith-Malone, Ltd,, is given by the Stock Exchange "Year Book” as £250,000. ‘‘•• . ■ W Phil Smith’s new revue at Dunedin is entitled “Any Old Thing,” a pot-pour-ri of the best things, in previous snows, with some added features. * • • • • / » , • The Veterans of Variety, who will shortly be .appearing at His Majesty’s Theatre, have been meeting with great success everywhere. This act comprises ' Bix of the old.-time vaudeville artists, who, as entertainers, are still in their prime, These stars, will .revive songs and dances of long ago in a unique entertainment. •‘•. • • • A season of grand opera was initiated at Covent Garden, London, early in June, with complete Italian and German casts. The repertoire consisted of “The Meistersingers,” “-Der Kosenkavalier,” “The Flying : Dutchman,” f “Lucia/’ “Tosca,” , “Aida,” “Butterfly,” "Barber of Seville,” and "Fedora." In "Lucia,” ,Toti dal, Monte was the. prima donna, with Borgioli (who was also in Australia last year), as Edgardo. No English names figure in the Cists. T* l ® German operas are sung wholly by German artists. The season is a success. ‘ ’ **. * * It has been definitely decided that Pauline. Frederick will make a tour of the Dominion, but owing to her great success in Australia dates have not been ' fixed. • ■ ■ • #■ The Vienna Opera Hou6e management is reported to be owing the Ricordi publishing house of Milan to the amount of 70,000,000 Austrian crowns for royaltje;j on the'operas of Verdi and Puccini, ■ which drew the .bfest 'houses. As a consequence Ricordi has withdrawn the right to perform these works. . • ... # • #• • * The German Opera House of Berlin, which recently went ihtq bankruptcy, ■has been taken over entire,, with its orchestra. chorus and ensemble, by the city. Two of the opera houses of the German capital are now owned by the State, and the other by the city. Subsidy seems essential to Continental opera. Goiaral satisfaction has been expressed, in. New Zealand' at the announcement that a Gilbevtand Sullivan Company is being organised in London for J. C. Wi.’ liamson, Limited, and will be here next June. As stated two old favourites, Mir Charles Walen'n and Mr James Hay have already teea engaged. • . ' .*■' ‘ • . ~*■ "Originality," remarks Sir Benjamin Fuller, “io a beautiful thing—no matter what form it takes. 'lts great charm lies in its unexpectedness. l I had an instance ol this tho'-ther night at ‘Little Tessio James” For generations the squawk of the ,seat-holder .against the late .arrival' who crowds in, stops 1 on hats, k nces and falls’ on la'dies' laps. Has resounded in husky whispers through the theatres of the : world There arrived a late—omer' yc/lging -iiitq the centre' of a # nllV-occupied. row, ‘with his seat the Onlv vacant one. Quite audibly lie com plained as he laboured alcng: "These people who cbme in early give me a | pain.” "It was." concludes Sir Ben- ! jamin,“an entirely new ohe.on me.” i A clergyman is appearing in this own splay at the Ambassadors’ Theatre, Southend',., writes a London correspondent. He ;is the Rev. Ralfe Da.viee, of St. Clemente, Leigh, now a . member of the Southend ■Repertory Company, which is staging: his fantasy. “Professor Tring’s Experiment." Mr Davies, who was ordained while still in his twenties by the Bishop of London. had a curacy at King’s Cross for ■three years. Priests, he believes, must look tacts in the face and. take their (part in the work hf the World.. Ho nlayed 27 different Shakespearian parts at the Old Vic. before joining the Southend Repertory Company. . ■ ‘ *•• * *

Allan Wilkie made his irst appearance in Australis as a member of George Marlow’s Shakespearean Company .at Melbonrne Princess- in January, 1916. He continued with the company until Marlow ‘sold his interests to the Fullers and, George Tallis. Jean 'Robertson, the Portia to Moscovitoh’s Shyloek, also became known to Australians in a George Marlow company—she supported Ethel Buckley—-and so, by .the same token, did Nellie Bramley.- Louise lovely, and Vera Spaull, soys a contributor to “The Bulletin.-!

| According to an Amenflan paper, Mr j Haul Whiteman's* Band, which was ip London a' couple of years ago,'is . now earning 7000 dollars for a week of seven days in a New York theatre. Roughly I this works out at J 3200 a day. Loudon, i however, is not. left behind, for nn ■ American band is about to arrive there which will be paid ,£1250 for. a week of six days by a new club. There are about twenty performers, so that on the average each will'get . ,£62 tf week, i . ' • * * * * * j In a recently nublished book of stage ; reminiscences a'theatrical landlady story that is told: originated' with* H. J. Byron, the dramatist»and wit. Byron,, staying; in the provinces., had occasion-to complain . of being attacked, one higlit by fleas. r # / "Fleas!” the highly indignant landla y.. Why. there isn't a. single Seat' in the house I .' ."No,” s'aid Hvfon. lugubriously, "they're all married and’ have large families/' * ' : , Bixi'coinpani'?s, in various, parts of the world, are playing ’'Rose Marie.” Four of them are in America, one in London, and the . other in Australia. ;It is* a melodrama with music, and ss. a gieat .success.- . * Following her triumph, in London, the Australian dramatic soprano, Florence Austral (Miss -Florence 7 Fawa*, of Melbourne), appears to have had v-»qual sue-, cess in. the United States. In a letter: received in Melbourne from an American musical, organisation it is Stated that "Miss Austral has lived up to everything that you have claimed for her.'. * * . ♦ ; - * General regret has been expressed at the news : that Irene Vanbrugh will not accompany her husband when he returns to Australia in .November to stage. a cvcle of Barrie comedies.* She * hopes to return the year following with some fresh rd ays by’the authors who suit her so well—A. A. Milne and Somerset Maugham. * * The* season of Italian operas, which U' following the German operas at Covpht Garden, states a cable message from London, opened with "Lucia di Lnmmermoor,” in which QUrnorina ' Toti . Pal Mpnte had remarkable; success. ~7he building was crowded, and /Dal Mcnte, was recalled five times at the. end of the ‘first ?ct. Tributes ere paid to her dainty, presence, the radiant sweetness of her voice, and the art of her acting. * _ • * .*• T * Miss Stella Murray, the New Zealand contralto, gave a concert in the Aeolian Hall, London, to. a' crowded audience, a cable message states. The audience included Dame Nellie Melba, and v *as most appreciative. Miss Murray will • shortly enter.upon a tour of Australia and New * . . Wick .Morton, the "Talkative Songster." who recently arrived in Australia from London under engagement to Sir Benjamip Fuller and Mr John Fuller, and is now at His Majesty's, is making his first tour of the Antipodes. He is a cousin of’Marie Lobr* the famous actress, and comes of theatrical «tock. His greatgrandfather toured with the great Edmund Kean, and all his people have been associated with ttte stage ever since those days. ' ’

Personal and General Jottings