THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 56

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquik.

TUESDAY, July 29.

Mr P. R. Dix is losing no time in getting to work on the alterations to Dunedin Princes* The work of dismantling commences to-morrow morning.

' Reported that New Zealander Maud Beatty, who left for England a month or so back on tho look-out for principal boyships in the big town, is to appear under George Edwardes's management at the Gaiety Theatre, London, at an early date, yallie Booth's memoriam : Sallie Booth, Wife of J. H. Clydnes, Born 1837, t) \ "A Pcor Player." It has been a small secret amongst several members of tho variety profession for somo time back that two well-known performers with P. R. Dixs Gaiety Companies contemplate marriage at an early date. Also, ife has been known that the contralto vocalist who made John Bull, jun., famous waa much attached at first sight to a. talented American musician. This attachment, has gone on until it has reached a. climax. And all this to say that Miss Mollie Bentley ami Mr John Geiger, "the wizard of the violin," aro to be married in this city to-morrow (Wcdnesdav). Just on press I offer my hearty congratulations. The tender of Mr W. E. Hutchison for alterations to Auckland Opera House (£3070) was accepted. Work i3to be pushed on day and night, and it is anticipated that everything will be in readiness for the opening of "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" in September. Professor Heller, of Healer's Mahatma Company, poet-car<l« his best wishes^-to this journal from the Himalaya Mountains, India. George Callonder is still manager of tin* company. A\ arently "all's well." Johnny Coleman, of "scarecrow" dance fame, when last heard of waa fishing at; Long Bay (N.S.W.) Pnor to that he had been tracking the lordly Australian rabbit to its lair in the Goulburn district. Denis Carney has joined Messrs Fuller and SoiW— to give the full title — companies in Tasmania. Ihe title, by the way, is distributed over John, sen., Ben, plain, and John, jun. Brother Walter is on the salary Character imnrrsonator Henry Lee, o£ Lee and Rial's American Entei tamers' tompanies, is hkcly to be seen in drama in Melbourne at an early date. Rumoured: that he will join American actress Janet Waldorf in a ."-cries of picturesque plays in Melbourne Bijou. _ . American Entertainer Company, consisting of Bunt!i ami Ruckl, the Fi-rrari Duo, Allan Shaw, Flatt and Sutherland, Mddle. Nill^on, fit Ongc Bros.. Mddle. Ancion, Tiolet Elliott, and juggler Salerno, who are at present touring Tasmania, will appear with Div'-i Gaiety companies through Ne»( Zealand as opportunities offer. Arras and Alice, P. R. Dixs latest star performers, made an exceptionally big impiossion on a first night Auckland audience. From this scribe's knowledge of tin* performers, every subsequent appearance will be. a huia feather in. the hats of Airas and Alice — especially Alice. BeJvin'a Novelty Company are at present touring this island, and at latest were up Rangiora way. The company consists of several performers, chief of whom are Violet Belvini and Alfred, who hail from England, and have a reputation made while touring with Cook's. Hengler's, and Fillis's Cireus«<>. Alac London music hall. The company is under canvas, and id described as being up to date. Novelty touring shows have to ba a little more than up to date nowadays — > they have to bo a trifle beyond. Anyway, we'll shake hands with the Belvins when they come alcm^. Adelaido Tnoh was reopened under Harry Rickardh'3 management on July 21. Showl consisted of Mdmo. Yeamans-Titus, recently, through New Zealand with Rickarde's No. 1 Company; the Drews, Professor Harcourt, Lilian Warren, Horace Hannel, Mowbray Sisters, and Violet Bishop. Poor Wallace King! A subscription list! The. grand old tenor is Buffering from paralysis, of the brain. His memory is completely gone Something snapped, and ended a career which might have been grand opera had the colour lino not been drawn. Wallace cannot now remember a. single line of any ono of tho tuneful numbers he usod to siu(r. "The Holy City" and "Sally Homer" k auudbuLift bum Aakfid tta oAsx. evening

if he would go on and eing, said he could not remember any songs. '.'Try something you know, Wallace. 'Sally Homer.' " 'Sally Homer?' I cannot remember it !" 13»us the subscription lists, which have been forwarded to P. R. Dix'e four theatres in New Zealand.

Paul Sonde-rhofs band, which is much in evidence on Saturday c\eninge, is becoming ouita an institution in the Dunedin Arcade, and is as much a part of the Saturday night tripper as anything else in the free show line in town. The band play 3 selections from all the old-time operas and many of the new ones. Also, this band — li pushed — will compose and play its own music while you wait Altogether, it is a very refreshing circumstance in Arcade society on Saturday evening:?. Abo, again, it is becoming too refreshing, and the Bhop- I keepers who .encourage the band financially | complain of, the dimensions of the crowd who stroll in without an "order."

Jien Fuller returned from his trip to Wellington last week flushed with a certain amount of success, and a still more certain amount of sun-burn, acquired wfcilo on shooting expedition with comedian and dancer Frank Leon over the hills in the northern town — "it's a fine day, let's go out and kill something!"

Pollard Opera Company played "Messenger Boy" for one 'night in Oamaru recently. Night previous local fanciers held their annual show in the theatre. Consequently, when fehe theatricals took possession, there was mueii odour of "prize." "h/jrhly r-ozn-mended," and "highly condemned" poultry. Thus the wire received by Mr Tom Pollaxd, who was in Dunediu looking after the theatrical robbery case: "Bring 'Florodora* perfume with you; poultry show been here!" "SchmeU !"

Story of a certain Now Zealand and Australian known comedian. Said comedian is mostly "resting" and mostly brain-fogged. Was in. Sydney in the height of tho plague, when rats were 6d a-piece. One day, when more than usually fogged, padded it into the Town Hall, and, meeting- the "chief trf staff," said: "B'liev© you're giving 6d a-piece for rats. Well, write mo out a cheque ; I'm full of them !" Another occasion comedian vms walking along Sydney's principal street. Plague had abated somewhat, and rats were 4d a head. Saw one lying in the gutter; picked it up and strolled into nearest 3d bar. Took the rat from under his coat and planked it on the keys of tho cash register: "Giv's & drink, and that's a penny you owe me!"

Mention was made in these columns last week that Henry Irving had engaged Tyrone Power, in New Zealand eorne time back, to play Bsssanio in a revival of "Th» Merchant of Venice" at London Lyceum. English files to hand show a brief notice. Tyrone Power is dismissed in this: "Easeanio, Tyrone Power, wa-3 rather strenuous!"

Mr T. P. Hudson has definitely arranged the dates of Madam© Melba's Australian tour. The diva sails from Vancouver for Brisbane on August 22. and opens in Melbourne Town lull on September 24. Another important event is that a series of Wagnerian operas in English will bo revived early nest year

Actor-author Dampier, a personal friend <A Sir Heniy Ireing'3, remembers a chat he had with the great actor some two years »go, and he then expressed a desire to tour the colonies. At the close of the conversation, the English actor said, "May we me-tt again some day on the other Bide!" Mr Dampier gathered that Sir Henry wished to t-cur Australia and New Zealand before retiring.

Sam Rowley, at present with Dix Alharnbra Gaiety Company, was originally call boy to Maggie Moore at the Theatre Royal, Sydney. He afterwords joined Perry's Jubilee Circus as singing clown, touring New South Wales districts. "Discovering"' a voice he went to San Franoisco in 1888. Mot Barney Ferguson, of Ferguson «nd Mack, originators of knockabout Irish comedians, and they christened Rowley "'the little man with tho big voice." A comedian well known in Australia from the Gulf to Cape Otway, and in New Zealand from tho Three Kings to the Bluff, was recently married twice in one week to the fame lady. Said lady was in the profession and adopted a pretty professional name. Certainly it sounded better than plain Mis 6 Jones. Pretty professional name appeared on the marriage lines. Comedian, whoso education had been much neglected, on seeing what had been done exclaimed : "Gosh ! This marriage is illegitimate !" They were re-married nest day in their right minds — and names.

Not generally known that present London music hall comedian Dan Leno has a nam-e in private life not at all like Italian — Dan Patrick. Dan Patrick Leno waa* a champion dancer in his day and .generation. Apropos of this, Frank lion, champion dancer, with P. R. Dix in Wellington, .followed present Leno, then Patrick, from his residence in Manchester to the music hall on the off chance of seeing the- great comedian "doing a. step." In this Frank L. was disappointed, but paid at the 4oor aud saw Leno dancing on the stag-e. Fired wkb. the desire to become as great a dancer as IJeno, Frank Leon practised seven and eight hours a day — now Leno applauds Leon ! "One Who is Interested" forwards me a clipping from an Australian paper re Miss Frances Ross's success as Countes3 Mintza Chankoff in. Bland Holt's production of "The Great Ruby" in Sydney. As there are many oftitrs in Maoriland interested here it i*;— -"Ilia boit ami most spiking

feature of the whole production was the half Carmen half Fedora Countess Mintza Chankoff, at once so brightly and so forcibly presented to us for tho first time by Miss Frances Ross. Having shaken off the tyranny of tears which had settled upon her during a long and depressing course of virtuous heroines with an immense capacity for every conceivable sort of peril and misfortune, Bland Holt's leading lady showed in a convincing way that she lias hitherto been hiding her light as a character actref3 under the bushel of superabundant goodness and humility. To be perfectly frank, Miss Ross astonished her audience by the not-a-bit-exaggerated diablerie, which made the beautiful sinner and audacious adventuress quite a fascinating personage in the dramatic sense. In dret-% in manner, in voice, in action, and even in 'make-up,' the Countess, who loves not wisely but too well and too many, must be praised as a clever study and as a dashing piece of very effective acting. In congratulating Miss Ross on the almost startling nature of her success in this new departure, it is permitted to me to express the hope (aubject to the approval of Mr Bland Holt) that she will in future insist on playing only such parts as will give her room and advantage to display he-r firo and force as well a* her now discovered ability in the gentle arts of stage coquetry and_ m the splendid audacity of feminine abandon. Miss Ross has left us in no doubt as to her capacity to love well in her stage performances. The other side of the medal showing her capacity to hate w6H — and to revel in wickedness would be welcomed for purposes of contrast " A novelty in the way of theatres is about to bo tried in Brooklyn. This is nothing less than a woman's theatre, with a woman as owner, a woman a« business manager, and a woman as press agent ; and men will figure- merely as necessary parts of the cast and the audience. Mrs Gertrude Andrews is to manage the new theatre, which (says the New York Tribune) is to be opened in the autumn under the name of the Fulton Street Theatre. Mrs Andrews has decided ideas on the subject of theatres. "The church, school, and theatre." she declares, "should go hand in hand in the work of helping humanity.

The l£psom and Asoct races attracted many < appreciative sportsmen to the chariot race-5 'in "Ben flur'' at Drury Lane Theatre. London, and one representative oi the turf ■was so etruck by the form of two of "Ben HurV horses' that ho made an excellc-nt offer for their transference to his racing stable As thft horses are all exported from America, whoro they are trained by Klaw and Krlanger, the producers of tin' remarkably successful play, it was impossible for tho management to accept the offer without consulting them, fchotig-h little difficulty is anticipated in filling their places, the 16 racehorses actually engaged at every performance having six equine understudies ready to take their cue at a moment's notice-

Not long ago it was the matinee hat which aroused the fury of the long-suffering male. Now it is the matinee hair that is being reviled. A "Mere Man" has written to one of the London "paper?, describing how hr>> went to Drnry Lane Theatre the other night and sat behind two ladies who had thoir hair dressed in a complete circle round their heads, and evidently stretched on pads or frames, so that the stage was completely hidden from view. "Now," say.* the iiidifrnant gentleman, "you can ask a lady to tako off her hat in a theatre, bur you can hsrdly suggest that she should disestablish her coiffure, so what i= to be done?"

Mr Walter Reynolds. wHI known m Australia, both as actor and playwright, ro cently manned Mrs Lancaster- Walhs. a Shakespearean actress of some note. Mr Reynold*, now manager and proprietor of the Theatre Royal. Leed3, and Prince's Theatre, Bradfoid, is author of two Irish dramas, "Tried and True" and "Ould Erin." in both of which he toured Australia ©re loa\ iiifr f'.r England. It may be forgotten that lie was one of a batch of actors imported by Coppin, Harv.ood, Henmngs, and Stewart, to strengthen their stork company some 24 years ago. If memory servos, says Valentine Day, this band of Thespians included Mr and Mrs Walter Reynolds, Mr and Mrs Melville (Marian Medwny), Stirling Whyte, and Ella Carrington.— [Mr Walter Reynolds was ivell known in Duno'lin in the early days. He resided in this city for some time. — Pasquin.]