THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2541, 26 November 1902, Page 56

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES

Br Pasquix. TUESDAY, November 25. Mr J. A. X. Riedle, manager of the Dresden Piano Company, is in receipt of the following cablegram from .Mr Tait, I manager for Mdlle Dolores :—" Mdl'e | Dolores scored another triumphant success in Melbourne. The house was packed. She had a great reception, and her singing evoked enthusiasm." There aro several pros on Dunedin's Poverty Point. Max Eugeno, the Iw-so of Musgiove's Grand Opera Company, has airhed in Dunedin. Harry Baxter has returned to Dunedin after a tour of Southern Otago, during which time he played to fnir business. Maud Boatty ha.s been engaged as principal buy at Drury Lane, London. Clias. Carter, one time tenor of Tom Pollard's Company, "benefits" in Dunedin on or about December 19. Tom Pollard wa3 a lo^er to the extent of £50 by the wreck of the Ehngamite, stage property to that amount having been consigned to him for u c e in the production of "The Toreador." Melba's New Zealand dates: His Majesty's, Dunedin, January 14; Canterbury Hall, Cl.nstchurch, Januaiy 16; Opera House, We-lliiißton, January 19; Opera House, Auckland, January 22. American artists the Riano.s, y\h<, were big favourites whon through Now Zealand und«*. the Div management, wntp from Los Angeles to tho effect that their new act is going much better than "The Monkeys and tho Farmer." Bob Courtneidge, who came to New Zealand with ttie London Gaiety Company, which included Teddy Lonnen, Bert Haslem, and other stara in the gaiety world, is coming out to Australia to stage "A Midsummer Night'b Dream" for George Musgrove. Another Pollard booking. This paper 'Otasco Witness) announces che engagement of Miss Connie Buttel, Tom Pollard's re-rently-disof vered star, to Mr Louis Sehatze, of Wellington. It must run in ihe family, for sonre months ago Mr Sehatze's brother (Ernest) married Mi-s Lily (Cissy) Stephen's, of Pollard's Opera Company. American horizontal bar performers the Plitterson Itro*., who neie brought to New Zealand to -caraty^ the average Maorilander, and whe did not paralyse to the money amassing exieit that wac anticipated, are . doing splendidly in the land of the wooden nutmeg. lam advised that the wife of George Patterson died in the Sanatorium, 'Frisco, recently. "A Dixite," Wellington : Read the par again. Carefully this time. You have not grasned "Pasquin, junr.'s" meaning. He writes" of Miss Galardi's unknown ;ister, and "you fail to see where her 'unknown' sister" comes in, as you believe' it is Miss Galardi's •'real" sister. That's where you blunder. "Pasquin, junr." does not "believe" she is her real sister — he xxows she is. "Unknown" was not intended to convey a real or unreal sisterfchip. Tt was used to make clear that Miss Galard 's -,h■ter was a new performer — i.c , unknown

Variety Entertainers Fuller Family, at present ruling Tasmania, have been increasing in power and number during recent months. John, senr., Ben, Walter, John, junr., Hettie, and Lydia now read: John, senr., Ben and Mrs Ben, Walter and Mrs Walter, John and Mrs John, with an early prospect of a further increase when Lydia and Hettie take their prospective husbands into the bosom of the family show.

"Cyrano de Bergerao" of the big nose, which American actor Henry Lee endeavoured to make famous in Sydney, has tottered to the cellar where the scenery now lies — a shocking bad monument to Sydneysiders' tast© for poetical drama. "The Worst Worst Woman in London" has been substituted. Ugh ! All the scenery, with the exception of two or three boxes of wardrobe, belonging to the Pollard Opera Company, which had been stored in the Princess Theatre, for some months past, has been shipped away. "The Rosp of Persia" to Sydney, and "The Belle of New York" to Mr Pollard in Auckland. When company at present drawing big salaries at Dunedin I*rincess — Musgrove's Comic — were leaving Sydney for New Zealand by the Waikare a few weeks back, a fairly large crowd assembled on the wharf to see them off. Just as the boat was swinging out on© of Sydney's very NaicAst rushed down hot, red, and breathloss, to "bon voyage" another of the Select. Over the water it floated: "Good bai. I see you've got those horrid Chinese Honeymooners and Thirty Thieves on board. I do pity you !" As a collection of figure and face Musgrove's rank and file — especially file — at Dunedin Princess would be hard to eclipse; but like all chorus charmers, they more than occasionally chatter. When 20 or 30 of said chamfers get in the wings, all talking at once, the sound is like the rushing of a mighty wind on the buzz of a circular saw. Through the din it is impossible to hear the low comedian's latest joke or the jok* that isn't so late, and the audience have paid their ss, 3s, and one mainly to hear the low comedian gag. They would, in fact, nther bo gagged up to the departure of the last ear by the stage occupant than hummed into fidgets by an invisible chorus, no how charming, in the wings. This to say that the other evening Comedian Lauri stopped stropping his hand on May Beatty's arm to ejaculate: "Listen to the humming birds." Was "behind" th 3 other evening at Dimrdin Princess during performance of "Thirty Thieves," and thero met May Beatty. The one-time Pollard Opera principal was just concluding her fourth cream, cake. Remarked to her tkac for voice culture cream cakes weri not rouKidered of any special moment. "No," came back the answer; "but they don't hurt me, and besides, I've been living on this sort of thing ever since I was so hieh. You know that pastrycook's shop on ti*< corner? Welj, when I was getting a salary of a shilling a week I p-pent it. on buns ths-re. Sometimes I was fined for misbehaviour, and then I had to go without mytun? — that kept me good. In those days I could not reach up to the counter, so the shopman dropped the buns into my lap." T'len and now: Then May Beatty's weekly salary went in buns in one pop ; now her alary runs to cream cakes and a brougham if necessary. Edward Lauri's chair-balancing- act in "Thirty Thieves" fooled many, but mostly it fooled Wellington pressmen, who eaid that ,mong several clever things executed by the sprightly comedian Fas the balancing of a chair in which he is seated on its hind legs. The art is only a smart stage trick. Lauri could sit in that blue-and-gold ;liair tipped up to an angle of any required degree in full view of the audience all night, provided the man underneath the floor ot the stage kinew his business and k^pt awake. Back legs of chair are bored; also a -.ouple of holes in the floor of 6tage corresponding with back legs; "Props" has two iron uprights, which he puts up through the holes in the floor and into the holes in the chair legs. He gets his cue from the Rontleman about to accomplish the "great balancing feat" : tilts the chair and its occupant back to the sensational angle— and there you are, or, rather, there he is. Ihe audience applaud heartily, and tho comedian then allows the chair to drop back on to its four legs. "Props," who, has been working unseen underneath the stage, pulls away the iron uprights, and to eliow that thore is "no deception, ladies and gentlemen," the comedian saving? the chair clear.

'•Most people talk of May Beatty's curious voice. As a matter of fact, the scarcely definable something that makes it curious a Bulletin scribe-) — sort of edgy metallic underlay — i not unique, but has frequently been associated with success in Miss Beatty's line of oomedv."' "The edgy. mptalhr underlay," as discovered by the B. writer, is, in Miss B-patty's case, unique, and is not an underlay, but an o\erlay— the lady has rocpntly had her teeth crowned. Honoe the curious voice, and hence, again, Bulletin's "metallic underlay" ! Tlie first production in Sydney by opera company at present on Dunedin Princess boards will be "The ThirFy Thieves." which will be followed by "The Fortune TehVr." Lempriere Pringle, the basso, recently through here with the Grand Opera Cornpan v, has been engaged for the latter opera. Miss Lily Green, of Musgrove^ Comic Opera Company, understudies New Zealander May Beatty as Fi Fi in "A Chinese Honeymoon." In Wellington recently May was indisposed, and Understudy got the opportunity tvhuh *he had been waiting many weary days and nights for. Result was satisfactory to Musgrove management and Lily Green. Former discovered a new arti-t in the back row of the chorus, and latter, by virtue of her Fi Fi. become* acquainted with the fact that *he is only a chorus girl so long as the original CorkneyChinee waitiess retains her good health.

Handsome sowen r of Chinese musical comedy "San Toy." to hand from George Matheson, .7. C. Williamson's man in advance. Sketches are reproduced from ori^ ginal, and original is by Bulletin artist Alf "Vincent. What more? Also programme that made Williamson's Musical Cometly charmers' famous sale, of whicrfj with the addition of afternoon tea and a "San Toy" "Runaway Girl" Ticket match, caused 300 odd pounds to be handed over to the Mayor of Wellington for Elingamite Disaster Fund. If jhe Musical Comedy Company are burning to repeat the £300 offence, wo in Dunedin will furnish the disaster.

Messrs Bickerton and Stokes, fireworks manipulators, of Christchurch, have arranged for a big display on the Caledonian Ground on how nignt, Friday, November 28 Catherine wheels set going by these expert fireworkers buzz louder and longer than moot, and rookotf, Roman candles, showwi,

and "pigeons in flight" are guaranteed to get there or bust. They seldom bust. Racing carnival time in Melbourne is looked upon by theatrical managers as the brightest spot in the year, what time they expect to replenish empty coffers. Recent big shivco was disappointing in that it did not fulfil previous promises. . Even Cup night went back on the- shows, none of the money-takers being worried to any great extent.

On Wednesday evening, December 3, the new theatre, His Majesty's, which is now rapidly approaching- completion, on stage and in auditorium, will be ablaze with brilliancy, when Mr J. C. Williamson's Musical Comedy Company will present for the first time in Dunedin the successful London Gaiety production, "A Runaway Girl," which captivated all hear i^- in Sydney,, Melbourne, and Wellington. This delightful opera, studded with merry musio and de-^ licious melodies, is one of the most successful productions Mr J. O. Williamson' has presented to New .Zealand audiences. The book is by Seymour Hicks and Harry Nicfeolls, lyrics by Harry Greenbank, and the music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monelcton. As the. piece offers splendid opportunities for sumptuous staging and dressing, and is interpreted by a company, the talent of which is everywhere admitted, the first, night in Dunedin should a-dd another triumph to the many the piece has achieved. The present lompany is said to be the strongest that has yet visi.ted New Zealand under Mr Williamson's management, numbering between 90 and 100 people, with a- complete operatic orchestra, chorus, and ballet. The names of the principal artists are Mr Fred H. Graham, and Mr C. R. Bantock, comedians of high repute, from the Gaiety Theatre, London ; Messrs Maurice Dudley and Mr Charles Trood, from the leading London theatres ; Miss Lilian Digges, a charming soubrette artist, from Daly's Theatre, London ; Miss Rose Musgrove, the talented young Australian soubrette, and Misses Blanche Wallace, Aggie Kelton, Elsie Moore, Messrs George Lyding, Arthur Crane, Fre3 Leslie, Arthur Lissant, and many others. Mr Oily Dearing, a very old New Ze»* land favourite, and now of the Hawtrey Company, tells a good story of his earlier days. Theatrical "make-up" material was not of the quality that it is at the present time, and very homely materials were often brought into us». Mr Deering was portraying a character blessed with a Cyrano de Bergerac nose, and \ised flour to aid him in the building up of this nasal structure. Having run short one evening, he despatched one of the stage hands for a small packet of flour, and made up as usual. All went well till the play was well on its way, when, to his horror, in the midst of a big scene, he suddenly felt his nose growing larger and larger, and portions dropping off, till at last the rest of the cast were convulsed with merriment, and he rushed from the stage amidst the suppressed shrieks of his fellow-actors. The- man had brought him self-raising flour! In a production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in Sydney, "real blocdhounds" are in the long ca&t of the old-age pension play. The hounds are real in as much a3 they bark) and growl and have their being, bufc it Eliza, Harris -were to slip on the stage ice and fall, an awkward heap of femininity in the middle of the frozen river, the "real bloods" would still follow the tracks which were not there to the opposite bank. Baritone Ernest Fitte's brother, Harry Atkinson, "the Australian Orpheus, "_ ii/ appearing at London Hippodrome. A critic says: — " Harry Atkinson, the Australian Orpheus, carries a small orchestra and opera, company in his vocal organs, for not only has he a man's voice and a woman's, but he cam imitate several string, brass, and wood instruments, to say nothing of a defective concertina."