THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 56

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasqlix. TUESDAY, March 24. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera, whom we have not seen for tome years, will in all probability tour New Zealand at the end of the present year, opening in Dunedin on Boxing Night. Mr Fred Stephens, of New Plymouth.^forwards me a copy of "Tho Theatrical and Tourists' Guide for the North Island." It is a handy little work published in Hawera, and will be found u=efnl to theatrical managers and others travelling through the country. ' % - Mr Robson, manager of the Westminster Abbey Glee and Concert Party, has booked Dunedin Princets for May 1 and 2. Fred Duval, late of Pollard's Opera Company, and later of P. R. Dix companies, leaves New Zealand for America on May 8 on the venture leocntly recorded in this column — to bring out a strong American attraction on the lines of "A Trip to Chinatown." Dates have been booked in all -lie principal centres for the American company. The Pollard Opera Company, who were pp«sengers by the Victoria for Hobart last Monday, had a teirible experience on board. The voyage wa6 tho nnighest experienced for some time. The majority of the member-> of the Pollard Company suffered greatly from seai-ickness, and for two or three days did not leave their cabins. Under ordinary circumstances the Victoria would have arrived at Hobart. on Friday and reached Melbourne on Saturday. On this occasion, however, the boat only arrived in Melbourne yesterday— two days late. The Pollard Company were to have opened iv Hobart with "Tapu" on Friday night, but the rough passage and the late arrival of the boat necessitated the postponement of the opening night until Monday of present week. In talking the matter over with Mr Pollard on Sunday, that gentleman said to present writer that he fully anticipates that some of the members of hifl company, after their experiences on board tho Victoria, will refuse tc make the long sea journey to South Afnra. Petramos," in the Sydney Bulletin: Tho AmPiican comic tramp has supplanted the Cockney coster on the vaudeville market. Have heard it stated that J. F. Sheridan originated the idea in Australia years ago, but don't recollect the oceasiop. Latona waa by far the cleverest in his line that we have ever had, though Sweet was, perhaps, funnier fend longer winded. Most ueoole

forgot the fact that it didn't require any particular cleverness for the burglar to play on the piano as he did. The "Tired Tramp" didn't catch on. His voice was failing, and Sweet got here before him, with the same gaga. The latest tramp is Victor Kelly (Kelly and Ash by), who has a knack of knocking himself down and falling on his head, etc., without hurting himself. Also he commands reverence for hie knowledge of how to go to sleep on a beer barrel. "Petramos" might have gone further and said that Kelly commands more respect for his knockabout biz. than for his comedy. Mr J. A. X. Riedle, manager of the Dresden Piano Company, has received a telegram from Auckland from Mr James Tait, business manager for Mdlle. Dolores, tc the effect that Mdlle. commenced her joncert tout there to a house packed everywhere. Mdlle. Dolores received a great ovation from the audience, singing 17 times. It is Mdlle. Dolores' intention to give a concert in Dunedin. Mr Tom Pollard was a passenger for Hobart en route to South Africa by the Mokoia on Sunday. T. P. was to have sailed with his company by the Victoria last week, but business detained him in Christchurch. Hyland's Circus has been doing good business in the south. A feature of the show is the lady ring master, who puts the horses through their facings. "Sweet Nell of Old Drury," which is to be produced in Dunedin on Easter Saturday with Miss Nellie Stewart as Nell Gwynn, is a new play by Paul K ester. It is credited with being *n enormous success in the Old Country as well as in the new. The latter result is due in a. great measure to the superb acting oj Miss Stewart as the orange lass of Drury Lane. Fisko, the juggler, is a pleasant circumstance with Frank Gourlay's Variety Company at Launceston Empire. A well known variety company, consisting of five performers- and a donkey (also a performer), recently toured the back blocks of Otago. One town which the troupe desired to visit was beyond walking distance, so the coach was hired, the company mounting up on the outside and locking "Neddy" inside ! Miss Josephine Gasmann, who came through New Zealand with American Company of World's Entertainers and pics. "Bill" and "Irene," has been divorced in San Francisco from her husband, Mr "Chub" Sullivan. Olive Lenton, daughter of lately deceased journalist Lance Lenton. and long-time first favourite with P. R. Dixs Variety Companies, left Dunedin on Sunday last as a member of Williamson's Musical Comedy Company. Miss Lenton, who has a sister in the same company, is to understudy Miss Lillian Digges. Privileges of the casual individual who puts his wealth into an opera company: Going behind the scenes at all times, buying diamond tiaras for the prima donna, and calling the principal comedian by his front name. Mr Harry Thomas, of Pollard's Opera Company, left for South Africa, via Hobart, by the Mokoia on Sunday in charge of the "Djin Djin" scenery, which is to be used by the Pollard Comnanv in the production of that name in S.A. Love in the theatrical profession has to be either very rich or very rosy — often both. In the case of Miss Elsie Moore, one of the principal charmers of Williamson' 3 Musical Comedy, and Mr Bertram Jackson, a fresh-complexioned young Englishman, it is much of both. I have authority for, and take pleasure in, announcing the engagement of Miss Elsie 1 Moore, daughter of the Hon. George Moore, of Fiji, to Mr Bertram Jackson, lieutenant in the 3rd Derbyshire Regiment, Derbyshire, England. Mr Tom Pollard has furnished me with the- complete tour of the Pollard Opera Company in South Africa. It is as folJows ; — Capetown .. .. .. May 4to May 30 Johannesburg' .. „ June, July to August 8 Pretoria .. ... .. August 10 to Sept. 5 Bloemfontein ... *„ Sept. 7 to Sept. IS-. Mantzburg .. .. ». Sept. 21 to October 10 Durban .. .. .. October 12 to Nov. 7 Pert Elizabeth .. ... Nov. oto Nov. 21 Capetown. Nov. 23 to Dec. 19 with the option of 20 weeks' renewal. The pieces to be produced are "Djin Djin," "Tapu," "Olivette," "Tambour Major," "Enninie, ' "Gay Parisenne," and "French Maid." "Mice and Men," one of the comedies which will form one of the plays the New Zealand repertoire of the Musgrove Comedy Company, i 3 from the pen of Madelene Lucette Ryley. The piece ran for 250 nights at the Lyric Theatre, London. Miss Nellie Steivart's performance of "Peggy the ! Foundling" is said to be equal to that of her orange girl in "Sweet Nell of Old Drury." The company which will support Miss Nellie Stewart during her N.Z. tour comprises a number of notable English artists, all of whom come to us with big reputations. They include the names of Messrs Harcourt Beatty, Albert Gran, Alfred Tapping, Sydney Stirling, Vcrnon Steele, Webster Lawson, Harry Hill, Claude Fleming, W. J. Beresford, etc., and Misses Minnie Sadler, Alice Farleigh, Emily Levettez, Edith Stewart, etc., etc. Apropos of the subject that is always interesting to actors and managers, the vital question of the amount of salary to be asked or refused by popular artistes, the following is a good little story from a London paper of the late Walter Montgomery: The secretary of a certain literary institute in the North of England wrote to the wellknown entertainer to ask his fee for one night. The reply was "Thirty guinea*." The pecretary regretted that it was impossible for his institute to dream of giving <=uch a bum. He equally regretted troubling Mr Montgomery with the inquiry. They usually drew the line at two or three guineas. Then Montgomery wrote back, and said: "Very well, I'll take the three." Quite a number of New Zealand and Australian theatrical scribes are only now telling their readers that George Smith, \Yil<=on Barrett's late businpss manager, has gone into partnerghip with Messrs B. and F. Wheeler, of South Africa. The news is months old, hut probably Havokl Ashton's return from South Africa has revived it. "Musical burglar" Sweet, of American Company of World's Entertainers, did not take himself seriotisly when ho worked off the stump speech on cornet nlaying "with only one digit at his disposal." Time came (after recent accident on a train in theNorth Island, when the musical one had two of his fingers token off through a, jamb in the door of a railway carriage) when Sweet had recour=e to his injured hand for cornet playing with only three digits at his disposal. It was reported at the time that the accident in no way interfered with his playing. As a matter of fact it

interfered seriously with his playing 1 his pianoforte selections, which were a feature of his "turn," having to be executed with one hand. "Andy" Hodge, one-time of Henry's Dramatic Company, but more frequently _of Hodge-Harpur Companies, sends "Pasquin^ best wishes and a black-on-yellow "dodger. 1 The latter advises the populace of Geelong that the Hodge-Harpur Dramatic Company "have come to stay through th» winter months," and while "weathering" in Geelong will produce, amongst other spare dramas, the highly sensational melo. "Brother against Brother," "A • Ruined Life," : "England's Glory," "Caste," and the tearful "East Lynne." Another highly-coloured poster from Johnny Sheridan to hand advising me that J. F. S. is still six other persons in George R. bims's play, "When the Lamps are Lighted." Advice to this effect came to hand last week; the present is only a reminder - that "When the Lamps are Lighted," at Sydney Criterion, is more of a success than it was a week ago, which is another way of saying that Johnny Sheridan's Irish showman, Italian organ-grinder, and other spare individuals are delightful circumstances, and the great British publio of Sydney, and the public who are not so British, but quite as great, roll up in sufficiently strong numberr to -warrant the Sims drama being continued. Miss Celia. Mavis stars in big green letters on a white bill, and is Signorina Givoanni, a mandolinist; Billy Jones, a shoeblack; and Nelly, a flower girl, in the jourse of the evening. Mr Harry Rickards has accepted £250 in settlement of his iction against Barney Fagan >md Henrietta Watson for breach of contract in appearing in the Williamson and Musgrove pantomime at Melbourne. Mr Rii<kards says that he wanted merely to sissert his rights under his contracts, and not to exaot vindictive damages. Mr Harold Ashton, who toured South Africa to ascertain its value as an opening for Mr AVilliamson's companies, spent five months in the country. Prices for firstoiase attractions are 3e to 10s 6d. Thoseiat*e were charged by Mr Wilson BarreU'a tour. Should Mr Williamson arrange for interchange of companies, it will be with this firm, which is building two theatres in Johannesburg, a £100,000 block theatre and shops at Durban, and a new theatre at Pretoria. A number of figures are given of Mmeu Patti's earnings, and it is believed that she must have made a. round million pounds with her wonderful voice. During one siaiglo year she netted £70,000. Day after day, during one part of her career, she made within two or three hours over £1000. The highest figure ever paid to a singer at Covent Garden was the sum of £9600 paid to Mme. Patti in 1870 for 16 appearances, or £600 for each appearance. During her American tours she obtained as much ac £1200 a night. Her fees for singing have certainly been "princely" ; but she probably bears the palm in her profession for being paid for. not singing, for at one season at Covent Garden, besides her £800 a performance, she was paid a retainer of £12,000 not to sing elsewhere for a certain period. Mme. Patti'« voice is "underwritten" for £1000 a performance, or for £8000 for total loss of voice. Only twice, it is stated, has she drawn the insurance. Bland Holt will conclude his long and successful season in Sydney on April 3, removing to Melbourne and opening at the Theatre Royal in "The Prodigal Daughter" on Easter Saturday. The genial Bland will produce three now damas during his Melbourne eeason— "The Price of Peace," "The Great Millionaire," and "The Best cf Friends." Mr Muegrove's Comio Opera Company are now rehearsing "Tho Serenade," by the author of "The Fortune Teller," and the music is described as being better than that of tho latter opera. Following "The Serenade," the company will present still another opera by the same author, "The VtS^ard oi tho Nile." It will be some months ssiore these new operas are presented in Sydney, ss the company, after its present season in Melbourne, will proceed to Adelaide and Brisbane, and back to the Victorian ,-apital, before appearing in Sydney. "The most axpensive thing I have ever brought to Australia," says Mr George Musgrovc in regard to his production of "Midsummer Night's Dream" at Melbourne Princess, on Easter Sunday. Miss Norah Kerin, described as " 19, and a beauty," will play Titania;. and another handsome young player, Miss Dora Rignold, possessed of a firvfe voice, will appear as Obcron. Miss Maud Milton, who has filled the important position of leading lady with Sir Henry Irviug for several seasons, ie to represent Heraiia; and Mr W. H. Denny has been specially engaged for Bottom. Altogether, 14 playere are coming from England by the Orontes to take part in the production, and Mr Courtneidge is also coming out to supervise the production. Apart from the players mentioned, Miss Dorothy Mai-Eden, Messrs Collier, Courtneidge, H. Athol Forde, Arthur Coe, Alfred Buckland, Stanley Lathbury, and Croker King are in the cast. A curious accident happened to Herr Anthe3, the tenor, in a recent performance of "Lohengrin" in New York. After the Knight had released Elea's brother frorr. his metamorphosis as the swan, and had bidden hie forlorn bride farewell, he stepped, as usual, in his dove-drawn boat. All of a sudden Lohengrin was seen to lose hi« balance, totter, and fall into the River Scheldt. Herr Anthes was not hurt, and responded to the applause at the end of the opera "with a smiling mien." Not content with the interest centred upon him by his performances in the ring, the elephant at Filzgerald'6 Circus (writes the Paimerston correspondent of the New Zealand Times) attempted on Sunday night a little unrehearsed performance. While two men were standing near the stable door looking at the elephant the animal stretched out its trunk, seized one of them round the waist, and then proceeded to batter him against the wall. Fortunately the partition gave way before any very serious harm was done, and, the noise having attracted the attention of the elephant's keeper, the man was rescued from his dangerous jiredicamemt. Although a number of bad bruises had been inflicted, there wer« no injuries likely to prove serious. The salaries paid to prime-donne are • subject of perennial interest. Mr Maurice Grau, the oporatio magnate, can speak with authority. We are told that Calve, Eames, Melba, Nordiea, and Sambrioh received! comparatively small fees 10 years ago, but their salaries, now. range from £280 to £270

a night. "Never mind which, one gets the £370," he told the interviewer. "What is the us© of setting ladies by the ears by telling too mamy tales out of school. Call it an average of £300, and you multiply thaf by 30 performances (eometimes the contract calls for 40), and in the result, £9000, you have something approximating the total amount that tip-top leading primedon ne can earn in America in a single season."