THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2576, 29 July 1903, Page 56

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTIS.

By Pasquix.

TUESDAY, July 28.

MLss "Topty" Wcll^ of Dunedin, ie joining D' Arc's Marionettes as pianist for a provincial tour.

Photo, of Hugh Ward, the e'ever character actor, who toured New Zealand with HaTy Connor's 'Trip to Chinatown" Co., and who recently left for England, to ! and Pollard Opera Co. recently produced "La Mr.sootte" at th« Cape -cf Gocti Hopo Theatre, Capetown, S 1 Africa.

Newcomers who open with Fuller's EnfertaMiers at] Dunedin. Alhambra this week are Sheldon Kindky, ventnJcquist ; Lily Smith, serio ; Clare Sisters, 'the unurual double in that they are real st-ters ; and Bob BelJ, comediani. The Min*ons arrive from Christc-hurch oji Saturday next.

Miss Kathleen* Duggan, who toured N Z. with one of Wm. Anderson's Dramatic Cos , has returned to the Convent at Abboteford. Melbourne, where she is a teaeluc«r.

Maggio Moore and 1 co. had an anxious trip down the coast to Dunedin, and there ■were grave fears that the boat wou'd not arrive in time for the opening on Saturday ndghk However, they moored alongside at ,4- o'clock. A quick run through by the orchestra- and high-pre^iure work by the .mechanical staff saw the curtain ready to go up on "Killarney" shortly after 8 o'clock.

Handsome cabinet photos, of Madamo Slapoffski, Miss May Beauty, Lsmpric.ro Piingle, and Edward Lxm'i in "The Fortune Toller," to hand, for which many thanks. Mrs Geo. Crawford, mother of Alice ■Crawford, touring Great Britain witli Wi'son Barrett, died in Beaidigo, Victoria, last ■week.

Maggie Moore- leaves for New York the cecond week in November.

The^productions to be presented by William Anderson's Dramatio Company on thennext \isit will be "The Faco at the Window," "A Woman of Plc«ture," "In tho Shadow of Night," "Man's Enemy," "The (Favourite-," "A Painted Woman,' and "Her Second l Time on Earth."

Mr Win. Anderson intends paying Xew Zealand a visit about September noxt.

Teddy Lauri, the popular and t-alent-ed comedian of Musgro\e's Conac Opeia Co., ia now «tage manager, besides pro\iding mojt of the fun

New Zealand will shortly ag-in be Fuller's Airt'i. On Augw.t 1 the firm reopen in City Hall, Auckland, and wfll then have font" chows coining lucre< — o-no each hi tho principal centres.

Fred Leslie, htrsband of one-'imo Tom Pollard charmer Nellie Borthwick, makes tho mived-ale pugili-t Bli.nky Bill, champion of tho pug-nosed athlete^ in "Belle of New York," the character of the piece.

Whereabouts of people we know: Comic singer Austin Rudd tA. tha Hackney, Now Empire; juggler Cinquevpi'i at the Empire, Cardiff ; Gallando, the clay-modie-ller, at the 01}Tnpia, NowcasMe; Tom Wootwxll at London Psraw.i ; Callaghan and Mack ire Connecticut: Lennon. Hymaji and Lennou at the Oxford Palac, London; ilaytor Trio at Empire Palace, Birmingham.

Charles Pollard's Comedy Company playotl a six-night season at Thursday Inland on ♦heir way to Chim, and groatly amuped the Kanakas with "My Friend from India."

A unique "boa"-quet was prescmtecl to Miss Nellie Stewart on the occasion of the firrt production of "Mice and Men " f.t Sydv."v R-ovaJ. It consisted of three i'aids of viole-ts in the form of a boa, with chiffon t'M Speculation was rife as to whether N'-'Mio wc\ild wear tho florp] tribute, but "LJ'tle Bntain" evidently thought it woi>l<l havc-beeu incongruous with her scventcenthccntury attire. T* would.

The other day a co cf Amurknn aotoj-g fend actresses who were, to oTJen that ovening in tho Palaco Theatre, .Sydney, with a spectacular drama were seated at luncheon in one of the piinoipnl hete'rs in the city. 'At rncth-cr table =at 'tho Igsecg of thd thentre. A Jewish-titled bii>.inr>9 manpfjer Tudied in, and prvinff his chief at the- Uiblf*, fihouted- "B'jove, tho Pa'aco Theatre is ablaze!" Up juinpod the Mrrkans, knoiking over tumHtro, ( hairi, etc., m their hurry, nnd nished hrit^r-skel'.er outside to a«rcrtain the fact*. Later, tluy returned with b'oo:l in their se\pril cyri*. an 1 one be N«o Varke-i shouted" "Say, w'ro said the Palaro-

Theatre -n aj. ih!i Z .-" "I did" =a-i he of tbs J"w t'tl(>: "but yru Amfru ai - arc c o sudden. T hidn't timr> to fini-h hcfo>'A ycu h?d all bolted. T -ad tho IV» f o Thr..fo was aWazc — with pictor'n's '" N( o Yarlior: "Fay. young man. you're too frc-h." In Paris pcopl" t{O to show ■: o i tl f> wink ' Oi r. of the ihrcnulor' tells how tho pcstcied inana^r-r of the Xomeautc, wa-, approacliotl th" other day by his toh-.rr oni~fc (I) for a coup^ of stalls. ''But certainly! ' and he wrote the ord?r. Then he put; a box of cigars under his arm, aiul walked off. "Hob.! the cigars, M Micheau! You've forgotten io pay." ''But," returning, "yon haven't pnid for your st^ill**?" "Oh! that's . . . . that's different " — "A little: your citra-s eiv-t 15f: my ='-all i > 25f : you're lOf to thr- croofl " — "Oh no: I'd sooner return tl r <\i\\s" — '■TV n't bother. Here aro your c.'ir- 1 m<.ic-ly wished lo sJggert an id«.a."

Apropos of English bandmaster Dan Godfrey's death recently. Tom Pollard's Charley Al'b-ert made up a la Dau in, "Toreador," and .played tho clever httle ekefoh right down to the shaking of the head.

Howard! Chambers, the popular baritope, ■vrrites from New York: I left Rickarda a, year ago, anel lauded in 'Frisco under engagement to tho Orpheum circuit. Worked lour weeks in 'Frisco and two weeks in Los Angcki?, Oal.. at 75d0l a week. I was very successful. an'd_came through to New York, and was lucky in obtaining 1 an engagement with th-e Bostonian Opwa 00., one of tihe be9t shows in America. I opened as Will Scarlet in "Kobin Hoed "' a-t a salary of £15 a week. Have been re-engaged ait a salary of £20. We play "Robin HoocV and "The Seinera'Je' 1 ab tho Academy o* Music in August. It is a tremendcus theatre. We a,rei to play ait popular prio. s: Idol. 75c, 50c, and! 25c; or, 4«, 3s, 2s, ard Is. The manAgnrs here th'.nk they are ruined playing to .suoh low prices, a? they usually charge 63 for the best seats ; but I have eccn, J. C. Wililiamson's fhows — better than ours — lor )3s. But in Australia one dees not need to pay £7 for a. <;uit of clothes or 3> for a bee-f st*ak. Things are cVradfullv dear here. I Tiave seen all th« bet.t vaudewi 1 !? shows iin Ame-rica, a,ndßjckar(k's are as good a^ amy of tl'-em. and beHcr ihan most. The hou.-Ci? in the Eiuo chau?<j every week^ —^v.o act runs longer Tlvre aro many "turns" that the man with the high-priced act is ide one week oirt of every two. All the houpe-s giv-e -three shows a clay. Some of them aire continuous — bevth Keitli and Pastors arecontimiou«. They show from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Goo I voief\s ore warof\ biit it is haitl to get in. You ca.n imagine how salaries pro "when I get £20 a week. Igo cji the road i;.->i\t seapon. There is tons of taleiit over h.<"-re, but a- lot of it is ro gcod for New Zealand. Th ; .= is tho p'apc' for ru«sh ai.4 bustle. Remember mi to all in good old New Zealacd.—Sinceie'y yours,

Howard Chambebs,

"The only chow of its kind that has appearsd by Royal command before their Majesties" King BJward VII and Queen Alexandra," und-er the title of "Fantochc-a Praneaiso Entertaiucra," drew £50 worth of curicu3 humanity at 3s, 2s, and Is to His Majesty's Theatre on Wednesday evening. Patron 3 had thrir curiosity eatisficd early, for the entertain men t proved to ba nothing ir.o r e startling than a marionnette show, and. as such, should have contented itself with prices m keeping With the perform ancP 1 .

Comedian Billy Pe.rey'<: (Pollard Opera Company) toy terrier, which captured a prize at the recent show, is illustiated elsewhere.

Gcmr.an Kctrcfc-ea are somctime3 dnven lo de-spe-rate straits ia escaping from their admirers, CiCiL'o-rd.n.g to the Era. "Wln'e returning ho;no after 'having 1 performed at a theatre in Berlin, a-n &otrcc9 met a g-cn.le-man who had frequently persecuted her with hi "a attentions. In d-etp-air a.t his perFiste'.icy .ilia jumped into tho Spree. A crowd' eC'Xcobe.d, mnd a lifctbelt was thrown to her, buifc on coanh^ to the surface ehe etrvack out and swam to tho opposite shore. The young man. was so fii.'ig'lutened that he fainted.

Tivo csprciiiion "tho gods," as applied to tho habiiuca of the galleries, is often used, but ceklom understood. The term origi-na-ted in tlio ol<i Drury Lane Theatre, Londen, wlKre the oei! : oig was pair/icd to represent tho heavens, with, a number of the pag?r* goda duly enthroned. The galleiyites boing up amongst tliesa gods, eventually os.ir.-> (to bo regarded an tho gods themselves.

It i.i reported in lcitent file.3 that a dor.en new th.p«iit'i"o? are being cieo.tod in New York md Erook'.j-n, ami tlio iaLerior of t!i9 Now York Tl'.eairo in be-mg reocn^truttecl &t a ao*t of :50,000c!o'. The Empire Theatre, too, will be to all a.pncaTß.rce- & new play-hou.-e when it is rc-openc<l in the auitu<m.n. Me.sxre Kl aw and Erlam.gcr's New Amsterdam, in \Vci-t FcTty-scoond street, ia de-g-igncl to b?- t!ie> "fin-cst tilieatro in tho world," costiing for bui'dmg, cxcli'sive of tho ground, 1,250,000Ja1, r_n-l Mr Oeoar Hammo-ret-em's latent effcrt, the Drury Laiic, ia intcn-led to be t'io "'argc»t in the wcrld." It will seat 4800 persons, and have a stage- cpening of 71ft. Tlio Metropolitan Cp^ra. Ho\isc, at present the largest theatre in New York, hais a. sba.go opening of 54ft. Tho Drury Lan& is Mi.tend«d to house largo liippcdronve eho-wa and circuses, whiah would othenvipo bo afcommodaitccli a.b U)G> Jfadipon Square Garden. Tho pt'ans have been drawn by Mr Hammerstein himself, following his custom of ignoring architects.

"Anzcr.'a," the A meriban. drama shortly to be produced in New Zealand by an American company, '.» claimed to bo th© bcßt drama of iis knu) 1 eccn in Australia.

A maixl-&?r\ aait liad been sent by he m's(rees to bcv Danto at Dni-ry Lane. When she TCitunnod she. wj>s asked how =ho enjoyed horself. "Oh, mum," she iaid, "it was go 'nrridl to £C?i such a lot of nice, gentlemen all 'ot in VI 1" This iecal!s the. story (-says an exchange) cf Sir Hcrry Ir\ ing's zcaloas ptago manaTC-r in cldcn days who during the rcihoarca-'s of "Faue.f reproved his supers fo-r boin-g too light- hoarfod in Ha'.ka. "Uculcmcffi," ho thundorocl, '"kindly rc-meinib-CT that you ace. not on Hamj stead Heeth, but in." !"

An iinwua] ca/-c ramp be-fore Ke>Jdo\\ S M., at tlid Magistrate's C'oiut, OamaTu. (in the ovenmg of tha firit performance in thD Thcs,tro Royal of "H.M H. Pinafore." by tho local amctoun a httile episode, -or scrim of little episodic, took place which rcqu.irod magisterial adjuctmcaiit. A milliTier nanied Mii-e Ar.nio M'Dermobfe hatl tho ni!sfort\m# to sit two seats behind another laxly, Mrs Biady, who wore a large hat, and who, as slie explained, had 1 gone to t'lo theatro unprepared to remove that hat A.s tho hat obstruct eel tho view of the niulliner ia question, she first of all a s kej that it be removed, and then, t. ? hor roquf^t \\?s di6-re.ga.rdcd, «ho borrowed a uallcimgfiuk aiid tippe-d the ha.t mi question out of tlio way. Th .4 i.\a.-> all \riy -wo] l, and gave- the desired 1 if w, and had tuo hat lx:rn 1< ft in tK='t p-^oHioii it v.oukl ha\c =;iutr 1 Mjv* M'Dcrmott \cry v,i]], as, indeed, .she exo'ain^d to the brr.o'i. But, unfortunately, Mi 5 Brfldy dul not (arc to woir li n r In.t at a ralw-Ji aa^lo rhroiifcl.out th" whrle pr-rformar.ee, and the put it etraiplit a^r i'j. Thr. hat f"r thr. rc=-t of the ovoninsj wn.s alto-rnatcly s!iaijrht aril tilted — at tho will of it ■» owner and cf tho vcnini? lady be-hnxl. Misa M'Dermott found that the> Magistrate rea;ardcd this as a series of minor but a<?giavatmg as-aults, and the littlo ehe did feo of the. performance cost sicr a fino of ICj and £2 16s in co^t?. Our OaniaJii correspondent t^le,graphs : — "A number of residents here ha\a sub^cr.bed tho amount of !Mi^? M'Dermoft's fine and co',U for the h.nt iiiuiijT opLod-o at the Theatre RoyaJ. It -niil be- romcmbeictf that Miss M'Dermott. eiuinjf behind a lady with a l_arg«

hr.rt, who decjuied to remove it when requested, tilte-d the hat forward by the aid of a w-a.lking-9tiok borrowed, eeid for this was fined foi a technical assault. Tho amount of the fine was subscribed 1 as a protest against the large-hat evil at pubiio performances, and not as n commtn't on Major Keddel'i's judgment."

Davickon aavd wife, leading actor and across, having' gene- iwto liquidation in t?h© Divorce Court, the New York American, interviews both. Davidson says : "Actresses a,ro failures as wives. Give in© a dish of boiled beef or ihcrbs whore tihere is good housewifery. I never want another wife with th-a artistic .temperament. An aotcr leaves the stage behind him, but an aotrcss never does. Her cmotaonel scenes at homo are tho best in her repertoire. Actresses aTe the least neat cif women. They arc addicted <to wrappers. They are extravagant. The very tempcrameu't -that mates a woman a success tir> «>n, actac/cis makes a failure as a wife. She Iras no-ru? of tho rustic charming aloofne&s which is one cf the charms of another woman. "When a man protests Against her doings it is neighbours, friends, relatives, tears, acting, hysterics. She is 100 Ftic: uous for an ordinary man. who ctb/\o3 serenity." Now hear Mrs Davidson. She £«>'.*: "Aoto:s, as a rule, arc impose bio a* hu<?L«vid»*. Ti -ay pro peacock*. They aro the inert conceited men on earth. No one enjoys living with a, man who tailks, thinks, dreams, atxl even tcJks iv. bis sleep, cosiewntly of himself. He ahv.nys wants the oc<njt<ro of the etifp. You will find the actor well drei^ed. wvlh n flowc- in his buttonhole-, when he and his family Lrve h,-d r.otLm-g to <at for two cloy*. Mr Dpvidson v/ov.ld buy three or four ein[6 at a I line, end wouldn't give me- one gown. It is always a fce..-t or a, famine with {.el^is. They Ivivo a.'l the Gcnsuivrrc-s an.l nerves and whims cf women, without a v.-r.imn'e great ftn.krnc>"s of heart. An acicir has 1-ea.iied from his p-ai'e, if nob from, his nnture, -the ait of vef.i-.o'l cwK'lty Actors arc fickle. Tin exceptions aro so iare that I don't know any."

Sydney shows at Ictceb wore : "Arizona," by tha" A'cill-Fratvley Ccir.jiany at ti.o Pa.'.ac2 ; ''Mice and Men," by N<"Lio Stewart Ccm-pany, at 'lhcatro Koyal; "In Iha Shaclicw of the NighV by Anderson's Dramat'o Cbmpcny, at tha Lyceum; "Two Littlo Vajjabira-J.?,"' by Hollow-ay Company, at the> Criterion ; RidkarJ/s Company at the Tivol>.

Harry Roto:;?, tho talented young New Zcoiar.'-ler, and l-tusba id of Mu' Maggie Moore, is rrakmg a big r.amo for himself in f.:e land of tnvts aii'l c:nibincs._ Ho is eiow leading men in Beta-cos Touring Company. Roberts was lwn in Dunodin when th:r»" city was about 28 jcurs jcunger than it is to-day. The prmcirr'.a ci? (he Knight- Jeffries Co.npany, which to profl'iio "Resurrection" and "The Ete.rcal City" under Mr Wiuliamecn'e management, Imo l<*ft Lon.lon for Melbourne. Mr Julius Krw£-h.t and Miss Maud Jeffries will be accompanied by s-'x English, players. The company opens in Melbourne in, Sopte-mibe-. Tho arrangements for tho re-opening of Her Majccty's Thca-tre, Sydney, on August 1, gro completed, ami a ctrong programme is to bo presented. Mr Williarr-Fon has dccidod to g'ivo a triple- biLl on tho occasion, to ©rnbraiea tragedy, comedy, and fa.TC.. T'lio principal piece wiJl ha Boucicault's "Kerry," w 'th r Williamson, an tho name p-vrfc, which ho has net r-'ayed in Sydney sV.ie3 1888, although he appeared in the character in Melbourne about three yearn ago. Iho manager will bo supported by Mi. 3 Ethel Knight Mollison. who, ho expLrina, is beinjr '"borrowed" from his "Are You a Mason?" company for tli-e occaeion; Miw Busio Yaugham, Rcso Musgrove, from tl.o Mu?iai.l Comedy Oompany; Messrs H. Piinimev, from (ho Dai.iel Frawley Comp?ny; aUlle > recently of the BrougU Company; and Mr Phillip Lyttcn, who l.aa been connected with many succcesful air.ateur performances in Sydnoy given, by "Tho Player"." Another leaiiwe of the programme will ha the first pcTformanco in Australia of David Bolasco's "Madame Bii'tteirfly, a Tragedy of Japan." A mummer's yarn: Fiehcr wasn't his right name, but that doesn't matter. Fisher and I weio fils — paJs do^vn in luck, — tlve trueob of pals; at least Fisher said so. Fisher, in tdioso bid <.'ay«, even deolaiot! h&'d shire his last drink, with in<». Each of aw had a dirty trocmi oln a dirty lodginghouse, in< a dirty Sydney street. But wo oughtn't to complain, considering. Returning unexpectedly from my bath ono morning I discoveied Fusher in my room. Ho loclred 1 gudty of theft! "Now, what have you, been taking, Harry?" I asked; whereat ho naturally answered, "NothwiK," and w«nt on fastening a eno-w-wlute col'laa* round liio neck. Bu* a suspicion afcteckcdl me when I observed an ond of a dirty collar eticking 1 out of his pocket. I took a sfc&p towards h.im, placed my hand on his shoulder, looked into 'his blue oyes, x^ut somo emotion into my voix>e, and eaid, brokenly, "Harry, I didn't tin iik you'd 1 be cad enough to steal a pal'a la-,t collar." "My dear Beau," he answered, "I had no indention of beating you for it; I only intended to exchange ut for my dirty one. They're adycrti ..ai.g for panto, artiet? to day. I wars going do\^n to apply. Hadn't a dean collar. That's a,!'!." I lectured him, bunging up timial kiiidiieescs I had in my time dona him trivial kindnesses that, in my "eloquenos,' 1 I made appear mountainoup. My oration affected him much. "Beau," he. eaid, "y&u are irigM in rebuking me, old mam. I'm ahvay? imposing upon ycur good nature. Hero, tako your collar, dear boy," and lie threw it on my bed, and then slipping a pair of cuffs off li; 9 anna, ecntinue<f, "aaul tliPr=e tco. Thcy'ie yours. I ,took 'em out of tho same drawer a3 tlio collar." Together we, wont to tho Royal — I with a e'ean rollar, he with clean cuffs — and' wcrn engaged at 25s a week for the parts of a drapon and! an cTopliartt's hind legs re-tpcctively.—Hydnr-y Bulletin. Fird Dnval on American if porters: "And,"' tlin, repurtor, of course you think San Franc-oo is the finest city in lhe> ■world." "No,"' "Ah) you prefer Los Angles?' 1 "No!" .Seattle?" "No!" "O'uuiso?" "No" "N'Yark?" "No!" "Ijondon''' "No I "Paru?" "No!" "What, tlio'i, mY, do you thmk is tho finest city in tlu woild'r" I an=v.-eied — "Waikouaiti." "Dog Kone me if ever I heard of i<,'' h^ oLserv-1. And Jiext inorning ho 1 ;d a lump in his papw about mo and WaikGuu'l]

SoLheru, the actor of "Dundreary" fame, was, :is i.s \u-lL known, peculiarly Ben=iitivo to praise or blame of his acting, and if hfl hail any reason to suppose tliab ho was mofc holding the rapfc attention of everyone In the hnuso he was quite dletresocd. and embarrassed. On© evening, f~aya the Military Mail, -whon the play Vvas more than half o\er, a party of young bloods came into tho stage -bos. 'Ilie^ dada't at tko eLaaft.

wlhieh was maddening, but continued their cheerful conversation) aa if they were still in their olub, and betrayed the most complete indifference- to the play. At last, after a very short stay, they thought tfcey had had enough of it, and, irisang from thejr Bea.ts, they commenced to reach for their hate and eoate. This was .too muah for t!h» outraged actor. Advancing towards tho box, he said, in tonee of pained rem-oneteanoe, "Gentlemen ! GeniCemen ! There's another act." "Ya's, that's why we're going 1" re 1 . &ponded one of the dandies, looking over bi9 shonlder as ho struggled into his coat. Bily Pore/, in "The Casino Girl in, S'Af nca : If anybody knows of a more screamingly funavy little man than "Pi'lsener Pasha" Percy, ho or she ip hereby requested to come along and furnish the name e<a<! address of such aai indwoaal, though \fa are prepared to etake our birthright thai tihere never existed a creature with suob a pronounocdi penchant for kissing g>irl« o£ ft!E sizes, shapes, *md types of beauty. Tha littlo mj.n on Monday night quite surpassed bim.so!f, and though somewhat cramped by tho playwright, extracted ton* of humour from hia part. Percy, the Pirouefcter, is A s^iow in, l<im«©lf, while his agility would eliMiie a monkey! Sir Henry Irving' — who cc Dante ie over-o'owd-ing the immense Druty Lano Theatre, London, with ultra fashionable audiences— would have, been «, grc*t orator if he had not 6een a gioat actor. Hie speech on tha Employment of Children's Bill ought to be fianied raid hung in every greenroom anco e-\ ery- schoolroom. H© said: "We, who ax« f am 1 liar with the faofs, know thfct a tlieatre I»irq cio rcGeui'blanoo to «. factory. QhiidUfe in' a theatre is not child-labour. Theatre- cHilcL-on are nob eweated; they are» jK'ttoil. Theii- omploym-enit -is both an education and' a recreation. Moreover, to many a ohild that fairyland ia ttie beginning of a profe^ional career. Ask) Mario "Wilfccn, Ma'dgc- RobeTtrcon, amd Ellen Terry whothes tlwy had a horrible time during their in-fr-.it app rc-ntieeship. To «uoh children the* • be-t-fcro is a home, a eohool, and a benevolent institution. aU in caie, and the Aot oE ParUamenfc tli«.t deprives theai ci it will bo a mest c^rcgioua aaid callous piece or fol'.y."