THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 68

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquik.

TUESDAY, March 7.

Mr Charles Holloway, who is reported to ~DB organising a new company, has booked Dunedin Princess "for a season commencing oi June 24 and extending to July 15. Darue Rumour whispers that Mrs Schatz (Yiss Connie Buttel) during her three years' stay in England will again take to stage work.

The Fullers purpose installing shortly in eacl of the four centres the latest pattern of kinematograph machine, together with new films and illustrated song pictuies.

Fred Duval to a Wellington interviewer on the recent tour of Stephen son's Opera Company: "What's that? Dunedin. Please don't mention it. It's Mr Stephenson's native place, and it's the only town in the oolcny that we lost money. Reason? Give it up." Possibly ss, 3s, and Is was the reason.

Miss Amy Murphy, who has refused several offers of professional engagements from toth Mr Williamson and Mr Musgrove, has received still another offer to appear in the leading role of an opera to be produced shortly in Melbourne. As Miss Murphy's aspirations are not in this direction, a reply to that effect has been forwarded to Melbourne. A correspondent asks a M&lbourne paper the pertinent qusstion, "Are actors and actresses paid) for rehearsals''" Unfortunately, in most oases, "No" is the answer. Some of the "poor supers have as much as four or five weeks' rehearsals, working 1 from morning to night, and in one ease recently the preparatory work for a production went on ceaselessly from Monday morning one week to the following Monday up till 5 o'clock a.m. Many of these nights the performers' did not get away till nearly midnight, and if ever an act was wanted to regulate hours of labour, it was in the case mentioned.

Mr Harry Musgrove, representing Musgrov&'s New English Drarnatio and Comedy Company, arrived in Dunedin on Saturday by the Moera'ki to arrange for the opening of the company's season in the Princess Theatre on the 18th inst. The company includes, amongst others, Miss Nellie Stewart, Mrs Maesmore Morris, Miss Nannie Bennett, Miss Amy Willard, Miss Amy Singleton, and Miss Evelyn Davenport ; Messrs Harcourt Beatty, Malcolm, Dunn, Dudley, Clinton, Jas. Lindsay, Harry Parker, Hill, and Frank Cullimaine. The pieces to be produced' during the Dunedin season are "Pretty Peg.gv," "Blindman's Buff," "Camille," "Old Heidelberg," "Sweet Nell of Old Drury." After Dunedin the company ,visit Timaru, en route to Christchurch, opening in the Theatre Royal on April 7, extending "o April 13; thence Wellington, April 28 to May 13. Mr Charles Warner commences "a 12 months' tour of Australia and New Zealand in November, with the management of Mr Musgrove. He will open at Melbourne in "Much Ado About Nothing," and he and his company will appear in & series of Shakespearean revivals, as well as in Mr Warner's own repertoire of plays, including, of course, "Drink." It is 13 years since Mr Warner was last at Ji& antipodes, where he enjoyed a most successful tour lasting ( over three years. There were no theatres in Western Australia then, and duting Jiis forthcoming visit, Ma- Warner will for tho first time play at Perth and Coolgardie.

The following tour has b-e^n booked through News Zealand for Wirtii Eros.' Circus : — Wellington, March 10 to 14 ; Masterton, March 15 ; Pahiatua, March 16 ; Waipawa, March 17; Napier, March 18; Hastings, March 20; Dannevirke, March 21; Palmerston North, March 22; Fielding, March 23; Wanganui, March 24-: Hawera, March 25 \ Stratford, March 27 ; Inglewcod, March 28;" New Plymouth, March 29; Auckland, April 1 to 8; thence Sydney. "The youngest manager in Australasia," which same i& Mr John Fuller, jun., informs me that the Ranger Sisters (Florrie and Stella), who are under engagement to the Fuller firm, have postponed their visit to New Zealand until April.

Miss Jessie Ramsay, of this city, who played the French maid in the recent revival of "The Geieha" by the Royal Comics, has been engaged for the production of "Tambour Major" at the Melbourne Royal. The early training of the young New Zealander with Pollard's Opera Company is standing her in good stead. The marriage is announced as having been celebrated recently of Miss Olga Beatty Kingston, the beauty actress, who was in Dunedin some months ago as a member of tho "Are You a Mason?" Company.

The Gilbert and Sullivan Revival Company arrive in Wellington on Wednesday, commencing a season in the Empire City on Saturday, March 11. Dunedin will be ■visited in duo course.

Of the money subscribed in New Zealand fo^ Miss G&rtie Campion, Mr J3ert Royle has remitted to the beneficiary at Johannesburg ihe sum of £360, out of a total of about £500 subscribed and forwarded to him. In addition to the amount forwarded by Mr Royle, other sums have been forwarded from Australia, and the sick actress was also aided considerably by a benefit organised by Mr G-eorge Smith (formerly manager for ihe late Mr Wilson Barrett) .io. Sbuth Africa. No -nord hzs. b- a on re,.

ceived by Mr Royle for some time past from Miss Campion as to the state of her health, but a Johannesburg, correspondent vnote recently that she is now able to leave hr>r room to take a little open-air exorcise. Though anxious to get back to Australia, ihe doctors advise that she n-,ust gather moro strength before attempting the long sea voyagp.

Dear Pasquin, — The Anderson Dramatic Company have just concluded a threenights' season here, business being most satisfactory. The ever-poptilar manager, Mr Fred Henningham, is to b& complimented on the success of the season. The staging of the different pieces was in the capable hands of Mechanists Pyko and Wain, and the property department under the direction of Mr E. Bedford (late of the Sheridan Company), who has just returned from South Africa, was all that could be desired. The company leave on Monday next for the north. — Yours truly, Kdie. Reefton, F&bruary 26. 1905.

Dear Pasquin, — We left Dunedin on Wednesday, the Bth, playing Lawrence same night, also Thursday (race nights), then Waitahuna, Waipori, Miller's Flat, Roxburgh, Alexandra, Clyde, JSannoe'kburn, Cromwell, Arrowtown, Qucenstown, Lumsd&n, and Balfour, doing very good business. The fields are very quiet at present. We hai fina weather all the trip, very hot days and dusty roads. Our best house was in Roxburgh. We open, in Invercar.gill on Wednesday, with Bluff and the Western district to follow, and are expecting good business, more especially as it is now three years since our last tour of Southland. Mr J. A. Macdonald is still in advance, and, as usual, doing good work. Kind regards from — Jjto. Black, Black Family Musicians. Balfour, February 26. Joseph Jefferson, the great original "Rip," tells the following story: — Bagley, his property man, got very drunk one afternoon when the actor was playing at Baltimore, and in the evening paid his way into a gallery seat. Mr Jefferson was playing "Rip Van Winkle." The angry Gretchen had just driven poor, destitute Rip from the cottage, when Rip turned, and, with a word of pathos, asked — "Den I haf no interest in der house?" The theatre .vas deathly still, the audience half in tears, when Bagley's cracked voice was heard in response — "Only 80 per cent., Joe, old boy ; only 80 per cent." He lost his job on the spot. Wirth's Circus terminates a successful season- in Christchurch this (Tuesday) evening.The combination starts for Wellington, where a stay of four nights only will be> made. Asked for the reason of his short stay in Wellington, George Wirth remarked to the writer that it was quite long enough with the chances of having the tent blown to ribbons every night. The wiles of the "deadhead/ or seekers after free tickets to the theatre, have produced plentiful anecdotes. But one which is reported from Vienna would b& nard to beat for its cool "cheek." One. of the bestknown comedy actresses in Vienna recently received s letter, the writer of which reminded her that he had assisted at one of the happiest occasions in her lifetime, that of her marriage to an equally well-known actor, having been the clerk who acted as witness at the lay portion of the ceremony. Being now, lie wrote, with his own muchloved wife, paying a short visit to Vienna, the desire had overcome him of once again seeing the great actress in whose life-history h9 had thus played a part, and he accordingly bagged her to be good enough to forward him two tickets for the theatre at which she was performing. Perhaps the rncst exquisite part of the letter was in its conclusion, which ran as follows : "While thanking you from my heart in advance for your kindness, I cannot deny myself the question, 'Are you happy in your married life?' "

Many actresses have married into the English nobility, and thus become the , proud wearers of noble titles, but it is not so often that English women of noble family have made a success of anything connected with the stage. One of the few who have thus destinguished themselves is_ Lady Colin Campbell, whose play, in which she appears as Queen Gertrude and W. S. Gilbert^ as King Claudius of Denmark, lately appeared on the London stage. Not long after her marriage, which took place in extreme youth, Lady Colin Campbell joined the staff of the London World, and she has done muoh admirabl© work for that paper, including a delightful series, entitled TT ' A Woman's Walks," a selection from which has been reprinted in volume form. Her only signed contribution to the World has now been for some time the art column. Lady Colin Campbell has published but one work of fiction, a novel entitled "Darell Blake," which was said at the time to be> a penportrait of a noted journalist of the day. Sh© has also distinguished herself in outdoor -sports, and is a fin© horsewoman and a champion fencer. Thus she is getting the most out of life in many directions. Mr Edward Terry, now touring through America, has heen interviewed by a representative of the Ne\v York Herald on the- subject of Piuero's. "A Wife Without a Smile." He could not understand how a man who wrote such a dainty, sweet, and pretty p^y as 'Sweet Lavender' could b& guilty of this atrocious "Wife Without a Smile." He then expressed his views on the tendency of the drama. It i 3 undoubtedly towards cleaner plays. "The suggestive problem play and the nasty French farce are steadily losing their 'hold on the public. Theatricals run in cycles, and the next on© to come will, I believe, be devoted to the straight out and out drama or comedy with a dramatic elemeoifc. . ._ . I have seen a number of these cycles swing around. They happen as regularly as clockwork. No matter how good the dramatic offerings arc, or how discriminating the publio laste seems to be, it will only last for a few years. Then a change will be demanded, and vj hound to occur." A writer in the Figaro says that in every Russo-Chincso town there are two theatres, one Russian and the- other Chinese. The actors trouble very little about form; they will come on to the slag© by one' door and leave it invariably by another, and, hapn-eniug to be thirsty, an, actoj? thinks nothing cf leaving off ill the middle of a spee-eh and walking to |he back of the stage, where a cup of tea is handed to him. And-, v/haA is move, flays M. Peomnert, they will clear their threads and constantly &pit on the stage, all this "being done without the slightest compunction. Most of the plays, too, last for several nights, so that, having seen the first park, say, on Monday 1 , the spectator, if he> wants to know tbe story, has to return on Tuesday and Wednesday, till, in fact, the- denouement is reached, Jlurojaeaas, ligweve-r, with, a. delicate geja&e of

smell, often find themselves compelled to leave the theatre before the performance is over, the odour being frequently unbearable. Tea-drinking and nut-cracking are carried on by tho spectators the whole evening through. A revolution is coming in London in regaid to "booking." It is believed to be almost certain that within a very little while the seats in the pit and gallery will bo able to be booked as are now the stall 3 and the other higfli-priced seats. Mr George Alexander has decided in favour of booking, and Mr jScerbohm Tree had practically settled on the same course when the last mail left. Mr Tree had left the question in the hand 8 of his patrons in the pit and gallery, who were voting upon it, and up till the time the mail left those supporting the change were proving to be three to one against those who favour the present "barbarous system of queue, crowd, crush, and long wait on fchc pavement." While, however, the leading managers are thinking of adding to the comfort of their present "early door" patrons, an East End manager is. offering a temptation to people to add to the crowd. The new form of enterprise is offered as a new aid to matrimony. It is announced that "the management will present to the first couple entering the early door a 22-carat golden lucky wedding ring." At the theatre at which this offer is being made, "Her Forbidden Marriage" is being presented, and a London paper points out that it does not matter whether you are getting married at Whitechapel Church or Westminster Abbey, you can get a ring for nothing with the author's compliments simply by arriving first at the early door. The only conditions are that the bona fides of intending applications must be given by proof of banns having been published, and the marriage must be solemnised during the next fortnight. Already several couples have accepted rings. The last few years Have seen notable changes in v the staging of plays. A goneration ago throne-room meant one of the conventional parlour sets with the new obsolete "side scenes" and a doorway opening into a garden protected from, burglars and storms alike by a pair of tawdry drapery curtains, having a raised platform and a gilt chair for the queen, whose velveteen and imitation ermine passed without comment for royal robes. To-day not .only a qu&cn, but her humblest attendant, is provided with costly silks and satins that would satisfy a society belle. The stock drawing room scenes with their cheap furnishings have< passed away, and, instead, we find massive sets of scenery, the work of men who are not simply seen© painters, but artists ; furniture as correct and as costly as is to be found in the homes of millionaires; and garments designed and made by the best known modistes. In order to make a success, even the best known star must be factors in a "production." Perhaps Charles Keane was the fiist actor to discover the necessity of making the mimio life of ths stage more like the life it portrayed. It was he who first surrounded Shakespeare's productions with the grandeur and the pomp that the line-s of the author called for. Of late years Henry Irving stands at the head of the big producers of England. To Richard Mansfield is due the credit of some historically correct stage presentations that, without doubt, did much to show managers what must be provided if they wish to compete with this American actor and producers. Nowadays managers try to outdo e-ach other in the correctness and costliness of the surroundings of plays. In consequence of this competition we have seen "Ben Hur, ' "Dv Barry," and other spectacular productions, each representing a small fortune. Even in musical comedy the costumes are often costly Paris gowns or rich Oriental embroidered robes representing many thousands of dollars. The fortunate chorus maid of 1905 should look back to the simple gowns of her predecessors. She should remember the frocks built at local costumiers' when she preens her Paris feathers>. Of course, we cannot foretell the future of tha stage or its possibilities, but it is safe to assert that the height of stagecraft has not yet been reached. Mr Watkin Mills, in a chat with a representative of the London Daily Chronicle, referring to Mr Hill's comic opera " Tapu," said he predicted a very brilliant future foi the composer. He went on, to say : -* " Since the days when Sullivan was in his prime I have never heard-' a woi'k combining so much originality with melodiousness as ' Tapu.' Some months later I had an opportunity of meeting Mr Hill in_T?ew Zealand. He told me he had, studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire, and had become one of Mr Williamson's musical conductors in Australia. ' Tapu ' is a work which will become famous. Another opera by Mr Hill is also destined to achieve popularity. This is called 'Hinemoa,' and the libretto has been written by Mr Arthur H. Adams. At the present time I ani singing one of Mr Hill's ballads, entitled ' Tangi,' and everywhere it has been enthusiastically received. It is a MaorT" lament, beginning ' Mourn for the warrior dead, wail o'er the great chief's bed,' and introducing the war cry, 'Kia kaha,' which means 'Be brave.' "-