THEATRIC AT, AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 64

THEATRIC AT, AND MUSICAL NOTES.

— — I Br PASQT7IN-. I

TUESDAY. March 14. The Princess Theatre and Provincial Hotel have been purchased by Messrs John Fuller and Sons. Mr Ben Fuller arrived in Dunedin on Saturday, and on Monday, on behalf of the firm, concluded the purchase from Mr Showman, of Ballarat, at a price which the latter considers satisfactory. The property, as is known, extends from High street to Stafford street. The Messrs Fuller are now the largest theatre proprietors in the colony, owning no less than four. It is not intended to transfer the vaudeville business from the Alhambra Theatre, the intention being to keep the Princess Theatre going, so far as possible, with a succession of touring companies. The firm of John Fuller and Sons has displayed great enterprise in the past, and ite faith in the colony is shown by the manner in which it has invested in bricks and mortar. The Rosina Buekman Concert Co. have booked His Majesty's Theatre for a short season, commencing on March 29 and extending to March 31. Mr Allan Hamilton advises me from Sydney that he has arranged for a New Zealand tour of John F. Sheridan and Co. under his management, commencing in Dunedin on 33oxing Night and terminating in Auckland at Easter. New plays and new faces wiil be introduced by the Widdy O'Breeon Sheridan. Much sympathy is felt for M-esdames Macdonalri and Smith, the well-known theatrical advertising agents, on the death of their mother, which occurred last week. Reported that the latest aspirants for honours matrimonial in Pollard's Opera Co., are Miss Marie Metcalfe (who purposes settling in Kalgoorlie), and Miss Nellie Wilson. The Wheelers, trick cyclists and other spare Accomplishments, concluded their season with Fuller's Entertainers on Friday evening. I understand they purpose taking out a show of their own in the near future and totiring in southern parts, i I understand that a syndicate of wellknown theatrical managers has arranged to take over the Brescian Concert Party and Picture show for a tour of Australia. Mr Ben / Fuller, general manager of the "Firm," arrived in Dunedin from Wellington on Saturday, and will remain in charge at Dunedin Alhambra for some weeks, meanwhile Mr John Fuller, jun.. has gone to Wellington to look after the interests of the company in that city. A passenger by the Waikare from Melbournie on Wednesday was Mr Jacob Showman, proprietor of the Princess Theatre. Mr Showman is over on his annual holiday. From South Africa Air Bert Royle has received a cable advising him that in all probability Miss Gertie Campion would be able to lea/c on her journey home this week. Miss Campion appears to be recover- ! ing slowly. Having been disappointed over previous messages in respect to Miss Campion, Mr Royle- is not too sanguine about the present communication, but hopes for the best. Further additional donations to the fund have been received, including- a cheque from Mr J. O. Williamson, together with £26, being amount collected in Dunedin recently. Mr Royle states that it is costing Miss Campion, and her sister £10 per week for board and medical attendance in the institution ip S.A. Of late, Mr Royle has been forwarding £50 per month, and the money is being at this rate simply eaten up. Mr Royle regrets that Miss Campion has so far hcen unable to como to New Zealand, where she would have been looked after almost free of charge. Arrangements have now been made through. Cook's Tourist Agency, for the passages

of Miss Campion and her sister by any boat leaving Capetown for Australia. Encouraged by the financial success of the recent tour, tha Julius Knight-Maud Jeffries Co. purpose returning to New Zealand with new plays and new faces at the latter end of the year. The return tour commences in Dunedin in October next, His Majesty's Theatre having been booked from October to November. Mr Hayward, representing the Broscian Concert Party and West's Picture show, is still in Dunedin waiting for the arrival of the co. from Edinburgh at Easter. Mr Hayward, who has been here off and on for th-e past three months, is unlike all other advance agents of my acquaintance in that so far he has not bothered the local newspaper offices for "preliminaries." Mr Fred Graham has evidently for the time being at least abandoned the idea of touring New Zealand with a company of his own, for the popular comedian, together with his wife, Miss Nellie Dent, lias been re-engaged by the Messrs Fuller and Sons and will appear in one of the centres on April 22. A_ South Au;st2'alian writer appreciates M'Kee Rankin for his fine performance of Schwartz in "Magda." Present writer has recollections of the sterling work done in the past by the American actor-manager. An item for the ladies about a personage who has already shed the light of her -presence upon us : Miss Florence Hamer. of Williamson's 'Comedy Co., has been about town (Melbourne) more than most theatrical stars usually are. She dresses smartly, and has a train of cavaliers. Which is a matter of cause and effect. I saw her one afternoon in the Vienna in a snuff-coloured, frock charmingly made, and a lovely hat of art shades and floral effect, made more picturesque by a lace chin-strap. Mi*s Hamer has wonderful eyes, J which are so expressive that they help her conversation at .all points. — metaphorically make gestures, shrug frown, and smile, while the rest of the lady is in perfect repose. Anderson's "Sinbad the Sailor" panto, was at latest in Adelaide. No further word of the panto, co. coming through New Zealand, thouffh Michael Joseph assured us that surh was the intention of Mr Anderson. Mr George Slmhh has returned to South Africa after a recent- trip to England, v/hither he went on business for Messrs Wheeler Bros., of South Africa. What with winding up the affairs of the late Wilson Barrett and engaging new companies and acquiring new plays, the young manager has had a busy time. A heartfelt appreciation of: FLORODOHA (My Friend). Died Sth February, 1905. Beneath this tree the simple -mound Of plain unconsecrated ground Marks where a nobler heart's at rest Than many a one 'neath marble crest. For "Flo," my dear old dog, would shame Some men who loftier natures claim. How few can truly write as I Above their friends who pass and die These words of loving memory : "This friend was ' always ' truei to me" ! • — Bert E.oy^e. A circus had been touring the provinces and business had been bad. Finally, the performers, with a tumbler named Z-eia at their head, went to the management and insisted on receiving their back pay. They were put off repeatedly. A definite dato was at last promised, but the time arrived and still there was no money. Zera expostulated, whereupon the management explained that it had arranged to pay salaries, commencing with the names beginning with A, and co on, but that the money had run out somewhere in the S's. The company walked home. A year later Zera appeared at the offices of the circus and asked for an enga.gem.ent. "Certainly,"' said the manager. "We' will take you on at an increased salary. Now, let me enter your name. Mr Zera, is it not?" "One moment,' said the performer; "this year my name is Ajax." An amateur play writer once submitted a play to Toole, the actor. "What I want," said Toole, "is a bright, short play!" "How do you mean — a short, bright drama?" said the author. "Well, something with what the Americans call snap — a thing with a point to it. I don't care whether it is farce, comedy, or drama, if it has effective situations and 1 good telling climaxes." "Can you give me an- idea of the sort of thing you mean?' said the budding author. "Oh, yes," eaid Toole; "I remember one of the shortest and certainly the- best play of its kind! imaginable — it was so tllirect, you know, and yet left so much to the imagination. It was in one act. When the curtain went up two persons were die-covered on a sofa ; one was a pretty young woman, the other a nice young fellow. They embraced each other silently; neither of them, ycu understand, said a word. Then a door opened at the back and a traveller entered. He wore an- overcoat and carried an umbrolla. You could tell at once by his mannar and without looking at the programme that he was the husband of the young woman — at least that would be the inference of every intelligent playgoer present. The husband took off his coat, laid aside his umbrella, and drew from his breast pocke-t a heavy Colt's revolver. In the midst of a silent embrace of the hero and heroine he fired. The yoxing woman fell dead. Re fired again, and the young man was similarly disposed of. Then the traveller came forward, put on a pair of eyeglasses, and contemplated his sanguinary work. 'Great heavens!' he exclaimed, 'I am on the wrong floor.' " Mr Charles Warner, who has entered into an engagement with Mr George Musgrove to start a 12 months' season in Australia and New Zealand in November, contemplated a short tour of South Africa en route, but he abandoned the idea on account of the unsatisfactory position of theatrical matters at the Cape. He has lately been negotiating for the purchase of a strong play^bv a well-known French dramatist, whicn he hopes to produce in London before leaving for Australia. He is to open at Melbousn^ in "Much Ado Aboiit Nothing." It is 13 years since Mr Warner mad 1 © his former visit to Australia, his sojourn extending over three years. Rather 'a humorous state of things exists in connection with the engagement of lady artiste for Manila, for Messrs J. J. Miller a<nd Do., the agents for Levy and Jones's cdmp'an'ics, have- found it necessary (says Melbourne Dramatic News) to insert a penalty clause in agreements entered into, providing for a payment of 250 dollars if the artist marries while under engagement to their principals, and alternatively a forfeiture of her return fare if she announces her engagement to b& married during "the

* period of her contract. This has been brought about by the numerous marriages and engagements entered into by artists sent to the Islands, for included amongst i the delinquents are Miss Hettio Fuller, ! Miss Beattie Smith, Stella Gonzales, some of the Williams Sisters, and others, all forwarded from Australia. The office poet has handed us a few lines that meet the case and contain good advice: — Marriage barred, engagements done, Not a chance for anyone. Something in Manila air Anects the ladies over there. T\vo-6fty dollars is the fee, If married on the strict QT; And if to be engaged they yearli, Agreement says they can't return. So when to Manila you would go, Marry before you join the show. Dear Pasquin, — Time and tide wait for no man is a saying which often crops up | truthfully in show business, as every theatrical knows. While recently journeying from ■ Collingwood to Takaka along what is termed the Beach road, Messrs George "Wilson (ventriloquist) and George Konroy (comedian), of • Wilson's Entertainers, had rather an exciting experience. They had been racing the i tide for some seven miles, and eventually oavne. to the last ford, about which they had to get some information, and the only individual near was a weather-beaten, fisherman. "Is the ford all right?" said Wilson. "Yes," said the fisherman. "Climb aboard, ETonroy," said Wilson, and Konroy climbed. Then the music started, the water promptlycoming' aboard, and the danger was not fully realised until Konroy was seen to climb aboard the luggage, with his portmanteau , under his arm, and the horses having a swim for the shore. A box, on which Wilson was sitting, left the cart with its living passenger, who had to be got ashore with the aforesaid kind fisherman's dingey. Konroy, securing the reins, managed to turn , the horses for the shore they had just left, ' where the travellers had to wait some four hours with nothing to console themselves with but a big fire and a billy of fishermen's tea. They eventually got to their town just in • time to ring in, and wringing wet. — Yours faithfully, Geokge Brenton, agent Wilson's Entertainers, on tour. West Coast. Col- , lingwood, March 7, 1905. I A large- amount of interest is being taken ! in the season to be played her© by Miss j Nellie Stewart, under the direction of Mr 1 George Musgrove, and all theatre goers will remember the triumphant tour our favourite artiste had through this country with "Sweet Nell of Old Drury." The New Zealand tour will commence at Dunedin on Saturday, March 18, and continue for 15 nights, during which time "Pretty Peggy," "Blind Man's Buff," "Camille," "Old Heidelberg," and "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" will be j played. The opening pieces will be "Pretty Peggy," of which the Australian press speaks in the* highest praise. Miss Stewart- is surrounded by a company of artists to support her who were specially chosen by Mr Murgrove during his recent" visit to England and America. The new artists are Mrs Maesmore Morris, Miss Nannie Bennett, Miss Willard, Miss Singleton, Miss 1 Davenport, Messrs Malcolm Dunn, Dudley Clinton, Harry Parlsor, James Lindsay, also Mr Harcourt Beatty, whose- success last tour will be fresh in all our memories. The plays are described as being staged with much artistic luxury and refinement, under Mr George Musgrove's management. The New Zealand tour ot Miss- Stewart is airanged for Dunedin, Timaru, Christchuroh, Wellington, Palmerston, Wanganui, New j Plymouth, and Auckland. t Mr Al.an Hamilton writes me in re the Brovigh tour : "Mr Flemming will be in ' Australia per Orontes about 7th March. j Mr Brough will follow in fhe Ophir on the , sth April. The tour opens at Perth (W.A.) with 'Beauty and the Barge' — a great comedy, from what I hear from those who have seen it in London, where- it has passed j i its three hundredth night, and will go through till July next, when Harrison and Maude (Haymarket Theatre, London) dissolve partnership. Among other new I comedieS secured are 'The Walls of Jericho,' 'Little Mary,' and 'Quality Street.' Nearly teh whole of the company came from England." j Some years ago Mr Bernard Shaw, speaking at a theatrical dinner, declared that Sir Henry Irving had "founded a dynasty." Mr j H. B. Irving will play Hamlet by virtue of this dynastic succession. There is still another Henry Irving, Sir Henry's grandson, aged six or thereabouts, who wul probably be ready to play Hamlet 30 years hence. By that time there is sure- to be a fourth Henry, and so the dynasty will go on, providing the English stage with a 1 Hamlet in every generation. By the way, - the writer in the Westminster Gazette who , says that Hamlet was not one of Sir Henry's I "most successful parts" should bru°h up his ' historical history. No other actor has ever J played Hamlet for 200 nights in one season, a feat which implies unexampled popularity. Some eminently sage advice is conveyed in an article in the New York Theatre Magazine by Clara Bloodgood, writing under the heading of "Thc< Stage as a Career for Young Women." The writer urges, principally, sincerity in work and in purpose: "Be sincere, even if yovi are sincerely wrong," she says. "Aside from the question of honesty, no work is so tiring as that badly done. No matter how small a part you have to play, remember that you are supposed to bo a real person. If you have no lines to say, listen. If you are doing the much-despised ensemble work, mean it." Touching cmS the unprotected .positon in which theatrical life often places a younggirl, Mrs .Bloodgood would seen to appeal to the-^pride of her women readers, for she 1 I says : "Protection is a luxury, not a neeesI sity, and no woman worth her salt needs , ' it. It rarely seems to occur to people that the real question is not whether the stage is> good enough for the girl, but whether the girl is good eno\igh for the stage.'* The right of a dramatic critic to secure admission to a public theatre, even when he pays the regular admission fee, is being contested in New York. It appears that ; Mr James Metcalfe, "a dramatic newspaper ' , oditor," was deemed guilty by the American 1 i Theatrical Managers' Association of maliI cious criticism, and they decided to keep '< ', him out of their theatres. He presented ; himself at Daly's Theatre with three re- ' served tickets, which he had purohased in i , the ordinary way, on the occasion of the i | first performance of "The Duohess of Dant- . \ zic," but was told that he could not be admitted. He is at present unable to gain : access to a single theatre in New York. ; His lawyer is bringing an action against the ■ management of Daly's Theatre, but the ; Managers' Association are sanguine that he s will be defeated. They cite the dictum of

Judge Patterson in the United States Appeal Court of 1903, when it was held that a theatre ticket is merely a license given by the proprietor of a place of entertainment to the purchaser to enter upon the premises to witness the performance, "and it is a revocable license." One prominent London, manager, Mr George Alexander, has introduced the system of booking scats in the pit and gal'ery, just as is done by patrons of the dress circle and stalls. Another prominent dramatic entrepreneur, Mr Beerbohm Tree, decided to allow the patrons of the cheaper parts of the theatre to decide for themselves whether the new system should be introduced or not. Voting papers were issued, and although the ballot had not clored when the mails left London, yet the result so far showed that the innovation was desired by three people to every one iavouring the retention of the old system of a long wait at the doors. There seems to be no reason whypeople who attend the theatr-es and payIs to 2s for a seat shoiild not have an equal right with patrons of more expensive portions of the theatre, to secure seats beforehand by booking.- There is no doubt but that if one or two theatres adopt the cheap booking arrangement, others will have* to follow suit, and Australian theatre-goer 9 will bo just as able to appreciate the comfort as. do the theatre-goers of London.