THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2668, 3 May 1905, Page 60

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Br. Pasquix.

TUESDAY, May 2. The date 3 standing opposite the name of Harry Riokards at His Majesty's Theatre for August, 1905, have been cancelled. The' Sydney City Council has adopted a by-law against the queue system on the ground that it causes a block on the side walk. "With 'G. M.V compliments" comes to baud souvenir of the Gilbert and Sullivan Repertoire Company, which company, by the way, will open in. His Majesty's in this city on May 26. v George Matheson is expected in these pafcts shortly to herald the ecnipaiiy's arrival. Auguste Vain Biene : "I always feel when walking down here" (taking one step at a time from the Princess stage to the auditorium) "like the professional conjurer who asks, 'Will any lady or gentleman lend me a silk haadkerohief or watch?' " - It would appear that the case of Miss Gertie Campion, now lying ill in Johannesberg, is well nigh hopeless. A cablegram received on Saturday morning advises that Miss Campion is worse. Mr George Buller, who is at present in the city as representative for Rickards's Vaudeville Company, was fo upwards of 11 years associated with Alfred Dampier as play actor, business manager, and advance representative. Mr Buller leaves Duaiedin on Thursdays for Wellington to arrange for the Vaudeville Company's appearance -in that _>ity.

Mr, G. B. Laidlaw, conductor of thei Kaikorai Band, who was a- member of the Brescian Company now perfornvng at His Majesty's, appeared on the stage on Friday night, taking his place with the concert party and playing the cornet solo "Come back to me," composed by Mr Flavell Hayward. * In connection with the future visits or Harry Rickards's vaudeville companies, I have been asked to state that on the termination of the New Zealand tour of the company headed by George Fuller Golden, no company under Mr Rickards's management will visit New Zealand this year. Dates for anothei company had been pencilled at various theatres, but these- have now been cancelled. Mr Riekards leaves for England in the course of a week or two in search of variety talent. He will be absent from the colonies about six months.

Mr Fred Graham's engagement with the Messrs Fuller and Sons extends over 16 weeks. The clever comedian will rejoin Anderson's panto. " Sinbad the Sailor " Company at Christmas. Mr Graham, is accompanied on Jiis present trip through New Zealand by his college-bred son, who is making a holiday tour the while getting an insight into the profession. Amongst other things Johnny Fuller, "the youngest theatrical manager" of Dunedin Alhamibra, is a great coursing enthusiast. At the Dunedin Club's meeting on Thursday last the theatrical manager's dog, which, by the way, is named MacGregor, was, strangely enough, drawn against a theatri-cally-named dog in Nellie Stewart, whose; o&lours Johnny's canine was ungallant enough to lowev. Mr Will Jameson, business representative "ftj* Montgomery's Entertainers, writes under date April 25 : "Since our last visit to Dunedin we have visited 100 towns, travelling 7223 miles since November 5, 1904. This is pretty well a record foi. New Zealand when you consider we have been playing

every night, only missing six nights in five months. Business has been first-class. Tod Callaway, Zeno, Mr Montgomery send best wishes to yourself and the Old Reliable." Mr Frank Musgrove, here with the Van Biene Company, holds a large share in the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, a house of Thespis which has recently undergone extensive alterations. Mr Musgrove has been I anxious to secure the building for himself, and recently offered Mr Len Davis a certain I sum for his share. During the week Mr i Muegrove received advioe from Mr Davis accepting the offer. Now that the Lyceum has been bought for other than theatrical entertainments, the Criterion becomes a valuable theatrical property. Mr Musgrove is td be congratulated on. his venture. The representative of Mr Anderson's Dramatic Company is inquiring for dates at Dunedin Princess in June. As this month is already booked to Taylor-Carring-ton and Charles Holloway, it is unlikely that the Anderson Company will get in unless some one foregoes dates. Mr Pete Hughes, business manager for Musgrove'a Auguste Van Biene Company, departed T>y the Moeraki for Ohristchurch. on Thursday to make arrangement for the opening of the season, there on Thursday, [ May 4. During his stay in Dunedin Mr Hughes improved wonderfully in health, thanks to one of our leading medical men, who took the genial theatrical manager in hand. Ease of mind in the knowledge that his complaint was not that which carried off his friend, poor Mel. B. Spurr, has had a deal to do with restoring hinj to health. That mysterious gentleman whose name is Grossi has been a great drawing card for the Messrs Fuller and Sons on the New Zealand tour. Grossi is placed by the Fullers second only to the Uessems, those wonderful head-balancers who toured these parts recently. The Italian gentleman, together with his manager (Mr Wilson), passed through Dunedin to-day en route to Invercargill. where a. season will be opened in the Zealandia Hall on Thursday, May 4-. The New Zealand tour will terminate at the Bluff. Mr Hayward, the advance representative for the Brescran Concert Company and West's Picture Show, has gone "farthest south" to tell tihe natives of theNireat in store for them when the talened combination halts in their midst for a brief season. Rickards's Vaudeville Company, which has just concluded a season in Christchurch City, and 1 is about to begin one in Dunedin, finishes up the New Zealand tour at Wellington next month. The company will then return -to Sydney. Several members of the company, whose contracts have expired, will return to England, while others will remain in Australia. Mr George Fuller Golden, the clever American society enter-/ tamer, wild join Mr Rickards's company at Sydney Tivoli. Amongst other attractions, Mr George Musgrove has secured "The American Consul" and "The Prince of Pilsen."' "Ah! here's sJ production for you," said Pete Hughes /to the writer the other evening."I saw it while in London over half a dozen times. ~lt is a second 'Belle of New York' — a production which has brought in no end) of money to the fortunate manager." The English members of the Auguste Van Bi&ne Company, who have toured all over tho> provinces with the renowned aotor-n-.tsipian, regard the maestro as a mascot, for in all their travels by land and sea. they have not had a rough passage or met with the slightest accident. A theatrical manager who recently returned from London, talking "shop" to the writer a few days ago, casually mentioned the name of a charmer who made a starring tour of the colonies some few years ago. "Yes," said the manager, "I saw her in London. When she was out here she was a star at a star's salary. She is still a star, but her salary has waned." Asked for an explanation, 'was told that an English "imported" in the colonies would get £15 to £20 pea- week, but on going back to London and. playing the same parts would receive from. £4 to £6. In a brief chat with Mr Auguste Van Biene during the recent season in Dunedin the famous 'cello player informed the writer that on the termination of the Australasian season the company do an extended tour of America, playing all the principal towns of the States. A short tour of England follows, after which Mr Van Biene, together with his wife. Miss Lena Burleigh, will make a tour of the continent, playing "The Broken Melody" in German with thy stock companies in the capitals. Some four years ago- Mr Van Biene wag approached to make a tour ef Australasia, but he could not then alter his arrangement 0 . On this occasion he has postponed his American engagement until October. Referring to his travels Mr Van Biene remarked that he has toured all over England, America, and South Africa playingthe one piace — "The Broken Melody" — all the time. Asked if it was a fact that he had played the one character in "The Melody" over 4000 times, the actormusician replied, "Yes ; and' I hope to play it for a long time yet." Did he not feel thj effects of playing one part so many times? "Oh, yes; and speaking of that my doctor has repeatedly told me that unless I play something else now and again for a change I will go mad. But it is the music that breaks tho monotony of the part for me. You see, every night I change the 'cello solos." The difficulties of the opening of Fitzgerald's circus in Sydney have been overcome so far as the Great Herbert trapeze troupe is concerned. The act shows that the turn in the trapeze line has not. been surpassed in Australia. Hitherto (says a ; Sydney paper) we have taken our standard !of comparison from the famous Silbon troupe of trapeze artists. Mr Thomas | Herbert (an Australian, by the way), who j is allied by marriage to the Silbon family, I has inherited the traditions of the c^lej brated Silbon troupe, and hap, in addition to their famous acts, added novelties such as the passing of two artists between the his?h trape-se, long aerial leaps, and other unique attractions. Miss Kate HerbertSilbon, in the high dome of the tents, fills in the waiting space between the long swings and passing acts. Altogether, the Herbert troupe give the public one of the most sensational acts ever seen in an Australian circus. XI the closing pefrormance of the Bland Holt Co. in Sydney, quantities of flowers were handed to Mrs Bland Holt and tho other ladies of the company. When the curtain was raised for the last time the whole of the company was discovered on tho stage, including Mi^s Frances Ross, whese lon^j illness had aroused much sympathy.

A Melbourne pressman's appreciation of twc> ex-Pollard artists in "Tambour Major" : "Miss Jennie Ramsay, who as Stella, the daughter of the Tambour Major, had the weight of the vocal numbers. Her acting was of a bright and vivacious kind, but her singing in the earlier stage of the opera far below the demands of the music, but she showed much improvement later on and when the opening quartette of the third act, 'Once Again,' was reached was really very prominent and effective. Miss Jennie Opie as the Duchess Delia Volta made full use of her fine voice, and was at her best in the semihumorous duet, 'Oh, what a strange feeling came o'er me,' with Mr Coij. Burrow, i Miss Opie's commanding stage appearance was a big help to her in the character." Somo indication of the popularity achieved by the Knight-Jeffries Company in Australia may be gathered from the audience they attracted for their final performance in "The Lady of Lyons" in Melbourne. On only one occasion, and that the important one Mr George- Lauri's benefit, has Her Majesty's Theatre held more money, to look at the occasion from a managerial viewpoint. The whole of the gallery was requisitioned by playgoers holding tickets for the stalls, while the booking for th:> more expensive portions of the house reached very large dimensions. The enthusiasm displayed was on a par with the monetary returns, and the curtain was raised no less than ten times after the last act. Both before and after Mr Julius Knight had delivered a, neat little speech, wherein ne embodied the company's regret at leaving Melbourne, "and their gratitude for the favours they had received at the hand's of playgoers. The Sydney season opened just as auspiciously with "A Royal Divorce," and the concluding months of the organisation's Australasian tour bids fair to continue in the same triumphal strain. . The Gilbert and Sullivan Company will remain in New Zealand until the end of June, after which a short visit to Brisbane will be played. The Melbourne season begins on the 3rd of August, and Adelaide and West Australia follow in that order. There was no mistaking- the impression made by Mr Andrew Ma?k, Mr Williamson's latest engagement from the United States, when he ma.de his first Australian appearance afc Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, on the 15th inst. There was a very large audience, and Mr Mack had not been on the stage five minutes before he had captured their favours. The young comedian has everything to his advantage — a fine presence, most capable acting, a facility in lighter passages and a sympathy in the sentimental ones, and to cap all a delightful singing voice, of which he makes excellent use in the numerous opportunities given him in "Tom Moore." The play -itself is one of those bright, crisp efforts which American dramatists seem so fond of writing, quick in action, "coherent in plot, and lively in dialogue. Its author, Mr Theodora Burt Sayre, has skilfully welded together certain incidents in the life of Ireland's poet which make for the picturesque in the career of that famous rhymster, and in the whole of the four acts Tom „ Moore himself is the central figure. Mr Mack has a company of even calibre to support him, the members of which are fully equipped' for their respective roles. He seems certain of a very much appreciated Australian* tour. A marked copy of the "Commercial Appeal," published in Memphis (Term.), has been forwarded from America. In it I recognise the hand of the ex-New Zealand aetcr Harry Jevrett, and an appreciation ofl that worthy as Leontes with Miss Viola Allen's company in "The Winter's Tal-e." Here it is: "Along with the magnetic acting of Miss Allen, the splendid impersonation of Leontes as given by Henrs' Jewett must be considered as one of the brilliant features of the present production. A man of the nfost robust physique with a well-throated voice, susceptible of wonderful inflections and displaying in emotional timbre every conflicting passion, Mr Jewett easily commands critical attention. His face is a playground' foi each passing change of temper and his eyes constantly mirror the tumult which surcharges his heart and mind. To hear Mr Jewett read the stilted text is like hearing some tender poem read by one who has been touched with its sympathy. He has the nicest respect for each period and the beautiful text falls trippingly -from his tongue, each word receiving its due and proper emphasis. It has been ihany days since a Memphis audience has enjoyed such perfect reading, and' Mr Jewett has shown what a wonderful and poetic institution the; English language is. 'His acting reflects in rvery pose and gesture and change of expression, the master of consummate dramatic art." At Odessa, says Laffan's St. Petersburgcorrespondent, in the Devigne Circus, an attendant named Henry Rotte, after putting the lions through gome exercise, omitted to close the door of one of the cages, aid one lion and three yovng lionesses escaped. They made for the stable, where a performer named 1 Nelson, with his children, and seven ostlers, were. The lion attacked a valuable trained horse called Roberto, and began to tear it up. and one of the young animals sprang upon its back. The horse staggered and fell, and all four attacked it. On the chief tamer being apprised, he approached with the manager of the circus, but the lions were ready to attack him, too. Devigne then got a double- bar rellei rifle end fired at them. They sprang at him, but he got away to tha side and continued his fusilade. Then two of the lionesses made their way back to the cage, the third continuing to gnaw at the horse. The lion made as if to attack Dev'gne, whose i>osition became critical. His ammunition gave out, and he had to rely on the use of the butt end of his rifle for defence. The brute sprang forward, but at that moment a tamer, Bugler by name, seized it by^ the back, and thus saved the manager. Using all his strength Bugler carried the lion to the cage. The remaining lioness was then got back to the cage. The horse Roberto, valued at over £200 died. Miss Tittell Brune, who opened her return Melbourne season at the Princess Theatre with "Theodroa," is apparently very determined to acquire an extensive and varied repertoire during her stay in Australia. She began, of course, with "Sunday," made her great hit in L'Aiglon, and a few weeks ago took up the study of Leah Kleschna, the "Burglar drama," which has already attained the dignity of a- onehundredth performance in New York. These were all new to her, and in addition she has been seen in "Camillc" and "Romeo and Juliet," both of them classics, which nevertheless need continually furbishing nn

if they are to retain their hold on play* goers. "Theodora" will be another part still, and Mr J. C. Williamson has now made arrangements for her to appear in "La Tosca" and "The Second Mrs Tanqueray,' both of them characters which should suit her well ; while another modern effort— Zangwill's "Merely Mary Ann" — will be yet another of the absolutely new plays added to the growing list of the company's attrac* tions.

So excellent has been the business done by "The Orchid" in Sydney, that Mr J. O. Williamson has taken the somewhat unusual course of postponing the production of "The Cingalee. The latter was to have been the Eastertide attraction of the Royal Comic Opera Company in Sydney, but will not now be staged for another fortnight. This extension will give " l«e Orchid ' a 12-weeks' run in Sydney — a record which eclipses the one established in Melbourne by the same piece.

The 1905 dramatic season in London has so far not been very productive, and up to the present Mr J. O. Williamson's agents in England have_ not reported favourably on any of the pieces staged at the metropolitan theatres, — at least, not favourablyenough to induce Mr Williamson to secure the Australian rights thereof. The last pieces acquired! by him were "My LadyMadcap" and "The Freedom, of Suzanne," both of them dating back for their first appearance to the end of last year; while "Leah Kleschna," his third acquisition, has not yet made its London debut. When ifi does so, however, this play seems likely to repeat its New York success, as the principal part in it (Miss Brune's^part in Sydney) will be taken by Miss Lena Ashwell, whose special qualifications indeed the author (Mr M'Lellan) had in mind when he wrote tho drama.

In London somebody hit upon a plan of securing seats in unreserved parts of crowded theatres that has since caught on, and is now a source of bitter complaint. The genius in question (says the Critic), desiring to have a seat for a big performance that was sure to be rushed, and not caring to pay the big price for a -eservedS seat, or to hang about with the crowd at the 'popular doors, paid a messenger boy todo this for him. The messenger boy went in with the crush, carrying his employei-'s coat, got a seat, and then just before the commencement of the play went out, and met his employer by appointment, giving him the check and the number of the seat, so that the cute theatregoer had a place secured for him at a cost of 6d, and had merely to walk in and take it as *the curtain was going up. Other people took on to the notion in such numbers that ordinary rushers at unreserved prices are raising the deuce and all about it, and managers promise to do their best to abolish the practice.

Great Actors' Salaries 40 Years Ago. — I have before me (writes Joseph Hatton) -the pay-list of the Queen's Theatre for the week ending Friday, December, 1867. The company consisted of 12 ladies and 16 gentlemen. The salaries paid to the ladies amounted to £18 18s Ad, and to the gentlemen £49 17s 2d — not for a night, mind you, but for an entire week. ,The general servants of the house — cleaners, checktakers, etc. — were paid £7 Bs, and Mr Wallerstein and his band £15. And who do you think were among the actors? Here are some of their names and salaries: — Henry Irving, per week, £2 13s 4d ; Charles Wyndham, £3, Lionel Brough £2 10s, J. Ij. Toole £10 16s Bd. Miss Terry £5, John Clayton £2 10s, John Ryder £7 10s, and Alfred Wigan £8 6s Bd. Besides Miss Terry with her £5, there were Miss Addison £2, Misa Heath £1, Miss Hodson £3, Miss Saville £2, and Miss Markham £1 ss. It was in this very month of December, 1867, that Irving appeared for the first time with Ellen Terry, and the play was "Katherin© and Petruchio." "Here also," says Clement Scott, in his "Drama of To-day," "he laid the foundation of a lifelong and beautiful friendship with that dearest and best of all good men — Johnny Toole." And all on something less than £3 a week.

"Them living orchestras do take risks, though, and that's a fact." said the cornet player gloomily. "And then they tallc about white-lead poisoning ! . . . One funny thing happened to me, though, once. I was busking on the Yorkshire coast, in a town that shall be nameless, and a touring company was running a play there. In the play the hero was a musician, and always took to playing the fiddle whenever tilings didn't exactly come his way. Well, sir, he Icnefy just as much about violins as a worm does about stars ; and so they had to have a man behind the scenes to play the air while he scraped away with a greasy bow on greasy catgut, you understand. And I was the joker behind the scenes.

"One night, however, an awful thin» happened. Somehow — he was a bit late ,for his cue, I faney — he snatched up the wrong violin, and rushed on wi' that, not knowing. I was left with the soap-and-candle factory. We tried to let him knowi by signals, but we only put him off his lines, and brought on the ehermoozle sooner than we need ha' done. You see, the motto was, ' Whenever you're in trouble just fiddle till the cows jcoine home.' And he did. "He got through, I suppose, two bars, 'fore the first thing — a turnip it was — hifc him."

Here my friend paused to laugh explosivelr.

Well, sir, he couldn't complain that things didn't exactly come his wav that night. It happened to be market day, oi" an agricultural show, or something', and there wasn't a farmer in the hall as hadn't a specimen onion or tater or whatnot stowed away somewhere about him. Sir, it fair rained prize vegetables. "And the names that fe'.ler called me — . ' °ff ' — was nearly as t>leasing to the ear as what the audience called him. — Edwin Pugh, in the Chronicle.