THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 60

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

TUESDAY, August 29. The Julius Knight-Maud Jeffries Co, fchieh was to have commenced a New Zealand tour at Dunedrn in October, has now secured dates at His Majesty's for December, when several plays now to New Zealand will be staged. It may interest the members of the Dunedin Amateur Operatio Society to know that the net profit made on tho production Df "Dorothy " by the Wellington Amateur Operatics amounts to £100. Ahomah the Giantess, recently through New ZealanJ, is now exploiting Australia. Junder her own management. A nrivate jnessaa'e to hand states that

business is splendid in Melbourne -with tHo Brough-Flemminjr Co. and Williamson's Repertoire Company. Advice has just i-eached me from Auckland that Mr Arthur Greenaway, of ths Tittel] Bruno Company, is laid up with a poisoned foot. His medical adviser states that it will be almost impossible for him to return to the stage for some weeks. His parts are, at present being taken by the understudies in the co. Romeo was played by Mr H. Sweeney, and his part in "Sunday" by Mr Charles Lawrence. It is a rather remarkable coincidence that when Mr Greenaway was last in Auckland, some years ago, he took ill after playing one night, and was laid up for several weeks. There is a very natural desire on tho part of playgoers all over Australasia that the Knight-Jeffries Company, v/hich shares with the Royal Comic Opera Company the most perennial popularity, should not be disbanded at the end of the year after tho New Zealand tour. Indeed, some have gone so far as to doubt the fact of disbandment at all. But if the company were to be kept on aft2r this year, it would, on present appearances, resemble "Hamlet" without the Prince of Denmark. For Mr Julius Knight, after many years of really hard work at the head of the organisation, and with a serious illness to complicate matters, is talking about taking' a longi rest. AnJ Miss Maud Jeffries, before settling down to domesticity on , her station horns in New South Wales, intends paying a prolonged visit to her relatives in America. The trip, as a matter of fact, will be in the nature of a honeymoon, for "Mr and Mrs Osborne," it will be remembered, were married during the time they were with the company in New Zealand.

Mr John H. Taifc, who came from Australia with Hugo Heermann, is returning at once to Melbourne to meet Miss Maggie Stirling, the famous Australian mezzosoprano, who is returning, under engagement "after some years' absence in England and on the Continent.

Cable advice has been received in Dunedin to the effect that Mr Showman, a well-known resident of Ballarat, had died suddenly that morning. The deceased gentleman, who resided 1 in BaJlarat for between 30 and 40 years, bought the Princess Theatre iv Dunedin some 16 years ago, and paid a visit to this city almost every year during the past eight or nine years. He was last here about March of the -present year, when he completed negotiations for the sale of rhe Princess Theatre to Messrs John Fuller and Sons. Mr Showman, who was about 72 years of age, is survived by his widow (who is a sister of Mrs Davies, of Royal terrace, Dunedin) and one son (Dr Showman, who is in practice near Ballarat). The Australian contralto Alice Hollander, who went to England some two or three years ago. is now a star turn at the London Tivoli. "Thie- charming Australian vocalist" has a 44- weeks' engagement, and will sing 19 weeks at th© .Tivoli before going to another hall. Who wouldn't bs a singer on the upper-class variety stage? The salary is liberal, and the work is light. Miss Hollander is timed to appear at 9.55 p.m., and the following tuirn comes on at 10.5. Ten minutes a night — one hour per week. No travelling. No "frequent changes of programme." The same ballads, including the encore, will do duty *or a month at least. The life of a first-clasß concert artist is full of toil and trouble, as coinpaved with that of a variety-hall vocalist of Alice Hollander's quality. At the Frejnantle Police Court on the 14th inst., states an" Australian paper, Auguste Van Biene, the celebrated 'cello player, was pi-cceeded against by William. Horace Lingard, one of the members of his disbanded company, who on an absconding debtor's warrant claimed £107 for wages alleged to be due. Van Biene denied that he owed Lingard a penny, as ho had paid him up to date. The Magistrate held thai, there was no proof of debt, and discharged the debtor's warrant. In the course of his evidence, Van Bien© stated: — "I anticipated a settlement from G. Musgrove on the completion of my contract with him. The settlement was to take place on the completion of a 20 weeks' tour. I did not hear one word of my settlement from Musgrove, so wired to his manager, asking where and when my settlement was going to take place. I received' a reply from Musg rove's manager, saying 1 that the settlement would take place in London. I therefore cal'sd the company together last Thursday in Bunbury, and told them that I would pay every penny I owed them fur wages, but as regards the fares to England for those whose contracts specified it I wa3 afraidTE should not bo able to manage, as I was left stranded. The plaintiff Lingard's contract did 1 not specify a return fare to England." The defendant was to have left for London by tho R.M.S. Moldavia on the 14th inst., but owing) to police court proceedings was not able to do so.

Preparations for the first production in Wellington of the Hill-Birch comic opera, "A Moorish Maid." are far advanced. Mr Alfred Hill has filled the cast locally, with the exception of Madame Lilian Tree (prima donna, Covent Garden Theatre, London* and Fred H. Graham (engiaged by special arrangement with Messrs Fuller and 1 Sons), who will sustain their original roles, and Miss Nellie Dent, the wellknown artiste formerly of Mr J. C. Williamson's Company. A chorus of 50 singers has been selected f,rom upwards of 100 applicants, and aa Orchestra of 20 strong secured.

Mr J. C. Williamson's policy of rapid changes of programme was reduced to a fine point in two instances at Brisbane recently — first in tho ease of tho Gilbert and Sullivan Company, which playcil tlio whole of the seven pieces in their n-po-r-toiro in less than two weeks, and secondly in the case of Mi»& Nance O'Neil and her company, who in a season of 14 night; is putting on no Icjs than six pieces, and is attracting most satisfactory business. In both cases the wisdom of the policy was beyond doubt. Mr J. C. Williamson has the Australasian rights of yet another musical play rejoicing' in the fantastic name of "The Blue Moon," which when the last mail feh England was on the cvo of production at the London Lyric Theatre by Mr Robert Courtnoidge, well known in Australia and New Zealand. The music of "The- Blue Moon," which has already been successfully tried in tho English provinces, is by Paul Rubens and Howard Talbot, the first-named of whom is familiar enough to Australian lover* of miusW comedy.

Aliss Florence Lloyd, who is sailing for Australia, is the best impersonator of the modem male> (the youth-afocut-town) on the stage— the stage of the regular theatre, at all events. Miss Vesta Tilley is r.o doubt the leading "male impersonator" of variety-land. Miss Lloyd, tall, slim, and with the face of a handsome boy of 20, is careful always, in dressing- her male characters, to avoid what may without offence be called the costumier's idea of men's dress. It must have been noticed in some of cur musical comedies, says M.A.P., and most of our ballets, that "male impersonators" who have obviously been dress id from tho costumier's wardrobe have all worn very tight trousers, drain-pip© cuffs coming down to the knuckles and fastened with huge studs, and enormous buttonholes, liberally backed by maidenhair fern. They have all been particular, too, to flourish red silk handkerchiefs when bidding goodbye to a hero, or a heroine, departing from some island or another in n ierky ooat. But Miss Florence Lloyd, iv-hen she i.]ays a gay young lord, dresses "according to the fashion and the time."

On one- occasion Miss Florence Lloyd's skill in making up for male parts played her an awkward trick. Some few days before the departure of a gaiety company for America a number of the principals., together with several "show" ladies and "one line stars," went to the studio of a well-known London dhotographer to be "taken in character." They all arrived together and were shown to their dressing rooms, whence they presently emerged, accompanied, apparently, by a young gentleman in a flannel suit and a straw hat. For thr-e© weary hours the ladies were photographed in turn, even to tho humblest members of the party, but to Miss Lloyd's chagrin she was completely ignored, tho men with the camera giving her no mere attention than if she had been an item of the baggage. When it began to icok as if Miss Lloyd was to be sent unphotographed away, one of the ladies quesiioned the photographer on the subject " Miss Lloyd ! " he exclaimed in surprise ; " I thought I had taken all the ladies!" 11, was then pointed out to him that the flannel suit figure was the lady who had be^n so consistently slig-hted throughout the proceedings, and his remark on thus being anlightened ought to have proved sufficient compensation for the artist's wounded feelings. "A thousand pardons," he ba : d, approaching Miss Lloyd apologetically; " but I thought you were some young swell who had come in with the ladies!"

It has now been definitely decided that Zangivill's delightful comedy, "Merely Mary Ana," which the Tittell Bruno Con>pany now has in hand, shall ba reserved for the Sydney season, which begins on the 30th of ne\t month (Septenifcer). It was tlie -'riginal intention to produce T.he piecj during the New Zealand tour, but owing to the fact that Mr Williamson had made two important engagements for that company it was thought better to postpone it. These engagements are those of Miss Susia Vaugh.in and Mr Douglas Gerrard, both of whom have had actual experience in the cast of the priece, the- fonnxer as an inimitable old woman character, a class of internroiation in which she has always excelled, and the latter as Lancelot, the musician hero of the piece. With these two to strengthen the company, and with Miss Tittell Brume herself in the part of the "lodging houso slavey," who comes in to a fortune, the piece, which was one of the best-likej comedies of its year in London, should leoaive an interpretation that will be much above th© ordinary.

Mr Boris Hambourg bears no slight resemblance to Kubelik, and, on. one occasion, whiie on the way out to Australia, whore he and his brother gave 65 concerts, a lady on board, wishing to show off her knowledge of musical celebrities, said to him: "Oh, do you know, "Mr Hambourg, you are extremely like 'Kubicle.' " The remark was made in the presence of several passengers, and for the rest o£ the_ voyage Boris was known to everyone as "Kubicle." But the lady remained in blissful ignorance of her mistake. On another occasion, after playing- at Sydney, a bevy of charming young Australian ladies (this part, says Mr Boris, was very nice) came up to him, and to his sudden and intense disgust, oxclaimed : "Oh, Bore us, how beautifully you played !" And this, adds the virtuoso sadly, "After doing my very best." But perhaps the best story of all is of a New Zealand lady, who, 'after hearing tho brothers play (without music) a Beethoven sonata, was overheard to say to another lady in the audience: "Look at those wonderful boys. They phy everything by ear." Melbourne theatre-goers have added their verdict of approval to the lest of Australasian aa regards the Gilbert and Sullivan Company, which began a short season of three weeks at Her Majesty's Theatre there on August 5. Crowded hoiises were the rule throughout, and though a whole week was devoted to 'The Gondoliers," it certainly did not .suffice to exhaust the public appreciation of the melodioxis opera, attendances continuing' to increase rather than diminish as the opportunities to witness the piece became fewer. Three night revivals of "The Pirates of Penzance" and "The Mikado" occupied the second week, while for the final "five nights "lolanthe" and "Pinafoio" will bs produced. The company then icave for Adelaide and theWest.

Mr Bland Holt, as a manager, must tako as his creed Mr Dooley's celebrated critiQuo on Kipling's poetry. For he undoubtedly believes in having his plays "hot and hot." jNo cokl-storage drama suits him; his sensations must be new-laid and fresh every day. To sustain this excellent resolve he has really outdone himself and broken his own record (says the critic of the Australian) in this last Theatre Royal play, "Bc-

sioged in Port Arihur." Unless he can dramatise tome thrilling local incident," and tnke for hi-s villain, say, the proprietor of an autbmatio ballot-box, which will sw^ep Ihe whole proceeds of a Taltersall's consultation into the pockets of a nefarious gang, who a.re afterwards made to disgorge the "swag" by a reverend hero, it is hard to fee how the Royal enterprise could bo more up to date than it is. The piece is from the pens of Messrs Shirley and Suttou Vane, but much has been added to make up the present striking situations and strenuous action. The story of some of the l*esiegsd in doomed. Port Arthur forms the bed-rook on which the whole superstructure is built, but the tableaux and situations are the main alraction. The love of Frank Forrester (Mr W. Baker), an English army surgeon, for a Japanese heiress, Saydce Orama (Miss F. Ross), and her persecution by Ivan Marski, a rascally Russian army contractor, is the string connecting all the scenes. Mr Bland Holt is Lai Ray, an Australian war artist, and he is on the side of tho angels "ovory time, ' as is also his sw-eetheart, a la-dv war correspondent from America. Mrs Bland Holt. Lai Ray assumes diiguises, and his appearance as a dumb Russian dwarf gaoler delights the audience beyond everything.

The first Australian production of "His Majesty's Servant" took place; during the Knight- Jeffries Company's isit to Perth, and advices from Mr Williamson's representatives there indicate that Ihe romantic costume drama was an immense success. Mr Jnlius Knitrht, Miss Maud Jeffries, and Miss Florence Hamer all appeared to prol'omieed advantage in their respective part 3, to which they were individually admirably sxuted.

.Ainonsr the effective scenes is a banquet in Margin's house, where a pretty and uncommon Russian ballet is danced by the Bicknells and othars. The waving of the scarlet legs in tho- air while the actual corps do ballet Dn the broad of its back en the floor brings an excited demand for more every night. Than upon this scene of gaiety burst 'n tho starving- Russian poor. They literally pour in, to many of them are there, and, ihrowmg off their hooded cloaks, a Ix-dy of the intruders reveal themselves as Japane-je soldiery. Another memorable effect is the s1 liking of the Japanese camp near Ta^hio Hiro. with a stirring address by rhc oolonei, Mr Charles Brown. The Japanese troops, in tiheir neat and business-like uniform, march and manoeuvre with "Teat skill and precision. The battle of Liao-Yang is fchown on a series of painted cloths, accurately copied from the illustrated papers. The final dash is most exciting. Thousands (apparently) of Japanese are seen climbing like a swarm of industrious and hungry ants \ip the outer vyall o£ Port .Arthur. By a stage illusion they are seen to reach the heights, and they }K»ur in upon the de-fenders of One-tree Hill Fort, and all ends in the safety of the (almost forgotten) lovers and tthe full blaze of battle with the surrender of the Russians and the triumphant wavinjr of the Japanese flag to- the jmisJe of the Japanese national anthem. But all these sensations pale bsfcre the final sensation of the third aofc, which is twentieth-century melodrama "in cxcelsis," or rather "de profundis," for it takes place on the sea floor, showing a Japanese submarine mysteriously darting about to find a suitable place for laying a mine. The boat appears "as larg© as life," and after doing its work glides away in demoniacal silence. Then a change is made to the surface. The snnlight_ glints on the moving waves, and the warships are seen riding at anchor. Suddenly the mine explodes, the Russian sinks; ones again we see the depths of the harbour and the man-of-war settling down, her lights gradually going out as her ruin is completed. Intense and almost breathless interest oulmlna.tes at this point in a-n outburst of appJause. As a fctage commentary on current war news, "Besieged in Port Arthur" is quit a educational, as is attested by the numbers of schoolboys who form a large section of the audiences. Mr Henry Jones, who, with Mr Levy, owns both" the Zorilla and Orpheum Theatres at Manila (P.I-), is now in Sydney, and in the course of a chat with the dramatic editor of the Referee, Mr Jone^ supplied such information as should be of interest to artists contemplating a visit to Manila. Questioned as to the cost of living thare, Mr Jones replied: '•We have a contract with the leading hotel to take any of our people at, therate of £2 woeklv, a.nd I have never known ctio to pay more than that. This particular hotel adjoins the Orpheum, and is therefore very 00/iveni-3nt for the artists. There are, however, a number of other places a good deal cheaper. There a.re at least 50 boardinghousss and hotels where the price ranges from £7 to £8 a month. "Ordinary elcclios thei-o are more cx-pensiv-e than there, but the custom is to wear only white drills. I pay 10s a suit, and have about 15 in the course of the year. Laundry is about twice rs expensive as here, owin^ to th© necessity of more frequent changes. "I might tell you, 1 ' continued Mr Jones, "we have g"reat trouble with some of the girls there. Not on© of them has received less than from 10 to 50 offers of marriage, and Jvs has caused some of ihem to loso their head's. Fully half of them have got married while fulfilling engagements. Two sisters who entered into the bonds of matrimony r«ceaJy secured husbands earning £600 anJ £700 a year, and others have dono equally well." "What is tho reason your firm draws its artistic supply from Australia instead of America?" "Well, :he American fare is 600dol golci, and, apart from that, the American artists avo specials, and can only run two cr three weeks. The majority of the Australians are versatile, and can 'inafce good' from 16 to 30 weeks, wito as many changes.

"The Zorilla is the fashionable theatre. At the Orpheum ihe enteitaiiun.-cnt in run on similar lines to tho London, and Ncv/ York vaindeviile houses, and we are as sti'ict as you aro hero in Australia. Vulgarity 13 not allowed. Our audiences, which inchxde tho ve*y test people and tho highest officials -there, would not tolerate it. There are no cm rain boxes. Under ao circumstances is anyone allowed 'behind,' nor is communication permitted. Further, no artist is allowed in front during a pcL Ifennance. We are strict, ami for any b:eaeh of the regulations a. fine is inflicted. These fines howover, go into a fund, which 13 devoted entirely to worthy indigent performers. It is not touched by the firm. 1 " The climate of Manila is generally considered to &s unhealthy, but Mr Jones says it is the best tropical climate he has been in. There has not been a single case of serious sioknes tli-ere, he aclded, among anjr of the artists*

A most amusing and delightfully humoi ous lettjr by Mr G. Bernard Shaw was published hi the London Times recently. It seems that this eccentric wit no longer dresses as if in the backwoods, because ho iinds ho cannot get into the stalls at. Covent Garden without conforming to tho sumptuary laws of the house. Moreover, he now submits to the regulation cheerfully. " Evening dress is cheap, simple, durable, prevents rivalry and extravagance on the part of male leaders of fashion, annihilates class distinctions, and gives men who arc poor and doubtful of their social position (that is, the great majority of men) a sense of security and satisfaction that no clothes of their own choosing could confer, besides saving a whole sox the trouble of considering what they should wear on State occasions." ..." Cut I submit that sauce for the goose should he sauce for the gander." . . . "At 9 o'clock (the opera began at 8) a lady came in and sat down very conspicuously'' in my line of sight. Sho remained there until the beginning 1 of the last act. I do not complain of her coming late and going 1 early ; on the contrary, I wish she had come later and gone earlier. For this lady, who had. very JLjlaqk hair, had stuck over her right, ea.c the pitiable corpse of a large white bird, which looked exactly as if someone had killed it by- stamping on its breast, and then nailed it to the lady's temple, which was presumably of sufficient solidity to bear the operation. I am not, I hope, a morbidly squeamish person; but the spectacle sickened mo. I presume that if I had presented my»elf at the doors with a dead snake round my neck, a collection of black beetles pinned to my shirfc front, and a grouse in ray hair I 'should have been refused admission. Why, then, is a woman to be allowed to commit such a public outrage?" The writer concludes by suggesting that the opera subscribers require to be guarded from the sight of his blue tie much less than from the dead bird.