THE GHOST WALK,

Otago Witness, Issue 2691, 11 October 1905, Page 60

THE GHOST WALK,

Miss Nellij Stewart and Co. were at latest in Adelaide. Harry Ricliard3 is expected to return to Australia shortly. Edwin Geach sends per post-card "Regards and remembrances." Harry Shine is playing Mulcahey to Frank Olai-k's Muldoon in Adelaide. Letter still at this office for Charles Taylor, of Taylor-Carrington Company. The Modern Milo opened in. Auckland under the. Fuller management to a packed house. Miss Florence Young, ■who is returning from America^ joins Williamson's Repertoire Company. - The Julius Knight — Maud Jeffries Company i* in Melbourne staging "His Majesty's Servant." Pagel, the strong man, late cf Wirths' Circus, is appearing in vaiicleville in South Africa. The '"Juvenile Dartos" have sailed "for London, there to appear in pantomime at Christmas. The Strand Comedy Company, which will shortly he seen in these parts, is at present in Sydney. The Scottish vocalist Jessie Maclaehlan. <s at present stirring the hearts of enthusiasts m xiuckland. The American tragedienne. Miss Kanca O'Neil is appearing at the Theatre Royal, Wellington. The Magic "Kettle Company, demonstrating the properties of liquid air, is in. the Auckland district. Bland Holl has changed his hill at Melbourne Royal and staged Sutton Vane's melodrama, "For England." Miss Tittell Bmne is contemplating appear^ ing in the new "Adrienn® Lecouvi-eur,"' by Madame Sarah Bernhardt. Miss Alice Neilson (Madame Slapoffeki) is to visit America, nest season, at the headi of a comic opera organisation. Recovered fiorn his recent illness, Mr Alfred Dampier will shortly appear at Sydney Criterion in "The Bush King." Ben Fuller is to bs married to Miss Lily Thompson in Auckland on November 8, and leaves for Australia on the 13th. Martin Harvey in July last gave his one thousandth performance of "The Only Way," first produced at the Lyceum in 1899. Miss Alice Nixon and Mr Roy Sidney, hero •with George Stephenson's Musical Comedy Company, have returned to England. Mr Reginald Ford (of Antarctic fame) will lecture throughout the Australian States arul New Zealand, undjj; the management Sf M* E<2\vin Geachi

Madame Sarah -Bernhardt has signed a con- "■ tract for an America tour of 30 weeks, to begin .at the Lyric Theatre, New York, on November 6. Mr T. J. "West, of the West and Brescian combination, will meet Mr Edwin Geach in Adelaide, whilst en route to England in the P. and O. India. The Leslie Brothers finish their season 'n Germany at the end of the present month, and then return to London. They are fulrbookeS up till 1907. " Miss Deoinia Moore was married in London last month to Major Frederick Gordon G-nggrsbefg, of the Eoyal Engineers. Sir A. Conaii Doyle was best man. M'Kisson and Kearns are doing good business in Sydney suburbs with their Surprise Party. Mr Tod Callaway and Miss Maggie Fraser are with the combination. The man who, ages ago, set all . London Tinging with "Tommy make room for your ttnele"— Mr ~W. B. Fair— has started a musical and dramatic bureau cmc in London. Mr .Reynolds Penniston left Capetown for London in the Avondale- Castle towards th>i miadle of September. Mr Denniston is going to try his fortune on the London stage. Mr" ( Hairy Rickards told a London Era repcrter that +h« dream of Ms life is to retire fiom :tne theatrical business, take a httls farm-dri. England, and live the simple life. In Jier' recent examination in the London Bankruptcy Court 'Mrs Brown-Potter stat-rd. that her most successful season was in 189 7, when she made about JE9OOO in Axistraiia. Kyrfe Bellew was lately seen at the New Amsterdam Theatre, New York; in ,an all 'star revival of Oliver Goldsmith's fine eld English comedy of "She Stoops to Conquer." An, exchange says a better name for "Mtildoon'«~ Picnic," made glorious through this country by 'Frank Clark and Joe Cowa.n, ■would .be "The Murderous Attacks on Mulcahey"! Miss Maud Jeffries considers Katusha in "Resurrection" and Marianne in "Herod," a poetic i>lay by Stephen Phillips, produced in London by "Beerbohm I'ree, two of the finest acting -paits she has ever had. English playgoers have bsen asking so per- ' eistently "What's happened to {Tones" that Henry, Arthur Jones, the writer of the brilliant comedy, "The Liars," Jias announced that >he -has three plays ready for production. Mr George Elton (son of "Billy"' Elton), v/ho -'toured New Zealand with the now disbanded Hawtrey Comedy Company, is in 'the cast -of ""Lucky 'Miss Dean," which is at present ibeing played ,at the Criterion Theati-e, London. Miss .Marie Hall, the greatest living woman violinist, sails for New York on October 26, in order to fulfil an engagement to appear at 68 concerts irt America and Canada. The tour lasts. Jive months, and will yield upwards of £ 10,000. j The Broughs made their first appearance ' in Australia in 1885 under the management of the triumvirate in "lolanthe," with the Eoyal ■ Comic -'Opera Company. Brough was the Lord High Chancellor, and Mrs -B. played the Fairy 'Queen. , , Les Bxunin, a team of French trick bil- ' liardists now appearing^ -rthe Sydney Tivoli. are the absolute originators of their acts, ■ and the.xostiimes and effects necessary -.to, ihs portrayal" of same' are valued at 10,000 francs (equal to £400).. *" _In - connection with—the recent determination, of London music Jhall managers to pay^ no ' niore "faiicy" j-salaries, "Little \Tich" ha 3 declared his intention, of taking, no reduction, threatening . to start a. company of his own if it is attempted. Madame Albai^-otlrerwise Jdiarie 'Louise Emma 'Cecile L'ajetmesse— ias denied the -re- . port rtha-t -ahe intends 'to -.retire. Madame ' Albani is 53 years of age. She visited Aus- ,' tralia An 1898, -when the ill-starred William j )Paul accompanied her. j Drama- .is not flourishing just now in Italy, i A leading impresario, Signor Daniele Chi-i- | lella, >is credited with "the extraordinary proposal to shut up all the theatres in Italy for «ne year, *»nd use this close time in thinking out 'necessary -reforms. ' Paul Sealer, author of MSweet Nell of Old Brury,' made a 'lot of money out of that picturesque- drama. Recently he bought Augill Castle, Westmoreland, a massive structure with .a -grand oak staircase, cloisters, ancient traditions, and a family .ghost. i Mark Hambourg's .tour of South Africa .was ' ft grea.t success in every way. Packed au- ; di-ences and enthusiasm were the rule every- ! ■wh«re, .and as a result it is likely the famous : pianist will return to Africa. The farewell concert was given in -Capetown on September .It is 'likely tha,t Miss Nellie Stewart will visit South Afraca. According to the Cape Argus, the Wheelers, the well-known threatri- , cal managers, are considering an offer from Mr Musgrove to send! over a complete com-" pany, -»t the heaa of which will be Miss Stewart. Eighty-fivs pounds damages were -recentlyobtainedJ)y vva Sinclair, a chorus-girl, againbtthe .well-known .manager, Eobert Arthur, xm the ground. of iinjury to her health, caused 'by weaiing .garments euphemistically - called '"tights," the said "tights" 'having to 1 be worn when damp. ' , It may nojt be .generally Jmawn that Henry Poirfet, rthe .composer of ".Tit for Tat," is identical swifch -Picolomini. who .wrote "Ora' pro nribis:" "When the "Tit for Tat" style of ballad nv.enf-cut, and the semi-religious style became .popular, the composer changed his name to ,-suit the new style of writing. The West-Brescian management last week gave ia- matinee performance at His Majesty's ' Theatre, AucklanSL in uid of the Parnell Orphan Home, which was destroyed by fire recently. 'The proceeds amounted to j£l37 10s, the theatre being totally inadequate -to hold the crowd that beseiged the ticket offices. The "Westminster G-lee Singers may fairly lay claim to the-<title of .the mucli-tra veiled company. During ,their former world tour, they .travelled -62,000 miles in .547 days, and gave 390 j>erformanoes in 219 towns. Their, repertoire is a very extensive one, including ' no less than 90 pieces, all of which were sung ' from memory. Miss Mabel Lane, who it -will be lemem- ] bered was brought from England by Mr J. tC. , Williamson to create the parts of the Mother , cf Hur ("Ben Hur"), Madge Larabee ("Sherlock Holmes"), Hugette ("If I Were King"), and other important roles, has just terminated Jier contract with that gentleman, and is taking a well-earned rest. At a performance of "looping 'the- loop" in Hanover ',says Mx Punch\ there was a praiseworthy irnovation. The vehicle containing the artist fe'i of! the track among the auclienee, injuring many of them, while ihe performer was scarcely hurt. This is undoubtedly the right way to put a slop to the demand -for ihese foolish exhibitions. Edwin Gr-eone, the composer of -the popular song, "Sing jne to .sleep," sold the copyright of that song for £o. So .great was the financial success of this "publishers' venture" that the composer is now able to command as much as £50 and a royalty for his MS6.— r-jndr -jnd -this, although 'the song market is in a i wretched state, owing to the wholesale piracy of popular songs at present practised. When the Gilbert and' Sullivan -Company reached Fremantle recently they did so with out their music-box, which 24 hours after leaving Adelaide they discovered had been left behind. Mr Henry Bxa-cy canie to the I

rescue "by scratching together from, memory p. complete score of '"The Gondoliers," their opening piece in Perth, and before the programme was changed the missing box arrived. A few profits of London productions: — "Beauty and the Barge" cleared over .£IO,OOO, while up to date "The Walls of Jericho" has made over £25,000. "The Cat^li of the Season" is another money-maker, and during its run, which is still on, a prGlit of £12,001) is quoted. On the other hand, "The Talk of the Town" £10,000 loss, "Lady Ben" JE3OOO, and "What Panieia Wanted" £6000 were some of the financial failures.

The stories of large sums said to be earned by some members of the theatrical profession are occasionally true. A case recent Iv tried in America between Hurtig and Seamon, agents, and Wihams and Walker, negro comedians, showed that the latter enjoyed a joint salary of £40 per week for several yeai-3, in addition to 50 per oent. of the profits in the Williams and Walker Company. It was admitted in evidence that the net profits last season were .£BOOO.

Probably about Christmas time Mr J. C. Williamson will visit New Zealand, which he has not toured since he brought his first comic opera company here 23 years ago with "Patience" and "Ihe Pirates," when Miss Alice Rees was the principal soprano. The Australian manager has been urgently invited to visit the various centres with which he has been constamt.y in touch during that long period, and he will at the same time estimate the theatrical potentialities of the two islands by personal inspection. "Cruikshank the Ca.Ticaturi.st." who has been introduced to New Zealand under the auspices of Messrs John Fuller and Sons, does not rely for his effects upon stock pictures, like Gladstone, Bismarck, and other worldwidely known fpruiliar faces. He has a fresh set of pictures for every town he strikes, and they are pictures of that town's famous and favourite citizens. His methods aie novel, and the effect gained is said to be very clever, while the entirely new idea of caricatures in place of ordinary likenesses shoulcl at once strike the fancy of audiences. A theatrical novelty i& announced for the Coliseum, London, in "Joseph and His Brethren,' an acted oratorio. The play will be all in dumb show. At certain points tho performers will be "blocked out," and the story .will be continued by cinematographic views, with photographs of the actual performers. • -No license will be required, as there will be no dialogue, and, therefore, no trouble with the censor's office is anticipated as there -was in the case of "Joseph of Canaan," when the Rev. Mr Walters wished to produce that play in London. The Messrs Fuller .promise a welcome variation from the Hackneyed exhibition of female beauty on the stage. In "The Modern Milo" turn, announoed for introduction in ihe Princess Theatre programme during the next week or two, there will be .a realistic representation of the Venuses and other famous beauties of classic sculpture. The lady who -will be the principal in the turn is stated to possess all the perfections of female face and form straight from nature, without powder, ■puff or pa<s. It will be a treat to have anything artistic and at the -same time unartifioial in a theatre. A New York paper states that a Gerimn inventor has devised a theatre to ensure safety in case 'of fire. According to a description of Ms plan the pit may be removed en Woe, with the bcxes and the pertition wails, by means of rollers underneath tne floor running on lails continued "to a.smta'ole length outside the theatre." Wnile this "removal" is being accomplished people in the balconies are to be liberated by exns through "window dsoors" opened automatically all at once, leading to suspended galleries lowered to the street >by the samemechanism, that actuates the movable pn The inventor claims that by these means a theatre may-Toe emptied in 30 seconds. Accordiflg to the British-Australasian, 'Mrs BTOwn-Potter made her final appearance ai the Bankruptcy Court in the sombre black which all stag© heroines wear in time of misfortune and adversity. The fact tliat blavi:, of good cut and material, is infinitely more expensive than any other colour seems to be quite overloked. Amid tears, Mrs 8.-P. again l*rotested .her ignorance of where the stagestruck lawyer Fossick obtained -the inonay to nuance -her. In evidence she admitted her bi<^est .success was in Aiistralia in 1897. where she netted ,£9OOO. Australians naturally ask why she did not again return to the scenes of her greatest financial triumph. Her return was heralded some -five y«ar3 ago, when Kyrle Bellew took a part in Northern Territory mining. In this he ingloriousiy failed, but has 3ince made big money in America, as an actor."

The stories accounting for the invention of the phonograph are innumerable. Here is the latest. An accident — a. cut on the iinger -•-caused Edison to invent the phonograph, or talking -machine. iMx Edison told' the stray of this invention :to- a visitor .recently. -At the time, iie =saicl, he was singing into a telephone, and in the telephone mouthpiece Le had -placed for safe keeping a 'fine itteel point. Suddenly "this point cut his fing-er. He found, to his surprise, that it had been moving here and "there and -round about, guided by the vibrations of 'his voice. He placed a of yellow .paper under the steel point, replaced it in the mouthpiece and said the alphabet. T±t« steel, while he spoke, ran over the paper, and for .each letter ■of 'the alphabet at made a different jnark or scratch. This was what "Mr JCdiaou liad hoped ior. He now helel tho steel point still and drew the paper scratches slowly •over it. There was given foith, vevv faintly, tho alphabet as he had repeated it. Thus "the principle of the phonograph — the registering and the reproduction of the voice's vibrations — wns discovered through the cutting of a finger.