STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 68

STAGE GOSSIP.

Miss Clara Butt makes her first appearance in Australia on August 10. The Julius Knight Company commenced "" its Christchurch season on Monday evening.* Professor Techow is showing his wonderful performing cats at the Opera House, Melbourne. The Bovisßros., weH known in New Zea* ' land, have joined Maud Hildyarft's Dramatic Company. - n Misß^ Jenni * °P ie is Playing a part in The Virginian" in London, and is doing" very well in it. Mr John Fuller, jun., intend* returning from bis trip to the Old World via America! j Japan, and China. Pollard's Juvenile Opera Company play a season in Invercargill at the conclusion of the Dunedin season. Clara Butt and Kennerley Rumford arrive in Melbourne at the- end of August, bnt do not sing xmtil September 10. - " Mr Norman M'Keown, late of the BrougoFlemming Company, is with the Andrew Mack combination in Melbourne. Mx Michael Nolan, IrisJi comedian, and Misa Agnes Hazel, f American vaudeville artists, are returning to Australia. - "Th« Blue Moon' in Melbourne and "The j Spring Chicken" in Sydney are the reigning ! attractions in their respective cities. j The world's greatest pianists axe:-—Pade-xewaki, Bnsoni, d' Albert Carreno, Saner, Rosenthal, Hambourg, ana Laznont. The Australian premiere of "Human Hearts" eventuates on Saturday, August 17, at the Princess Theatre. Melbourne. Lennon, Hyman, and Lennon, the acrobats, have been engaged by Mr J. C. W,flliamson for his next Christmas pantomime! ; Miss Dulcie Murphy appeared at the Melbourne Princess in the soubxette character in "The Blue Moon" for one or two nights. Harry Leeds and Trixie Le Mar are appearing m America under the direction of the Western Vaudeville Managers' Association. Mr Cyril Keightley is oast for the part of Henry Dallas in the London revival of "The Walls of Jericho/ at the Garrick Theatre, London. I From New York comes the welcome news that Miss Daisy Harcourt, the- Australian I comedienne, has fully recovered from her z*- ' 1 cent illness. Acknowledged with thanks from Mx J. A. Mac Donald, of the Black Family of Musicians, fine photograph of the young theatrical representative. Miss Nina Osborae played tbe leading port - jin a sketch, "The King of the Castle, produced for the first time recently at th« Camberwell Palace. Table Talk says that Mies Dulcie Murphy, the young New Zealander, is creating a very favourable impression as Millicent Leroy in "The Blue Moon. ' Norman M'Keown, formerly of the BroughFlemnwng Company, is now appearing wrth Andrew Mack. He played Brough's port in. "Quality Street" after the ktter'a death. - .Theatregoers will regret to learn that Mr A. Cowan, who ha 3 been attached to Mr Edwin Geach's theatrical enterprises for several years past, is seriously ill in Sydney. Mr Frank Parker has found his ideal heroine — actress, dancer, dialectician, vocalist, and skater— for his Zuyder Zee spectacle at the Hippodrome in Miss May Moore Dupre. The announcement of the d»ath of Herr Richard Muhlfeld, probably the finest clario- • net player in the world, will be noticed with regret. He waa only just over 50 years of age. From America comes the news that that capable actor and author, Harry St. Moor, has joined the great majority. Mr St. It&ux's greatest effort was the name part in " Jim the Penman." Manager (of road company) : "So you think you are qualified to become an actor, do you? Ever had any experience?" Applicant: "Yes, sir; I used to be a professional pedestrian." 'The Oirls of Gothenburg," in which Miss Dolly Castles is appearing in London, will be one of the next additions to the repertoire of Mr J. C. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company. Advices ' received as to the health of Miss Nellie Stewart, who left Sydney to fill an engagement in San Francisco, are io tfce effect that it has not improved much einc« she left Melbourne. By a curious coincidence the new leading lady, who has jost arrived from America. Miss Jane Kelton, of the Andrew-Mack Com. pany, comes from the same State, California, as Miss Ola Humphrey. It is rather a strange .thing that during the whole 20 years that Mr »cd Mrs Bland Holt have been married they have never before been separated for a day, and therefore have never had occasion to write io on* another. Miss May Chevalier, who will be remembaied here as leading lady to Mr Cuyler Hastings -with the "Sherlock Holmaa" Company, has been touring the London provinces, playing the part of Adulola in "The Last of His Kace." , „ , In a letter to Mr Edwin Geach, Mr Frank Thornton states that the comedy "When Knights were. Bold" is etill running strongly* in London, at Wyndham's Theatre. Mr Thornton will return to Sydney at Christmas wrßh this piece, and appear at the Criterion. So keen is the demand for good variety talent for the London music hall« that soze« of the managers, in despair of finding what they want on the Continent or in Amsrioi. have instituted an elaborate system of trial tours for beginners, extending over a week. "Daredevil" Schreyer has established » record in sensationalism at the- Pontypool Whitsuntide fetes. His habit is to- rid* down an appalling incline on a bicycle, leap into the air, and dive towards a pool of water. He go contrived his apparatus at Pontypool as to cover 125 ft in his dive. Too little of Celia Ghikmi ia Been in th» Melbourne Princess s production of ' The Blue Moon." The crowding in of imported stars often means the crowding oat of local talent (aays Gadfly), and folk who remember Celia Ghiloni as Kattsha and in oAh«r good parts most regret the cl«v«r actress* partial eclipse- m "The Blue Moon." The members of the Waid-Willoughby Com- • psjiy, after a comprehensive tour of ■fllut Com*

monwealth, found themselves as far north aa Cairns recently. After a return eaaeon in Sydney to " star--' "Mr Hopkinson," Ihey •will undertake a flying tour of New Zealand, and at Christinas appear for a farewell season in JPer£li l>e£oi:G reiomiiig Lon^ozi, The London production of "The Merry Widow" at Daly's was a triumph for Miss Xdly Elsie, who ' commenced her stage career in the cnorus and small parts in the provinces, and afterwards played the Princess in "The Chinese Honeymoon." She appeared in the title role of "The Merry Widow, ' and the critics record her success in glowing terms. Messrs J. and N. Tait received a private cable last week announcing the departure of Madame Ckra Butt and her concert party for i Australia on board the Mongolia. The great contralto was seen off by hosts of friends and admirers, and the deck of the mail steamer for an hour or more before leaving gave one the impression of a crowded garden party. ■ Miss Marie Hall finishes her all too brief sojourn in Australasia this- week, and leaves again at once for England, via America.. Messrs J. and N. Tait have already discussed with her the advisability of returning here at some future date, and as she is anxious ■to again visit this country music lovers may look forward to the probability of hearing in the near future. Mr Frank W. Sanger, Mr J. C. Williameon's New York agent, basi forwarded the complete material, manuscript, plots, scenediagrams, and conductor's score of " The Red 1 Mill.". This is a-comic opera- which haa just completed An immense run in New York. It is written by Henry Bloeeom, and -compose*by Victor Herbert, and may be produced in Sydney before long. The death was anounced on July 11 of Mia Edouin Bryer, one of Hie most versatile of "old women" • actresses who has appeared on the Australian stage. For upwards of 30 years she was almost continuously before the Nher characters ranging from Shakespeare to pantomime. She leaves a daughter, who also adopted the stage as a profession, and two son* One result of the crocodile d*nce in "The Blue Moon" - has been to make the eight srirls who so ably "back up" Mr Victor Gouriet in it as fifc-*as though they had gone in for a busy course of physical development. The acrobatic evolutions they follow would all appeal forcibly to Mr Sandow a« muscle increase™, and in consequence the ladies are already "trained to the hour." There was an exciting accident at a London theatre recently. While the fireproof curtain was being lowered a careless sceneshifter struck «. heavy counter-balance which rose from the stage to the flies. The weight swung from side to side and broke off the tap of «. fire hydrant. The stage /was at once deluged with, water, which also flooded the <orcbestra to such an extent that the musicians were soon up to their knees in it. Miss Ethel Newman, who understudied Hiss Edna May in "The Belle of Mayfair," proceeded at law against the proprietors of •the Vaudeville Theatre, the other day, and was awarded £300 damages. Miss Newm»# claimed that the part resigned by Miss ■May, who left the theatre because Miss Camille Clifford was unduly "starred," should have been given to her instead *ot Miss Phyllis Dare; and the jury agreed in this view. In conjunction with Messrs Meynell and Gunn, Mr Allan Hamilton will despatch the Maud Hildyard Dramatic .Company from Sydney on September 12 an i New Zealand and Tasmanian tour, opening at Auckland on September IG. Shortly after that date ▲Han Hamilton's Dramatic Company will leave Australia for New Zealand to appear in "Home, Sweet Home. " A strong company is being organised, and the production will be stage-managed by Mx George P. Carey. . Mr J C. Williamson's new musical company, now playing " The Blue Moon" in Melbourne, is likely to remain an Australian institution for many years. The managerfcl announcement is that, so far as the first three weeks' receipts are concerned, " The Blue Moon" exceeds both *' Florbdora" and " The Geisha," two of the meet successful pieces ever produced in the southern capital. " The Blue Moon" would have established * record for that period only for the fact that " Mother Goose's" golden eggs block fahe way. Hymack, the, Scottish comedian, does not merely change his clothes; he discards coats, collars, neckties, walking-sticks, until the stage becomes a mere litter of personal attire. Yet the marvellous thing is, says the Era, that in the place of his old collar half a dozen fresh ones are seen round his nock, and new walking-sticks seem to spring from the ground. The turn must be seen to be believed, for it took Hymack five years of «teady, unremitting practice before he allowed himself to give it in public. Miss Maud Hildyard, a well-known English actress, who has come to Australia under engagement to Messrs' Meynell and Gunn, will Appear at Sydney Theatre Royal in " A Beautiful Fiend" — a suggestive title, which promises plemty sensation. Other members of -the company are: — Miss May Congdon, Miss Violet Dene, Messrs Charles Van©. Conway, Wingfield, James Lindsay, and Charles and William Bovia. Miss Hildyard, who is said to be very handsome, is a succeßsfuil playwright aa well as an accomplished actress. W. S. Gilbert, the dramatist, possesses a singular treasure. It is a fifteenth century ivory tankard carved out of a single tusk, but it waa some yeara ago in peculiar circumstances. Gilbert's " Comedy and Tragedy" ■wae being played in a London theatre, with Julia N«ilsc<n aa the heroine, when it wa3 suddenly discovered that a goblet was wanted, and none was forthcoming. Gilbert rushed out of the theatre, and in a short time was back with his beloved tankard. Miss Neilson, however, played her part with so much emphasis that when she had the valuable curio in her hand she banged it hard 1 upon th« table. gn ii there and then it was broken into pieces.