THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2801, 20 November 1907, Page 68

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Br Pas«uim. TUESDAY, November 19, 1907. Johnny Fuller, jun., has arrived in Sydney from his tour of the world. The other day I reeived a post-card from the young theatrical manager addressed "Mid-ocean," and containing the message, " Land in sight." Johnny is nearing the end of his trip, and is looking forward to his return ■ home. 1 The "Mother Goose" Pantomime Company concluded its New- Zealand tour at , Christchurch on Wednesday, and on Thursday the company departed for Wellington en route to Sydney. All the members of the "Mother Goose Pantomime Company, which has now concluded it& New "Zealand tour, have been re-engaged for tho next pantomime, " Humpty Dumpty," which goes up in Melbourne at Christmas. Mr George Buller, representative of the Maud Hildyard Dramatic Company, after arranging for the season in Dunedin commencing on the 21et inst., dropped down to Invercargili to arrange for a brief season in that city. Mr Bullqr has now rejoined the company, and passed through Dunedin en rout<» for the south on Monday. Fuller's Vaudeville Company continue on their way rejoicing at the Princess , Theatre, and tho popular playhome re1 sounds to the hearty applause of large and enthusiastic audiences nightly. Mr Tom Armstrong and Miss Priscilla Verne are etill at the head of an interesting bill. That picturesque comedy -drama "Hans ' the Boatman," produced in Dunedin by the late Chark6 Arnold, is to bo staged at His Majesty's by the St. Joseph's Dramatic Society for three nights, com- , mencing on December 2. Mr Percy James, I who has been coaching the members of ' the society, informs rrie that tho members are well versed in their respective parts, and he anticipates that a good performance will be given. i The Christmas attraction for Dunedin has now been definitely decided upon. This is none other than the latest London success, "Brewster's Millions," which is at present having a great run in Sydney. Mr Richard Stewart, business manager of the "Mother Goo^c Company" leave* for Auckland in the course of a few days. The popular "Dick" will take a few weeks' rest in the northern city ere joining "The Blue Moon" Company, which commences a New Zealand tour at Wellington at Christmas. Rehearsals for the production of "The Belle of Nisw York" by tho Dunedin Amateur Operatic- Society have ceased in the.

meantime. In all probability "The Belle will be replaced by another opera.

Tho work of the erection of the fireproof curtain at the Princess Theatre is in steady progress. Heavy girders and mas*i\c timber structures are required to carry the curtain. The work will be completed in th^ course of a few days.

The Alhambra Theatre, -which for a brief space was bright and gay with the presence of Montgomery's Entertainers, has again been given over to darkness. The cosy Moorish-titled theatre will, however, be re-opened shortHy with another company of entertainers.

Mr Jacobsen, manager of the theatre at Hastings, was in town last week. He informs me that it is proposed to bring the Feilding theatre up to date, and with that object it is proposed shortly to erect a new stage.

On the return of Johnny Fuller, jun., to Dunedin. Mr Gil P. Hoskins, present manager of the Dunedin • Princes, may take charge of the Opera House in Christoliuroh, under the Messrs Fuller and Son. Nothing definite, however, has been settled in the meantime. Should Gil Hoskins take over the management of the Christchurch interests, he is certain to make himself immensely popular in the Cathedral City.

Owing to Fred Graham, the well-known comedian, being unable to journey to Dunedin to play his original part in "The Moorish Maid," which it is proposed to stage at His Majesty's on December 5, Mr Alfred Hill has received tho pick of the Joca;l talent to complete his cast. In addition he has engaged the services of Miss Roeina Buckmann, who played with great success in the original production of the opera.

The Musical Comedy Company have made a palpable hit in Sydney with the all round excellence of their presentation of " The Blue Moon," and that bright and musical comedy is greeted nightly by the most appreciatively audiences, who welcome its music and its comedy alike with every sign of favour. Already the new members havfe become pronounced nublic favourites, the crispnees of Mr Myles Clifton, the vivacity of Mies Daisy Wallace, the excellent soprano of Mies Amy Murphy, the daintiness of Miss Maude Thorn, all coming in for their % deserved share of general praise bestowed upon J. C. Williamson's new musical organisation. That powerful play of Alfred Sutro'e, "John Glayde's Honour," which deals with the domestic happiness of a money king whose devotion to business estranges his wife, is already in rehearsal by the "Brewsters Millions "' Company, and will be done by them before the end of their seacon at the Theatre Royal, Sydney. With Mr Kingston, Mrs Brough, and Mr Gregan M'Manon, together with the other member* who have done euch capital work, in the east, a really first rate interpretation of the piece may confidently be expected.

With a really phenomenal record behind it. " Mother Goose " closes its career at Newcastle this month, where it is due for performance on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd inst. It has been in existence exactly eleven months, and in that time has appropriated to itself nearly every record of the Australian stage. It has the longest uninterrupted run, lasting with scarcely a change in the bill for 334 performances, consecutive except for the time spent in travelling. . Its audiences totalled some three-quarters of a million people. During its journeys to and fro, it covered about 15,000 miles on .'land and water, co that for each separate performance it travelled about 45 miles. South of the tropic of Capricorn, every town of note in the Commonwealth wae visited (except three or four), the area of its travels being bounded by Broken Hill and Brisbane on the north, Perth on the west, Dunedin and Invercargili on the south, and Auckland and Wellington on the east. In its time "Mother Goose " did some of the longest tripe ever done by a theatrical organisaton, such as those from Perth to Broken Hill (2074 miles), from Ballarat to Brisbane (1780 miles), and its las* little trip from Christchurch to Newcastle (1704 miles). It will be long before it is despoiled of its full list of truly remarkable records.

Mr Charles Lawrence, the talented ?oung Australian actor, who is well known in these parts, and who has been meeting with considerable success in America, writing to a Dunedin friend under date Dcs Moines, lowa, U.S.A., furnishes some interesting particulars concerning his career and also much of interest about Australians in America. He writes: "After a few weeks' vacation in New York, chiefly spent at the seaside, I received a very good engagement with Leibler and Co., a wellknown New York firm, to Dlay the heavy part (the Earl of Kerkill) in 'The Squaw Man' at the best salary I have received up to date, and the best 'part* I have yet attempted. The firm sent, 'The Squaw Man' out to Australia, so no doubt you saw the play. The company is rather interesting owing to the fact that the Jeading man is Ilar.-y Jewett, an Australian actor who lived for many years in Dunexiin. and will be remembered there by many. He has been in America for the best part of 15 years, and is known as one ■>{ the best loading men over here, and has been starred for some j-ears in several big productions. We a!t>o have Mr Frank Campbell, who was in the Australian and Tvew Zealand production of "The Squaw Man' with Mr Chas- Waldron. He played the Sheriff. He is cast for the Indian with us. Another of our cast is Mr Galway Herbert, an English actor, who is well known in New Zealand as a member of Frank Thornton's Company, having played in 'Charley's Aunt,' 'The Private Secretary,' and 'Facing the Music' Those gentlemen have many friends in New Zealand, and ne\er eoa*o singing the praises of tho colonies and the people out there. We opened on August 30, and eince then have (ravelled a great deal. Had the good luck to play at Niagara Falls, and had the opportunity of seeing the wonderful sight. \Ve are moving alxmt a great deal, and don't expect to reach New York until June of next year. You will be interested to hoar news of some Australians who die in +hi« country. al=o of people who have been in New Zealand: Mr Frank Hollons, who was in New Zealand with the Cuyler Hast ings Compnny, is supporting Amelia Bingham in a new play called 'Lady Gorliva.' and Mir Lumsden Hare is with Eihol Barry more, under Frohman's management. Paul Scardon, a well-known Australian, has a good position in E H. Sothorn's Company, and is now in Chicago. Mario Majeroni is appearing at iha Empire Theatre, New York, with John Drew in a comedy entitled 'My Wife.' Albert Gran

as supporting Miss Virginia Harncd in 'Anna Karenira,' a new play, at the Herald Square Theatre. New York. W. M. Hawtrey has a successful sketch in vaudeville called 'Compromised,' wlih-h has just been booked for 40 weeks. Miss b'tella Tracey is under engagement to Klaw and Erlanger for three years for musical comedy, and is very successful over here. Miss Belle D'Arcy, who was in New Zealand with Frank Thornton, is appearing at Cleveland. Ohio, nith success. The Clarence Sisters are two of the most successful vaudeville artists who have come from Australia. They have been here- three years now, and are always booked up and getting bie money. They are known as 'The Australian Nuggets.' Others in vaudeville are Fred Rivenhall, Bradley and Barnes, Connie Hamilton. and Kate Howard. There is a Percival Aylmer playing in "The Orchid' in New York. I think he was in Pollard's Company at one time. [Yes ; Percival Aylmer made his appearance with the Pollard Company as the Dude in "The Toreador"," making a hit in the song "Everybody's awfully good to me." — Pasquin.] Harry Roberts is starring under Leibler and Co.'s management. His wife {Miss Maggie Moore) is appearing in Jefferson's Company in 'Rip Van W'nkle.' So you see all the Australians are doing well and holding their own."

Mrs Tom Fitzgerald, who her many New Zealand friends will be glad to learn is doing excellently well in her new role as circus manager, speaking to an intervewer recently, said: — "After my husband's death, in India, I went to Europe to gain experience and obtain talent. I found that the European circuses nowadays are nearly all variety, such turns, towit, as that of 'Rhodesia,' the lady juggler, now appearing at the Sydney Tivoli. You know, of course, that we firßt brought her out from England several years ago." With reference to the new attractions she has brought out with her. Mrs Fitzgerald said : "There is a group of six performing lions bought from Hagenbeck, and we have the Lacu sions, from the- Paris Noveaux Cirque, and formerly of Barnum and Bailey's great American Circus. It is an equestrian acrobatic act. Two ladies and two gentlemen enter seated in a carriage, with coachman and footman and buttons, and they go through a most, remarkable acrobatic performance- There is a football-playing horse from Hamburg, and a number of other adts from everywhere. I want to warn Australian circus folk not to go to India, as Australians. They have no uee for such over there on account of our antiblack attitude, and we found it advisable to announce our show over there as an English combination."

MacMahon's "Robbery Under Arms" picture show has evidently hit the public taste. The show was recently in Wellington, and the Post has this to say t>i the audience and the pictures: — "They saw the robbers commandeer a thousand cattle, and they saw Starlight, disguised as a squatter, the animals. They beheld Starlight "as an outlaw, Starlight as a gentleman, Starlight as a lover, Starlight as a rover, with the faithful Warrigal never far iway. There were fightß with the police, the onset of men, the gallop of hor3es, th« snakey movements of black-trackers The film unravelled history 'at the rate of knots.' The people were carried on from one sensation to another for an hour, till the fearless ranger at last bit the dust which the hoofs of his charger, Rainbow, had so often spurned. The figures were limned clearly without flicker."

Dear "Pasquin," — "Mr Hopkinson,' presented by the Willoughby-Ward Company, drew a large audience. The play was much enjoyed, Mr Hugh Ward's acting as the insufferable bounder Hoppy being delightful. Mies Grace Palotta was hardly seen at her best as the Duchess, but made the character attractive. Two picture shows — Perry's Biorama anl Geo. Cathro's "World of Transgresion" Company — recently appeared in Masterton, but th© patronage extended by the puplic was rather poor. The cinematograph display ha 9 been overdone here of late, and people are a little tired of animated pictures. Mr Cathro's j company included A. Cropp, baritone; Bob Lloyd, comic ; and Misses Jacomb, instrumentalists. Included in the Biorama Company wer« Miss Eva Brady, Mr Stan , Chester, and Athos (the skater). Last week Mr Allan Hamilton's Company staged "A I Message from Mars" and "Home, -Sweet Home," the Town Hall being crowded on each occasion. Both productions were interpreted by a powerful cast, and were mounted in a style seldom seen here. Tho leading man, Mr Robert Inman, is very popular in Masterton, and is always sure of a good reception. Little Baby Watson captured all hearts with her dainty acting, h«r song "Captain Baby Bunting, in "Home, Sweet Home' 1 being encored again and again. Miss Fanny Erris also scored with her two introduced .songs and dance. Next week we are to have "Robbery Under Arms" by cinematograph. Two unrehearsed incidents occurred during a recent dramatic performance in Masterton. In on© scene a "walking-on" lady fell down several steps, but fortunately was uninjured In another scene the heroine fainted, xni tho hero, failing to find a glass on the tableit apparently having been overlooked, — held a large jug to the lips of the "unconscious" lady, over whose face a broad grin slowly spread. Several improvements have been carried out at our Town Hall, including the addition of several much-needed Jreas. ing rooms.— Sincerely yours, Fha DIAVOW). There appears to be a great opportunity in England for dramatists just now. Failure* of new plays, produced by important managements, emphasise this fact, and corroboration of it comes in a letter from Mr Herbert Flemming, who has been selecting pieces for his new company. "There- is," he writes "quite a dearth of new plays of any worth. The first four I saw would be quite valueless in Australia, but I have been fortunate in securing at leaet four new pieces for my next tour, which commences at Melbourne on Boxing night." Mr Flemming is bringing eight new people from England, while the rest will be made up mostly from members of his company. He has secured another of Mr Sutro's works in "The Morals of Mar- , cus," a piece that was played by ' Mi* ' Arthur Bourchier at the Gar rick Theatre, London. Ho writee that he is highly delighted with the piece, %vhich has great) .scope for Mi~s Beatrice Day and his new | f-econd lady, whilst there is a very strong < part for himself. Mr Flemming has also the iefu-al of Mr Sutro'e latest piece, 'The Barrier." to have been produced during Mr Flemming' s -stay in London, and he has the oTpj of ' 1 he Beloved Vagabond" and "Barry Doyle'a Rest Cure/ the la*t being

a new play by Ga\er Mackay *nd Robert Old, authors of "Dr Wake's Patient." The story of "The Barrier is that of a. duke's younger sun who falls in love with an actiess. 'Barry Doylcs Rest Cure' WM3 produced at the Court Theatre, London, in September — a lirst performance which was additionally interesting to Australians from the fact that Miss Rose Musgrova had a place in the cast.

Accoiding to the New York Herald, Mr Charles Frohman, the well-known theatrical manager, has conceived the idea of producing plays on the larger Atlantic liners, and is in negotiation with the Cunard Company to add to the equipment of the Lusitania and the Mauretania stage facilities for giving .complete dramatic performances. The introduction of ocean thcaires would, according to Mr Frohman, result in the. more frequent exchange of dramatic companies between the London and New York: theatres. '"Who that has crossed the ocean," says Mr Frohman, "has not felt that an opportunity to enjoy a fine theatrical performance on board would be hailed joyfully by almost every passenger list? What manager or actor does noft feel what monetary loss is entailed by the sacrifice of time on the voyage to or from New York? When I interrupted Mi^s Marie Tempest's successful London run ia 'The Marriage of Kitty' to send her and: the company to New York for a brief engagement, it not only cost me a heavy transportation bill, but I sacrificed tho profits of three weeks' performances. It cost rtfe £3500; but I was satisfied that the flying tour of Mies Tempest paved the way for other quick trips, such as that of the 'Strongheart' Company to London last season, and demonstrated that nothing but expense stands in the way of making London and New York interchange attractions more frequently. I think the expense part of the difficulty has been solved. The arrival of the- Lysitania last week with 2000 passengers aboard gave me an idea. Why cannot I send an American company to London every fortnight, playing them right across the Atlantic, with a Toss of perhaps only a few performances on the way ?"

Tod Sloan, the ex-jockey, was married 1 to Miss Julia Sanderson, the queen of American musical comedy, on Saturday, September 21. Immediately after the knot was officially tied, Sloan drove his bride to the Criterion Theatre, where she appeared as usual as Peggy in London's musical piece, "The Dairymaids." After the performance they drove to a Broadway restaurant, where 20 guests sat down to a midnight wedding supper. Mra Sloan, as Julia Sanderson, who is only 20, and remarkably pretty, captured New York three years ago in a comic opera. Mr Charles Frohman declares : "Miss Julia Sanderson has great magnetism and charm, and is, without exception, the best musical comedy artist in America. She is the master of every woman I know abroad. I hope to take her to France, Germany, and England next year. She will make an Edna May success in London."

In our advertising column* Messrs John Brinsmead and Sona warn the public thai) there are other pianos on the market bearing the name of "Brinsmead," *nd point out that the only genuine "Brinsmead'* pianos com© from the old-established factory, and bear the trade mark, "John Brinsmead and Sons, Ltd." These pianos have secured highest awards at the principal international exhibitions from 1851 to 1907.