STAGE GOSSIP.

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

STAGE GOSSIP.

Carl Hertz has made a loig hit is SoutH Africa.

'Ms said Miss Maud Hildyard.' a salary works out at £80 per week.

The Charles Pollard Liliputian Company is en zoute to Manila.

Mr Bland Holt's Australian teasoa just terminated lasted for over 19 year*. Carter, an American magician, is appearing at the Palace Theatre, Sydney. The Payne-Stecle Bellringers are at present in the western section «f Tasmania, •

The Duoedin Amateur Operatic Society ia advertising for t musical conductor. Maurioe Farko* is appearing in vaudevill« again in England— -ait the London Palaoe. The English Pierrots opened a season on St. Kilda beach, Melbourne, on November 1. Tom Liddiard has arrived safely in India, ar>3 inaugurated hie juvenile vaudeville tour. An excellent programme is being presented! at the Princess Theatre this week by FuHe»* Entertainers.

Salmon and Chester, at present on the Fuller circuit, visit India before returning to New York-.

The Maud Hildyard Dramatic Co. passed through. Dunedin en route to Invercargili on Monday evening.

Mrs Brown Potter i» meeting with better success in Johannesburg than she experienced in Capetown.

The Magic Kettle Act (liquid air), and moving pictures have been doing good business »t Perth Town Hall.

Madame Marzell* does a Feventeen-mintiteV «ot with her birds at the Union Square Theatre, New York. Kubelik'B tour of Australia and begins at the end of May, 1908. Thirty-five concerts are to be given. Daisy Harcourt, whom New York Variety lefers to as "the English Singing Comedienne," is at Dayton, Ohio. Mr George Barnes is looking after the inteiests of Messrs- Meynell and Gunn with the Maud Hildyard Dramatic Co. Prices from 6d to four «ruinea* is the n> nounoement of London Alhsmbra, where La Mi!o was at latest appearing.. Fourteen imported "show girls." all guaranteed beauties, will shine in Meynell and Gunn's "Miss Hook of Holland."

Mrs G. B. Lewis is resting from hex labours at the home of her son George — a> flat at West Kensington, London. The mtny friends of Mr Ha-rcourt Lee, the old-time opera oonchzotor, will regret to hear of his recent vwry severe illness. Miss Minnie Everett, the well-known Dallet mistress, for many years with J. C. Williamcon, is now with Meynell and Gunn. La, Sylphe, the famous Continental dancer, at present at Melbourne Opera House, will open at Sydney Tivoli on November 23. A correspondent in one of the Sydney papers dispose* most thoroughly of the fiction that Madame Blanche Arr*l is Mxiame Calve. "Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" continues to attract crowded audiences in I/ondon, and will easily run into the new year. Mr Frank Thornton has left London with; a company of 12 jutiats for an Australian! tour under Mr Edwin Geach's management.

Pearl Lovell, the Goldem Duo, Laura Diamond, Brightie Smith, and Percy Denton *x» with the Dix-Baker management in Newcastle. MV R G Knowles, the well-known musk* hall "star." left Liverpool towards the clo»

•f September for a lecture tour in the TJniteo! States. It is stated that Mr Kyrle Bellew will visit the Commonwealth at an early date, and 1 join forces with a well-known and popular actress. Maud Hildyard Dramatic Company commences » Dunedin season in His Majesty's on Thursday evening, opening with "A Beautiful Fiend." Mr Button Vane, author of "The Cotton King " and other melodramas well known in Australia, has been prostrated by a stroke of, paralysis. Hamilton Hill, whose short Australian tour •was very successful, ha» engagements, commencing at a-n early date in Adelaide, for the next three years. The Gra-nd Opera Company recently through New Zealand gives its final performance m Melbourne to-night, 20th irtat., when the company will disband. . „ „., Mt Andrew Black, the eminent Scottish, baritone, has been engaged to sing witn Madam© Me!ba in the four concerts she -will eive in Melbourne. L» Milo and Cruickshank, the living eta-tuaxy exponents, are drawing the superb salary of one hundred and fifty pounds a week at the London Alhambra, Miss Boxy Barton and Mr W T. Lovell arein the cast of "The Night of the Party," with which Mr Weedoa Grosemith is touring the London suburbs. Charles Brown, who has been a member of Bland Holt's company for many years, is joining Florence Baines, r.ow .touring Queensland with "Miss Lancashire, Limuted. The - latest Australian recruit to the English variety stage is Wilmot Hastings, "Australian Taconteur," who was appearing at Swindon when the mail left Lon°Maud AmbaT and Winfield Blake leceiitly made their first appearance at the Ox.ord, London. Their act is dscribed as 'sowing emilo seed and reaping a whirlwind of laughter." Maskelyne and Cook, who are coming -to Australia, have an act in London where a, piano moves round the stage while played on with no visibU means disclosing tne tt S e Co°untess of Rosslyn, better knownto DlavEOers as Misa Anna Robinson, is returning to th« stace after an absence of seven yea", ;n; n a new at the Apollo Theatre, "The Education of Elizabeth." -. , The new Drury Lane drama deas largely with bridge aa one of the chief Sins of SodeiJ/' It infers that bridge i* un.Sged, and. as » national vice, holds thousaads- in it* thrall. . Irene Franklin," who was such a favourite with Australian variety audiences some years back, is doing well with her husband. Bert Green in musical •ket»b«# on the American vaudeville stage Edmund Gwenn, who was a member c-f the CuyW Hastings Co., and will be remembered M Prince in "Sherlock Halmes." i» in the cast Of "The Sugar Bowl," the piece which opened ths new Queen's Theatre, London, on October 'Mr Jam©? Watts, formerly of the William•on Comic Opera Company, and on an KngU.h P r6rmcial tour in "The Belle of JVew York," has been engaged to play the part of D*ir» to the forthcoming pantomime at Win*hM&T' Olive Lenton. the dainty singer and a*ncer, who made her first appearance in vaudeville in Wellington, is now playing Sift in "Tbe*Be!le of New York" m George Musgrove's company touring the 1/nglwh PI TheM> e 'is every probability that Miss Harrie irtUvnA. late of the Bland Holt Comp.any, *l«o Messrs Norman a-nd Maxwell, wiU be included in Mr Edwin Geach's "Modern Adventurers" Company, whioh open* at JSewcastle op Boxirg Night. „,,_• Mr Edwin Ckach has completed his nianaK&rial plans for the coming summer season. These t»«lud# a season of comedy at the P«rth The»tre Royal by the Wolloughby. Ward, and Palotta Company, the members of which wiU disband and return to London on January 18. . Thus early in it« career has tie matrimonial fever infected Pollard's Opera- Company, for during the Palmerston North sea«on the wedding took place of a member of the orchestra and one of the young ladies of the chorus, both of them being residents o* CnrM-church. Mies Be»trice Irwin. who played leading lady with Mr Julius Knipht in "Brigadier G»T»rd," ha* been obliged, through a nervous breakdown, to retire from the stage for a time. Mir? Irwin, it is B» : d. ti*s never been well enoutjh since her arrival to do justice to her trainirg ap %"■ actress Hurry Rickardi's Tivoli Vaudeville ComTMTiy ha« opened at the Pala^a Gardens P«»rtb The company inelu^-a* Graham *cd i>pnt Ernesto M<jnal>an and Sheeha". Four Rr^budß, Hamilton Hill. Olive Robinson, S*d'er ahd Bo^co, Harold Reeves, Irving Savles. and moving picture*. *,t a ijicnio given to members of the "Mother Gooce" Company in Cbristchurch the sports programme includ«d » special prize for the best-nature^ Ifldy of the company. This was won by Mt°* Irene Sand«man, who t»ke« the part of the Duchess of W^bw if **>« rtormlar t)i»n*'>TTii»r><» George EHon. son of an old Australian favourite. 4 he late "BiHv" Eton. is maki^sr a fcre*-t sucess in tb» low comedy part of Felix Drinkwate'- in Ell<*n Terry's production of "Captain Brapabound'B Conversion." at the London suburKan th-»tre*. Yonn«r Kltor. w*a a mwwbsr of W. F. Hawtrey'a company when irt AudtraJi*. . , „ _. „ T-e All Sta' Company at Adelaide Tivoli conmi-iee* 1 the KWa'eye, Menses and Loander PaMor and Merle May Lewi* Green and G'H=o-, Chrv»+«.l Si«t«r«. Wll Wallace. H»Tty Cow=»n. Nelli-* Hill. B"b Harpur. Ivy rjaMntdi fins Hayward. and Little Gertie 0-eTruv. dwebler of one of the lessees, Mr ij-i^don Cramer. ,T C. ■P'd^ook. foTmeilv principal tWTitone of the Mn«grr*ve Comic Or>er& Company, has r**urß»d to th«.t branch of tn» nrofeision nfter his incursion irito vpndevple. He is appear?*™? Ob tour in "Tb* Lady Slav«y" in ihi> "RnelTsh provin'e I*.1 *. and 1r earni^e warm comm«*r>6'*.t.'on not only -for liis singing, bu+ «]«© so?"* tW ytfeiotlinp ""olop. Miw Irerv» <"*ntirim iho oleveT youne no•Wess l a.te of Will.iaTn*on'« rorrmanies, is billed for a bie part in TTenrietto OossmanV comive prooWtion "The P-^rress.' orxmine +n<» month in New York. Sbi* li«s •mst married n clever you"?' Arnericnn a'to-. V<« GWh» TTt<» is in th» «s«ne cifv bu* J,,,. iv +k» lio<m'<o' for c-rvn7# four rn*«ithf«. •."nd is no bettor. It is wd that she has a •evate attack of rhe^ixaaUo 3 . ' ."When Kr'icMi T^n-e **-nlcT" the fairre coroedv in wrnVh Mr Frimk Thornton will appear und*r tb<» numawnvnt of Mr TVlwin Oeeoft *t the Criterion Theatre. Sydney next ChW»tnia». h»* been cited in r controversy it* the Tiortdon- tweea nwr the oue-+ : on, "Have WoTner* a P*nee of Humour?" Tlie autWr of tbi« lawnine surr^T? has hp«r. di«clow) »* a lady hiding b*r We-tilv i^der the name Cha-rle* Marlow. M' Thornton Writ#* *K«t,. in nis opinion, it is tba best farce •i*"* "Cbn-rlev's Aunt."

Madame M*'b<» recentJv fi»<l an oooortunitv Inf hearinp Mr Aueuct Siede'« ooero. "S«fia." vnd h/U) writtpn her ooiTHO" of it oa follows: — •T b*v« liearrl a nrivMe performance of if* 61«a«'« opera 'Snfia.' and consider it a work

of singular melodic beauty and fine dramatic power. The treatment of the plot is original, and this, united to brilliant musicianship, should make it very effective on the stage. It is the first work of its gecare produced by an Australian composer, and I sincerely hope it ivill meet with the sucesa it deserves. — Kellie Melba."

An actor-manager, notorious in the profession for his over-bearing, blustering manner, was bullying his property man the other day about some property bricks required in one of the scenes in the Christmas pantomime. "Sir,"' bellowed the tragedian, fixing poor "Props" with his glittering eye, "do you think any cane man would be deceived by such a palpable imitation of a. brick as that?" at the same time giving the one indicated a tremendous kick. A howl of mangled rage abd pain followed. He h«d struck a real one that time.

Great sucoess is being; obtained .hroushowi the English provinces by William F. Grant, an Australian actor, who has risen to a high. position in productions such as "Leah. Kleschna," in the tour of which he now figures B,<i the leading man. ' Mr Graft's interpretation of the part of Paul Sylvaine is looked upon as a- polished example of restrained and at the same time forcsful acting. Mr Grant, it wiH be remembered (says the British-Austra-lasian), was brought to England from Australia by the late Wilson Barrett, a»d on the death of that actor took command of his company.

Amongst the new artists engaged by Mr Allan Hamilton for his dramatic company is Miss Fanny Erris, an English comedienne of note, of whom it is said that she is one of the prettiest, daintiest, and most extraordinarily versatile little ladies the London stage can boast of. Mi?s Erris arrived in Sydney only recenly from London, under engagement to Mr Hamilton, as principal boy and singing eoubrette. Miss Erris has fulfilled engagements with several o>f the leading Londbn managers in the English provinces. While in South Africa flic was assaciated with Mr Herbert Flemming, the Wheelers, and several other well-known companies.

The accounts foi last year of the Guildhall School of Music show that the fees paid by students for tuition amounted to £24,911. Of that sum., J&7.349 went to the 124 professors and teachers. Among the largest amounts paid to individual professors were: To Mr 8.. Orlando Morgan, £655; Mr Francesco Berger, £548; Mme. Bessie Cox, £558;, Mr Arthur Thompson, £644; and Mr Edward Whaiton, £511. Salaries of the principal secretary and lady superintendent absorbed £1550 and wages £1884. The ground rent of the school was £1560, and rates and taxes were £311. There was «. balance to the good on the year of £734. There is still a loan outstanding for the enlargement of the school of £15,500. Leeds and Le Mar, writing to Sydney Referee from Chicago : "Just a line to let you know we are at present with Singling Bros.' Circus in the vaudeville portion of the programme. We have boon re-engaged for the season of 1908. This is a grand country for Australians. They have good names es performers, and if the act is only fair can always get very good money. Salaries are high here. You can get £20 to £30 per week for a fairly good act. A letter of introd'uetion from Mir Rickards is a. great thing here, and will always- get one a good opening. Ringling Bros.' Circus, which we are now with, is the biggest show on earth, carrying 1250 people ar.d 95 railway coaches. The expenses of running everything is eaid to be £1600 a day. I would like to see more Australian acts over here, as they are well thought of. John Fuller, jun., and wife have just left us after spending an hour or so looking over Ringling Bros.' show. They leave in th« morning for China and Japan." There is a dearth of theatrical "supers" in Paris, owing to the extension of the cinematograph. There are cinematograph shows everywhere in Paris now, and the -companies which run them need tumber9 of people as actors and actresses for their living pictures. The general pay of the Paris "Fiiper" in a theatre was about one shilling a day, or even less, last season. This season managers are offering 2s 6cl a day without success. The cinematograph companies are paying 6s and 7s. and they engage their supers by the month, and in large numbers. The consequence of thw state of affairs is a" curious one. Paris theatrioal managers are refusing play? with, stage crowds in them, and even the Odeon Theatre, which i» subsidised by the State and pays its people welJ, is shelving plays in which many supers are needed. In some cases, for small crowds, actors out of work are being taken on. They are not paid as much as the cinematograph companies pay their supers, but theT prefer a lower wage on the stage of a theatre to running the risk of their "faces beintf e&en in cinematograph pictur«s all over the world later on wh«n they have found work more worthy of them.