STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 68

STAGE GOSSIP.

Mr Harry, Rickard* is now having Sydney Tivoli renovated. '. Madame Caneno ha* had a strikingly buooessful season in Chicago. „,_., Madam* Melb* k*Te» Adelaide for London, by -the Or onte«. on. February 27. Madame Clara- Butt's first concert at Hia Majesty's this (Wednesday) evening. Diavolo (J. C. Carter in private} fell front th# loop mi Singapore- and 'was killed. The Fuller ' Proprietary continue to do enormous business at (heir four -th«atae«. Madam* Tetrazzini had a brilliant triumpU in New York, and: m recalled 12 time*. Miw May Beatty is appearing in th« pantomime at the Tyne Theatre,. Newcastle-on-Tyn«. By tha Ornba tailed the other day l£r

£d~McB GeoTge Willonghby and Miss Gra<:« ' £alotta. Papinka, the great American dancer, died from heart failure in her dressing room at .Dusseldotf. , , Miss Maude Beatty is described on American play bills as> "the Australian statuesque contralto." Madame Amy Sberwin has left Sydney for London, where she is to give a series of concerts. Miss Jennie Opie, after a lengthy .stay in America, has been re-engaged for the Royal Comic Opera Company. Miss Grace Palotta has left for London after ■,& long stay in Australia.. She hopes to return in the near . future, . The Sheridan -season at Sydney Palace ended on January 31. The company opened at Newcastle on February 1. CinquevallL recently arrived in New York, and lost a satchel containing valuable papers, -including his contracts foi America. The Fleming Company, after Melbourne, tours New Zealand, plays Sydney, Adelaide, the West, a»d then Melbourne again.. Miss Nance O'Neil, playing at the 'Frisco Orpheum in vaudeville, made ft big hit in the sleep-walking scene from Macbeth. Mis Langtry, after a lengthy absence from the stage, is- to appear shortly with a new play, written by Mr Hartley Manners. Hugh Ward and hia family, and most of the English members of the- WilloughbyWard Company, have sailed for England. One evening during the first we®k in December the combined receipts of six Westend of London theatres amounted to only *aoo. , The n,ew theatre in Melbourne to be erected for. Bland Holt will hold about the same dumber as does the Theatre Royal, Melbourne. • At ypical American play, "The Clansman," is now on a tour of the world. Australia and New Zealand are arranged for in the itinerary. - The last and youngest recruit to the ranks of London theatre managers is Mr Norman Roe, who has just celebrated his twenty-ninth ~ birthday. Miss Elbert-Orton, trho was seen in New Zealand for a brief period as Julius Knight's leading lady, departed for America* by the Aorangi. Mr Walter Everard intends taking a, holiday in New Zealand ere taking up his duties as director of the Meynell-Gunn Musical Comedy Company. Mir Alfred WooSa and Miss Maud Williamson, now in South Alricft, have fixed upon Easter as the time for their return to i Australia. - Mr Herbert Fleming has secured the Australian rights of a new play, "His Wife's Family," which will be produced in London early this year. " ' Mr -Bert Gilbert, who has made such a hit in the "Humpty-Dumpty" pantomime in Melbourne, is in private life an enthusiastic landscape painter end photographer. Signor Carlo Dani, a tenor who appeared in New Zealand some years ago, has been ■ engaged -by Henry Russell to tour America with the San Carlos Opera Company. • The'- report of Miss Zena Dare's engagement to Lord ©almenyj_ the son of Lord Bosebery, which has been so widely circulated, has now been authoritatively denied. Mrs- Blanchard died the othe* day, aged 87. Before she married Edward 1 Lanran Bfanchard, the , eminent critic, she- was inunigration agent for Australia and New Zealand. .Mr Howard .Vernon and his combination ai« doing the up-country towns of New Zealand, the musical comedy, "A Trip to Clniat«ini," feeing* tke pi«"co ac .resistance. The Kaufmann troupe of cyclists, comprising six' ladies and gentlemen, sailed from London for Sydney on January 17, and will make their first appearance at Sydney Tivoli. Madame Blanche Arral is now in Tasmania. After two concerts each in Hobart and Launceston, she goes on to Adelaide and the West, where she gives a. series of recitals. - -„_,. , Madame Dolores was last month in Berlin. A leading critic refers to her «s magnificent. >-.«d says he knows of no singer who interprets the old chansons with such charm and delicacy. ' _ „ _ Mt Ernest Leicester, the handsome Enghsa •yctor, who appealed in Dnnecun scni-e ..ue neo with the "Human Hearts" Company, i? now a member of Mr Harry Richards Barney Bernard, who visited Australia with the Travesty Stars, has been engaged by F. Ziegfield, jun., for the new review in which the great dancer, Mdlle. Genee, is to be the central figure. ' Mr Hariy Rickarda has engaged Chung • Ling J3oo, the great Chinese magician, for a tour through Australia. Mr Rickards leaves for London again in March to book more artists for Australia. The new theatre in Christchurch will oe ready for opening at the end of next month. It is probable that Mi Williamson's "Blue •Mtoon" Company will inaugurate the new temple of the drama. v , Hugh Ward and- Grace Palotta take out an English Musical- Comedy Company to India next November. A visit to Australia.may" follow, but i that has not yet been Oe.finitely decided ■• upon. Snsanhe Adams, of grand opera fame, has signed a -contract for a 12 week*' music-hall engagement in America^ Klftw and Erlanger have contracted to pay, her 500gs a week for two appearances, nightly. It is reported that Miss May Hillas^ late of the Royal Comics, and Mr Victer Dougall ■will join Miss Florence Baines Co. for the Melbourne season, which was to have opened *t the Bijou on February 1. • Florence Baines secured from Leslie Stuart, the well-known composer, who is famous in Australia- for his "Florcdora, six songs especially composed for her prior to her departure from England at a cost of Graham and Nellie Dent have returned to New Zealand from Western Australia to join Fuller's "I am «*w«»ly proud to say," remarked Graham, that we have-not a single day vacant until March, "The Girl Behind the Counter" is said to be one of the bigest musical play successes o"f the present New York season. Messrs MeyneU and Gunn will produo this piece during their musical comedy season-in bydAllan Shaw, conjurer and coin manipulator who opened at Wellington under the Fuller circuit last week, originally came out to Australia with the first tour of the World s Entertainers. He has not previously visited the Dominion. ..—«•»■ --i _ The evolution- of th» "pro." : B. G. Knowles ©B©e> owned* a book store; George Fuller Golden was orrce an acrobat; Barney Bar- * siaxd, a clothing packer; Tom Nawn, a - life-saver in a' Yiddish swimming echool; .Willi© Collier, a. call boy. On the Continent, «ay« John Fuller, jun., they announce the projected rise of the ourtain by the stag* mechanist giving three distinct kriooks with his hammer in the centre of the stage, which generally makes a cloud of dnst com© under the rurtain. , Maternal affection form* » strong part of Madam© Cl-ara Butt's personality. "We considered the question of bringing the chil£i«B with- us for a IoBK time 4 " she said to

an interviewer, "but finally decided that it would b© wiser to leave them in Sydney.''

Mme. Tetrazzini has signed contracts with Mr Hammerstein, of the Manhattan Opera House, fox 20 weeks, to appear 40 times, the engagement to last three years. _ The rate of payment for each performance is as follows: First year, £300; second year, JE4OO; third, £500.

"The Sign of the Cross" was originally prg,duced in America. "Its first production "in England was at the Grand Theatre, Leeds, on October 24, 1895. It was first produced in London in 1896, when Wilson Barrett played Marcus and Miss Maud Jeffries Mercia. ThevAll-Star Company at Adelaide Tivoli include* 1 the Two Knanks, Clifford Eskelli Florrie Banger, Marshall Crosby, Cbas. Moody, Stella Banger, Olga Montez, The Kelighers, Maud Perman, Harry Cowan, Vincent M'Gee, Bert Warne, and Camille Wallace.

Mr Arthur Collins was asked recently by a shareholder in Drury Lane Theatre why ne didn't engage Mr Lauder for the pantomime. Mr Collins' s reply was that Mr Lauder was booked for the next 10 years ahead, and if they could have, got him they would have to pay him JEBOO a week. i Mr O. P. Heggie, here with the "Message from Mars" Co., who in the parlance- of the dramatic profession is "still resting" in London, is occupying his leisure in litei-ary work, which may result in his appearing in the public eye as a dramatic author, in collaboration with an American playwright. ' That the Macmanon's have set a standard of excellence with their living picture enterprise cannot ba doubted, for choice and 'variety of subjects nothing so good has hitherto^ been seen in the Dominion, whilst the old-time aggravating ''flicker" ' has been reduced to an absolute minimum.

In San Francisco a wonderful genius has "been "discovered" in Miss Adela- Verne, who k critics declare will this eeason become the great- nvusical sensation of America. Miss j Verne is not nnknown in Sydney, for ' she was the solo pianist, with Madame Alva when that singer visited this part of the' world. "Brewster's Millions" finished a very successful" season in Auckland last week, and aie at present working south by easy srtagea to Wellington, where they are due on February 6. Their next Australian objective will ba Tasma,n3», where they spend the end of February between Hdbart and Latin-ceston. The King and ' Queen'" have sent to Sir Charles Wyndhem a gold cigarette case, and to Miss Mary Moore a brooch with a revolving centre with a picture of the King on one side and the Crown and "E. VII" in diamonds on the other, es souvenirs of the performance at Windsor Castle on November For the Mrs M'Kee Eankin (Kitty Branch«rd) benefit at the Broadway Theatre, eveary detail will be in the hands of women. The positions of .ushers, programme distributors, ticket-sellets, ticket-taKers, etc., will all be filled by prominent actresses. It is to be a benefit given by women to orfeof their own During its current season* in Auckland^the J. C. Williamson Musical Comedy Company will add "The Girl from Kays" to its repertoire, making, with "The Blue Moon," "Lady Madcap," "Three Little • Maids," and "The Little. Miohus," five pieces tc be done in the short spacf of 20 nights. Their season ends there on February 15. Three of the leading London theatres "were to produce pantomimes this year. At Drnry lane it was to ba "The Babes in the Wood,' at the Lyceum "Robinson Crusoe, and at the Adelphi "Aladdin." Including suburban and provincia.l theatres 1 , over ipO pantomimes , Were being got ready in Great Britain during the • early part -of December. - Miss^ Jennie Brenan has sailed for England as a result of her recent breakdown in health. During the first rehearsals of the pantomime Mis» Brenan collapsed, and was ordered a long holiday, the result of which verdict was that the Williamson management kindly gave her . six jnonths leave of absence to undertake the present trip. John Fuller, sen., leaves Auckland .on February 8 for his- tour of the world. He will first visit the principal towns of New Zealand, and will finally leave Sydney on March B, per Bremen for Naples, travelling overhtnd to England. America, and the East will be visited, and Mr Fuller <£pects to return to Auckland by next Christmas. "The Bed Mill" is to be one of the leading dramatic attractions in Australia this- year. It has a quaint Dutch setting, with a toe succession of musical number;, while the, comedy is far above the ordinary. It liaa been running for three years in America, a.nd Mr J. C. Williamson, who has secured the Australian rights, just went thither to ***&. singularly pretty notion is that of the ballet which close* the first part of the Drury Lane pantomime "The Babes in the Wood." 1 This dance, as described by Mr Arthur Collins, is to illustrate the Babe s Dream of the Parsing Hours, twilight, night, dawn, and noon, aa-they enjoy their tired sleep beneath the coverlet of leaves provided by the robins. ' ' "Another important engagement- made by Mt J C Williamson during his American visit was that of Mr Dudley- Clinton, that fine "character actor who made- such a favourable impression with his work- in "Old Heidelberg' "The Bishop's Carriage," "Sweet Nell," and so on. Mr Clinton, who will arrive in the course of the next few weeks, will join the Julius Knight Company. Mr Cyril Keightley. the son of the lady immortalised by Eolf Boldrewood in "Jobbery Under Arms," who went on the stages under the auspices of the _Brough-Boucicault Company come years ago in Melbourne, and later on proceeded to London, has had a very successful career, and is at present playing the part of Captain Villiers. in "Simple Simon" at the Garrick. Harry Biekards, in conjunction with Allan Hamilton, sends a company to Tasmania this month, opening -at Hobart Royal on February 7 for eight nights, and Launceston on the 17th. for five nights- It will comprise the following:— Thos. E. Finglas, Lottie Kay, Terry end Bentley, George Dean, Three Gibson Girls, Tomr Dawson, Gracie Baine (Mrs Finglas), Post Mason, Marjorie «nd 'fife Bioscope. ' Hairy Ingham will be musical Mr J. C. Williamson cables that while in New York he secured the Australasian rights iA "Meg- Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch," the dramatio adaptation of Kate. Douglaa Wiggin's delightfully quaint and humorous novel which -everybody must ■ have read. It has been • euro success in America, for the past ■two yettca; and when it was done in London wb» received with they utmost enthusiasm, one of morning journals characterising the performance as I '"an evening of sheer delight." The modern magic business seems to be equal »to anything. Maskelyne and Devant. who are coming ' to Australia shortly, are "imitating th« famous Indian rope trick at St. George's Hall, London. Maskelyne entertains, as do many others, a certain amount of disbelief in th« veraoity of th« travellers' tale describing the feat of the Indian fakirs, and offers any 'Indian conjurer who oan perform the famous trick «* described ixt th&.

"old legend " a salary at the rat© i per annum. • - Edwin Geach's Dramatic Company appeared on Saturday night at Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane, in the malodTama "Lured to London." To make as realistic as possible the water scene in which one of the characters- has to dive from an old building into a lake a large water tank has been built into the stage. The loading lady is Miss Harrie Ireland, who was formerly with Mr Bland Holt, and the company includes Messrs Max Maxwell, Godfrey Cass, and Jefferson Taite.

Harry Lauder, the Scotch comedian, who made his debut in America recently at the New York Theatre, was the "biggest sensation that ' ever happened." His -reception at each performance was the greatest ever tendered to any one Artist, and don't overlook the fact that Mr Lander held his audience for iully an hour every- time he appeared (writes a New York correspondents His opening week was a prosperous one, enc^ he proved himself » box office winner right from the start. So anxious is Mr 'Hammerstein, of the Manhattan Opera House, New York, to secure Tetrazzini, that he sent his representative to England to board the Ma-uretania with instructions to pay out those impresarios with whom she has contracts in Europe. Mr, Hammerstein is offering the diva a five years' agreement and J2300 per performance for the first 309 appearances. Meanwhile Mr Conreid, the director of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, declares - that Tetrazzini is undei a prior contract to sing for him. • - . - •<