THEATRICAL ANDMUSICA NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2855, 2 December 1908, Page 68

THEATRICAL AND MUSICA NOTES.

Br Pasquin. TUESDAY, November 1, 1908. Congratulations to Mr Reynolds Denniston, of this city, on the occasion of his marriage to that talented actress, Mi's Valentine Sidney, of the " Peter Pan " Company. Mr Denniston is a son of Mr G. L. Donniaton, of Dunedin, and' graduated in the Garrick Club, that school of ■dramatic art which turned out several promising- young actors. Mi Denni^ton showed a deal of namral ability in his amateur work, and tin-, ronibincrf with a goo<J stage prc-cu^. --oiwil him well wl.on h-2 eiitcicd the pic.\--ici.t.l ranks. A

long- and varied experience in South Africa, and a subsequent appearance in London with tho Kendalls, gave the young Dunedm actor a '' sand-off " which years' of experience in Australia could not offer. | That Reynolds Domniston has turned to account the experiences gained in London arwr South Africa ie proven by thsi strides which iie is making in the proiession. Mr Leslie Woods, who is playing* the "prodij^l son" in the production of 1 " The Breaking of the Drought " with the Bland Holt Company at His Majesty's, was last througr these parts with Miss Nellie Stewart with '"Sweet Nell of Old Drury." Mr Woods toured America with the Nellie Stewart Company, and 'has many weird. stories to tell of the happenings after the 'earthquake. One of the most enjoyable song recitals ever tendered music-lover* of Dune>din was that given by Mr and Mrs Albert Mallinson ii L n the Burns Hall on. Mondaj evening. There was a large and decidedly appreciative audience, but no hall in Dunedin would be extensive enough to hold the crowd who, if they were aware of the genuine treat in store, would assemble to listen enraptured to the singing of Mrs Mallieon and the exquisite work as accompanist of Mr Mallin on. The charm of tne recital is threefold — the vocalisation and interpretation of Mrs Mallinson, the dramatic accompaniments of the talented composer, and the gems on the programme. I listened with rapture to Mrs Mallinson'* rendering of Cha.nson de route," "The rosebud," " Summer-tide '' (from the song cycle "My garden'), "• Slow, horses, - slow," "Four by the clock," " Eleanor," and "Baby," and marvelled again at the accompaniments and the accompanist. To those who hav-e not hsard Mr and Mrs Albert Mallinson there is a refreshing treat in store. Mr Mallinson has decided to give another recital on Friday evening. I cannot say more than "Don't miss it." Sincere congratulations to Mr Harry P. Muller, the well-known theatrical representative of Palmeraton North, who celebrated hi-3 marriage the ether day with Miss Dorothy Phoebe Sheath. The interesting ceremony took place at the residence of the bride'sparents, "Como," Palmerston North, on Wednesday, November 24. There arrived in town on Saturday th© a<l\ance guard of the J^mous Kilties' Band. in the person of Mr Edie, who has already • -*t tho town talking o f the approaching Kilties. The Dune-din season commences on December 14, and we aie promised something oxtra special. Mr John Lemmone, the eminent flautist, wel' known in these parts and throughout Au-tralia, arrived in Dun«Hlin last week to niaka t.he urehminary arrangements for •:o Xew Zealand tour of Madame Melba, ulncli commence in April. The Dunedin Liate« are April 15 and 16. Tha Garrison Ka'l is to be specially redecorated for tha two recnals of tho diva. I understand the M. n lba, prices- a:-t> one guinea and half a s?i'i>!ea. The locil arrangements are in the ha' d- of Mr Percy .Xamef, of the Dresden I Co. Mr L miKonc. who will be the flautist , of tlit> <li-tii)n;uia]ie<l concert party, has gone noirU to herald tho coming of Melba in 'li^ nonhtrn con-tre.*. • Xut geneially known that Mies Florence . Bai.'ifo-, '"the girl who eefc London laugh- | in;.'."' <mcl who is tloing the same ching- in I UuiM'flin, is leally a Lancashire la*s, co that I tiie dialect in "Miss Lancashire Limited" i- to a great extent perfectly natural. While iti Chrittchurch tho Lancashire Hccittv In that city entertained Miss Baines, and thiough its president presented her vwrii a l;a.n<l«ome greenstone heart with ■■X.Z." f/jt in pearls. Since his arrival* in New Zealand Mr Bland Hoit has concluded the purchase of two new play; — "'The Marriages of Mayfair" and "The Sins of Society 1 ' — which i will be added to his already extensive repe'-toire. The new play> will be produced on the actor-manager's return to Australia. At th" conclusion of rhe New Zealand tour Mi*o Florence Bain-es purposes taking a well earned holiday and spending it • loivg tin? -„ he, of Xew Zealand. Miss Bainco i<= c.;aniH<] with Maciilan<i and its people, and intends demoting as much time a,s po-*ibie to ughc-seeing. Mr Doyle, business manager for the Florence Bainea Comedy Co.^ left Dunedin on Monday for Christchurch, en route to Well i i) c; ton, where a two»weeks' season will be played at the termination of the pro cent season a£ the Princ<;.=6. ' By kindly invitation of the management, ' I had the pleasure of renewing an old acquaintance with Mr Bland Bolt '"behind the scenes" at His Majesty's the other evening. The popular actor-manager had ju6t stepped off the mo*or car after a thrilling chase in pursuit of the Great 3lillionaire's levanting- private secretary. Despite the fact that ho had jusfc eeem the villian hurled to destruction per motor car, the only Bland Holt was unperturbed, and greeted me cordially. It was good to go over old timer, with Mr Holt, whose kindly inquiry afver old fiieruls — alas! some of

fi-oason ai

them no morer— struck a responsive chord. It is nine yeans, since Mr Bolt and his company were last in Dunedin. The city was in a fever of excitement at the time. The Boer War had just broken out, and New Zealand was in the throes of despatching: contingents to South Africa. This was all of ?ivid memory to Mr Holt, who recalled many incidents with characteristic enthu- : siasm._ Mr Holt has not changed a gxeat deal since we saw him last — a trifle greyer, perhaps, but he still retains uhe freshness of youth while his enthusiasm and capacity for work aie- aa great as ever. A. master of detail is B. H., while his generalship "behind" seems to grow more perfect withthe years. It was with some difficulty I induced Mr Holt to speak of himself and the profession — he-- was always side-tracking on to kindly inquiries of old chums in Dunedin. At last Mr Holt ventured to explain that the xeason why he kept away from New Zealand for bo long was owing to his having taken out long leases of the theatres in Melbourne and Sydney, which kept him playing in the two cities alternately. "Now," caid he, "we're vagabonds." At this stage Misa Harrie Ireland, always a. favourite with Dunedin' audiences, entered the dressing room, accompanied by her ajster. Miss Ireland is still tbe same vivacious girl of yea-rs ago, with the une buoyant expression -and optimistic nature. Indeed. I saw no material change: in Miss Ireland^ save rhaf she was a trifle thinner. Miss Ireland-'s s .ar is touring "New -"Zealand for the first time, and is delighted with what she has seen. The subject turned on Rotorua and the Sounds trip, and if Miss Ireland gets her wish she will "do" both before leaving New Zealand. Apropos of "The I?- -'dhg of the Drought," now being .cd a* His Majesty's, a good story is t<,id. The "sensation" of the piece is th© bush fire scene, the realism of which is bayoiJd anything of the kind previously put on in Australia. Bland Holt's hand is over all, and his attention to detail perfect. When "The Breaking of the Drought" was first staged in Melbourne Mr Holt had crows flyingabout pecking' at the carcases of horses and cattle supposed to hay& perished in the fire. Thi3 was indeed reansm. One night one of the crows, who had evidently nofc attended rehearsal, flew off the carcase of a horse into the- burning bush and calmly perched on a flame! This was too much. Next day the crows received their "treasury." In a brief line to hand from. Mr Bert Royle, business manager for Mr J. C. Williamson with tho "Mt3 Wigga of Cabbage Patah" fame, that gentleman says — "Business very good in Christchurch ; leaving for the North Island on Tuesday; still trying to puzzle out dates; kind regards." From this it lfray be inferred that "Mrs w'igga" is making the same impression on Dhristchuroh playgoers as she. did in> Dunedin. It would be strange indeed if tho quaint American melo-comedy-drama did 1 not appeal to our Christchurch friends.. The company concluded its season on Monday night, and is leaving Lyrtelton for tho North Island for a tour of the small towns prior to the final departure of the entertaining Americans to the States. By the last mail from England Messrs Thomas Humphreys and' J. Youlin Birch, - of Auckland, received a communication from Miss May Moore Duprez, th© "Jolly Dutch Girl," in which that lady expresses enthusiastic approval of "The Kitten and the Goldfish," a now musical comedy written and composed for her by the two collaborators named. Alias Duprez is now negotiating for the world's rights to the piece. Mr Humphreys is the versatile author and' composer of "The Tea Girl' and "The Lady Typist" (musical >^comedies). He haa alsocomposed the muaio of "Sixes and Sevens" (musical comedy) and "The Golden Wedge" and "Pfcah Ptah** (comic operas). Mr Birch is the author of the- libretto and lyrics of "A Moorish Maid," "The Golden Wedge," and "Ptah Ptah" (comic operas); also of a musical comedy ("The Second Mrs S."), and two dramas ("Baba" and "The Black Cfcip"). Mr Birch is a journalist well known in Wellington and Auckland, filling at the present time the position of dramatic critic on fche» New Zealand Herald in the latter cily*»«)Hj^» and Mr Humphreys are both prolific ancF* speedy workers. They are now engaged upon etill another comic opera entitled '"Manuella," the locale of which is Havana. Early in the new year Mr Tom. Pollard will be in New Zealand producing "Tho Tea Girl" and "Th? Golden Wedge," whilst "Manuella" is to be produced in Auckland at the end 1 of March. The news of the practical acceptance of "The Kitten and the Goldfish" by Miss May Mcora «Duprez is important, seeing that it marks the first occasion upon which New Zealandera have placed a work on the London theatrical market. This is not, apparently, to be the two Auckland collaborators' only successful' venture in this direction, as '"L'lncognita," the eoprano singesr now the rage in London, has applied tc them for an opora, and they are offering her the English rights cf "The Golden Wedge." The Biich-Huuipbxeyfi combination has,