THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 72

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

| By Pasqcin. - • • TUESDAY, January 11, 1910. The outlook was so gloomy that I was half afraid that our New Year was going to be a very dull one theatrioally. That's what might have happened, but so many incidents have eventuated during the past few days that black-browed winter is turned with a fairy's wand into Indian summer. The cold theatrical grey days and nighte,

, 1 ' a dread to everyone who is temperamental, i and who loves' the sunshine and " life," 1 are, fortunately for us who live mostly ! surrounded by walls of forbidding masonry, with the cruel, broken glass of convention protecting its embattlements, to be known no more forever. j i Mr Edmund Montgomery, the well-known showman, suffered a heavy lose at Pahiatua last week by tht disappearance of a new Gaumont machine "and Gwyer jet, of a total value of £75. . As the machine is the only one of its kind in New Zealand, it should be easily traced. A reward is being oifered for its recovery. | Pollard's Opera Company, after a most successful norths™ tour, will renew; acquaintance with local playgoers on Saturday next. Tno season is limited to nine nights, in which time ihne piece- rfj)' be produced. The first three pieces will be season will be devoted to the tiist production here of the original «piratic ax--1 travaganza, "The Belle of Cuba.' Tihis new work is said to bs exceptionally bright ! and tuneful, while there 's almost, n si rfeit of comedy. As the plot is la ain Cuba, there is ample scope for quaint d»«si»g and novel local colouring. . On Wednesday Atidran's delightful old work, " Olivette," will be staged for three nights, and en Saturday Bucalossi's melodious comic opera, " The Black Cloaks," will be produced, and will run the balance of the season. The , dressing and mounting will, it is claimed, ■ excel anything the Pollards have yet given' us. ' i There is a great deal of the milk of : human kindness about the actor, after all. Tire has been brought home more kindly I to me this season than any of vivid memory. Each and every member of the profession in Australia and New Zealand appear to have been inspired with that "peace and goodwill to all men" themo which makes tht; world go round. In this , connection I should like to \ pay grateful appreciation to Mr Henry Kolker, the , young American actor who came out to f Australia last year as leading artist to Miss ; Margaret Anglin, and whom I had the I pleasure of meeting in Christchuroh some months ago. Mr Kolker, writing from Detroit, advises that he is having a fine pre- j liminary season with one of America's foremost actresses—Mdme. Mazimova, and is due to appear in a new play in New York —"The Last Muster"—after the holidays, i Mr Kolker sends "sincere good wishes"; J likewise Mr and Mrs J. Farrell, round these parts with Miss Nellie Stewart Company; j Geo. V. Portus, who is shortly to arrive i as manager for the New Zealand I tour of George Hackenschmidt and his ! team of strong men; Jean de Lacy, of Win. Anderson's dramatic companv. who •writes: "Hope to see you soon"; J. Cathro, from Svdney; the Eltons. from Hobart: and others whose memories are cherished for the days wo used to know. Mr George Barnes (who was last in New I Zealand as a representative for Meynell and Gunn), accompanied by Mrs Barnes, were passengers by the Manuka, which arrived in Port to-day. It was much in the nature of a surprise, when George Horn an walked in this morning, looking as if he had health for sale —and Mrs Barnes, too, —with whom there is much in sympathy in ocean voyages—pronouncing a delightful trip, across. Mr Barnes is now with the well-known: Tait firm of entrepreneurs, for whom he is acting with the Besses o' th' Barn Band, at present doing enormous business in South Africa. The New Zealand tour commences in Christchuirch three weeks hence; Dunedin follows, and then the other centres.

We breathe again. One last week there arrived in Dunedin Mr Fred Duval, of Pollard Opera Company fame, who has come to herald the bright little show which means so much to those who take their pleasures brightly. In some dear dead days the presence of Fred Duval in. the oitv meant more than you will ever know. Only those who were members of that organisation know, and they are now living in all the odd corners of this b-> world—Maud and Mav Beatty, Nellie W.jjpon. Marion Mitchell. Zoe and Wil.mot JTar'«flk. Cissie Stephens. Gertie Campion. '•'Cliff" Palmer, Erlte ZicaW. And fch* hoys we used to know—Billv Percv. Alf Stephens, Harry Quealv. Charlie Albert, Dick Shorthand, Jack "Ra.lsion. M,9imori.flS of "days that -were that never will be more."

Mr Wilfrid Hilary the new baritone with Pollard's Onera Company, earned hi* spur" as n member of one of ("Jeoi-fe Ed'wardes's famous comnani-os. Ha is said to be a most capable actor, with an extensive ronertoire of Parts. a"d is the nossesso" of a more than useful baritone ""iiv>, Ha w»«i biwc'it to the colonies hv Clarke. Mevnell. and rtunn. and on ""cations '-v'fved +he Bandmaster in "Miss F'vvk of Hollnrd." Mr A- S. M'Kav. another new addition to tlie Pollards, is also a haxitaoA. and

capable actor. He has bad a large English experience, and has created several light opera and musical characters. Miss Edie Collins, who has lately joined "The Pollards," is a clever'aoubrette and dancer. She was selected from some hundreds of expert dancers to appear under the management of 'fait Bros., iii the celebrated '* Salome : ' dance iat the Town Hall, Melbourne. She will make her first appearance in 'The Belle of Cuba" as a solo dancer, in the famous 'Tarantolle" 'in the second act. In "The Bolle of Cuba" the wireless telephone is used for the first time on any stage. Lord Henry Clay and his wife carry telephones tuned to each other, which causes endless complications. It is a novelty in itself to witness the production of a new piece, that 'has made a hit in America, before it has been played in Australia. "The Belle of Cuba," which "The Pollards" produce on Saturday night, is the solo property of this company and cannot be produces anywhere outside of America without permission from "The Pollard" management. It speaks volumes as to the energy and enterprise of this almost local company when we find it going into the leading markets of the world and buying modern successes to be produced in the Dominion only. Cuba has never before teen exploited as a background for comic opera or musical comedy. It will come as a novelty to play-goers *on Saturday night. The local atmosphere, colouring, languorous dances, Tara.ntelles, and quaint native customs will make "The Belle of Cuba" a distinct change from the frock coat and Parisian costuming which obtains in so many of the modern musical comedies. A feature of the production will be the number of graceful ballets and novel specialties that are introduced. Two turns "Off to ISar/dago'" and By-and-bya," never fail to get a treble encore. The other day I had the pleasure of seeing some charming pictures of the "Great Mrs Alio way,"-who, by the way, might well be the "Notorious Mrs Allow'ay." This is the story:—lt concerns Mrs Hartland, rich, respected* beloved, in her beautiful Sussex home. Her eon George is to marry the sweet daughter of the village clea-g'yiman. Mrs diartland hates strangers, and will seldom see them. She tells he son that all men are villains where women are concerned, and abjures him to be true to Ethel, who is to be his wife. Then there arrives from India a retired general, Sir Charles Hewitt-Gore, and we find that Mrs Hartland is wearing a dreadful ring with a sinister reputation, in the stone of which there is a, subtile poison. Wo hear, too, of the suicide, of a splendid fellow—and Mrs Hartland faimts. The retired general discovers that Mrs Hartland is none other than the great M.i-6 Alloway, the woman who "blazed through India," ruining men and sending them to their death. . . . Her ruina-

tion of men has been _ a sat plan, a premeditaited revenge against the sex for the wrong done her by one man. It was a very dreadful wrong—but the thing is not convincing. One does not believe in this kind of vengeance—so illogical and so' impossible in & woman not originally base. However, that was the reason of all her wickedness, and now she has been trying to atone for many years, and to forget. A. wedding of some interest is reported from Sydney, where Miss Eve Truman and Mr Herbert Bentley, one time of the Julius Knight Company, listened to the "voice that breathed o'er Eden."

Although for so many yean l ; connected with the Royal Comic Opera Company, Mies Florence Young has already given theatre-goers a proof of what she can do in the dramatic sphere, in "The Duchess of Dantzie," but,, even so, ber success in "The Climax" is decidedly greater than was anticipated. The paint of the girl with the frolden voice is owe which demands of the interpreter that she run the full gamut of the emotional side, of a woman's nature. The ardent lon.sring for the fame whicih is almost within her -reach, the strenuous determination to win to the top, the heartbroken grief when she- is persuaded that her voioe- has gone, followed by a resignation to what, apoears to be the inevitable and the final pulsating joy of a recovered voice, with the glorious visions of all that it means to an ambitious woman, all these varying emotions have to be portrayed so that to say that Miss Young made a great success of the role is to say that she- has proved herself a great dramatic artist. A new member for the Roval Com id Opera Company arrived in Melbourne by the Mooltaji, in the person of Mr L&nssford' Kirby. Mr Kirby is the nephew of Mr Dion Bouocanlt., who* in the past did so much to raise the status of the Irish drama. Starting h!« theatrical career atl Drury Lane, he played there all the year round, ailternating dramatic work with pantomime, in the latter class of production on one occasion; playing with the late Dan Leno. His next move was to Heir

Majesty's Theatre, to play in "The Eternal City" with Beerbohm Tree's company. At the conclusion of that season ho determined! to throw in his lot with the lyric artiste, and was next to be found playing the pani. of Fraink Brudenell in "The Dairymaids" in America. While there he was seen by Mr J. A. E. Maloree, wiho on his return to London recommended him to George Edwardes. The latter wrote offering hi,m an engagement with "The Waltz Dream" Company, which ho accepted. He has since played in that opera over and over again, understudying Coyne in London, and taking the, principal baritone part on tour. Last May he went to South Africa with a Geo. Edwardes company, and played in "The Waltz Dream," "Havana," and "Our Mies Gibbs." Back again to England, and finally out to Australia.

An incident that was not particularly pleasant to the individual most diroctily concerned is related by Mr "Bob" Barry, the young American comedian in "Aladdin." Mr Bairry himself . happened to be the individual mast directly concerned, and this is the tale 'he has- to tell. He was touring with a stock company in Texas, and in order to make a scene in one cf the pieces they were plagj-ng ais realistic as possible and suit the taste of the audience in that part of the world, the management had arranged for a lynching effect. Mr Barry was caist for the part of the bold, bad man whose end was io be hanged by .the neck till he was dead, though for obvious reasons arrangements were made go that although to the onlookers .the whole scene was perfectly real, Mr Barry was spared the paogs of ©translation. But one night a brawny American strolled into the playhouse and took his seat within full view of the staige. He fell asleep during the earlier stages of the play, and slept on till the preparations were befog made for bringing to a. successful issue the most thrilling- scene of all. Then the big man wakened up and sprang on to the stage, and, calling two of his sa.fceilities to his assistance, announced that he was the sheriff, and that he intended that the business should be carried through in an orthodox manner after the fashion of such affairs in Texas. Mr Barry did not wait any longer. He took to his heels and ran for about three miles before he stopped to recover his breath. The sheriff sent a gainshot through the drop-scene, and attempted to give chase, 'but fortunately for Mr Barry he became entangled in some scenery, and 1 the stage manager was eventually able to pacify him and explain the situation. People who are aware that Miss Amy Castles is famous in England, Ireland', and her own native land would be surprised to hear that her name is almost a householdword throughout all musical Germany. She visited Germany when but ill-equipped with a knowledge of the language, yet, despite this disadvantage, her tour was a long series of enormous successes, which was the more pleasing to the young stranger in so faa- that she had to appear before Germany's most critical audiences and under the orchestral direction of some of its most famouf conductors. For instance, she sang under the baton of the well-known Dr Kunwald, leader of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; under Huttiner at Dortmund, under Stairbaich at Mainz, Pitzner at iStrasburg, Beiebenberger at Frankfort, and Sehneivoight, conductor of the great Krems concerts iit Munich. In the concerts the young Australian was t-fie sole vocalist beside the orchestra, and created a furore, the more extraordinary since she was a foreigner singing in th* most conservatively musical city in the world. Madame Emma Calve, who is to visit Australia for the first time about April next, occupies the peculiarly eminent position of being not only a beautiful songstress, but a truly superb drajnatio actress. Many people are of the opinion that she is a greater actress that a singer, but those who have heard her in such characters as Carmen and Ophelia, for instance, would find it difficult to diserimate between the former's histrionic powers and the. latter's vocal magnificence. Yet if training is any criterion, Madame Calve should be a greater singer than she is am actress, for whereas she has had the best of tuition in the art of singing, she had (never bad any tuition in the art of acting. The truth about her is that she is that rarest of artistic phenomena, a naturally bora actress, and so truly does she combine the functions of diva and tragedienne in her art that Europe spoke of her with awe as the "singing Duse." The big fire which broke out in the Express Company's building in Manse street at an early hour this morning threater«ed grrave danger to the Princess Theatre,' but thanks to the efforts of Messrs Hamer and Douglas, managers for the proprietors (Messrs Fuller and Sons), who got the theatre's own fire-extinguishing appliances to work, no serious damage was done to the popular playhouse. As the sparks flew on to the roof of the theatre they were beaten out by the water. Men on the roof, men in

the flies, and a gang on the stage kept the hc&e constantly going. The stage was flooded, but the front of the house was untouched, and the performance took place as usual in the evening. Miss Margaret Klos, of the Klos Sisters, who visited New Zealand in 1908, under the management of Mr Harry Rickards, remained in, Melbourne when the engagement with that manager terminated —she got married. But after about a year of domestic retirement in the quietude of a suburban home, she has gone bark "into arness' once more, "for," she says, "the i tage kept on beckoning to :ne, a;.d I had to answer; I felt compelled 10 obey. You ..?3," she' continued, with charming simplicity, "I thought I could settle down in a 6uburb with a hubby, ju&l like other girls, and certainly there was every reason why I should do so, for we were, and still are, as happy as happy can be. I tried to put all thoughts of stage life out of my mind; but, after a few months of the new condition of things, a whispering vcioa from the wings seemed to say, ' Con e back, Maggie.' I would not listen at first, but the voice grow louder and move persistent, and finally, with, my husband's consent, I accepted an engagement with Mr Wm. Anderson to do a special trapeze turn in the pantomime, ' Babes in the Wood.'" , , Mies Grace Palotta, the leading lady of the Hugh Ward Comedy Company, is a Viennese. She started as a chorus girl in George Edwardes's company in London (says the Sydney Referee). Miss Nesvillo was playing" the part of the French maid in "Gaiety Girl." When it came to a question as to who should understudy this lady, someone remembered there was a little " French girl," and Miss Palotta was relected. She had been understudying Miss NesviUe for two weeks when the principal became ill, and Mies Palotta did full justice to the part. When the company went on tour in America Miss NesviUe had to cancel her tour owing to ill-heaKh, and Mr George Edwardes sent a cablegram—memorable to Miss Palotta—" Put Grace Palotta into the star parte." And Grace Palotta has remained in star parts ever since. After that American tour the actress came to Australia., playing Lady,Holyroyd in "Floradora.' A tour with: Wilioughby and Ward followed, then thetrip to the Far East with Mr. Ward, and; then the present tour. '■.■•; : The hardships besetting the path'of the.' budding actress in Germany arc ■• illustrated." by cold-blooded figures in an article on' '.' Actresses' Misery" in a recent number of the German journal Der Neue Weg. It appears that the necessary preliminary- 1 studies, which extend over a period of atleast 18 months, at a cost of about £SO; may lead to an engagement at from £2 lOj to £5 per month. The large majority are in reoeipt' of about £3 10s to £4, out of which the actress must find her own historical and modern cosjumes, wigs, footwear, and gloves.- At a low compensation the outlay for a comparatively meagre : outfit amounts to £SO. Six days' rehearsals are not paid for, and the travelling ex-'. penses and "freight of luggage have to be borne by the actress: The first fortnightly payment of £1 15s to £2 Darely suffices to discharge liabilities incurred for rent, food,' and laundry; and the struggle, commences afresh. Engagements for the summer season, lasting at the outside four months, are paid, at the rate of from £2 10s to £3 for beginners per month. _ In between there are months of enforced idleness. Second, third, and subsequent engagements , for. the winter season are re-, numerated; at; from £5 to £l2 10s per month, but -again the expenditure for costumes " increases proportionately.