THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 67

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasqtjin\ TUESDAY, May 3, 1910. Just on going- to press I received a wire from Mr Bert Boyle, business manager of the " Peter Pan" Company, at present in Auckland, to this effect: "' Petetr Pan' enormous success here; beats 'Merry Widow.'"—[Having seen "Peter Pan" on its memorable" first night in Wellington, and motored wildly into glorious open spaces seeking for fairies and ideals, I can well believe anything after a. night listening to the pipe of Pan.—Pasquin.]. An imported artist for next year's nanto.mime in Australia and New Zealand is Miss Sybil Arundale. who leaves England in October next under engagement to Mr J. C. Williamson for the pantomime of 1911.

The cable this morning announces the death in London of Miss Lottie Collins, of " Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay" fame. Miss Collins visited Australia some years ago and introduced the song, which became a, craze, and which ea.rned for her the title of " Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay Collins." Tho man Jesshope, a former employee of the Empire Theatre. Gamiberwell, London, who stabbed Healey. the stage carpenter, has been sentenced to death. For the defence it was contended that the crime was consequent on hereditary epilepsy. Giving evidence at the Old Bailey (London) in connection with recent jewellery frauds. "La Milo" stated that her income for three years was £SOOO annually. She was married to Eggena "at the Gr°.nd Hotel, Birmingham, in December, 1908. Wood, one of the accused, bad forced jewels upon her. including a diamond drop valued at £30,000, which the Kaiser was anxious to nurfchai);. Wood a.]so accomD'a.niod her to the Gaiety on the occasion of the King of Portugal's visit. I have a vivid recollection of "La, Milo" when she toured New Zealand and visited Dunedin some years ago prior to her becoming famous as a. poseuse of " Lady Gndiva." ".Diana, of the Chase," "Venus," " Psyche," etc. She was then Miss Pansy Montague, one of the fine show girls of Musgrove's Opera Company when show girls were show girls. Now she owns to £SOOO a year annually! The "Vampire dance" is the latest sensation in morbid dance*s which is fascinating all London. It is a veritable dance of death. As the curtain rises is dimlv se'en a woman's figure, wrapped in a semi-trans-parent sjauze-like covering. Slowly she unwinds the veil to the accompaniment of

A fool there was, and he made his prayer (Even as you a.nd I) To a ras, and a bone, and a hank of hair; The fool—he called her his ladv fair— But we called her the l?dy who did not care /Even as you and: I). As the ve'll unwinds the figure of a beautiful woman is discovered in a wonderful oldgold cb-ess of Florentine model. The woman has very long. * r ' " —■>d hair, which entwines around he- "d her dress

suggest pleasure and wain luxury. The song has finished, and now in her movements she is a. vampire seeking for men to ruin and kill. Slowly she descends from her pedestal and commences to dance. Here. too, is shown her desire, her craving for the deaths of men. imploring the gods to bring to her a victim. A young artist enters, sketching. T-Te is abstracted. Ho sits thoughtfully. The vampire eees him. and runs silently down stage like a panther on its victim —passes him closely, her longhair with its nerfume crossing his face 1 . Then follows "the dance of temptation, finishing with the man becoming fascinated. She then attracts him more (and more, until the man in anger throws her off, and commence" work again on his sketch. She luro=i him Hack with mesmeric power: he, evidently resisting, slowly, verv slowly, walks baekwa.-d to bar. Then follows a

hypnotic dance—at the finish of which the man is completely enthralled. In utter misery he attempts to leave her, but she drags him lower and lower, until at last as he lies helpless at her fe&'fc she suddenly grapples with him, bites him at the throat. He rolls off and down the steps dead. She laughs and dances, waiting for anothev victim. The coming of "Peter Pan," which everyone is eagerly looking forward to, is foreshadowed by the arrival of G. D. Portus, the herald of the Pan Company. George Portus arriveu from Auckland by the Monowai on Saturday, and immediately set to work to advance the cause of fairies in general and "Peter Pan" in particular. This should not be difficult, of accomplishment, for most of us do Relieve in fairies, even if we do not in ideais.

The members of the "Peter Pan" Company, at present in Auckland, leave on their journey to Dunedin on May 8, arriving here on Thursday, the 12th, and opening in His Majesty's the same evening. The season i 0 -,.. brief one, so that those who intend seeing the clever Barrie fantasy should not delay. I had the refreshing pleasure of seeing the premiere of "Peter Pan" in New Zealand, and am looking forward to renewing acquaintance with Peter, Wendy, Tink r Beil, and Captain Hook. The pipe of Pan is a joy exceeding great.

Madame Carreno will arrive in Australia by the Marama from Vancouver, and after making one appearance with the Sydney Orchestral Society will open her Australian concert tour in Melbourne on the 23th May. Imediately after the Melbourne season New Zealand will be visited early in June, opening in Dunedin about the 3 sth June. The other Australian States will be visited after the New Zealand tour.

Few, perhaps, will be surprised to hear that Mr George Stephenson, who introduced several charming people to the musical comedy stage of Australia and New Zealand, and who recently resigned his position as a successful auctioneer at Gore, has again ertersd the profession. This time Mr Stepbenfon's connection is as manager for Mr Fred Graham's Comedy Company, which commences a New Zealand tour shortly.

Miss May Beatty and her husband, Mr Edward Lauri, now acting'in sketches at the Holborn Empire ("The Lady Bandits" and "In Her Boudoir"), are aLso engaged for pantomime, and as far ahead as 1914. If possible, they hope to arrange a tour to Australia before long. Mr Alfred Hill has been retained by the J. C. Williamson management as deputyconductor of the grand opera tour of New Zealand. The company will cross the Tasman Sea exactly as it is at present constituted in Sydney. The prime donne, Mdlle. Bel Sorelj Miss Amy Castles. Signorina Maria Pampari, and Miss Eily Barnato. will tour. The venture is a big one, and music-lovers of New Zealand are fortunate in having so rare a treat before them. Charles Lawrence, the Sydney actor, who toured New Zealand on several occasions with J C. Williamson's companies, and •who later went to the United States with Nellie Stewart, playing the part of Lord Rochester in "Sweet Nell of Old Drury," writes to a Dunedin friend that he is under engagement to Klaw and Erlanger, and at time of writine was playing Messala, the heavy part in their huge of "Ben Hur," in Boston, and also gives somo interesting particulars of different theatrical people who hail from Australia and New Zealand or who have visited these parts. "The admirers of Nance O'Neil will bo jrlad to hear that that lady has come into her own at last, and has been taken in hand by David Belasco, who is starring her in New York in a pky called 'The Lily,' and adaptation from the German. Her wonderful performance in this play is the talk of New York, and the play is a big success, and under such a manager Miss O'Neil will undoubtedly come to the front rank. "The ma.ny friends of Miss Tittell Brune are elated over her success in London, where she replaced Miss Vanbrush in Clvde Fitch's play, 'The Woman in the Case,' and, created a big impression; and later she repeated her success with 11. B. Irving, with whom she is now appearing. "Albert Gran has entered the musical eomedv field, and has been playimr in New York 'at Wallack's Theatre in 'The King of Cadonia,' and Mario Majeroni is on tour with Constance Collier in 'lsrael,' one of Bernstein's plavs. He is the author of 'The Thief and other plays. Henry Jewett is with 'The Man From Home' in Boston. "Andrew Mack iis being starred in musical comedy this season by the Shuberts and is now on tour in 'The Prince of Bohemia' Hare is a member of Maude Adams's Oompanv, and is in Boston in Barm's play called 'What Every Wo.r an Knows." "Cuvler Hastings is at Hacket s Theatre, Ne.v York, in a new play called 'The Turning Point.' Albert W'helan, the Australian mimic, has just concluded a successful tour of the States in vaudeville, where he is always a head liner and his act is a big draw cxerywhere. _ ■ "The most successful act in vaudeville here to-day is Annette Kellerman, the Australian swimmer and diver. So with Daphne Pollard, Fred Rivenhall, the Clarence Sisters, and Daisv Harcourt—all doing well, Australia and New Zealand are well represented and holding up their own all the

time." , Mr George Willoughby says that the only way to get good pieces is to seek them out of the lara-e number of days nroduced m London and New York, where there were a few worth gambling on from the Australian point of view. There was great competitition now on among managers to get plays in London and New York. Some plays had been bespoken before being written, and before thev were actuallv conceived in the author's mind, so that the only thing open was for an actor-manager to see the first production and decide at once, lne more one travelled around the theatres in London and New York the more one saw that the theatrical productions 01 Australia were equal to anything in the world. All the first-class entertainments one saw here were renlicas of those for which they had to pav 10s and more to see in London and New'York. Mr Willoughby says that he had great, difficulty in getting The Night of the Party" for Australia, so keen was the competition of other managers for it

"Peter Pan" (Miss Lizette Parkes) informed an interviewer that she gets hearis of letters from stage-struck girls breathing undving love and fervent admiration. "And what about the boys?" queried the interviewer. "Well, we won't aa.v anything

about that," was the laughing rejoinder "But I'll show you one epistle I received from an infatuated youth, in which he said ho would like to send me a 'thimble.' And if you have seen 'Peter Pan' played, of course you will appreciate the joke. I asked one girl who was very anxious to go on the stage what parts she would like. 'Oh.' she said, 'I would like to be Peter Pan or Nellie Stewart, I don't mind which !' She seemed to think one can get any role for the asking," and Peter laughed merrily at the thought. "I put my heart and soul into the piece," she went on (no one could doubt that after seeing "Peter Pan" at His Majesty's), "and make myself believe that I am really Peter Pan, the boy who never wanted to grow up for fear he wouldn't have fun. And everyone who goes must make-believe, too, and think of the time when when they were children, or else," added the young lady sagely, "it is all lost and they go away and say, 'lt's a lot of. nonsense!' Why, it's not long unce I left off reading fairy tales, and how I did enjoy them. In fact they appeal to me vet."

After a five months' run, divided between Melbourne and Sydney, the "Aladdin" pantomime is now nearing the end of its stay in the New South Wales capital, and very soon it -will start on its travels throughout the length and breadth of Australasia. It will constitute the fourth J. C. W illiamson pantomime- in succession that has spent the latter half of the year in making a similar trip. Mr W. S. Percy is in the happy position of looking much younger than he really is. Some years ago, when he was a member of a juvenile company, although he had then attained his majority, he had the good fortune to greatly please a young lady of sfit lOin height and proportionate breadth. The next evening he met this enthusiastic admirer, vho took him in her arms and kissed him, murmuring, "Oh, you dear, clever little boy. However do you manage to dc it? How old are you?" Mr Percy chuckled and replied, "Twentytwo. Do it again." That the popular comedian does not look a day older since then is evidenced by a remark which was overheard the evening after the performance of "The Dollar Princess" at Her Majesty's Theatre, "That Percy's a clever little chap. He ought to do well for himself when he grows up." Two members of the new Comic Opera Company ari at present very busy with musical plays which they would like to see done out here. Mr Bert Gilbert has expended much time and energy on his venture, and has brought "the book" to the stage when only the final polish is lacking. Mr Herbert Clayton, who has already to his credit a London success in "The Hjn'ble Phil," is also diligently working away with the libretto of another. Indeed, the majority of the leading members of the company se c m to be of a literary turn of mind, for Mr Prince has written several plays, and Mr Percy is an inveterate bookworm.

Madame Emma Calve made a dazzling impression it her first concert in Melbourne. The Melbourne Age thus speaks of her voice: "Calve's voice may be described as of beautiful mezzo-soprano quality, peculiarly rich in overtones —another way of saying it is highly resonant — and finely produced. Such might have been the voice of a Cleopatra. Menacingly .luscious and thrillingly, almost viciously intense are- its two extremes. How Calve uses her voice :s her great claim as one of the foremost singers of the day." Of Signer Casparri, the brilliant tenor supporting the diva, the Age says: "His tenor is of light, but fine quality, specially good in the upper register, and produced in that liquid fashion of which only Italians trained on the Italian system know the secret. He gave a nice exhibition of prettily tender phrasing in Tosti's 'Non t'a.mo piu,' and then fairly captivated his hearers with a brilliant performance of 'La donna e mobile.' The spirit of Verdi's lively air was caught to perfection." Of M. Jacques Pintcl, the pianist of. Calve's company, the Age. remarks: "He plays pieces of virtuosity with the gusto of an enthusiast, and makes great point with beautifully clear runs and trills and deft rhythmic effects."

- The following- is the itinerary of the Harry Roberts-Beatrice Day Dramatic Co., which is to tour New Zealand under the management of Messrs Clarke and Meynell, commencing in Auckland on Monday, June 6. The company will play in that city until June 18, and thereafter as follows:—New Plvmouth, June 20; Stratford, June -21; Wanganui, June 22 and 23; Pal.rieivstori North, June 24. 25, and 27; Dannr.'irke, June 28; Napier, June 29 and 30; Hastings. July 1; Masterton, July 2: Wellington, from July 4 to July 23 (inclusive). At the conclusion of the Wellington season the company will play in Christchurch, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedm and Invercargill. The repertoire of the company will consist of Hall Caine's drama "Pete"" (recently played in London with success by Mr Matheson Lang, now on his way to Australia) and "The Hypocrites,' a strong problem play by Henry Arthur Jones, which has not yet been seen in the North Island, but was played by the Beattv-Maclntosh Company in the south.^ Before the departure of the "Peter Pan company from Wellington Mr J. C. Williamson provided a treat for those children of the city who otherwise would not have had a.n opportunity of enioying the most beautiful plav ever staged for children (says the New Zealand Times). There were over 600, mostly poor, sick, and orphan, children, present, the floor of the house beinc packed with the haony little suests, bubbling over with joy. It was a strange scene looking down on tlhe mass of delighted children. They were all franklv haopy. The enthusiastic apnlause which followed each overture proved their keen anticipation of the next chapter in the fairy play. That Mr Williamson's little guests appreciated the. treat afforded them was testified bv one of the sisters who accompanied a band of orphan.'. She said for days past it was a hard matter to get the children to give proner attention to their lessons: all they could think of was "Peter Pan," and count the days to the great event. Mr Oscar Asche and Lily Bray ton, with their company, were once playing in a town in the English provinces, and, having a night off. Mr Asche went, with two or three friends, to the other theatre in the town, and, prcsentina- his card, asked the manage- to oblige him with a box. The manager eocpLained that he. was not opening the boxes that night, but, he added humorously, "I can give you the whole of the dress circle." Into the dress circle the party were accordingly shown, and they sat _ there undisturbed'by other occupants during the performance of the melodrama,

which Termed the evening's entertainment. One scene of that melodrama was a tangled jungle in which a dozen bulrushes did duty for the rank undergrowth, through wnich the starving hero forced his way. When Be got into the centre of the stage he looked round helplessly, and bemoaned hia lot, finally exclaiming that he wias alone, in all the dreary wilderness. At that moment, the starved heroine, who had spent days of anguish roaming about the forest, entered. She was dressed in blue satin, aa near the height of fashion as the scanty resources of the salary list allowed; and' in her hair, which was done in the most approved style there glittered a tiara ofi diamonds. She advanced to the hero, and, striking an attitude, exclaimed, "You artf wrong, Reginald. Me an' 'eaven are 'ere.'* For siy or seven years the name of Mj[ J. M. Barrie's delightful creation has known almost wherever the English lam guage is spoken, to say nothing of Francat; and other Continental countries; and "t.hos boy who wouldn't grow up" has, in, his short life, become as proud a hero as of the old fairy knights and princes. But underlying the fairy story which, appeals so strongly to the little ones is a deeper, theme of great poetic conception a.nd significance, which has fascinated millions of men and women, among them being some of the greatest thinkers and intellectuals of the age. The vividness, the subtlety, tho strange blending of the real and unreal' by which the work is distinguished have enabled it to secure the lasting affection of playgoers in two continents, grown-ups as well as children.

In a letter just published in New York from Sir A. W. Pinero, Miss Ethel Barrymore, the American actress, discloses a little 6eoret. In "Mid-Channel" Zoe BlundelJ refers to the new pkiy at "St. Martin's"-, and its wonderful story of child-life. "The man who wrote the thing," Pinero made Zoe Blundell say, "must be_ awfully foncl of children. I wonder," she added, "if he has any little 'uns. If he hasn't it's of no consequence to him; he can imagine them. What a jolly gift! . . . Simply by shutting the door and sitting down and saying to your brain, 'Now, then, I'm ready foe. them.' " Miss Barrymore wrote to Sir A.-! W. Pinero and asked him if her guess aft the name of the theatre and the name of the playwright were correct. Sir A. W.'. Pinero, in his reply, said: "St. Martin's; years ago, used to be the name of the present Duke of York's Theatre. The playv I speak of is 'Peter Pan,' and the play-. 1 wright who has. no children but who cart' imagine hem is J. M. Barrie." Jt is a.' remarkable tribute from one playwright to another.

A unique and valuable collection of Eng-: lish playbills is possessed by David James.the principal comedian of George Willoughby's company, appearing in " The Night of the Party" on tour in New Zealand. They are of great historical interest, and cover the productions on the English stage for many years. Mr, James presented a number of his playbills to the British Museum, to make the collection complete, at the request of the Museum authorities. His action was warmly commended by the London press at the time. A rather amusing anecdote is told of Madame Carre.no. It arose from the fact; that at the age of 14- she had the signal honour of being called upon to play before the Princess of Wales, now Queen Alexandra, at Marlborough House. For this great; occasion it was thought necessary that the young pianist should wear a gown wjth a train. Of course, the young girl was quite unaccustomed to such a dress, but? was nevertheless proud of it that when, after having been graciously received by the Royal Princess, she was about to cross the room to take her place at the piano, she was so taker up with managing her train with dignity and skill that she never observed that the said train had. owing to her having given it. 'as she thought, a most graceful twist, knocked thei light piano chair over. And instead of sitting on the chair poor Teresa sat on the floor, causing, much alarm! to the kind Princess, who feared she had hurt herself. This incident made such an impression on Madame Carreno that ever since, when wearing long train dresses on the concert platform, she remembers with a mingling of pride, happiness, and sorrow that she must be careful in managing her "train dress" in taking her seat at the piano. Mr Austin Strong, who wrote "The Toymaker of Nuremberg," produced last month at matinees at the London Playhouse, is said to take his audience in this piece into a land of quaint fancy and sweet sentiment, of dear, fantastic old fogies, of gardens, and young lovers. The first scene occurs outside a walled garden of Nuremberg, where various characters serve to create an atmosphere of pleasant sentimental innocence, in which a boy begins to play his flute for the girl who lives inside the wall. She, invisible, throws him a rose. He can hardly gp on playing for ecstasy, but he does play on, and behold the girl looks over the wall —Miss Margery Maude (Mr Cyril Maude's daughter), her first appearance on'the stage. Then comes the daintiest love scenes between the two. The old toymaker (played by Mr Maude) is the boy's father, who is forced to make Teddy bears instead of dolls, because of the demands from American children. When the lad announces that he has fallen in love tho toymaker goes, off to call on the lady and her father, but the suit is not looked upon favourably, and the lovers have to say farewell. However, the old man corners the Teddy bear market, and makes a fortune, so that the prospects are brighter at the fall of tho curtain.

Houdini at Sydney Tivoli. —Houdini has won the challenge issued to him by three asylum attendants. At the Tivoli the other night, he escaped, from the bandages with which they had bound him. According to the conditions his hands were bandaged to his sides, and lie was then rolled in two or three large sheets in mummy fashion, only his head remaining exposed; next he was fastened down to an iron hospital bed with linen bandages, which were first passed round his body. Then, as he rested helpless, four buckets of water were poured upon his form, the idea. being that the linen sheets and bandages, and their knots, would thus shrink. In full view of the audience Houdini secured his freedom. He took 41 minutes to do it, and when he did so, after continual straining and tugging, there was tremendous cheering. He concentrated his energies on getting his feet free first of all. These had been bandaged to the bottom of the bed, but after half an hour's exertions he released himself from this end bandage; and as in the meantime he had got his hands free, he suddenly sat up in the bed, threw his hands out, and undid all but one of lire remaining bandages, and wrijrirled him&aif out. tie was evi

dently tired as the result of the prolonged exertion The feat was watched by a large committee on the stage. 'PETER PAN." There is no more quaint, whimsical, and clean author at present writing for the English play-going public than Mr J M. Barrie. and it is generally conceded that in '-Peter Pan," or " The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up"—a fairy play for adults and children alike, which Mr J. C. Williamson is- to present at His Majesty's Theatre on Thursday, 12th inst., for six nights only—this delightful author has reached his highest and best. For seven years now "Peter Pan " has been played in Londor and English provinces. The American public has also become fascinated with the bewitching oddity of the play, and it has been revived in New York for the last five years with ar ever-growing success. " Peter Pan."' delicate in construction as a cobweb, requires the most careful handling, and the principal parts call for work of the highest order, since to depart for a moment from the atmosphere would destroy the author's idea entirely. In England the finest players before the public have appeared l in " Peter Pan," and that fact is held as a tribute to their qualities. The pare of Peter has been interoreted as follows : —At the Duke of York's Theatre, London, 1904 to 1905, Miss Nina Boucicault; 1905 to 1906, Miss Cecilia Loftus; 1906 to 1907, Miss Pauline Chase. At the Princess Theatre, Manchester. Miss Zena Dare played the part, and each year in New York Miss Maud Adams has filled the role. Mr William son has taken a good deal of trouble in selecting artists for the New Zealand production, and has secured several of the artists who appeared in the Australian original east. Miss Lizette Parkes, a clever young artist, whose physique and temperament peculiarly suit the character, has been •engaged to play "Peter Pan." and her conception of the charactei is universally admitted to be quite equal to that of any of the English oi American artists who have essayed the roll. That sterling actor, MiThomas Kingston, undertakes a dual part as Mr Darling and Captain Hook, the pirate chief. t The box plans for the six nights and two matinees open at the Dresden next Monday morning.