STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 68

STAGE GOSSIP.

The Royal Comics are to produce " Our Miss Gibbs" in the dear future. Madame Dolores will commence her tour of Australia, and New Zealand at the Sydney Town Hill in June. Sybil Aranctale ba? been engage London by the J. C. Williamson ma, jsent for this year's pantomime. May Beatty and her husband, dwaird Lauri, will probably visit Austra 1 •< professionally in the near future. Kyrle Bellew is still one of America's most successful matinee idols, although he must be approaching the 60 years' mark by now. Arthur Hahn, the fine baritone here with Dix's Vaudeville, is now a concert singer in Chicago, and is billed as " the man who sings to beat the band." The Scarlet Ticubadours left Melbourne by the s.s. Medic lately for South Africa, where they will open a tour at the Opera House, Capetown, on June 13. Mr Victor Gouriet, one of the most genuinely amusing comedians who have played, before Australian footlights, is off to England at the end of the month. Jennie Pollock has been engaged by Messrs Clarke and Meynell for the Australian tour of the Matheson Lang Company, opening in Sydney in "Pete." , George Marlow's No. 1 dramatic company is playing a first-class season at His Majesty's, Perth, with "Married to the Wrong Man" and " The Luck of Roaring Camp." Mr Conway Wingfield and Miss Elwyn Harvey will be included in the RobertsDay Company, which is to appear in Hall Game's "Pete" and other plays in New Zealand and Tasmania. " East Lynns" will probably be revived by the Marlow Company during its season here. A number of people have written to the management asking if this evergreen drama was to b 1; staged. ' A French traveller once asked the famous Japanese actor, Scdjuro, why he exaggerated, lie replied: " If we behaved on the stage as people do in lea! life who would see that we ware heroes?" Mr Martin Firde, who acted in the late Mr George Ccppin's theatrical companies, has passed away at Fitzroy, Melbourne, at the age of 70 years. He leaves a widow and 10 sons and two daughters. At Covent Garde*:, London, they are relaxing the unwritten lav/ as to evening dress for the operatic season, the only rule that will be vigorously enforced being that requiring women to remove their hats. The Hamilton-Maxwell Dramatic Company, which opens in AVellington on June 4, is said to be noted for the beauty of the ladies in the combination. No fewer than 14—principals and extras—are carried. Celia Ghiloni, the well-known actress of Hugh J. Ward's Company, who makes her reappearance here in " The Girl from Rector's," has purchased a - country resicler co and farm a few miles out of Sydney. M. Maeterlmck's play, " Maria Magdelena," was produced recently at Leipzig. Though it deals with ircidents in the lives of Christ and of Mary Magdalene, the figure of Christ is not brought on to the stage. As showing the difference between concert and music-hall salaries a writer in England quotes the case of a Welsh contralto, who appeared at Leeds ccr.certs at 30s or £2 a week, and now commands £2O a week in the variety halls. Mr Redge Carey, whose clever performance as Billy in " Sherlock Holmes" still lives in the memories of playgoers here, is now assistant stage manager, with Mr Henry Bracy as chief, of the Williamson Grand Opera Company. Madame Rejane appeared at the London Hippodrome last meirth. Her salary for two weeks was £ISOO. The great actress created something of a sensation by driving about London with two mules given her by the late King of PoitvrgaL All preparations in Lordon for the Aus- - tour of "The Brass BotUe" aw now complete, and the prinoipal members of the company, including Mr Leslie Hollandi, leave shortly for Melbourne, where the tour commences in July. The Taits have planned a South African tour for Miss Marie Hall before the gifted violinist comes to Australia, and another for Mow. Clara Butt and Mr

Kenerley Rumford, who are due in the Commonwealth early in 1912. The principal towns of Franca hrve municipal theatres supported by a subvention, from the town. Marseilles pays £IO,OOO a. year for its dramatic art; Lyons, Bordeaux. Toulouse, £D6OO each; Rouen, £5000; Nantes, £4000; and Lille, £3OOO. Mr Leo De Chateau has gone to Auckland to pave the way for the coming tour of iht Harry Boberts-Beatrice Dav" Co. in " Pete," " The Third Floor Back/' and " The Hypocrites." The tour opens at Auckland on June 6, and will extend until the ISth. Tlie great operatic dramatic soprano, Madame Cnlve (Emma Rouger), was born in Decazevills, Southern France. Her career has been one long and sustained triumph, and she has proved to be one of the greatest attractions in London, Paris, and New \'ork The matinee entertainment given by the Oscar Asche-Lily Braytcu Company at the Criterion Theatre lately in aid of the Hospital Saturday Fund suffered in point of attendance through the mourning for King Edward. Ne\ e" ' Lsl-ess, the haadsome sum of £]BB 11a was realised. "As Midnight Chimes" is the title of another of the Mr.rlow Company's attractions. A big scene, which invariably calls forth a' demonsti ation, is where the hero escapes into a train as it is leaving the railway platform.... Special mechanical appliances have been imported for this fine scene. The probabilities are that Mr J. C. Wiliimson will have no fewer than three attractions in the Dc-minion next Christmas —viz,, the Julius Knight-Gray Dramatic Company in Christenurch, the Royal Comic Opera Company i n Wellington," and tihe " Brass Bottle " Comedy Company in Dunedin. Years ago the well-kirovn actor, Mr Grattcn Riggs, died, end w;as buried at Strahan, Tasmania. Word has arrived there that the Order of Elks in America, will place a memorial on the grave, consisting of a lifesiE3 bronze statue of an elk, symbolising the. order, of which Mr Riggs 'vas a prominent member. The eleven weeks' run of the Clarke and Meynell production of '"The Arcadians" at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, is now approaching the end, for the last two week 3 aire ' aranounoed of this delightful musical play, which is to bs staged in New Zealand on a complete scale, identical with the production as put on in Melbourne. After finishing up a long and popular eeas.-.n at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, the "Aladdin" Paittniime Company has now taken up its quarters for a. brief season •in Brisbane, where it will entertain playg<>ers till early in June, after which the company will take a long trip right round to Perth, which will be their next objective. Mdlle. Bel Screl, the prima donna of Wiliamson's Grand Opera Company, discovered, en opening her tru iks on Thursday, that the hasps of one had been forced, and several valuable articles of wearing apparel had been stolen. It is impossible (says ihe Dominion) to eay where the trunk was tampered with, as it had not been opened "since leaving Sydney. At the' close of the Wellington season ox the J. C. Williairreon Gfrand Opera Company the following tour will be undertaken :—Masierton. June 4, Wanganui. June '6 and 7; Palmers'ton North, June 8 and 9; Hastings, June 10'; Napier, _June 11 to 13; Gisbirne, June 15 to 17; Auckland, June 20 to July 2; Dunediri, July 6 to 12; Christchuich, July 13 to 20, Mr Hall Gaine, who wrote " Pets," is ./{iking such a keen interest in the production* of his play by Clarke and Meynell that he sent out from the Isle of Man the original models upon wliich the scenery for the London production was made. These have been made use of by Phil Goatcher. the clever scenic artist, who- has painted the "Pete'' scenery for the New Zealand production. T<be Nellie Stewart season came to a termination at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, .en Thursday, May 19. The big house was filled with a most appreciative audience, and the send-off acocrcled to Miss Stewart was of the heartiest description. The company is lew in Broken Hill, and is due to follow with a season in Adelaide, and then go i>n to Biisbane, and thereafter to Sydney.

"Pete" ran for over 200 nights at the Lyceum, London., vith Matheson Lang and Miss Hutin Britton in the star parts. Clarke and Meynell have published- a letter from Hall Caine in which he expresses saiisfa-c----■tion that MatLeson Lang and Miss Britton will enact their original roles in the Australian production, and regretting that plans he had made to visit Australia coidd'not be fulfilled.

The Oscar Asche-Lily Brayton Company, under the management of Clarke and Meynell, scored an immense success in Adelaide in "The Taming of the Shrew." When the booking opened, there was such a rush for seats that everything was sold out for a ahead, and the plans were at once withdrawn. The company is now making its farewell in Australia, but returns in two years time under the management of Clarke and Meynell. " Pete," to be staged. here hy me special company formed by Clarke and Meynell. and headed by H. R. Roberts and Beatrics Day. ran for over 200 nights. at the Lyceum Theatre, London, where it broke all records for drama. " Pete " is described; as a piay of strong human interest, passion,, power, and sentiment, a romantic love element, and a nappy ending. It is Hall Caine's own version of " The Manxman." and differs from the previous adaptation of the story. Hilhard Vox, of the Mellow Company, is a Drury lfne actor who was specially brought to Australia by Mr Marlow. Mr Herbert Bentley is also an English artist. New Zealarders are well represented in the company. They embrace Miss Nettie Bundle, of Duredin, who received an ovation on the opening night; Thomas Tiltcn, of Auckland, who is stage manager; and Paget Hunger, of Dunedin. New Zealanders, in fact, are very strong now on the • Australian stage. Mr Harry Roberts and Miss Beatrice Daywill have fine parts as Pete Quilliam and Kate Cregeen in " Pete," to be toured in New Zealand. Pete is a. great character. His simplicity, his manliness, broadness, faith, and trust make him one of the finest characters ever created, and the splendid personality of Mr Roberts should make him a living, breathing reality. Miss Beatrice Day's ability as an emotional actress will have full scope in the role of Kate Cregeen, end rehearsals of the play in Sydney indicate that as Kate Miss Day will give one of the finest performances of her career. Messrs J. and N. Tait announce "that Madame Mary Conly, the well-known Australian soprano, will be appearing in Australia i:nder +heir direction towards the latter end of August. Madame Conly, who has been a distinguished figure on English ©ence-ri platforms for some years past, will nrobabV commence her season in Melbourne> and subsequently visit the other Australian capitals. During her tour she will receive the support of a specially-selected company, and in all likelihood wii be hoard in oratorio, for which class o; work

she is particularly filled through her wide experience in Er.gland. M'r Hugh . ;J; 5 Ward and his company of comedians produced " The Girl from Rector's", at the Prircess Theatre, Melbourne, on Saturday, May 14. The initial prediction of ihis -New Ycik success created a, sensation. The tleatre was packed from floor to ceiling, . and the enthusiasm was unbounded, so much so that the curtain had to be raised many times at the conclusion of each act. At the conclusion of the performance the performers were cheered to the echo, the stage being literally covered with flowers, which were bonded up by the numerous admirers of the ladies of the company. The piece will be Ml Ward's opening production in his forthcoming New Zealand tour, and, judging by the pleasant recollections the public have of Mr Wards last visit, a hearty welcome must assuredly wait for this clever and talented company of comedians. Commenting upon Calve's treatment of a scene from " Carmen" in Melbourne Town Hall, the musical critic of the Australasian observe: " The whole scene lived and breathed; the incongruous environment was forgotten, or at all events was easily amended by the imagination of an audience stimulated to the highest pitch by the superb sinffins? and acting of the two artists. Of Mme Calve's unique performance it is difficult to speak without the appearance of exaggeration to those who were not fortunate enough to hear it; it was enthralling, bewitching, fascinating beyond all possibility of expression. As a piece of dramatic work it can only be put on the same level as the duet from ' Cavalleria Rustieana, though it falls short of that scene in emotional effect, because neither Carmen lior Don Jose enlist the same sympathy as the poor betrayed Samtuzza."