THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 76

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquin.

Tuesday, May 16. The passing of Mr Hugh Ward, the wellknown actor-manager, from the stage to enter into partnership with the finm of J. C. Williamson and Co. (Ltd.); the depiartuiro of Mise Grace Palotta from Diuiedin to join her mother, who is ill in Vi&n.na; this end of the Hugh Ward Comedy Company; the transfer of that company, together with plays, wardrobe, scenery, and effects, and the birth of a new ma.nag.dment were important theatrical happenings during the week in Dunedin. A theatrical introduction in the near future is the oft-discussed andi muchheralded "Bad Girl of the Family,'' which is due at His Majesty's Theatre in this city cm May 27. We need fear the meeting with no qualms of conscience. "The Bad Girl" is, according to .references from her last place, an extremely estimable person indeed, and one whom it were well to know. Her acquaintance, wo are assured by the touring.manager, is eminently worth while. , Even were the assurance not forthcoming and, bar references not irTieproaahable, the fact that she is "The Bad Girl of the Family" makes her. at once unusual and interesting. Tho death is announced as having taken plaoe on board the Qtranto of Aporo Tarawhio, one of the members of the Maori troupe of singers and dancers, whde en route to England. A tangi was he'd hn board, the wailing- of the women, and the earnest eulogies of the men, delivered with all the wealth of Maiori diction and dramatic action, making an impressive scene. The body was buried at sea off Colombo. Deceased' was a son of Sophia, the famous Rotorua guide, and traced his ancestors back to 25 generations—past, indeed, the time of the great migration from Hawaiki, the fabled home of the Maori. He loaves a wife and two children, all of whom are members of the Papakura troupe. The immediate cause of death was found to be cerebral hemorrhage. He was a valuable member of the troupe on account of his miusioal ability, playing in the Maori band and being a singer of some ability. Cabled news of the death of Mr Grattan Cou'gihlan has been received from Adelaide, the .actor having been found dead in bed on Wednesday morning; though he had played tho previous evening. Mr Coughlan

visited New Zealand several times, years ago, on more than one occasion with the Holioway Dramatic Company. He was always associated with what are known as low oomody parts, of which he was a fair exponent. One of his successes was the part of Sam Gerridge in "Caste," when he was associated with the late Charles Holloway as Eccles, Mr Richard Stewart as Captain Hawtree, Miss Alice Deorwyn as Polly, and Miss Constance Deorwyn (Mrs , Stewart, of Auckland) as Esther Eccles. | Miss . Nellie Lempriere, an actress, 25 years of age, was admitted to the Mel- : bourne Hospital the other day, suffering from, cMorodyne poisoning. . Constable M'Kerrall, while at the State Parliament House shortly before midnight on Friday, heard a call, "Police! Help!" He went, to the southern- end of Carlton Gardens, j and saw a young woman sitting on a boulder inside the entrance gate. When she saw him she jumped up as if alarmed, and a chlorodyne bottle fell from her hand. The constable asked: her if she had' drunk the contents, and she denied having done so, but afterwards baid, "Yes. I did take that, as well as another bottle, and half one of them I drank this afternoon. Don't take me to the hospital. I don't want to live. I have been employed as an actress, and was dismissed without any reason." She subsequently added that all her money was gone, and she did not know what to do. She had played Stephanos in "The •Sign of the Cross," Batty in "The Breed of the Treshams," and also bad pants in "The Coreican Brothers" and "The Englishman's Home" She had been for foulyears with one firm, and just before Christmas she joined another, but the latter company disbanded, and since then she had not been *able to obtain employment. Miss L&mpriere, who says she is without relations in Australia, was born in Naples and educated in Switzerland. Her condition is not serious. Miss Maud Perman, member of the wellknown theatrical family, died at her residence, 555 Victoria parade, East Melbourne, on Monday of last week from Consumption. She was married four years ago to Mr Charles Moody, comedian, and left a little girl 2£ years of age. Miss Perman was well known in New Zealand. A syndicate has secured a lease of the hall at Cargill's Corner, South Dunedin, and will shortly inaugurate a permanent moving picture season there. Preparations are well forward, the' hall being considerably altered and renovated. Some startling novelties in the picture line are promised. Miss Ivy Scott, who has many friends in New Zealand, having established a sound reputation when out here with Mr J. ■ C. Williamson's Comio Opera Company, is now gaining 'fresh laurels in America. Says the Detroit Free Press:—"Miss Scott Went to New York early last summer with letters of introduction to every prominent theatrical and operatic impressario in the city, save Mr Savage. In every case she was told: 'Call again in a few weeks.' At Mr Savage's office, which is run on the plan that marks the conduct of a bank or any other big business institution, Miss Soott was made welcome and referred to the vocal department. Mr Savage saw to it that she signed a contract before she left the building. Miss Scott has been justifying her Australian reputation by bar work here. She possesses a fine mezzo soprano voice, is good-looking, a clever actress, and has the quality of clear enunciation when singing. After a year in this country under Mr Savage's direction she will return to Australia to sing in English the title role of Puccini's grand opera, "The Girl of the Golden West." The death is announced as having taken place at Braybrooke, Middle Harbour, Syd- j ney, on May 5, of Mrs George Rignold, ! wife of the well-known actor-mana.?er. '' Mrs Rignold was formerly Miss Georsrina Coppin, daughter of the late George Coppm. the doyen of the Australian stage. | The endurance piano-player is again in evidence, and the inglorious business of breaking long distance records goes on apace. At Invercargill the other evening one James Sturton played continuously for 86 hours, which at the time was claimed as a world's record. Now comes forth one Edward Travis in the "Marathon" piano ?raze with 20 minutes extra at Auckland. What after all does this endurance pianoplaying amount to other than converting i the keyboard into a race track? Mr Thomas Quinlan. tihe well-known musical impressario, will shortly take on tour a British Grand Ooera Company for a year and a-half, through the United Kingdom and the British Empire overseas. The company will number over 150; it will travel over 20,000 miles, with about 350 tons of scenery and baggage. A repertoire of 13 operas will be toured'. The chief of these will be Puccini's " Girl of the Golden West," of which Mr Quinlan has secured the- right of production in English. The others are " Carmen," "Faust," "Hansel and Gretel," "Butterfly." " Boheme." " L'Enfant ProdiKue," " Tales of Hoffmann," " Aida," " Tannhauser," "Tristan," "Lohengrin," and " The Valkyrie." The company includes Mme. Edna Thornton, Miss Muriel Terry,

Mr John Coates, Mr John Harrison, Mr Allien Hinckley, Mr Harry Dearth, and Mr Clarence Whitehill. The chorus will number 50, and the orchestra 55. The company travels to South Africa in March and April, 1912, and comes on to Australasia in June.

T.h© Edmund Carroll Dramatic Company is at present touring the South Island, and meeting with great, success. The North Island tour was a splendid success, full houses greeting the company everywhere. The opening production in each town is "The Man They Could Not Hantr "—a, drama founded on the life-story of John Lee The players include the Misses Claro Gurney and Nellie Armitage, and the Messrs Herbert, Keegan, Sayers, Gardner, Meyer, Cartwright, Davenport, and Newton. " Ted " Armitage, the well-known agent, is business manager. Memories of Kyrle Bellew and Mrs Brown-Potter nt the Princess Theatre, Duned'in, in " Canaille" 6ome years ago, are recalled by an anecdote just published :—" When, Mrs Brown-Potter and Kyrle Bellew were playing at the Theatre Royal. Dublin, in 'La Dame Aux Camelias,' they wanted two or three ladies and gentlemen in evening dress to walk on the stage in the gambling scene. All that'these amateur actors and actresses had! to do was to watch the play at the tables and prentend to play, a,hd for this purpose they were provided with imitation banknotes a.nd gold coin. At a'certain cue they were to cry out ' Arm and has won!''and when supper was announced, to say ' Ah, supper!' Wilfred Cotton, whose name is familiar as late manager for Forbes Robertson, and whose wife. Ada Reeve, is even better known in the theatrical world than he is himself, was then the resident manager of the Theatre Royal. He did not think a rehearsal necessary, but introduced the amateurs to Mr Musgrave's manager, who was running the company, and he, considering the few words that had to be spoken, contented himself with giving verbal instructions. All went well. ' Armand has won!' was given at the proper time, as was also ' Ah, supper!' but to the annoyance of Kyrle Bellew. all the amateurs cleared off to 'supper,' leavine the gold and notes with which they had been provided on the gaming tables in full view of the audience! Those who remember 'La Dame Aux Camelias' will recollect that, the heroine returns almost immediately to the front to be pelted by the hero with gold, who. as he flings it in handfuls at her cries 'There's gold! gold!! gold'.!! Mr Kyrle Bellew had little or no gold to fling, and asked hurriedly for it. 1 had all my coins to hand him, and had noticed that little heaps of sovereigns bad been left on the tables but did not dare to touch them, lest the audience ahould notice the fact. and. take me for a thief! give exhibitions in various cmtres. IJ* tour opens at Greymouth on Monday, May 29