THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 68

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquis. Tuesday, January 9. Tho English Comedy Company, headed by Miss Marie Baines, which commenced | a brief season at His Majesty’s on Satur j day, has to move onward after Wednes- j day owing to tho theatre being engaged i for a J. C. Williamson attraction. On Thursday Miss Marie Baines and her com- | pany take train for Invercargill, where | three nights will bo played prior to a 1 return season at Christchurch, thence over- j land to the West Coast, to be followed by | a visit to the North Island. | Miss Louise Goulding, an English ; actress, who plays -Bertha in “Miss Lanca- j shire. Limited.” very effectively, and who wears “creations” of Paquin and Honorc, I of Paris, and Grunborg, of Cairo, made her first appearance on the stage in England j when she was 18, and during her six years’ | experience has travelled far. After playing in pantomime and musical comedy, Misfl Goulding appeared in “The Arcadians” at tho Shaftesbury under the management of . Mr Robt. Oourteneidge, well remomberd out here with the London. Gaiety Com- | pany, which included amongst others Teddy Lonnen, Bert Haslom, Alice Leamar, and Addie Conyers. Visiting the Continent, ■ Miss Goulding took part in the German 1 production of “Tho Morry Widow” and “The Count of Luxembourg,” then out to Egypt, appearing with a German Opera Company at Cairo. An interesting circumstance of Miss Goulding’e career is her engagement with the Great Lafayette, ; with whom she appeared in the spectacular scena, “Tho Lion’s Bride,” made memor- ' able by the tragic death of the Groat Lafayette at the burning of the Edinburgh Theatre last year. _ I The next big attraction for Dunedin is “Tho Speckled Band” and “Alias Jimmy Valentine,” two American plays secured for the J. C. Williamson firm by Mr Harold Ashton on big last tour, and which I will be staged during tho Williamson Dra- 1 matic Company’s season, commencing at His Majesty’s on Thursday. The first four nights will be devoted to “The Spooklcd Band,” arid the last four nights to “Alias Jimmy Valentine.” The company is extremely strong in its male principals with William Desmond, the clover American actor, who created such a fine impression when here with Miss Katherine Grey, play- | ing in “Tho Lion and the Mouse,” “The Third Degree,” and “Paid in Full”; Gaston Mervale, James B. Atholwood (the finest character actor in Australasia), - and George F. Bryant (whose study of the old sea captain in “Paid in Full” will be remembered when othom arc forgotten). Miss Dorothy Dix, tho leading lady, is making her first appearance hero. Mr Harold Ashton, the well-known and popular theatrical manager, whose last visit to Dunedin was with tho Katherine Grey Company, returns this week with “Tho Speckled Band” Company. The proposed two-night season in Invercargill of “The Speckled Band” Company having been cancelled, Mr Loo D. Chateau, the touring representative, departed Dunedin on Monday to arrange for tho company’s appearance in Auckland on tho 25th inet. It is unfortunate for Invercargill theatre-goers that they are denied the opportunity of seeing “Tho Speckled Band” and “Alias Jimmy Valentine.” The explanation given is that tho double journey to Invercargill and back for two nights only and tho jump to Auckland would entail such an expenditure with a big company that it was considered inadvisable to take the risk. Tho much-anticipated “Chocolate .Soldier,” with our own Miss Amy Murphy in the lending role, will be seen and heard in Dunedin on Wednesday, 2U,h inst. From a letter to hand I glean that the Strauss opera is a huge success. “R'-al comio opera and not musical comedy.” is the way my informant puts it, “and Amy Murphy is a delightful surprise as singer and actress.” This is good news, and promises to bettor expectations. After a surfeit of musical comedy we can do with real comic opera, which, unfortunately, these days is onlv too rare. “The Chocolate Soldier,” if all is light as right can bo, will bo welcome as “the flowers that bloom in the spring,” or a summer day in Dunedin. Mr Charles Berkeley, tho herald-in-chief, will arrive in tho course of a few days. Tho members of Brennan’s Vaudeville Company, which concluded a successful season at His Majesty’s on Friday, left j for Oamaru by the second express on Saturday. The company appears at Ash- ■ burton before commencing a seai?on in ' Christchurch. Prior to the departure of the company Mr Low, the business manager, advised me that the question of further attractions for Now Zealand by tho Brennan Syndicate would depend on the

success of the present show. If all tho towns respond in like manner to Dunedin tho firm will be moro than satisfied. Keen regret will bo felt by tho public generally, and the profession in particular, concerning the sudden death in Melbourne of Mr Frank Lincoln, the actor-vocalist, who will be remembered by theatre-goers in Dunedin as tho ardent juvenile loud in “Tho Gay Gordons,” staged at His Majesty’s Theatre in October last. On the disbanding of “The Gay Gordons” at Auckland Mr Lincoln was engaged by the amalgamated firm of J. G. Williamson and Clarke and Moyncll to play the dame in the pantomime, “Sinbad the Sailor,” produced for tho first time in Australia in Melbourne on December 23, and in which he was appearing at the time ho was seized with the stroke which ultimately caused his death. A most important piece of dramatic news is that Mr G. S. Titheradge is about to emerge from his retirement, and once more give Australian audiences the benefit of his art as an actor. He has been engaged for a long contract by the Hamilton-Plimmer-Donniston Company, and will thus participate in the tour of Australia which this company is to undertake shortly. Mr Tithoradge’s first appearance under the now management will be made at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, on Saturday, January 13, when ho will resume the role of Lord Illingworth in Oscar Wilde’s play, “A Woman of No Importance.” “No,” said Mr H. B. Irving, in reply to an Auckland interviewer, “ I never saw my father play Hamlet. Ho argued, and I think quite rightly, that tho part of Hamlet is essentially one of youth. One cannot imagine a mature Hamlet in reality, and a mature Hamlet must be uninteresting, unconvincing. That is why my father ceased to play fixe part it was a sacrifice, but then you see. Yes; I_ behove with him. I played Hamlet first in London about 1905 at tho Adclphi. Oscar Asoho played the King, and his wife, Lily Brayton, took tho part of Ophelia. Hamlet one can never play tlo one’s entire satisfaction. In most plays at one time or another you may feel, ‘Well, I think I have just about squeezed all I could out of that character.’ But not so with Hamlet. It is an inexhaustible study. ir Lhe Bells! Yes, I shall present ‘The Bells’ hero, and ‘Louis Xl’ also, two pieces which are both on tho repertoire of tho Theatre Francais, which shows how they aro estimated in France. ‘Tho Bells,’ by the way, was tho piece in which my father made his first great success; in fact, the character in it was his original creation.” The host teacher in dramatic art, in Mr Irving’s opinion, is an actor, and no training could, ho thought, equal that to be obtained in stock company of an actor-manager. The drama was so well supported in Australia and Now Zealand that he quite believed this desirable opportunity of improvement in their art might, in tho not distant future, be afforded to Australasian actors. Tho best school for an actor is, ho said, an audience. Dramatic schools could teach them gesture and general technique, but there was nothing like tho public gaze to quicken a performer’s best instincts. “My father used to eay,” remarked Mr Irving, “when people talked to him about schools of dramatic art, T have kept a school for 30 years at tho Lyceum,’ and there was sound truth In what ho said.” There is said to bo something wonderfully fascinating about “The Speckled Band,’.’ tho latest Sherlock Holmes plav, which is to initiate a J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) season on Thursday. Not onlv has the author caught the exact spirit of his own theme, but ho also presents at least 11 distinctly striking char'actors —.Sherlock Holmes. Dr Rylott, Rodgers, Dr Watson. Ali, Mr Armytage, J. B. Montague, Billy, Mrs Staunton, Mrs Sojimcs, and Enid Stonor, —which will be port rayed by what is probably the strongest combination of dramatic artists that could be selected for this class of play, including William Desmond (the brilliant young American actor, who will be making bis farewell appearance in Australasia), Miss Dorothy Dix (a new loading lady from the Lvrio and ether West End, London, Theatres; her first appearance in New Zealand), Mr J. B. Atholwood (Australia’s prince of character actors), Mr George Bryant (the American actor, who made such a distinct euoces.s with the Katherine Grey Company, and who was special!v retained for this production), Mr Winter Hall. Mr Boyd Irwin, Mr Leslie Victor, Mis s Susie Vaughan. Miss Alma Phillips, Mr T. W. Lloyd. Mr George Oh-ulmers, and Mr Gaston Mervalc (who is Paid to have caused quite a sensation in dramatic circles in Australia by his remarkable performance of Dr Rylott. which is said to hold its audience Ppolil-boundl.

“Alias Jimmy Valentine,” the comedydrama to be produced by J. O. Williamson’s Dramatic Company, has had a remarkable votruo wherever it has been presented. The New York critics were recently complaining about the success of this play, which has held H. D. Warner for over three years in the name part. They say that “a wuccosstful play has its

disadvantages when it ties up a star in this way.’' H. B. Warner, however, replied “that a good play is so rare that it would bo unwise to take it off till it had appeased the appetites of its patrons.” And so “Alias Jimmy Valentine” is still a success in America as it was in England and Australia, and is at the present time in New Zealand. In “Alias Jimmy Valentino” the author has succeeded in producing a crisp, well-concentrated plot, in which no character lags superfluous on the stage, and has introduced scenes that grip the audience and hold its attention firmly until the denouement, and in the interpreting of the play tho J. C. Williamson company is said to simply excel itself. • As is well known, Mis® Amy Murphy, the leading lady of “ The Chocolate Soldier” Opera Company, is a Dunedin girl. Her mother, who was her only teacher, accompanied her to Australia, and has built up a big teaching connection in Sydney, her students’ recitals being very popular. Mies Murphy comes of a musical family, her grandfather being Herr Schott (of Messrs Schott and Co., musical publishers in Germany), at one time a loading musician of Melbourne. It was intended that Mias Murphy’s mother in her girlhood days should go Homo to study, but she chose marriage instead of a career. “I’m doing the opposite,” observed Miss Murphy, whose sister Dulcio was recently married to Mr Norman Heath, a New Zealander. Mias Murphy confesses that when she was a child she had no idea of singing or acting. Tho piano was her hobby, but it has served her in good stead in giving her an insight into the various composers’ meanings. Mr Joseph Blascheck, the eminent humourist and elocutionist, who is to visit us shortly, gives an'entertainment which is quite distinctive from anything we have ever * had before. Character sketches, humorous songs, stories and monologues, dramatic recitations and caricature studies follow each other in rapid succession. No performer that has ever been to this country has received such unstinted praise from the critics—they all unite in remarking upon his marvellous versatility. Miss Mildred Wrighton, who supports him, is a charming vocalist and entertainer, and she, too, is an artiste of exceptional merit. Mr George Rignold, the veteran actor., was the central figure of a picturesque incident at Middle Harbour, Sydney, the other day. Tho J. C. Williamson firm -was entertaining the principals of the Melba Grand Opera Company at a harbour picnic. When opposite Mr Rign&ld’s Middle Harbour retreat those on the launch espied “the king in exile” on his balcony, and Mmo. Melba asked the most lusty-voioed of her company to convoy her greetings. “Madame Melba’s compliments.” snouted a ba«so, “and she hopes Mr Rignold is enjoying good health.” The message reverberated in tho hills. Then the retired actor called back through a megaphone his appreciation of Mine. Melba’s kindness, following it by the line, “Once more unto tho breach, dear friends!” A few minutes later he ran the old Henry V banner up his flagstaff. Mme. Melba was so delighted that she sent a boat off to ask Mr Rignold aboard to take tea with her. “I’m not dressed,” ho megaphoned on receiving the invitation. “Come as you axe,” he was encouraged. Down the hillside strode the sturdy old actor, and soon he was on deck. Mme. Melba entertained him, presenting each of the company in turn. She would not rest until eho persuaded him to recite in full the famous Shakespearean speech he started through tho megaphone. This Mr Rignold finely delivered, and provoked great enthusiasm. A Press Association telegram states that an attempt was made on Friday to destroy the electrical plant at the Queen’s Theatre, Auckland. As usual, tho theatre had been darkened while the programme was screened, but a start had hardly been made when it was noticed- that the current was short circuited. The machinery was immediately stopped, the manager explaining to the audience that it would bo necessary to make an examination of the plant before proceeding. An investigation revealed that a piece of iron wire had been twisted round one of the brushes of the dynamo, and pushed into the machine in such a manner as to cause serious damage. It was only by the greatest of good luck that the machine was not entirely destroyed. It ifl not generally known how careful the Wellington City Fathers are of their children. Before the City Council authorities would Issue a license to Messrs Wirth Bros, to show in Wellington, they insisted on making it conditional on the part of the circus proprietors to take out an accident insurance policy of £IOOO, to cover any accident that may arise to any of tho public within the precincts of the circuo. This, of course (eays the Dominion), ie, altogether apart from the accident policy taken out by tho Wirths under tho employers’ Liability Act, which policy cover#

the whole of the employees. Mr Petersen (representative for Wirth Bros.) states that Wellington is the only town in Australasia which insists on an accident insurance policy being taken out as a condition under which the license is issued. Incidentally the license costs £2O for a weeks’ performances. , Opotiki, for many years an outpost of British civilisation, manned by the. Armed Constabulary, has now a cinematograph show each night. Tauranga, which used to be a fashionable centre for balls and parties in the old Te Kooti fighting days, is about to follow suit with a permanent picture show. After the march through the Urewera Country it is related that Sir George (then Colonel) Whitmore and his officers were invited to a ball in Tauranga, but the only costumes they could raise were the shawls (puckered in kilt fashion) which they had worn while chasing Te Kooti. They were permitted to enter the ballroom without dress suits on that occa sion.