STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 60

STAGE GOSSIP.

| Gilbert and Sullivan's operas are to he revived by J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) next year. Latest advices slate that the London Opera House revue, ‘'Come Over Here,” is to visit Australia in the near future. Miss Priscilla Verne is now in America securing, on behalf of Mr William Anderson, six principals for the musical extravaganza “The Laud of Nod.” iho late Mr Williamson’s will directs that during their minority his daughters. Margeij and Ainieo, are to live with his brother and sister in America. Iho oldest actor who has ever appeared on the stage was Charles Macklin, who represented Shy lock in 1789 at Coven t Garden, when past his one hundreth birthday. Mies \ iolet Loraino has fixed by cable to play principal boy in “Puss in Boots” at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre, Birmingham, at Christmas. Viikio Bard will be the principal comedian. Mr and Mrs Bland Holt the other day said they have no desire to go back to the stage, ihey are enjoying themselves immensely, and are as jolly as a newly-married couple on their honeymoon. , Th° new comedy theatre which is to bo mult by tho J. C. Williamson firm in Melbourne. opposite Her Majesty’s, is to ' bo called the Williamson Theatre. The erection of the playhouse, which, is to cost .£45,000, is to proceeded with almost immediately. Mr Frederic Shipman mentions having booked the following celebrated artists for a New Zealand tour:—Mr David Bisphara, August, 1913; Madame Lillian Nordica, October, 1913; Mr Mischa Elman, August, 1914; Madame Schmuann-Heink, August 1915. On Saturday, August 16, Mr Fred Riblo, the American comedian, and his company will return to Melbourne, appearing at tho Theatre Royal in “Tho Fortune Hunter.” In America “Tho Fortune Hunter” has proved one of the most successful comedies of tho year. “Within the Law,” when it has finished its season of 124 weeks at Melbourne Theatre Royal, goes to Adelaide, opening at tho Theatre Royal on Saturday, August 16— upon which night Adeline Gonee and the Imperial Russian Ballet appear in Sydney at Her Majesty's Theatre. The 124 weeks’ run of “Within the haw at Melbourne Theatre Royal is drawing to an end. and the final performance will bo given on Thursday night, August ]{ the company opening in Adelaide on Iho following Saturday “Within tho Law” has broken all records for drama in Melbourne. The theatrical concern of J. C. Williamson Ltd.) lias practically concluded long-pendin' - * negotiations for extending the business of tho firm to South Africa. Mr Hugh Ward says that he cannot give details at present hut it will constitute one of the biggest deals of tho day in the theatrical world It covers tho principal theatres in Capetown Johannesburg. Durban, and other centres. ’ In London last month an interesting violoncello was submitted for sale by the direction of the executors of the late Mr Van Bicne tho well-known actor-musician. This instrument was made by Giovanni Orancino, was used throughout the Jong run of “Broken Melody, and Van Bicne had just laid it down whan his tragically sudden death occur led. Ilia cello, once the property of Piatti, was sold for £BS. “I never sing a song on the stage,” Harry Lauder remarked recently, “until I have tric’d it on a dog. if my wife will excuse tho weo joke, as she always had the first hearing. If she likes them it's all right. Then I go to a friend’s house and arrange for somebody to say, 'What about new songs, Harry?’ and after a. little modest hesitation I sing them to the company. Of course, they don'l know that it is a rehearsal. But it is.” I he Moorish Maid’ was one of the operas in which Miss Buckman appeared when I opened in_ Sydney at the Palace Theatre,” said Mr George Stephenson to the Theatre. “I had that opera company going for three jears. I'or me it was a most disastrous venture. In that time I lost £12,000. Some people said I paid my artists too much. Others declared I was robbed. But I had my own idea as to what tho failure was due to. The people didn’t come in.” a _ month’s season in Brisbane the Now Comic Opera Company will visit New Zealand, opening in Auckland on September 8. Two productions new to tho Dominion will Ijo taken. “Autumn Manoeuvres.” and “The Count of Luxembourg.” “The Arcadians” and “Tlie Chocolate Soldier” will also bo toured. Hilda Vining, the new English prima donna, ■ will sing Sombra in “Tho Arcadians.” Florence Young will oing tho big soprano in the other pieces. “The Confession” is now in active rehearsal by tho William Anderson Dramatic Company, who will make their appearance in Melbourne on Saturday, August 16. This play hna achieved a remarkable vogue in America, and its presentation in Australia is something of particular interest. The occasion will mark the return to tho stage of the favourite actress. Miss Eugenie Duggan, who has been living in the retirement of her new home in South Varra for several months. Mr Julius Knight expresses the opinion

that before lons’ Miss Irene Browne ■will be a certain winner of star rank, and that her rapid progress is practically unique on the English stage. Her performance of the title role in Bella Donna," played at Melbourne Her Majesty’s Theatre on August 2, ho considers a terrific piece of acting. “I don’t know of anyone on the English stage to-day who could give a performance of so amazing a quality,” says Mr Knight, "for ‘amazing’ just it.” The farewell benefit matinee given to Miss Frances Ross at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, last Thursday week, was _ a pronounced success. The programme included acts from “On Our Selection” and "Within the Daw,” fhc Repertory Theatre Company gave an act from Miss Gertrude Robin’s play, “Makeshifts,” and several artists sang. The “star Jura,” however, according to the Argus, was the one-act drama, “In the Dark, by the Australian author Bernard Espinasse, which has been waiting a producer for a long time. Miss Ross played the part of the heroine, being supported by Walter Baker and J. B. Athohwood, and was gi\en a splendid reception. One of the leading vaudeville managers of South Africa has arrived in London to voice the world-wide complaint. After deploring overbuilding and. overproduction in n.I

divisions of the theatrical busir.es,s, ho considers vaudeville. “Africa is a remarkaole country in many respects,’' he says, but, theatrically. it is suffering from too rapid growth. It is outgrowing its strength t.iat is to say, it has not at present the theatregoers to support the expensive and numerous entertainments offered. I have just been through every town of any importance, and also a terrible lot of towns that were of no consequence at all. The country is ovarcatered for, and a vaudeville lunacy is affecting. and has affected, speculative vaudevnle people in all the cities, big and little. Muriel Starr, who plays Mary ’turner, the shop girl, in “Within the Law, at Melbourne Theatre Royal, received a unique mark of appreciation from a number of girls who had witnessed her performance in tnn exciting American play. It comprised a, parasol, a replica of the one she carries in the second act of the play, with a goldmounted handle, inscribed. Accompanying was a letter, which included the following tribute; “We are merely chop girls, but our daily work has left us enough soul to be able to appreciate the effect that such a performance as yours must have on the public. Those who buy in shops little dream that consideration meted out to those behind the counter would make up for a lot of the disadvantages under which we suffer We hope that this play will go right through Australia, and help to spread a feeling of kindliness and consideration for these who earn tneir living behind the counter W 7 e look on you in this play as our champion and advocate, and right well do you plead our cause. Lewis Waller. the great English romantic actor, at present in Sydney, was chatting about “Monsieur Beaucaire.” the title role of which he created in London, and referred to an aspect of the play that had not previously been considered. King George witnessed a performance one night, and alter the third act sent for Mr Waller, and after being exceedingly gracious and compliinentarv, said; “Mr Waller, this play has given me a great idea of our countrymen. I do not know of another nation where such a, play would succeed. Here Ls a play m which a foreigner is the hero with all the v irtues. while the villain and most of the scamps of the piece arc English.” That aspect of the plav had never been noticed by air Waller, who agreed with his Majesty. "1 know the French and the Germans.” says Mir Waller “I was educated in Germany, and j know this, tha* if a play with a French hero had been presented in Germany, or vice versa, or even if an Englishman had been tire hero, that plav would have been finished the first night. It would never have been tolerated.” Chatting with regard to The Fortune Hunter,” in which be is to appear in Melbourne on AuguM 16. Fred Niblo remarked that “if you can write just one successful play, all your worldly worries will disappear, for yon can sit down and watch the royalties flow in, and life will be one long beautiful dream.” .Mr Niblo was referring to the fact that W.’nchel Smith, who wrote Ihe I* oitune Hunter,” had made over £40,000 out of it. The play ran two vears in Xcw York, and a whole year in Chicago, in addition to bdn" toured through the States. Mr Niblo and his wife (Miss Josephine Cohan, whose part is playc-cl with great success by Enid Bennett, a ’ clever young Australian), toured in it for two years, and never placed to a bad house all 'that time. “Yes, you might think that an actor would stale in a part after such a long .stretch, said Mr Kiblo, in reply to a question on this point, “but be doesn't. The reason is. that no two audiences are ever the same. In addition, there is always the stimulation of facing an audience and working to create certain effects, as well -as studying the mood of the people in front of you. There i.= a fascination about this that one cannot adequately explain.” Felice Lyne, the remarkable young prinm donna who is coming to Australia with the Quinlan Opera Company, attributes her success to what might be considered a strange reason—she was poor. She was born in Kansas Citv. U.S.A. An American pupil of Madame Marches! heard her sing, and advised her mother to take her to Paris. This the mother did, and when the famous teacher heard her sing she declared that she had the four great essentials for a grand opera, star—voice, intelligence, dramatic ability, and personality. Felice Lyne worked hard. Her mother stayed with her, and her father practised osteopathy at home. For five years she worked incessantly. “No girl,” she says herself, "ever succeeded on the operatic stage unless she had to do so. If 1 had been rich I should have given up the struggle long ago.” Her father and mother staked all they had on the girl’s success, and she knew that if she won it meant everything to them. No girl ever had a greater inducement to work hard and succeed. The result was that at 30, when she made her appearance at the London Opera House under the management of Oscar Hammerstein, she exacted from the public praise such as no foreign singer lias had since the days of Calve. She is the youngest prima donna on the operatic stage to-day.