STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3114, 19 November 1913, Page 60

STAGE GOSSIP.

There is no money paid for admission to Chinese opera. Patrons pay to bo allowed out. Mr John M'Cormack, the world-famous tenor, will commence his New Zealand tour on December 11 at Auckland. Clara Butt and Kennerley Eumford are booked for a return tour of America, beginning in December, and keeping them there until tire latter part of March. At the Majestic Theatre, Melbourne, “A Message From Mars,” in kinema form, is being staged, with Mr Charles Hawtrcy in his original part of Horace Parker. Adeline Genee’s married name is “Isitt.” It is x>ronounced “I-sit.” Says Geneo, laughingly: “What a funny name for a dancer who is on her feet the most of her time 1” Henrietta Crossman, the famous American actress, is .starring in the American production of “The Real Thing,” which will lie included in the repertoire of “The Glad Eye” Company next year. “Como Into the Office,” the new farco comedy which the Louis Meyer-Beaumont Smith combination will introduce to Australia next year, has scored an instantaneous American success under its original French title of “Madame le Presidente.” Julius Knight and Irene Browne are due at the Criterion (Sydney) on December 6 with Shaw’s “Man and Superman.” . They will visit Brisbane during the present month. The Queensland capital has yet to see “Milestones,” the trump card of the company’s repertoire. Wireless recently came to Mr Wm. Anderson’s assistance in connection with his visiting American company for “The Land of Nod.” Ho had to communicate with them at the earliest opportunity, urging them to get vaccinated on board the Ventura .owing to the smallpox epidemic in Sydney. When Cellier’s “Dorothy” was first produced, for some unknown reason or other it did not achieve popularity, but with the addition of the tenor song, “Queen of my heart,” and a recasting of performing artists that was all changed. The inserted song is said to have itself brought in a profit of £•20,000 to the publishers , Chappell and Co. The health of Mr 11. X. Southwell, the well-known musician, is occasioning his friends anxiety. For the past six months ho has been unable to attend to his professional duties, and at present he is confined to his l>ed in Melbourne, A movement lias been set on foot to recognise by public testimonial the vast amount of honorary work Mr Southwell has dono during the past 25 years.

Mdlle. Genee; “I am asked very frequently what I consider the secret of success -is a ballet dancer, and all I can possibly answer is: or k, work, and work again. The average ballet dancer starts at eight years of age and is learning the essentials of the art until she is IG, whereas the average singer does not start until she is about 17 or 18 years of ago.”

Tiny Town, now in New Zealand, is proving that it can keep on coming back to the same places and do better business at each return. In Auckland business was bettor than during the first season, and fresh records continue to lie established at the smaller towns. On present indications it is doubtful whether the famous midget performers will find It payable to leave New Zealand for some considerable time. Amongst the other now plays wiih which the London dramatic season has just begun “The Evcr-open Door." a Dickensonian elory of a Westminster slum mission, is also of

interest from the fact that it brings Miss Hilda Spcng into a London cast once again. Before she went to America in 1898, she appeared at Drury Lane, at the Princess, and at the Court Theatre; and now she hae returned, after her recent tour of Australia, in G. R. Sims's drama at the Akhyych. Despite the fact that London audiences do not properly appreciate what may bs described as the “colour line," Rex Beach s drama “The Barrier” has got a big grip on : the Big Smoke, and is nearing its 100th performance at Mr Louis Meyer s Strand Theatre. In Australia the colour question is thoroughly understood, and the play which, like the novel, is full of tense situations, should have a long run here when it is produced early next year ”y Mr Meyer in conjunction with Mr Beaumont Smith. ■ , The revival of “The Arcadians at Melbourne Theatre Royal is being followed _■ the first production of “Autumn Manoeuvres,” the military musical play which has the description applied to it of being “something different.” “Autumn Manoeuvres” should please those people who look for a plot in a musical play. It has more sustained interest than the ordinary typo of comic opera, and the dramatic element adds to its attractiveness in this direction. Miss Florence Yeung will make a reappearance in a fine part. • Everything is progressing favourably for the initial production of ihe great “Miracle ’ picture, the first motion film to have a really elaborate showing in Australia. The picture is said to have cost £50,000 to produce, and would have cost five times the amount had not the producers had the good fortune tc secure the entire original cast of principals and supernumeraries numbering 3000, who appeared in the memorable production at London Olympia. Humperdinck’s special music and choral work fer this picture are said to be triumphs of composition.

The extension of the J. C. Williamson firm’s operations to South Africa will enter upon its practical stage on Boxing Nivht, when their new Gilbert-Sullivan Repertoire Company will open at Johannesburg in ‘‘The Mikado." The list of operas will include “Gondoliers, “Yeomen of the Guard,” “Pinafore,” Pirates,” “Patience.” and “lolanthe.” The Australian season, which follows, is expected to occupy about nine months. The new combination for the London revue, “Come Over Here,” the .Christmas piece in Sydney, is now being completed. Those who, 40 years ago, were acquainted with the stage and the people on it will learn with regret of the death of the famous “Billy” Richardson, a Christy minstrel, whose name was once a household word. In these days “nigger” minstrelsy is seldom heard of, but when Richardson was at the height of his fame no entertainment was complete without its comedian hidden behind a mask of burner} 1 cork. Richardson followed in the steps of many who had made a special feature of “stump orations,” and everyone, from Cabinet Ministers downwards. derived an excess of pleasure from the ineffable absurdities of burlesque Ciceros. Two of the finest light opera artists ever seen and heard in Australia, Charlie Harding and Wallace Brownlow. were at one time before the mast on windjammers. Brownlow’s beautiful baritone, while singing one night in fo’c’sle concert, attracted the notice of a wealthy passenger, who bought him off at the first port and started, him on the way to fame by paying for two years’ tuition in addition to getting him an easy job ashore for that time. Before six months were, up, however, Brownlow stormed the stage door of a Manchester theatre, and in less than a fortnight was understudying the principal baritone. A gentleman took a country friend to the opera one night to hear the “Meistersingers” performed. He was very anxious to see the effect of Wagner’s glorious music on the countryman, and watched him keenly during the rendering of the overture, which, grand as it is, is a little noisy, more especially when the bang of the drums and the crash of the cymbals occur at intervals. But the countryman’s face remained absolutely unmoved. At last the Londoner could bear his friend’s indifference no longer. “Doesn’t this glorious volume of sound affect you?” he said. “Oh. not in the least,” was the calm reply. “You forget I’m a boilermaker.” When Mine. Do Cisneros left New Zealand last year she had already accepted an engagement to sing at the Verdi Ccutenitty Celebration Festival at Parma. Italy, and her recent holiday in Paris formed, a preliminary to her visit there. Musical America states that the American mezzo was to appear at Parma during September, and more especially in "Don Carlos.” in ' which she was to sing with Bassi, the Italian tenor, and Titta Buffo, the Italian baritone. The’e names signify an eminent cast. Mine, de Cisneros will* probably appear both at Madrid and St. Petersburg before rejoining for the opera season in Chicago, for which both the artists above named have also been engaged by Cleofonte Campanini. A message from Denver, Colorado, states that “Buffalo Bill’s” Wild West Show is in the hands of a receiver, and that the aged scout and fighter, after 41 years’ showmanship, has decided to retire to his ranch in Wyoming. Colonel William F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill.” soout and showman, has toured the world since 18S3 with his “Wild West Show.” He was born in Scott County. lowa, in 1846. For several years lie was famous a= a United States Government scout and guide, and is said to have taken part in more Indian battles than any other living man. At the battle of Indian Creek ho killed Yellow Hand, the Cheyenne chief, in a hand-to-hand fight. About' the year 1867 he contracted to furnish the Kansas Pacific railway with all the buffalo meat required to feed the labourers engaged on the work of construction, and in fulfilment of the contract killed no fewer than 4280 buffaloes in IS months, thus earning the name of “Buffalo Bill.”