STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3247, 7 June 1916, Page 64

STAGE GOSSIP.

According to tho Daily Mail there are 2000 actors at the front. The Daily Mail underestimates the number. Mr Phillip .Newbury, the tenor, intends beginning early this month a aeries of shilling popular concerts at the Sydney Town Hail. As a result of a fire on the stage of the Garrick Theatre, Hereford, England, six children dressed in cotton wool representing snow maidens, were burnt to death. Mr Albert Chevalier, who proved himself to bo an accomplished actor on the screen, has forsaken the music hall for comedy in a big way, and is playing Eccles in “Caste” in th-a provinces. Alter an absence of a year from the screen Miss Alice Joyce, famous for her beauty and daring, and winner of many beauty prizes, is returning to film work, in which she distinguished herself. Mr H. 13. Irving is the latest star to fall a victim to the lure of the camera. Ho is playing very shortly for the Ideal in a film. Miss Ellen Terry, after a trial, has also agreed to play for the same company. Mr Julius Knight, who first appeared in Sydney about 18 years ago, is to play “The Silver King” at the Theatre Royal when the spectacular film “The Birth of a Nation” ceases to sufficiently interest the public. Mr George Marlow is continuing his adventures in theatrical managership. His latest excursion is to bring to Australia a g-rand opera company, which is to open this month. This company, the Gonsalez Italian Opera Company, has been touring in the East. J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) have arranged with Mr George Bowles, representing D. W. Griffith, for the presentation of the stupendous xiicturo spectacle, “The Birth of a Nation,” throughout the whole of Australia and New Zealand. The tour will be a thoroughly comprehensive one. Miss Edna May’s now picture, “Salvation Joan,” in which she x’lay® the part of a Salvation Army lassie, will be ready in a fortnight’s time. For her work she is said to have received £'.u),ooo, which she intends to axoply to charitable xmrxioses connected with the war. Without waiting for a lead from the British Government, the Quebec and Ontario Legislatures have decided to levy a tax on picture theatre x 3a trons, and also upon all who attend races and athletic gatherings. A revenue of £IOO,OOO a year is exxnected from the xLcture tax. A London message states that Miss Doris Rhoda Burton, an actress, has been awarded £750 damages for breach of promise by a King’s Bench jury against the married Russian diamond merchant, Mr George Dresden, of Hatton Garden. The whose stage name is Doritza Duilberfc, is 26 years cf age, and Mr Dresden is 53. “Peg o' My Heart,” which is now at the Apollo Theatre, London, holds the long-run record of the plays produced since the war. It has now reached a total of 661 performances, or about 300 more than the Gaiety Theatre piece, “To-night’s the Night,” which —running strongly—now occuxnes second pdace in the list of London successes. Vienna’s tax on tickets for theatres, music halls, kinemae, dance halls, and sporting exhibitions like football games, which has hitherto reduced a modest revenue of £I2OO a year, is to be raised at once so a® to bring in an income of £50,000 from an impost of 10 p>er cent, on all paid admissions. “Deadheads,” as in London, are to be exempt from taxation.

"The Geisha" is to be given by_ a company of enthusiastic British subjects interned in the camp ,at Ruhleben, near Berlin. They sent a courteous request to the manager of Daly's Theatre for permission to play it, and, of course, received it by return of post. The full score has been sent out to them, and they expect no objection from the owners of the performing rights in Germany. Tickets for admission to places of amusement, including theatres and picture shows in Britain, pay the following taxes under the new Budget: —Not over 2d, Ad; over 2d and under 6d. Id; over 6d and under 2s 6d, lid ; over 2s 6d and under ss, 2d; over 5s and under 7s 6d, 3d; oveT 7s 6d and under 12s 6d, l,s: over 12s 6d pay Is for the first 12s 6d, and Is for every 10s or fraction thereof of 12s 6d. Miss Ada Rehan, who died in New York, left property in the United States valued at £35,000. She set aside enough estate to provide for her pet dog Bobsy, and expressed the hope in her will that Lady Eric Barrington would, if necessary, travel from London to the United States to fetch him. Bobsy, however, died before his mistress, and the bulk of her property is willed to Miss Rehan's two sisters. Two singers well known to vaudeville audiences. Miss Cissie O'Keefe and her brother Clifford, are now equipping themselves with a classical and operatic repertoire in Australia under Mr Roland Foster, who considers them likely to have a successful career on the English stag© and concert platform in due season. Another probable candidate for London honours is Miss Rosa Alba, a. young coloratura soprano, who recentlv gained one of the Conservaiorium scholarships. Mr William Gillette, who was well known in England as an nctor. has just completed his first film in his old part- of Sherlock Holmes. Another •of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories in film form —"Brigadier Gerard" —with the late Lewis Waller in the title role, is being well "boomed" in the United S+ates. The exceptional qualities of English films of this typo are gradually appealing to American picture patrons, who pre asking for English productions, and cannot get enough of them. Sir Herbert Tree, having completed his work in connection with the filming of "Maobe'Ti," has left Los Angeles, California. Before he went he was entertained at dinner, where many speeches were made, and as the train left the cowboys fired their revolvers in a parting salute. "Macbeth" is to he a picture of nine reels, which, when cut, will fake about three hours to show. The Americans intend to make it a complete programme. Sir Herbert Tree will return to Los Angeles in June to play in more films. Julian Eltinge stands out prominently among female impersonators in the United States. He wears the sweltest gowns, and. it ifl said, that, stra.ugers going into the theatre whero ho is plnving do not know that Hie handsome "woman" is really a man. Rny M<>nd<\ who visits hero under special engagement to Ben J. Fuller, carries ihe deception further. Rny Monde does not give the show away, a.nd at the end of the act the audience is left gasping, and puzzled to know whether

it has been entertained by a cheeky young man or a daring* and beautiful young- lady. The amusements tax lias induced Messrs Ycdrenne and Eadie to revise their prices of admission at the Royalty Theatre, London, and practically to take over themselves—instead of charging it to their patrons —the impost which was to come into force on May 15. The pit admission, instead of being 2s 6<l as lit present, will be 2s, plus 2d. The dress circle, at present 7s Gd, will be 7s, plus Gel for tax, and the stalls, instead of 10s 6d, will be 10s. plus Is for tax. The upper circles will remain as at present—is and 2s 6d, plus 3d and 2d respectively. From tha day the new prices come into force the half prices charged to members of his Majesty's forces will bo abolished. Can an actor economise ? The examination was concluded recently at the London Bankruptcy Court of Charles Henry Hawtrey, actor, of Gordon Mansions, Gower street. Hi 3 liabilities were stated to be £22.966.. of which £4851 were expected to rank; bis assents as £lO. The debtor admitted that ho was undischarged under a previous bankruptcy in 1594, when his liabilities were £27.332, no dividend being paid. He had been in financial difficulties over since. He attributed his insolvency to the reduction of his income owing to the war, which, since January, 1913, had amounted to about £3030. Ho had been living at the rate of about £9OO per annum in excess. He said that it was not at all easy to live economically- in such a profession as his. To this Charles*Hawtrey, who is a brother of the late W. F. Hawtrey, once well known in Australia and New Zealand, replies: "In all the full reports of my case I am quoted as having said, 'lt is difficult for an actor to economise." This is a misstatement. The words I used were: 'ln my profession we at all times .have very many calls upon us, most of which are very difficult to refuse.' "