THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3274, 13 December 1916, Page 48

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pahqoin. Tuesday, December 12, 1916. Dorothy Purdell, a charming young English musical comedy actress, is to join tho J. C. Williamson Musical Comedy Company. - Eileen Kavanagh, in "Tho Arcadians," was one of her roles with Robert Courtneidge, with whom for the last four years she has been under contract. Miss Purdell has also played principal girl in several pantomimes.

The leading comedian of the J. C. Williamson Farce Comedy Company, shortly to appear in Sydney in " Fair and Warmer," is Percy Ma: nont. Included in the company are Dc. othy Atherton (comedienne), May Nightingale (soubrctte), and T. A. Braiden (comedian). The company won groat popularity in South Africa, where a number of farces were played. In _ their repertoire is "A Pair of Silk Stockings," which had a long run in London and New York.

Madame Sarah Bernhardt is 71 to-day (remarks the. Westminster Gazette of October 22), and in spite of an accumulation of years, which she does not attempt to deny, and a misfortune that might have meant much more than physical disability, is still alert, and devoted to her profession. She has lived nearly twice the years of her father, who died at 37; and much longer than hor mother, who died at the age of- 51. This much she declared in America when she took out an insurance policy for .£20,000; and she added that of her two sisters one died of accidental poisoning and another of pneumonia. She had been ill, she went on to say, only once in her life; sho had never worn stays; sho was sft 6J>in in height; she weighed 9st lib. That was years ago—since then she has said, " I shall play till my death, und tho fata I hope for k the death that Henry Irving died." Many happy returns !

An interesting incident in .connection with the recent visit of Allan Wilkie to Duncdin has just come to light. The skull which Allan Wilkie as Hamlet addresses, "Alas, poor Yorick!" said to have been used by some of the most famous actors, including Charles Knan. was bought by Allan Wilkie from old George Ward, who brought it out in 1851. and who subsequently loaned it to all the prominent Hamlets visiting Dunedin. Our Christmas attraction at His Majesty's is to be tho Lytton Dramatic Company, producing; the Australian play, " The Waybacks." Mr Philip Lytton advises that the show opened in Auckland to excellent business. Tho Dunedin see.son commences on Boxing Night. "The Waybacks" is a dramatisation of Henry Fletcher's book o f outback Australian life. It iff different from "On Our Selection," as it treats with the vicissitudes of the Wayback family on a visit to Sydney. Tho coal strike in Australia has upset all theatrical plans. Philip Lytton, of "The Waybacks," wis playing Newcastle when tho strike commenced. Local miners and tradespeople anticipated a straggle, so the Bcnchgo, Ballarat, Adelaide, and Perth "Wayback" dates were cancelled, and the company hurriedly shipped to Auckland throe months before the anticipated Now Zealand tour.

Mr Colin Gray, the well-known tenor ginger and amateur operatic artist, who lias enlisted and boon passed medically fit, leaves for Trentham in February.

The Halo Hamilton-Myrtle Tannahill Co., recently in Dunodin, is at present playing the last town in New Zealand prior to the disbanding of the company—always a sad business., particularly with the Halo Hamilton Co., which, unlike many others one could name, is, and has boon since its inception, "a happy family." The lour concludes at Auckland on Wednesday noNt. 20th inst:, and there will be tearful farewells taken of the principals—Myrtle Tannahill. Hale Hamilton, and George Bowles,— who leave on return to America by the outgoing steamer. The Australian members return to Sydney, where they will bo rcengaged in other companies. The New Zealand tour of the "Peg o' My Heart" Company concluded last week, and the members returned to Sydney by the outgoing steamer on Friday. A few farewell performances of " Peg" will be given in Sydney and ' Melbourne prior to another company being formed to play on tour m Australia. Mr Allan Wilkie, the. Shakespearean actor here recently, made an announcement

to the effect that he would be willing to make Australia his home, and endeavour to establish a permanent Shakespearean season, intermingled with classical comedies. Between the States of the Commonwealth and New Zealand he thought the scheme would be within the range of possibility. ".Father Kelly" (Harrington Reynolds) is again " wcarin' o' th' green," but no longer in vaudeville. This time it is as stag* manager for Allen Doone in Sydney.

The New Zealand tour of the New Comic Opera Company, which company is headed by Mr O, Workman and Mi'ss Dorothy Brunton, commences in Wellington on Boxing Night. During the season will bo staged "To-night's, the Night," "So Long, Lottv," and " High Jinks." Tho Dunedin season will open in February. The Royal Dramatic- and Comedy Company (Ltd.) has been organised in Australia with New Zealand capital, with the object of presenting dramas and comedies in tho Dominion at popular prices. The idea js to make the company a permanent one in NewZealand. After their Auckland season, the company go on to Christchureh for Christmas,- with Dunedin to follow. "Damaged Goods'' had a brief run in Sydney owing to the coal strike. There was no power to run the light for tho Criterion Theatre, where the play was being produced, and. as there was no prospect at the time of the strike ending, "Damaged Goods" was packed off to Melbourne. Josephine Rae, who has been engaged for the workwoman in 'the Melbourne performance of "Damaged Goods," is an English actress, now on a visit to Australia, She is a sister of Henrietta Rae, England's most famous woman painter. There is an artist at the Princess Theatre this week who is so far in advance of anyone who has been before, and who, indeed, is so unlike any other artist who has appeared in Dunedin since ever tho stage was, that her presence is an event in theatrical circles. Miss Wish Wynne is the artist's name, and beyond that', and that she had created an impression in Australia, no one knew much. In a night Wish Wynne conquered, and to-day" Dunedin knows her for the most accomplished character comedienne who has ever by her artistry delighted, and by her manner"charmed, an audience. Her keen insight into human nature is revealed in studies (Wish Wynne calls them "impressions"—they are much more) of a schoolgirl, a country girl, and a domestic servant. All are excellent in accomplishment and finish, but the lastnamed is a brilliant, bit of character study. To her remarkable gifts of acting .Miss Wynne adds rare elocutionary powers, a voico of gold, and a charm of maimer that, were she to exercise it and nought else, she would have an audience at her feet. Go and see Wish Wynne. One of the indirect results of the recent coal strike in Australia, and of tho general industrial unrest at the present time, is that Messrs Wirth Bros, have d rc 'idcd to abandon the tour of New Zealand that had been arranged for their circus. Originally the circus was expected at Invcrcargill on November 20, but the outbreak of the strike caused delay and continued- uncertainty. About a week ago Mr G. L. Petersen, tho advance agent, received word that the whole combination would arrivo and commence at Invcrcargill on January 2, and ho began to arrange and advertise an itinerary accordingly. On Monday, however, Mr Petersen was finally in-

structcd to cancel the whole Now Zealand tour, and return to Melbourne. Mr Petersen left Dunedin by the express on Tuesday for Wellington, where ho will pick up several seals sent from America to supplement the circus in Now Zealand, and will return with them to Australia. In a brief chat prior to his departure Mr Petersen said that no boat accommodation was available from Melbourne to the Bluff for some time, and it would bo much too expensive to tako the big show to Sydney and ship it to New Zealand. Arrangements may. be made to come across later in the year, he thought, and suggested Easter. Important engagements of two well-known and popular artists by Messrs J. and N. Tait for Australia and New Zealand arc announced, and will be received with every gratification. Mr Barry Lupino lias been secured for the part of Eddie in the musical comedy "Good Boy Eddie." which the Taits propose to produce in Sydney in February. The other engagement is that of Andrew ITis'ffinpon, who was the Danillo of "'Merry Widow" fame under the Williamson management, and who will appear in the same production.

who gives two farewell concerts at His Majesty's Theatre, Dunodin, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 19th and 20lh. Appearances are deceptive! Who that gazes upon Paid Dufault would ever suppose that his soul was tilled with dreams of a farmer's life—yet such is the case. Poetical as the tenor looks, his greatest happiness is found on his big farm 40 miles from Montreal. Choral societies, orchestras, and other musical bodies are greatly appreciated by the tenor, but none of them sounds as sweet in his ears as the early morning stir on (ho farm, and the announcement of the hen that another contribution to the "dozen new-laid" has just been made. Whenever the singer has a few spar© days ho immediately loaves New York. _ By taking an evening train ho can bo in Montreal the next morning, and a motor soon brings him to his Canadian fields. Get the tenor to talking music, and he is greatly interested, but get him to talking poultry, and ho becomes enthusiastic. His farm,

which covers several hundred acres, i 3 beautifully situated on the bunks of a small liver, and ''Believe mo," said the tenor in a recent interview, "the original Garden of Eden was somewhere in that neighbourhood." WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS. Br Beteb Ban. December 3. Dear "Pasquin,"—The great attraction this week lias boon tlio Gonsaloz Grand Opera Company. The company is undoubtedly a lirst-class one, and though all tho music is sung in Italian, the public is warming to the artists,' and the attendance is growing nightly. This week wo already have had "II Trovatore" and ''La Traviata," with separate lots of principals, and tomorrow there is to ha a double bill, "Gayalleria Rusticana" and "I Pagliacei." Wellingtonians owe Ben and John Fuller, jun., a debt of gratitude for providing them with such a musical feast. The season will run through next week. Clement Mav's recitals at the Concert Chamber this week were well attended. It had been Mr May's intention to recite some selections from Dennis's "Sentimental IJloke," but he received a. lawyer's letter informing him that there were certain rights held by another in respect to the

" Bloke," and he could not do so. Mr Campbell, the well-known entertainer, who is under engagement to J. and N. Tait, however, will introduce "The Sentimental Bloke " to us on the Sth January, when ha commences a tour of New Zealand.

Stanley Grant, who is taking the big picture " The Birth of a Nation" through the Dominion, is at present in town. lie says that it will take sonic weeks yet before the picture has visited all the places ho has set down for it.

George Willoughby, who has not been in New Zealand for some years, is to commence a tour at Auckland on the 13th January. His repertoire will bo two old favourites—"What Happened to Jones" and "Why Smith Left Home." His company does not reach .Wellington until March; Duncdin some time later.

In the Italian Opera Company there are five brothers Gonsalez. descendants of a well-known musical family in Milan. The Choral Union sung "The Messiah" at the Town Hall last night to a crowded house. Miss Winnie Waugh, late of Melbourne, sang the soprano music, and Miss Mina Caldow the contralto. Mr Barnes (Christchurch) and Sergeant Dennis were tho other principals. There is a good and evenly-balanced bill at His Majesty's this week. The roster includes Mr Cornwallis, an effective elocutionist; Miss Dorothy Harris; Isuda, an equilibrist; Ou Bos, comedy juggler; the Freda Bovs: Baroen and Rossotti; the Ladellas Sisters; and the Dick and Dorothy Trio. PRINCESS THEATRE. The new programme at the Princess Theatre includes two items that have seldom, if ever, been surpassed at all entertainment of tho class presented. A great deal has been written and said about Miss Wish Wynne, but not too much. That is unusual, as artists but rarely come up to what is pictured of them. But in tho case of Mis 3 Wynne there has been nothing overstated. No ono after seeing and hearing her could form any other opinion than that no more highly gifted or more proficient artist in the line she follows lias been seen on a Duncdin stage within recollection. The lady has cultivated, or is naturally possessed of, a charm not very common on the stage; and that is a pleasant, subdued, and reposeful manner when singing a few words to her audience in propria persona. Mies Wynne is exceedingly versatile in her character songs, for character song is apparently her special study, and her impersonations arc wonderfully ' true to life. Perhaps the words " musical monologue" more accurately describe the performance of Miss Wynne, the words being quite as much spoken as sung. She is an elocutionist rather than a singer, and an exceedingly clever one at that; and holds the attention of her audience without apparent effort. Another new member of tho company, who, though in a different direction, impressed those present was Mankin, the frog-man. His first appearance is made under most -artistic conditions, as he emerges from an opening water lily and his subsequent movements about the' stage are as frog-like as are humanly possible" His get-up is remarkably good, and the bodilv contortions he goes through border on the marvellous. The act ho "■ives contains much to cause wonderment, and he and Wynne aro alone well worth But there are a number of other clever artists in the company. The Farrows '•an alwavs bo relied upon to give a highly diverting sketch, and tiiey added one "more to those already given. _ Miss Kitty Clinton will also have her section cf admirers in any audience, and Billy Brown s drolleries are sure to produce merriment. The Victor Prince Company occupied the stage till about 9.15 with a "Hindu hilarity" called "The Belles of Bombay," which kept the house in a continual state of merriment.