THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3309, 15 August 1917, Page 46

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By PasqUin. Tuesday, August 14-. The '' lady who used to go to tne theatre with me" asks if it is not time there was another attraction to help remove the general depression. As ii in answer comes word from Scott (Jolvilie that Barry Lupino, Andrew Higginson, and some new leading ladies and a bevy of chorus beauties will arrivo at the end of the present month, and act as gloom dispeiiers. IScott (Jolvilie himself is due next week to sound tiie loud timbril on behalf of " Very Good Eddie" and Co. 80 there's a chance for us yet. An interesting stage personality appearing in a star act at the Prmcess Ineatre this week is Miss Marguerite Le Hoy, who came out from England as the solo and specialty dancer in " 'lhe Arcadians.'' Miss Lie Hoy played Chrysea in that fine production; but it was her -dancing which specially charmed, and it is as a dancer that we know her best. At the conclusion of "The Arcadians" tour Miss Le Poy took a trip to England, and on return joined Branscombe's Dandies, with which she was associated for four or five ;years. She then joined the two Carlincs in a dancing act, and appeared on the M'lntosh circuit in Australia. Now she is in Dunedin as a member of the Royle trio of dancers who made a distinctly favourable impression on their first appearance at tec Princess on Monday evening. Miss. Maud Eane, of other memories, is f .o step into the shoes of Miss Dorothy Brunton (as leading lady of the Williamson Musical Comedy Company) when the young Australian departs next month for London, where she is to appear as the star in "So Long, Letty." It is not granted to many the chance of appearing in London as a star in a popular production, and Dorothy Brunton, with all her charm and talent, must consider herself well favoured. That she will justify the faith of the Williamson management I have no doubt; but it is a trying ordeal for an artist whose experience has been limited to the Australian stage to face a London audience as a star at the first time of asking. It is now possible to get away from generalities, and to give something definite concerning the forthcoming New Zealand tour of Miss Ada Peeve. The famous English comedienne is due to arrive in Wellington at the end of the present month, where she is booked to open hw'r tour on September 1. Dunedin from September 17 to 20; Christckurch, September 24 to October 3; and Auckland, October 15 to 25. The success of Mies Peeve in Australia has occasioned extension of her seasons in the principal towns, and it may be that further extensions will be necessary. Meanwhile the latest news is that Ada Peeve will play in New Zealand next month. She will be accompanied to New Zealand by a complete company of unusual vaudeville excellence. The members includo Louis Nikola, an English magician; Harry Jacobs, the singing comedian; Raymond Wilbert, hoop simmer; Kennedy Allen, burlesque comedian; Lucie Linde, a captivating dancer; Frank Markley, the banjo king; and the English Comedy Company. One of the latest, plays which Ben and John Fuller have purchased is entitled "When Love is Blind," and it is now being rehearsed in Melbourne, under the direction of Thomas E. Tilton. There are quite a large number of comedy characters, though it is a most sensational play, full of action and incident, with a plot that is simple yet very convincing. During the hearing- of a case in Sydney between Wilfred Cotton and Adelaide MaryCotton (Ad; Pcevej concerning partnership matters, it was stated that Ada Peeve's gross salary per week is £SOO, out of which sho has to pay her company. After these deductions £350 per week remains for Miss Peeve.

According to Mr Barry Lupino, "Aladdin" is to be tho name of the pantomime to be produced Ly Messrs J. and N. Tait in Melbourne or Sydney next Christmas, and the show will in duo course tour New Zoa land next year. Jack Cannot is to be the Williamson comedian, and Mr Lupino the Tait star. Fuller's "Bunyip" is to bo produced at the Opera House, Auckland, at Christmas, and in Wellington a month later.

Tho death is announced at Gorleston of Mr Joseph Sullivan, who is believed to have been the oldest showman, and who on March 17 last celebrated his 100th birthday.

His carcor us showman, comedian, musical clown, and music-hall proprietor extended over a period of 80 years. He appeared before the Prince Consort 70 years ago, and later at Balmoral before Queen Victoria. Mr Sullivan claimed to be the pioneer of minstrel troupes in Great Britain. Miss Marjorio Williamson, the eldest daughter of the late J. C. Williamson, was married recently at St. Canico's Church, Roslyn street, Darling-hurst, the bridegroom being Captain Lindsay Browne, late of the Royal Irish Regiment. The honeymoon is being spent in Melbourne. Captain Browne has dono his bit for the Empire, being the winner of the first Military Cross which was awarded after the battle of Mons. Smco 1914- he has been invalided from the war zone. He is related to * Rolf Boldrewood," whose real name is Browne.

Captain Basil Hood, the dramatist, who was found dead in bed in London the other day, was born in 1854. He served for 25 years in tho army, retiring when a captain in 1893. His work was chiefly connected with musical comedies, the best known being "Tho French Maid" (1896), "Tho Roso of Persia" (1£0Q), "The Emerald Isle" (1901), and " Merrie England " (1902). He adapted many of the modern Continental operettas, including "Tho Merry Widow" (1907), "Tho Dollar Princess" (1909), "A Waltz Dream" (1911). "The Count, of Luxembourg" (1911), and "Gipsy Love" (1912). He wrote "lb and Little Christina." his first serious play, and dramatic versions of a number of Hans Andersen's fairy tales. Daisy Jerome figured as an absent litigant claiming repayment of a loan with interest before the Victorian Chief Justice in the Practice Court the other day. When she was in Australia Daisy Jerome (whose full name was givcn_ as Daisy Cynthia Jerome Watkowski), it was stated, on November 8, 1915, lent £ISOO to Leslie Francis Smith, of Bourko street, Melbourne, and Paterson street, Middle Park, to bo repayable on demand, certain contracts for military clothing held_ by the borrower being assigned as security. Demand was made for repayment of £IOOO, the balance due, on instructions of Benjamin John Fuller, under power of attorney, and, payment not being made, a suit was instituted, m which she claimed from Smith repayment of £IOOO principal moneys and £163 lis 2d as interest at the rate of 10 per cent. The Chief Justice ordered that tho case be set down for hearing before a judge without a jury, the defendant to have liberty to enter a defence. When the J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) "House that Jack Built " Pantomime Company returns to Melbourne after its record-break-ing tour, that organisation will be transferred into a musical comedy _ company, most of the principals being retained. The first production wil.l be "Mr Manhattan" at Her Majesty's, Melbourne. This musical play has been enormously successful in England and America. The majority of the pantomime principals have already appeared in musical comedy, and in "Mr Manhattan" they are said to* have a congenial production in which to make their first appearance before an Australian audience in this type of play. Charles A. Wcnman will produce "Mr Manhattan" for the firm.

M. Edouard de Reszke, whose death wasl reported recently, was generally regarded as the greatest bass singer of modern times, and, together with his brother Jean, tho famous tenor, delighted large audiences all over the world. They were so successful that they made between them a million of money, and were raised to the Polish nobility. The Paris Opera was the scene of their greatest triumphs, but they were welcomed in every European capital r and took America by storm when they visited New York and commanded £IOOO a night From their huge fortune they bought extensive estates in Poland, which adjoined each other, and established a fine stud of racehorses. Their luck was proverbial for many years; but misfortune arrived when the Germans ravaged Poland two years ago. Edouard's splendid estate at Garnek was utterly destroyed, and the whole region laid waste. The famous singer, the idol of fashionable Paris, was reduced to living in a cellar with Prince and Princess Lukonieski, destitute fugitives from their own devastated property. When his brother Jean heard from him in 1915 Edouard was without fuel, oil, or coffee, with scarcely any food until he received assistance from the American Polish Relief Committee.