THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 46

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasqdik. Tuesday, January 8. The Dunedin season of Mr Cyril Maude, which opened on Monday night with "Grumpy," closes on Saturday with a revival of that famous old play '•Caste," in which Mr Maude will be seen as Eccles. Another important attraction in which Dunedin playgoers aro vastly interested follows almost immediately after the Cyril Maude season at His Majesty's. This is no less than Miss Marie Tempest, the famous comedy actress, who wili open her season with 'The Marriage of Kitty," to be followed with "Penelope," "Mb Dot," and "Good Gracious, Annabella!" on the 29th inst. Mr Bob 'Williamson, the touring manager, will arrive next week to make arrangements for the opening. Mr W. F. Russell, at the termination of the Cyril Maude season in New Zealand, will take up the business management of the Marie Tempest Company.

Miss Dorothy Cummings, who is playing the graceful Virginia Bullivant in "Grumpy" at His Majesty's, was last m Dunedin with "The Man Who Stayed at Home," in whioh Violet Paget and Frank Harvey sustained the leading roles. Dorothy Cummings has since been in America, where Cyril Maude engaged her for the present tour.

In war-time revue has a long-distance appeal to most folk, and Johnson's Revue Company at the.. Princess is more alluring than most. This company threatens to break all previous records, but when a change is necessary outside of actual vaudeville, it will probably be found that Tom Hatherly's Comedy Company, which has just opened at the Opera House, Auckland, will fill the bill.

■ Mr Barrio Marschel, bright" and cheery beyond measure, is back in Duncdin for a few days after a long sojourn elsewhere. Picture interests still occupy his attention, and hp has since become a capable producer, as witness his "Kid from Timaru," which is at present being screened at the Octagon. Actor-author-produecr-lecturer-rcciter, Barrio Marschel is a busy man these days and nights.. A wedding of interest in tho vaudeville world was celebrated in Wellington the other day when Miss Vera Kearns, daughter of Mr Jack Kearns, the well-known comedian, and the late Ida Itosslyn, was married to Mr Ashlay Reed, a North Island horseman.

Mies Mabel Morgan, twice "principal boy" for Williamson's pantomimes, who returned to Australia recently from an extended tour of America, is now making a third appearnaco as a p.b. On this occasion sho is tho central figure of "Jack and the Beanstalk" in Sydney. Others well known in the panto, cast are Ethel Bennetto, principal girl; Harry Farrow, dame; Billy Rcgo, George Welch, Maudio Goldspink, Vera Benson, and Rawdon Blandford. Tho latter is a Dunedin boy who has appeared in various attractions in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr James Alexander, the "Australian Blondin," suffered severe injuries as the result of a fall of about 25ft from a tight wire, over which ho essayed to ride a bicycle. Tho accident occurred at the Sports Ground, Bithurst (N.S.W.), on Thursday, December 27. He fell heavily on his back in what was intended to be the last act of the evening. He was removed to the hospital, where, at latest accounts, ho was reported to be improving. Australia is well represented in the J. C. Williamson pantomime "Dick _ Whittington." Australiariborn are the principal boy (Vera Pearce), the principal girl (Paulino Bmdley), the principal dancer (Maggie Dickinson), tho Fairy Queen (Ethel Walker), and Connie Caylev. who appears as Rupert ("second" boy), "in tho "Dick Whittlngton" pantomime, certainly,* "Australia will be there."

During tho performance at Barton's Circus in Wellington tho other day, Marguerite, the lady rider, met with a slight accident. As the horse was cantering round the ring, the stirrup-strap broke, and the rider was thrown to the ground, sustaining a severe shaking. Mary Adelaide Cotton, professionally known as Ada Reeve, has brought a partnership suit against hor husband, Wilfred

Cotton. At tho hearing- in tho Equity Court, Sydney, plainlilF denied that she had been extravagant, though she admited that when she came to this country she. was in debt. Her husband had remonstrated with her for spending so much on dress, and soon after they were married there had been a suggestion that her dress allowance should be £2O a week. If her jewellery wero sold to-day she thought it would realise £2500. In this suit Mrs Cotton seeks, inter alia, a declaration by the court that defendant has no interest in her theatrical business.

After the war there will be a great demand in Australasia for artists of established English reputation, says Mr St. John Denton, who- visited Australia recently on behalf of the London branch of J. C. Williamson (Ltd.), who is also responsible for this statement: "The one great setback to theatrical enterprise is the labour trouble. Strikes are frequent, and wages are going up by leaps and bounds. Even a sceneshifter gets at least 50s a week, and recently the courts decided that scene-shifting comes under tho head of skilled labenr." The death is announced of Mr Fred Billington, one of the most popular members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, London. He died suddenly from heart disease, after an association with tho famous Gilbert and Sullivan works which began so far back as 1879. Mr Billington was the original sergeant of police in the historical copyright performance of the "Pirates of Penzance" at Paignton, and had played Poo Bah before Queen Victoria at Balmoral. Prior to tho commencement of "General John Regan" at the Theatre Royal, Christchurch, a handsome memorial tablet, in brass upon a massive oak slab, commemorative of the men from the employ of Messrs J. C. Williamson who have answered tho call to arms, was unveiled by his Excellency the Governor-general. The memorial was shown on the stage; but it is intended subsequently to erect it at the head of the maiii stairway to the theatre. The tablet already bears the names of over 200 men who nave joined up from Australia and New Zealand; but there are many more to be engraved before tho record is complete. In the Industrial Arbitration Court in Sydney a few days ago Mr Justice Heydon concluded the hearing of cases in which J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) summoned eight members of the Musicians' Union of Australasia, and the secretary, A. E. O'Brien, to show cause why they should not pay penalty for having taken part in a strike. Mr Justice Heydon said that 11 musicians were engaged for a pantomime. They failed to attend a rehearsal. They contended that the orchestra should have been 18 or 20, in accordance with, an undertaking alleged to have been given when the award was made that the number of the orchestra should not be reduced. Ho held that a theatrical proprietary had just as much right as any other business concern to keep down its expenses by a reduction of the staff to within the probable income, and that there was no record of a promise to maintain the pantomime orchestra at 18 or 20. Each defendant Avas fined £lO, with costs.