THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 46

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

JBy Fasquis.

Tuesday, January 15.

From an artistic view the Duncdin season of Cyril Maude was a-distinct success, and the material eide was satisfactory. Much more the management had a right to expect when it is remembered that the star is one of the finest character actora of the present day, and the company a capable, ali-round combination; but tiie fault, if fault there be, lay in the playing of "Grumpy" for five nights out of a six nights' season. Proof that the public wanted to see Cyril Maude and Co. in another play was evidenced in the fact that " Caste,'"' produced for one night, drew the bigges't house of the season. Mr Maude left Dunedin on Sunday by motor car for Timaru, whera 'the company staged "Grumpy" on Monday night to the second best house of the New Zealand tour.

The days and nights of Johnson's Revue Co. at the Princess Theatre are numbered, and Dunedin "will shortly know them no more. It is the intention of the Fuller management to replace the Johnson Company with Haverley's Irish Revue and Comedy Co., which appears at the Princess Theatre on Monday, and will open with ''Two Irish Sports." The company is headed by the Irish-American comedian, Tom Haverley, who was brought to Australia by Ben J. Fuller to present his series of Murphy adventures, in every one of which there is a plot that is not interrupted by the introduction of musical items. The company is a strong one all round, with J.. P. O'Neil, the well-known Irish character comedian,, playing Michael Casey, and including Edna Seaton, a. delightful dancer; Claire Lloyd, a handsome brunette; Billy Moloney, light comedian; Carol Warner, character actress; Lou Vernon, dialect comedian; Dolly Dormer, soubre'tto, and the Kewpie Kids, a clever bunch of young and nimble Australians who are said to work with an energy and vivacity that makes the show go at great speed. The well-known ex-actor, Leo D'Chateau, for some time associated with Branscombe's "Dandies" in a managerial capacity, is now connected with the firm of E. J. Carroll, of Australia, with big interests in the picture world. Mr D Chateau has arrived in Dunedin to herald the coining of the special film feature, " The Barrier." A few weeks ago Dunedin was being treated by theatrical managers like Mangaweka and Taihape; now, with companies treading on each other's, heels so swift they, follow, the city might be Melbourne or Sydney, with a difference. Cyril Maude, iust closed at His Majesty's, is to be followed by another equally eminent English star, Marie Tempest, who is to open with "The Marriage" of Kitty" on the 29th inst.; and ere yet Mario Tempest has departed the New English Musical Comedy Co., staging " You're in Love" and "Canary Cottage," . walks in. Mr Bert Royle, New Zealand representative for J. C. Williamson, is ac'iing as manager of the Marie Tempest season in Ohristchurch, where Mr "Billy" Russell, manager of the Cyril Maude Co., will take charge for the remainder of the New Zealand tour.

Edna Seaton, now with Tom vHaverlcy's Irish Revue Company, was for 104 weeks on the Stoll circuit in Britain with her Dutch specialty. She was then billed as "The Aus'iralian Sparkle." Miss Seaton has the distinction of being tho youngest principal girl to appeAr in first-class pantomimo in England. " Jorry" (AloxJ Patrick, of this city, who lias baen in America tho past three or four years, is still one of Now York's leading juveniles. Ho attempted to enlist. and may yet get away, but meantime is drawing" something like £IOO per week in a New York success. Four members of the "Look Who's Here" Company—Mr and Mrs Waller, Mr F. Dennett, and Mr Dick—were motoring from Timaru to Aehburton in Mr Waller's car on Thursday afternoon, and when crowing a water-race tho motor struck some large stones and swerved to the side of the road. • Mr Waller immediately shut off the engine and applied the brakes, but was unable to stop the car before it crasher] info the branch of a 'tree, which smashed the wind shield to fragments. The branch struck Mr 3 Dick, who occupied the front seat, and aa a consoque-n<U> medical aid had to b« secured when tiJJ- party rer-ched

Ashburton. She sustained slight concussion, but was able to "proceed north by the ,express. Mr Waller escaped with a few scratches on the hand, and the other two passengers received a somewhat severe shaking. The clever character actor, Mr Arthur Styan, who came originally to Australia with the Charles Cartwright Co. very many years ago, and who subsequently became one of the principals in Bland Holt's stock company, has been selected by Allan Wilkie to play the role of Cromwell in the Fuller production or the Cavalier-Roundhead play, "For the King," at the Melbourne Princess.

A roll of honour bearing the names of many of the actors and employees of the firm of J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) who have gone to the front, was unveiled by Major Sir Robert Walker, G. 5.0., Auckland, on the stage of His Majesty's Theatre, at the close of the Musical Comedy Company's season in "So Long, Lctty." Sir Robert said no profession had done more in the war than the theatrical profession. The roll of honour already contained the names of 140 of the actors and employees of the J. C. Williamson firm in Australasia, and 60 names had still to be added. —(Applause.) Of 300 members of the Australasian Actors' Association —which included ladies —no fewer than 105 had joined the forces. The recent marriage of Queenie Paul, principal boy in the last Fuller pantomime, to Mike Connors, of Connors and Witt, a vaudeville act imported from America by the firm, recalls that in all there have been 10 marriages, and of the 20 people engaged in the ceremonies 13 wero performers in the Le Blanc revues.

Mr George Henry Elliott, the music-hall artist, known as "The Chocolate Coloured Coon," has been ordered to join up by the Hackney Tribunal. On his behalf it was stated that ho was originally rejected, but was recently passed Cl. Ho had contracts to 1920 at salaries ranging from £IOO to £2OO per week, and was paying something like £ISOO a year incomo tax. The estate of the late Mr W. H. Kendal, the well-known English actor-manager, who died early in November, has been proved at £66,251. He left portion of his property io theatrical charities, and gave his house in Yorkshire (The Lodge, Filey) to Miss Marie Lohr, the Australian actress. The widow of the late Mr Kendal is a sister of the late T. W. Robertson, the famous dramatist. His youngest daughter, Miss Dorothy Grimston, has played in Australia in recent years. Farquhar Young, late of Dunedin, has been discussing with a Wellington pressman " the most musical centre in New Zealand," and states that Dunedin in the long-ago boasted as fine a set of singers as any city in Australasia, and recalls the late Messrs Harry Smith (a splendid light baritone), Philip Newbury (tenor, then in his prime), Henry Stockwell (tenor, who afterWards toured with Miss Amy Sherwin), E. Paoker"(a lovely counter tenor), James Jago (baritone), James Blenkinsopp (leading tenor), Moylc (baritone, afterwards director of the Dunedin Liedertafel), and Mrs Murphy (mother of Miss Amy Murphy, now doubling with Mr Philip Newbury on a vaudeville turn in Christchurch).

PRINCESS THEATRE.

The Princess Theatre was crowded on the 14th inst. for the weekly change of programme, and considering that there were fjjw new artists it speaks volumes for the drawing powers of the Johnson Musical Revue Company. This talented combination commenced the last week of its present local season with a reproduction of " Izzy in Honolulu," a piece which was staged here some time ago. The • largoaudience was kept in roars of laughter throughout. Mr Gus Franks as " Izz Gclz," Putty's Guardian, and Mr Harry Burgess (Putty), weroin the main responsible for this. The entire piece went with a swing, and there was not a dull moment for the audience, which marked its approval of the various turns with.- merited applause. The Revue Company's performance- was full of merit. The other artists to appear during the evening were Harris and Gold, who met with a good reception for their duets, character songs, and dancing. The three Starrs (three juveniles) were again well received for their bright and clever performance.