THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3334, 6 February 1918, Page 46

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasqoin. Tuesday, February 5. One would have to cast the mind back OVOi the years to remember a season which mec with the success—both artistic and monetary—which fell to the Marie Tempest Company. _ Five comedies were played in the rive-night season, and His Majesty's Theatre was crammed on each occasion. Commencing last Tuesday night, the plays y/ere: "Mrs Dot," "A Pair of Silk Stockings," "The Marriage of Kitty," "Good Gracious, Annabelle," and "Penelope." In Miss Marie Tempest and Mr Graham Brown© Dunedin audiences had an opportunity of seeing two artists with English and American reputations, and nothing but praise is awarded for their respective performances. Apart from the principals, the company had been wisely selected, and the various characters were so allotted in each Clay as to give a particularly sound Gemination. The season went to demonstrate once more that Dunedin audiences are quick to appreciate, and pa'tronise, a highclass company with a judiciously-selected repertoire. On Wednesday, February 13, at Hie Majesty's Theatre, J. O. Williamson (Ltd.) \vill present here for three nights only their new English Musical Comedy Company in tho gladsome spring-time attraction, "You're in Love," a musical play in two acts by the authors and composers of "High Jinks." "You're in Love" is also the title of the languourous valse refrain which tho authors and composers have threaded through the plot. This time Miss Connie Ediss (Mrs Payten) has forsaken her wiles and smiics and appears a sour grass widow, the result of three ventures in the matrimonial lottery without drawing a winner. Moral stamina was the failing of her three husbands, and. so she is determined 'no': to permit her pretty niece, Gcorgiana (Miss Maudo Fane), to throw herself away on Hobby Douglas (Mr William Greene) until his moral stamina is tested by an abstention from love. As a Chadband in rusty black short trousers Mr Alfred Frith is said to be a joy to the wholo theatre. " You'ro in Love" will be staged for the first three nights only of a five-night season, and it will be succeeded for the last .two nights with another success, "Canary Cottago." One of the most effective entrances seen in pantomime in Melbourne for many years was that made by Mr Barry Lupino in " Aladdin." Mr Lupino introduces himself to those present by shooting through a trap-door into the air, a feat which is repeated on three subsequent occasions nightly. A peep behind the scenes—or, rather, under the stage —when Mr Lupino is being shot into view of the house does not lessen one's respect for this performer's skill as an acrobat. Mr Lupino stands on a platform resembling the floor of a miniature lift, to which are attached pulleys woighted with 4cwt of lead. When Mr Lupino gives the word a cord is pulled! this releases the platform, which spring*; upward, shooting Mr Lupino through an aperturo in the stage. Of course, Mr Lupino has also to spring himself 'to render his entrance tho sensational affair it is, and long practice has enabled him to make his spring at exactly the right moment, and also to land on his feet on tho stage clear of tho trap. Four men aro required to haul the platform with its heavy weights back into its position under the stage. Some idea of the cost of a modern pantomime may bo gained when it ie mentioned that the bill for ono artist's costumes frequently runs into three figures. This is tho case with Miss Winifred' La France, who plays tho principal "boy" in "Aladdin." Miss La Franco wears several gorgeous costumes, one of which in white and silver is said to be valued at £SO. This costume has a tunio composed of Rhine stones, which arc especially suitable for reflecting the spotlight when it is turned upon the artist. All of those stones, numbering some hundreds, wore sewn on by hand. Some attention has boon won in Lond-vi for "The Willow Tree," described as a Japanese fantasy, the theme of which appears to bo that of Pygmalion and Galatea treated from a Japanese point of view. The play, which is spoken of by one critic as " a little gem of imaginative art," _ is shortly to bo produced in Sydney, with Miss Kathlene MacDonell and Mr Charles Waldron in the principal roles. A well-known American magazine recently referred to Miss Vera Pearco as "the finest figured girl in Australia," and published a

typical picture of Miss Poarcc as representing '* a beauteous example of Australian womanhood." In response to the request of the editor of the magazine, Miss Poarcc has written and forwarded an article on physical culture, of which she is an earnest and enthusiastic exponent. From tho profits made from " Damaged Goods," which recently finished a run of 231 performances at St. Martin's Theatre. London, £6OOO lias been devoted to a crusade against venereal disease. Sir John Poster Fraser, tho well-known journalist and traveller, has written a oneact play, "The Grousers," which is being played in English music-halls on the Stoll circuit. The stage and its people exercises a remarkable fascination over those who merely know its glamour from tho other sido of tho footlights. Tho region behind the scones is an unknown world to most people. In '"'The Easiest Way," in which Miss Muriel Starr will appear at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, shortly, a searchlight is thrown upon a particular phase of tho theatrical business in America. The fact that "The Easiest Way" is written by Eugene Walter, who has an intimate knowledge of the theatre both in front and behind the scenes, should bo a guarantee as to the interest of tho story and its atmosphere which he has embodied in this absorbing play, which is described as " a drama that will appeal to every man and woman who know* life." " The Bing Boys" at Sydney Her Majesty's has broken all records for that city. Nothing to equal the business done by tho revue has ever been known at Her Majesty's. The. production is a glorious succession of wonderful features and gorgeous spectacles, and is expected to run in Sydney indefinitely. Says the Sydney Daily Telegraph: "Two now records have been established by Fuller pantomime productions—one in Sydney and one in Melbourne. Hero, at tho Grand Opera House, 'Robinson Crusoe' this afternoon commences its fifth week of two shows a day, the fiftieth performance taking place to-night. This is an achievement that possibly stands as a record for Sydney pantomime productions.. In Melbourne, the revival of 'The Bunyip' has been so successful that the Fullers to-night transfer it. from the Bijou to the Palace Theatre. This pantomime will thus have played three different Melbourne theatres. Bon and John Fuller are agreed that much of the success of the two pantomimes is due to the policy in regard to prices, which, for the first time, have permitted a big city pantomime to be seen by children at any performance, premiere included, for sixpence." During the past month the censor, of films examined 498,210 feet of moving pictures, and has made 19 cuts and refused two subjects. For the 10 months ended January 31. the films examined totalled 4,866,580 feet.