THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 46

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquin. Tuesday, February 19. The J.C. Williamson management has reason to be pleased with at least the first nights of their present season at His Majesty's Theatre. The company played to a lull-capacity house on each of the three nights of the "You're in Love" production, and had another big attendance on Monday night, when "Canary Cottage"_ was presented. A continuation of the existing business should result in the big firm of the theatrical firmament gathering a better opinion of Dunedin as a show town than it has hold after previous campaigns in the same theatre. The Marie Tempest season was also a big success, and Cyril Maude played to good business, and probably Dunedin will yet shake off the stigma of being the actor's graveyard. In theso days when .circus jicte are so conspicuous a feature of the vaudeville stage, it is pleasing to meet with a firstclass vocal "turn" on a programme, and, judging by the execution which Mr Mackay, oi the Mackay and Graham act. nightly receives, a large section of the Princess Theatre patrons agree with the above opinion. Mr Mackay has a very pleasing voice of good quality and volume, and does not mako_ the grave and common' mistake of sacrificing melody for the sake of achieving a strident top note. His popularity is evidenced by the number of "straight" 'songs the audience nightly demand from his repertoire. He is very ably assisted by his partner, who plays the accompaniments in finished fashion. The effervescent Mr Charles Berkely, who has criss-crossed Australasia as a theatrical pilot for so many years that a plan of his trail would look 100 per cent, more tortuous and baffling than a jumbled spider's web, is with us once again, and wearing a pleased smile as the result of steering the "You're in Love" Company into a. harbour providing a well-paying berthage. Ho was for so many years Jinked with the sock and buskin side of the footlights that he occasionally carries the theatrical eloquence- and gesture he acquired in bygone days to the managerial side of the show, and declaims with "Lay on, Macduff" emphasis when business is of the "rotten cotton gloves" order. Charles B. is easily top weight in the field of breezy avant couriers, and is 1 going as strong as ever, and Faust's goblet did not contain anything so rejuvenating as the elixer of life which the genial Charles seems to have discovered. Ho is at the top of his form when in reminiscent mood, and "shoulders his crutch," as it were, in telling of the days when he played in farce, burlesque, and Shakespeare all in one night's programme. As jaunty and debonnaire as a stage soldier.that is the hero of the village, one can hardly credit that Charles Berkely was a playactor playacting in Dunedin in the late '7o's of last century. Mcthinks many folk would willingly quaff the same Tennyson brook-water which makes Charlie merry for ever, and perhaps one of these* days ho will give away the secret in a book for which a good title would be '"The Trips, Trials, and Troubles of a Thespian" or "A Theatrical Alexander Rediscovering Old Worlds for Reconquering with New Successes." His motto: "This, my boy, is the best we have ever brought round, bar none." An alteration took place in the original programme for playing Dunedin, as laid out by the J. C. Williamson Comedy Company. The intention was to play here four nights only, but the plans were rearranged as follow: —Throe nights (commencing last Friday), "You're in Love"; two nights, "Canary Cottage"; one night, "ISO Long, Letty"; and the last night (Thursday), "The Only Girl." Our' old friend, Mr George Stephenson, manager of the Auckland Opera House, is to act. as _ advance in Auckland for the Allan Wilkio season, to open there shortly. Miss Connie Ediss has a most congenial role to portray in '"The Only Girl," and it n anticipated by those who have seen the rehearsals that she will bo seen at her very best in the new .piece. The J. O. Williamson's New English Musical Comedy Company will stage "You're in Love" and "So Long. Letty" at Invercnrgill on Fridav and Saturday nrxt. On Monday they will return to Dunedin, and on Tuesday they will stage "You're in Lovo" at- Timaru. On Wednesday the company will join the Manuka for Sydney, and they will proceed immediately to Melbourne, where they aro to begin a

season in "The Only Girl" on Saturday, Marco 9. 'lhe present season of the New English Comedy Company is proving the most successful experienced by a J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) company since the war. Miss Florance Gleeson died suddenly on the 4th mat. at a private hospital, St. Kilda (Melbourne), alter a brief illness. Miss Gleeson was xor several years a member of the J. O. Williamson Company, and during that period created a number of roles, such as iNatueh in "Squaw Man," Tweenio in "The Admirable Criehton," and .Bessie Broke in "'ihe Light that Failed." Her last appearance here was with Miss Mario Tempest in "Penelope," Miss Gleeson playing Mrs Watson. Miss Gleeson made two trips to London, returning lrom her last trip at the outbreak of tho war. Recently, in Sydney, the Minister of Education, Mr JaiiiM, made a tour in order to personally acquaint himself with the welfare of the children of tender years who, tinder his permits, are appearing on the stage. Air James said tnat he was delighted with the attention given to tho welfare of the juveniles, who seemed to enjoy their stage experiences. After each matinee the younger children were put to bed, and were not awakened until l o'clock, when they got ready for the evening performance. His instruction that their parents were to have charge of them was also being observed. Long-memoricd playgoers will bo sorry to hear of tho deatli ot Mr Georgo Warde, who appeared here with the London Comedy Company in 1880 (says Sydney Herald]. Mr Warde died recently at Hastings, England, at the advanced age of 80. Tnis grand old man of the theatrical profession was on the stage 50 years. He played 'with iSamuel Pheips, Charles Kean, Larry Sullivan, Forbes Robertson, Lewis Waller, Helen Faucit, Kate Terry, Miss Fortescue, Mary Anderson, and Mrs Patrick Campbell. His last appearance in London was as the Archbishop in the late Lewis Waller's production of "Henry V." Mr Warde was the doctor in "Friends"— tho opening piece of the London Comedy Company in Sydney. Of the members of that company only two survive—Alma Santon (Mrs G. S. Titheradge) and Mr Frederick de Belleville. Sydney audiences saw nothing of Do Belleville, who left the company after the Melbourne season, with which the Australian tour commenced. The place of the man who afterwards worked his way to the front in the United States, and who was still acting there a few years back, was filled by the engagement ot the late Georgo S. Titheradge, who had just finished his own Sydney season at the Theatre Royal. Before he died, in January, 1916 Mr Titheradge saw the passing of Fred Marshall, Edward Marshall, Frank Cates,' Arthur Garner, G. Shepherd, William Farren, Henry Lemon, Arthur Roberts, Blanche Stammers, Marion Stammers, Annie Taylor, Nellie Playfair, other members of the London Comedy Company. _ George Gordon, the excellent scenic artist, who remained here, predeceased his artist son, John Gordon.