THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 52

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By PAaqniK

Tuesday, April 15, 1919.

The old favourite Mdlle. Antonia Dolores will make a welcome reappearance in Duendin on Monday next. The popular French soprano will give four concerts during the present season. Walter George and his Sunshine Players wil return to the Princess Theatre for the matinee on Easier Saturday in an entirely new repertoire of musical plays. It is eight months since this popular company appeared in Dunedin, and it is certain that its reappearance will .-be heralded- by a bumper house. The big British Admiralty film depicting the surrender of the German fleet will be screened for the first time in Dunedin at His Majesty's Theatre on the afternoon of Easter Saturday. The season is under the direction of Messrs J. and N. Tait. and the general manager is Mr Mauripe Ralph. Mdlle. Antonia Dolores, the world-famed French soprano, who opens her South Island tour in Burns Hall, Dunedin, on Easter Monday, can easily claim to be the most travelled artist that has ever come to these shores, for she has circled the world no less than nine times. On these journeys she has carried her "smile and her song" everywhere with her. so that to-day she is one of the most popular artists that has ever visited these shores.

Since she opened her present farewell tour of Australia in Sydney Town Hall last May Mdlle. Dolores, who Is making the present tour under the direction of Duncan Neven, has travelled over 12,000 miles by rail, .500 by motor car, 2641 by boat, and a few miles by coach, and given just on 200 concerts —surely a wonderful record for such an artist. Dolores, wants to renew acquaintance with her numerous admirers, and she desires this, her farewell tour, to be memorable, as it promies to be. judging by her receptions and the wonderful business done. After New Zealand she goes to Melbourne and then visits South and West Australia, and returns to France by easy stapres. Mr and Mrs John Fuller, sen., and Miss Mav Fuller reached Dunedin on Saturday night on a private visit to their relatives here. After spending 10 davs in Dunedin. Mr Fuller intends to visit Christchurch and Auckland, and about the end of May he will proceed via Honolulu to Southern California, where he will spend some six months. The death at South Dunedin on Thursday of Mr George William Ward marks the passing of the old man of the theatrical profession in this part of the world. Mr Ward was in his ninety-second year. In the days of Lady Don. Julia Matthews, J. L. Hall, and W. Hoskins, n© was the chief

property man and responsible head of tho scone-shifters in Dunedin, and he was frequently consulted as the authority on stage history in Dunedin. When tho old-time favourite Miss Dolly Green (Mrs Drum,. mond) launched out as a monologue entertainer, Mr Ward acted as agent; but tho tour was not a prolonged ono. Mr Fred Leslie, who, with Miss Ivy Shilling as a dancing partner, gained fame in London, was at latest appearing in musical hall sketches with Miss Jennie Benson. Miss Shilling is still a feature in "Shanghai," the successful musical production in London. Miss Dorothy Brunton, another Australian artist who had a part in "Shanghai," is now playing in a new production, "Soldier Boy." Miss Kathlene MacDonell and Mr Charles Waldron were at latest in New York. Miss MacDonell has a part in a new play, "The Net." Mr Waldron is a member of tho cast of "Tho Woman in tho Thirteenth Room." This drama must not be confused with "The Thirteenth Chair.'

Miss Margaret Wychcrly, who was seen in Dunedin in the last-named play, and had some difficulty in getting out of New Zealand during the height of the influenza epidemic, has also reached the United States, and when the last mail left was about to appear in a new drama written by her husband. Mr Bayord Veiller, author of "Within the Law" and "The Thirteenth .Chair." One of the leading patriotic workers in England throughout the war was the wife of Brigadier-general F. G. Guggisberg, C.M.G., D. 5.0., Legion of Honour. Before her _ marriage Mrs Guggisberg was Miss Decima Moore, a charming actress, who was in Melbourne some years ago as a member of the popular London Gaiety Company, which played-" The Shop_ Girl" and "In Town." Mrs Guggisberg is honorary secretary, and was one of the founders, of the Navy and Army League Club, and was awarded the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her war work.

Owin.jr to the influenza epidemic the J. O. Williamson management will not this year adhere to its polirsy of staging its annual pantomime in Sydney at Easter. At the (Conclusion of its Melbourne run " Goody Two Shoes" was to go to Adelaide. "Going Up" will be the Easter attraction at Melbourne Her Majesty's. Miss Ethel Er=kine, an Enelish actress, was to make her first Australian appearance in this production. There is stated to be a probability of Mr Walter Bentley, the well-known Shakespearian actor, who in recent years has been teaching dramatic art in Sydney, again appearing on the professional stage, negotiations between Mr Bentley and the J. O. Wiliamson management having lately been opened. In a recent letter to Mr Bentley, Mr Hugh J. Ward, a member of the firm of J. C. Williamson (Ltd.) wrote: " You haye had a long and honourable career as an actor. My first memory of you is in the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, when I was a very young man. I then saw you plav Wilfred Denver in "The Silver King." Since then I have admired your many performances in this country, and regard you .as one of the few sterling actors of the high-experienced school whose public appearances are all too few." Mr Bentley, it will be remembered, toured Great Britain as Macbeth to the Lady Macbeth of the famous Ristori, and was associated with Irving, Wyndham, and other famous companies before he launched out as a starring actor-manager. Jack Waller and his " Look Who's Here" Company are getting readv for a' tour of 'lndia and the East. Then follows a holiday in England and a return to the colonies. The company is at present in Melbourne.

The Royal Comic Opera Company will present two new musical plays during its forthcoming visit to New Zealand. These are " Maytime " and " Oh, Oh, Delphine," and there will be a revival of two highly popular comedies, " Katinka" and " The Pink Lady." Miss Minnie Everett will be in charge of the ballet, and the producer will be Mr George H. Highland. The principals of the company include the folowing old favourites:—Messrs Reginald Roberts, Leslie Holland, John Forde, John Ralston, Percy Claridge, C. R. Bantock, and Phil Smith. Misses Florence Young, Gladys Mon,crieff, Olive Godwin, Addie Leonard, and Maie Baird.

Miss Katherine Grey, who played "The Third Degree" and "Paid in Full" here, is leading woman in Leo Ditridistein's Dlay, "The Marquis de Priola," at the Liberty Theatre, New York. In the cast is Orlando Daly, an actor well v known here in association with Walter Bentley and the late Robert Brouerh.

Howard White, the Boston operatic basso, who recently vis'ted Australia, died at Riverside Drive. Now York City, on 22nd January. He succumbed to pneumonia, and his wifo Evelyn Scotney, was seriouslv ill with influenza when the last mail left. They were both good artists (says Sydney Morning Herald), but the handsome coloratura soprano was_ the of the combination. She was originally "discovered" about 12 years ago by Dame Nellie Melba, who sent her to. Paris for training under Madame Marches!. Howard White sans declamatory basso cantata roles with the Boston Onera Company for five years, appearing with Melba, Tetrazzini, Caruso, and other celebrities, and married his present wife, who was singing lyric soprano roles with him for most of that period. He was the. son of Dr White, of Providence, and was born there June, 1881. He graduated in law at Pittsburg University, but studied singing in Wagnerian onera in Germany; and. followed music as a profession. Tha' famous Tivoli Revue Company is to visit New Zealand. People still have the Tivoli Follies .in their mind as one of the brightest shows of its kind ever seen in Now Zealand, and i.ow that Mr Hugh J. M'lntosh has turned his energies in the direction of the revue he has set a new standard in Australia altogether; hence the success of " Samples,". " Time, Please," "Bubbly," and " Honi Soit," all revues that come direct from the foremost London revue houses. New Zealand playgoers will have the satisfaction of knowing thai the revues will be staged hero on the same lavish scale as they were in Australia. The company will include the following members: —Misses Beatrice Holloway, Florence Fox, Mario Eaton, Noel Geddes, Ethel Bennetto, little Dorothy _,Ryder, and a wonderful beauty ballet and chorus, which is noted throughout Australasia for charms that need to be seen to be appreciated. The male members of the cast will include Mr Leslie _ Gaze (the English artist who was the original Chocolate Soldier with the Williamson Company in New Zealand), Mr Hugh Steyne (a capital comedian and dancer), Mr Charles Albert, little Billy Rego (the little man with the big moustache), Novak (a skilful and R-raceful Rus-

aian dancer), and Laurence llardinge. Mr Hubert Grcig will coine over to Wellington to produce the revues. It is understood that Miss Muriel Starr, after her impending visit to New Zealand, will return to U.S. lor good. It is now about eight years since Miss Starr made her lirst appearance in Australasia, opening in Melbourne, at the Theatre Koyal, in " Within the .Law," in which she scored an immediate success. The actress has played many parts since, but it is doubtful whether she has done- anything to equal her impersonation of Mary Turner in this play. She returned to Australia on a second visit last year, and has since married a Sydney business man.

Miss Annette Kellermann, the Australian svvimmer, picture actress, and entertainer, has recently been giving work of the royue order in New York vaudeville. Stating that Miss Kellermann had substituted a "London Johnny" number for a previous song, a critic says: " She does this masculine bit surprisingly well."

A flight over Auckland city and harbour in a seaplane from the Kohimarama Flying School was made by Mdlle. Antonia Dolores. Appearing in " Eyes of Youth" at Melbourne King's' Theatre under the name of Charles Worrall, is Mr Hugh M'Crae, son of Mr George Gordon M'Crae, the veteran poet, brother of Miss Dorothy Frances M'Crae, who has written dainty verse and sketches, and himself a writer and black-and-white artist of merit. Mr Hugh M'Crae's volume of poems, "Satyrs and Sunlight," attracted considerable attention some years ago. He has had stage experience in New York, under Mr Granville Barker, and has appeared in Melbourne in several Repertory Theatre productions.