THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 52

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

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Tuesday, June 3. Messrs Ben and John Fuller have arranged for a visit to Australia of Carter the Great and his company of illusionists. Carter is now regarded as the legitimate successor of the ill-fated Chung Ling Soo, who was at the time of his tragic death under engagement to the Fullers. Carter also has improved upon many of the stupendous illusions of the great Lafayette, and carries a small menagerie around with him. He will probably open his Australian tour at Sydney Grand Opera House in July. One of the most noted exports of Australia and New Zealand has been sweet gingers to make music in the Old World — Melba, Crossley, Madame Stralia, Rosum Buckman, Nora Dargel, and a crowd of others (says the British Australasian). In future it seems they can stay at Homerif they want to—and still delight the concert halls of Europe. Dr Le Forrest, the wireless telephone expert and inventor, declares that in a few months, by means of the radio-telephone, it will be possible for the human voice to be heard 12,000 miles away. Nor will it be necessary to keep a telephone receiver to one's ear to hear it, for the sound can be amplified to any desired degree, so as to be heard throughout a large auditorium. The farewell tour of Sir Harry Lauder commenced in Melbourne on May 10, and from the reports it is easy to judge that the results bid fair to even exceed those achieved in 1914. The Melbourne Age says: "The audience, which included prominent members of the Scottish societies in Melbourne, crowded the house. During the hour or more for which Sir Harry Lauder was on the stage he appeared in two distinct roles—as the unsurpassed comedian of his day, and as a man to whom the tragedy of war had been brought cruelly home. . . > . For a time the comedian gave himself whollv up to comedy. His own rich laughter, his chuckles over the joyous eccentricities of his characters were as irresistible as of old. His every character stood defined and clear; if in telling a story he recounted a dialogue between a couple of eccentrics, his characterisation of the two was as definite as if the pair faced each other on the stage. The queer, comical voice, the laughter, the play of features, and the odd gait were employed for sketches and songs of the best Lauder type—'l'm going to marry 'Arry,' 'The waggle of the kilts;' ' We a' gang the same way,' ' Roamin' in the gloamin',' and 'I love to be a sailor.' Boundless enthusiasm was manifested throughout the evening. The supporting company is a very sound one." Mr Albert Goldie, who has just arrived in New Zealand from Los Angeles, has been appointed sper-.l commisioner by tho Los Angeles Harbour Board to investigate the possibilities of securing sufficient cargo to justify a regular steamer service between Los Angelos and New Zealand and Australia. Mr Goldie was at one time connected with the Australian stage as an advance agent, and has toured New Zealand. He married Miss Dulcio Deamer, a young North Island writer, who attained fame some years ago by winning the big prize offered by tho Lone Hand magazine for the best original short story. In announcing the death of Mr George Ward, which took place a few weeks ago, I referred to the fact that he was engaged in his particular local theatrical activities when Lady Don, amongst many old-time celebrities, visited Dunedin. It is interesting to note that Sir William Don was n young baronet who contracted debts while in the army, sold the family estate with a view to paying them, and took to the stage. After work in the English provinces and in New York he made his first London appearance in 1857 as Bailie Nicol .Tarvie in " Rob Roy." In the same year he married Miss Emily Sanders, an English actress. Besides appearing in Australa with her husband. Lady Don was seen after his death, which took place in 1862. Jefferson, the celebrated Rip van Winkle, writes of Sir Wiliam Don's early New York appearance: —"I was disappointed in lis acting; he was amusing and effective, but he was an amateur from head to foot, which in his case_ meant a good deal" —for in Jefferson's estimate he was at least 6ft 6in in hoierht. But experience added greatly to Sir William Don's ability, and by the time he reached Australia he was at his best. His wife became a

favourite in various popular parte of the time, and also as a - singer. A photograph of the well-known exPoliard comedian, W. S. Percy, appears in the latest number of the Engiish Sporting and Dramatic News to hand. A writer in Melbourne Argus says that some of the London writer* have compared his methods with those of comedians already known, but many Australian playgoers will remember that the chief influence on his acting style was that of the late George Laun, whose place he took for years in the Williamson musical productions. The name of Mrs Robert Brough appears in the c-.»t of "Cresar's Wife," the new Somerset Maughan play produced in London. . Opinions have been known to differ as to tho professional ability of some of the stage visitors to Australia. With regard to one actress, a girl who occupied a very minor position in the same company, poignantly remarked: " She gets her fare paid from America, and I have to. walk from South Yarra 1" William Desmond, who has appeared on the Dunedin stage, and who achieved great popularity in the Triangle picture plays, is said "to have married Mary M'lvor, lately his loading woman in special productions. Mr Desmond's first wife, a sister of Nance O'Neil, the actress, died a year or two ago. It was stated at the time that her health had been impaired for years as- the result of a fall down a stairway at tho Hotel Australia, Sydney, while with her husband on his stage tour under the J. O. Williamson management. A London woman writer remarks that she has seen Mr Bernard Shaw at a social gathering in conventional evening attire, including a starched collar and shirt, though she had understood that both were against his principles. But Mr Shaw has himself told his readers that "the golden rule is that there are no golden rules," apparently agreeing with Emerson that "consistency is the bane of little minds." And in recollections of his early days in London he has stated that he managed to live for a long time on next to nothing because he possessed some ability as a pianist and a dress suit. His musical Rifts caused him to be invited to many homes. News has been received of the death at Falls City, Nebraska .(U.S.), of Miss Rose Dampier, the well-known actress, while on tour. Her first appearance on the stage took place in Sydney as a child alone: with her sister Lily (now Mrs Alfred Rolfe). She supported her father, Mr Alfred Dampier, in his day one of the best interpreters of Hamlet on the colonial stage. At first she appeared as second to her . sister, but in later years she essayed leading Shakespearean and other roles. Her Ophelia received unstinted praise from the critics of her day, including the famous of the Australasian. The only surviving son [Fred) of Mr Dampier is now touring the United States. The deceased lady was unmarried. Other W. W. Jacobs plays besides the gruesome "The Monkey's Paw" have been seen in Australia. In 1905, opening at the Melbourne Princess Theatre on July 8, tho Brough-Flemming Company gave 'Beauty and the Barge," adapted from Mr Jacob's "Lady of the Barge." with the aid of Mr Louis' M. Parker. The three-act farce had been produced in London by Mr Cyril Maude. Mr Brough was the Australian exponent of Captain James Barley, and Miss Winifred Fraser appeared as Ethel Smedley. "The Grey Parrot," made into a one-act farce, was a feature of one of the pleasant seasons of the Hugh Buckler Company in Sydney a few years ago. Mr Tom Craven (a son of the author of "Milky White" and other plays that used to be well known) had recently arrived from England, and appeared as an ancient, mariner, who was led into complications by the supposed sayings and doings of the parrot