THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 8 March 1921, Page 44

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Bj

Pasquin.

MONDAY, March 7. The principal feature of the new programme for presentation at the Princess 'theatre to-night will be an entirely new musical comedy, entitled “Ilie Burglars,” which will be staged by Puller’s New Revue Company, under the direction of Waiter Johnson. This is the third production of the season. Excellent parts are provided for the two oiever comedy merchants, Kennedy Allen and Nat Hanley, and Miss Daisy Yates has a telling role. On the vaudeville side one Ferry the Frog, Yank and Jean, Brull and Hemsley, Captain Erard, and Harrington lieynodls. “The Bells of Cuba,” an original musical comedy, by John Youlin Birch and Thomas Humphrey, of Auckland, is to be presented there shortly. Northern papers report that Miss Bathie Stuart (Mrs Umbers) proposes to leave for England shortly. Miss Stuart is particularly successful in clia.ract.er songs, and when at Home she will feature Maori folk songs. Misg Daisy Kennedy, the violinist, who is reported to have made a success in New York, will tour America until April, when she will return to London with her husband (M. Moiseiwitsoh), the brilliant pianist. I have received one or two inquiries as to the postal address of Mr Val Newman, of the clever pair Yal and Lottie Newman. The last I heard of Mr Newman he had just returned to Sydney from the East. Will he please forward his address. Mr Walter Whyte, fine tenor singer and pianist, who was on the Fuller circuit for some time with Miss Pollard, has the musical direction of the “Cinderella” pantomime at Princess Theatre, Melbourne. Mr Nevin Tail was at latest in Hong Kong as manager of Ohefalo and Palmero, magicians. Mr Nevin left Sydney with the majicians on November 26. “Patty” Arbuckle (writes M. Cox Taylor to W ellington Free Lance) has caught the tirst steamer that can accommodate his extra weight, from London to New York. He complains that England is “too cold,” but means to return in summer. New York and other northern cities have central heating in houses as well as hotels, so Mr Arbuckle is not going to perish in his prime in Blighty. After a wonderfully successful season in Sydney, the J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company has moved on to further triumphs. On March 5 the Company- opened in Adelaide, where a repertoire comprising “The Gondoliers,” “The Yeoman of the Guard,” “ r ihe M'kado,” and “lonlanthe” will be presented. A season in Perth will next be entered upon. The opening date in Perth will be March 26. A new leading lady for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., has arrived in Sydney from America. This is Rubi Trelease, who is to play the principal feminine roles in “His Laxly Friends” and other farce comedies in which the famous Joseph Coyne is to star. Miss Trelease has played the leading roles in an important series of dramas and comedies ill well-known New York theatres, and has also figured prominently on the screen. Mr George Highland, the American producer for J. C. Williamson (Ltd.), is now in Wellington on a health visit. He intends to visit Rotorua and places in the South Island before leaving for San Francisco, en rout© to New York. Mr Highland has completed bis contract with J. G. Williamson (Ltd.), and at present does not know whether he will return to Australasia. Mr Arthur Blanchard, of the Musical Blanchards, writes me from Auckland that since the termination of his engagement with Fuller’s Vaudeville circuit at Auckland at the beginning of February, lie has been busy arranging a tour of the picture theatres inland to play his act in conjunction with their picture programmes. “We are both New Zealanders, my wife Auckland and self Christchurch. Have just returned and completed our engagement to Fullers after an absence from New Zealand of 12 years, and during our absence have played the principal music hall and picture palaces of Australia, 'South Africa, and the Eastern Countries.” Miss Jean Stirling Mackinlay (a daughter of Mad-: me Antoinette Sterling, the contralto, who visited New Zealand) has made a name in London as a children’s entertainer. She gave special matinees at the Steinway Hall for the holiday season. Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson has been criticising some of London’s theatrical tastes from a safe distance. Speaking at York on people’s theatres, he said that certain forms of light entertainment wanted carefully watching:—One saw now and then in London ballets that had, in his opinion, outstepped the range of propriety altogether, as also had certain forms of vaudeville, burlesque, and musical comedy. The prurient, pieces which they heard of were things to he ignored and put aside and be done with. They wanted to clean tip things a bit on the stage, hut he thought the fog was being dissipated, and he was pleased to learn that in London and other great cities revivals of Gilbert and Sullivan operas had been enormously successful. That was a healthy sign, because these two wonderful men were clean-minded and wholesome. Still another record has been made by “Ohu Chin Chow’’ m London, for its run

has exoeeded the duration of the war by many weeks. The first performance was given on August 31, 1916. Of 328 plays produced within the same period, 296 have disappeared from the stage. Dorothy Brunton is appearing in “Baby Bunting” at Melbourne Her Majesty’s. The following will be associated with her in the cast:—William Greene, Cyril Ritchard, Field Fisher, Eddie Nable, Alfred Frith, Cecil Bradley, Hettie Hartley, Madge Elliott, Jack Hooker, Reita Nugent. The Actor, the official organ of the British Actors’ Association, has now settled down into a weekly, not only valuable to the profession, but interesting to the layman. From it one learns that the association has started on its campaign against the bogus manager. In a recent issue a trade union boycott was declared against a certain manager alleged to have repeatedly stranded companies he has taken out on tour. A week later, the Actor was able to announce that the association had prevented him from opening at one town, and hoped to prevent his appearance at other towns figuring on his programme. From the current number of the issue it appears that the association is now in a fair way of driving him off the road alto"ether, and the other gentlemen whom they have since placed on the black list cannot feel that 1921 is retting in very propitiously. The brilliant success of Gladys Moncrieff, whose stage career has reached its pinnacle in “The Maid of the Mountains,” in Melbourne, has acted as a strong stimulus to Australian girls who are anxious to embrace a stage career. Miss Moncrieff’s success, which has been achieved by sheer ability, has plainly indicated that there is plenty of opportunities on the Australian stage for girls who have the necessary qualities. The result has been a deluge of letters on the J. O. Williamson management in Melbourne, and every day half a sackful comes to hand, containing inquiries from ambitious young girls—and others—who are anxious to follow in Miss Moncrieff’s fotosteps. These letters are given the earnest attention of the management, who are expectant that perhaps amongst them might (>e another “find” who will win fame and fortune for all concerned. Pantomines produced in the United Kingdom for the holiday season numbered 125. As on 16 other occasions in the last 29 years, “Cinderella” was the favourite. It was the subject of 18 productions*. “The Babes in the Wood” and “Aladdin” each had 16 representations. A contralto who hails from New Zealand, Miss Dulcie Mitchell, created a distinctly favourable impression at her first recital, in the rEolian llall, London, recently. Says the London Daily Telegraph:—“She has a full, round, and resonant voice; and in using it she neither strains the tone nor condescends to tepidity of utterance. Her delivery, indeed was almost t-oo forcible. In each song she presented she appeared to be doing all she could, and the result was a certain fervent monotony, which might have been avoided if she hacl been a shade more cunning in economising her resources. Cunning, however, is a far less valuable asset bo a singer than sincerity; and Miss Mitchell’s initial success was due to tlie fact that she gave full play to an undeniable temperament.” WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS. Bt Petes Pan. March 4. Dear “Pasquin,”—Mr Phil Wirth was a passenger by the .Mamma for ’Frisco this week. Tie is on his road to America in search of animals to replenish the zoo of Wirth’s Circus, and also novelities for the circus ring. Fullers have a very strong bill at II is Majesty’s just. now. This is the roster: Miss Claire Years, Signor Carbasi, Sumas, Leonard Nelson, Emerald and Dupie, Phil Percival, Ross Brothers, Miller and Rainey, Connors and Paul, Le Bruns, and Miss Adelaide Taylor. Business has been as good as the above list warrants. The Musical Blanchards, who have just finished a long engagement under the Fuller banner, are at present giving their novel act in the “smalls” of the Auckland province. The Blanchards have done much travelling of recent years, but they always like to come to New Zealand, for the male partner is an Aucklander, and his wife is a Christchurch girl. Walter Fuller is a cultured musician, and what spare time he lias lie devotes to the professional orchestra, of which he is the deputy-conductor. That this interest is appreciated may Ire judged from the following excerpt from the annual report of that body:—“To Mr Walter Fuller gratitude is expressed for his support and keen enthusiasm in the interests of the orchestra. Indeed, its success musically is in a measure ilue to Mr Fuller’s efforts. It is regretted that more influential citizens do not en deavour to emulate Mr Fuller’s example in the cause of furthering good music in the city.” “The Diggers” are having a most successful time at the Grand Opera House. They finish on Saturday night, and go to Levin on Monday; here they commence their northern inland tour. There are still chances that the “Sinbad the Sailor” pantomine will be across in time to open here at Easter. There is some talk of the Hastings Operatic Society doing a tour with its locally-written opera, “Maratna.”