THE STAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3511, 28 June 1921, Page 44

THE STAGE.

Contributions from the Prolesaion obrocioHag their rri'cvementa and doing* are Invited. A‘J communications to bo addressed “Ptußfjuia,” OtafO Witness Office. PRINCESS THEATRE uJiers' Vaudeville nightly. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. June 15 to July 2. —Allan Wilkie. Booked. July 5-9.—J. C Williamson. Booked. July 11-16.—J. C. Williamson. Pencilled. 'The drama’s laws the drama’s patrons glv«. And those who live te please must pieaso * c II vo.*’

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAI NOTES.

By

Pasquin.

Monday, Juno 27. At the Princess Theatre this evening the Diggers will present the third edition of the humorous little musical comedy “Mademoiselle Mimi.” On the vaudeville side patrons will have a fresh programme from the Kev. Frank Gorman, Mario Ilka, and Leslie Wood, Newman and Wynne, and Marshall and Graham. In addition the debut is announced of Mr Arthur Fouchert, who created the leading role in the picture, “The Sentimental Bloke.” He will give a dramatic recital of the more notable scenes from this much-canvassed picture and poem. The A’lan Wilkie Company continues its successful Shakespearean season at His Majesty’s Theatre. During the week the company appeared in “Othello,” “As You Like ft,” “The Merchant of Venice.” “Twelfth Night,” “Macbeth,” and "The Merry Wives of Windsor.” To-night “As You Li I re It ’ will be repeated. In each of the plays presented the company has given most successful, all-round performances. That this is so is demonstrated by the fact that each night the theatre has been crowded. Need more be said. The actingin “Twelfth Night” was particularly sound, Mr Wilkie as Malvolio, Miss Lorna Forbes as Olivia., Miss Hunter-Watts as Viola, Fred Macdonald at Sir Toby Belch, and Mr Hamilton Henry, as Sir Andrew Aguocheck making their parts stand out/ by l/eir artistry In cricketing phrase Mr Wilkie’s < 'onipany completed its second century on Saturday night -that is to say, it consummated the notable achievement of giving 200 consecutive performances of Shakes} cure's plays since its inception nearly 10 months ago. The play was “'Die Merry Wives of Windsor.” in' which Mr Wilkie gave a. striking piece of acting as Sir John Falstaff. Mr Allan Wilkie gave an interview to a representative of the Otago Daily Times, and in reply to a question as to his impressions of Now Zealand, and especially Dunedin, audiences, Mr Wilkie said: “The Dunedin people, and especially the youthful portion of the audience, respond to the various points with the same zeal and interest ns if we were playing a modern play never seen on the stage before. The

interest which the educational authorities of the Dominion are taking in my venture and the number of children attending the performances gives hones of a future when the present limited number of Shakespearean playgoers will be added to by great audiences representative of all classes of the community.” Mr Wilkie, after mentioning that on Saturday the company completed the two hundredth performance of Shakespeare plats, said that few people outside the profession have an idea of what it means to produce not one play but a whole series. Rehearsals have to be held daily, except on Sundays, and scarcely sufficient credit is given to the extraordinary versatility required. The Notariello concerts in the Burns Hall have proved siu-h a success that it has been decided to give two more concerts. Signor Notariello has a fine robust tenor voice, and sings all his numbers with excellent, effect. At each of the three concerts Signor Notariello has had to respond to a large number of encores. Miss Ray Fox is the violinist of the party, and h>.-= proved herself not only an artistic player, but most popular bv reason of her unaffected manner on the stage Miss Elsie Kell is the soprano and Mr Gordon the pianist. Miss Helen Gird’ner took the part of O Mimosa San in the production, of “The ■Geisha” by the Nelson Amateur Operatic Society. Joe and Vera White, the well-known vaudeville artists, are at present working at the Hal Roach studio, Los Angeles. Joe White is doubling for Harold Lloyd in stunts, while V( ra \\ lute is working in the Snub Bollard pictures. Mr George Storey. the well-known comedian (late of Walter George’s Sunshine Players), who was severely injured in a motor accident in Christchurch, is now out of hospital. Frank Harvey, the best actor on the Australian stage to-dav. saves “Scandal from being scandalous ! —The Green Room. The well-known tenor, Philip Newbury, who at present, is appearing in Wellington on the Fuller circuit, is getting a good reception from patrons, and the press is unanimous in the opinion that _ he still retains that exquisite clarity of voice which ha.s charmed New Zealand audiences on his previous appearances in the Dominion. Cheerful letters regarding her impressions of London come from Maggie Dickinson. who is enioying a honeymoon holiday in England, and before she returns to Australia will also visit the ( and America, Tf is not. improbable tbat Australia’s own dancer” will accept an engagement in London before she returns, but e.ie is dues back in Melbourne in time to commence rehearsals for tho t hristmas pantomime “The Babes in the Wood,” for when she left, Australia she was still under engagement to J. C. Williamson (Ltd.). ° “The Maid of the Mountains” continues serenely to pile up its wonderful at Melbourne Theatre Royal. On Saturday nigiit. June 18, the 22nd week and 173rd performance were entered upon, vet it is still necessary for patrons to book their seat? in order to avoid being turned away. In Sydney, attractions which continue to draw crowded houses arc the fascinating and dating production of “Scandal at the Criterion. Joseph Coyne in “Nightie Night at, the Palace, and “Firefly” at Her Ma jesty’s. The last - mentioned has achieved a success similar to that of its predecessor, “Lilac Domino. ( hu Cum (’bow” has enjoyed a record season in .'..•Dsfeane under the' J. C. Williamson management, prior to its visit to New Zealand. The Oriental musical spectacle will be me biggest production ever sent to New Zealand by' the firm. The entire production will he transported. . Mago-ie Moore has a congenial role m “Chu Chin Chow.” She is the buyer ol female slaves, and in the slave market scene her quaint comoJy keeps Hie auclicnee in screams of laughter. . Complaint is being maoe in England that people are ceasing to applaud. ine change is attributed to the influence of ine lack of applause at picture theatres and to strike-time depression. A leading comedian remarked that absence of applause did not necessarily mean that a performance was bad or was not_ drawing well Members of a company might complain of the coldness of an audience while the manager was rejoicing in tho box othce e „e.',,ts During the war pcop.e applauded readily, the soldiers on leave often setting the tune.” - . , , With tho re-opening _of the Ocera House, Sydney, with drama, Messrs Ben and John Fuller have four stock companies at work-name y, in Auckland (New Zealand), at the Princess Hieatrc Aiebourne, and the two houses m Sydney, it is like'v that a fifth company will be installed at Adelaide before long, as the turns experience has proved that melodrama, with weekly changes of programme, is a most popular form of amusement -\ BUI prohibiting tho exhibition of pei forming animals and birds m music-bans theatres, and circuses was introduced m the House of Commons recently innewspapers nublislied detams of the cruelties entailed in the training of even shuttle performers. The Bill was defeated owiim to defective machinery, but in view of the outcry raised the Home Office is preparing a now measure. , 1 Mbs Frances Ross is to return to the stage She has been engaged to appear in' V now farce-comedy, “Wedding Tails, at Sydney Palace. The name of Frances Ross' should give Vise to recollections of 1V wi,,‘(“..ir;;!*it itn'Vof nioml a,lt Wi11i,.,,, j"*;". Waller Bakov, and the firm of O.mko, Meynell. and Gunn Nils# nev appearance was atom uu- ' when dm was seen with Reynolds Dennis- ■ • t 'NTnbo(h’s 1 binghtei*. I 4 oi m<in\ kf,/ «L win. iu a number of successful Drury Lane .m, O began her career at Dalys Ibeatie, r Tb seldom that a comedy is played in Now Zealand before it, is produced m London, but this will happen with Ihe Montour Adventuress.” a smart comedy fay Miss Rosemary Rees, who was horn" in Gisborne, and who lias met with inanv successes in England. Miss Reese father was one of the old pioneers of New Zealand W L. Rees, a well-known solicitor ‘and’ M.P. for Auckland. The action of n’m clay revolves around a section of Hio literary and bohemian community of London. Mr Roland Stavely will be the vpneral manager of the company during its tour of the Dominion.