THE STAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 44

THE STAGE.

Contributions from the Profession chronicling their movements and doings are invited. All communications to be addressed “Pasquin,” Otago Witness Office.

PRINCESS THEATRE. Fuller Vaudeville. —Nightly. lIIS MAJESTY’S TH EAT R E. “Chu Chin Chow”. —August ‘27 to Sept. 3. I he Vice-Re gals.—September 3 to 0. i J- C. Williamson.—Sept. 15 to 20 (pencilled). Competitions.—September 21 to October 8. Dunedin Operatic Society (“Dorothy ’). November 20 to December 3. THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES. Bv Pasquin. Monday, August 22. Miss Jennie Hartley will make a first appearance at the Princess theatre this evening. Another act added to-night is Cestria, a clever acrobat; and the rest of the. bill will bo supplied by the Girton '-•iris, Gardner and Revere, Brull and Hemsley, Uarlton and Kosslyn, Louis London, Don Wallace, and Nellie Kobe. I he four last-named acts make final appearance to-night, and will be replaced tomorrow night by the Smart Set Diggers, a c-lie ver Australian combination of 20 artists. The ‘'Chit Chin Chow” season will open at fits Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night. Hie short season of Gilbert and Sullivan operas proved most successful. His Majesty’s theatre being crowded every evening. Opening with the ‘"Gondoliers (two nights), there followed ‘"idle Mikado,” "‘The Yeomen of the Guard,” lolanthe,” ‘"The Pirates of Penzance,” and “H.M.S. Pinafore.” The members of the company always find a fine conception of their many characters, and the staging and the cliorns work were also features of each production. The popularity of Dame Clara Butt, who, with her husband, Kenneriey liumford, is arriving shortly from England for a concert tour of Australia and New Zealand under the management of J. and N. Tait, is not difficult: to account for. d here is, of course, the wonderful natural organ, that voice of phenomenal range and power, which is quite a revelation to those who hear it for the first time; but there is more than this. In Dame Clara Butt’s singing there is a quality which touches chords that few other artists are able to reach. To hear Clara Butt sing ‘‘Abide with Me” is to be made to understand what religious faith means to some natures. d here is already a lot of controversy in Melbourne over the bedroom scene in J. and -N. Tait’s production of “Scandal,” at the King’s Theatre, but it is generally agreed that the dramatist has handled a delicate situation with rare skill. In England and America this scene was regarded by the critic as the most adroit bit of drama that, had been seen on the stage. The climax is stupendous, because, while being perfectly logical, it springs on the audience an unexpected surprise. Small, but. important parts in “Scandal,” now playing at. Melbourne King’s theatre, arc allotted to Mrs Brough, Miss Emma Temple, Miss Frances Ross, Mr Cyril Maekay. Mr Kenneth Brampton, and Mr H. R. Roberts. Dame Nellie Melba returned to Australia on August 3, after an absence of two and a half years, and was enthusiastically welcomed in Sydney. Her first words when the steamer Niagara reached the wharf were. “How glad I am to be in Australia.” She looked well and bright, and was in excellent spirits. She said she felt stronger than when she left in January, 1919, and that a dangerous attack of Spanish influenza at Monte Carlo had left no weakness. Her party included Mr and Mrs George Armstrong and little Pamela, and her secretary, Miss Grit ten. During her stay in Sydney Dame Melba was the guest of His Excellency the Governor (Sir Walter Davidson) and Dame Margaret Davidson at Government House. Before going io Melbourne, Dame Melba was to appear at two concerts in Sydney. The Lecardos (the “lazy bakers’ of the ■‘Humplv Dumptv” panto.) were passengers by the Tahiti, which sailed from Wellington for San Francisco a few days ago. Roland Hayes, a negro tenor, has made a very keen impression in London. He is hailed as an artist of no mean standard, and lias been courteously and honourably received by all grades of society. The King and Queen summoned him to Buckingham Palace, where lie sang a recital programme, which included some arrangements of negro “spirif utils.” In these days of long runs it is inf cresting to recall that more than a few players have said that extended seasons, instead of making them sure of their words, have tended at times to cause forgetfulness. George Orossmith, the elder, once forgot the words of the I.ord Chancellor's song in “lolanthe.” Tie confided to the audience that lie had sung it 300 limes, and that it was so long since he hail learned it that he had forgotten it. Taken as a joke, this enabled him to refresh his memory by a ...lance at the ho"k in the wings. Ms Sidney Culver and (Miss Maggie Dickenson, who were married in Melbourne a few months ago, have been engaged to appear at the Queen's Ibeafre. London, in a new musical er medv, “Mary.” They will introduce a new d tuning turn T notice hv the London Daily Telegraph (hat Ml" Harold Brownim. was ,; V( T recital at the Wupnoro TTall on July 4. London bauds have been ralh r unfortunate lately in suiting the flute to the occasion. The Times rent irks. It happened, as the Lord Mayer and aldermen were m,eying in their -a-Job- wav towards the nlitform a 1 the Guildhall, that the band of the Cold streamers v.-ere in fhp ’ ■ .111 e of “Phil Chin Chow.” s, H e brisk melody of the Mbd-t----br-rs’ March" accompanied the imposing pro-

gresss and somewhat marred its impressiveness on the beholders. The band of the Royal Irish Constabulary accomplished as pleasing a feat when Lord French took 1 1 is farewell of Dublin Castle by playing “I’m for ever blowing bubbles.” J. C. W illiamson (Ltd.) have acquired the Australasian rights of “Paddy the Next Best Thing," the comedy which Robert Courtneidge produced in London with enormous success. It has been described as another '‘Reg o' My Heart.” A special company io being- formed by the Erin. to present the play in Australia. The theatre of Spain is a great and wonderful thing. Always a feature of the national life, always vigorous, and in some respects more fecund than the theatre of any other country, it is remarkably so at the present time (writes Air Henry Leach in Chambe:s\s Journal). Recently, at the same time, two Spanish plays were being acted in London, one the work of Martinez Sierra, the other of .Jacinto Rena yen 10, who is, if ir could lie realised in England, as ir is elsewhere—The Fnited States, for example,— one of the finest dramatists the world has produced tor a long time. Again, ir was saio in London that it seemed et range that such good things came from Spain, and it was acvked if there could be more of them. Daily so. Indeed, the Spanish theatre is a i.iing of itself Now, the other night, at a quarter past 10, when the evening performances mostly begin, I turned into a theatre in Madrid, and had an excellent seat in the second row of the stalls —of the hutaoas. as they are called in Spain-—to witness a representation of Benavente’s famous comedy “Lis Rosas do (Hum.” Tf is one of the author’s best, pieces of work, belonging Io his earlier period, satirical, like aih hut not so sombre as much of his later writing. For my scat I paid two pesetas, or Is fid. a.--, one might say. Theatre-going is a cheap affair in Spain. There was an absence of gilt and velvet ; there was little of the richness of elaboration and decorative effect on the stage and off that wo see tn London : but the play, the acting of it. is the thing after all, and. this being well done, the rest did not matter. WELLINGTON Wluii WHISPERS. Br He ilia Hax August 19. Dear “Pasquin, ’ —The great violinist Jascha, Heifetz gave his first recital at the town Hall on Wednesday night, when he was greeted by a large audience, whose enthusiasm increased as the recital progressed. Heifetz is a veritable master of the instrument, and the cries of “Bravo” and for encores were merited. He gives two more recitals before returning to ,Syd](e.V•. It is a musical loss to Dunedin and Christchurch that this great artist does not go south. It was only his desire to see the wonders of Rotorua that brought him to New Zealand, and Auckland and Wellington have profited thereby. Mar cede, announced as a conjuror, and ' o bo supported by an American vaudeville company, made his appearance at the Grand Opera House on Saturday. This was io have been the opening night of a “short season,” but it also proved to be the final night. Marcello himself presented a neat and elaborately-staged turn, but, with the exception of one artist (a contortionist), the support .was. poor, ’t he audience was emphatic in its disapproval. One alleged comic singer, who did not show discretion in his choice of songs, warbled to the eject tlnii “I’m not satisfied, and you’ve not satisfied.” In this he was quite correct, for the audience endorsed the words of the refrain by counting him out in a manner which there was no denying. He “took the count ’ smilingly and retired. The show was over before 10 o’clock, and the dissatisfied galleryit.es waited outside (he theatre to demand back their money. However. wiser counsel prevailed, and they went. away. The company did not appear on Monday night. Mr Leo du Chateau, who has been on a business visit to “Sydney in connection with Carroll’s films, returned by the Ulimaroa on Monday. Richardson Brothers and Clierie, Berg ami. Johnson, and Lola Stanfonne. American vaudeville artists, arrived bv the Mamma from ’Frisco on Tuesday, and appeared tile same evening at Fullers’ Ilis' Majesty’s! All made a good impression, and thr-v go on tour of the circuit next week. On Monday next Hugh Hulham’s Seronadcrs are billed to appear; the Fullers’ Revue Gompa.ny will move along to Auckland to make room for them. 'I lie “Marama” Opera Company disbanded after the Auckland season,' which was the best of the tour. Altogether the tour turned out very satisfactorily. Mr Ecott. Colville, who is managing the Iletfetz recitals, will return to Auckland next week. The English Pierrots will plav a week’s season at the Grand Opera House, commencing on Saturday. If is understood that ihb company will four New Zealand throughout the vear. and will not return to Australia for the summer season, as has been its custom.