THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3562, 20 June 1922, Page 44

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Br

Pasquin

Monday, June 19. For the past four weeks the American Revue Company has been the outstanding attraction at the Fuller house, and this week again it wall bo a weighty factor. But on the vaudeville side of the bill, a new act -will be at least an equal feature. This is the act of Frank Whitman, “the dance-mad Fiddler,” one of the latest of the Fullers’ English importations. New acts are billed from Jack Birchley, Emerald and Dupre, and the Honolulu Four. The Gilbert- and Sullivan Company is having a successful season at His Majesty’s, Dunedin. The season opened with “Dorothy,” which was played for two nights. “The Gondoliers” followed on Friday night, “The Yeomen of the Guard” on Saturday, and to-night “The Mikado” will be staegd. “The Chocolate Soldier” will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday, and on the last three nights of the season “Merrie England” wall be staged. The leading vocalists of the company are Mr Charles Mettam and Mr A. Howett-Woor-ster and Misses Patti. Russell and Byrt Walkely. The leading comedian is M,r Charles Workman. An old Pollard Juvenile Opera Company boy, Mr Jack Ralston, is with the present company. Mr Pollard, however, joined the company when it had been in existence for some years. It is interesting to note when the original Pollard Opera Company first arrived in New Zealand. It came from Tasmania, where the family lived, in 1881, arriving at the Bluff in February. The season opened at Sloan’s Theatre, Invercargill, on March 2. with “Pinafore.” The original oast was:—Sir Joseph, Maud Pollard; Josephine, May Pollard; Buttercup, Olive Pollard ; Cousin Hebe, Lena Salinger ; Raekstraw, Connie Osmond; Captain Corcoran, Herbert Salinger; Dick Deadeye, Dick Osmond; Boatswain, Joe Sheehan; Bobstay, Arthur Godwin ; Midshipmite, Arthur Pollard; and the Black Cook, Willie Pollard. J. Pollard, jun., was conductor, Charlie Pollard leader, Fred Pollard flute, Harry Pollard double bass, Alice Pollard piano, Nellie Pollard organ, and Tom Pollard was stage manager. The (our was a triumphant success, and the six months’ contract terminated at Auckland. There were 17 children in the Pollard family. The father, James Joseph Pollard, came from England to Hobart in 1860. married, and settled down at Launceston. The New Zealand soprano, Miss Rosina Ruckman, who fir-st achieved fame in her homeland in “The Moorish Maid” and has since achieved success in England, will open her Dunedin season on June 27. Miss Buck man has been over 10 years m England. Mr Maurice D’Oialy, husband of Miss Buck man, is a tenor with a reputation, and other members of the party are Miss Adelina Leon, ’cellist, and Mr Percy Kahn, accompanist. Miss Patti Russell, soprano with the J. C. Williamson Comic Opera Company now appearing at His Majesty’s Theatre, will be remembmjpr! as one of the principals of the grana opera company which toured New Zealand a couple of years ago. “The Maid of the Mountains” company is to come to Dunedin without fail. The cost of transport of a company such as the oue under notice may be gauged from the fact that there are some 80 people engaged, and eight large railway trucks are required to convey the scenery. Daisy Jerome is again in Australia. She has been in India for the past 12 months. “I don’t particularly want to work,” she says, “bill Mr John Fuller has been urging me to go on the stage again, and h-as been good enough to say that- I was the best draw they ever had. I will do it if it is worth while, but nothing less than £250 a week.” The quaint- comedienne is now married. Her husband is Captain La Touche, and he has accompanied his wife to Australia. Rather a stir has been caused in New York by the action of the Rev. Dr Guthrie, who included a ritual dance, performed by five have-footed dancers, draped in long, flowing silk robes, in'the celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation in -St. Mark’s-iii-the-Bouwerie. For the occasion a stage was built across the nave of the church, the altar in its rear being curtained off. Dr Guthrie ha:- defended his action by saying that nothing beautiful should be banned from the church. The members of ‘‘The Little Dutch Girl” and “The Bat” companies and the Humphrey Bishop Company, together with the orchestras -and staffs from ihe three theatres under the .1. C. Williamson Ltd. management, in Melbourne, gathered in the foyer at, Her Majes’g's Theatre to celebrate die knighthood of Sir George Tallis, the chairman of directors of the firm. The toast of “Sir George and Ladv Tallis” was proposed by Mr Charles A. Wennian, who said that the. honour conferred on Sir George Tallis was also a tribute to the profession. 'the death of the well-known actor and singer, Rutland Barrington, (whose real name was George Rutland Fleet-', is announced from London. He was horn in 1853, and iri 1874 made his first appearance on the stage in ('lane-arty.' He had been

on the stage ever since. His principal i successes were -gained in Gilbert and Sul- j livan operas, and it is interesting to note, ; in view of the present DuneuTn season by the J. O. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Go., that he was ihe original Pooh Bah in “'J he Mikado.” He had published two volumes of recollections, one in 1903 and another in 1911. Miss Isobel Wilford, daughter of Mr T. M. Wilford, leader of the N.Z. Opposition Party, has concluded her engagement in Australia with “Paddy the Next Best Thing,” in which she took the part of I Eileen. She had hooked her passage back | to Wellington where she purposed to spend | a short, holiday. But just before leaving, j she accepted an offer by Mr John Tait to I understudy Miss Parkes, leading lady in “The Bat,” the clever “mystery” play now being produced in Sydney for the first time. She was given two hours’ notice to take Miss Gwen Bn Trough’s part in the prologue to “Johnny, Get Your Gun.” She was quite equal to the occasion, playing the part at. a matinee and two evening performances. Reg Sarsfield, the “globe-trotting Anzac,” who is at present- lecturing in England on “The Scenic Beauties of Australia and New Zealand,” writes me as follows from the Kennington Theatre:—“Dear Pasquin,—Doing O.K. over here, and won’t be back to New Zealand till next November. Hope to travel a picture on the ‘Scenic Beauties of Britain-’ on arrival. Wishes to all in New Zealand.” “HIS FIRST MOVIE.” NAPIER, June 14. The scenic novelty, “His First Movie,” which is an original Napier film, was received with tremendous enthusiasm last night. The picture shows Cape Kidnappers and the gannets, Tangoio Park, and the falls at Maraetara, yachting in the harbour, and The Watchman, the “Century of Fashion” (a champion Mardi Gras exhibit), Ilughie Dwyer in a boxing stunt, views of the Marine parade and inner harbour, and the Napier reclamation. “His First Movie” will tour New Zealand at an early date.