THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 72

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By

Pasquin.

For a bright variety of entertainment, replete with humour, fun, and frolic, dance and song, one could not do better than visit the Princess Theatre, where Robert Roberts and his Bon Bon Revue Company have-a first-class .programme to offer. It is a.breezy show from start to finish,- and interest never flags, for the simple reason that the members of the company are well versed in the art of amusing the average theatre-goer. June Mills, the generouslyproportioned comedienne, is in good form, r-and the other members of the company all do their full, share. - The second and final performance of “Frasquita,” Frank Lehar’s beautiful comic opera, attracted another large to His Majesty’s Theatre on Wednesday night. Marie Burke excelled herself iii the role of the Spanish gipsy, who, from a spirit of revenge, sought and secured the love of a young nobleman, only to realise that playing with fire was a dangerous game; She was well supported by Mr R. BarretbLennard, Mr Cecil .Kellaway, and Mr Herbert Browne, and the other members of the company. The season closed on Thursday night with a revival of the popular “Wildflower.”

R*tsry Santrey’s noted orchestra of jazz and classic musicians commenced their brjef season at His Majesty’s Theatre on ■Saturday night. Under the 'guidance of Ju ir . vcrsat,l(i leader, they established themselves as warm favourites, giving distinctive value to old-time melodies, and inspiring a love for the classics with their well-balanced playing. Never before has vr a £ p a PP ear ed in a jazz orchestra, but Mr San trey. has started a new tradition by introducing a brilliant harpist, whose solos always receive enthusiastic appreciation. Misf Anna Seymour, who is associated with the orchestra pleases the eye and the ear with her fascinating rendering of songs and dances, and she makes a’desirable feminine adjunct to an artistic show. The vaudeville portion of the programme submitted by the J. C. Williamson Tivoli artists comprised a striking act by Jean Barrios, who presented the “girl of 1927” in exquisite modes. Estelle Fratus, a Continental performer, had a turn dancing dolls. , Yost and Ctady are French artists whose particular speciality is clay modelling: and by way sensation there are the Stavannys, who created a very favourable impression with their statuary poses and daring trapeze stunts. . Probably two <f the youngest of the important theatrical managers of Australia and New Zealand to-day are Messrs Dick White and Erie. Edgley, and it is not generally known that they are brothers. Mr Eric Edgley directs the business destinies of “The Midnight I'rolics, ’ whilst Mr Dick White conducts the operations of the popular Joseph Cunningham Comedy Company, which, with Miss Zillah Bateman as leading lady, has now firmly established itself in popular favour in Australia, and New Zealand. Y le r. J, ' lin ’ n K| la m Company will play a Short season, in Dunedin this month with the much-discussed “Outward Bound.”

At the cor.clusior. of the Dunedin season the Joseph Cunningham Company will leave fo • -Hobart and Launceston. A Melbourne .-eason will be commenced about the end of April. "Abie’s Irish Rose,” to be ■ seen in Dunedin on May 18, has had the longest run of any theatrical show in the world. It ran for five years in New York, and has passed-. the extraordinary four and a-half years’ record put up by “Chu Chin Chow” in London. It is still running in New York, but so far it has not been staged in London. It is a delightful comedy-drama, and is interpreted by an American company. Ann Nicholls, who wrote and produced the play in New York, has made a fortune out of it. She is only a few years over 30. ' *’•'

The “Rose Marie” Company established the Australian long-run record of .317 performances in Sydney, and is now'playing at Melbourne His Majesty’s. Mr Marty lord, who played the part of Isaac Cohen in “Abie’s Irish Rose” during the Sydney and Melbourne seasons of the famous comedy, died suddenly at N ’ ortllei 'n Hotel, Newcastle (N.SAV.) on February 17. Mr Ford had played the same part in the play more than 2000 times in America. Albert Whelan, who played so successfully as Ichabod Bronson in “The Belle of New York” in New Zealand, and also in vaudeville, is on the bill at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire (London). Mr John Tait states that a real Grand Opera Company is to tour the Dominion next year. “It will be grand opera on real grand opera lines,” said Mr Tait to an interviewer. “The company will have a big repertoire, which will include several oi the operas thtat have never before be°n done in New Zealand. We feel that the time has come to send a reallv first-cla’s grand opera company to New Zealand, as such recent successes as Pavlova, GalliCurci, and other famous people have proved that the public will pav the price winch it is necessary to ask for such big companies. b

There has been talk in managerial circles of bringing charming Evelyn Laye to Australia, but she would need a verylarge salary to be induced to leave London, where she is rapidly becoming a national institution. St. John Ervine, late critic of The Observer, so far forgot hirnselt as a stern commentator, as to call dnn’-* n p Prlnt ’T a ‘L ar ’v"-” She was London eliina niPadoUr ' a IVlng piece ° f Dres ' There is no truth in the report that J,. alp £? tu ; ,nß the stage,” says Miss Irene A anbrugh, discussing her statement that she intends bringing her stage career to an end after her next West End appearmven'D i°f » n l ‘‘ No t. h ing is further from my thoughts, she continued. “I shall only L I re M When 1 ¥ ve T to - an <l I hope that is a long way off. I am touring in ‘All the Kings Horses,’ but that ends soon. Ihen I shall take a short holiday before Solomon a Houndsditch Jew. As a matter ot tact he was the son of Thomas Sullivan an Irish violinist employed in the old Victoria theatre; his mother was also Irish Coglan my name, with an Italian strain on her mother s side. Arthur was born in Lambeth. His father became bandmaster at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was afterwards appointed first professor at the Royal Military * School of Music at Kneller Hall. Unlige. our great masters of jazz, Arthur underwent a thorough musical training from childhood. ™ or a i 4 ime h® was a chorister 'at the Chapel Royal, and in later, years he studied where .he composed his score for The Tempest.” ' • An American correspondent writing 1 to Everyone s, the Sydney movie publication, gives the following as the best

ifioney-making pictures in the . United States for 1926., in the order of their respective box office attractions:—“Keeper n^ le , B ees »” “The Cohens and the Kellys,” “Behind the Front,” “The Vanishing Race,” “The Son of the Sheik,” ‘The Volga Boatman.” “The Lost World,” “The Pony Express,” “The Iron Horse,” Charley’s Aunt,” “The Ten Commandments,” “College Days.” Of these productions (writes the correspondent). “The Lost World/’ “The Pony Express,” “The Iron Horse,” “The Ten Commandments,” “Charley’s Aunt,” and “College Days-” all had been included among the best sellers for 1925. When the Gramophone Company’s recording manager first broached the idea of recording tltfe musical portion of a Chapel Royal service it was thought extremely unlikely that permission would be granted, says the London Evening News. First an application had to ne made to the Lord Chamberlain. In the letter which the company addressed to Lord Cromer it was pointed out that thousands of the King’s subjects would derive the greatest pleasure from hearing the wonderful organ music of Mr Roper (whose playing used to be such a delightful feature of the services at M estminster Abbey) and the beautiful singing of the “children"’ and “gentlemen” of the Chapels Royal as the choristers are called. The letter was sent to the King, who at once assented. The first result of the King’s act will be heard in New Zealand shortly, when the company will issue the first of eight records. Hymns have been selected for the initial issue, as it was considered they would have a’ wider appeal than the anthems. Die first record has on one side “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go,” which is one of the Queens favourite hymns, and on the other side “Onward Christian. Soldiers.” Among the other musical works given on that Saturday morning were the anthems "J,. ere S llall a Star” (Mendelssohn) , “Give Rest, O Christ” (Kieff Melody), Ihe Surrender of the Soul” (Cornelius) and “Blessed be the God” (Wesley) On the occasion of the recording the chapel was closed to visitors.

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS. (By Peieh Pan.) ■n t. • March 3. Dear Pasquin.—The Humphrey Bishop Company is nightly drawing, large audie.n9.es. Gie Grand Opera House, where delightful programmes are being shown there is no limit to the versatility of artistsand producer alike: Mr Bishop has surrounded himself with a galaxy of stars, all of whom do most things.‘and most of. whom do many things particularly veil, the standard of entertainment is high, and when the company goes south your readers may expect something unique in the way of bright and snappv vaudeville par . excellence. The .frocking will please the ladies, too, while the men will have their own ideas about that part of the performance. . . . .

I’tiller's continue to house the Midnight Frolics, who will depart from Wellington when the time comes for them to go south, with regret on the part of audiences; and we hope regret on the part of the Frolics. Wellington took the Frolics to its heart from the opening night, Boxing night. Since when the company has thoroughly deserved all the nice things said of it. “Frasquita” opens here on Saturday night next for a season of seven nights. There is bound to be a big opening night house, i.s the city will be crowded with visitors in connection with the Duke and Duchess’s arrival here. “Abie’s Irish Rose,” “No, No, Nanette,” and “The Best People” are among the forthcoming attractions for Wellington later on in the month. Things theatrical have been looking up in New Zealand for some time now, and it looks as if all the Australian successes will eventually find their way over to this side of the pond. Messrs’J. C. Williamson are considering the erection of a picture house at Kilbirnie, a populous suburb of Wellington. The city is already well supplied bv the picturesque Regent, the De Luxe, while the Empress is to undergo a big reorganisation and remodelling scheme shortly that will rank it among Australasia’s best theatres. There must be money in the movies. .. '

WORLD’S GREATEST ACTOR;. In Pearson’s Weekly, Mr J. Pitt Hardacre, the well-known English actor and manager, gives some personal recollections of Sir Henry Irving:— Looking down upon me as 1 write are two photographs, one almost life-size and absolutely life-like, and on it is written: “To Pitt Hardacre. from Henry Irving. With kindest greeting and every good wish.” On the other is:

‘‘Yours sincerely, J. L. Toole.” These two actors, the greatest of their time, the one in tragedy, the other in comedy, were life-long friends, and about these two photographs runs a story. They are the work of . my very old friend, Warwick Brookes, of Manchester, who was not only a celebrated photographer, but, like myself, was also a persona! friend of these two great actors. I possess another photograph of Toole, taken in 1868, when Toole was performing in one- of his favourite parts in H. <L Byron’s “Dearer Than Life,” and in this picture are four whom I knew-personally J. L. Toole, Lionel Brough, Henry Irving, and Charles .Wyndham, all celebrated, and to show ■ the differences between the days that are past nnd our own times/ their salaries were—Toole £25 a £eek, Brough £4 10s, Irving £3 10s, and Wynham, I believe, less than that! • theatrical days were spent in Edinburgh, in the stock company of the Theatre Royal, and his salary was 25s a week. In these “good old times” every member of a stock company had to play anything. I know of an aetor who later on achieved considerable success and became a minor star who played in one of Charles Calverts pantomimes, in which the main thing he had to do was to cut off the tails of Little 80-Peep’s sheep! By the .same rule Irving had to play Harlequin in. one Edinburgh pantomime. - So much forthe early, training of the greatest .actor of his, day. He :was. looked up to by ministers, statesmen, clergymen,

and al. whose names and positions coinmaml respect; he had the almost unparalleled honour of burial in Westminster Abbey, and his statue stands outside the National Gallery. Truly a remarkable career. I don’t think any of the honours showered upon him affected him so much as they gratified his wish to make the protession he loved stand higher than it had ever done before. His personal wants and tastes were verv simple. When he first came to London his apartments consisted of two rooms, and at the height of his success he retained the same apartments increased to lour rooms. Irving’s generosity was boundless. It came to my ears that a certain well-known actor, who years before had acted with rnr'^ 8 'i WaS ’ tO , Pufc i(: plahll W on led n/ IOWII T?- 1 °l‘ t ’ 1 wrote to Irving and at once this dear old chap was put on tne Lyceum salary list, and received each week the end of his life. ■Ahuost everyone on Irving's stage was an chi actor or stress, diiing work generally given to supers and drawing hi tbn a S b i many actors received n those days I his was not only charity h.. f °rm but also conduced to nnd I e ltection of the productions that iaae his reign at the Lyceum historical.