Memories!

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 637, 13 April 1929, Page 24

Memories!

Lleath of J. A.E.Malone Recalls Old Musical Shows

Memories of the test musical comedies of many years are recalled by the death of J. A. E. Malone, theatrical manager and producer, which is reported by a cable from London. For a long period Mr. Malone had been the London representative of J C. Williamson, Ltd. He made an early visit to Australia in 1895 as manager for George Edwardes of the world tour of a complete London company from the Gaiety Theatre. There had been several earlier visiting Gaiety companies, but they had appeared in a type of burlesque which has long vanished, though there are faint resemblances to it in pantomime.

Tlie peculiarity of the 1895 company was that it transferred light musical entertainment from the strauge land of boisterous burlesque to something approaching, with stage liberties, the English life of its time, and that it made its appeal by daintiness instead of dash.

All the members of the company were well qualified for this class of work. One who then made her first appearance in Australia was Grace Palotta, whose delightful acting, remembered by many playgoers, was seen in several later visits. Another was Blanche Massey, who returned within recent years in “The Man From Toronto.” The prima donna was Decima Moore, and when there was a boy character—Lord Clanside of “In Town”—it was taken by Florence Lloyd, who was distinguished for that type of work. Among the men of the Gaiety company were Charles Ryley, earlier known in Gilbert and Sullivan; the comedians Harry Monkhouse, W. Louis Bradfield, Fred Kaye, and Leedham Bantock; and such others as Arthur and Cecil Hope, E. C. Woodhouse and Fritz Rimma. Other names were those of Mrs. Edmund Phelps, and Miss Maud Hobson, Laura Kearney, Sophie Elliott, Ethel Selwyn, Claire Leighton, and the brilliant solo dancer Madge Rossell. Dancers who appeared together were Maggie Crossland, Lucy Murray, and May Lucas. The musical director was Granville Bantock, since widely known not only as a conductor but as composer.

In addition to "A Gaiety Girl” and “In Town,” tlie company played “Tlie Shop Girl” and “Gentleman Joe.” It had the success it deserved for fresh, dainty comedy entertainment, with all points of production well supervised, with good dancing, and with music that was of suitable quality for its light purpose. With variations in subject and treatment, _ and with changes according to various vogues on and off the stage, the musical comedies of Edwardes continued in London for more than twenty years, till his death in 1915. Mr. Malone, who left medical studies to become an actor and a stage manager, was associated with smji ogl °1 £6Bl raojj suOijonpojd eq} of Edwardes’s death, and he produced for that manager at the Gaiety and Daly’s many noted light musical pieces. Among these were “The Geisha,” "The Circus Girl,” “A Runaway Girl,” “San Toy,” “Kitty Grey,” “The Toreador,” “A Country Girl,” “Three Little Maids,” “The Cingalee,” “The Merry Widow,” “A Waltz Dream,” “The Quaker Girl,” and “The Sunshine Girl.” In Australia and New Zealand these and many others became Williamson productions.