STAGELAND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 187, 12 September 1914, Page 3

STAGELAND

BOOKINGS. September 16—Orchestral Society. September 17 to 19—"The Barrier." September.2l to 24—Hugh Buckler Company. October 12—Dulcie Mitchell Concert. It seems that the Fred Niblo-Joseph-ine Cohan Company and their American comedies, "Officer 666" and "Never Say Die" season seems to have concluded in Wellington with the same abruptness as ' ' The Argyle Case.'' The war, of course. Hugh Buckler and Violet Paget, who with their company from the Little Theatre, Sydney, have just concluded a successful season in Auckland, are due at the Grand Opera House (Wellington) to-night (Saturday). The northern Press have been enthusiastic over their performances, which include productions mostly new to New Zealand. The company will open in Christehurch on September 21, finance and other things permitting. The Kennedy family of-musicians are in Auckland at present and expect to open a season in the Town Hall Concert Chamber early in October. Mimi Aguglia, formerly the "star" member of the famous Sicilian Players, who rather shocked London by " the pathological exactitude of their studies of primitive passions, is now working in American vaudeville. One of the great joys, of the imported actor is social recognition. That they should like to be-made much of ia only human. There are, however, a few who resist it, and one of these is Muriel Starr. "I have made myself slave, to one master," she says-, "and that is the theatre. I don't mind how many rehearsals there are, or what the exactions of the stage may be. But I will not go into social bondage. What time I have to myself I will spend in my own way." I

"The Girl in the Taxi" has proved one of the most successful musical comedies produced by Williamson's in Australia. In spite of the war excitement, it is drawing large houses in Sydney, and Mr C. H. Workman, who was the original of Burm'eli in "The Chocolate Soldier," has become very popular.

After a week in Melbourne the Williamson Pantomime, "Forty Thieves," was booked for a West Australian tour.

Man's troubles do not always wear petticoats. Sometimes they are in musical comedv.

Kinema business must be a lucrative one. The published profits .of Pathe Freres were over six million francs last year; and a little note taken in the London Divorce Court shows that another well-known proprietor can allow his wife alimony to the tune of twelve hundred pounds a year.

Said that John Bunny has made enough money out of the "movies" to enable him to retire. There are many who will be relieved to hear of it.

Says the "Bulletin": Two new English one-acters are strongly recommended to amateurs. They seem too frivolous for our repertory players. In "A Collection Will Be Made," a stage curate at Monte Carlo is mistaken for a detective splendidly disguised, and all kinds of crooks load him with cash and valuables as bribes. He supposes the goods to be meant for his missions, and gets away with the lot. '' The Tip'' is simply an anecdote in dramatic form. A kind lady presses a sovereign on a shabby passer-by, remarking briskly "Never say die." But he is a bookmaker, not a beggar; and there is a horse of that name starting at 100 to 1 in the big race just due, and the astonished philanthropist has £lOl pressed upon her at curtain-fall.

A volume of Gilbert and Sullivan memoirs just published mentions that Florence Young was one of the crowd in court when "Trial By Jury" was played at Nellie Farrier's benefit at Drury Lane in 1898.

Miss Phyllis Neilson-Terry, the wellknown English actress, has been en-, gaged by Mr George Tyler, of the firm of Lieblcr and Company, New York, for a term of years to star in Shakespeare both in America arid England. She will open in New York in November as Viola, -and possibly in a new play by Mr Louis N. Parker.

The producer of "The Chorus Lady" (E. W. Morrison) was asked why he didn't use some of the chorus girls for the dressing room scene in the play. "Can't a chorus girl play a chorus girl?" he was asked. "No," Mr Morrison replied, "if she could she wouldn't be a chorus girl."

"Circle" (in the "Bulletin"): The first performance of Nellie Stewart's production of Belasco's "Du Barry," at Sydney Eoyal, was brightened by the effort of a female dancer in one of the scenes where all was supposed to be hectic gaiety. Attended by a bevy or mob of laughing sisters (I think that is the way to phrase it), she fluttered down stage like a butterfly, hurled one festive hoof into the air, and fell with a crash. It sounded like ah accident in the local meatworks; but, fortunately, the lady did not sustain visible damage. She was assisted off, smiling as if the leap and the crash and the thud werestrictly in accordance with plans and specifications. A dancer of such velocity might be safer if-fitted with a. brake or safety clutch. . •

It is not at all unlikely (says a scribe in Wellington "Post") that Harry Lauder will be induced to try a season on the legitimate stage after his return, to England. Lauder's powers of comedy, coupled with his success on his appearance in Graham Moffatt's "Scrape o' th' Pen" in London a while ago, suggest that Scotch comedy will be a new

field for his activities. He has completed a comedy based on his re'collection of life iii Scotland, and it is quite on the cards that' he will produce it at the first favourable opportunity and test his capacity to entertain audiences in a new vehicle of amusement. He will probably have the benefit of Graham MoffattV advice in any enterprise he might ui*~ dcrtake in the direction suggested. Gra" ham Moffatt, who is now in Australia appearing in "Bunty Pulls the Strings," is an old friend of Lauder, for the twq. were members of the Scotch Concert Company in Glasgow over 20 years ago.

Maud . Wingfield, the Australian actress who appeared" here with the Oscar Asche Company, is still with the Asches, playing at the Globe Theatre, London; in the revival of "Kismet" — or she was when last heard of. Also, she is (or was) understudy to Susanne Sheldon and Bessie Major.

A statement by Madame Melba, extracted from an Australian interview, is reprinted in the "Musical Courier," New York. "They don't bother about Australia in America, "said the diva. "I neA'cr heard anybody mention Australia. For an American America is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the world." To this the "Courier' 7 retorts:—"We even suspect that outside o*£ theatres, hotels, railroad state rooms, newspaper interviewers, and such scenery as Mnay be seen from trains, Madame Melba herself would not' bet able to set the Hudson on five with her knowledge of intimate American life, conditions, character, and tdeals. But what an unwarranted statement to make , regarding our acquaintance with Australia! As if everybody'in America has not heard, of the. laughing jackass, "coo-ee," Annette Kellerinau, —the shapely swimmer, and Anthony Wilding, the world's champion tennis player.'? Yet, despite its wide knowledge, the "Courier" seems somehow wrong regarding Anthony's nationality.

Father Bernard Vaughan was recently; asked his opinion on the question agitating London at the time, Shall the theatre open on Sunday! "The Sunday has gone with the ■ commandments' of' God," he replied. "We have done with them and now we want to know whether it would be criminal, after lying in'bed all day on Sunday, to go to hear a Shakespearean revival in the evening. It seems to me we are drifting towards hypocrisy. As an Englishman I hate it. Of course, for those who still profess to be practical Christians there is no need to suggest how Sunday ought to be spent. " It has been all these ages set aside to recreate,body as well as soul, with a vietw to enable men to carry into the week a fine capital of spiritual as well as physical life. Those who use 1 Sunday thus will get .thebest not merely out of the next world, but also 'out of this;, for without : God life is a dreary business, an objectless venture." Other arguments " against'-V coming from the profession were- (to the end that actors and stage hands want their day of rest like anybody else. i