STAGELAND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 520, 9 October 1915, Page 4

STAGELAND

BOOKINGS. Theatre Royal. November 1 to ,13—Williamson's Musical Comedy Company. Opera House. Fullers' Vaudeville. Daisy Jerome, Josephine Gassman and her piccaninnies, Huxham's Serenaders, King and Brown, and JUandena's Dogs are at present appearing at Hobart Theatre Royal. : The long engagement of the three acrobatic clowns Alvaretta, Rego, •and Stoppit, with the Tivoli manage*jment lias concluded. Alvaretta and ,Stoppit-sail for England, but little flego has been re-engaged. The American-Yiddish comedy, and Perlmutter," is to commence a Dominion tour towards the end of next month. The dates for ' Kew Zealand centres are:—Auckland, November 29 to December 4; •Wellington, December 16 to 23; Christchurch, December. 27 to January o; «)unedin, January 5 to 8. Four first appearances are scheduled for Monday night at the Opera House. They are:—Eugenie Boland, a Queensland contralto; Henessy and .Martell, comedy jugglers; the Caselli Sisters, serios and dancers; and Frank Herberte, a singer of illustrated songs. These, with the new revue, Mnake a complete change of prov gramme; Harrington Reynolds and Company evidently did not find Brisbane a profitable field for permanent comedy, at ail events thai intor is back in Melbourne, playing a revival of • "The Rosary" at the Princess Theatre. The cast differs considerably froia that which brought the tearful duania to New Zealand.

the projected tour of the Dominion "smalls" by the Julius Knight Company has for some unforeseen reason been abandoned. He was due to play the West Coast at Christmas time. i

Hilda Spong, the well-known Australian actress, who began her thea- ' trical career with v George Rignold at Her Theatre, Sydney, has Joined the ranks of the screen artists. Iliss Spong, after leaving Australia, jfrecame a star actress in England

and America, and two years since revisited the land of her birth, as the fcading lady in the morality play, *Every woman," under the J. G. Williamson banner. ■ Miss Spong w T ill wake her first appearance on the screen, in America, in the part of Fenwick, the star part in •"Divorce," at the studio of the Crystal Film Co.

Early, in August, Oscar Asche was appearing at the Glasgow Alhambra vith success in a "comedy episode," entitled "Christopher Sly," but bet- • ter known to readers of Shakespeare as the introduction to "The Taming ■ of the Shrew." It will be remembered that Asche played it admirably 1 "when he presented ".The Taming of * the Shrew" in New Zealand.,

Dulcie Hall, an Australian athletic

girl, Reg. Wykeham and Pressy Prest. ton, Hamilton and Barnes, Les. Warion; and the Victor Prince Revue - Company are at present appearing at the King's Theatre, Adelaide, under the Fuller management.

The Elton Black Revue Company has made a decided hit at the Opera Mouse this week, and business has Improved considerably since their arrival. Next Monday their second production, entitled "Catch•nwill be staged. There is even less plot in this revue than in its predecessor, but it is reported to be even funnier. In this revue Mr Elton Black will give impersonations of Harry Lauder, Charles Chaplin, and other comedians.

Miss Nellie Wilson, formerly a member of J. C. Williamson musical , aomedy companies,*is one of the new .Australian engagements in America, and now that she is to play a leading

part in a new comedy, she has adopted the name of "Netta" Wilson. The American theatrical newspapers announce that she was for some time prima donna with the J. G. Williamson companies, but that is stretching

it a bit. Miss Wilson will be remembered as having played second leads very creditably, particularly as Natalie in "The Merry Widow."

Fred Graham, who was in New Zealand with the Fullers, made a big kit in New York in the farce, "Search Me." He played the part of a fussy ©ld man, and they compared him to

the famous English actor, Cyril Maude, in "Grumpy." Which, as the Americans say, was "some" compliment.

Miss Marie Tempest has gone into motion pictures in America. Eric Mason is also acting before the camera.

: Mr Henry Bracey, remembered for his long association with comic opera under the J. C. Williamson management, and who has been in very poor health lately is reported to be slowly mending.

Maud Allan, the classical dancer, is reported to have aroused the interest of M. Claude Debussy, the famous French composer. Debussy has composed the music of a new dance sensation, entitled "Khamma," and said to be full of Egyptian mummery and mystification. The piece is dedicated to the dancer, who is assiduously practising it with a view to trying it on a select company of intense people at an early date. Miss Allan, however, is not neglecting her motion picture work in America, where she is said to be under contract to a big biograph firm. She is contemplating a tour of the United States next year, under her own management.

One of the top-line acts to appear at the Opera House shortly will be that of Alsace and Lorraine, who, according to report, present something "somewhat different" in the way of a musical act. Their appearance should hold* a special attraction for women, since Miss Maxime Lorraine is reputed to possess a stage wardrobe worth £BOO. She changes her frock three times in each performance, and does not wear the same one twice in any week.

A German name is not popular these years, and since vaudeville artists live by popularity it is advisable for those possessing suspicious names to modify them as they approach the war zone. That armless wonder, "the Great Lutes," gives an example of judicious modification. In America it was "Carl Lutz and Company," Australia showed no obobjection to "the Great jAitz" but on arriving in the north c the name Changed to "Charles Lutes." He was in Christchurch as "the Great Lutes," and now, it is noticed, that on reaching Dunediii he became "Clarence E. Lutes."

Mr E. Pirie Bush, the Wellington actor who made snch a.hit with Fred Niblo's company, and who went back to the States with the American actor, writes interestingly of New York theatres. Of the famous Belasco Theatre he says:—"l wish you could see it. No orchestra, and at 8.30 a gong sounds and the lights fade away. Then the stage lights up. You don't see the curtain rise. There are no fotJtlights. All lighting is from above—it is wonderful! And everyone is so quiet. Acting I Why, there is no such thing; everyone is natural. It's ain education to see a show like it. The only shows with orchestras are the musical comedies, and they are very punk (poor). Australia can walk all over their musical shows."

The J.C.W. firm's decision to revive "Paul Jones," with Florence Young again in the name part, recalls to the "Bulletin" the fact that Marion Burton, who played Paul to the Yvonne of Nellie Stewart, and afterwards swapped parts with her in "Boccaccio," at the old Melbourne Opera House a*"quarter of a century ago, is still going strong. She was lately the star attraction at one of Carlyle Smith's weekly concerts for the Australian wounded at Harefield Park (Eng.). On that occasion she met several Tommy Kangaroos who remembered her as Paul, and one who was in the choir of the Melbourne Philharmonic when Marion and Charles Santley sang in "The Messiah." It is stated that the singer is still fair to look upon, and that her voice retains * the velvety quality which helped to make her so popular in "Jones," "Boccaccio," and "Norma."

Mr Shayle Gardner, of Auckland, nephew of Bishop Boyd Garperiter, who has been taking leading parts at several London theatres for the past two years, and recently played lead to Miss Irene Yanbrugh in "The Land of Promise," underwent a serious operation recently, and has booked a passage to New Zealand by the Turakina, in order to complete his convalescence. He hopes to give several concerts in the Dominion.

James Atholwood was in trouble again in Sydney a few days ago, over a small matter of alimony. His wife, from whom, it will be remembered, he separated a few years ago, sued for £67 2/6, arrears of permanent alimony under the judical separation. decree. Atholwood put in. an affidavit which stated that for 12 weeks in the year he was out of employment or rehearsing without payment, and? since the declaration of war he had received only £8 5/- per week, when in work, as a maximum salary, and for several weeks only £5 per week; subsequently £6 for one week; then again £8 5/- per week for a tour of 10 weeks through' New Zealand. The salaries were not paid in full, but only provided six performances, and two matinees were performed, so that the non-per-formance of any of these items reduced the salaries in proportion. He also stated that during his New Zealand tour he had sent £2 per week towards payment of the order of the court, which was made when he was in more hopeful circumstances. On the other hand his wife was in improved circumstances, as she had received £275 out of the sale of land he had given her, she had a house and furniture, gained an additional income as a coach for amateur performances, and also had the assistance of their daughter, now a girl of 15, who was occasionally engaged in theatrical performances. The court's decision went against the defendant. James Atholwood has many sympathisers in the profession and out of it.

Clement Wragge, the well-known meteorologist and astronomer, is now making, another lecturing tour, Canterbury being his field this time, and Christchurch is included, of course. For some time past h 6 has been settled in Auckland, and it is a good while since he delivered any lectures, though whenever he has appeared in that capacity he has always attracted large audiences and held them with his power of picturesque description.

The dramatic critic of the London journal "Public Opinion" says that J. C. Williamson, Ltd., is completing arrangements for a permanent home in London, and announces the fact as "one of the big developments of the theatrical world." Says the journal: "Somewhere in the later days of golden autumn the re-open-ing of the Adelphi Theatre under the management of the firm may be looked for. "High Jinks" that lively musical piece of American origin, has been selected for the opening performance, and it will have the advantage of a fine cast. Australia and New Zealand will benefit by the new arrangement. Highpriced artists, who in the past could not undertake the long sea journey because of loss of time, may find it to their advantage to enter into engagements which will embrace all three countries. And also there is the prospect before ambitious Australians who can make good of appearing in London under conditions which, to a great extent, have been denied them in the past.