STAGELAND BOOKINGS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 884, 9 December 1916, Page 4

STAGELAND

BOOKINGS.

Opera Houaj. Tonight Fuller's Vaudeville. Theatre Royal. December (i to 0 (pencilled) .1. Carroll December lf>, HI, and IS Paul Ihil'aulf December 20—Madame X.

Miss Pauline Rindley who is to make her re-appearance here on the 15th with Mr Paul Dufault, is to enter the field of musical comedy. Miss Bindley will make her debut with Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Cov.

Mr Scott Colvillc has concluded negotiations with the Russian musicians, Mirovilch and Piaslro, for a return visit to New Zealand next August. At present they are on their way to India, where they will appear in the principal cities.

Mr Fred Coyne, at present appearing at the Opera House in a sketch with Miss Pearl Livingstone, enlisted while in Dunedin and passed as being fit. He will go into camp at the conclusion of Hie Christchurch season. Mr Coyne has two sons serving as officers in France.

Hale Hamilton and Myrtle Tanncli ill passed through Christchurch during the week en route to play ill Auckland. They sail thence direct to America.

Mr and Madame Wielaerl, Auckland's talented musicians, have accepted an engagement on the Fuller circuit and created quite a furore on their first appearance at Brisbane. Their act included operatic, popular, and instrumental solos. Madame Alverna and Jean Laerte are the names they play under.

"The Orchid" is the latest Williamson revival at Her Majesty's, Melbourne, with Florence Young, Reginald Roberts, Minnie Love, Ethel Cadman, Clyde Cook. Leslie Holland, and Phil Smith tilling the principal roles.

The revival of "Twelfth Night" by the Allan Wilkie Coy at Melbourne Princess's comes in for much eulogium from the leading newspaper critics. With regard to Mr Wilkie's Malvolio the "Australasian" says:— "Mr Wilkie realised with ease and finish all the points which (lie Shakespearean expects from his actor. As Viola, one of the most lovable beings in the long gallery of the gentle women of Shakespeare, Miss Hun-ter-Watts pleased greatly. In her lightness of touch, sweetness of disposition,, all the ouiet poetry of the part is embodied."

While most Sydney business concerns were able to push along somehow during the coal strike certain of the theatres and picture houses were compelled to close their doors altogether. The fact that the more important of the show houses arc built upon cramped sites, rendered almost impossible the laying down of the extensive plants necessary for the requirements of big spectacular settings which come every now and then. The sudden stoppage however, emphasised the resourcefulness of some of the proprietors, and the spectacle of a big motor car panting in George Street, in its gallant endeavour to turn out enough electricity for an adjacent picture show, was one of the most amusing sidelights of the strike. "Damaged Goods," the secret disease drama, which was transferred from the Cri-

terion to the Theatre Royal, had a j rather inglorious finish. When the j lights failed the management was hopeful that a night only would be I lost, but the inevitable could not be j sin mounted, and so it was passed on - to .Melbourne, where there is said to be more light, not necessarily intel-i lectual. i John Hopkins is up to his eyes pre-! paring Napier's fourth and best Mardi (Iras, which opens on Boxing Day. The "Buzzer," which each week records Mardi Gras doings, has

an even greater vogue than usual, and report has it that "Hoppy's" literary ability is bringing the flush of envy to the temples of Hawke's Bay editors. The latest edition of the "Buzzer" claims'for the March Grass the credit of redeeming Napier from an inclination to cynicism, misanthropy, narrow-mindedness and wowserism.

Victor Beck, the much-travelled, has, for the time being, taken up his residence in Christchurch. As New Zealand representative of the English Pierrots (headed by W. and R. Thomas), he advises that this bright and breezy combination will open its New Zealand tour at Wellington next May.

W. S. Percy, the New Zealand comedian, appears to be at last coming into his own in "Fogopolis." Last week's mail brought a chirpy letter from Will, who had, at the time of writing, just returned from Dublin, where he played the leading part in the Hippodrome revue "Jov!and." lie was then (Sept. 23) in London waiting for the new Hippodrome production for which he was having special scenes written for him. "It's great," says Percy, "to create stuff, instead of having to do as someone in London had done before you; and that's what I have had to do for years. I don't expect to be

back in New Zealand for a good while, as 1 have settled in a home of my own at last, in Hampstcad. J need not tell you how 1 love England. I've been painting quite a lot lately, as 1 revel in the English landscapes. Quite a lot of Australian and New Zealand boys look me up at the Hippodrome, and I've just come back from Brighton where I visited some Australian soldiers at the request of their mothers in Australia. Whatever time 1 have lo spare I enjoy singing at the Hospitals."

•e for three concerts in re- | inally intended lo visit the , North Island only en route lo America. Mr Dufault is strong in his; liking for compositions j i bearing a human appeal, ! and our music-lovers ap-j ! pear equally strong in their liking for this style | of music; therefore the new Dufault programme j : will be looked forward to i with interest, as it will doubtless contain numerous new songs. it is hoped, however, that some of the former favourites will be repealed, for Mr Dufault gives every song he sings an interpretation distinctly 1 his own. The concerts : will take place at the Theatre Royal on Friday ; next and the following Saturday and Monday., The box plans open at The Bristol on Tuesday morning. The success of i Mr Dufaull's concerts is fresh in the minds of the music-lovers of ChristL church, and it is certain that the popular tenor will receive a hearty welcome back to this city.

Fuller's Gonsalez Grand Italian Opera Coy., with Mr Chas Berkley as its pilot, opened its New Zealand tour this week at Wellington, where a season of 18 nights is to be played. The company's repertoire includes: Verdi's "II Trovalore," Verdi's "La Traviata," Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana," Leon Cavallo's "I Pagliacci," Verdi's "Rigoletto," Gounod's "Faust," Puccini's "La Boheme," Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera," Thomas's "Mignon," Puccini's "Madame Butterfly," Rossini's "Barber of Seville," Bizet's "Carmen," and Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor." The prices of admission have been fixed at (>/-, dress circle and reserved stalls; ■!/- back stalls, and 2/6 gallery (no early i doors).

Mary Pickford, "the world's sweetheart," is the central figure in "Little Pal," which is to be presented at Everybody's all next week. MissPicki'ord needs no further commendation, as she is already recognised as the foremost exponent of the screen. She has appeared in a variety of roles, but as a little half-breed Indian girl she is said to have achieved the greatest success of tier dramatic career. Full houses should be recorded every evening next week.

A Triangle play starring Dorothy Gish anil Owen Moore will be next week's feature at the Queen's Theatre. It tell a powerful story abounding with humour and novelty and entitled "A Modern Joan of Arc."

The Opera Mouse closes down for a brief period after this evening. Til is has been occasioned by a temporary shortage of artists due to the difficulty in moving them about as the result of the Australian coal strike.

A new turn, which opened in Wellington this week, is Baroen and Rossctti. Mr Baroen is the 'cellist of the Belgian Band recently heard here with the Tivoli Follies, lie has now a lady partner, a soprano, and they made a tremendous hit in Wellington last Monday.

The Fox funis are said to reach the zenith of their attractiveness in "The Soui of New York," which is to bo shown at Stai land next week, it is a story dealing partly with stage life, while the many phases of life in the huge cosmopolitan city are vividly portrayed. Valeska Suratt, another of Fox's famous emotional stars, plays the leading character, that of ha Valencia, a beautiful bid unscrupulous actress, in a maimer winch is entirely fascinating. A special feature of this jtiay is the costuming.