STAGELAND.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1736, 6 September 1919, Page 6

STAGELAND.

f j. (By Dionysus.) BOOKINGS. Theatre Royal. Sept. 13—Harry Dearth. Opera House. , Fuller's Vaudeville. . The appearance of Brull and Hemsley at the Opera House serves to remind one •f the fact that these artists have now spent several years in the Dominion on the Fuller circuit without their welcome in any way showing signs of wear. But it is easy to account for the latter fact, for these performers are amongst the very few vaudeville artists who are constantly preparing and working up fresh items and turns. Their delightful charseter duologues—for which alone they •will long be remembered —are original. Mostly, clever Arthur Hemsley is responsible, and, as he is a brother of a •well-known English song and monologue > writer, ifc will be understood that the creative genius is evidently a family affair. •• • • Artists who are coming to New Zealand on the Puller circuit include Peggy J?ryde, the famous English comedienne; Barry Lupino, who needs no introduction; and Daisy Harcourt, the comedienne. • * * Jack o 'Sullivan, son of Tom Pollard, is acting as "advance" for the Allan "Wilkie Dramatic Company on its New Zealand tour. Allan Wilkie will finish Ids Auckland season on September Ik, and then tours the Waikato district. He will take in Rotorua, Te Aroha, Thames, Waihi, Paeroa, Cambridge, and Hamilton, opening in Wanganui on September 24. A Wellington season will follow before he comes to Christchurch. • • » If his current tour of the Dominion seems to warrant it, Allan Wilkie may attempt permanent stock operations in this country. A versatile actor, with a range including Shakespeare and Walter Howard, and supported by a company af merit, Mr Wilkie is just the man to acclimatise "stock" here. • « * Hawker, it is stated, upon his arrival in England, after flying the Atlantic, was besieged with offers from theatre managers to go "on the halls." One offered £6OO a week. Harry Dearth, the famous English baritone, who has been singing most successfully for the last three months in Australia, will commence his New Zealand tour in jChristchurch on Saturday next. The-singer is well known here, through the medium of the gramophone. Mr Dearth has recently been singing with the State Orchestra in Sydney, under the direction of Mr Henri Vanbrugghen, the eminent Belgian conductor and director of the New South "Wales Government Conservatorium. The Dearth tour will probably extend over the whole of the South Island, before the North Island is touched.

Maude Pane, who, after the conclusion of her engagement with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., went to England for a holiday, the greater portion of which she spent in the Isle of Wight, has been re-engaged by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to appear with the New English Musical Comedy Company. She is now on her ■way back to Australia. » » • A musical version of "Twin Beds," played here by a Williamson company not long ago, was recently staged in Hew York. This piece has now beeni seen as legitimate drama, photo-play, and a musical comedy. * « • A revival of "High Jinks," by the New English Musical Comedy Company, at the termination of the Melbourne season, had some interesting changes from the original cast. Gracie Lavers appeared as Sylvia Dale, the role last played in Melbourne by, Maude Fane, and in the first production by Dorothy Brnnton. Maude Beatty appeared in Connie Ediss's part of Adelaide Fontaine. Madge Elliott was seen as Mile Chi Chi, the dancer, which Cecil Bradley last played, while Miss Bradley filled the role of Mrs Marian Thome, previously played by Maude Beatty. * * * New Zealanders in Londpn find many familiar faces on the vaudeville stage. At the Coliseum recently, the programme included Miss Margaret Cooper, with new songs at the piano, and Mr Walter C. Kelly, "The Virginian Judge." At the Palladium in the same week there were appearing Miss Marie Lloyd (heading the bill), the Australians, Miss Lorna and Toots Pounds (in the position of next importance), and the patter comedians Farr and Farland. * * * Walter Wheatley (tenor), Alfredo "Valenti (basso), Carl Formes (baritone), and Raymond Loder (lyric baritone) • have arrived in Sydney, to join the J. C. Williamson Grand Opera Company,of which Amy Castles is the prima donna. Mr Wheatley was for four seasons at Covent Garden. Mr Valenti has also sung at Covent Garden and with the Beecham Opera Company. Mr Formes is the grandson of the famous artist who sang for 15 consecutive* seasons at Covent Garden. He has recently been associated with the Japanese artist, Madame Tamaki Maru, whose impersonation in the United States of Butterfly, in Puccini's work, has attracted so much attention. Mr Lodcr studied in Italy, and was a member of the Raymond Roze Company during their season of English opera, given at Covent Garden, in 1914.

An Australian girl in Canada writes to the "Bulletin" of the.marriage of Mischel, the youngest of the Cherniavsky trio, to .Mary Rogers, whose late papa was a royalty of sorts, being known as the Sugar King. They have, gone honeymooning in the south of IVance.

The search for titles for revue or burlesque productions is bringing some strange ones to light. An attraction of the time on one of the leading English vaudeville circuits is a comedy concoction entitled "The Bib-nosed Baboon."