Theatrical Notes.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13840, 27 February 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

Theatrical Notes.

Latest bookings afc the Theatre Royal, Timaru, are as follows: — February 26ili—Ada (Jrossley. March lOtn and 11th —Cuojier's Biograph Company. March 13th arid loth—J. arid N. Tait. March 17th and 18th —J. (J. Williamson. March 24th—Timaru Boxing Associa- . tion. ' Marcn alst to April 5th —West's Pictures. April 20th —Madame Melba. April 29th and 30th—Miss Florence Baines.

Miss Lily Brayton, who, with her husband, Oscar Asche, and a complete London company, are being brought to Australia by Meynell and Sunn, is said to have the most beautiful speaking v.oice of any woman on the stage. Her personality is most magnetic, and she has the power of making one laugh or . cry at ; will. Mrs Carrie. Nation, the "saloonsmasher," who has been indulging in a crusade against drink in Britain, was to appear on the variety stage at two halls in London at the end of last month at £6O per week. She declared she was looking forward to the engagement. She has appeared on the musichall stage in New York. If the popular superstition that black cats are lucky is worth investigating. Miss Emmeline Orford,. of Meynell and Gunjn's "Cinderella" Company at the -Theatre Royal, Melbourne, should be able to give some interesting testimony on the subject. One night recently, when she went on to sing her alluring "German Band" song, -Miss Orford ■ was gravely followed on to the stage by a black cat belonging to the theatre. It walked right across, and to the amusement of the audience, sat down to listen to the song. Then it calmly walked off. The next day, on the arrival of the English mail, Miss Orford- learnt that she had come in for a substantial bequest from an almost forgotten relative. Miss Orford • is now enthusiastic on the subject of black cats. Sir Charles Santley; writing to Mr Jas. T- Donovan, of Sydney, had something to say about Mr Prout and~other -Australians who were studying singing in London. The veteran bartone, who will be 7-5 on February 28, remarked in his letter: "You must not take as a specimen of what I do.in teaching. 1 shall have to give up the Australian contingent. They will not work in the right way, and'they do a teacher more harm than good. They are ignorant of what is necessary to make a sincer, and seem only bent on making a little money. Voices do not interest me unless there is real musical feeling to" back up the singing. Speaking of pupils, Mr John Prout is an exception. Mr Prout is having his lesson to-day. He is a baritone, and he has the real stuff in him. T think Mr Prout came bere from Melbourne." Among Australasian artists who are appearing in pantomime in England are: Miss Carrie Moore, who is as vi r vacious as ever as the Prince in "Cinderella" at the Adelphi; Miss Maudie Thornton in the same piece; Miss "Winnie Browne and Mr James Watts, at the King's Hammersmith; Miss Lillian "Pollard, as Cinderella, at Hengler's; Miss Lillian Briekwell, as Maid Marian at the Shakespeare, Clapham j the Misses Aileen and Doris-Woods, at.the Kennington; and Miss May Beatty, as principal boy at the Theatre Royal, Manchester. In an interview published} in ' the j "New York American," Miss-.Mary % Anderson (Mme. de Navarro), xaa celebrated actress, expressed the opinion that far too many morbid and imhealty plays have been placed upon the' stage during recent years, and deplores the paucity of playwrights who inculcate healthy and optimistic views of life. She ranks Rostand as the foremost playwright of the day, and places Mr J. M. Barrie, Mr Stephen Phillips, and Mr A. W. Pinero next iri the order" given. Mr J. C. Williamson's firm lost no time in securing the latest London success, "An Englishman's Home," by Major G. L. B. du Maurier. The news came through recently, and the firm's_ London representative was communicated with, and his advice was that the piece was an exceptionally strong dramatic work. He was at once advised to' purchase, which he did. * The play deals with England's nnpreparedness for war. The 'scrip is already on the way, arid it is probable the play will be produced here in March. It is on the cards that the Julius Knight Company will "have the chance of arousing Australian enthusiasm. The fact that of 24 or 25 new plays pro duced in the West End (London) theatres since the season began at the end of August last no fewer than 15 were to have been withdrawn before the end of the first week in January suggests ■, that play-producing has in it some of • the elements of gambling.' It is generally the occasional producer who loses bis own or a syndicate's money. Of the 15 plays withdrawn this season ten failed to pay their way, and it is significant that not one of the ten produced by any of the actor-managers who ,have been two years or more in constant management in London. It is understood that the amount of the fortune left by -Senor Sarasate, the famous violinist, is rather more than £IOO,OOO. There has been much conjecture about the reasons which led Sarasate to revoke the bequest of one of bis famous Strads, valued at £3OO, to the South Kensington Museum. Sarasate's £IOO,OOO compares favourably with ihe amounts left by many famous musicians during recent years. Some notable estates were as follows: Mme. Goldschmidt (Jenny Lind), died in 1888, £40,630; Lewis Thomas, bass singer, died in 1897. £65,444; Ernesto Nicolini (Dinard), died in 1888, £lO,894; Carlo Alfredo Piatti, violincellist, died at the age of 78 years, £16,632; Sir Arthur Sullivan, died in 1901, £54,527; Sir John Stainer, died in 1901, £34,744. It is said that Senor Sarasate made a profit of £6OOO during a week's tour on his last visit to England in the Winter of 1906. Mr Arthur Bourchier, who, with Miss Violet Vanbrugh and their company, will tour Australia in 1910, is the only son of Captain C. J. Bourchier, late of the Sth Hussars, and an Oxford M.A., and is one of London's most popular actor-managers. . Eis successes as leading man .are many. Violet Vanbrugh is the stage name taken by Miss Y. Barnes, eldest daughter of the late Rev. R. H. Barnes (Precentor of Exeter). She first went on the"stage under Miss Sarah Thome, and made her first appearance in London with Mr J. L. Toole, in "The Butler." She toured America with the Kendals in 1889, and was afterwards with Sir Henry Irving nnd Mr Daly r playing leading parts. She next joined Mr Bourchier, r-reatiijg manv now popular parts, notably Lnciv Bandevrre in "The Ambassador," Lady Winifred Crosby in "Hearts are Trumns." Clarice jn "The Fascinating Mrs VandfTvr-ldt," Muriel Olayde >'n "John Olaydp's Honour." etc. She married Mr Arthur Bourchier in ISD4.