Theatrical Notes.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 11997, 4 September 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)

Theatrical Notes.

THEATRE BOOKINGS. ' Permanent—Sherwood's Modern Pictures. ..... September 'Jlst, t-'-Jiul, and *_Mrd.— Pollard's. October JUi— Taylor-Carriitgton. . October !>Ui and lltli.—J. C. 'Williamson. October '-Villi. -Villi, and '.'7tli.—Operatic Society. Miss Irene Dillon, the favourite in •].. C. Williamson pan tojisimcs, and-who went to Anierinca, lias (|iii<:k!y " made goud." Newspaper accounts give Miss Uillun the credit of being ii crack rille. shut, the owner of a pet kangaroo, with decided ideas on the woman suffrage question, the amateur billiard champion of Australia, and other qualifications which can only emanate from American journals! Mr Leo de Chateau, who- successfully produced the comedy : -'Jane " bus opeucd a School of Acting in the Caledonian .Chambers, Wellington,. and- the rcs|>oiisc of pupils has-been very satisfactory. ; Mr de Chateau has had much experience on the theatrical stage, and as ho has been associated with, the best managers and. producers iu Australia for many years, lie should lie well qualified to * instruct those who wish to tread the boards as professional or amateur performers. It is Mr de Chateau's intention to arrange public performances at regular intervals, iu order, to being out pupils who have made the greatest progress. • ,','Frau • Aiidresc,u, : known in German theatrical circle's, has invented' a remarkable stagn.appliance-:for representing ballets (states the Berlin correspondent of a London journal*. By an ingenious arrageriicnt of jnirrors "unseen bv the public one dancer will, be reflected a: multitude of times, so ■that "those in the theatre may easily imagine that from fifty, to one hundred ladies of the ballet'are before them. ,N" further details are obtainable at present, but Frau Audresen intends to.x patent her invention. .In- view of the..unneiidiiig strike of ballct.girls in Paris, it is suggested that the new invention should be tried iij.Jthe French capital.

Jennie Liud was one" of .the greatest bel c£ito artist the world has ever ceen, and when a leading London critic ■all" fe Amy Castles "The Austral»an Jenny Liud," and a German critic „f equal repute classes her as . one. ol only three or four great, -bel canto silvers of the day," the .young,soprano receives two leathers of rare -value for her cap. The Uirm bel • canto-. » licing diseussed, by, some music lovers wlio arc not necessarily conversant with tlie technical terms used by musicians. As the. question''has attained soine minence since. ;the -.return of Miss Castles, it iiiay be wcjj -to explain that it '.means .simply •'■ line -voice'" •as applied .to natural singing, or the antithesis of the vocal gymnastics ■affected by. a certain -of.j.Kiiigcrs.,

Mr| George Wiljougliby \ who will bring: the new; Carton-"farcical.'comedy.. •*|Mr'Prcedy ..and the Countess," and the Wccdon .{•rossniith , "The Xiglitj of the Party,'', to AWstruliilj under the Cl'arkV:^}-'*'wen-Gu ! ii|i., iiiajiii'gcnicnt, r ahdjs 'now;;f(irriiiiig bisjcompany iu Loudon, «*"*'• ** ,ur ';9*' Australia.iii 'fcc&riuiry;, in Melbourne. The first piece will' he. .''The .Nigjit,.of the Party," piioduced.in London; eight or nine years s.l'ccessful there and : in' v the suire.--' "V>lr Vrecily ai\d^ t tbe.Coiyitr ess "has- becu...s.y«jb;' a moneymaker.: at the London v Critcfij»n ■>sii*; s?as;>ii : ; : ,tliat Mr Wccdon Groiusmithj ;.wiui Jiasi/sccurc<£ it from the. author, proposes to run it right"th'rquglr thc ; ;suri»iner;' There is', according to the ' • Daily Express." every indication Ilia t; the play will "make, something of- a-' record at this, theatre?'. ' ;'V -.--.:;'■ ;V',.;.

i Among the/experiences .of: Mis.s Lottie Sargent, King oi donia" Company, w<«s a-,' theatrical tour of AmcrfcaY with Duchess of Dantaic," ;*lis?r Evic Greene (her sinter-in-law,. ,by. the. way) in tjic title-role. struck mp-mpst -j-tliafc is, in a purely personal way," she observes, _ '* wiis , Hie 'different reffptions we h'ad Socially in d'Lics. 1" I*jc«-- York. for..instance we were, iiiadc. a, groat "ftiss .of; .':.; Society .<»pl only ;.'< took; us i .'uii,'''-. l aa,='-I believe the expression .is")' butcrowded to the theatre. ■ - In Washington, however, wc .wire' 'oliKsiioiilileml. , Tint is the ••ffieial: eity,; of course: ami it lias tradfoeii*. Canadians had ti»»n to devote t« iii»i and /ve. found th'fiii very ■■•woriivlicattcd." Miss Sargent ..believeit wi'idd be better for the stage if the sp-calM smart'set were more resisted by artists. . | Alec • Stajtitiflc 'writing. frooi .New to a Sydney psiocr* says they tare/ doiiitt exceedingly well and. seeing snn«' wonderful shows. . 7 We went to the -\ew Y'<rk Kip|KK,lrojne. and were fiirlv paralvscd— 'swh, 'a wonderful sight. The stage opening is96ft.. and the Yortain c«W down instead of "*>. Tly ."«iic>w starts a game of baseball, '7«<ltlie« a. [travelling circus comes along, pitches its tent, and then the cinifs <ommen«es. .What wouderful a'ets! Seals riding horses ami )ueg<'"£ at the same time. Acrobats! We saw an act that wouldn't Australia I'hreThev are called the Flying Bards. I bey ,l.i somersaults for one man s shoulder to the other, biit.instcad of landing on

the shoulders, as per usual, tho acrobat lands in a hand balance. You will understand how difficult this is, as he has to do a somersault and a. half.to do this feat. There, is also a horse and; ■boat'race', the ;most realistic,. Y we have ever seen. The whole show, concludes with an electric 'display; which, 1 must admit, the Americans are marvels; nt.i The stage is one blaze of light. Every person on is alight, also scenery; aiid in front'of all this'they have a lake 'of real water,' with *tho girls coming up through the water, and they are perfectly dry when they appear—a very clever idea, and wonderfully worked out. We have seen, 1 suppose; the greatest circus in the world—Riiigland Bros.'' They have, three rings and -two stage's,' aiid. there were always about twelve acts oil at 'once,•■'■'and about twenty clowns .all.'doing something- on the outside. The acts we, thought the most wonderful were a lady; riding an automobile,.down a chute and turning a double. ( soinersaiijt,-. machine and ..all, over a gap. ; ~ln a., dog act .we 'sa;\v tho animals working .alone. . They go through a- JittAe, play; just like..human beings, : being u'ressed i)p, to \. represent, each character. The- first of,! the act is very strong. One of the. drunk; and he is ji wonder—acts .just like a. nian. . A policeman iconics in and arrijsis him '(a inonkcy, by the ■way)/ rings •up the .patrol waggon, throws ,him iu, and takes him, to the station; -This act is a scream", and voted by. "everyone "'as the greatest animal act in the World."

A showmaii from Queensland vouches for the following story: "Madame Melbn. was training to Charters Towers the nigli,t before lier eoneer-t there. the" train several lioys were ;waitiiig on that station to see Madame. Mr Leminoiie told her, and she kindly came out and spoke to" them, and asked them if they would like ti>: hear her sing. They' said '•'•Oh.' yes." " Well," said M*djiuic. -.■' if . yon boys xoiiie to ■ { the Towers to-morrow iiiglit. snd.say yon arc the hoys from Sellheiin; ! I'll invite you in, aiid you shair hear Vm<'-'' (No response .for a time;) /"Well, will you .come, Im>.vs?" ; The smallest boy eventiiiilly spoke. ■:'-' No. good to inc.; we got a. show here to-morrow night. Kichards is i-oiniiig." Madame laiigliod ■and said, " 1 think -you arc vcry.-rnde. bovs; to prefer hiiii ♦•> me." Three of* the larger boys tiki go,: however, nnd -Madame was:;as good h w.is found" for them, although the theatre had a record- crowd.