Theatrical Notes.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14056, 13 November 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)

Theatrical Notes.

THEATRE BOOKINGS. Nov. 24th and 25th.—Boxing. Dec. 14th.—J. C. Williamson (pencilled. , „ , ,r • ■ Dec 21st and 22nd—Carter. Magician Dec 27th. 28th, and 29th.—Hayward s Star Vaudeville Company. Jan. Ist and 3rd—'Pirates of Pen-

Jan. Z T2th and y3th.—Scarlet Trouha-

dours. ... _ Feb. 15th.—Allan Hamilton Company

The stage perhaps is the home of raascottcs. With Mr. Gerard Coventry and "The Belle of New Wk there is an old cloth showing the railway station that Mr. Coventry declares is the mascotte of the niece. It was the original doth iu the London production, and also in Australia, and it has been used in each revival since.

"The Cheat." which was produced for the first time in Australia by the J C Williamson dramatic company, at the theatre Roval, Sydnev. was greeted bv a large house, and met with a heartv reception. The story is an interesting one. and the many stirring situations which occur throughout. were evidently quite to the taste ot the audience.

Sacco-Homan. the holder »f the world's record for fasting took his last meal on the ni«rht of October 10. at the Melbourne Waxworks, before commencing Ins wonderful fast of ;>3-da\s, which will be the record period any human being has been known to "o without food. S«'-co is losing weight »t the rate of 21b y-er dor. but he is said to be in excellent spirits.

The Wilb'T Wright aeroolane. which comes to this rountrv under the r-n----ti-ol of Mr. Colin Dearies, one of Mr. Wrirht's lieutenants, is tir"ed to make its first nnnearanrc in. Sydnev on Novemb»r l s th. Subse""ently it will lie introduced to the public in the various Australian eanitels. Messrs Tait are hrinfring out n. Bleriot mnnnn'mp also, hit it is not due to arrive until the end of November.

"The Belle of New York." 1* Droving rn stroi"* an attraction s"t Her Maiestv's Theatre. Sydney, that the revival whMi it's originally intended to be of onlv a fortnight's duntioi, has run into three "«"»ks, and it novr seeros DrobnWe f hat a wh'-le month w'll shored *wav e»-e tl>" nopnlar American wiisiml n —ed- will V> lw>f!v to mrn -n\-%r(> to "The Collll-+-v. Girl," which is to be the next revival.

A hearty r"cepti"n was p-—nt~lM Miss Nellie Stewart and her talented «•««'- nanr on their rpa'*"«v»r!»ncc at t'*° M«l- - on O-teW 30th. They or«"»ed *Vir s~>-»"»l '"•'•- <*nv s»asoo 'vith "Sweet Kittf TfalI*i~i " and Mi<:s Stewart *v?s a" 1 bright rnd v»vari' , " , = is nwr as *'«e y—"»g p»>d «-hnr«iin«» Irish T, -'» i«»« enlv T ~n f"r f'-v "icThts. —'fl tb- "eek conrfnefed with three >""hts r c ♦Mt «"•—- Ten f *»vourite T "Sweet Xell of Old Dmry." .

The «*banp of the Australian hush is visible in Miss Olive Godwin's manner. This nctress *vas born *>n an Australian station. "I have always loved out-o'-d"or life.'" she says, "and now lotit walks, tennis, rowing—yes, cricket—are ">v ,favorite pastimes. Thev are all excellent for the voice. A brisk walk, drinking in deep draughts of fresh j»«\ is the thing to keep the Inngs healthv. I hold the oninion that health is the h->sis of everything. As I feel I sing, and to lie physically fit is to be vocally fit."

Mr Lionel Brough .whose death was reported on Wednesdav last, was born at Pontypool on March 10th, 1836. As a youth he was clerk to Mr John Timbs. editor of the "Illustrated London News." Mr Brough made his first, appearance at the Lvcetim (under the management of Madame Vestris and Charles Matthews) in 1854. He published the first number of the "Daily Telegraph," and instituted the system of selling newspapers in the streets. Afterwards he was five years on the staff of the "Morning Star": then entertainer at tho Polytechnic, etc. He joined the theatrical profession (permanently) at the Prince of Wales's, Liverpool in 1863; .and played in almost every first-class theatre in the United Kingdom. America and South Africa. He married Miss Margaret Simpson, who died in 1901, and leaves one daughter and one son.

According to the London reviewers, thc_ pieces which .hove been successful rlnrinc the theatrical year—September 19084). in the world's, great motronolis, have been few and far between. For a piece to be a success in London it is necessary for ifc to attain to at least 200 performances, and during the period above mentioned onlv five productions have reached the high water mark of success. Of these. '-The Merry Widow" heads the list with 778 performances. Then comes a dramatic piece, "What Kvery Woman Knows." with 384 performances. "The King of Cadonia" following with 330 presentations. "Henri of Navarre," and "Penelope" make up the list, and have recorded Derformances between 2QO and 300. Of these successes two have already been done in Australia under the J. C. Williamson management, and two yet remain to be done by that of Navarre," and "What Every Woman Knows."

On October 30t>» "The Merry Widow" once more took up the running at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, and was welcomed by a packed holiday audience, that gave the heartiest of receptions to the popular opera. Indeed it might have been the very first production of the attraction instead of a revival judiring by the enthusiasm that was displayed. Miss Florence Young appeared for the first time in Melbourne as Sonia, and was accorded a splendid reception, her acting and singing of the part of the Masonian heiress meeting with warm appreciation. Mr. Andrew Higginson is now well known all over Australasia for his fresh and breezy characterisation of Danilo,'which he repeated with great success on this occasion, while the rest of the cast including Mr. Reg. Roberts, Mr. Victor Gouriet, Mr Claude Baijtock, Mr "Maurice Dudley, Miss Fanny Dango, and Miss Nellie Wilson;, all came in for a due share of well merited approval.

Mr. Victor Prince, now playing with the J. C. Williamson Xew Comic Opera Company, has many amusing stories to relate of his experiences as a theatrical manager "out-back" in Australia. "Once I was at Barcaldinc." lie said the other day, and then asked "Have you ever been at Bare-ai-rline? No; well you wouldn't knowhow dreary Nature can be if she tries. There are ten goats to every human hcing there, and all the sustenance the former Ret is in the advertising matter stuck on posts by travelling showmen. I was staying at the principal hotel. and the landlady asked me at luncheon what T would " have to drink. I said, 'Milk, plea**-.' She looked at me pretty hard, and then left the diniugroomT A few minutes after I heard ;i msh - along the passage, a crash, followed hy words that sounded as if somebody was annoyed. This was repeated several times with variations, and at last the landlady looking verv hot and ont of hreath. 'l'm sorry," she said, 'hut you'll have to have something else: we can't catch the goat V "

The new .!. C. Williamson pantomime, "Aladdin," will bo the medium for introducing several new artists to Australia. For the principal boy -Miss Lilv Iris has been engaged. -Miss Ins is 'well known in London not only in pantomime. l>nt also in musical comedy. Iter photographs show her as being the possessor of a bright, pleasant face, and a pood figure, while report credits her with an attractive manner and a hue voice. Miss Clara Heck is to be the principal girl, and other newcomers will he included in the east.

The storv of the youngest Ratling woman on the stage is an oft-told tale, savs a San Francisco paper. Is there one of our prominent actresses ot the present dav that was not at one period of her earlier career "the youngest most beautiful and talented in the cnlaxv of prodigies?" The la est acquisition to the long list of "the very vou.uiest," according to the press Wiit N Miss Ida St. Leon, of the famous St. Leon family of equestriennes and acrobats. She is announced as one of the many big features in Frederic Thompson s inoduction of "Polly of the Cirrus.- Miss St. Leon plavs the title role She is nnt vet 17 vears old, and her training, with' the esceotion of the ast two seasons, has been in the sawd'-st ring under the "big tent." The St. Leon fnmilv has been under Mr. Thompson's manazoment for six years, cmnloyed respectively in the New Wk Hippodrome and Luna Park. Coney Island. What could be more natural than tor Mr Thompson, when ho discovered the remarkable talents of Ida St. W as an actress as well as a circus rider to take the first opportunity at baud to Present her in the tit e role of Poll>, thus giving to the public in one person a real actress and a real circus rider?