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Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 35, 18 May 1907, Page 20

To-morrow (Friday) night Mme. Blanche Arral gives her farewell concert, and those who not heard the prima donna should avail themselves of tliis opportunity. The programme includes many gems from the talented diva's repertoire. The prices have been fixed at ss, 3s and 2s.

\ttention is directed to the fact that the 15th Annual Meeting of the St. John Ambulance Association will be held in the Choral Hall to-night (Thursday) at 8 p.m. His Worship the Mayor will preside, and His Excellency Vice Admiral Sir W. H. Fawkes will present the certificates. There will be interesting exhibitions of the various branches of ambulance work, and the Association extends a cordial invitation to the public to attend.

An excellent collection of 32 pictures from the brush of Mr J. Douglas Perrett is now on view at No. 7, Mercantile Chambers, Queen-street. The pictures are to be disposed of by art union, tickets for which may be procured from Mr J. W. Jamison, at the above address. The price of the tickets has been fixed at s*, or five for £1 Is. A oordial invitation is extended to the public to view this fine collection.

Mr T. King, the well-known caterer, notifies that he has purchased the Strand Cafe. Mr King's reputation as a caterer is sufficient to guarantee that everything will be carried out on strictly up-to-date lines. For years Mr King has catered for the Auckland Racing Club, and for all the larger functions he is looked upon as indispensable jii >.v.nection with the refreshment side of the business. At the Strand Cafe, Mr King has made special arrangements for private dinner and tea parties, and, as heretofore, banquets, socials, and all catering will be under his direct control.

Maud Williamson and Alfred Woods, who are touring South Africa with their own eomoany, talk of returning to Australia.

Carlton, the Card King, who is appearing at the Opera House, Melbourne, is described as a most remarkable manipulator of the cards, and his "patter" is said to be imrr.ense.

Lempnere Pringle, the basso, who was round the colonies last with Mr Williamson's Opera Company, is producing " The Musical Burglar" at the Hippodrome, Huddersfield. riic piece is styled an origin^ whimsical operatic trifle.

In the pip -A Millionaire's Revenge," now being acted in the tinted States, the characters of the Madison Square Garden murder are very thinly disguised. Harold Daw, Stanford Black, and Emeline Hudspeth are easily recognisable.

Mr Beerbohm Tree, speaking at a recent meeting of the Stap-e Society, said the great thing is to make the drama popular : and to be popular it has to be in its best sense cheap. The drama, which was formerly dependent on fashion, is no longer so.

Miss Cannlle Clifford upon the termination of her present engagement at the Vaudeville Theatre, is to appear in a new musical play entitled "The Suffragettes," the libretto of which is by Mr George Dance and Mr Lcodha'm Bantock.

The banning of the innocent

" .Mikado '' by the Lord Chamberlain recalls an incident in the career of ••Dick" Msinsell, the '• father of comic opera, " who died in London recently. Lord Sydney. the Chamberlain in quest ion, sternly protested against the dresses of some of the ballet girls at the St. James Theatre. Henry S. Leigh wrote some satirical verse on the subject, in which he .suggested that iji future the ladies of the ballet should be draped "from the chin to the heel." Mansell took the hint, and caused the young ladies at the St. James's to skip on in the ballet clothed in long night-dresses. Theatrical managers in those times were not so indulgent to the office of J.ord Chamberlain Ss they are today.