THE THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7809, 14 September 1903, Page 1

THE THEATRE.

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES. (By PROMPTER.) The Auckland season of the Stine-Evans Comedy CompanT, which is touring N-ew ■Zealand /under the management of Mr George Stepnenson, was a great success, artistically and financially. In noticing t-he third production' of the conii)any, " Where as Cobb?" the Auckland "Star" says:— •«* The clever Stine and Evans Company whanged their 'bill last night to the taird item of their repertoire— a. piece fundamentally -like the other two, only developing pome of their characteristics to> more clearly marked conclusions. More ludicrous and less humorous, "more obvious and therefore less artistic, the play is before all, and in &c broadest sense of the kind tihat makes £or popularity. Miss May Beatty comes in for. warm {praise for her performance in " The Fortune teller," one of the chief attractions of tne Musgrove Comic Opera, Company's season. ]fiT\ Auckland writers says of her: — "An bid' New Zealand favourite makes a welcome re-appearance in the title role in the toeison of Miss May Beatty. It should be remarked' at the outset that as Musette, a gipsy fortune-teller, and as Iruia, a ballet dancer (the roles being doubled), Miss ißeatfcy has a far more ambitious vocal task to carry out than has, so far as we recollect, formerly been allotted to her. The music of the dual role is written up to «uch a standard that only real ability could hope to cope successfully with it. Miss Beatty is to be congratulated upon the fact that she answers well to the calls made Vpon her. She has gained in vocal powers Since last we heard her, and sings with great intelligence. Her voice retains its .pleasiug mellowness — has, indeed, taken on a fresh dulcetness — and is clear and musical and sweet. The attractive little lady was winsome in her roles, bright and pretty as Irma, stormy and impetuous by tuwis as Musette, with a knack of making excellent comedy by her by-play. The «xigt.-n---cies of her share in the production involve the assumption by Miss Beatty of yet ;m---pther Tole, Irma, in the course of the opera •personating for a while her brother Fedor, a young military officer. In this chaiacjfcerisaiion the actress is also seen to advantage, the male role being thoroughly jßrell ■enacted.. 'Miss Beatty's solos include

\ " Always Do As Other People Do " and " Serenades of All 'Nations " (introducing some clover mimicry). She also has important vocal work in the ensejmbles and finales," -in which- her voice is. admirably clear and full." The -pinging of Mr John Prouse, the New Zealand baritone, with the Dolores Company in America, is very highly spoken of by the critics. The "Winnipeg Daily Tribune ' of July x. says of a- concert in that town: — '•'The Two Grenadiers,' by Schumann, is a word picture, set to graphic music, and clijnaxing with the stirring strains of the 'Marsellaise.' It was very finely sung by Mr John Prouse, a baritone from the City of Wellington, New Zealand. The rules of aspiration and' inspiration are strongly accented, wlrch the vigorous and' imply &tyle> of the singer still further emphasised to such a degree of dramatic power that it aroused the audience to enthusiasm. If New Zealand, grows many such admirable vocalists as Mr Prouse, then is that country blessed. His voice is quite evidently of natural formation, and unspoiled by 'the .tinkering? of teachers. He has ; received just sufficient training to enable him to hold his own even' in such exalted' company as Mile. Dolores, and the satisfaction, of the audience at hearing a fine voice, with clear enunciation, expressed itself in unmistakable tones." • When the mail left San Francisco Mdlle Antonia Dolores was about to leave America for her holiday in France. She* intends to spend some time in the Department of Touraine, and will afterwards most likely make" a pilgrimage to Lourdes, in the Pyrenees, and then across to Spain. It is her intention to appear in Vienna in November. Mdlle had a splendid season all through the States and Canada. She has refused an. invitation to go to Mexico next season. Mr Herbert Flemming, a well-known theatrical manager, writing from. Natal on July 21, on the eve of his departure for Britain, .states that, after am absence from Australasia, of ten years, during which time he has had companies playing in South Africa, he intends to return to the colonies, bringing with him; Mr Mel. B, Spurr, a London society entertainer of considerable fame. Mr Flemming will open in Melbourne in October, ana make a complete tour of Australasia, so that he maybe expected in New Zealand in due course. Mr J. li. Toole is, perhaps, the sole survivor of the. old school of comedians who acted Dickensian parts during theUife.tiine . of the groat novelist^ It is interestmg to know, seemg 'that' there is such a boom in Dickens' plitys, that Dickens wasone of the first to see Toole as as* actor, andi to prognosticate to. him a successful on. the boards. It was in 1852 that "Boz" went to Walworth to see a rehearsal bjyv- Toole, who was then a novice, and supposed to have "talent for the stage, and the novelist gladdened the young main's heart "by kind' and encouraging- words, Which acted as a great incentive to him who was destined to achieve distinction as a delineator of DickensV own creations. : Thare are in> Auckland at the present time (says, .ths " HeraM ") no less than eight theatrical drganiSati&ns, soine playing in the city and others on their way to other centres of the colony on tour. Asa. rough estimate these companies comprise" a membership of over 170. This is said by a member of the profession to constitute a record in theatrical annals, as never before have' £0 niaaiy professibn&ls been together -in any city in New Zealand. When Messrs Warbrick and Buckridge ,were taking: vsqundings-; in the .: "\ya,imaing^ geyser recently, the alert- business manager of th© Hawtrey ■ Comedy; Company, who was present, hancM Mr Buckridge a 'roster of " Message from. Mars," aikjng him. to bill the show should the geyser play up. sThe foregoing is of very melancholy interest in view cd the fact that some days later the geyser did .go up, claiming four victims, , including Joe Warbrick, brother of the Government guide. The influence of the theatre on individual spectators has often, been qiiestiojied. One proof to the contrary, however, is forthcoming in a letter just received by Miss Lily Brayton, now appearing with great success on tour as Katusha in "Resurrection." Tiie communication runs as. follows.: — "I am only a poor girl, but I witnessed; your performance as Katusha, from the gal-1-ery. I feel T should like to thank you for tile lesson I learned 1 , that there are heights we can rise- to, though, we do fall .low. I hare a poor friend who has fallen in the way you actei, amd it inspired me to writ© a. letter to her I could not have done otherwke, and which I know will be a great comfort to Ler." Padierewski is arranging a tour of Australia and New Zealand for r.ext yeas 1 . Altogether thirty-five concerts will be given. Apropos of Paderewski, it is announc2d that h& has; just completed! the composition of a grand opera choral work for mixed voices, which h* calls '' Feierliche Kantate." The London " Musical Times " records the die-generation 6'f t-he muiic used at the E'steidfodan. " The hurly-burly of a battle with its moans and gasps of the wounded, the. roaring of lions — if not the wagging of their, tails — earthquakes, hurricanes, catastrophes," 1 such musical representations they ssism fondest of, and use- little or none of Britain's wealth of male -choruses, preferring the French chorus arrangements an being .suited Id their intense emotional natures, amd the Welsh composers are imitating the same school." The "Times " says that they loved their splendid natural capacity on music for wliich musicians g-eire-rally have little respect, the clap-trap of the divine Mr C. E. Hands is (says the London "Daily Chronicle") adapting for Mr George Edwardes the musical comedy by MM. Ordontveau and Hugo Fel'x, entitled "Madame Sherry,", which was produced last November at the Central Theatre, Berlin. It is probable that this work will succeed "A Country Girl" at Daly's Theatre, London, when the public interest in Mr Lionel Monckton's o^er* begins to wane. At present, howeve-:", "A CountryGirl " seems to^ be as popular as ever, despite the fact that tibe piece was- produced on January 18, 1902. The story of "Madaona Sterry " relates to a young man who is sent to- Paris by his uncle to study art. A spendthrift, he finds his anipl'.' allowance is hisufficient for his lequirements, and t;> "r;;ise th& wind " ho v.-rues in iris iv'i>riv?, .-.iai iv?; that he is married, and i.s in urgent r.e-jd of funds. As a matter of fact, he is still a bachelor. The trouble begins'' when the uncle goes to Paris to meet his nephew, fcr a wife has to be '" improvised," ami c>Jso two babies! In Berlin, "Madame Sherry" was played in three acts, the first taking place in young Sherry's studio, the second in an hotel, and the third in a restaurant. We have always been of opinion that