MIMES AND MUMMERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9213, 16 April 1908, Page 2

MIMES AND MUMMERS.

(By THE LIMELIGHT MAN.)

Pollard's Juveniles arrived this morning from Ashburtoin.

George Deane will accompany Riokards' Vaudeville Company when it tours New Zealand this year.

Nellie Wilson, who was for many years associated with Pollards, is at present playing principal boy in" a Glasgow pantomime.

Genevieve Ward is to appear as Queen Margaret in the production of Richard 111. at the Shakespeare Festival at StratfordAm-Avon, beginning on April 20.

On Saturday the Julius Knight Company commence its Now Zealand tour at Auokland. The company finished the Sydney season with revivals ofl "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "The Lady of Lyons."

Walter Slaughter, the composer of the music to " Bluebell in Fairyland," " Alice in Wonderland " " The French Maid" and numerous other plays and songs, died in London on March 3, at the age of forty-nine.

Allan Hamilton will leave Sydney early next month for Christohuroh and Dunedin; to superintend preparations for the coming H. R. Roberts comedy season at the Theatre Royal, Christchurch, and the Rickards season at Dunedin.

The J.C.W. Musical Comedy Oo is taking "The Prince of Pileen " ' in hand during its stay at Brisbane this Easter. It will be joined on, Sunday by an American comedian named Loder, who has made a specialty of German characters.

J.C.W. has issued 100,000 booklets with the story of "Peter Pan" told in simple language by Annie Rentoul between two daintily-designed covers, by her sister, Ida Rentoul. The pictured make a pretty gift to the young folk of Australia* and is an excellent "ad" for J.C.W. .

V" France has her Albert Chevalier in Edouard Garceau, who is now appearing at the Alhambra, London. He sings the songs of the Paris drinking shops, the lilting, jolly melodies that amuse the Frenoh drinkers. Garceau appears in a costume typical of that worn by the Paris working men.

Harry Primrose's London Pierrots have announced their last nights, and it will not be long now before these genial entertainers will depart from Sumner. The children's singing competitions have proved very successful, and they will be continued at intervals until the combination leaves.

Herbert Fleming is a personal friend of George B. Shaw, and has the first offer of all of Shaw*s plays. Just now Shaw is coming into Ibis own, but as yet none of his plays have been attended by financial, success, but the production of 0; Shawian drama in New Zealand would cause more than a little interest.

The Stavordale Quintette, one of the " big star " turns -of the coming Rickards' show, start from "America next week, and will come direct to Dunedin. They will leave the American, steamer at Fiji, and travel thence via Auckland to the southern port.

Memories of th» former Pollards were aroused yesterday by a display in a shop window of a number of photographs of the old company. The regard and the knowledge that the public have for the Pollards was evidenced by the accuracy and the rapidity with which the various members were recognised.

Advance agents are never believed by newspaper men, but Claude Whaite states that in " The Mummy and the Humming Bird" Herbert Flemming has an excellent play. He also says that " The Red Lamp " has a strong dramatic interest, and shows the individual powers of the company to great advantage.

Musical comedy artists have suddenly developed great ambitions during the last year or so. Billy Burke stepped from musical comedy into the " Earl of Pawtuoket " ; Pauline Chase has taken up a dramatic rolo, and now ""Phyllis Dare has announced her intention of appearing as Juliet to someone else's — his name is not disclosed yet — Romeo. •••

Welcome Winter Hall! Chriabchnrch playgoers saw the genial Wit as an amateur, but on Saturday evening they will be able to see him 'as a fult fledged, "pro.," and a mummer that has every reason to be proud of the progress that he has made. He is to have th© advantage of playing lea-ding part© here, and his friends will have an excellent opportunity of judging his histrionio ability.

It is a well-known fact that Tom Pollard frequently makes alterations in operas that he produces — instance " Bluebell in Fairyland," but it is not well known that he has been both dramatist and librettist. His latest literary feat lias been to write the words of the opening chorus of " The IsJe of Bong-Bong." the music of which was composed by Mr A. Brahms, the conductor of the company's orchestra.

To jump from Adelaide to Sydney is a big undertaking with a pantomime, but it has been done by the HumptvDumpty Company. The panto show, with all its scenery and effects, left on Sunday hy special train that arrived in Albury on Monday evening, after a run through South Australia, and Victoria that was only broken by stops for refreshments. The company stayed in Albury the night, and went on to Sydney on Tuesday, where the panto, will be produced on Saturday.

"The Little Breadwinner" has scored a conspicuous success at the Melbourne Theatre Royal, where Meynel and Gunn are presenting the play to crowded houses. Allan Hamilton's New Zealand tour of Meynell and Gunn's dramatic company will commence at the Theatre Royal, Christchuroh early in August, and the repertoire will include "The Little BreadH winner," "The Stepmother" (a new drama by Button Vane), "Old Folks at Home," and a revival of the everpopular "Fatal Wedding." Upwards of fifty people will travel with this company, which will make an extended tour of the dominion.

"Diana of Dohson's " was a huge success in London, and J.O.W. has secured the rights of the play, to include it in Margaret Anglin's repertoire. The play is hinged on, a " rapid spending '' plot, the inspiration for which the authoress doubtless obtained from Monty Brewster's accomplishment in the * spending money business. The story of the play is that Diana inherits £300, and goes to the south of France to live for a month at the rate of £3600 a year. There she meets a man, and they love ajad they fall out, when he is told the truth. He then calls her an adventuress, and they part, and they meet in the last act on the Thames Embankment, both without a penny, and they make it up, and they borrow a shilling from a very, very obliging policeman, and they eat of rolls and drink of coffee as the curtain falls.