MIMES AND MUMMERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9307, 6 August 1908, Page 2

MIMES AND MUMMERS.

(By THE LIMELIGHT MAN.) "Jimmy" Campbell will be a distinct acquisition to J.C.AV.'s comedians. *•* A London correspondent, writing to an Australian paper, says that Maud: Allan is only a " fair dancer." ••• From the discussion that took place on the theatre by-law, it would seem as if its confirmation is doubtful. *•• Harry Phydpra, here with the " Mother Goose " pantomime, stated that lie would be in Australia eighteen motnhs hence. *•* Melodrama is not waning in London. A company is to be formed to reconstruct the Princess's Theatre at a cost of £60,000 to produce melodrama | of the best kind. V Leslie Stuart confesses that the music of the "Tell me, Pretty Maiden" number in " Floradora'' was founded on a Gregorian chant. The number was composed' in 3:alf an hour. I *#• Sir Charles Santley, in his book, " The Art of Singing," dismisses the popular idea that tmoking is bad for singers. He says that he found that smoking in moderation made his voice clear. *•• Sam Walsh is very clever in his musical sketches, «and he has an irresistible way of telling his stories that keeps the attention of his hearers. His jokes are not thrown at an audience, who have to follow him intelligently ; but he succeeds. ••• Walter Howard's advice to an actor is: "Put your whole boul into your part unsparingly and always. Whether in Shakespeare or melodrama, it is this that gives the theatre its triumph over the literary. . and takes the world by storm." *•* • The Merrymakers can be well divided into two sections: Those, that ardently ' play golf at every available opportunity and those that don't. Eric Blore plays golf. When I asked him how he liked Christchurch, he replied, "Fine; the links are ripping.-' *•* The melodrama played by "The Merrymakers » is a cleverly ludicrous burlesque, and one in which the company enjoys itself hugely, especially Elsie Williams and J. Campbell, the latter proving a deadly shot with a cappistol of startling calibre. •♦* I Colin , Campbell, the manager of the Merrymakers, is popular alike with the public and; the members of the company. It is a peculiar compliment to him that whenever one meets a Merrymaker one is invariably asked. " Have you seen Mr Colin Campbell about?" ••• Fannie Ward, an American actress and the wife of a millionaire, wears £200,000 worth of jewels in a scene in "The Marriage of William AsoW'"She appears as Venus and the dress is described by an American paper as consisting of "flesh-coloured tights, and diamonds." ••• Edward Leicester, the leading man with "The Breadwinner" Company, was here last with "JHuman Hearts." Beatrice Holloway hardly needs any introduction. She played here in " Two Little Vagabonds" as Dicky, one of the two waifs, when last hero. Miss Mabel Russell was with the same company and played the waif, Wally. • # » The "Miss* Hook of Holland" season began in Sydney on July 25 at the Criterion Theatre, the seven years' lease of which Meynell and Gunn have obtained for something like £15,000. The new management intends to make great alterations and improvements in the interior of the old theatre, one of the oldest in Sydney, but nothing can be done under the lease to the structure. ••• Herbert Clayton, of the Merrymakers, who has not appeared here, is said to make a specialty of Kipling's Barrack Ballads. In Dunedin he sang " Mandalay," but he makes a big number of " Fuzzy- Wuzzy," and is also regarded a© "tip-top*' in " Snarleyow." In the latter song he gives his hearers, according to ta lady who heard him, " electric shivers down the back "\— certainly a testimonial for intensity. ••• Betty Ohls, the clever soubrette artist with the Merrymakers, has been considerably impressed with New Zealand, and was quite serious when she said that the Australasian audiences were discriminating. "The girls have got pretty complexions here," she enthused. "Englishwomen are supposed to have beautiful complexions, but I like the New Zealand girl much better." Miss Ohls is from Virginia, and is real American aiidi is proud of the fact. *•* It has been suggested that the fire exits in the Theatre Royal should be used every night for the emptying of the house. The use of the escapes would lead to the public becoming conversant with them, and in case of firs j they would not flock to the .ordinary j exits. It is quite feasible to suppose i that in the case of necessity the huryy- I ing people will seek the exit that they are used to before trying to escape by a means that is unknown. There is some good in the suggestion, and it is on© that the theatrical managers should consider seriously. I ••• Walter Howard is "the" English writer of melodrama at present, and his work is certainly good. We are acquainted with his " The Midnight Wedding " and "Her Love against the World," but his "best work is said to be "The Prince and the Beggar Maid," his thirteenth drama. Howard, according to a pen picture, is a man of magnificent physique, has travelled the world and has been at times both soldier and sailor. He admits having worked as an American ranchman, as an Australian sheep drover and in a West Indies plantation. The worst experience he< lias ever had he says was in Thursday Island, where he worked unloading cargo from a steamer for 5s a day, when the thermometer was showing 127deg in the shade. He has been writing for ten years. Ho is very indignant at the critics who say that his plays owe their romantic setting to "The Prisoner of Zenda." "Why," he said, "the kingdoms of romance were invented long before 'Zenda ' was thought of. Shakespeare, himself was a plagiarist in this matter." ••• Recently a paper in England published an article headed " If I Were King or Queen," and obtained replies from some very well-known theatrical people. G. P. Huntley characteristically replied : " If I were King, I'd look beastly funny in the crown; 'but that would not prevent me taking my position quite seriously." Sir William Gilbert told the paper that he had not thought of taking the throne, but that as soon as he could foresee a likelihood of his realising his fondest ambition ho would take the paper into his confidence and give it his opinions. Nancy Price says : " I have no ambition to be Queen. 1 1 consider it a much overrated profe&- j sion." Watkin Mills replied that if he were suddenly made King he would seek out some soft and obliging friend and say to him: "Here, you can have

the crown ; I'm going golfing." James Welch, the original ?c Mr Hopkinson," feared that he would listen to the ad> dresses from Mayors and other dignitaries with an actor-manager's ear and reply to their speeches: "It will nevei do. It is rotten, my worthy friend, quite rotten.; no audience would stand it." "My first duty," said Welch. " would be to remain in the situation.' Seymour Hicks would reward good work. "I would send for Seymour Hicks, if I were King," he said. " and I would say to him, r I think you have worked hard enough to justify my making you a present of a nice little place in the country. Go to it and don't annoy my subjects any more with youi acting." I wonder what "Jimmy" Campbell, or Sam Walsh, or Miss Bettj Ohls (Virginia) would do with a throne !