THE FULLER INTERESTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12061, 17 July 1917, Page 6

THE FULLER INTERESTS.

y lit BEN FULLER IN WEL■L , LINGTON. . ■ I ' . > -i- ' . : ■Mr :33e ( a J. Fuller, head of Fuller and Sons, ®qp. and John Fuller, Ltd., and other "jthSatrical concerns too numerous to. paptictiiarise, arrived in Wellington on Friday from the north and came. Bouth on Saturday evening on a flying yisit to the various centres in which the firm operates. In the course of an interview, Mr Fuller recounted in a. brief, staccato, but very much to the point manner, some of the present and future activities of the Fuller firm. It Jvas only last year that Allan Wilkie |odned the Fuller standard to show that Shakespeare at popular prices was both •'practicable and profitable. Not many .months ago the Williamson people produced the Walter Howard drama, " The Story of the Rosary," at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, where it failed to attract. The. play was afterwards secured by tho Wilkie Company for Mr Fuller, and on its presentation <it the Opera House; Sydney, ran lor 'fifteen weeks to bio; business at popular jprices. The Williamson firm's new r 'Fair and Warmer " Company has been Taken over by Ben. .and John Fuller, find with Miss Carrie Moore as leading lady, will commence a season at the Opera House, Sydney, on Saturday next )ivith " A Little Bit of Fluff." The (VVilkie Company is to tour New Zealand shortly with "The Story of the Kosary," and a new war-play, entitled Seven Days' Leave." The pantomime i*' The Bunyip," written by an Australian round an Australian theme, a big success in Sydney. It will commence a tour of New Zealand at i Auckland next Christmas, and the following; year will be taken to London. Asked as to what theatre it would be produced in, Mr Fuller said that that .matter was not yet fixed, but if there were any difficulty on that score he would build a-.theatre.in London- The ; next pantomime for Sydney would be Robinson Crusoe," expanded from the revue of that name recently played on the New Zealand circuit by the Victor Prince Company. . Perhaps the most- important news Mr Fuller announced was the coming of another Italian Q.raitd Opera Company. This compaify jVas^to\be organised in Italy l>y Count--;FilHppini (the talented baritone who*was in New Zealand with the Gonsalez Compariy). It would have a very extensive reportdry, far larger even than that of the Gonzales Company, and would include Charpentier's " Louise" and lothor modern grand operas. This companv is to make its first appearance in Sydney next Faster. Mr Fuller has also completed arrangementsr.ta tour Signor Capelli. the line tenoV? of v ;the • Gonzales Company, with a concert"'company through New Zealand within the next few months. The Fullers have secured a Jong lease of His Majesty's Theatre, Christchurch, which is to' be opened on Saturday next with a first-rate programme. This would Enable their vaudeville acts to be seen to much better advantage than lias hitherto been possible in "Christchurch. Mr Ettller-also related that, the firm had iustfierected a theatre as large as their Wellington theatre, in Newtown, Sydney,£?iKd business there has exceeded all anticipations. This theatre was designed by Mr Henry E. White, and was probably the finest theatre in Sydney.

"Fair and Warmer " and "A Little Bit'bf.'Fluff " are to he witnessed in New Zealand before the end of the ,y ear i