ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 9895, 27 January 1911, Page 2

ACROSS THE FOOTLIGHTS.

IBy Fra Diavolo.l TOWN HALL BOOKINGS. January 81, February I—Eardley Reynolds (pencilled). February 10, 11—Clement Wragge. Show Week—Fuller. March (i—J. aud N. Tait (Amy Oastles). March 10— J. O. Williamson (Katheriue Grey). March 17—Local Ooncert. March ill—Hugh J. Ward ("Glittering Gloria"). April 28—Mdllo. Dolores. May '6, 4—George Marlow ('-'The Bad Girl of the Family"). May 8-J. O. Williamson. jy[ av 17— J. O. Williamson. July 11 to 14—Masterton Competition Society (pencilled). August I(5—J. O. Williamson (pantomime,"Jack aud the Beanstalk"). September o—Miss Floreuoe Baines ("Laughing Liza"). October 4—J. O. Williamson. November 17—Geo. Willoughby. November 21), !30-Max Maxwell.J 1912. January 25, 2(5—A1l an Hamilton.

Mr Laurence Campbell's failure to fultil liis Masterton engagement ou Wednesday uisrht oreated a good deal of disappointment locally. The gifted elocutionist is vow playing a return soason in Wellington. It is to be hoped that he will .yet give Masterton _peoplß an opportunity of testing his merit. Performers of Mr Campbell's ability aro all too rarely seen and heard in our town.

Next week wo are to see Wirth's Circus, aud it is sate to predict a crowded tent, lor a circus always draws like a mußtard plaster. Besides the many attractions of the ring, the Messrs Wirth liavo gathered together a muguiticeiit menagerie, the "star" member of which is Lizzie, the hippo. "Have you seen Lizzie?" has been facing us from the hoardings for some weeks past. After next week's preduction J suppose the majority of the men, women and children of Masterton will be able to answer the query in the affirmative, for everyone oue meets is going to the circus.

Miss Amy Castles, the ponular soprano of the "Madame .Butterfly" Grand Opera Company, will commence a concert tour of the Dominion early uext month. She will be supported by a splendid company of artists. After her New Zealand tour, Miss Castles goes to Loudou to fulfil her contract to appear in grand opera iv the Old Country.

Miss Beatrice Holloway has now quite recovered from her recent very serious illness, aud this week rejoins the Maxwell Dramatic Company as leading lady. This is good news to the popubir lady's many admirers.

Miss Katheriue Grey, who will appear in Masterton iv March, is acclaimed by the Wellington press as the finest actress yet imported by Mr Williamson. Mr William Desmond, too, gets much praise. Tho company is now producing "The Third Degree," another strong American play.

When invited to visit Anstral'a as a member of the Meiba-Williarason Grand Opera Oompauy, Siguor Oaruso asKed a fee ot £600 a night. Needless to say his oiler was not accepted.

Tho popular ciunmatograph actor, Foolshead, was. when at school, the dullest, most stupid noo.ile in his or any other class. Showing in amateur theatricals he made such a sorry display of himself that a pal persuaded a bio man to include him in a street farce. Foolshead had to go to sleep in an empty dray, iuto which was poured a load of rubbish winch was to be subsequently tipped out iuto a pond that needed filling up. The usual way is for the bio comediau to allow the stuff to be poured over him, when the film is stopped until the pond is reached. Ho then gets under the rubbish, the, film re-starts, aud we get the finale. Iv place of emerging, Foolshead, remained under the unsavoury rubbish, breathing through a piece of gutter down-pipe lie had secured. He got the equivalent to Is 6d for that job. He now gets £100 per week and expenses. May Chevalier aud her husband, Hamilton Stewart, who played here with Ouyler Hastings in "Sherlock Holmes-' aud other dramas, are said to have grown rich by touring their own company in Britain in "The Mummy and the Humming Bird.

Mr Hugh Ward, when he enters active partnership with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., on Ist July, will sattle down in a lovely home he has furnished, in true Americau fashion in a select suburb overlooking Sydney Harbour.

The proposal to put a revised version of one of Joliuuy Sheridaus Widow O'Brieu gags on top of the comediau's grave in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, is favoured by the rjrofession. The legend is:—Sacred to the Memory of John F. Sheridan. "I'm sorry I'm here, I am." "Our Miss Gibbs" continues to break all records in Sydney. The popular musical comedy has now 120 performances to its credit. Other Sydney shows doing big business ar« "The' Whip", the exciting racing drama, and Mr Hugh Ward's production of "Seven Days." All these pieces will be seen in New Zealand shortly. "Variety," a New York theatrical paper, placed Annette Kellerman, the Australian swimmer and diver, seventh ou the list of the highest paid vaudeville artists iv the United States. Annette is put down at aOOO dollars a week. __8

Miss Tittell Brune is still in London, and has received several offers of leading parts, but is exercising judicious caution in declining characters in new pieces not likeiy to prove effective. Mr and Mrs Brune have taken a house at Brighton, where they spend week-ends and holidays whenever they find tho gloom of Loudon oppressive.

Newtown will shortly possess a theatre built ou modem lines. The building—which is iuteuded to be absolutely fireproof—has beeu designed by Mr James Bennie, of Lambton quay, who was the architect of the King's Theatre, Wellington. The theatre is to have a steel frame stage. Seating accommodation will be provided for an audience of one thousand. The contract is to be cornpleted|_by Easter.

Messrs Thompson and Payne cou