STAGE AND PICTURES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXX, Issue 14607, 8 July 1916, Page 3

STAGE AND PICTURES.

(By "The Critic")

TOWN HAIL BOOKINGS. ■" , .Tulv !2th and 13th.—.Norwood's. July 31st and August Ist.—Tivoli Fol- , lies. ■ • September 19th and 20th.—The Dandies. Town Hall Pictures.—Vacant dates. FORESTERS' HALL. Thompson-Payne Pictures, permanent. Mrs Jim Osborne (Maud Jeffries) ha* had her favourite brother, Norman Jeffries, visiting her country home in New South Wales. He was a member of the Knight-Jeffries Company that played "Monsieur Beaucairo" 'hero. Madame Sarah Bernhardt has been giving more performances at different points of the front before audiences of soldier;'., who have come to the entertainments between the lighting. Sir Johnston Forbes.-Eobortson made his final appearanco on the American stage )>v special invitation at Harvard Lnivorsitv in "Hamlet" on April 24th, 25th and 26th. The performances were given in Sander's Theatre, ft replica of an old Elizabethan player-house which was erected twelve years' ngo in order that Sir Forbes-Robevtson might act "Hamlet" at the University. The profits of the three performances will be given to the British Women V Hospital Fund for totally disabled soldiers and sailors., An innovation is to bo introduced at Sydney Tivoli. Mr It. D. Mcintosh, governing director of the Tivoli Theatres' (Ltd.), has decided to have a ladies' orchestra playing in the dress eirclo for au hour lief ore the entertainment : begins, and during the whole of the in- i terval. General regret will bo expressed on , receipt of the news of the death in Glas- ; gow of Miss Jessie MacLachlan, the well-known Scottish vocalist, and a ■ prima, donna of 30 years ago. She tour- ; ed extensively, and a few years ago ] visited New Zealand under the man- : agernent of Mr Frederic Shipnian. Jes- ( Bio MacLachlan was a line exponent of Gaelic songs, and when she visited Mas- , terton some years ago she way warmly ] welcomed by members of the Wairar- : apa, Caledonian Society. ; The Tivoli Follies will pay a return [ visit to Masterton this month. Since last year, we are told, Miss Vera ' Peareo. , of the Follies, the handsomest | girl on the Australian stage, has improved out of sight, and is now recognised as one of the brightest, lights the ' stage of these parts boasts. Oniito re- ; eently the claim to be considered tho : prettiest girl in Sydney was established 1 at a beauty show" held at the White - City, where she polled more votes than all the other 150 candidates put toge- : ther. Another charming performer ■ new to New Zealand is Miss Thelma < Rayo, who has a brilliantly magnetic personality. In comedians the Follies are positively affluent. There are . Jack Cannot', Walter Weems, George Welch, and Billy Rego. A. Jeeques : 801, the Belgian'tenor, and a Belgian instrument quartette, and the bari- , tone, Mr Frank Greene. Cyril Bell, who married Mrs Robert Brougli, and who is well known through New Zealand and Australia- as a member of the Williamson and I'limmer Dramatic. Companies, is now a sublieutenant of the British navy, serving aboard H.M.S. Hermione. While awaiting his call to his' naval duties, Lieutenant- Bell enlisted with the A.S.C.. placing his car at tho service of tho War Office, and served for several months in the North of France. The promotion of Captain Hubert Lorraine, the well-known actor- airman, to squadron commander, is announced in the Loudon "Gazette. " A novelty to Australian audience* has been introduced with the Grand Opera season now on at the Melbourne IMneesH Theatre. It is the use of paper scenery, which tho company brought, with them, and it has been in use throughout their tour. Before it was allowed to be set up on the Princes stage it had to bo painted with a compound of potassium and chloride of ammonia, which has the effect of making it fireproof. This has been done to the satisfaction of tho Board of Health and Fire Brigade authorities. The Pink Dn adieu will visit Masterton on September 10th and 20th. Miss Lily Fitzgerald, the soprano of the Dandies, was one of the Scarlet Troubadours of happy recollection. Miss Fitzgerald and Ford Walthum (the basso of the company), have been with Edwaxd Branscombe for a longer period than any other artists. They are in fact the "senior Dandies.'' The problem of providing suitable seats for either adults or children at picture shows has been solved, it is said, by an ingenious device of a Chicago manufacturing company. Tho adjustable chair breaks in the centre, so that when it is folded back and hooked it forms a small seat halfway up the , buck of tho chair when in normal position. At the same time it thrown out a, footrest for tho child's feet. The youngster's eyes are thus brought on a level with tho.se of adults, and the chief cause of rcstlesraess, inability to view tho pictures comfortably, is' removed . Plans are being prepared for a moving picture thmtro on Broadway, New York, capable of seating 5000 patrons. William A. Brady, who has big interests in both stage" and screen activities, is interested in the project. Lucille* Stewart has succeeded her sister, Anita Stewart, as- leading lady of Ralph luce's Vitagraph Company, the latter young woman to be seen hereafter in "plays directed by S. Rankin Drew. ■ Miss Lucille Stewart has appeared in many Vitagraph photo plays, but never as a featured player. She j should bo thoroughly at homo in Mr : Trice's company, inasmuch as in private life she is Mrs' Ralph Ince. Williani O. DcMillo, when he is not writing plays for Lanky, deals in statistics? According to his figures, there were over 2,900,000,000 paid admissions in moving picture theatres during 1915 in tho United States alone. This' is an average attendauco of 29 times per year for every man, woman and child, or once a week for half the total population .

The popularity of moving-pictures is reported to bo on-the wane in. America, whero large film houses aro reducing their staffs and limiting tho output. Several years ago tho big spectacular film played havoc with the legitimate drama to the extent that big theatres on Broadway were converted into "movie palaces-,''' and the one-time flourishing provider of dramas and romantic plays was relegated to iittlo theatres in the side streets. History is being repeated the other way round, and the spoken drama, is rapidly coming into its own

again. """The Walls of Jericho," probably the most successful of Alfred Sutro's plays, has been filmed by Fox. Edmund Breese, Edward Jose and Clair© Whitnev are included in tho cast.

Marguerite Snow has resumed her activities with Metro after an enforced retirement of several weeks, due to an accident Sho was making a wild dash for a train in an old-fashioned buckboard, when there was a blow-out or something Anyhow, a wheel came off, and Miss Snow was precipitated to tho grouud-—some precipitation, although not a very heavy Snow. A summary of tho results showed three fractured ribs and severe bruises, and scratches about the body and face.

Pathe has annexed Tom Moore, of the famous Moore family, for the' lead in a new serial. Tom has been with Lubin for a long time, but his contract has expired. "Tho Galley Slave," once released by William Fox, has been deprived of liberty by court order. The owner of the old stage melodrama got an injunction because the film company delayed tho release beyond the date stipulated in tho contract with him. So "The Galley Slave" has joined "Tho Soul of Broadway," which was also imprisoned, temporarily at .least,'"because of litigation with the Lasky Company. Flora Finch, who became famous through her work with the late John Bunny, has forsaken 'Vitagraph. She is now with the Mirror Films as a member of tho company headed by Nat Goodwin.

Mac Marsh, the pretty screen artist so often seen at the Masterton picture houses, was commanded by her physician, for a while after her recent attack of pneumonia, not to dance, as it was rather hard on her heart. One day day the clever little girl grew tired of her isolation from daucing society, and was angling ror an invitation to a private dancing party. "But you don't dance, on account of your heart, do you?" tho young man asked in astonishment. "No, but in spite of my heart I still flirt!" answered quickwitted Mac. She got the invitation.

"Neptune's Daugher," featuring Miss Annette Kellerman, has been so successful in New Zealand that a return tour has been arranged. Mastertou will be visited shortly.

W.C.L.—Your first question will be answered next week. With regard to your second question, the contract for the new Masterton Picture. Theatre provides for its completion by the end of October. Good progress is being made, with the building, but it is rather early vet to ascertain the exact opening date.

D.B. —Blanche Sweet, and not Lillian Oish, played the lead with Henry B. Walthall' in "The Avenging Conscience." Spottiswoode Aitkeu was the oi'' man, and Mac Marsh phiyed a comparatively minor part as ono of the maids at the part}-.

P.A.B. —Tho submarine pictures aro | taken by means ol v specially constructed'diving boll, which is lowered,] with a light attached, to the spot de- j sired. Annette Kellerman's struggle in j "Neptune's Daughter," "however, was filmed through the sidv-s of a huge glass tank, which in one of tho preliminary rehearsals burst, and hurled her through a jagged opening in the side, very severely lacerating her. jJ/E.—"Grace Cunard" is her name in private as well as on the screen. I know of no place where you may proeuro "Tho Broken Coin" in. book form. K.p.R.—Whether "The Million Dollar Mystery" will ever bo re-issued is a matter on which it is difficult to offer jiu opinion. Doubtless it scarcely will ever bo seen again in the extended form of tho original presentation, but if the summarised version of "The Adventures of Kathlvn" proves successful it is quite likely that other companies mny follow suit. "Kathlyn" is now being presented in eight reels, which tell tho story more concisely, omitting nothing oi interest. , .. m RUBY.—"Mice and Meu and "The Foundling" aro probably the next Clark and Pickford plays that you will see. IBS 7is generally credited as. bein" tho year of Miss Clark's birth. In "The Eosarv," Bruce Wilton was Wheeler Oakman; Father Ryan, Frank Clark; Vera Wallace, Kathlyn Williams; AliceVnllace, Gertrude Ryan; and Brian Kelly, Charles Clary.