Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XIII, 24 September 1898, Page 316

Music and Drama.

Mr Robert Brough. who is returning to Australia. will open his Melbourne season on the 29th of next month. We learn through Mr Allan Hamilton.who conducted Mr Brough’s Oriental tour, that the manager-actor's new company will include many new faces. Mrs Brough. Miss Emma Temple. Messrs Mario. Majeroni. Mclntyre, and Hards an- still in evidence, but the places of other familiar names are taken by Messrs W . T. Lovell. Joseph Carne. Reginald Dartrey. W. H. Rotherham. Leslie Victor, and Percy Brough (who visited Australia about two years ago with Messrs Frank Thornton and Charles Arnold I: Mass Varra Kenney. Miss Bessie Thompson. Miss Italia Conti, and Miss Evelyn Martheze. With the exception of a few new scenes (says the “Sydney Morning Herald'( Mr Brough is bringing everything in the way of stage accessories and furnishings from London. and in the case of “The Liars' and “Lord and Lady Algy' the productions will be replicas of those at the Criterion and Comedy Theatres. The former comedy, by Henry Arthur Jones, is one of the most successful Mr Wyndham ever produced and had been running 10 months when the London season terminated, and it is accordingly with this piece that Mr Brough will open his Melbourne season. The other new plays will be •Madame Sans-Gene' (by arrangement with Sir Henry Irving and M. Sardoui. ’One Summer's Day.' by H. V. Esmond: “The Master.' by G. Stuart Ogilvie A Bachelor's Romance.' and ‘Jedbury Junior.' by Madeline Lucette Ry ley: and Outram's Nihilistic drama. “The Red Lamp.' Miss Florence Menkmeyer. the well known Victorian pianiste. is coming in a few weeks to Australia, where she will give performances in the different colonies. Miss Menkmeyer has been giving performances in the south of France. Germany. Russia. Italy, and Switzerland. Miss Beatrice Griffiths, the Australian pianiste. recently made her appears nee at Mme. Adelina Patti's afternoon concert in the Royal Albert Hall, Londe: She was summoned to play at a few hours' notice, and is considered to have scored a big success. Mme. Melba congratulated Miss Griffiths on her playing. A benefit concert in aid of Mrs Dampier and family has been arranged to take place in the Auckland Choral Hail on Monday next. the 2<th inst. Among the performers will be Miss Celia Dampier and Miss Hatherly. the harpist. I*rofessor Dame, the conjurer, begins his Auckland season this day week (the 2Sth inst.) He will play a week in the Northern city. “La Pou pee.' which was produced for the first time in Australia at Her Majesty's. Sydney, on September 1«». has caught on immensely. The chief character, that of the doll, falls to Miss Dorothy Vane, and Messrs Lauri. Vernon. Kenningham. Pauli. Bathurst. De Lara. Miss Carrie Moore, and Mrs Bracey are in the vast. Mr Carlyle Smith, who t «k Mark Twain round th«-x* colonies three years ago. has been editing a paper in Brussels of late. He expects to be back in Australia before I hristmas. Mr Harry Rickards finds that he is unable to make arrangement* for the contemplated *isit of Mi*s Pat tie Brow n to New Zealand, so it ba* oven

The Payne Family of Musicians and Bellringers are now in the Waikato.

On Thursday evening- the concert and dramatic entertainment given in

the Christchurch Theatre Royal in aid of St. Mary’s Home was a great success. and deserved a better house. The musical items were given by Misses A. Lake. A. Gray. Jennie West. Messrs Millar and Hockley, and were very enjoyable: while the comedy ‘Old Phil’s Birthday.’ was most admirably performed by the Misses Watson (two), Messrs Wasson. Hoare. Macpherson and Ross. Among the audience were ?<fr and Mrs Louisson. Mrs and the Misses Julius. Mr and Misses Cowlishaw. Mr and Mrs Fisher. Mr and Mrs 11. Wood. Mrs and Miss Denniston. Mrs J. C. Palmer. Mj s Ogie. Mr and Mrs Watson. Misses Reeves. Macpherson. Hoare. Lee. and others. The newly formed Ladies’ Orchestra of Christchurch intend giving a concert next month, and the novelty will attract, for very few ladies yet are to be found playing the flute, or clarinet, or as one young lady very expressively termed it. any "blowing thing.’ Miss Jennie West conducts, and Miss Freda Marsden is directress. The Picton Musical and Dramatic Society performed the ’Pirates of Penzance’ in the I*ub)ic Hall for two nights last week. The first night the

hall was crowded, and the second night fairly full. Mr Dobbie. who was indefatigable in drilling and teaching his band of pirates, policemen and voting ladies, had great difficulties to contend with, most of his material being raw. but he bravely stuck to his colours, and the result was an unexpected success. One or two Blenheim friends assisted in the performance. some on the stage, and others in the orchestra. Mr L. Griffiths (Blenheim i made an inimitable Major Gene-

ral. and was deservedly encored for his solo during his nocturnal wanderings in the ruins. Miss F. Seymour was facile princeps as Ruth, with only a little natural nervousness, which really lent colour to her part, her strong voice and clear enunciation being distinctiy heard all over the hall. Miss Mildred Fell as Mabel has a fine

voice, which she does not give fair play, and her acting was rather stiff, and irresponsive to the ardent pleading of Frederick (Mr C. Philpotts), who surprised his friends by his excellent play in this, his debut, in opera. Mr Robertshaw. Pirate King, and Mr Masters, Pirate Lieutenant, did remarkably well, especially as Mr

Robertshaw had just recovered from influenza. General Stanley’s daughters were all well ::p in their parts. They were the Misses A. and E. Rose (Blenheim). M. and E. Philpotts.

GreensilL R. Greensill. Scott, Hay. Fell, Jackson, and Cuming. Miss Howard was Edith. Miss Biddle Kate, and Miss E. GreensiH Isabel. The ’Pirates’ were Messrs Miles. Pera no. Bourne. H. Greensill. Elliott, and Price; and the ‘Police,’ Messrs G. Morris (Sergeant), McDonald j Blenheim). Matthews. Erson. Bathgate. Nash, Fredericks and Fell. Mr McDonald caused shrieks of laughter from the audience by his antics. He is a born actor, and the Polic-e received an imperative encore, ’ye gods’ being determined to see those all-too-funny faces again. The orchestra really deserved first place on the ]. ■ •gramme, and the Dobbie family the first mention. Their music is music par excellence. They were assisted by Mr Cheek, first violin; Mr Hall, cello: Mr Prince, flute: Mr Rose, cornet: Mr Logan, trombone: all of Blenheim. Miss Dobbie. first violin: Miss E. Dobbie. second violin; Miss Gilfilian. viola: Master H. Dobbie. oboe: Mrs Dobbie. pianist; Mr Dobbie. conductor. Mr F. J. Ro'oertshaw was stage manager, and Mr G. Morris scenic artist. Anthony Hope has collaborated with E. E. Rose in a comedy of modern society called ’A Man in Love.’ It is not derived from any of the Hope novels. ‘I loath newspapers.’ said Mrs Kendall. ‘and have persuaded my husband to my way of thinking. None is ever found in my house, and I never allow my servants to read them Go out into the road and break stones: go and call fish in the streets, but have nothing to do with journalism. Why is it that nothing of my private life ever appears in the papers’? Simply because I will hold no communication with journalists. I have never shaken hands with any one connected with the press, and am not g otsg to imperil my hopes of future salvation bv doing so.’

Forbes Robertson and Mrs Patrick Campbell will appear at the Lyceum Theatre in London again this autumn, producing ’Macbeth’ and Othello.’

Christine Nilsson, whose cold Swedish beauty and marvellous voice delighted the world a quarter of a century ago. invested some of her savings in American real estate, which turned out immensely valuable. The other day she disposed of the last of her Boston holdings, consisting of valuable mercantile houses, which realised over £30.000. The once great singer, after a tempestuous private life, is now the Countess de Casa Miranda, and enjoys her fortune and title in the south of France. She is still a remarkably well-preserved woman.

Eleonora Duse has again failel to renew the popularity of her acting in ‘La Princesse de Bagdad.’ She tried the play again in Milan after its rejection in other Italian cities, and the audiences were cold. The Milanese, on the other hand, liked her in ’Hedda Gabler." and the play as well, although it had failed there several years ago.

Mme. Laura de Maupassant, mother of the dead novelist, has authorised four plays to be based on his stories. Applications to dramatise his fiction are numerous and nearly all are denied.

A novelty in insurance is projected in London. It is to issue policies covering possible losses on new plays protiuced. The longevity of the ballet dancers evidently has a more substantial foundation than the jokes of the humorists who have found so much to amuse them in the persistency with which the premieres cling to their profession. A European statistician has been devoting himself to a study of the eminent in that an. and his investigations seem to establish the fact that they are an unusually long-lived lot. The famous Carlotta Grisi is living now at the age of 77, and one of the ballet dancers at the Opera in Taris is 70. But he is a man. Amalia Ferraris is still teaching at the age of 7S in Paris, and seems likely to continue that work for some time to come. Fanny Essler was 74 when she died, and Taglioni has passed her eightieth year. Rosita Mauri, the popular premiere at the Opera in Paris, is over 50. and has begun to talk of retiring.

Some of the more famous dancers of earlier times, commencing with the first of the profession, succeeded in reaching the following ripe ages: — Peeourt. 76; La Camargo. 60: Noverre, S 3 : Vestris. the elder. 79 : La Guimard. 63: GardeL S2: Vestris, the junior. S2; Mazilier, 71: Blasis, 70; Perrot. S2: La Cerito. one of the greatest favourites of her day in Paris, and much admired once in this country, is living in retirement in Paris at the age of 7S. The oldest in this Fst was Noverre. who stood among the greatest in the art during the middle of the eiehteenth century.

The public is about to face the inevitable in the shape of another prizefighter play. It will lie a conglomerate. including ‘Ned’ Harrigan, the delectable Martin Julian and Bob Fitzsimmons. They will perpetrate the long-forgotten ‘Mulligan Guards’ Ball.’ ‘Fitz’ will do the scrapping act. in an endeavour to elevate the stage and avoid meeting Mr Corbett. In this laudable. Christian elevating act he will have a rival in the person of Eddie Bald, the bicycle champion, who is to star in a play in which a realistic bicycle race isiil be the principal feature. An attempt will be made to utilise the moving photograph in a forthcoming war drama called ’Chattanooga.’ A full-sized locomotive will be operated in the centre of the stage, but it will stand stilL while seemingly speed will be imparted to it by :.-.tans of panoramic views thrown upon a screen at the back. The pictures for that purpose have been taken from the rear of a railway train. The trial of this device is to be made in Chicago. THE WILLIAMSON-WOODS COMPANY. On Monday last the WiliamsonWoods Dramatic Company entered upon the third week of their present Auckland season. During the previous week they produced ’The White Squadron.’ which we have already noticed, and *Wheu We Were Boys Together.’ a dramatisation of Hail

Caine's popular novel 'The Manxman.' This play is well put together, making good use of the profusion of incidents which the novelist has supplied. As Kate.' Miss Williamson once more found herself in a part that gives scope for her best work, and she did not fail to win warm appreciation. Here she has to pourtray a character of r.o ordinary kind, influenced directly and indirectly by no ordinary combination of circumstances —a strong and passionate character. but one whose passion is under control. The incidents of the play are chosen to bring into relief the various sides of that attractive personality, and here it is that Miss Williamson displays her versatility. She is wonderfully natural and telling in those scenes where she hides her love, and she carries the house with her on the wings of her passion when it takes flight. From beginning to end she makes the part stand out with a force and distinctness that appeals to both old and new theatregoers. Mr Alfred Woods was better as Pete than in either of the two previous roles in which he had appeared. He gave a very good account of himself in the scene where he sinks below the avalanche of sorrow that suddenly falls on him. Mr Boolhman seemed rather to be acting to order as Philip. As no one doubts his actual powers the unnaturalness of his impersonation probably arose from a distaste for the role which was certainly not congenial to him in our opinion, and somewhat out of relation with the res* of the piece. Miss Ethel Grey made a capital Nancy. On Monday 'Joseph of Canaan' was staged. The fact that the piece was prohibited by the dramatic censor in England must be held to account in a large degree for the curiosity which its production in New Zealand has excited. But it is a strong play and one full of interest, and quite able to hold its own when that first feeling of mere curiosity has been satisfied. Unquestionably it is one of the best things the present company has staged. The plot is absorbing, the salient incidents many and dramatic.the staging good, and the acting throughout on a more than common level In the case of Miss Maud Williamson it rises much higher. She makes a deep impression in her pourtrayai of Ayesha. The Bible account of Joseph's sojourn in Egypt gives marvellous material out of which is constructed a drama, and one's wonder is that the story had not been made use of in that way till Mr George Walters essayed the task. After Joseph the person that stands out in boldest relief is the wife of

Potiphar. The Biblical narrative gives few details about her. bur what is told gives to the dramatist a key. and his imagination can easily fill in the picture. This the author has done: and he has done more: he has left n> 'U! for the individuality of the actress. The role is one that can be made great in the hands of a capable artist, and Miss Maud Williamson made it great. She possesses all the dramatic force and intensity necessary for pourtraying such a personality as we can conceive the lady's to have been. With her in it a piece could hardly faii to be other than attractive, and she makes the soul of this drama, which is the reverse of tedious in itself. Indeed, her superiority to the rest of the company in the play rather unfairly reflects on them. She sets the standard, and one is apt to judge the others a little harshly when they fall below that standard, though as a fact their performance may be very good.

A very pleasant evening was spent in St. Mark's Hall. Remuera. on Monday last, when the members of the Remuera Musical Society and their friends held the annual social. There was a large assemblage. The Rev. W. Beatty, at the outset, commented on the advantage to all of such gatherings and expressed the hope that everyone would make themselves at home. A musical programme was gone through, towards which the following ladies and gentlemen contributed:—Mrs Geddes. Miss Ivy Buddle. Miss Minnie Haywood. Mrs Petrie. Messrs Kissling. Cousins. Martin. Robertson. Charter. In the course of the evening Mr Arch. Clark gave an interesting account of his experience in matters musical during his sojourn in the Old Country. A warm welcome home was extended to him. After refreshments. provided by the ladies, had been handed round. Dr. de Clive Tavwe gave an exhibition of ventriloquism, which caused much amusement..

Mr John Fuller, an old Auckland favourite. opened in the Northern city on Monday last, and was very heartily welc< med bock after his long absence in the South. The Agricultural Hall was crowded on the occasion. Part of the entertainment was a series of magnificent limelight views illustrating 'London from Day to Day." The pictures are certainly among the best of their kind that have been exhibited in Auckland. But probably the vocal items were the ones which were most looked forward to. for it was as a vocalist himself and in association with other singers that Mr Fuller made his reputation in Auckland. His songs were 'Sally in Our Alley.' 'SallyHorner Round the Corner.' and "She \V re a Wreath of Roses.' Mr Howard Chambers, another Auckland favourite. sang 'The Storm Fiend' and 'The Little Hero.' and in company with Mr J. Fuller 'The Two Beggars.' Mr Ben Fuller gave some amusing sketches, and songs were contributed by other members of the company. Mr Wilson Barrett has made arrangements to re-visit Australia next On Monday last Mme. Sherwin left Sydney for Adelaide on her homeward journey to England. Her concerts in Sydney were a great success.