Music and Drams.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XXVI, 27 June 1903, Page 1813

Music and Drams.

"Are You a Mason?” is a question which the members of Mr Williamson’s clever company' are still asking at His Majesty’s Theatre with profit to themselves and unbounded amusement to the large audiences which are nightly attracted to this place of entertainment. It is seldom that such a company comes along with such a farcical comedy, and the people of Auckland are fully' alive to the fact. The company's next piece is “Ob, What a Night,” but the present piece could easily run out the season on its own account.' Good as the second piece is reported to be playgoers are not anxious to see the jolly would-be Masons retire in its favour. On June 23 His Excellency the Governor and ‘ Lady Ranfurly aattended the performance of “Are You a Mason?” : ' ■’ It is some time since a vaudeville company of the stamp associated With the name of Mr Harry Rickards. has visited Auckland, so the appearance of his latest company on Saturday,- June 27, at the Opera House is sure to be greeted with pleasure. The combination is a decidedly strong one, and includes several “stars” of world-wide reputation. Hill and Silvainy, trick cyclists, do an astonishingly daring turn. ’ “The greatest success of the evening was undoubtedly that scored by Mr Hill and Miss Silvainy, the trick cyclists. The performance of these daring acrobats was thrilling in the extreme, and of a character never previously attempted in the colonies. After an exhibition of skilful riding on the old style ‘boneshaker.’ Mr Hill discarded this for a one-wheeled machine upon which, without handlebays, be rode down a steep Hight of steps with Miss Silvainy upon his shoulders. The feat is fraught with extreme danger and requires a wonderful skill.and nerve.” Thus a Southern critic who saw’ the company. Alias Grade Emmett, the famous American comedienne, and her company of compatriots, have a repertoire of most entertaining “playlets” specially written for her by the American writer W. W. Prosser. These plays in miniature have made Miss Emmett and those who assist her most popular in the towns they have already visited. Among a number of other highly capable artists is Mr Wallace Brownlow’, an old favourite who may be sure of a hearty welcome.

Mr Harry Plimmer, who was in Auckland some little time ago, whilst a member of the Anderson Dramatic Company, has joined the Neil-Frawley Company, now flaying in Melbourne. __

The 1000th performance of “Ben Hur” was recently celebrated in America. The drama commenced its career at the Broadway Theatre in New York, November 29, 1900. Air Seeley, who is to appear with Air Harry Rickards’ company, was the husband of the late Bonny Bessie Bonehill, who was the greatest child impersonator of the English stage. She was under engagement to Mr Rickards, and but for her untimely death would have appeared with the company now in New Zealand. A comic opera, in which all the character;.' arc played by negroes, has recently been a great success in New York; and negotiations are a i present in progress to take the whole production very shortly to a London We:-:t End theatre. The medals, orders, and diplomas of the great rope-walker, Blondin, the hero of Niagara Falls, were sold at Debenham’s, London, recently. A gold medal and chain with diploma, awarded for crossing Niagara in 1858, realised £2O 10/. Air George Stephenson has received a cable from Air Fred Duval to the effect that he has secured three very sticeesfnl* American comedies of the “Trip to Chinatown” order, namely, “Mamma’s New Husband,” “Browns in Town,” and “Where is Cobbe?” A specially-select-ed company has been engaged to interpret these plays, and a great feature will he the ballet chorus.

Mr Harry Rickards sails from Sydney on June 27 by the Oceana for Europe. After London he goes to New York and Chicago, and then returns to London for a four or five weeks’ holiday. Thence he visits Paris, Berlin and Vienna in search of novelties, and returns to Australia at the end of November or early in December. He will be accompanied by Airs Rickards, his two daughters and little Fanny Powers, a clever artiste who was in New Zealand with Cinquevalli. During her stay in London she will make an appearance on the English vaudeville stage.

It will be interesting news to many that an Auckland Shakespeare Society has just been formed. Sir John Logan Campbell has accepted the position of patron to the society, and Air Hugh Campbell that of president. The first play to be read will be the comedy of “Twelfth Night,” and the reading will take place in the Alasonic Hall, Princesstreet, on Thursday, 2nd July. Invitations are. now being issued by the committee to those who are known to be interested in the matter. The caste will inelude the names of Messrs. Archdale Taylor, J. F. Montague, F. H. Templar, W. R. Walker, Rev. W. Jellie; .Miss Bruce (Remuera), Mrs C. J. Parr, Miss Ockenden, and a number of others.

The new Neapolitan tenor, Signor Giorgini, according to the Italian papers, will appear next year in London and New York. The people of Naples arc quite wild over their new tenor, who is not quite 23 years of age. A short time ago he was crying fish in the streets of Rome, and had a varied experience as a stonemason, cook, baker and blacksmith. At Naples he joined a strolling company, and sang songs in the streets. At. length he eummoned courage and called on the manager of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples, who immediately engaged, him. After eight months’ training Signor Giorgini appeared with great success in grand opera. _

Once, at Drury Lane. nearly ten minutes of an act was taken up by the prattle of a little boy whose father was away from home “doing time,” as well as irksome labour, for an offence of which he was as innocent «s the conductor of •the. orchestra. At the end of the ten minutes, whieh seemed like ten ages, while they lasted, the little boy fell asleep in his mother’s arms—having first asked, in a tin treble. “Alainma, why are you crying?”—and at this

most interesting point of the drama the “comic relief,” represented by a sailor and a housemaid in love, trumped noisily on to perform their cheering mission of contrast. “Hush! hush!” cried a man from the gallery, in a great and resonant whisper of despair, as the sailor was about to crack a joke with his sweetheart. “For Heaven’s sake don’t wake that child!”