Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue III, 18 July 1903, Page 193

Music and Drama.

Maud Beatty is now in the English provinces. Mr. Dix is once more doing well in Wellington. Auckland friends will be glad to hear of Iris returning success. “Florodora” is still doing big business in America—ten performances per week • —seven nights and three matinees. The Westminster Abbey Concert Company is expected back in New Zealand in September. Sousa’s band, which is coming to the colonies next year under engagement to Mr. J. C. Williamson, is at present touring in Belgium. Clive, the clever conjurer with Rickards’ Company, now in New Zealand, is going to America by the next mail boat. Mr Harry Rickards’ Vaudeville Company brought their Auckland season to a conclusion on July 10 and left for ths South the following day.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island’’ has been dramatised in America. Liberties are taken with the story, and new characters are introduced for comedy effect.

Private letters received in Auckland state that Mr Walter- Kirby, who went to Paris to get his voice trained, is doing very well. His teacher is said to be most enthusiastic over Ids pupil’s voice.

Mr Williamson has secured the rights of “The School Girl’’ for Australasia. Mr Williamson has now six musical comedies-in hand, wliic.* have not yet been seen in Australia.

Mr Charles Pollard has despatches from Sydney to Manila his newly-organ-ised Anglo-Australian Comedy Co. of 17 selected artists with a varied comedy repertoire. After the East Canada and the United States will be visited. Mr James MacMahon will control the tour.

Mr Clement L. Wragge, the wellknown Queensland meteorologist, whose occupation has gone since the Commonwealth was struck with a fit of retrenchment, is about to start on a lecturing tour. New Zealand will be included in the list.

The taxation of theatrical people on incomes they make while in this country is a matter concerning which opinions differ. Sandow, it will be recollected, struggled ineffectually against the impost, and ended by paying up, after touching up the Department through the medium of the newspaper correspondence.

D’Arc’s Marionettes, who are paying their first visit to New Zealand, are now in the South Island. The entertainment has a very gopd reputation in other parts of the world, and shoqld prove popular here. Mr. H. G. Parker, formerly with the Dobson-Kennedy Company, is acting as advance, and he expects to the in 'Auckland some time in August.

The Musgrove Comic Opera Company arc to make a New Zealand tour. The Shakespearian company is not x likely to visit Mabriland. ■ Referring to the expense of these productions, Mr. Musgrove has stated that “a Midsummer Night’s Dream” cost £3500 to stage, while “As You Like It” cost £4OOO.

Mr. Watkin Mills, English baritone, with M. Eduard Parlovitz, the Polish pianist, has arranged to make a concert

tour through Australia and New Zealand next year. The company will open its season at Sydney in May.

Willoughby and Geach have issued a writ against the Victorian Railway Commissioner for alleged negligence. Recently the popular company were announced to play “Mistakes Will Happen” at Albury. Mistakes did happen, since the scenery and properties were carried against instructions to Sydney. No less than 145 were booked at midday, yet the company were compelled to remain idle. The management claim £ 100 damages, being estimated value of the house.

Before leaving New Zealand for Sydney Mr. George Musgrove stated, that in view of the splendid recognition of theatre-goers of the merits of his recent theatrical ventures in this colony, he had finally decided to send across the Shakespearian company, which will open in Auckland in November.

The plans prepared for the newtheatre in Christchurch have been accepted, and it will be a replica of the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, except that it will not hold so many. Everything will be up to date, including the latest working of mechanical effects and scenery’. This will be good news to the long-suffering playgoers of Christchurch, and will enable us to be on an equal footing with the other large centres of the colony as regards the visits of high-class companies, says “Christchurch Press.”

A pathetic paragraph from the "Press”: The Van Burg Dramatic Company, which on Saturday week began what was announced as a three months’ season at the Canterbury Hall, was to have given the first change oi programme on Saturday evening. “The Curse of Gold” was billed, but. at 8.30 the curtain rose on “When London Wakes,” which was played by members of the Van Burg and Oswald Dramatic Companies. Several of the members of the Van Burg Company were indisposed, and their professional comrades stepped into the breach. Monday morning’s papers contained no announcement as to the continuation of the season.

Unless one is very’ much mistaken, there are hard times in store for the majority of theatrical companies now’ touring, or booked to tour. New Zealand. Weight of name, reputation and capital which can secure the best of the best will probably carry, though anything either Mr. Musgrove or Mr. Williamson may choose to send across the Tasman Sea, and possibly- one or two others, may do more than make ends meet, but these will be few. After an unprecedented boom in theatre-going—a boom which amazed the most optimistic managers, a slump has set in which threatens to be both serious and prolonged. It is the natural result of a surfeit. Owing to a variety of circumstances and causes on the.other side (mainly drought), we have had an unending procession of companies of varying degrees of excellence through the colonies for upwards of two years. Week after week, month after month, regular theatre-goers have been bidden to entertainment after entertainment, till now appetite is jaded and pockets arc empty, and there are nights of empty benches before not a few of the great “profesh.” Even the Nellie Stewart season in Auckland, which began with an undeniable boom, petered out wofully from a financial standpoint as the rather’ spun-out season drew to its close, and the better parts of the house Wore a decidedly desolate appearance on several evenings. The vaudeville company of Mr. Rickards did none too well even during its first week, and though the show was a really good one, as all who saw it down South will agree, patronage in the second week was attenuated to a depressing degree. Melodrama appears to take better, and on one or two nights Miss Fitz-maiu-icc Gill and her company have drawn profitable houses, notably on Saturday last, but even she would probably admit that Auckland, like .other large towns in New Zealand, has for the present ceased to be the “lone fiddler's ground” it was a little while back. Several other companies coming on will pro-

Imbly fare worse, and the depression will, one imagines, continue some little while —worse luck for all concerned.

The absolute consensus of opinion all over New Zealand would appear to be that Mark Hambourg is the most marvellous and magnetic player of the piano who has ever visited New Zealand. He would appear to grip persons to whom the piano as an instrument does not usually appeal, while the effect of his supreme mastery of the instrument, on those who love and understand the piano, is nothing less than extraordinary. Private letters from Wellington assure the writer hereof, that Hambourg must be heard to be understood. No amount of descriptive criticism can give an idea of the personality of the man —a personality instantaneously made known to his auditors by his playing. Even the most shameless of concert-chatterers are stilled into temporary silence by- the charm and magnetism and power of his interpretations, and some glimmering of what music may mean is brought <o the dullest (musical) comprehension. So says a Wellington musician, and similar raptures come from other centres, where the young pianist—he is only 24—has appeared. The first Auckland concert will take place after this issue has gone to press, so an account of the impression he has created in the Northern capital cannot appear till next week.

T !‘° bitzmaurice Gill season in Auckland witnessed a slight contretemps between the management and the press. Ihe morning paper issued a wittilve" an<1 > perhaps, severe criticism on The Prodigal Parson,” and this so incensed the management that they intimated that they- could not admit, the critic in question for the remainder of the season. The advertisement was also temporarily withdrawn, but subsequently an understanding was apparently arrived at on both sides.

point raised here is of interest to all theatrical critics. The right of any management to decline to issue free seats to any newspaper or critic is undeniable. But to do so only when, and because a certain criticism is unfavourable, is another matter. Few managers would care to lay down as a principle that free seats are only to be during what one may, perhaps, term the “critical good behaviour” of the newspapers concerned, and to be forfeited immediately an adverse criticism was penned. Yet this is no doubt what a good fewhold in their heart of hearts, and they do feel a sense of injury when a truthful critic, after accepting their hospitality, as they put it, says that a bad thing 'is bad. As a fact, it would be better if no seats were given free, and no preliminary puffs or paragraphs inserted. The habit of booming shows beforehand has reached an absurd pitch in this colony, end the idea that so many inches of advertisement merit so many lines of puff in advance, usually written by the agent, is as mischievous as it is ridiculous. What can be more absurd than to see a paper which has devoted -a daily puff of several inches to a coming show as one of the finest things ever seen obliged to go back on itself, so to say-, and say that the thing is a disappointment? Yet this, as we all know, is the common custom. Here, it seems, is a matter the Institute of Journalists might take up and bring under the consideration of the employers. The present condition of affairs is unsatisfactory and undignified.

Gisborne amateurs have, it is announced, decided to stage “lolanthe,” and the same will probably be put into rehearsal forthwith. With considerable experience of amateurs and operas, the writer hereof would point out that “lolanthe” is far inferior to “The Mikado,” from every point of view, for amateurs. First of all, “The Mikado” is a far more certain and abiding draw. Age cannot wither or custom stale its infinite variety. Then, it is so easily cast and played. A very ordinary set of principals can emerge triumphant from “The Mikado.” Not so “lolanthe.” There is no harder opera to east, especially for amateurs. No doubt, from the faet that the opera has been chosen, there is someone who considers he can play the Chancellor, and at Gisborne, one knows, there does happen to be such an one: but the Chancellor is only one part. Lords Tolloiler and Mountararat want playing with a finish, a polish, and a discernment, rarely, if ever, achieved in amateur circles. A man may make a perfect Pooh-Bah or Pish-Tush, or do well in the "Gondoliers,” and yet be a

failure as either of the Noble Lords. If there is yet time, Gisborne amateurs will do well to think the matter over, for, again, what about the Fairy Queen’ How many voices are there in the colony could do “Oh, Foolish Fay” justice? No! “lolanthe” is vastly ambitious; there is no doubt about it.

In advertising their latest laughing success, “Mistakes Will Happen," Willoughby and Geach sometimes drop Into verse. Here Is a Lair sample:—

Said the great Sir Thomas Lipton to a crony, “Don’t you see, Ev'ry time 1 get a must blown out I advertise my tea!” But since Mistakes will Happen first packed the Tivoli tight It's needed uo advertisement —it's crowded every night!

“Mistakes” will happen at His Majesty's shortly. During a performance of “Nancy Brown” in New York a young woman with a large hat received the following note from one of the ushers, from the man behind, who is a well-known public man: Could you take off your hat? f It’s rather in the way. It may be I am cranky, but—l I paid to SEE this play. The hat came off. The versatile editor of the “Triad,” Mr, Baeyertz, is possibly the most accomplished linguist and brilliant conversationalist in the colony, and he has forgotten more about music than the majority of one’s colleagues who scribble thereon have ever known. He is a genuine enthusiast, and is broad and tolerant in all his views save that he has a most inveterate and unfashionable detestation of humbug. His opinions are always worth reading or hearing, and he has usually some such “jeu d’esprit” as the following to add the wine of wit to the dry-bread of every-day life: After one of the Hambourg concerts I (he says) injudiciously indulged too freely in—supper, and the following lines came, no doubt as a punishment. 1 trust that if you should peruse them, gentle reader, they will not bring out any*ineipient hereditary or acquired tendency to perpheral or eentripital neuritis:

M ark Hambourg Is a player, of credit and renown. A nd he's “built” a reputation, so he brings ibe houses "down;” R ight early come the ladies, and each one longed to be K issed by the wondrous melodies that swelled from C to C. II is playing is remarkable from sweetly “arioso.” A ccarezzevoie," “cspresslvo” to ofantoso;” M aueaudo,” “lagrimoso,” and even “giojoso.” B rioso,” “amoroso,” and sometimes quite "sdegnoso;” O ndeggiameiite,” “deciso,” or “rubato,” U nequalled nt "stringeudo,” "tremolo,” or “marcato;” R isvegliato,” "langsam,” yes he plays wit-h all his soul— G esundheit.” “Viva,” Maestro; and likewise "Lebo wohl!" The Wellington Amateur Opera Club open their “Ruddigore” season on July 29th and run till August sth. The cast reads like a particularly strong one, and consists of the following:—Robin Oakapple, W. D. Lyon; Richard Dauntless, E. J. Hill; Sir Despard Murgatroyd, G. F. Parsons; Old Adam, W. Parsons; Sir Roderick Murgatroyd, C. Webb Bowen; Rose Maybud, Miss Murphy; Mad Margaret, Miss Sime; Dame Hannah, Miss C. Donovan. If half one hears from private sources be true, the opera will be an enormous success, or deserves to be so at all events. Mr Hill and Mr Lyons are, of course, to be depended on for sterling performances, and it is whispered that Air Hill is particularly happy in his part and will once more be the success of the opera. Miss C. Donovan is a new-comer with a fine contralto voice, which she knows how to use, and she likewise possesses that slight soupcon of the Irish brogue which is so attractive in a woman with a rich voice. Miss Murphy will, it is confidently stated, make a tremendous hit. This is, by the way, probably the last time this very talented lady will be seen on amateur boards. A little bird has it that the offers which Mr Williamson has constantly made to Miss Murphy are shortly likely to be accepted. They arc most favourable, and if taken up the young Wellingtonian will step at once into leading parts with the Royal Comic Opera Company.