MUSIC AND DRAMA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1, 6 January 1906, Page 23

MUSIC AND DRAMA.

Miss Nora Lynch, a pupil of St. Mary’s High School, Ponsonby, has recently published a very pretty waltz dedicated to Lady D’.unket, and called ‘"The Plunket Waltz.” Miss Maud Jeffries, of the KnightJeffries Company, will, at the end of her present engagement, visit her homo in the Southern States of America, accompanied by her husband (Mr. J. Osborne ). JI JU Cecil Ward, the Australian actor, has got into harness again, and was at latest playing at Wallacks, in New York, in a comedy called “The Squaw Man.” Press criticisms of his work in this particular piece are all favourable. JI Jl James E. Rome and Marguerite Ferguson, who were the “Blinky Bill” and ‘‘Mamie Clancy” of the original Australian production of “The Belle of New York” are touring with George Musgrove’s other big success, “The Prince of Pilson.” Ji Jt John F. Sheridan, the evergreen, is making a big success of “Dick Whittington and His Cat,” a musical pantomime, which is said to be full of good things. Miss Heba Barlow is still with “The Widow" as leading lady, and other stars are Miss Selbourne. Miss Conroy, Mr Jean de Lacey and Mr Collard. JS Jl Mr Geo. Barnes, business manager of the “J.P.” Company, arrived from the South, via Gisborne, on Sunday, by the Zealandia to arrange for a short tour of the Goldfields prior to the company’s return season in Sydney. Mr Barnes leaves by the Mokoia on Monday, Bth inst. Jl Jl It is good news to playgoers to learn that Miss May Beatty is not to sever her connection with Stephenson's Musical Comedy Co. yet awhile, and that she will play the leading parts with the company on its New Zealand tour, which commenced in His Majesty's at Dunedin on Boxing Night. J» JI Messrs Meynell and Gunn, who have acquired the rights of “The Fatal Wedding" for the colonies, have engaged a special company to play in it, which is due to arrive in Australia next Easter. “The Fatal Wedding” is a musical drama of high interest, and has been an enormous success both in America and England. Jl Jl . Miss Lily Dampier, who has just concluded a season in the Palace Theatre, Sydney, is due in New Zealand after the Sheridan Co. Miss Dampier will produce a number of Shakespearean and other plays. She will be well supported by Mr Alfred Rolfe as lead, with a number of other well-known actors and actresses. The veteran Edmund Holloway will be a member of the company. Jl Jl The “two houses a night” experiment is to be tried again at the Lyceum. London. With a cast of 300 people, however great a spectacular success may be, it cannot be made to pay on a one. performance basis, so the manageress,

Mrs Br.rrasford. has decided to suit th* house to the needs of the public. Ther* will be performances at 6.45 and 8.45, and the prices will be: Gallery 3d, pit Cd, circle 1/, stalls 2/ and 3/, boxes 15/ and 21/. Jl Jl It was shortly before the Irving funeral, and a well-known manager had just placed a wreath in as conspicuous a place as possible. But he didn’t like the lock of the very small card attached thereto, and so he fastened on one considerably larger with “From the Theatre” on it. “How does that look now’’’ he said to one of his company who stood near. “Oh, it’s all right,” re sponded the aetor, “but why not add, ‘every evening at B.' I” J* Jl The Brongh - Flemming Company changed their programme on Monday night when "The Walls of Jericho” was substituted for “Beauty and the Barge.” His Majesty’s Theatre was crowded with a holiday audience, and the piece was received with the utmost enthusiasm. In the “Walls of Jericho" Alfred Sutro has satirised the utter artificiality of life in certain circles of present-day society, and contrasted it with the refreshing frankness and genuiness of sincerity and real worth. Mr Herbert Flemming, after a very long absence from the stage, makes his re-appearance as the hero Jack Frobisher, and the large audience on Monday gave him a most hearty welcome. His acting was exceedingly fine throughout the piece, and gained the popular aetor-manager quite an ovation. The company’s new leading lady, Miss Beatrice Day as Lady Alcthea proved herself worthy of the best traditions of the magic name of “the Broughs." She acts with a natural charm which could not fail to make her appearance welcome, and one looks forward to seeing her in other pieces. Mr Brough ns Frobisher's Australian chum, had not a great deal to do. but it goes without saying that what he had to do was done faultlessly: Other characters which stood out were the Lady Derenham of Miss Fraser, ths Lady Westenbury of Miss Temple, the Harry Dallas of Mr Piekfcrd, and ths Marquis of Steventon of Mr Edgar