MUSIC AND DRAMA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 16, 20 October 1906, Page 40

MUSIC AND DRAMA.

“Leah Kleshna,” which attracted very large audiences on its first two productions in Auckland this week, will be seen for the last time on Thursday, and then “Merely Mary Ann,” a particularly dainty little comedy, takes its place. “Leah Kleshna,” though not of the high type of play which attracts the American actress’ admirers in “L'Aiglon,” “La Tosea,” or, in its different way, “Sunday,” is yet one which has a fascination for many, and is assuredly effective from a dramatic point of view. It has been correctly described as “high class melodrama,” and occupies the same place with regard to that form of entertainment as high comedy or Pinero farce does to the usual ruck of comic rubbish. A play with a purpose is usually dull, but “Kleshna” is not that at all events, though there are times when it approaches the “slow but sure” stage. “Merely Mary Ann'’ the writer has not yet seen, but if it has anything approaching the dainty humorous parts of Zangwill’s little masterpiece it must be very well worth seeing. Meanwhile Auckland people are all on the qui vive for “Sunday” revival. It is sure of a tremendous reception. t J* Miss Josephine Stanton, the American comic opera artist, who headed one of Mr. Musgrove’s companies for some years in Australia, and Mr. Henry 1 Hallam, of the same company, are now playing a musical comedy, “A Broken Journey,” in the English provinces. J* Mr. Anderson’s Christmas pantomime at the Theatre Royal in Melbourne will be “Robinson Crusoe, and a number of magnificent views of the lately submerged island, Juan Fernandez, are now being prepared by Mr. Reg. Robins. The principal boy of the show will bo imported from England and the ballets will be directed and led by Miss Maud Cosham. Mr. Williamson made a very handsome offer to Miss Nellie Dent and Mr. Fred. Graham to return to his management for two special parts in “The Spring Chicken” at Melbourne, and the pantomime at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, to follow. A very long engagement was promised, but the couple were unable to accept, owing to previously fixed engagements with Messrs. Fuller for New Zealand. ji e* The present position of the British composer of high-class music is a very deplorable one. He is encouraged to educate himself well —scholarships even are offered to tempt him to undertake the production of work which, on the author’s entry into the world, is declared on all hands to be a non-salable article. .... As a rule, only one performance of a new work can be obtained —thus treating it as a mere curiosity instead of a thing requiring time and attention to appreciate.—Society of British Composers’ Year Book.

A good story is told about Mr Charles Hawtrey, the aetor. Once when making a trip through Europe, he found ■himself in a small village minus his luggage and his razors. There was no barber’s shop, but, having heard of a man in the village who occasionally had shaved people, tlie famous aetor sent for him, and was astonished at being requested to lie fiat on his baek before operations were commenced. Thinking it a custom of the country, he lay down, and was shaved with ease and dexterity, but afterwards asked the man the reason why he requested his customers to adopt so peculiar a position. “Because, sir,” was the naive reply, “I never before shaved a live man! ’ There were no fewer than 673 applications—most of them of a very pathetic character—for engagements in the company which Mr. George Alexander selected to introduce “His House in Order” to the English provinces. Only eighteen persons were wanted. Further proof of the number of “out-of-works” in the London theatrical profession is illustrated by a manager who wanted 14 players last month to start out on a fareieal comedy tour. Over 500 letters were received by him begging for an engagement in the new venture, and not a few of the correspondents were public favourites. J* J* It seems that there is at least a possibility of Madame Sarah Bernhardt revisiting us before long, although the terms she recently asked of Mr. Williamson’s representative were prohibitive. She has expressed her desire to renew her acquaintance with Australia, and should she do so she will bring out “The Far-Off Princess,” a powerful drama, by Rostand, author of "Cyrano de Bergerae.” It is a story of the time of the Crusades, is very poetic, and is written in blank-verse. The play is highly spectacular, and has much more of stage sensationalism and mechanical effects than is customary with Madame Bernhardt's productions. J* J* WEST’S PICTURES AND THE BRESCIANS. Tlie popular and artistic combination of Cinematograph Pictures and Music will make their re-appearance at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, on Saturday, October 20th, after a six months’ tour in Australia, where they have repeated the phenomenal success that at tended them throughout their first New Zealand tour. Mr. T. J. West has recently returned from London, having visited all the principal houses of cinematograph production at Home and in Paris, and saw everything that is new in the development of the science, so that a most comprehensive series of pictures can be expected. A series illustrating “Canada as it is,” showing the vast grain and timber resources and picturesque scenery of the Dominion, and also “The Warwick Pageant,” a gorgeous historic spectacle, unsurpassed in the annals of pageantry, are amongst the items of the opening programme. The Breseians need no recommendation to New Zealand audiences. Their performance is always a eharming one, and admirably thought out in the matter of arrangement. The perennial popularity of “Tha Belle of New York” was well exemplified last Saturday, writes Mr George Tallis, when an absolutely packed house welcomed its revival by the Royal Comic Opera Company at Iler Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, applauded enthusiastically all the well-known numbers, and laughed unrestrainedly at the various eccentricities apportioned to the different members of the cast. For the first time in the Australian history of the delightful musical comedy it was sung ns it ought to be sung, the ballads of .Violet Grey, Fifi Fricet and Harry

Bronao being dene f»i! justice to 1® Miss Florence Yoong, Miss Alma Barber, and Mr Reginald Roberts, while the chorus work generally was on tho highest level. At the same time the comedy business was iu the safest possible hands. Mr George Lauri, who played lekabod Bronson as if lie thoroughly enjoyed it, gave a new and entirely satisfactory reading to the part. Mr Fred Leslie repeated h's famous impersonation of Blinky Bill, Mr W. S. Percy was an excellent Polite and Messrs Arthur, Lissant, Claude Bantoek, Misses Connie Milne, Tilly Woodloek, and Nellie Wilson were all eminently well placed. Mr Harry Rickards, having heard that the sum of £4 19/ was still needed to make up the full amount required for the erection of a monument in Abney Park Cemetery to the memory of the late Mr G. W. Hunt, the well-known song writer, at onee, with characteristic generosity, handed the hon. treasurer, Mr F. H. Pedgrift, a cheque to make good the deficiency. Mr Rickards met G. W. Hunt when he first entered the profession and was singing at the Oxford and Canterbury, then under the managament of the late Mr Charles Morton, and he became intimately acquainted with the clever song writer at the old Philharmonic at Islington, of which the late Mr Sam Adams was tlie then proprietor. Mr Rickards was at that time rapidly making his way to the front, and had fulfilled his first two or three engagements at first-class halls, the stars of that time incuding “the great Vanee” and George Leybourne, of “Champagne Charlie” fame. G. W. Hunt wrote a number of Mr Rickards’ most successful songs, amongst them, being “We’re Not Dead Yet,” a patriotic ditty whieh proved a great hit at the London Pavilion; “Where is My Nancy Gone?” “Colonel Slashem,” “I wish 1 was a Fish with a Great Big Tail,” “Cerulia was Beautiful,’ and many others. Mr Rickards has thus generously shown his respect for the memory of one who rendered him good service in advancing his professional position in his early days. J* It is rather curious that “The Spring Chicken” as the latest example of musical comedy development should follow immediately after "The Shop Girl,’ wh'eh was the initial instance (and still in some respeets the best) of the same type of theatrical performance first introduced to the public by Mr George Edwards. It may be, too, that “The Spring Chicken” as wel as being the latest, will also be the last as far as Mr Edwardes is concerned, fox some time ago he declared that musical comedy was doomed, and only a few days ago he staged at the Gaiety theatre, London, a piece called “Aladdin,” whieh apparently is a modern improvement on the burlesque or extravaganza. It was, so Mr Will’amson’s London agent informs him by cable, a big success. As Mr Williamson has first option on all Mr Edwardes’ productions, it is extremely probable that “Aladdin ’ will be an early addition to the repertoire of the Royal Comic Opera,Company. The Gilbert and Sullivan Company are meeting with their accustomed success in West Australia where they have always been sure of the most cordial of welcomes. They are due for a short season in Adelaide next, opening on 10th November, and thereafter they will in all probability be sent round the Victorian country towns before finally transferring their talents to tbe productions of the pantomime and “Parsifal” in Melbourne and Sydney respectively. The latter will require a strong chorus and ballet for some of the great spectacular scenes it contains, and Mr Williamson intends to utilise the trained material affords him for it by the Gilbert and Sullivan Company. - J* -•» At tbe invitation of her father, a number of musical critics attended' on Friday morning at Paling’s in Sydney, to hear Miss Nellie Black give a sample of her ability and versatility. The young lady, who is a New Zealander, and the star of the concert party known as the “All Blacks,” who have been touring the Land of the Moa for the past five years, contributed several songs, in addition to playing selections on the violin, piano, and mandolin. Possessed of a contralto voice of exceptional range, Miss

Slack sang in a most artistic fashion, while she also proved that she is a mistress of instrumental musie. Owing to the inability of Mr. Black to secure a suitable eity hall, the combination will tour the country towns, but it will be a distinct loss to local musie-lovers, says the ’'Referee,” if arrangements cannot be made for a season here later. Miss Black would certainly be a strong acquisition to any company. Masahura Matsui, a Japanese author and playwright, who has been in England studying the construction and general working of English theatres, nas been giving his impressions thereon to a Bendon interviewer. He ventures no eociment on the state of the English drama, but is not at all backward in criticising musical eomedy. Certain nuisieal plays which he has seen he condemns as inartistic and vulgar. Musical comedy is not unknown in Japan, where it comes under the heading, "Niwaka.” These, says Mr. Matsui, are not mounted with such lavish extravagance as in London, and are generally patronised by the unintelleetual classes, which is a delicate sarcasm of quite a Western order. What seems to have impressed Mr. Matsui the most is the versatility of English actors. No actor in Japan, he says, could pass indifferently from a classic to a modern repertory. Indeed, he takes a despondent view of the Japanese acting and drama generally. “Since tire death of Danjuro,” he says, “tiramatic art in our country has lost much of its prestige. Artists are now divided into two schools —the traditionalists, who follow the precepts of Danjuro, but, of course, cannot infuse the mighty spirit and genius of the great actor into their parts; and the realists, 01 whom the leading apostles are Mdme. .Sada Yaec-o and Mr. Kawakami. First nights in Japan must be trying times to the theatrical managers, for, according to Mr. Matsrui, the custom in that country is for each paper to be represented on these occasions by two or even three critics and an artist for the sketches. On the inquiry which M. Matsui is carrying on in London depends the institution of a National theatre in Japan, towards which a sum amounting to £120,000 has already been subsribed. Jit Speaking of the first performance of “Mrs. Gorringe’s Necklace,” which the Brough-Flemming Co. are to produce shortly in New Zealand, the “Adelaide Advertiser” remarks: —“The designation “comedy” is attached to it in the programme, but as it ends with a suicide there is a distinct and very pathetic element of tragedy connected with it. Each member of the company engaged in the interpretation of the interesting and clever drama acted as though he or she felt that the particular part involved was being “created,” so far as tne Australian stage was concerned, and the result was an even standard of excellence which is seldom attained on this side of the world. There was an evident desire to make a good impression, not only with the play as a whole, but by each character of it, and in this way the rapt attention of all present was commanded and maintained. The characterisation was powerful, and the brignG dialogue was spoken with due regard to its meaning and intention. Each of The chief personages lived on the stage, and whether it was the continually remorseful reprobate, David Cairn (Mr. Carter Piekfdrd), the sweet-tempered and affectionate Isabel Jardine (Miss Kate Gair), the altogether attractive and goodhearted colonel (Mr. Payne), the highminded and self-sacrificing African millionaire (Mr. Flemming), .the selfish, flighty, and voluble Mrs. Gorringe (Miss Beatrice Day), or the handsome, impulsive, irritable, inquisitive, excitable, fastidious, and contemptuous Mrs. Jardine (Mrs. Brough), all put their whole heart and intelligence into the task of helping forward and intensifying the action of the drama. The difficult and unthankful role of the detective (Mr. Gregan McMahon) was in good hands, and praise is also due to Miss Gordon Lee, Miss Mary Milward, and Mr. Horace lligson. for the capable manner in which they filled in the minor figures of the drama. There was the spice of novelty in the representation, too, for scarcely anyone in the audience knew how the story would work out, so that it had all the fascination of a freshly-published novel. The setting of the piece had evi-

dently been the subject of artistic care, and the colonel's well-furnished library, with the glimpse of garden beyond—the environment of the action from first to last—was both charming and correct. The period is that of to-day, and the frocking of the ladies, therefore, was after the manner of animated fashion plates. Mr. Flemming acknowledges that in the production of the play he received great assistance from that extremely able actor, Mr. Edgar Payne, and both are entitled to high commendation for their work in this direction.”