Music and Drama

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 4, 25 January 1908, Page 32

Music and Drama

Miss Maggie Moore has been touring the United States with a son of the famous actor, Joseph Jefferson. It is said that Miss Moore and Mr Harry Roberts will shortly revisit Australia with a number of new plays. Snazelle has not yet retired, though there was talk of a duck farm in Kent. He appears at the London Tivoli in a humorous sketch, called, '‘The House of Lords.” “The greatest sensation ever created in vaudeville in San Francisco,” is the statement made about Miss Nance O’Neil’s performance at the Orpheum Theatre. One of her best studies is the sleep walking scene from “Macbeth.” JX Bert Gilbert, who will come to New Zealand with “Humpty Dumpty” towards the spring time, is considered one of the best pantomine comedians on the English' stage. Long before he was 20 he had established himself as a London and provincial favourite, and when he was 19 he graduated into the musical comedies popular at that time, playing, for example, Captain Coddington, in “In Town,” for Mr George Edwardes. Soon afterwards he was in Australia, playing in “The French Maid” and “The Gay Parisienne.” During that visit he made his reputation as a pantomine comedian in “The Babes in the Wood,” a reputation he has re-established and certainly increased, as King Solium, in “HumptyDumpty.” Further, he put in some excellent work as Tom Dossiter, in “Harbour Lights.” Lately, Mr Robert Courtneidge was anxious for him to take the principal comedian’s part in the London production of “Tom Jones,” at the Apollo Theatre, after seeing him as Charley Taylor, in “The Blue Moon,” but Mr Gilbert was at the time under an engagement at the London Hippodrome, and his agreements ahead with that and other music-hall managements, prevented him from accepting the offer. His activities are not confined to the stage. He nearly always writes the words of his songs, and sometimes composes the music. He has done both in "If You Want to be a Kangaroo,” which he sings in the railway station specialty, and the words of “Wait for Me” arc also his. Nor does he confine himself to comic songs, lor he has to his credit several dainty “drawing-room” ballads, much in demand for the concert platform. Mr. J. C. Williamson, Australia’s premier’s theatrical impresario, is thorough. The public arc never disappointed when they flock to enjoy amusement provided by him; and on which he has placed his hall mark. His next attraction is t>he new Anglo-Australian musical comedy company, which will inaugurate a season of musical comedy at His Majesty’s Theatre, comment mg on Saturday evening

with the Lyric Theatre, London, success, “ The Blue Moon.” A scene of Oriental brilliance, coupled with Burmese maidens in their gorgeous attire, neatly clad British soldiers in white, and dainty British maidens in gala array, is the setting in which the story of “ The Blue Moon ” is unfolded. In addition to the charm of its tout ensemble, “ The Blue Moon ” is a musical eomedy with more than the ordinary amount of plot, and with fewer interpolations of events foreign to the story than is to be found in most musical comedies. “ Blue Moon ”is a young girl who is stolen in infancy by a soldier who deserted from his regiment. The deserter adopts Eastern manners and dress, takes the name of Moolraj and when Blue Moon grows up, bargains for her betrothal to an Indian prince. An English officer has seen the girl at the head of a singing band of Burmese maidens, and falls in love with her. He next sees her on the eve of her betrothal to the Prince. The Prince, wishing to be “ more English than the English,” gives her her choice. Blue Moon chooses the English officer who has won her heart, and finds out that she is the daughter of an English lady instead of a Burmese maiden. With the exception of Misses Celia Ghiloni, Alma Barber, Messrs. Pat Bathurst and Eddie Noble, all the principal members of the company are new to Australasian audiences, and so far throughout the tour have proved themselves a combination of exceptional ability. The new faces include Messrs. Victor Gouriet, Mvles Clifton, Harold Parkes, Reginald Kenneth, J. R. Hogue, Charles Beetham, and Misses Daisy Wallace, Jessica Deane, Amy and Dulcie Murphy. Taken altogether the “ Blue Moon ” is a dainty and charming musical comedy, elaborately staged, capably acted, with plenty of good amusement from start to finish. Other productions during the season will be “ Lady Madcap,” “ Little Michus ” and “ Three Little Maids.” Auckland theatre patrons ean rely on getting a season of musical plays that should suit one and all, as this class of amusement is at the present time most popular. Melbourne has passed through some ups and downs of Climate since “HumptyDumpty” started its triumphant career at Her Majesty’s Theatre, but all meteorological vagaries from 100 in the shade to a bitter rain storm have failed to shake barometrical readings of its success, which have remained at “steady, fine and bright” from the commencement. In other words, audiences have throughout the run been maintained at an exceptionally high level as regards numbers,; while their enthusiasm has increased rather than diminished with the passing of the days. For already fortunate people have begun to count their blessings in the shape of visits to the pantomime, and much envy, hatred, and malicb is generated in the minds of those who have seen it once, by the proud asservations of those who have seen it for anything up to half-a-dozen or more times. Up to the third week of the season, a moderate computation based on box office returns gives a total of 50,000 people as having passed through the doors of Her Majesty’s Theatre since the opening night, and the average attendance seems on the increase. Everything goes with a swing from first to last, but it is interesting to note the difference of opinion between the youngsters at the matinees an<J their elders in the evenings as to the features they consider best. The Wheel of Life, with its Niagara of girls pouring on to the stage, holds pride of place in the appreciation of both the “coming” and the “coine” generations, but after that the former find apparently most enjoyment in the Omnibus scene, the Nursery Rhyme ballet, the Cats and the Elephant, while the latter’s heartiest applause is reserved for the Coral and States Ballet, the Diving Bell scene, the March of Nations, and the Railway Station scene.

There is a sort of box office rivalry existent just at present in Sydney between “The Girls of Gottenberg” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, and “The Scarlet Pimpernel” at the Royal. Both are playing to exceedingly fine houses—the Royal Comic Opera Company in the one having made one of the biggest successes they have achieved for years, while in the other Mr. Julius Knight’s splendid study of Sir Percy Blakeney and Miss Ola Humphrey’s equally good work as Lady Blakeney give the best possible chances to the Baroness Orczy’s romance. While these two are crowding the theatres in the evenings, “Blue Bell in Fairyland” is doing likewise in the afternoons at the Theatre Royal, and the charming play, charmingly acted as it is, is proving a source of unending delight to the youngsters. But holidays, alas, never last for ever—as Black Monday approaches so does the end of “Blue Bell’s career, the last performances of which are now announced. One of the chief reasons which took Mr J. C. Williamson to New York last month was his purpose of fixing up matters in connection with “The Red Mill,” the copyright of which he acquired some time ago for Australasia, and of which it is intended to make one of the leading attractions out here this year. He found the musical comedy still going very strongly, not only in New York, but also elsewhere, half-a-dozen companies being engaged playing it on the roads. It would appear that the piece’s combination of exceptionally tuneful numbers, a picturesquely quaint Dutch setting and a plenitude of comedy, had established it as a lasting favourite. A week or two ago a rumour reached Australia from some of the smaller American theatrical papers that Miss Margaret Anglin had decided not to visit the Commonwealth under the J. C. Williamson management this year. This is not so. Powerful managerial influence was certainly brought to bear upon Miss Anglin to induce her to abandon her projected trip, but, though several very tempting offers were made to her, she refused them all, and is already engaged on the preliminary preparations for her tour of Australasia, which will commence at the end of June next. The function known as “a quick lunch,” peculiar to the American people, has been ridiculed times out of number in that country’s comic journals until the Australian has come to regard it as a fearsome ceremony in which the average New Yorker daily braves the danger of dyspepsia and ruins his digestion by frantic efforts to get his food and drink consumed in the shortest possible time. But there is another and much pleasanter type of “quick lunch,” if one is to judge by the recent experience of Mr J. C. Williamson in New York. One day he rang up Witmark Bros., the big music publishers, with the idea of making arrangements for a business interview about “The Red Mill” and other matters, and was promptly invited to lunch by Mr Ismore Witmark. That was a quarter past twelve, and the hour of the lunch was fixed for one o’clock. Mr Witmark immediately “got busy,” sent out invitations by ’phone, engaged a private room at the “Navarre,” a well-known city hotel, had a piano brought in, gave the hotel people carte blanche, and altogether spent a very full forty-five minutes. His activity was rewarded by Mr Williamson’s genuine astonishment when he entered the room. It looked as though days of thought and hours of preparation had been spent on it. The American and Australian flags hung in folds down every wall, the table was gay with flowers, by each plate was a souvenir with a kangaroo prominently displayed on it, and the menu was an epicurean dream. After lunch Victor Herbert, the composer of “The Red Mill” and Henry Blossom, another prominent New York musician, played and sang selections from their own musical plays besides a number of popular ones by other composers. Informal speeches were made, and after lunch the party adjourned to the Witmark Building, where the impromptu was continued through most of the afternoon, Victor Herbert sitting in his shirt sleeves and having the time of his life accompanying Henry Blossom when the latter sang. Altogether, the whole function was an immense success, and none enjoyed it more heartily and expressed his appreciation of it more cordially than did Mr Williamson himself.

It is a very long while since the writer remembers the verdict of “The man in the street ” in Auckland so unanimous as it is over “ Brewster’s Millions,” which, despite the heat, has been running to capital houses since the 17th. No brighter lighter, or better staged eomedy has been seen in New Zealand for a very long while, and as an effort of stagecraft the famous yacht scene is worthy of Bland Holt in his most ambitious mood. In Auckland, as everywhere else, the splendid realism of the storm aroused immense enthusiasm, the applause being deafening. Many ladies said they felt preliminary symptoms of mal de mer, and the men were even worse, for they almost without exception felt the necessity for “ a little something ” to stave off the pangs of seasickness, and appeared refreshed and strengthened when they reappeared before the rise of the curtain for the last act. “ It’s not so much what a man wants as what he needs,” they murmured as they sank contentedly back in their seats. “Brewster’s Millions” as strongly recommended by this paper to all who have the chance of seeing the same. The acting is excellent, and there are no dull moments. “ The Girl Behind the Counter ” is tho biggest musical play success of the present New York season. Messrs. Meynell and Gunn will produce this piece during their musical comedy season. J* Messrs. Meynell and Gunn have organised a company to play “ The Little Breadwinner,” with Beatrice Holloway in the leading part. The death is announced of Mr Henry Kemble, a noted English actor, aged sixty-one. Mr Kemble belonged to the famous stage family of the Kembles, of which Roger Kemble (1721-1802), who married Sarah Ward, actress, daughter of his manager, John Ward, an Irishman, was the founder. Mr Henry Kemble was great-grandson of Roger Kemble and grand-nephew of Sarah Siddons and. John Philip Kemble.