Music and Drama

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 14 October 1908, Page 16

Music and Drama

•‘MRS. WIGGS. OF THE CABBAGE HATCH.”

Tlie Americans "have waited long for their woman humorist—but she has arrived in the person of Alice Hegan Rice, flic author of those delightful books, ‘Mrs Wiggs, of the Cabbage Patch” and “Lovely Mary.” The play of “Mrs. Wiggs,” to bo produced for six nights, commencing on Monday next at HAL Theatre, Auckland, I>y J. C. Williamson, is to possess the finest sympathy, sparkling humour and moving sentiment combined, of any play of later years. The success of this famous comedy-drama is firmly established; its career in America has been a succession ot triumphs; England, and especially conservative London, opened its arms to “Mrs. Wiggs” and folded Miss Ada TMyycr to its artistic breast, whilst Australia lias followed contentedly in the steps of the greater places, and stored “Mrs. Wiggs” in the niche where record takings have their lodging. The book is -composed of 20,000 words. Alice Hegan Rice received £20,000 for it—one pound .per word. The Company supporting Miss Ada Dwyer is a specially selected bhq, being mostly the original off the various characters in America. The box plan will lie open at Wildman and Arey’s on Thursday next. JC J* Wark Hambourg, now opening his New Zealand tour in Auckland, where the second concert takes place on 'Wednesday, and the last on Saturday, is without doubt or question a vastly greater or bi st than on the occasion of his first visit. His then amazing power and vigour, have increased df anything, and •while his originality is as striking as ever, Ilia judgment is matured and his erstwhile tendency to exaggeration toned down. Not having enjoyed the opportunity and advantage of -hearing Itebeiwtein—which so many Australasian critics somewhat mysteriously possess—precludes the writer from comparing Hambourg to that great master, svhtch is a pity, as everyone likes to be in the fashion. Nut comparing Hamliourg with such players of great distincItion as we -have heard (exclusive of the grwmaphone), Padreweski and the unforgettable Carreno, for example, one can quite imagine that he is the representative of a school which, while great, has nothing to compare with these others. One cannot say Hambourg is greater lor inferior to Padreweski, for the two ore entirely different, and for a critic in this part of the world to lightly decide which reading of any musical masterpiece is the better between these nrtists, savours of impertinence. One thing only is certain, a great, great artist is amongst us, and it is improbable we shall have another opportunity of bearing him, since his European and other engagements are booked far ahead. (The obvious moral is that contained in 1 ho favourite business advertising maxim of the moment, “Do it now,” The World-Wide Pictures now being nliown by Fuller's in Auckland are about the best ever seen in that city, and are well patronised. The number of “murder" films is a trifle excessive, but the flow as a whole is quite excellent. Jt J* The following is told of a well-known 'American actor. Not long ago he received from a friend an unpaid letter containing uottiing but the following brief message: “I am well; with kind regards; your friend The recipient, annoyed at having to pay postal charges for such a piece of news, determined to retaliate in kind. Procuring « heavy clone, lie packed it in a box, and sent it ,to bis friend, marking the box “Collect on delivery." The friend, believing the contents to be valuable, gladly paid the iiaavy express charges due. tin opening the box he found, to his dismay, nothing but the stone and an attached ticket on ryhirh was written: “tin receiving tlio nows that you were well the accompany* Lug load rolled off iny ’lien ft.”

Miss Elsie Kay, a member of Mr Seymour Hicks’s “Gay -Gordons” company, was married in London tlie other day to Mr Ronald McAndrew, only son of Mo McAndrew, who, a Dublin correspondent states, is a millionaire shipbuilder, of Liverpool. The “Gay Gordons” company was appearing in Dublin, and Miss Kayplayed her part «p to Saturday might. On Wednesday Mr Seymour Hides received the following telegram from her from London: “Shall not be back. Am married. So sorry.” (I wonder what she was sorry about?;) Mr McAndrew is a young man of four and twenty, tall and handsome. Miss Kay and the present Lady de Clifford were the two original Gibson girls of Mr Hicks’s company. Miss Kay is the eighth girl of the company who within <a year has married either a rich or a titled man. JX The title of the. new Barrie play, “What Every Woman Knows,” is decidedly attractive. JX JS Mr. Hayes, the winner of the Marathon Race, has been offered £2OO per week to appear at music halls throughout the United Staes, and relate his experiences. JX JX A clever Scotch ventriloquist who is at present in the United States has made up a dummy of Harry Lauder, and makes the image sing Hany’s songs. JX “ The Bulletin ” docs not cmtlruge very much over “ The Merry Widow.” One could be better pleased if another sort of comic opera had the popularity of “The Merry Widow,” says the critic. “ There is scarcely a character - in it with whom is any the better for getting acquainted. The Merry Widow herself is about the least objectionable, and even she gets you to the theatre by false pretences, because she is really just about as merry as a funeral train on a foggy morning. As for the others, their respectability ends with their clothes. The whole atmosphere of the thing is as murky as Jonah’s cabin was in the first submarine mentioned! in naval history.” jX Judge Lacombe, sitting in the United •States Circuit Court, ha-s handed down a decision in which he declares that moving picture exhibitions of scenes from copyrighted plays or books come under the copyright law. in that they are pantomimes, and, therefore, theatrioal productions. This means that the proprietors of the moving picture “shows” will have to pay royalties. The case came before The Court in an action brought by Messrs. Harper and Brothers, Klaw and Erlanger, and Henry I*. Wallace against the Kalem Company, manufacturers of moving picture films and -machines, for reproducing certain scenes from “Ben Hur.” The publishers own the copyright of General Wallace’s book, and Messrs. Klaw and Erlanger hold the producing rights. Mr. Wallace is the son of the Hate author. The decision will have an important effect on the moving picture business all over the country, films of many popular plays being In circulation, and others in course of preparation. A Broadway theatrical firm recently «u--aioimced that a repertoire of modern plays would shortly be produced by means of moving pictures, with phonograph attachments. d* ■“The Devil," a very modern play which has lieen creating universal excitement on the Continent, boasts dialogue of ultra smart order. Here are a few extracts from the philosophy of the -dress-suit Satan: — “ Look here, my l»oy—do you think you a re wise to be a fool ?” “ Tire truth is naked, madame —and you are at least half dressed.” “ She does not love her husband. He must be either a genius or a very common man.” “Female presentiment always feels tlie tiuslmnd’a mining ten minutes ahead. If it wore not for those ten minutes there would lie more divorced women. - *’ An artrit Might uot

to marry. Your wife to be wiH a wear until the wedding day to stand truly by your side for alt yonr life—and the day after the wedding she will be in your way.” “The real wife is always the other man’s wife.” “Be a rascal —but be a pleasant rascal, and the world is yours.” “ Each hour you don’t know ■where she is she spends with me! ” “1 always carry with me everything a woman needs for weeping.-” JX JX Miss Amy Castles will make a six months’ professional tour out this waynext year. J? jX •Mr Charles Carter is still with the Moody-Manners -Opera Company. In August I notice lie was playing Manrico to Madame De Yere Sapio’s Leonora in I! Trovatore. JX JX Madame Ada Crossley, the contralto, is arranging her programmes with a belief that tlie highest -class of music will be appreciated -by the public for which she is to cater. White by no means excluding the ballad music of the best type, she intends to assign special prominence to tlie classics, and to the finest modern examples in the realm of song. Already she has drawn up fifteen (programmes, each entirely different, JJ JX Miss Gladys Ure, the clever Australian girl, who will be best remembered in the “Midsummer Night's Dream” Company, and who went to New York a few years ago, is considered very beasttiftfl there. Ghe is staring in opera. She has also struck out into composing, and Mr Savage has staged one of her compositions. 'd* JX Miss Irene Ainsley. the Auckland singer, with tlie London hall-mark, is making a conspicuously successful tour of the provincial towns (says “The Doaninisn”). At New Plymouth and Stratford she attracted the largest concert audiences known for years, and alt along the line Miss Ainsley’s splendid vocalisation has aroused the warmest enthust asm. JX JX Mme. Fanny Moody, one of the principals of the popular Moody-Manners Co,, had her chance as a singer on the lyric dtage vflien Ithe gnlinia donna [Mine. Julia Gaylord fell suddenly ill during the run of “Nordisa,” Mr Frederick Corder's unsuccessful opera at Drury Lane, where it was produced by the late Cart Rosa. He excitedly asked, “Who is to replace my prima. donna?” and when he was told the name of the fresh recruit, he expressed his doubts about her being able to study it. There was no need to do so. The young singer knew it already, and she appeared that evening, with great success, to tlie delight of everybody, including the tenor, Who, in his enthusiasm, hugged the new singer so hard that she was at one moment unable to breathe, much less to sing, and Carl Rosa, from liic wings, had to shout: “Look out! Don't kill ths prima donna!” 'JU J* It is quite oh the cards that before alia visits Australia next year Madame Melba will receive the Royal Victoria Order. Also information is to hand that Melba lia« arranged, during her coming Australasian tour, to sing, with strong support and chorus, “La Ttoheme,’’ “Otello” (her latest triumph), and “Faust.” and that theatre dates are being arranged. Many excellent voices are ruined {days a communication which Dr Weiss has just made to the Academic de Medicine! through practice in too small a room. This conclusion was"yust arrived at after a scientific study of the voices of pupils taking part in the last tGree competitive examinations nt the Taris Conservatoire. A public singer in a theatre or concert hall must throw every inionstibu of his voice a distance of 30 or 40 yards, but a student practising in a small room is only able to throw it ayard or two, and the consequence is that iho voice, instead -of expanding, thickens—in other words, a.s Dr Weiss puts it, lioocMues telescoped. Not only L the articulation not properly thrown out, but the ear becomes less true owing to Hie exaggeration of the upper pharyngeal coaivaclioaa.

JX JX Mr. Hired. Graham, in an interview witH n London “Era” man, says that ire and his wife have received several offers i 4 play seasons ia America, but their fatwa plans are far-aliead fixed an the colouiea. They return to Bydaey in January next to play their fourth engagement with Mr. Harry Rickards, having been re-engaged for a 52 consecutive weeks’ season. Mr» Rickards also has a -claiin on tteeic services for a much longer extension. Jt jX Mr. Fred. Wright celebrated his 82nd birthday last month. Mr. Wright, if noC the oldest living actor, must certainly be -the oldest player on the active list (says a London exchange). As everyone knows, he is the father of Mr. Huntley, Mr. Fred, and Miss Haidee, and other members of the somewhat extensive Wright family. When the present contract of Mr. Harry Roberts expires, Miss Maggie Moore will in all probability join Mr. Roberts in an Australian and New Zealand tour. Of -courae, “Struck Oil” wiS be included in the repertoire. <- Tlie New Zealander,” a new piece described as a fantastic comedy, by Caroline Bruce Patten, is to be produced by William A. Brady in New York. The motive is based on Macaulay’s idea of the Antipodean surveying the rums ot St. Pant’s from London Bridge.