THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 759, 22 September 1904, Page 18

THE STAGE

(By

“Comus.”)

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

WATKIN MILLS’ RECITALS.

The famous English basso, who possesses Santley’s power and art, in addition to a strength and juvenility all his own, has made good the claims of eminence that preceded him. Like Santley, he charms so completely by his naturalness that you are haunted with the suspicion that you have been cheated. “ Why,” you say, “ that is just how I would sing myself, if only I had the voice and the knowledge of technique.” What you mean to express is that the singer satisfies your own _ sense of completeness, and when you say that you pay him the highest compliment in your power. His art has the rare quality that “ grows ” on one. His first few notes produce a feeling of disappointment. You expected a supernatural tone and you got just the sound of a man’s voice. You had heard scores of other voices that resembled it so closely that you could not tell the difference. Exactly. But you soon found where the difference lay. It was in the marvellous manipulation of the natural gift. All buildings are made of brick and stone, all gardens are formed of flowers, and grass, and trees, but the difference between Milan Cathedral and the warehouses by the London docks ; between Versailles and a London suburb ! The range of Mr Mills’ art is astonishing. He loves the classics, but his taste is Catholic as that of his audience, and he beautifies everything he touches, from an aria by Gounod, or Handel, or Mendelssohn, or Abt, to the popular ballads of the day, the rollicking rhymes of the Highlands, or the rustic songs of Somersetshire. Mr Parlovitz, the pianist who accompanies Mr Mills, is a genuine artists, and his contributions in their own way gave equal delight with those of the great singer. As an accompanist he is simply admirable. The recitals were resumed last night, and will be continued to-morrow (Friday), when the season closes. No lover of music should miss the present all too scanty opportunities.

MR JACK CARKEEK.

A SCIENTIFIC WRESTLER. It will be welcome news to the thousands of athletes in and around Auckland to learn that Jack Car keek, the champion wrestler of the world, is not to leave for his home in America without paying Auclvland a visit, and consequently his short season will commence at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday next, when he will be supported by an unusually strong Vaudeville Company, specially selected by Mr Harry Rickards, under whose auspices Ca»keek visited Australia. Carkeek is an American by birth, although his parents hail from Cornwall, England, and inherited his love for the game he follows so ardently from his father, who made a name for himself in the Cornish rings, when doughtier men than those prominent to-day were won’t to cry, “ Stand back, sticklers ! Make a ring for them,” and “ Cornwall’s the country for the men who can play.” Carkeek holds the undisputed right to the title “ Champion Wrestler of the World.” To him is undoubtedly due the honour of being the pioneer of the new birth of wrestling London has witnessed during the past eighteen months. The famous wrestler came to Australia six months ago under engagement to Mr Harry Rickards, and his appearance everywhere throughout the Commonwealth has been a tremendous success, fully justifying Mr Rickards paying Carkeek the highest salary ever paid to ;

artist that ever came to the country. Carkeek is particularly modest, and impresses one with the fact that his end and aim is not “ to wipe the floor with everybody ” nor to brag about who he has beaten in his time. Carkeek comes prepared to meet allcomers, and should he not throw any competitor within fifteen minutes he is prepared to forfeit £lO as penalty for his failure. His measurements will be read with interest by all athletes. He scales 14st 71b, is 45in round the chest (normal) and Sin more expanded, waist 36in, neck biceps calf thigh and height sft 9£in. On the subject of

“ falls ” Carkeek favours only both shoulders on the ground. The following paragraphs from the >S\' ■ ney “Telegraph’s” notice of Mr Carkeek’s first appearance in Sydney makes a reference to Mr Harry Pearce, who recently showed here with the Fullers. ’The “ Telegraph ” says : — The world’s champion appeared first in evening dress, but soon shed that garb, and stood in the orthodox wrestling costume —a splendidly-built man, evidently fully up to all his reputation credited him with.

Carkeek began with his newly-engaged partner, Harry Pearce, who has been in Australia several years and defeated many first-class -wrestlers, including two or three doughty Afghans. Pearce, through not having had a match for a long time, stripped very gross, and carried perhaps 2st or Sst ef superfluous tissue. Under these circumstances it was only to be expected that Carkeek would prove master from beginning to end, albeit Pearce frequently exhibited flashes

of skill which impressed the new arrival sufficiently to cause him to say afterwards that Pearce -was a really good man who would surely shape better as he became more fitted for the ordeal. J’earce had the fall given against him in 3min 22sec.

OPERA HOUSE.

FULLER’S EMPIRE COMPANY.

’The star attraction in an all-round excellent combination this week is Mr Frank Harwood, descriptive actor-vocal-ist, who is fresh from the London musichalls and the companies of Harry Rickards in Australia. He is an exceedingly clever artist, and rouses the audience to the pitch of enthusiasm by his various numbers. He has a fine voice, an admirable stage presence, and his numbers are new and striking. In Mr Harwood the Fullers have got something good. Miss Vida Loder, another newcomer during the week, in Scotch songs and dancing is also a distinct acquisition. The other members of the Company, including the fine basso, Mr James Williams, and

the scarcely inferior tenor, Mr Hart, Miss Kate Maher, the winsome little McAuley Sisters, Tillie Dunbar, Joe Rocks, Tod Calloway, and other comedians, continue to charm, and Victor, the ventriloquist, every evening sets up a colourable claim to be considered the rival of Valentine Vox. The show is growing in public appreciation, and good houses continue to be the rule. CHRISTCHURCH NOTES. My Christchurch correspondent writes : —The visit of the Williamson Comedy

Company is proving as welcome as sunshine to this flat and dreary city. “The Marriage of Kitty” was an immense success, and “Sassiety,” with a big “S” has attended the nuptials of the fascinating Kate. Of course, lucky Aucklanders have seen the ' famous comedy ages ago, so that any detailed notice of the plot, and so forth, would be out ot place. Perhaps the most striking feature of the performance was the wonderfully natural way in which the company enacted their

respective parts. Rose Musgrove’s "Kitty” is a marvellous impersonation. T he part “fits” her like a 1 glove. And yet it is no easy one. Only an actress of Miss Musgrove’s marked ability could possibly do it justice. The character of “Kitty” requires an artist of great versatility, and Miss Musgrove is nothing if she is not versatile. Miss Florence Hamer deserves honourable mention for her Madame de Semiano, and the same may be said of Miss Le Clerq’s French maid. Mr Draycott made a great hit as Sir Reginald Belsize, and Mr Athol Forde deserves much kudos for his clever acting as Mr Travers. The piece held the unflagging attention of the house each night it ran, and the hearty laughter and unstinted applause it evoked bore eloquent testimony to the appreciation of the immense auhiences it attracted. The second production, “His Excellency the Governor,” although clever and original enough, is a piece of a very different character, and will never excite the same interest as the charming “Kitty Silverton’s” matrimonial adventures. Miss Musgrove has in “His Excellency” a wholly dissimilar character to play- Stella De Gex is an

adventuress, pure and simple. And yet, here again, the clever actress scored a great artistic success. Maggie Knight (now known as Mrs Henderson) is in the cast, and plays Mrs Bolingbroke with conspicuous ability. Mr Draycott makes an admirable Governor, and Mr A. Ford (made-up to represent a political celebrity of world-wide fame) confirmed the good impression he produced in the opening piece. To-night (Saturday) “The Haymarket success, “The Widow Woos.” as a curtain-raiser, and on ’Tuesday and Wednesday, the 'two last nights of the season, the bill is to consist of “Margery’s Troubles” and “Cousin Kate.” The season, so far, has been enormously successful, both artistically and financially. Somehow our old friend, Harold Ashton, touring manager for J. C. Williamson, always manages to bring us something good, so that his mere presence in advance of a company sets us all on the tip-toe of expectation.

Fullers’ Opera House show is better and brighter than ever. The marvellous Uessems packed the house from floor to ceiling every night they were here, and now Professor Parker, “The Handcuff King,” is proving a trump-card for the management. His performance is probably the most wonderfid of its kind ever witnessed on any stage. The Swifts are also a great attraction, and their admirable rendering of the little play, Counsel’s Opinion ” (rendered familiar io New Zealand theatregoers by the Hawtrey Company) never fails to meet with the appreciation of Opera House audiences.

Paderewski appears at Canterbury Hall on Monday and Tuesday, September 19 and 20. The advance booking is very heavy, the demand for both guinea and half-guinea seats being keen. When Levy, the famous cornetist, was here many years ago, he complained that his largest audiences assembled “ outside ” the hall at which he appeared, and enjoyed his inimitable playing “on the cheap.” It is to be hoped that Paderewski will fare better. Mr Allan Hamilton, who is at the head of the Carkeek-V audeville combination, which opens at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday, arrived on Sunday from Sydney. The shadow* of the genial Allan grows more and more, and his good nature increases at an equal pace. * * * * Miss Evelyn Millard, who retired from stage life on her marriage a few yea is ago, is announced to re-appear at the Imperial in “The Head of the King’s Company,” under Mr Lewis Waller’s engagement. * * * Mr and Mrs Lumsden Hare (Miss Frances Ruttledge) left Melbourne for England the week before last. Mr Hare was here twice with the “ Sherlock Holmes ” Company. * * Miss Hilda Spong is appearing in “Joseph Entangled” in New York. * * * * Iho Williamson Dramatic Company and Miss Tittell Brune tour New Zealand next year, opening at Easter in Auckland. * * * Geo. Stephenson’s English Musical Comedy Company opened a short season in Geelong last Monday week, thence goes to Ballarat, after which a season in Adelaide will be inaugurated. * * * William Anderson’s season at the Melbourne Bijou is for four weeks. Miss Duggan and the Dramatic Company open in Adelaide for a six weeks’ season on October 8. A season in Broken Hill follows. » * # Ihe Pollard Juvenile Opera Company, with Fred. Henningham still in advance, continues to do well in Northern Queensland. A tour of the East follows the Queensland season.

George Herron, formerly with Williamson and Musgrove, is organising a dramatic company for a tour of the Western District of N.S.W., and opened in Bathurst last Monday. Miss Marv Milward is leading lady with the organisation.

The late Mr George Leopold left £2814 to various members of his family. The real estate was valued at £2265 and personal £549. The will was proved under his proper name —Geo. Wooldridge.

Mr Alfred Dampier has concluded his Brisbane season.

The Supreme Court of New York recently confirmed the decree granting a divorce to Madame Nordica from Herr Zoltan Doehine, the Hungarian tenor. The latter intends to appeal.

Sir Henry Irving says there is no foundation whatever for the report that he intends to visit South Africa. He will only play in Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States of America prior to his retirement in 1906. • * * *

’The Roman newspapers comment favourably on the scheme for the erection in the Italian capital of a monument to Shakespeare. A committee has already been appointed, and it is believed the work will he entrusted to an eminent Italian sculptor. The statue of the great dramatist in Leicester Square, London, is also the work of an Italian sculptor, the late Giovanni Fontana, who lived many years in the great metropolis. „ * *

The recent Clement Scott Benefit in London resulted in a sum of £ll6B 19s 8d after all expenses were paid. The committee of management has decided that two-thirds of this shall go to Mrs Clement Scott, and one-third to Miss Dora Scott, the late critic’s youngest daughter.

According to the “New York Dramatic Mirror,” Miss Bessie Clayton, the danseuse, who was here with the first “Chinatown” Company, and wife of Julian Mitchell, will re-appear upon the stage next November. She will, besides dancing and singing, essay au important speaking role in the first production at Lew Field’s new theatre at New York. * * * *

There are only two Andersons, it is said, in theatrical management in Australia, namelv, Mr William Anderson, lessee of the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, who has just gone across Bourke-street to the Bijou during extensive re-build-ing at the Royal, and Mr Anderson, who is managing for Mr Frank M. Clarke, at the Gaiety Theatre, in the same city. The Bijou and the Gaiety are under the one roof, and it is a strange coincidence that the only two Andersons in one Continent should occupy the one building. They are both doing well, for although the two classes of entertainment they are associated with are different (melodrama and variety), they attract conjointly a large body of playgoers, and both are probably benefitted by the concentration of talent under one roof. —“Referee,” ♦ ♦ * *

Mr John F. Sheridan was producing “Mrs Dooley’s Little Joke” at Johannesburg when the mail left. As most of the artists are Australians, the cast may be published. It was as follows Mrs Dooley, Mr John F. Sheridan ; Mrs Arthur Menzies, Miss Lulu Zesch ; Polly Belcher, Miss Hefca Barlow ; Jenny Jones, Miss Muriel Williams ; ArthurMenzies, Mr Svdnev C. Carden ; George Goodwin, Mr Fred. Wentworth ; Reggie Walker, Mr Thomas Curran ; Gordon Jones, Miss Neva Carr-Glynn!; Willie Winn, Miss Dolly Fulton ; Stanley Collins, Miss May Bradley ; Dolly Edwards, Miss Cissie Hunter ; Alfred Pomeroy, Miss Rose Massey ; Chawley Eustace, Miss May Henderson ; Larrie Champneys, Miss Stella Tate ; Thomas Hawkins, Mr James Manton ; Louis Hampton, Miss Carmen Coleman ; Harry Jamston, Miss Bertha Bursch ; Jammie Dainton, Miss Elsie Wilson ; Gussie Charton, Miss Rose Coleman; Ernie Halton, Miss Mabel Mitchell ; Georgie Hinton, Miss Enid Courtenay ; Buttons and Tommy Heavyweight, Little Gulliver ■ Proprietor, Mr J. R. Needham ; Clerk, Mr J. Henderson ; Waiter, Mr H. Couzens ; Jim Brierley, Mr Bert Hermann. ~ M

Madame Patti writes as follows in ‘.‘lhe Independent Magazine” on the popularity of the ballad among English people : “The singer who preserves and cherishes tenderly the best thoughts and the best impulses is the singer who is most near to the hearts of men and women. It seems to me that all my life I have been singing ballads —those songs of the people which, because the melodz and word's have been purely wedded in some deep, strong, enduring sentiment or passion of humanity, remain ever certain to find their way to the depths of the people’s soul. My first lame came to me with the singing of ‘Home, Sweet Home,’ ‘Coming Through the Rye,’ ‘The Last Rose of Summer,’ and ‘Within a Mile.’ I have been faithful to them as the English-speaking world has been faithful.” Wherever she goes, Madame Patti states that the reuuests that pour in—by letter or by word of mouth—are never for a cavatina —they are always for the dear old songs like “Kathleen Mavourneen,” “The Last Rose of Summer,” and “Home, Sweet Home.”

Says the latest “Era” :—“Mdlle. Alda, a Fren h lyric artist, who hails from Australia, entered last November into an agreement with M. Carre, the manager of the Paris Opera Comique. The term was for three years, and the total salary £BOO. M. Carre reserved the r ght of breaking the contract before May 31 of each year. In January last Mdlle. Alda filled the role of Manon acceptably, and on April 25 M. Carre informed her that her engagement was at an end. me artist then sued him for payment. As M. t arre had offered to keep the artist .as a pensioner, the Court took cognisance of this offer, and only condemned him in £BO damages and costs.” The “Referee” does not remember the lady.

Though this comment from the “Stage” concerns England, it may be used with equal application in Australia (says the “Referee”) : “Probably at this season of the year, more than at any other, do the aspirants for dramatic honors crowd on to the stage. It is an old tale to tell in these columns of how managers are all the year round inundated with letters from’ the uneducated, who think that unbounded conf dence in themselves and a dissatisfaction with their own calling are fit qualifications for success on the stage. We should like to see some ways and means established to keep these

ignorant and uneducated people off the stage. For there can be n»o denying the fact that they get there, for some bogus gentleman can always be found to relieve them of their money or to put them into a bogus company for a premium, and they eventually become the hangers-on, the disreputable fringe of a profession which they can never ornament.

“We are regularly favoured with letters, mostly of very doubtful orthography, the writers of which sometimes appear to think that application at this office is sufficient to place them in a position of importance on the boards right away, and it is sad to think that most of these correspondents will, in spite of all advice to the contrary, eventually throw up their present occupations for a very evasive livelihood, misrepresented to them through the glowing letters of the bogus agent.

“From some.letters in front of us, we select one long one, from which the following are short quotations : “ ‘I am on the look-out, and trying to get on the stage. I am writing to ask you how I can get there. I am at present a respectable hair-dresser, but never did care for the work, and think of giving it up. My ambition is to get on the stage. I have always had a good character. Would be very pleased if you

would recommend me to am one who is in want of a lad for taking a part on stage. I have not had any experience in that line before,' etc., etc. i “Of course, the way for the aspiring amateur to the theatre is made easier by the fact that resident managers show such little concern about their own interests as to toot companies, half of the members of whom are tolerated simply on account of the premiums they bring. The result of this short-sighted-ness on the part of the resident manager in the end is disaster all round, to himself and the touring manager generally, for a bad company playirg a crude melodrama in cruder style must, to a certain degree, keep out the local audience. The unfor,unate part about the matter is that bad companies who keep out the audience also prepare a hard path for the good companies that are to follow them.”

The American star artists in vaudeville —known in the States as “headliners”—are now being paid on the basis of a percentage in lieu of salary. Among those who have fallen in with the new idea are Miss Jessie Millward, Miss Edna Wallace Hopper, and Mr Chas. Hawtrev.

• According to the “Era,” the late Mr Herbert Campbell’s reputation for punctuality was only once seriously en-

dangered v. hen he turned up late at a rantomime rehearsal at Old Drury, then directed by the late Sir Augustus Harris. Then the consternation was so > f .reat at his non-appearance that at the end of half an hour it was seriously suggested that telegrams of inquiry should be sent to two or three of the principal London hospitals. Herbert, however, hurried in before the wires could be despatched, and explained his absence by stating that he had met a man 'who owed him a sovereign, and that there had been some difficulty in getting change for a fiver. “You could ha'e got him to post you on the money,” grumbled Sir Augustus. “A quid in hand is worth two in the post 1 The man was your brother, dear boy !” was the prompt reply.

Adelaide had a surfeit of shows during last week. The companies appearing there were Mr Williamson’s (in drama) at the Royal ; Mr Harry Rickards’, at the Tivoli ; and Wirths’ Circus.

In the August number of the “English Illustrated Magazine” are completed the answers from prominent actors or authors to the questions submitted by the magazine on the state of the drama. The questions—three in number—ask for views, firstly, on the most effective

means of giving a new impetus to thedrama ; secondly, on the subject of a State-aided theatre,. and a State-aided conservatoire ; and, thirdly, on the censorship of plays, would its abolition be ad.antageous to the drama? Mr H. Beerbohm Tree is the most concise, and, perhaps, the most definite in his replies. In answer to the first question he says : “The play’s the thing. Good plays will quicken the drama into life more than anything else.” Mr George Bernard Shaw says : “A State-aided theatre is absolutely necessary to serious dramatic art, because commercialism in the theatre means cheap romance and vulgar farce, or worse. Commercialism can take care of these w T ell enough ; but the finest department of art, in the drama, as in music, painting, and literature, needs both the financial assistance and the prestige of State endowment.” Mr Louis N. Parker is delighted with the present system of censorship. Under it he feels safe, and he describes the censor as his “moral conscience.”

The New York “Dramatic Mirror” says : “Marie Wainwright was mistaken, for Mrs Florence May brick on the ‘Minnehaha,’ which reached this port last Tuesday, and was the object of much in-, terest in the last two days of the voyage. She wore a veil, and that caused the error.”

Miss May Beatty was to be seen at the Melbourne Waxworks one day recently exchanging confidences and autographs with Abomah, the African giantess.

Miss Ada Reeve shortly produces her musical play, “ Winnie Brooke, Widow,” at the London Criterion.

The plot of “ Merely Mary Ann,” Mr I. Zangwill’s play at the Duke of York's Theatre, forms a touching little story. Mary Ann is a poor country girl, who goes as slavey in a squalid London lodg-ing-house, where she meets and secretly falls in love with a young composer of genius, heart-broken at the rejection of his symphony. Mary Ann becomes unexpectedly heiress to a million and offers help to Lancelot, the composer, who rejects it. Then they subsequently meet as a brilliant society lady and a lionised musician, the old love is revived, and all ends happily.

The following is the cast of “ Other People’s Money,” which the Stephenson American Comedy Company (Stine and Evans) is producing in Melbourne :— Hutchinson Hopper (broker on Stock Exchange), Chas. J. Stine ; Oliver Starbird (his secretary), Wm. Douglas ; Tommy (always busy), Ralph Bicknell ; Urias Clump (always busy), Chas. P. Bates ; P. T. Dean (dealer in hogs),. Ralph Julian; Thomas (a servant),. Claude A. Hunt ; Marjorie E ent on Hopper (Hopper's daughter), Miss Marjorie Ford ; Polly Hopper (Hopper’s other daughter). Miss Reba Bicknell ; Millicent Hopper (Hopper’s wife), Miss Kate Douglas ; Daisy. Mamie Pearl, Lottie, Janeand Kitty (typewriter’ girls in Mr Hopper’s office). Misses Lily Stanford, MarieWillett, Marie Martin, Maie Clayton, Lily Kane and Ethel Preston : Florence Fletcher, Miss Olive Evans. The new play is in three acts, the scenes being laid in Hopper’s office and the drawing-room of the same gentleman’s house. . * * * ■ An English magazine recently published several opinions of leading actors and theatrical authors as to the decadence of the drama. -The Paris “ Figaro ” goes one better. It asks leading Paris dramatists the kind of performance they consider most likely to take the public. All the answers point to one conclusion,, viz. : That an audience wants amusement, not instruction, and also that vaudeville is not dead or out of date. Mons. A alabregue writes wittily in regard' to the latter. He says : “ May God forgive you for asking a vaudevillist what, he thinks of the end of this kind of plav. You want to bury it and ask me to be a pall-bearer. You forget that parents or relatives are never asked to be pallbearers.” Both English and Continental authorities, however, agree that the dramatist must avoid attempting to instruct or convince his audience.

F. Hawtey’s season at the Sydney Criterion is for four weeks. Mr Hawtrey then sails for America, where he has arranged to produce “The Two Mr Wetherbys.”

Charles Stine, who heads Geo. Stephenson’s American Comedy Company, fell a victim to pneumonia in Tasmania, and the season had to be closed. Mr Stephenson reckons the cessation cost him over three hundred pounds. The only satisfactory point about the whole affair is that Mr Stine has made a speedy recovery, and is almost himself again, says- “ Punch.”

PASTORAL PERFORMANCES.

Continuing their season of open air representations at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Mr Patrick Kirwan’s Idyllic Players gave another triple bill, in beautiful weather, on Monday afternoon, July 11 (says “ The Stage ”), when a numerous audience appeared to be entertained greatly. The performance opened with the third act of Garrick's adaptation, “ The Country Girl ” here styled “ Peggy in St. James’s Park.” In this Mr Kirwan was as grumpy and aggressive as could be imagined as the elderly guardian, Moody, whose ward, Peggy, in this act dressed as a boy, had a roguish and spirited exponent in Miss Barbara Guthrie. Mr F. A. Flower and Mr J. M. Napper both did capable work as Belville and Harcourt, while Mr W. J. Hembty as Sparkish must be commended for the excellent way in which he had caught the utterance, airs, and deportment of an 18th century beau. Miss Agness Yarborough was satisfactory as Moody’s sister, Alithea. This item, like , its successors in the programme, was extremely well dressed. By way of a musical interlude some boys and girls, presumably of the Bellew and Stock Choir, sang effectively some well-known American ditties. Next came one of the Arden scenes from ** As You Like It,” termed “ Rosalind in the Forest.” In this Miss' Margaret Soldi, besides realising Rosalind’s physical attributes, showed both humour and shrinking timidity as the disguised heroine, and Miss Rosamund Varna was a sprightly and engaging Celia. Mr E. Ross Shore was fairly successful as Orlando. Mr Stephen Hall had very little to do as Touchstone. The performance ended with the Letter scene from ‘Twelfth Night,” with Mr Kirwan as Malvolio, Misses Soldi and Guthrie as Olivia and Maria, Messrs Hembry and Napper as Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, and Mr Hall as Fabian. Mr Kirwan, excellently made up, gave perhaps his best performance this season as Malvolio, and was capitally supported by Miss Guthrie, a bright and Merry Maria. The others had few opportunities. Altogether Monday’s triple bill, with songs by the children sandwiched in, proved quite enjoyable, and the performers, profiting by experience, exerted themselves to make their voices carry properly over the sward to the audience.

The company which Mr P. R. Dix has got appearing at the Theatre Royal, Wellington (says “Lorgnette”) at present contains several old favourites who all get a “good hearing” from the large audiences who fill the house nightly. Professor Kellman does some really clever work. The Choristers sing exceedingly well ; Miss Alice Leyton and Mr Percy Denton also contribute acceptable items to a really good night’s entertainment.

The Nawns made their first appearance in Wellington at His Majesty’s Theatre last Monday week in the Irish playlet, “One Touch of Nature,” and met with a most enthusiastic reception. It seldom falls to the lot of the theatregoer (says “Lorgnette”) to have the pleasure of witnessing a genuine study of Irish character on the stage. It is some time now since those two Irish comedians, Callahan and Mack, visited New Zealand. Their study of Irish character in “The Old Neighbourhood” was a genuine treat. In the writer’s opinion Mr Tom Nawn’s impersonation of the character of Michael Maloney is an infinitely superior performance. His work throughout is natural to a degree, and met with demonstrative applause from a most appreciative audience. Mr Nawn is ably assisted in the sketch by Mrs Nawn. As a fancy roller-skater Mr Nawn has few equals, and his performance at the end of the playlet was greeted with rounds of applause. The Messrs Fuller are to be cong-ratulated on their pluck and energy in engaging such high-class turns for their circuit.

“The Skirt Dancer,” the third of the productions of the George Stephenson Musical Comedy Co., was produced in Melbourne the week before last. The “Age,” in noticing the first production, says :—“ While in itself it displays no exceptional merit, nor indeed any departure from the conventional lines of musical comedy which an extended acquaintance with that class of work has taught Melbourne playgoers to expect, ‘ The Skirt Dancer,’ staged at the Princess’s Theatre on Saturday evening, will, at all events, be hailed as a welcome relief from its predecessor at that theatre. It is a very decided improvement on ‘ The Dandy Doctor,’ and intrinsically it bears favourable comparison with * The Rose of the Riviera,’ while the introduced items are clever and attractive_enough to swing the pendulum over to its side now that the time has cbme to judge between the rfespective popularity of the three produc-

tions of Mr George Stephenson’s Company. Mr H. Trotere, who is responsible for the musical backbone of the piece, has scored some bright and tuneful choruses, and the few ballads that can be marked down as his fully maintain his reputation in that particular branch of composition. It would be idle to pretend that ‘ The Skirt Dancer ’ is coherent enough to possess such an unnecessary appendage as a plot. Its authors have contented themselves with giving it a central idea, which concerns the inconvenient arrival of a lady from the Frivolity Theatre at an ultra-respectable garden party on the strength of a green-room flirtation with its giver, a naval captain of supposedly unimpeachable morals. His efforts to explain away her presence to the satisfaction of Mrs Grundy involve him in a series of uncomfortable situations which do not exhibit any marked ingenuity of contrivance. As a matter of fact, the first act, in which the librettist’s work is most in evidence, is the weaker one of the two, the dialogue having little of the snap and sparkle with which it might easily have been invested. By the time -the second act is reached composer and authors have discretely retired to the background, and most of the spoken words are either interpolated by the various comedians or used by the characters to lead up to the rendering of their own introduced features, which are of an enjoyable character.”

It was notified the other day that Snazelle had relinquished the idea of returning to this colony, but I learn from “ Lorgnette,” in the Wellington “ Mail,” that Messrs J. and C. Macmahon have just received some interesting letters from Mr G. H. Snazelle, who at the time of last writing was at Rouen, France, being on a cycling tour of the beautiful province of Normandy. Tn this letter Mr Snazelle says : “I am singing ‘Nazareth ’ here to-night in French at a grand fete to which thousands are being attracted. I have never been in better voice and form

in my life, and when I come out to you for our New Zealand tour you may rest assured that my entertainment will surpass anything we have hitherto given to the people of good old Australasia. France is, as of course you know, romantic and delightful for tourists and the leisured class generally, but my heart goes back to the brisk and breezy colonies where I have always been a winner. 1 have an engagement in England that will occupy me until December, after which I will make for my good old hunting grounds in the Antipodes. I will cable you, of course, my exact, date of departure.” >

The Musical Johnstons, who will shortly appear here under the auspices of the Messrs Fuller, have had great success at the Alhambra Theatre, Dunedin. In noticing the first appearance the Otago “ Daily Times ” says : — “ The Three Musical Johnstons make a specialty of xylophone playing, and came with the excellent reputation of having been solo players in Sousa’s world-famed band. These artistes, one of whom is a lady, having achieved such brilliant success in their profession elsewhere, were naturally expected to provide a treat in the shape of xylophone playing, and it may be safely said that all who heard them were delighted with the performance. Four selections were given, including one from ‘ The Runaway Girl ’ and the overture tothe opera ‘ William Tell,’ and all were listened to with rapt attention and evident satisfaction, the execution of the artists being little short of and proving that the performers have undoubtedly very good claims to be ranked amongst the best exponents of their chosen art.”

It, is rumoured that Rostand’s “ L’Aiglon ” will be produced in Melbourne by Mr J. C. Williamson to give playgoers an opportunity of seeing Miss Tittell Brune as the son of the great Napoleon.

Writing of Sarah Bernhardt’s latest great success, the Liverpool correspondent of “ The Stage ” says “ ‘La Sorciere ’ makes no claim upon the imagination in the poetic sense. It is a wellbuilt play of stage materialism, smoothly worked up on very simple lines. But from the middle of the third act it is one of torrential outpouring of passion and emotions, and if the audience —Bernhardt’s own countrymen though most of them were —showed no particular enthusiasm in the early stages, their patriotism and their admiration lacked no stint before the performance was over. It was to be observed that the old suavity, liquid beauty, and tenderness of Bernhardt’s voice are all her own again. We remember that upon her last visit there were evidences of wear and tear in the beautiful organ, but the original charm and mellow cadences have returned to enrich her great art and give her performance the old wealth of expression and quality of tone. From the ‘ curtain ’ of the second act, where Zoraya hears that her lover, Don Enrique, is to wed the daughter of the Governor of Toledo, through the tragic passages of the bridal scene where the Emissary of the Inquisition, Cardenos, is slain, on to the trial of Don Enrique and Zoraya, culminating in the death of the hapless couple, Bernhardt presents a palpitating picture of passionate emotions. Don Enrique finds a fit exponent in M. Decoeur. He is inclined to be a little abrupt and hard in both manner and vocal expression, but he is a martial, passionate, and spirited lover. His emotions were quite as tempestuous as those of his colleague, and he never failed to respond to her outbursts with demonstrations as dramatic as her own. M. Dalbert was intense and convincing as Cardenos, and the Cardinal Ximenes found a powerful representative in M. Gerval. In a long cast each member rendered efficient aid. There was a crowded and fashionable audience, the attendance being the greatest the famous actress has had here. ”

Mr Archibald H. Pocock has written a fairly interesting play rather on the lines of “ Mice and Men,” in his four-act comedy, “ Love in Autumn,” which was favourably received on its production at Bayswater on Tuesday, July 12. The love of an elderly man for a girl much his junior has been treated of often before, and in the present instance it is Paul Grandeville, a barrister of fifty, who desires to win the affection of his ward, Dorothy Lakefield. However, he has a rival in his own son, Jack, and a misunderstanding arises, which leads to the girl engaging herself to the younger man. The author, who has treated his subject with some skill, but would in future do well to avoid a certain wordiness in dialogue, has complicated his love interest with financial difficulties. Paul Grandeville is sole trustee for his ward, who possesses a considerable fortune, and in the course of the action the son, whose mind is poisoned by Peter Finsen, managing clerk to a solicitor, Graham Beverley —Dorothy’s uncle —imagines that his father has misappropriated investments held in trust for her. Mr Pocock, who is a barrister, has treated this matter in some detail. There is also much talk about some shares, and a silver mine in Peru figures prominently in the working out. In the latter enterprise is concerned Harry Eastwood, a young stockbroker, engaged to Grandeville’s daughter Kitty. It will readily be surmised that the course of true love reaches its full development.

The writer of “ The Actor ” column in the “ People ” has been complaining of the number of melodramas now being played in the suburban houses. He says : —“ Why do theatrical managers ‘ put up ’ so much melodrama during the summer months ? During the past week the outlying metropolitan theatres have been flooded with plays of this sort, and one asks oneself, Why ? The idea, I suppose, is that at this time of the year the stalls and circle people will be enjoying themselves elsewhere ; but why should it be assumed that the pit, upper circle, and gallery care only for full-blooded sensational drama ? I venture to think that the managers are mistaken, and that they would do well to provide their summer ’patrons with the lightest possible fare. . . . . If I were the director of a suburban theatre,” the writer goes on to state, “I should shut it up altogether (which, perhaps, would be the wisest plan), or open it at nine o’clock with a musical piece or frivolous farce which would be in harmony with the state of the temperature.”