THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 822, 7 December 1905, Page 18

THE STAGE

(By

“Footlight.”)

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. THE MacMAHON DRAMATIC COMPANY. “ ON ACTIVE SERVICE.” The stirring nautical and military drama, “On Active Service,” was produced at His Majesty’s on Saturday before a big house, the members of which frequently testified as to there approval by hearty applause. The plot is a somewhat intricate one, in which a pail* of t. ? usual villians for no very conclusive res sons dog down the heroine, Rose Foster. She is accused of the theft of some marked notes, but is saved by the hero, Dick Foster, who somewhat foolishly takes the blame for the theft on his own shoulders, despite there being a willing eye-witness to testify as to the entire innocence of Rose. Foster is sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, but escapes, and immediately commences to look for more trouble by voluntarily accusing himself of the virtual murder of Stella Coliville, the daughter of his commanding officer, whereas in reality he had done his utmost to take away from her the brandy which ultimately killed her and which had been supplied by one of the villains, a French spy named Count Brisson. Eventually all the characters found themselves in the Soudan, where an engagement takes place, and all the objectionable characters in the play are blotted out, and we are led to infer the way is paved for a good time for all in the future.

The cast was a very heavy one, and it speaks we’l for the general excellence of the company that no weak spots were to be seen anywhere. Miss Maie Nelson did some good work as Rose Foster, the much persecuted, most of whose troubles arise from her instant readiness to believe anything bad about Dick. Miss May Granville is an adept in such parts as 'Stella Coliville, the dipsomaniac, and all through she was never out of drawing. Miss May Renne, in conjunction with Mr. P. Savieri, was responsible for a bit of fun, and helped greatly to brighten the piece, as did Mrs. Barry Lane as a Salvationist. As usual, Mr. Charles Blake essayed the role of the hero, Dick Foster, and made every point possible with the character. It was not his fault, but the author’s, that Dick showed such exceptional aptitude for getting into a hopeless mess for so little reason. Mr. Blake’s work was very consistent throughout, and he was loudly applauded. Mr. Wilton Power must be getting used to the ■execrations of the audience, not a few of whom would like to see him occasionally in some other role than that of the worst sort of scoundrel. His Jim Thornbury was quite up to his usual standard. But that there is an old saying that “ comparisons are odious,” many would agree that the best piece of character acting in the piece is the Count Brisson of Mr. Charles Berkley, whose portrayal of the part of the French spy was really excellent throughout. Mr. Harry Douglas as Daniel, Mr. L. Walshe as Commander Coliville, R.N., and all the others lent loyal assistance .in helping to make a satisfactory whole, while little Dot Hendry as Wilfred deserves a word of praise all to herself. The piece was very adequately staged, some of the scenes being most realistic, while a very large number of supernumeries were also introduced to make up an effective nautical tableau. “On Active Service” has run to good business during the week, despite the strong counter attractions of the elections. —

STRAND COMEDY CO.—“ THE J.P.” The plans for “ The J.P .” season were opened at Messrs. Wildman and Arey’s yesterday morning last, and the booking has been excellent. The success of this piece in London has been phenomenal. Tn London alone it ran for over 400 nights at the Strand Theatre, whilst it has been continually touring the provinces for the past four years. The piece will be presented under arrangement with Mr. J. C. Williamson, and in consequence of the brevity of the Australian season, which is limited to twenty weeks, the Auckland ««}ason of the company is curtailed to a nights only. Already “The J.P.” f js topic of conversation throughout the city,\ and it is almost a safe proposition to assort that crowded houses will be recorded yon each evening of the company’s stay. to the performance of Mr. Dalia s an d Mi ss Florence Lloyd, the star of thfc> combination, a leading Melbourne dailfr remarks: “ Mr. Dallas has

a type of character in the exposition of which he positively revels. His J.P. is a silly satyr, basking with foolish infatuation in the smiles of beauty, irrepressible in his gallantry by any amount of abuse and ill-fortune, shallow in cunning, ready in resource, and at bottom

r.'t ill-natured. Mr. Dallas’ appearance in the part is alone sufficient to upset the gravity of beholders. The indefinite complexion, the sparse and straggling locks, the thin pretence of dignity, all combine to make his Caesar Montague laughter-provoking from his entrance on the stage. But the drollery of the impersonation is culminated in the last act, when Mr. Dallas slides head foremost down a flight of stairs and lies at the foot of them overwhelmed with pillows thrown upon him by a justly indignant servant maid, and the audience roars with laughter. Altogether, his Caesar Montague is a comedy embodiment the richest and most ludicrous kind. Miss Florence Lloyd seems to have been born to wear the unmentionables, so completely, when assuming them, does she divest herself of the attributes of her sex. It is not a travesty, but a transformation. Miss Lloyd does not merely assume the costume of a young man; she gets into the skin of the sex, and reproduces a purity of condition, with all his tricks of carriage and demeanour, and all his characteristic gestures and attitudes. The illusion is consequently complete.” OPERA HOUSE. FULLER’S ENTERTAINERS. This week’s programme at the Opera House continues to draw good houses, in spite of the powerful counter attraction of the electioneering campaign. A glance at the many excellent items included in the entertainment, however, shows that the large share of public patronage accorded is well merited. Tuesday evening found a large audience awaiting the rise of the curtain, the orchestra, under Mr. Frank Crowther’s conductorship, leading off with a fine overture, “Ma Luka,” which brought the curtain up on the company. The opening chorus, “ The Star of Love,” was well rendered, and then Miss Gertie McLeod took the boards in a dainty serio, “ She’s His Sunday Girl,” which was well received. Mr. Will Lochrane, who was Scotch enough in spite of his dark complexion, next gave “ Macra-Mac-Menac-McCann,” which caused much amusement and applause. Recalled, he gave “ I Never Stopped Running” and “ Nine Gallant Hielanders,” for which he was loudly applauded, and as the audience would not let him go he delivered a par-

liamentary address that put most of the candidates we have heard completely in the shade. Miss Cissie Whitford, who appeared next, gave a bright little serio turn, “ Flo—from. Pimlico,” for which she was warmly applauded. She was followed by Mr. Wallace Ascot, who is the possessor of a good tenor voice that was heard to considerable advantage in “ Only a Soldier Boy.” Mr. Bob Lloyd made a great hit with his topical songs, and was recalled several times. His song, “ Nobody Knows, Nobody Cares,” was very good, whilst “ I Wouldn’t Grumble Any More” was productive of much hilarity. His introduction of the famous voucher incident, and other items of an appropriate nature, fairly caught on with the house. Miss Cecile Stephano, who has quite won the hearts of Opera House audiences with her singing, sang “ The Flight of Ages,” giving a fine rendering of this grand song. Mr. Fuller's clear tenor joined in very happily with Miss Stephano’s full deep notes, and the song was loudly applauded. Miss Gertie Maisie, whose serio and dance turn closed the first half of the programme, went through “Marching in the Band” most attractively, and was the recipient of considerable applause.

The second half commenced with a Scotch song and dance, “ Hieland Rory,” by Miss Gertie McLeod. The dance was gone through very daintily, and called for much applause. Mons. Oel Snekah, the shadowgraphist and bird imitator, who next appeared, gave a good exhibition of what can be done with shadow pictures. Many of them were excellent, particularly Napoleon after Waterloo and the jockey. The rabbit was also most lifelike. At the finish he gave two clever imitations of a bird singing, and the plaintive cry of a chicken. Clyde Cook, described as the king of all dancers, proved that he had good claim to that title in a series of almost bewildering evolutions on his feet. His lightness of foot is little short of wonderful, and he was loudly applauded and recalled for his turn. The next item was a duet by the two Stephano’s, Cecile and Luu, who sang “ Whisper and I Shall Hear” very charmingly, and were loudly applauded. Fred Rivenhall, who appeared in a arge budget of comic songs, quite took the audience by storm, and was applauded and laughed at uproariously. His song, “ Duty Must Be Done,” in which he appeared as a doughty “ mimber of the foorce,” was very funny. The Brewers, John and Maude, American coons, etc., gave an excellent turn, their dancing and cakewalking proving a most attractive feature. Their sketch, “ From America to

the Jungles of Africa,” was very good, and a distinct novelty. The weird African dances and wild-looking dresses of the two were most interesting and picturesque. The evening’s performance concluded with Mr. Bob Lloyd’s farce, “You’ll Like the Job,” that earned much amusement.

On Monday next, December 11th, Ward Lear, the great end-man and mimic, is b.lled to make a reappearance at the .pera House.

For many years past we have had the pleasure of writing numerous favourable notices of the open musical evenings and recitals given by the pupils at the Webb School of Music, where a high standard of proficiency is invariably the rule. It must be very gratifying to the teachers, Mr. W. H. Webbe and Miss M- Spooner, to find their efforts officially noticed by such a high authority as Mr. Graham P. Moore, one of the principal examiners of the Associated Board Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music, London, who has written the following report of his visit to this well-known school of music:—“For this examination Mr. Webbe presented about fifty of his pupils, who performed a programme which included a large number of interesting solos, duets, and quartettes foi 1 pianoforte, both classical and modern, with .spirit, precision, and fluency. Evidence was given that much care had been bestowed upon their technical training, each pupil readily playing any scale or arpeggio asked for by me with correct mechanism, fingering, and touch. One young lady in particular gave a full demonstration of the methods adopted which are fully abreast of modern requirements. Reading at sight, that usually neglected subject, had evidently received special attention, Mr. Webbe’s pupils all reading fluently, not only alone, but also when playing together in duets and quartettes. In addition, good results were obtained in transposition, ear tests, and memorising. To sum up, Mr. Webbe, whose aims and methods deserve appreciation, is giving his pupils a thorigh musical training, grounding them properly in each department, and paving the way, by his example, for the founding of a school of sound musicians, who should do good work in the colony in the future. (Signed) Graham P. Moore.” The naval and military drama, “On Active Service,” will be repeated for the last time to-night at His Majesty’s, while Friday and Saturday, the last two nights of the MacMahon Company’s season, will be devoted to the production of the exciting bushranger play, “ The Kelly Gang.”

*y Christchurch correspondent writes: —The Knight-Jeffries Company is doing splendid business at the Theatre Royal, and presenting such frequent changes of bill that the playgoing public never tires of the show. “ The Darling of the Gods” proved a veritable triumph for the stars, and, in fact, all concerned, and ■“ Monieur Beaucaire” proved another. A gentleman in the D.C. here was so carried away by his feelings in this fine piece, the other night, that when Beaucaire is about to be attacked-by four stage villains he '(the dress circle occupant aforesaid) leaped from his chair and excitedly cried out, “How many of you?” to the astonished assailants. There was a momentary pause, and then the audience and artistes joined in a roar of laughter. And what a compliment for the atter. To-night (Saturday) “ A Royal Divorce” goes on, and the season ends Thursday. . . . An up-country kinematograph show manipulator threw a life-sized portrait of Her late lamented Majesty, Victoria, on the screen the other night, and followed it up with a picture of Her Majesty’s funeral procession. Just as the last-named made its appearance the orchestra (who had been refreshing itself too freely) struck up the somewhat inappropriate melody, “ Good-bye,

Little Girl, Good-bye.” . . . Looked in at the Opera House last night. A splendid bill, the.star turn being provided by Leonard Nelson, who was recalled some half-dozen times. There is a freshness and originality about Nelson that is very uncommon in vaudeville artistes. We are all acquainted with the regulation comic vocalist with the threadbare makeup, vermiilion nose, and big walkingtftick. In fact, I might say we are painfully familiar with this type of artist. He might have been a novelty once, but that Miusrt have been in the dim and distant past. Now he never would be missed. But Nelson depends not on make-up or red paint. And what a success he is.

Miss Madge Titheradge, daughter of George Titheradge, has been playing lead with Cyril Maude in “ Beauty and the Barge.” The following from an English journal will both be news to and interest Australian playgoers:—“Madge Titheradge, the daughter of a well-known actor, and herself renowned as a magnificent dancer on the Australian stage, was delightfully radiant and joyous.”

Madame Marzella and her troupe of trained birds were showing at the Hippodrome, London, on October 14. * * *

Mr. Avalon Collard has been engaged a« principal tenor for the New Zealand teur of the Sheridan Comedy Company.

Our old friends Miss Geraldine Oliffe (here with the Broughs), Charles Cartwright and Charles Warner, recently proceeded to Paris and appeared in a big performance for charity. The principal feature of the programme was an excerpt from “ Hamlet,” with Mr. Warner in the title role.

“ Maxixe” is the successor in England to the chronic “ Hiawatha.” “ Maxixe” is from Paris, and is a haunting melody, a peculiar dance, being played and -danced at present in nearly every theatre in London.

Miss Jessie Maclachlan, the Scottish songstress, will give her first concert at the Choral Hall this evening, when a very fine programme of songs will be given. The company sail for America on the following day by the mail steamer.

“ Ivy of York,” which is shortly to be produced at His Majesty’s, is in active rehearsal, and will be staged on a very complete scale.

At the Palace “ The Postmistress of the Czar,” Clarence Burnett’s Russian melodrama, was staged by Mr. Le Breton on Wednesday for the first time in Australia (says the Sydney Mail). It admits of picturesque staging in the Siberian snow scenes, and the chief incident is a murder in a post-office at one of the convict rest stations. The plot is copious and involved, but melodramatic “ situations” abound. Prince Michael Ivanoff has secretly married a Jewess, Sophie, by whom he has a child. This does not prevent his becoming engaged to the Princess Olga, but when that excellent woman hears that Sophie and her child have been seized by the police she comes to their rescue. John Livesey, a Yorkshireman, also comes to the aid of the distressed. The principals are finally transported to Siberia, and we are given various harrowing examples of official malignity and brutal “ Jew-baiting.” The good Princess has been exiled as “ Postmistress of the Czar” to the little post of Kara, Sophie as her assistant, and the blind Prince as a convict. The part of '.he Prince is well played by Mr. Percy Walshe, and that of the brutal Sergius by Mr. S. A. Fitzgerald. Mr. Alfred Rolfe impersonates the manly Yorkshireman, Miss Lily Dampier is the Princess, and Miss Rose Dampier Sophie. Others in the cast were Messrs. Reis, Alfred Dampier, jun., Harry Hodspn, Miss Vera Reme, little Sybil Miller, etc.

Before leaving for England Miss May Beatty is to spend a holiday with her people in New Zealand. Miss Beatty’s plans for the Old Country include a holiday, and she is considering certain offers. One for the autumn, in London, the popular actress has already closed with.

Mr. C. R. Ford, who commences his New Zealand tour on December 8 under the management of Mr. J. C. Williamson, comes to us laden with good opinions and the traditions of a most successful visit to Australia. He certainly has a very fascinating and interesting subject. For who is not interested in the fearless adventurers who have faced and conquered the perils which surround those who embark upon such expeditions as the now historic one to the Southern Polar regions? Where unspeakable cold winds, raging storms, blizzards, frost bites, and snow blindness often beset them at every turn, or in sledging expeditions, where fogs gathered around them until they were lost in black darkness, and staggered about tumbling over one another. When the snow powder made its way through every cranny, and gave a coating of ice to everything. Sometimes these brave men felt as if handfuls of burning sand or pepper were thrown into their eyes by invisible hands. This is snow blindness. For days and weeks together they had to nurse their frost-bit-ten hands and feet back to life. And at other times, death-traps in the shape of bottomless crevasses were placed in their path. These crevasses are covered from £ide to side with thin layers of snow, so that they cannot be seen. When trodden upon the snow gives way, and the adventurer falls in, generally to be seen no more. These and many other adventures of most thrilling nature are described and illustrated by the clever storyteller about to visit our shores, besides the lighter side of the picture, which he is said to paint with inimitable wit and irresistible humour.

Mr. Hall Caine recently invited a special audience of clergymen to witness his new drama, “ The Prodigal Son.” Cynical critics regard this as an advertising idea. They say that every clergyman accepting the invitation will send Mr. Caine a praiseful letter of thanks.

Mr. George Darrell’s new drama, “ The Battle and the Breeze,” was played for the first time at the Sydney Theatre Royal last week. It is Australian in locale and incident. There is a scene at Thursday Island; subsequently the characters, or some of them, appear in New Zealand. There is a mutiny, a cyclone, a wreck, and a Maori tribal fight. There is also a romantic Maori maiden, very picturesquely represented by Miss Eugenie Duggan.

Mr. George Musgrove has leased his London theatre, the Shaftesbury, for 21 years to Mr. Tom W. Ry ley. “ The Walls of Jericho”- has been transferred from the Garrick to the Shaftesbury. Its 40Qth performance is now rapidly approaching—still going strong.

At the Melbourne Princess’ Miss Nellie Stewart continues to arrive punctually every night “ In the Bishop’s Carriage” (the title of the piece the company are now playing), and makes a very bright and attractive figure in her sumptuous red mantle (says the “ Australasian). She also persists in pursuing her wicked career as a young and fascinating thief, loyal to her nefarious “ pal,” John Dorgan, and philosophically cynical as to her dubious ways of life. Some people profess to be sceptical as to the possibility of reforming a girl of Nance Olden’s temperament and training, but similarly strange things have happened occasionally in real life. Nance Olden has some remnant of the angel still in her wayward nature, and, under the moral influence of a good young man like Latimer, all things are possible, if not quite probable. Moreover, she is set free from the evil companionship of Dorgan, when that sinister young man is sent to prison, and when he reappear s on the scene, after slaying a prison warder, she recognises him for what he is. Mr. Harcourt Beatty as Latimer is assiduously proper in his moralising scenes with Nance, but one might wish that his manner was less frigid and patronising. Latimer is apparently tenderly touched by Nance’s personality, therefore more earnestness and emotion would seem to be quite permissible in his attitude towards her. A philanthropic young gentleman, who merely preaches to a pretty, though erring, girl, is likely to become boresome. Mr. Clinton manages .to get regularly, yet very humorously intoxicated, without descending to burlesque. His erratic efforts to light a cigar are interesting, and his puzzled alarm concerning the mysterious opening and closing of the door imply a psychological study of the situation. Viewing Ramsay’s perpetual condition of muddle, it strikes one as somewhat odd that the bishop does not offer some words of admonition and remonstrance as to his intemperate habits and restless conjugal methods. When an elderly gentleman avows that comic opera has lost its in-:, terest for him “ since the ladies wear long; skirts,” he should be severely lectured. >■ « ♦ * «

For his Sydney pantomime Mr. Anderson has brought out Miss Marie Campbell (principal girl at the Brighton Grand Theatre last Christmas season, and who has been touring South Africa) as Sinbad. The principal girl will be Miss Alice Pollard. Mr. Bates, an American humourist here before with the StineEvans Company, Mr. H. Quealy, late of the Pollard Opera Company, Mr Tnd Calloway, will be in the cast. There to be a “ submarine” tableau, “ A dred Fathoms Deep,” and ballets of tjM Golden Wheat” and the “ Bloom.”

THE STAGE AS A CAREER.

Miss Bertha Welby recently, before the Professional Woman’s League in America, delivered a lecture entitled “ The Stage as a Business Career, the Social Status of the People of the Stage, and the Qualifications Needful for Success.” She said in part: — We on the stage alone know it as it really is. We do not invest it with any rainbow tints, for we know the hard work, the many heartaches, the bitter disappointments, as well as the exciting exhila,ration and happiness that conies from success. Outsiders see the artistic performance, and the very artistic smoothness makes it seem so beautifully easy to accomplish such results. Thej do not dream of all that precedes the brilliant picture they witness. They know nothing of the anxiety of getting the part, the careful study, the tension of mind to form the right conception of how it should be played; the destroying of our conception by stage managers or the creative brain of the author. * While we do not quite share the enthusiasm of the ones who invest it with unalloyed charm, on the other hand, we do not for one moment endorse the views of those who hold the people of the stage in contempt and abhorrence. We know that our lives are led quite differently from those off the stage; that a bright calcium light is on us. Any mistake we make, any mis-step that we take, is seen and known. The veil of Christian charity is all too rarely thrown over our lives. ' If there is a weak spot, there the calcium of early prejudice, envy, and dislike is turned on us. But the stage is of growing importance. The mere fact of being an actor does not of itself give a standing that is of any value in the battle of life. We cannot deny this, love it as we may. The stage rests under a sort of stigma more easily felt.than defined. Still, as a business as well as a profession, it is now at least acknowledged. The man or woman may enter it and find it a career of usefulness, success, and honour. To the genius, talent, and work of our eminent actors in the past and in the present, our stage owes its lustre. It is a profession of the learned as well as the ignorant. Physical gifts, up to a pertain point, will make up for deficiency in talent, but with talent, perseverance, and application success is certain even for the most illiterate. ' Sir Henry Irving says: “The stage literally lived down the rebuke and reproach under which it formerly cowered, while its exponents have been simultaneously living down the prejudices which excluded them from Society. Actors and actresses are received into Society as the members of other professions.” There has been so much said as to training for the stage 'that I can only say that in my whole career I have felt the advantage of early study with that most cultured woman of the

stage, Fanny Moras. Study always, and keep up a stout heart. Every life is made Stronger, better, sweeter, and happier by an earnest purpose, and so runs the actor’s life away.

There is one notable feature concerning “Veronique” which theatre-goers generally are beginning to discover (writes Mr. George Tallis), and that is

the fact that the music belongs to the category of things which improve greatly with further acquaintance. There is none of that frothiness about it which catches the ear for the first time it is heard and then grows tiresome with repetition. Those who have heard Messager’s charming opera twice, or oftener—and these fortunate people are daily increasing in numbers—come away on each

occasion with an added enthusiasm for the dainty melodies. Then, too, the humour is a part of the piece, developed with and belonging to the plot, not introduced into it, as it too often is in musical comedy. Without Messrs. Geo. Lauri, Claude Bantock, W. S. Percy, and Miss Clara Clifton the piece intrinsically would be almost as crippled as it would if Miss Margaret Thomas, Miss Florence Young, or Mr. Haigh Jackson were excluded from the cast—and that is really the true test of comic opera as distinguished from musical comedy. It would indeed be hard to find any piece which would afford a better example of the new era of musical plays than “ Veronique.”

At Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, on December 2, Miss Titrtell Brune and her company staged for the first time in Australia that powerful drama of human interest, “Leah Kleschna.” The piece, which has only just concluded a run of nearly a year in London, is a sane, wholesome study of two different temperaments, and although a problem play in that sense, there is in it none of the sex interest which was so unpleasantly prominent i<i the dramatic fare of a few years back. Leah Kleschna, the heroine, is a thief and the daughter of a thief, who has spent her life in crime. The personality of Paul Slyvaine, a high-prin-cipled public man. attracts her even before she has met him, and the destiny of each decrees that he should find her in the very act of robbing his own rooms. That meeting is the turning point of her life, for she goes from him with the determination to abandon her dishonesty and try to live up to the ideals of which in a strong scene he shows her she is capable. How she succeeds in her resolution, and the reward she wins, gives occasion for the introduction of sentiment in the final scene following on a series of forceful situations, and she and Slyvaine are reunited as the curtain falls.

The Royal Comic Opera Company have at present so much work in hand that it has been reluctantly decided to postpone the benefit in aid of the Distressed Actors’ Fund, which it had been intended to give this month. The most regrettable thing in connection with the postponement is the fact that Melbourne playgoers will not have the promised chance of seeing Mr. George Lauri as Hamlet—at any rate yet awhile. No one regrets this more than Mr. Lauri himself, more particularly as he had solved satisfactorily the problem of how to give all the unexpected students of Shakespeare in the company an opportunity of distinguishing 'themselves. But his appetite and theirs have been so sharpened by their almost realised hopes that it is extremely probable that they will be seen in the tragedy before many months are passed. The benefit itself will be held in January

when the Brune Company and the Gilbert and Sullivan Company are in Melbourne.

Mr. J. C. Williamson’s arrangements in connection with the future movements of the Gilbert and Sullivan Company are full of interest. “ Princess Ida” will be the next “ new” piece done by them at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, and “ Utopia, Limited” will be the feature of the Melbourne visit. That season commences at the Princess Theatre at Christmas time, “ Pinafore” being the opening piece. When the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire has been finally exhausted—and, judging by the genuine appreciation still accorded to every one of them, that time is still far distant—the company will take up “ The Three Little Maids” and “ Kitty Grey,” both of which were introduced to Australia by the George Edwardes Gaiety Company last year. Both of them should be well within the capabilities of the company, both as regards acting and singing.

The Royal Comic Opera Company have already taken up the work of rehearsing tc The Girl from Kays,” which Mr. Williamson has decided to make a permanent addition to their repertoire. A really fine cast has been arranged for the preduction, which, besides Mr. George Lauri as Roggenheimer, includes Miss Florence Young as Winnie Harborough (the girl from Kays), Miss Margaret Thomas as Norah, Miss Rose Musgrove as Ellen, and Messrs. W. S. Percy (Percy FHzwhistle), Claude Bantock (Theodore Quench), and Fred Leslie (the hall porter).

According to a London paper, the two leading Australian managers have approached Madame Clara Butt with regard to a concert tour of the Commonwealth and New Zealand, but so far she has not definitely decided as to a date

Disinclination to part from hex- two young children is the sole reason for Aladame Butt’s hesitancy. She and her husband are both anxious to make the tour, and among their intimate friends they already number several Australians, notably the Conn.ess of Darnley, Janet Lady Clarke, and Lady Clarke, of Rupertswood and Park Lane. For the Bristol Festival Madame Butt refused a fee of £4OO for a call on her services for the four days’ performances. This was owing to her having already booked other engagements, which she would not conscientiously cancel, even to sing at the festival of her own home town.

Mr. Hugo Gorlitz has gone to America to complete arrangements for the great tour of Herr Kubelik, to whom £50,000 has been guaranteed. On the evening of October 9, Mr. Gorlitz and his great star, Kubelik, were entertained at a farewell • upper by the Eccentric Club, the locale being the Imperial Restaurant. A most

attractive menu was provided, and there were musical contributions by Miss Joan Ashley, Miss Muriel Gough, Air. Louis Bradfield, Air. AValter Churcher, Air. Alaurice Farkoa, Air. John Harrison, and the Viennese Orchestra. The health of Herr Kubelik and Air. Gorlitz was drunk with gala honours, and the evening closed with the singing of “ Auld Lang Syne.” From America Herr Kubelik and Air. Gorlitz come to Australia and New Zealand.

Air. George Alusgrove’s “ Prince of PUsen” Company is paying a return visit to the Theatre Royal, Dublin, this week, and evoking almost unprecedented enthusiasm. On the opening night the musical director and principals of the company were welcomed with bursts of cheers, and at the end of the piece the curtain had to be raised no less than eleven times, when Mr. Charles Thorbnrn, general manager of the company,

was compelled to come forward and thank (:he vast audience .

At the Savoy Theatre, in London, there is a real Japanese Company and Japanese plays. The leading man, Mr. Sato, began life as a law student, now he is regarded in Japan as an actor of the highest rank. In London he is accepted on his reputation, but is not understood by playgoers. The leading actress, Miss Hanuko, is a little lady, only three feet high, but she also has a brilliant reputation as an emotional actress.

An American actress has brought an action for £lOOO damages against a tramway company. She alleges that a blow she received from a conductor injured a dimple, which was of f< stage value.” The management have decided that conductors are not to strike lady passengers in future, even though they deserve it.