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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 870, 8 November 1906, Page 18

The latest recruit to the “halls,” Mr Willie Edouin, has had as varied and exciting a career as most people during his fifty years of mature stage life. Asa child he toured throughout the world with “The Celebrated Edouin Family,” and appeared at Drury Lane in 1854; also his name is seen on old bills as Master Edouin in the burlesque of “Belphegor” srt' the Strand Thea re, where he was call-boy—it was then called “Punch’s Playhouse” —the theatre he a.terwards became the successful lessee of. In “Passing the Doctor,” quickly changing his costume in sight of the audience, he describes certain characters trying to pass the insurance doctor. Mr Edouin s real name in Bryer.

“Peter’s Mother” is the name of a charming comedy by Mrs De La Pasture now running at Wyndham’s Theatre, Miss Marion Terry is in the name part.

A friend of mine who met Miss Gertie Campion at the Cambridge Sanitorium a -few days ago tells me that never at any time in her life did the popular actress look better in health. When she went up to Cambridge Miss Campion was very ill indeed, but now she is as merry as a cricket, while the doctor says that very shortly she will be discharged as completely cured. It is, perhaps, rude to give a lady’s weight, but Miss Campion’s many friends will be both astonished and delighted to know that she can now turn the scale at 10s: nibs, which shows what an open air life can do.

Mr Kyrle Bellew, immediately on his return to New York from his European holiday, commenced rehearsals of “Brigadier Gerard.”

Miss Myra Kemble, one of the bestknown of the many actresses who have appeared on the Australian stage, died in Melbourne a few days ago.

Miss Edna May’s chauffeur was fined and had his licence suspended at Norwich just before the mail left London on a charge of driving a motor-car at a dangerous speed.

Mr William Morris, the leading vaudeville manager in America, says the most expensive vaudeville performer in the United States just now is Miss Vesta Tilley. She refused an offer of a week some time ago. The contract under which she is now playing, is for 10 dollars (£2) a minute whilst she is on the stage. That includes the time spent in encores, of course, but it does not include any time occupied by her in curtain calls or bowing her acknowledg-

ments. Her “time payments” sometimes realise over per week.

The latest London aspirant to the honours, and responsibilities of theatrical management is Mr Jerrard Grant Allen, son of the well-known novelist and scientist, the late Mr Grant Allen. He has secured irom Sir Charles Wyndham a short lease of the Criterion.

Mr George Edwardes, the well-known English manager, has been saying some nasty things to an interviewer about American enterprise in London. He complains that “American managers inflate .he prices of the artists. “I suppose,” he says, “I may claim credit to have made the reputation of a large number of actors and actresses now in the musical comedy line. I have given them fair remuneration, and not a single member of any one of my companies can say that I have not generously treated him or her. Now what do the Americans do ? They offer my artists double and treble the salaries I am paying them, and give them an engagement —which may be long or short, though it is generally short, because their places must be filled by others who have been enticed away from other companies. If this was fair competition I should not complain, but it is not honest fighting.” Mr Edwardes notes tha: when the run of “See-See” at the Prince of Wales’ is concluded, he will give up the house and devote himself to the Gaiety and Daly’s only. No manager, he says can have many irons in the fire, owing to the “audacious methods of the representa.ives here of the American Theatrical Trust.”

According to the “Sydney Mail,” in “The Rake’s Wife” Messrs Meynell and Gunn have secured another melodrama which is certain to carry on the remarkable record of success which attended the produc ion of “The Fatal Wedding,” of which, indeed, the new new piece is in

some respects reminiscent. For instance, in the last act a merry band of youngsters appears in “Chillren’s Frolics,” and they dance around a maypole, represented by one of themselves, and sing and romp, to the great delight of the audience. On Saturday evening the new play was witnessed by an overflowing audience, and an undoubted triumph wa.; achieved. “The Rake’s Wife” is full of incident; there are numerous exciting incidents, humour, pathos, and tragedy are mixed up in true melodramatic style; the scenic effects are admirable; the orchestral selections are unusually charming ; and the acting is capital throughout.

“The Spring Chicken” made its first appearance on the Australian stage in the hands of the Royal Comic Opera Company, at Her Majesty’s Theatre, on Saturday. The musical comedy is the latest expression of all the best features of its class, and upon its construction and composition, all the cleverness of a quintette of well-known men has been lavished. Mr George Grossmith adapted the book from the French, while the music has been contributed by Messrs. Adrian Ross, Lionel Monckton, Ivan Caryll and Percy Greenbank, four names which have been prominent for a dozen years or more, and have always stood as a warranty of brightness anl melody. The story of the piece is founded on the oft-repeated aphorism commencing “In the Spring a young man’s fancy.’’The particular young man in the present instance is M. Babori, a staid lawyer in the winter, but a reckless “blade” in the spring, and the anxiety of his wife to stop his excursions into flirtations realms gives the first fillip to the plot. Unfortunately for the success of her efforts, all the remaining characters are smitten similarly, and one by one they fall under the spell of springtime. The fascination charms them away to Malmaison, where their love making proclivities find vent, and the setting of the Butterfly restaur-

ant there gives an opening for many extremely laughable incidents. The whole of the company’s strength is devoted to the cast. Mr George Lauri appears as Mr Girdle, a British tourist old enough to know better, Miss Clara Clifton is Mrs Girdle, Mr Reginald Roberts the metamorphosed advocate, Miss Florence Young Rosalie, a maiden who “trips” to Paris fo ra change, and Miss Olive Morrell, Dulcie, in which she originally appeared in London. A notable feature of the production is said to be the fashionable frocking, all the ladies appearing in costume of the latest mode.