“THE MAN FROM MEXICO,"

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 872, 22 November 1906, Page 16

“THE MAN FROM MEXICO,"

Mr Edwin Geach, the popular theatrical manager who has not been in Auckland for some three years, dropped in to see me on Tuesday morning shortly after his arrival from the South. He is here to complete arrangements for the Willough-by-Wood Company, which is due to open here on December 3 with “The Man From Mexico,” which is described as a “veritable screamer.” It will serve to introduce to Aucklanders Miss Grace

Palotta, who has been earning golden opinions in the South and in Australia. The plot of the piece has already been given in these columns.

Before now the West-Brescians Company have done good work here in the cause of charity. Next Wednesday they will give a benefit matinee, • when the entire proceeds will be given to the Door of Hope Mission.

There will be a students’ recital by the Webbe School of Music at St. Andrew’s Hall, Lower Symonds Street, next Wednesday.

The death is announced of Mr Wybert Reeve, an actor who was well known* throughout Australia a decade ago.

Mr Alec Verne, than whom there is no more popular advance manager on the road, is now ahead of the Charles Holloway Dramatic Company. Writing on the 15th inst from Invercargill he says that the Company was to open there on the 21st inst (six nights), then to the Theatre Royal, Christchurch, for December 1 (three weeks), then Princess Theatre, Dunedin for Boxing night (four weeks), Wellington Opera House, February 25 (four weeks), Auckland, His Majesty’s Theatre, March 30 (five weeks).

Writing in “P.T.0.” on “The Training of Actors,” Mr J. J. Dallas, recently in Australia, remarks: “So actors nowadays are not trained in any school to rely on their own abilities and inventive powers. If we look back to the days when burlesque was a marketable commodity we shall find that the actors who made their mark in that particular form of art (for it is an art, and a difficult one) were those who had graduated in the stock companies and worked themselves into the position of being able to rely on themselves to play anything. When a burlesque was put on it was a sort of relief and relaxation to be able to ‘let themselves go,’ and make fun of what was generally looked upon as serious.”

The London Hippodrone is presenting a remarkable entertainment, entitled “The Earthquake.” In its realisation of a seismic upheaval it far exceeds in sensationalism the earthquake in “Claudian,” which caused many thrills in the “eighties” during the late Mr Wilson Barrett’s season at the Oxford Street house. The spectacle—for so it may be called—opens with “the city square, by morning, noon and night,” in its ordinary aspect, and in the second episode the entire place is seen in flames and succumbing to the devastation which has been so vividly described of late. The “tidal wave” is produced by the rush of thousands of tons of water into the arena, engulfing the city and the fourth episode is an appalling scene of desolation.

’ My Christchurch dramatic correspondent writes : —Tittell Brune farewells at the Royal to-night (Saturday), when “Sunday” (revived last night) is to be repeated. The Company then go South, whither Harold Ashton has preceded them. The Christchurch season has proved a gilt-edged success, and the presence of so many Exhibition visitors has doubtless largely contributed to that result. I may add that Miss Brune’s personal popularity here is very great. . . On Monday next the Savieri Dramatic Company opens at the Theatre Royal, and as P. Savieri, the boss of the show, is well and favourably known in this city the Co. ought to do alright. . . A variety show recently came to grief in this Exhibition-boomed metropolis, and “A Few of the Victims,” in a letter addressed to a local daily, this week, write:— “It is perha.ps as well that the facts become public. Mr George’s representative (Mr Bob Lloyd) engaged a Co. in Sydney, the term of engagement (as per signed contract) being eight weeks. Several artistes asked for and received each advances, to be paid back at an arranged amount per week. After performing eight nights Mr George informed the Company that he had no money with which to carry on the concern, neither

could he pay salaries due for the eight nights, to say nothing of the breach of contract (eight weeks). The Company certainly have return tickets to Sydney, but have all suffered severe losses through Mr George’s failure to meet his engagements. . . Fuller’s show is all ablowing and a-growing at the Opera House, and Exhibition visitors hankering for a change after “doing” the World s Fair all day, roll up gady of a night to Fuller’s, which is luller than ever in consequence ! Just now the management is putting on a gorgeous bill, to which Fred Graham and Nellie Dent contribute, and to-night, when a new programme is-to be presented, Powers Bros., Rex,. Annie Carander and Monaghan and Sheehan are all due to put in an appearance. . .

West’s Picture Show at the Exhibi.ion gives half-hourly performances daily, and is roping in so many sacksful of shekels that Mr West will be as rich as Pierpont Morgan or Rockfeller it he runs his pictures to the same business they are now drawing all through the Exhibition season. . . “The Pike,” in the Exhibition grounds, consists of half-a-dozen side shows of a novel and alluring description. You may pass through a “Laughing Gallery,” and traversing “The Rocky Road to Dublin,” arrive at a “Palace of Mystery,” and go from thence to see the “Marionettes,” subsequently strolling through the “Penny Arcade,” to .find yourself in “the House of Trouble.” . . The Cyclorama in the Exhibition grounds, in which the sanguinary “Ba tie of Gettysburg” is fought at intervals during every day in the week, bar Sunday, when the opposing forces take a rest, is attracting crowded houses all the time. The “realistic effec.s” introduced include a mimic thunderstorm, with heavy rain, terrific lightning, and deafening thunderclaps. This ingenious show was one of the standing attractions of Sydney for years. It cost and was purchased for by Dwan Bros., of Wellington. They ought to get back, a good deal, of the . purchase money during the Exhibition season.

Adelaide playgoers gave a most gratifying reception to “Veronique” as played by the Gilbert and Sullivan Company when they opened '.heir fortnight’s season there on the 10th November.

Mr and Mrs Haigh Jackson were,, as a letter from the former to Mr J. C. Williamson states, right in the thick of the Valparaiso earthquake. They only reached the city a day before the catastrophe, and during the horrors of the time they were in momentary danger of losing their lives. Mr Jackson wrote on board the boat conveying him to England, and he and his wife have not yet recovered frcm .he shock of the terrible scenes thev witnessed.

The Christchurch season of Miss Tittell Brune and her company has been a notable one. On the day the box plan opened there, no less than a 1000 seats were taken in the first hour and as Mr J. C. Williamson’s manager says, if the house had been twice as big as it was it wou’d have been packed on the night of

the opening performance of DorothyVernon. * * * * “Les Merveilleuses,” about the London debut of which such favourable reports have been received, is “set” in the direc - toire period of the French revolution, when- certain smart ladies of Paris endeavoured to counteract the republican movement. This will give exceptional opportunities for lavish dressing, while a sentimental sub-plot provides the necessary romance. The piece has been adapted from the French of Victorian Sardou by Capt. Basil Hood, and the music is from the pen of Dr. Hugo Felix.

A press controversy between Mr J. C. Williamson and Dean Phelan, regarding the latter’s justification for. his condemnation of “The Spring Chicken” on the ground of suggestiveness contributed to the entertainment of the Melbourne public during Cup week. Dean Phelan, a day or two after the first per ormance, wrote to the papers withdrawing in part from the attitude of hostility he had taken up, though at the same time he was disengenuous enough to quo'e again the absurd denunciation of W. T. Stead, upon which he had founded his opinion. This brought an immediate rejoinder from Mr Williamson who, after denying that he had ever thought of staging a play that could be classed as improper offered the advantage of a special performance to the Dean in order that the lat er might judge for himself. To that offer the Dean made answer to the effect that he had been assured that the musical comedy contained nothing to which, exception could be taken, and intimated that he was quite satisfied that his advice o Catholics not to attend the performance had been hasty.

Mr J. A. Wilson, proprietor of the Bijou "Theatre, Melbourne, is carrying out very expensive improvements, combined with certain structural alterations, in connection with that favourite and central place of amusement, and by the time the designs prepared by Mr Pitt, architect, are carried out, the interior portion throughout will be as up-to-da e as the most exacting could wish. It is expected that the place will be ready for occupation early in the new year. I. would have been nearer to completion than it is now but for the fact that certain of .he articles required had to be procured from England. One of these items was a special make of peacock plush blue for up bolstering the sea s. Another article that had to be ordered from abroad was an asbestos drop curtain, which is now being made. Fresh upholstering, new carpeting, painting, decorating, and general artistic ornamenta ion, all in harmony, will serve to beautify the theatre and make it an attractive place of amusement for lovers of comfort as well as of pleasing colour effects. The roof will be arranged for Summer ventilation on the most modern principle, and the hall leading to the theatre from the lifts and the street stairway will be freshly decorated. About /?6000 will be spent in the improvements.

A new comic opera by Mr Walter Slaughter is among the promised productions of this season. It is entitled “Lady Tatters,” this being the name of a strolling player with whom Charles 11. falls in love. She rejects his suit, for she is the sweetheart of an army officer, and the monarch then finds a pretext for having him arrested and imprisoned in the Tower. The story, which is by Mr '-Jer-

bert Leonard, ends happily, the reunion of the lovers being brought about in a dramatic manner by the death or a poor ac or. “Lady 7 Tatters” has recently been copyrighted.

Mr Sidney Deane was appearing at Keeney’s Music Hall, Brooklyn, on the 6th October.

Miss Priscilla Verne sails from San Francisco for Australia at the end of the present month for a tour, of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. “The Billboard”- states that Miss Verne has secured the rights of five musical comedy pieces including ‘-‘His -Highness .he Bey” and “The Isle -of. Bong-Bong.”

Miss Jennie Opie has been engaged foi an important part in “The Belle of May fair”. in ..New York.

Mr Leslie Harris sails for London at the close of his Melbourne season.

Miss Eva Dennison, who toured New Zealand with the Daniel Frawley Dramatic Company was in the cast of “The Chorus Lady” which was produced recen ly at the Savoy Theatre, New York.

Miss May Beatty and Miss Nina Osborne have been engaged to play principal “boy” and principal girl at the Gai ety Theatre, Dublin, during the pantomime season.

Two Australian thea.rical records have already to be placed to the record ol “The Spring Chicken,” acquired during the first of its career at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne (wri.es Mr George Tallis). On Cup night the attendance and booking returns alike exceeded those of any previous performance, not only at the theatre but also for the whole of the Commonwealth, and even Mr George Lauri’s big benefit, which, until now 7, has held pride of place, dropped back to second. Helped by this remarkable house, and also by the fact that every evening through the week saw the theatre packed from floor to ceiling, the week’s returns, made up on Friday, also showed a three figure increase on anything- hitherto re-

corded. No less than 17,000 people paid for admission during the six nights and one matinee, giving an average of abou. 2500 for each performance a result which is equal to two ordinary weeks. Judg ing by the enthusiasm and enjoyment manifested at each performance, a third record—that of length of run—would be also achieved by the light-hearted and essentially sparkling piece if the season of the Royal Comic Opera Company could be extended beyond Christmas time.

On the wave of congratulation which has been poured out over the acting members of the Royal Comic Opera Company for the brilliant performance of “The Spring Chicken” which they . ave put up, one is liable to forget the claims to commendation of the man primarily responsible for the excellent finish of l he whole production. That man is of course

Mr Gerard Coven'ry, who in the way it is presented, scores one of the many triumphs of his career. This is all the more noteworthy when the time in which he accomplished i. comes into ..usicleration. From the day when . hearsals first s arted to the night of the debut, when everybody was word perfect, lhe chorus fully trained and playing with an ease and freshness truly captivating, scarcely three weeks intervened, and it was due .0 Mr Coventry’s unremitting' attention and exceptional experi >nce, that the play : was put on, after only tl at amount of preparation in such « fash’in.

“The Virginian,” which Mr J C. Wil--I’am son’s dramatic company, produced at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney on the 10th November, was exce.'di’gly well -e--ceiyed by a pleased a idience, who follow’ed the fortunes of Owen Wister’s hero with much interest and appreciation demonstrating by frequent applause that both the play and players were very much to their liking. Mr Charles Waldron was in par icular favour, and his interpretation of the title role was adequate at ‘-It points, fully realising the fine type drawn by the author. Miss Ola Humphrey as the engaging Molly was also seen to especial advantage, while Mr Hardes Kirkland as Trampas, and Mr Cyril Mackay as Steve both did sterling work.