THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 910, 15 August 1907, Page 16

THE STAGE

(By

“O. P. Cyde.”

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

RICKARDS’ COMPANY

As a theatregoing people there is no nation, in point of population, that can compare favourably with New Zealand. The enormous houses we have w;messed in the above theatre of late may be taken for • example. When the Maoriland public know that they have something superior to witness they do not hesitate to patronise a performance or performances of . invading managers. This is the reason probably why His Majesty’s Theatre was so densely packed on Monday night, when Rickards’ Vaudevi le Co. made their first appearance. Throughout the ’whole performance a fine standard of excellence was maintained, and rarely, if ever, have the wails of the theatre rocked with such spontaneous applause and so much uproarious laughter. After a selection by the orchestra, Mr. Harry Hart appeared on the stage in immaculate evening dress and sang the usual opening bit, or pad song, with good effect, be ng rewarded by an encore. Miss Ada Sadler followed and gave us a fair y decent rendering of a con ra’-to ballad, which would have gone infinitely better, if the orchestra had had less of the circus band character about it. In fact, throughout .he performance, the various members of the orchestra were all engaged, at the same time, in play ng doub e forte’ solos on their respective instruments. The pianist, on the extra high seat, tried his best to drown the combined nose of al these instruments, and it wasn’t he pianist’s fault that he didn’t succeed. There are few leaders of orchestra in vaudeville business who know that p.p means double piano, and not “pound, please.” So we took our orchestra physic with a refined resignation. Mr. George Dean was very entertaining. George always did have a splendid style for a I’on cbmique, and he had to sing many songs to the most imperative of encores and possibly not one was better than “Psht I Gone! Like That!”' On the heels of George Dean came Mr. Fred Russell and Coster Joe, and we have seldom, if ever, put in so good a time with a ventriloquist Ventriloquists, as a rue, are a delusion and a swear, and are genera'ly the most unmit gated bores unchoked by their own stomachic efforts, but Mr. Fred Russell is quite something e'se, and quite different. He is a bright six-pointed and coruscating sar in h’s line of business, and his “patter” would be disastrous o the serious expressions of a hippopotamus or a dodo. One absolute'y cannot help laughing at him and his very com’cal coster pal, and we regret that we cannot purchase Mr. Fred Russell and Coster Joe as an after-dinner indigestion cure. They are individually and collectively splendid. Mr. Rochfort came for ward (when Coster Joe had, at length, been allowed to. retire) and sang something decrepit and ancieqt in a very nice voice, and with excellent intonation, but i: was a bray to the death between him and the orchestra, and the orchestra won, anyhow. Then we were treated to King and Benson, duettists The gentleman was ow comedy, the lady was — ahem, a dream ! Her frock would have made a Parisian Moulin Rouger turn green with envy, her voice would have charmed Amasis to life again af er his twenty thousand years’ sleep; and that fascinating glance, when, she was giving us “Ri-too-ral” would assuredly have taken the heart of a Hindu idol cap ive. Miss Benson is a beautiful woman and her beauty enhances her very decided c’everness. Her partner, Mr. King, is blessed with a most extraordinary falsetto voice, and the “gods” came at him 'ike one man when he had finished his last ballad. The turn, taken altogether, was very Pavilionesque, and I felt wafted back to the Ox., the Pav., and the Folies once agam. More welcome turns from George Dean in the second part, more drowned contralto from Miss Ada .Sadler and then came the star act of the entertainment. The scene was laid in a we’l-furnished drawing-room, and Mrs. Charlene, in a most e'aborately

exquisite gown of the Masion Lafitte order, received as her gues. Mr. CharLne, who is as clean a juggler as C nquevalli. The lady is a beautiful and talented creature most divinely dressed, and she draws the bald-heads with the strength of a porus plaster. She plays the piano well, but as xylophonist we fancy Mrs. Charlene must be a world’s champion. Von Suppe’s overture of the “Poe. and Peasant” is difficult enough to execute on the piano, but the lady effects it on the xylophone with apparent ease and a

great deal of extraord nary success. Meanwhile Mr.' Charlene is juggling with cigars, umbrel’as, silk hats, overcoats, violins, bows, plates, dusting brushes, torches on fire, etc., with consummate ease, and a dexterity that is 'simply astounding. The act, as a whole, Is on a par with the star turns of the best English and American vaudeville theatres; and must be seen to be thoroughly appreciated and understood. Miss Cassie Walmer, a dusky princess with a fine strong voice, sings, dances and acts very well, and looks—ye gods ! —she looks entrancing. All the -ime . she s dancing she is carrying on a conversation with her admiring audience; such expressions as “she must have been well taught!” “Isn’t this a silly way to make a living?” “W 11 she go on for ever?” and others reaching our ears through the plaudits of the audience. One expression struck us forcibly, “I wonder if she’s married?” queried Miss Cass’e. We’H stake on it ; such a s tinner as Miss Cassie cou’dn’t go long unattached. The whole entertainment is an extraord’narily good one and well worthy of the best patronage.

OPERA HOUSE.

FULLERS’ ENTERTAINERS.

It is no exaggeration to say that unbounded enthusiasm prevails nightly at the Opera House. In fact, it ; s doubtful if the popular proprietary of Messrs. John Fuller and Sons have ever put on a stronger company than that now ap-

pearing in Auck and. Hammon and Wyatt are simply great. Introduced as the Sandow Girls, they have every right to the tit e. Queens of symmetry and phys cai beauty, their very perfection of development is a feast for the eyes of those who glory in the modern ideals of harmon c proportion that is..- Venus-like, and all that implies to the higher qualities which delight he taste and imagination. Hammon and Wyatt are. Amazons of the drawing-room. Combined with physical deve opment, they are bewitchng of manner, and sing with a refreshing grace that charms. There is no mistak ng the reception which greets them nightly. The musical gem of the programme this week is the duet, “Flow Gently, Deva,” in which the silvery tenor of Mr. John Fuller intermingles with he pleasing bass of Mr. A. L. Cropp, with a resultant flow of harmony that carries the listener with it in rapt attention until the end, when an outburst of app ause fairly makes the theatre r ng. Octavia and Warne have a smart little sketch entitled, “Military Maniacs,” in which they patter forth in a way which is unique and orignal. Mr. Warne is no end smart too, in making use of anything he . 'ays hands on, and be it a loaded gun with which to display his dexterity, or a piano that ges in h s way and needs hopping over, it is a’l the same in the accomp ishment of his ends. It goes to show just how up-to-date the management is that before the “AU B acks” comp’eted their tour biograph pictures were being shown at the Opera House of the New Zealand-New South Wales matches. One of the sweetest s:ngers ever heard in Auckland is Clarence Tisdale, the American’ tenor. The dusky ar ist is one of the most pronounced successes Mr. John Fuller has ever introduced to Opera House patrons, and his popularity is : mmense; Love Me and . the World is Mine,” and “Dream, My, Love, of You.” are two of the finest songs in Mr. T’sda’e’s repertory. Armstrong and Verne are back again, and it doesn’t need a huge bump of understanding to realise tha‘ these comedy artists are pro-

viding the main draw. “Colonel Ketchup” s the sketch they appear in, and it is about as s ily as any sketch ever written. But that doesn’t matter. Mr. Tom Armstrong isn’t on the stage three minutes before he has the audience wound up to such a pitch that they will laugh at anything. He is a rea lartist, and has a style all his own. Miss Priscilla Verne is an o’d Auckland favourite, and from the reception accorded her, it is patent that that popularity has no: diminished. They are assisted in their sketch by Mr. Joe Woodward. The Maynards are two clever series and dancers, and it is safe to say they w 11 have a long and successful run. Walker and Hughes continue to amaze peop e wit their marvellous dexterity in juggling feats. The manipulation of tennis racquets is their strong forte, and they fairly astonish ihe audience. Their act is c ever, original and is added to by the introduction of the comedy element, • which is in accordance w’th the general excellence of 'their whole performance. Bob Bell is back again, after a long absence, and gets in with some funny isms which are more or less original. Mr. Percy Denton continues to prove his versatility by appearing in two roles, first of all as a comedian, and subsequently as a s nger of illustrated songs. Mr. A. L. Cropp has two good old songs in “The Bandalero” and “The Old Turnkey.” As a dancer of considerable merit Mr. Joe Woodward earns no end of applause. Mr. Carlton Cooper, the lighting ventriloquist, is something out cf the ordinary, and with his cosmopolitan family is the 'medium for much good fun. A series of b'ograph pictures brings to a conclusion a thoroughly enjoyable programme. Next Saturday evening the Ah bergs, humorous acrobats, and Raleigh and May, wire-walkers, make their re-ap-pearance.

CALL ENO.

Madame Crrcr.y, concerning whom such glowing reports have been published by the Au tra'ian land New Zealand press, will com .r.ence. a short series cf pianoforte recitals.at the Choral Hal on the 22nd inst. Madame Carreno has had a romantic career. She is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, and a grand-niece of Simon Bo! var, the liberator of America from the Spanish yoke. Her father, who was an accomplished musican, was at one time Minister of Finance. She received parental instruction in music at a very early age, and she showed such aptitude that she was enabled to make her debut as a p anist in New York at the age of nine. She quite won the heart of Gottschalk, then at the zenith of his success, and he at once accepted her as a pupil. When she went to Europe three years she became the pupil cf George Matthias, student under Chopin, and subsequently of Rubinstein and Liszt, and she soon became famous in Grea Britain and America, as well as on the Cont nent. From then Madame Carreno -has taken the position of one of the greatest pianistes of the period. As an object lesson to studen s of the piano, the visit here of Madame Carreno shou'd be of incalcu’ab’e value.

Mr. George Rigncld has gone o Melbourne under engagement with Mr. B'and Holt to appear at the Theatre Royal in that citv.

Regarding the Continental success, “The Merry Widow ” which has taken London by storm, some surprising figures are quoted. The opera began its career in, Vienna. where it lasted for 450 nights—a run never approached there before —whi'e it put up records of 300 nigh s in St. Petersburg and Copenhagen, and 200 in such “provincial” centres as Hamburg and Cologne. It has brought in over a mi-lion marks 'n royalties to its authors and over a million copies of the famous waltz tune have been sold.

Miss Marie N-rel'e, who h°s had a long, illness in Sydney, is rapidly recovering.

It is remarkable how woefully ignorant Musgrove's Teutons are of the use and the handling of either the rapier or the broadsword. One would have thought ,that, being Germans, they would have at least known the feel of a broadsword. By the ludicrous way in which the various characters in “Lohengrin” handled thdir “toasting forks” it was evident to the veriest novice that they were more fitted to guide the top-whip than the\ sword. The principals fell, writhing in death, without even being struck by the avenging blades, and it was excruciatingly funny to see them fall prone when they were yards away from the enemy.

“The Great Awakening,” a sensa-. tional melodrama of the most unqualified type,' succeeded “A Beautiful Fiend,” at the Royal, Sydney, under the management of Messrs Meynell and Gunn. The piece is the joint work of Miss Maud Hildyard and Russell Vaun, the former taking the lion’s share in the production. As the heartless adventuress, Lola Selby, she has the principal part to play, but it is one which is ill-adapted to secure the favour of the audience, since Lola apparently possesses no quality likely to endear her to those with whom her lot is cast. It is unnecessary to follow her in her career of selfishness, cruelty, and crime, nor to discuss the details of a plot which is neither novel nor attractive. The other members of the company who took part in the piece include Messrs Charles Vane, Wingfield, and Bovis, and Miss May Congdon. The piece is splendidly set and staged, especially the scenes showing the old oak hall at Merton Abbey, and the exterior of a cafe at Monte Carlo.

We clip the above from the “Sydney Town and Country Journal,” and once more we wail, like a lost angel hovering on the outskirts of “The Great Awakening,” or “The Immense Beyond,” or “The Large Hereafter,” over the decadance of the melodrama. Xiss Maud Hildyard is evidently a h’authoress as well as a h’actress. She is also an assassin in act as well as in part, for she murders melodrama with a blood-soaked pen, and then murders reason and every other respect by acting the part of “A Beautiful Fiend” at “The Great Kitchen Fire Lighting” period. Oh! why do these new-chums think they can write dramas? The stages of 2s, Is, and 6d theatres are literally buried beneath the shattered reputations of would-be yellowdramatists. And it is an everlasting regret to us that the authors and authoresses of such banalities cannot be taken to the summit of Mt. Cook, and be hurled from there into everlasting, and ever-

freezing space until the trump of Gabriel shall present us with a natural and a real nice melodrama of the classic kind.

My Christchurch Dramatic correspondent writes : — Marcus Superbus Julius Knight is -still. with us at the time of (Writing, although the season is now rapidly drawing to a close. “ Raffles” ‘succeeded “Robin Hood,” and the amateur housebreaker proved as interesting a character as portrayed by Mr. Knight on the boards as he does between the covers of the well-known yellow-back which bears his name. Whether there ever was such a gentlemanly, well-bred, highly-polished and expensively-educated a burglar in real life as “Raffles” is beside the question. Let us accept him as we find him —a most fascinating rascal with the manners of an aristocrat and the morals of Claude du Vai. To this engaging personality Mr. Knight did full justice, and it is no small tribute to the genius of the actor that he had the sympathies of the whole house with him. Amongst those who particularly distinguished themselves in this production may be mentioned Mr. Reynolds Denniston (a son, I believe, of Mr. Justice Denniston), whose Lord Crowley was an admirable “portrait of a nobleman; Mr. Harry Plimmer, as a common or garden specimen of burglar; and Mr. H. Willis, as Curtis Bedford, the detective. The detective of the stage, like the detective of the novelist, bears, as a rule, but a remote resemblance to the detective of real life. But Mr. Willis is to be congratulated on his Bedford, nevertheless. Mr. Julius Knight is always sure of a welcome here, hut it is questionable whether he has ever scored a second success quite equal to that he achieved in “ The Sign of the Cross.”

On Monday next, 12th. Inst., the new Pollard “ Liliputians” will make their bow to a New Zealand audience at the local Theatre Royal, when “ Bluebell in Fairyland,” which has been in active rehearsal for weeks past, will be presented for the first time in this colony. The piece (the book is from the pen of Seymour Hicks, and the music was composed by Walter Slaughter), is somewhat on the lines of “ Alice in Wonderland,” and is full, I understand, of picturesque situations, tuneful music, pretty songs and graceful dances, while there are some novel and elaborate scenic effects. I heartily wish Mr. Pollard all the success he deserves with his new company, and I hope to have to chronicle crowded houses nightly while the company is here. . “Fuller’s,” needless to say, continues to do the same phenomenal business as ever, and Christchurch now wonders how it ever got along without the popular “ entertainers.”

An Australian journal states that Charley Holloway has had a relapse.

Denis Carney is now the star at the Theatre Royal, Broken Hill.

After an absence of two years R. G. Knowles is back again in England.

A cable was received from Mr. J. C. Williamson a few days ago to the effect that he had engaged Miss Beatrice Irwin to play the leading woman’s part in “Brewster’s Millions” when that piece is produced in Sydney next October. Miss Irwin, who has sailed for Australia, counts in her experience engagements with Sir Charles Wyndham and the late • Sir Henry Irwin.

Caruso’s present salary amounts to a year.

Two thousand hands are employed at Luna, Coney Island, New York. * * * *

Owing to the impending conclusion of their season in Sydney the Royal Comic Opera Company could only play “Dorothy” for a fortnight, though the appreciative reception accorded that captivating comic opera would in other circumstances have justified an extension. The final four weeks of their season will be equally divided between “La Mascotte” and the “Belle of New York,” the revivals of which they have made singularly attractive.

West’s Pictures are still the reigning picture show in Sydney. * * * *

Another important engagement just concluded by Mr. J. C. Williamson is that of Miss Fanny Dango, who has sailed for Australia in the Mongolia to create for this . country the character of Peggy Sabine in “The Dairymaids,” which is the next new piece to be done by the Royal Comic Opera Company. Miss Dango is a younger sister of Letty Lind, whom everybody will remember as a prominent member of the first London Gaiety Co. to visit Australia. She has made her mark on the London lyric stage, that wonderful musical comedy “San Toy” standing sponsor for one of her.: biggest successes. She played the title role-^curiously ; enough, - with Mr. Reginald Kenneth \as. the Bobby Preston of the cast—during the two years run of the piece in London.

Royal Comics recently “did” “Dorothy” at Her Majesty’s, Sydney.

The New York State Assembly prohibits children under 16 attending places of amusement unless accompanied by adults.

A public character like Madame Clara Butt is the recip.ent, of course, of scores of curious letters, but she seems to specialise on long lost relatives, and Australia seems to be the home of such in her case. A year or so ago some one in New Zealand, who had been reading an interview with her, discovered that, she was fond of monkeys, and immediately wrote claiming kinship on the ground that her mother had also a passionate attachment for the simian tribe. More recently—just before she left, as a matter of fact —Madame Butt received a letter from a lady, evidently with the vaguest idea as to Australian topography, who had lost touch with a rich unc/le who once owned a cattle ranch in West Australia. In the opinion of the writer everyone in those two states was “sure to hear Madame Butt’s heavenly voice,” and she therefore craved the contralto’s assistance in finding her missing relative. As the pastoral country is not likely to come down en masse to the cities to hear Madame Butt, it may be as well to mention that the missing uncle’s name is Varrils.

Messrs Meyneli and Gunn announced the withdrawal of ‘the Russian melodrama, “The Beautiful Fiend,” from the boards of the Royal after August 2, and on the following night they produced for the first time in Australia, “The Great Awakening,” by Mss Maud Hildyard, who here'f interpreted the principal role.

“I sat next an interesting couple at “Lohengrin,”, the other night, in the two bob: department of Melbourne Princess ga.lery. They were a cut or two above push society, bu: had some characteristics in common wth the talent. He might have been gripman on a delivery cart; she was a star cigarette hand in a tobacco factory. After the first act she was very curious. “Wha’s it all erbou:,” she said, “tha’s what I wanter know. Why’d that bloke with ther sword make a row fer? The lydy in the night dress done nothin’ t’ him what I could see.” “Ah-h, he’s er nark, the gaboz with ther sword. He. orter be pinched,” answered the youth., “But what’s up with ’em all, Dolf? Blime, they’re up the stick.” Dolf, feeling that he had a duty to perform, settled down to explain. Not being quite certain of his ground his voice was low and confidential. . “I dunno for a cert,” he said, “but I reckon this is how. : See, they’re havin’ a sort iv picnic ’n’ darnce; .hese torfs, et eh place something like Dreamland ’r Prince’s Court. Tumble? Well, the guy with ther sword —Fred his name is—he does a mag that ther lydy Elsie’s done him for his ticker or p’r’aps bilked him fer er quid er two. Well, he makes er riot erbout it, p tchin’ er tale t’ ther boss iv th’ show, Harry the Fowl they calls him, ’n’’ Harry sez they better not call in ther Johns, ez it ud on’y give ther place er bad name. He sergists that Elsie’s bloke should put up er ccuple iv rounds with this ’ere Fred fer ther licker, winner t’ take ther lot. Ther cobber with ther long stick, he’s ther .eferee, ’n’ he cal's out ther names ’n’ we ght.; iv ther two lads, ’n’ th’ condi.ions iv th’ contract. Elsie’s bloke, he’s willin’, ’n’ he gets et Fred, ’n’ passes ’im out in or.e round.” The young lady looked relieved but was not yet quite sat’sfied. “But what iv ther goose?” she said. “Why does Elsie’s bloke have ’er goose t’ drag him round?” “Yar, yer mug,” retorted Dolf; “that’s on’y one er them penny rides, same ez ther dragon et Prince’s Court.”—S. Snell, in “Sydney Bulletin.”

Mr. Percy Grainger, according to letters received by Messrs. J. and N. Tait, is still pursuing his upward progress as one of the rising pianists of to-day, and his second London recital in the Aeolian Hall was even better attended and more Cordially received than the first.

Miss Marie Hall completed her successful tour of New Zealand under the direction of Messrs J. and N. Tait last week, and is already on her way to England again on board the Aorangi, which she joined at Suva.

Mr. Andrew Mack’s new piece, which first saw the light at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, last Saturday (July 27th) has in it, to judge from its reception from a packed audience, all the elements of as great a popular succcess as any of the older favourites such as “Tom Moore,” “The Way to Kenmare,” or “Jack Shannon.” It presents the star himself in a character that was made for him. Gerald Fitzgerald, the Earl of Kildare, is one of those open-hearted, open-handed sons of Ireland whom nothing can dismay or disconcert, who goes through life with a smile for everybody and everything, a captivating character altogether, and one that suits the comedian’s particularly “human” methods entirely adequately. Whether he was making love, in that peculiarly half-tender, half-humorous style of his, defying his enemies or entertaining his friends, he was always admirable, whilst his singing of his. own compositions, as well as Edward Harrigan’s “My Dudheen,” had the customary enthusiastic recognition, the effectiveness of the last named being increased by the full chorus, while the joining in the refrain of “My Sweet Maid” by a chorus in the gallery was also much applauded. The rest of the cast was capably filled by Miss Jane Kelton, who played the part of Kathleen Fitzmaurice with freshness and vivacity, by Miss Annie Mack Berlein as the sharptongued,, warm-hearted s.eward of Kilkea Castle, and by the rest of Mr. Mack’s company. Some elaborate scenery and appointments, costumes and properties generally give further distinction to the piece, and an excellently managed fight in the second act wrought the audience up to a high pitch of enthusiasm.

During the past winter season over forty shows of every description toured Queensland. Naturally, it was a case of killing the goose again, and the show people fell heavily. One big concern, it is said, dropped over on the tour ; anoher, and a third, many others suffering to a proportionate extent.

Marie Lloyd, the sprightly, who not long ago again ventured into matrimony, recently made her first appearance in Paris before a large and enthusiastic audience at .he Marigny Theatre. It was a gala night, and Marie, who had received no less than sixty telegrams from London friends wishing her gcod luck, immediately got on the best of terms with the “ parley-vous. ” “Tiddley-Om-Pom” brought down the house. Marie Lloyd’s English engagements run right up to the end of 1909, wi-.h just one tour to America between.

When every audience packs a building like the Me'bourne Town Hall to the extent of invading the p'aying platform and almosr sitting on the bandsmen’s knees, it is not surprising to hear that Messrs. J. and N. Tait decided to alter their announced arrangements for the Besses o’ th’ Barn Band and to postpone the provincial tour projected this week, so that an extension of the Melbourne season might be secured. Indeed, Melbourne has shown a greater enthusiasm for, and a keener interest in the Besses than any other town in the Commonwealth, and even the matinee performances have been crowded, while the hall has never been large enough to hold all those who wanted to hear the Band in the evening. From Melbourne the Band goes next week to Adelaide—'that is, if Melbournians will let them depart —and thereafter to the West. Their tour comes to a conclusion at the end of

October, and there seems very little probability of an extension, despite the strenuous endeavours of Messrs. J. and N. Tait to secure it.

The Mongolia, with Madame Clara Butt on board, will soon be in Australian waters, and towards the end of the month “the greatest contralto of modern times” will be in Melbourne, resting and preparing for her concert tour of Australia under the direction of Messrs. J. and N. Tait, which begins in Melbourne Town Hall on the ioth September.