CHRISTMAS NIGHT AT THE OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 929, 26 December 1907, Page 16

CHRISTMAS NIGHT AT THE OPERA HOUSE.

A special Christmas night performance will be given at the Opera House, when views of “ Living Ireland” will be shown; three thousand feet of film giving pictures of Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Londonderry, the Giant’s Causeway, etc. Mr. John Fuller will sing “ The Holy City,’’... while the Musical Cromes and other artists will assist.

The Besses o’ the Barn Band are now on their way back to Lancashire. Mr. John Black, of the Black Family of Musicians, writes as follows: — “We are showing at Castlemaine, Victoria, at present (December 15). Finish on Saturday and go into Melbourne for a month’s holiday. All the family are well and send regards to New Zealand readers and wish them a Happy Christmas.”

New Zealand dates for Madame Clara Butt’s concerts are: —Auckland, 14th and 16th January; Wellington, 20th and 24th; Christchurch, January 30th to February 3rd; and Dunedin, February sth and 7th. ;0 • • From Mr. M. Marcus, the wellknown theatrical manager, comes a card conveying, good wishes for Christmas. They are reciprocated. * * » «• Madame Melba sings for the last time in Australia at the Melbourne concert on Boxing night. * * * • “ Bluebell in Fairyland” on Boxing night. The free performance of “ The Messiah” will not be given this Christmas. * * * • •Mr. John Fuller, sen., leaves at the end of February on a rouund-the-world tour, going home by way of the Red Sea and returning through America and Japan. • ■ * * * La Milo, who returned to London early in November from a visit to the Continent, opened at the Leeds Empire on November 16th. » * * ■». The Abbey Theatre, Dublin, aspires to produce Irish plays, giving true pictures of Irish life. A very young actor, named Fitzmaurice, the son of a country rector, has just had a drama produced by the Abbey players, which is said to be highly promising. The title of it is “ A Country Dressmaker.” Mr. Beerbohm Tree and Mrs. Patrick Campbell have expressed their great delight with the little theatre and Its plays. Mr. Tree declares that in it Irishmen have founded their national theatre. Mr. T. J. West is likely to make a small fortune during his six months’ lease of the Glaciarium (says Melbourne “ Dramatic News.”) The centre floor alone seats over 3000 people, and quite another 500 can sit with ease on the back and side galleries. Well, on opening night, the house was so filled that in future the means of exit will have to be greatly increased. One would say that there were quite 4000 people in the building. As for the show, the pictures are the largest ever seen here, and perhaps also the most diversified. The most novel and interesting are the launching of the Bellerophon, and a series of views of the late war at Casablanca. •** * * “ The Girl Behind the Counter” is the biggest musical success in New York at the present time, and is considered one of the best musical comedies seen there for some seasons. Messrs. Meynell and Gunn hold the Australian rights. The stage manager stood at the prompt corner and placed his finger on an electric bell-push to ring in the orchestra, at the same time peeping through the curtain to see if the band appeared. The first summons had no success. He rang again; still no success. On ringing a third time a man came towards him on the stage with the remark, “ What can I get you, sir ?” “ Get me ? Nothing that I know of at present,” replied the stage manager, as he again pushed the bell. “ But I’ve come for an order, sir,” urged the man. “ Hang you and your orders too!” said the now irate manager, looking down into the orchestra viciously, and noting its deserted appearance he savagely placed his finger on the bell and kept it there. “I’m waiting, sir” again essayed the man.

“ Get out of it,” blurted the stage manager, “ cannot you see I am busy? I don’t want you, I tell you.” “But what are you ringing for?” asked the man.

“Ringing for!” answered the manager. “ I’m ringing for the orchestra, if you want to know.” , “Oh!” ejaculated the man; “ don’t you know you are ringing the bar bell ?” Two of the new songs of the coming pantomime season in London are “ The Violet” and an American ditty, “Way Down in Colon Town.” This last is expected to rival “ The Honeysuckle and the Bee” in popularity. .■’- • • • “ The Silver King” was first produced in London at the Princess’s Theatre on November 16, 1882, by Mr. Wilson Barrett, and was revived ’by him at the new Olympic on January 3, 1891, and again at the Lyceum on September 2 1899. Even “ between the acts,” the playgoer rarely casts a thought to that insignificant, yet indispensable, personage, the super (writes “Peter Quince”); and yet his stage life .is more varied than a land boom. He may, by fortunate investments in the Chinese lottery, or by erratic and occasional early morning peregrinations with fish or rabbits acquire a little money, but his fixed income from the realms of art is from 15s to 20s a week. What a gamut of life he must run for half-a-crown a night,: Mill lianaires may see all kinds of life, but the poverty-stricken super actually “lives” a great deal more when he struts and frets his hour upon the stage. One night he may, from within the interior of a turkey-twill robe and beneath a pasteboard hat, lend his aid to a medieval Doge of Venice in hearing the case of abduction brought by Signor Brabantio against General Othello, and the next night he will be a night waif,. sleeping in a modern London park. At one time he is one of a crowd of English yokels, cheering the returned son of the sea, and at another he is hack hundreds of years, a nobleman of Verona, twittering to a gaudy noblewoman (on the same salary) in the festive ballroom of the Capulets. Do “ supers,” I wonder, ever think “ between the acts” and if they do, must they not moralise and sigh, “ Such ;is life!”

A very bright turn at the Opera House is that of Salmon and Chester (Harry and Ida). Their specialty is little comedy-dramas, one time full of pathos, while the next provokes screams of laughter. The story of the old lighthouse keeper and his daughter was such a one, an old theme treated with freshness and conspicuous ability. A comedietta shortly to be put on is “The London Costers,” and rumour describes it as the best. Salmon nd Chester are booked for a five weeks stay at the Opera House, which patrons hope may be extended.

The “ Humpty Dumpty” panto, company in Melbourne includes the following:-—Florence Young, Beatrice English, Harry Shine, Mabelle Morgan, Maude Thorne, Bert Gilbert, Queen and Le Brun, Lennon, Hyman, and Lennon, The Little Dartos (McLeans), Harry Phydora, and Bert Barton.

Mr. Edward Lauri forwards me a programme of the Royal Canterbury Theatre of Varieties, London. The star turn appears to De Mr. Lauri and Miss May Beatty in a Protean Melange (whatever that might be), entitled “In Her Boudoir.” Of the piece “The Winning Post” says:— Quite one of the brightest and best sketches that have been produced lately is “In Her Boudoir,” a musical, protean trifle, composed of the best ingredients of opera, comedy, and farce: Miss May Beatty, the Australian prima donna, plays two roles, viz., a prima donna and a theatrical interviewer, Mr. Edward Lauri going one better with three, a professor of music, a page, and a prima donna —‘Miss Maudie Niccol, a maid. A musical director calls on the prima donna to take her through one of her important numbers for a new opera, after which he leaves for the theatre. By a very quick change enter Lauri as the page, who has a note from an interviewer announcing that he will call on her at 7.30. The prima donna tells the page that it is impossible to see him, and leaves for the theatre. This gives Mr. Lauri a chance to show his dancing powers, when, enter Miss Beatty as the interviewer. She sings a charming song, “ Dreaming,” when the prima donna enters (Mr. Lauri disguised). Then comes a burlesque interview scene and duet, when Mr. Lauri’s wig falls off, and he is discovered. Explanations follow, and curtain. It is not often a sketch is interpreted by two such competent artists as Miss Beatty and Mr. Lauri. The former is possessor of a really excellent voice, which she uses with much distinction and expression, while Nature has been bountiful to her in other ways, and given her a charming personality. Mr. Edward Lauri bears a name that has long been associated with the stage, and he is in his element as a quick-change artist, never losing a point in his numerous disguises. “In Her Boudoir” should have a long run.

Said Musical Director Alfred Moulton in the course of an interesting chat to a “Referee” scribe: “Do you know that in America there are nearly 3000 theatres with an invested capital of £6,000,000 ? Why, in New York alone there are sixty-one theatres which take in the thirty weeks’ ‘season’ close on £2,500,000. The largest is the Hippodrome, which seats about 4800. It cost also the most money to build, more even than the. great Metropolitan Opera House, (which was built for £600,000. Two very fine playhouses are the Criterion and New Amsterdam, and I was told by a prominent New York architect that they cost about two millions each. And there is still a demand for more theatres.” . .

It is incomprehensible to me why artists of high standing should sacrifice the realism of their interpretations by. taking curtain calls (says the “Referee.”) It becomes not only inartistic, but positively ridiculous, when characters who have been prostrate in death at the fall of the curtain, in response to the applause of the audience come to life again and stand bowing and smiling at each other behind the footlights. It appears to me to divest the acting of its semblance of realism, and to tend to eliminate from the minds of the audience the impression it may have made. Curtain calls should be re-

served for the end of the last act, when they are the least inxcusafole, if flowers are to .be: presented, or other marks .of the audience’s appreciation bestowed.

William Anderson’s No. 1 dramatic company opened in “ The Squatter’s Daughter” at Melbourne Bijou on Saturday night. The six weeks’ season will be followed by a visit to Perth, after which the company returns to Melbourne Princess’s for Easter before leaving for New Zealand.

Sarah Bernhardt’s memoirs show her to be a many-sided genius. If not a great actress, she would have excelled either as a sculptor, painter, or musician. The volume, which describes the three-score years of her stirring life, is described as being unmistakably literature. She has known all the great people of France for the last 50 years, and friends and foes alike are frankly discussed without either fulsomeness or malice. A remarkable feature of the book is the complacent way in which she speaks of her own paroxysms of anger.

It is rumoured in Melbourne that George Musgrove will shortly visit England on behalf of John Wren to engage a Grand Opera Company, which will play a season of old English opera at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, and in other centres. The repertoire, it is understood, will include “ Maritana,” “ Bohemian Girl,” “ Martha,” “ Norma,” etc.

According to the “ Australasian,” Messrs. Meynell and Gunn have scored such, a distinct success in Melbourne with their first dramatic venture, “ The Midnight Wedding,” that this superior play will be kept on until Boxing night, when “Her Love Against the World” replaces it. Miss Maud Mclntosh has firmly established her reputation as an actress, and with such artistic support as she receives from Mr. Harcourt Beatty, Mr. Gaston Mervale, and others, the company has at the outset established a high standard, both in the character of the play and of the acting. The most difficult task ahead for the new firm will be to get new plays that are worthy the undoubted talents of their company.

It is not often that the same management has three shows going at the same time in the same town, but this condition of affairs will obtain this Christmas with J. C. Williamson’s organisations, three of which will be catering for the amusement of Sydney pleasure-seekers —the Royal Comic Opera Company, with “ The Giris of Gottenberg,” the Julius Knight Company with “ The Scarlet Pimpernel,” and the youthful company with “ Blue Bell in Fairyland.”

Our old friend G. S. Titheradge is included in the cast of “ A Pair of Spectacles” for a command performance to be given by Sir John Hare and his company at Windsor Castle.

-The-spirit-of unrestwhich-once-ia—-—a-^gjjg- them has fallen again upon the'greater number of the J. C. Williamson organisations (writes Mr. George _Tallis), and next week will bring about a general exit of the companies from the scenes of their more recent successes to fresh fields and pastures new. The only organisations that are not infected with the roving spirit are the Julius Knight Company, which may be said to have recovered from an attack, having just completed the round tour from Melbourne to Adelaide-and Broken Hill and back again to Sydney, and the Pantomime Company, which, as it happens to be in part comprised of members of the famous “Mother Goose” Company, is certainly entitled to a rest after its long journeyings. But of the other four,- New Zealand will be favoured with two of the touring organisations, “The - Brewster’s Millions” Company, which will open at Dunedin on Boxing Night and the Musical Comedy Company, which is. due to inaugurate its first visit to the Dominion on the same night in Wellington. In all about 4200 miles will be covered by these two companies on their respective trips. Mr. Andrew Mack will journey 1740 miles on his way to Perth at the end of next week, and last but by no means least (except in point of mileage) the Royal Comic Opera Company will transfer the scene of their recent achievements from Melbourne to Sydney, adding their quota of 576 miles to the collective mileage. The whole move round gives some idea of the distances which Australian theat-

—rieal- -companies - have to travel inorder to entertain their audiences in general, and the fashion in which the Ji> C. Williamson attractions fulfil pleasant destiny of catering for the amusement of the whole of Ausralasia.

“John Clayde’s Honour,” Alfred Sutro’s powerful study of a phase in 20th Century civilisation, when produced for the first time in Australia at the Theatre Royal Sydney, was received by an audience which fully endorsed the opinion of the London audiences which greeted it on its opening night, at St. James Theatre last year. The play itself is one calculated to hold the attentioin of an audience, but the manner of its presentaton had much to do with the success of the production. Mr. Thomas Kingston in the lead as John Clayde, the American financier, gave an impressive rendering of the character of the man so wrapped up in his business affairs as to forget even the claims of his domestic ties, and Mrs. Robert Brough as the neglected wife, Muriel Clayde, brought back to the minds of her audience the finished studies with which she ornamented the productions of the good old Brough-Boucicault days. The reappearance of Miss .Emma Temple still further accentuated this recollection, and was the signal for a burst of applause. In the hands of Mr. Cregan McMahon, Mr. Cyril Mackay, Mr. J. B. Atholwood, Miss Nellie Fergusson, Miss Lily Titheradge and others, the minor characters received full justice, and the whole production was on a most commendably adequate scale.

On Boxing Night in Dunedin the “Brewster’s Millions” Company will inaugurate their New Zealand tour of two months. After playing Dunedin they will gradually work up Northward and conclude their visit in Wellington about the middle of February.

After a visit to the Victorian provincial towns, Mr. Julius Knight finished up at Ballarat and is now in Sydney, where “The Scarlet Pimpernel” was to have been produced at the Theatre Royal there on Saturday, December December 21. As much as possible the dramatist has kept to the story as it appears in the Baroness Orezy’s delightful novel and the result is a play so intensely interesting that it is no wonder it enjoyed a run of nearly 1000 performances in London. In the opening scene the audience is introduced to the hero in a very unheroic guise busying himself with the task

of -.conveying. «ome. .French— refugees —- out of Paris under the very noses of the authorities. The scene then changes to England, where the spy Ohauvelin makes his appearance sneaking round and prying about to discover the identity of the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel. In his desire towards this end he inveigles Lady Blakeney into his service, who unwittingly betrays her husband into the hands of his enemies. A period of breathless interest follows the quick-witted Pimpernel as he plays a winning game against the machinations of Chauvelin, and the final curtain falls on the reconciliation and re-union of Sir Percy.aand Lady Blakeney. Mr. Hickery Wood, the librettist of “Humpty-Dumpty,” has achieved a task which, according to the old nursery rhyme, baffled all the King’s horses and all the King’s men, and visitors to the forthcoming Pantomime in Melbourne will behold with their own eyes the evolution of a living sprite from the broken remains of what was once an egg sitting on a wall. This wonderful resurrection is brought about by the intervention of Fairy ingenuity, and the mischievous boy is further invested with the bestowal of six wishes in the gratification of which he manages to cause much consternation in the court of King Solium. Taken altogether, Mr. Wood has certainly surpassed himself in the amount of fun and frolic which he has introduced into his story of “HumptyDumpty,’ and has, moreover, borne in mind all the way through the necessity, not only of interesting the youngsters in the story, but also of titulating the risibilities of their elders by the comedy of the book. Ashton’s circus, which is due in Tasmania at Christmas will also tour the Commonwealth and New Zealand. The show travels with fourteen caravans, and over sixty head of horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. It is stated that Mr. Charles Blake and a small company, accompanied by the inevitable moving picture show, will tour the West Coast during the Christmas and New Year season. * * * Q Mr. James Brennan, of the National Ampitheatre, Sydney, has arranged a matinee performance for Christmas Day, when a special programme will be presented, and the entire gross proceeds devoted to the assistance of the Sydney poor. The Lord Mayor will supervise the distribution.

—Mr.- Wallace Brownlow, well remem- - bered out here, is now playing the leading role in “The Duchess of Dantzic,” in New York. • ♦ « Miss Nellie Stewart will, in all probability, shortly enter upon a long provincial tour of Australia in “ Sweet Nell.” Fregollna, a little Italian girl, 12 years old, is one of the marvels of the London Empire at the present time. For nearly half an hour she entertains critical audiences with a succession of characters, scenes, and costume from familiar operas with imitar tions of French singers and celebrities, hits at popular composers and American eccentrics. At Florence and Genoa she is said to have held the audiences for an hour and a-half with a display of her precocious and varied gifts. .«* • • As one result of the great success of the tour of the Besses o’ th* Barn Band, arrangements nave been made for a visit to Australia next year by the celebrated Aqua vrva delle Font! Brass Band, under the direction of Signor Antonio Tanni. The band has a great reputation, and won the first prize at the Turin competitions in 1898 against some 200 other competitors. The arrangements are being made by Mr. P. A. Howells, of Adelaide. This is told of Kyrle Bellew in an American exchange, and entitled “The Modern Application.” He was ciceroning a party of American actors, of both sexes, through the British Museum. They finally came to the mummy section, one of the occupants of which was labelled, “ B.C. 27.” “ I suppose,” said one, of the party, with a woman’s usual thoughtless loquacity, “that is the date of this one’s death ?” “No,” returned Bellew dryly, “that is the number of the automobile that killed him.”