THE SATGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 932, 16 January 1908, Page 16

THE SATGE

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. CLARA BUTT AND KENNERLEY RUMFORD. Aucklanders have been worked up to a pi'ch of expectation with regard to Madame C ara Butt and Mr Kennerley Rumford, and thus, despite the high prices, it was a foregone conclusion there would be a big house at H s Majesty’s on Monday evening. Big it was too, nearly every seat in the large theatre being occupied, the audience being seemingly embued with the unanimous wish to give the distinguished artists a warm-hearted reception. On Madame Butt making her first appearance, she was greeted with a storm of applause, and it was some time before she was allowed to proceed with her opening number, which proved to be .he aria “ O Don Fatale ” from Verdi’s Don Carlos. This was sung in Italian, a language not understood by her audience- But they speedily realised that although the song might not be quite to their liking, the voice was there, a magnificient organ indeed of tremendous power and range. Yet not in any way lacking in the purity of tone and sweetness. Instantly one realised the secret of Madame Butt’s great success, for truly she is a great artiste to her fingers’ ttps. An encore was of course inevitable, and few there were who did not hope for a dainty ballad, but this time it was Brahm’s “ Wiegenlied, ” sung in German. In the second half of the programme, Madame Butt sung Lidd e’s “ Abide with Me.” One could have wished that the

more melodious setting had been chosen, but it was a grand effort, the beautiful words telling out with magnificent effect. The organ accompaniment, however, was weak, and indeed cou’d hardly be heard, and one could have wished that Mr Midgeley had been provided with an instrument more worth of the singer and himself. There was much applause, during which one member of the audience voiced the wish of everybody with the remark “ Give us a ballad.” Smiling at tne interruption Madame Butt sang that charming mother’s lullaby “ My Treasure ” and at its close she can have had no further doubt as to the class of song which finds most favour here. What a colonial audience wants is not classical music in a foreign language, but some of the gems of their own land —something they can understand and fo low. Of course one is branded as a veritable heretic in saying so, but to get right down to the bedrock of actual fact,, severely classical music, the beauties of which can only be divined by the very, very few, is never a welcome additions to a concert programme; for nineteen out of twenty in every audience infinitely prefer our English composers. Cou.d proof of 'his be wanting after the storm of applause which broke out after Madame Butt’s singing of the tender English ba'lard, Heron - Maxwell’s charming “Smiles”? To it the applause which had. gone before was as a zephyr and by that beautifully rendered ballad, Madame Butt will be remembered. One could eager y have wished that the programme contained more of such songs.

Mr Kennerley Rumford was evidently not quite at his best on the opening night,

neither were his songs particularly well chosen. He has a pleasing baritone, which, without possessing any great is nevertheless of particularly musical quality. He commenced with Rossini’s aria “ Largo at Factotum,” from “Il Barbiere de Seviglia” singing it in the original Italian. As an encore “Da Bist wie eine Blumi ” was beautifully rendered, one’s enjoyment of the soft passages, however, being marred by the irritating sound from the electric air fans. In the second half of the programme, Mr Rumford songs were “AU thro’ the Night,” an old Welsh air, and King Charles. The first solemn and slow, was in great contrast to the stirring rouse “King Charles” and the applause was very hearty. A much appreciated item was the encore number Somervi.l’s “Li‘.tie Red Fox.” Mr Rumford also joined with Madame Butt in Goring Thomas’ fine duet “ Night Hymn at Sea,” which was one of tne gems of the concert, and for which there was an emphatic recall. Mr Carl Barre, the violinist, appears to be a master of technique. His rendering of Schubert Wilhehnj s “ Ave Maria ’ was fine and, and even better was the dainty “ Hungarian Dance ” Joachim). Perhaps his best effort was Mozart’s “ Menuet,” but all' the items were well received. We have heard better pianists here than Mr Frank Merrick, the items entrusted to nim being treated in a rather lifeless and mechanical manner, this being particu’arly noticeable in Brahm’s “ Romanze in F.” Nothing but praise can be given to Mr Arthur Godfrey, who, as accompaniest, was well nigh perfect. Mr Midgley also lent valuable assistance at the organ. Last night a second concert was given, but too late for any review in this issue. Madame Butt’s items were Gluck’s “ Divinities du Styx,” Sul'ivan’s immortal “ Lost Chord,” and with Mr Rumford Goring Thomas’ duet “ Dear Love of Mine.” Mr Rumford’s numbers were “The Two Grenadiers,” “Thy Beaming Eyes,” and “ Four Jolly Sailormen.” An extra concert will be given this evening, the box plan for which is now open.

OPERA HOUSE.

FULLER’S ENTERTAINERS. Good houses continue to be the rule at the Opera House, and this week sees a number of new artists appearing before the footlights. Mr Will James proves to be a banjo expert of no mean order, his playing of Balfe’s masterpiece “ The Bohemian Girl ” overture being a parficu-

larly pretty item. As showing his complete mastery of the banjo, Mr James favours the audience with an imitation of a church service. First the pealing of the bells is heard, then the choir singing to the strains of the organ, and lastly the parson in monotonous tones addressing the congregation. The instrument is played in a manner that produces a most realistic effect, and the manipulator corries in for prolonged applause. Mr Joseph Smithson renders a couple of whistling selections, both of which were well appreciated. His singing, however, •fails to make any great impression, a lack of power be; ng manifest in his baritone voice. “After the French Ball ” is the title of the sketch in which the popular favourites Salmon (Harry) and ■Chester (Ida) appear this week, and that their efforts are successful is only too apparent if he applause avished on them is to be taken as a criterion. They carry out their respective parts in a most capable way, and without any fear of ■overdoing it, always scoring heavily where a chance presents itself. Mr Bert Sharp is heard in several comic songs, and manages to keep the audience well amused. The lo'.eens present their wirewalking and sharp-shcoting act, and g ve futher evidence of their ski-1 and cleverne s. These two artis.es appear to be perfectly at home on the wire, and a series of rifle-shots are made with excellent results whi e n a number of d flicult positions. Melvin and Frawley are seen in a military sketch, which cannot by any means be sa d to “ take on ’ ’ with the audience. Wi h the exception of a couple of songs, the turn is devoid of anything calculated to gain much appreciation. Miss Malvena Moore makes a good hit with “ I’E keep a Warm Spot in my Heart for You,” after which she performs a sand dance. Jarvis and Martyn are responsible for one of he most enjoyable turns ever put on at the. Opera House, and not for one moment while they are on hie stage, does the interest flag. Tenn’s racquets, balls, hoips, clubs, burning torches, and other like articles, are juggled with in an accomp ished style, and a 1 through he comic element is introduced with no small degree of success. Miss Marion Hal s ngs a number of taking ..songs, and is well received. Miss Nel’ie Maher, the dainty little comedienne, is heard ;n “ You’re not the only Rcsebud,” and fo lows on with a graceful exhibi ion of dancing. The Seyffer Twins, child ar istes, are seen to advantage n song and dance items and meet wi h a hearty reception. The biograph pictures include the second series of “ Living Ire'and,” depicting the various types of nhab.tants and their occupations in he Emerald Is e. One Saturday night the three Raccoons (two men and a dog) will make their reappearance.

J. C. WILLIAMSON’S NEW COMEDY CO.

“ BREWSTER’S MILLIONS.” A rare treat will be presented to playgoers on Friday next at His Majesty’s Theatre, when one of the greatest comedy successes o f recent years will be produced for the first time here by Mr J. C. WilI'amson’s new comedy company. I refer to the piece with the attractive t-tle of “ Brewster’s Millions,” which is now being presented in Christchurch to enormous houses- The record of this mirthprovoking play is worth of note, having been one of continuous success. In New York it ran for over ten months to record business. Its presentation at the Hicks’ Theatre, London, was the most important event of the theatrical season,

and the way in which it caught on may be judged from the fact, that it has been filling the theatres for the past eight months. Under Mr Williamson’s regime “Brewster’s Millions” proved a very great draw in Sydney, and judging from the result of the Dunedin and Christchurch seasons, its success is likely to be repeated throughout the Dominion. The fact that local theatregoers are to witness a new production is ih itself something, but to this are the added attractions that the popular actor, Mr Thomas Kingston, is to mke his re-appearance, and the charming actress, Mrs Robert Brough to resume her acquaintance with he Auckland stage, so that there should be a record attendance- “ Brewster’s Millions ” is said to have no brain-dis-tracting plot; the whole thing circling around Monty Brewster, a young blood, who kills time in the pleasurable occupation of pelting away money. He' finds himself in the unique position of having to dispose of a quarter of a million pounds in twelve months, in order to inherit another two millions. The interest of the play is said to be sustained throughout the four acts, for though condensation and other stage exigencies have necessitated a s ight transformation from the incidents in the book, he dramatists have sacrificed nothing of the strenuousness of the plot, which is said to carry he audience with it in the throes of expectation all the time. The spectacu ar por ion of the production is embraced in what s said to be one of the most sinking and effective ship scenes that has ever been witnessed on the Aus- . l alasian stage. The two stars are well supported by such capable ariists as Messrs Cyril Mackay, J B Athol wood, Gregan McMahon. V.vian Fdw.r L 1' W. Lloyd, Lawrence Hardenge, C. B. Berke ey, Misses He en Ferguson, Nellie Calvin, Irby Marshall, Edith Lewis, and others. The box plan for the season of -even nights is now on view at Wildman and Arev’s.

Madame Cara Butt, the famous conIralco and Mr Kennerly Rumford arrived from Sydney by the Victoria on Sunday af.ernoon.

Mr R. T. Tregaski writes o say that the Sceele-Payns entertainers and bellringers are leaving Australia immediately by the s.s. M Itiades for a tour of South Africa.

From Mr R. Robertson MacCa lum comes a programme of the MacCal'iums, instrumentalists and vocalists, now in the South. The family cons’st of Mr H. Sco.t MacCallum, a violinist, who won 28 prizes in 32 competitions; Mr Archie an operatic basso, who has come in for much pra se for his fine singing, Mr L. Smart, a solo flautist wi h brilliant execution, and Miss Flora, a charming mez-zo-contralto. The MacCaFums are supported by Miss Queenie Burrows, a taen.ed monologue entertainer, while there is a big bioscope with the combination. Auckland will be visited later on.

Mark Hambourg, the famous pianist, will make a tour of Australia and New Zea’and under the direct on of Messrs J. and N. Tai , who have guaranteed him .£lO,OOO for the tour.

The Seyffer Twins, whose portraits appear in this issue, are a clever pair of youngsters now appearing at the Opera House with Fuller’s enter ainers. Previous y they were n a specialty act with McKisson and Kearns, and then toured Australia with the “ Fatal Wedding ” Company. They have also appeared at the National Theatre, Sydney and with

Dix and Baker, Newcastle. These lift e tots have been known on more than one occasion to put a song in study in the morning and produce it at night, a fact which all adult artists will appreciate at its full va’ue. The’.r turn is a very popular one.

In this issue a portrait is published of Miss Marion Hall, a c ever comedianne and character serio now appearing at the Opera House. She arrived in the colony a few weeks ago by the lonic, coming from the principal London Halls, having appeared at the Oxford, Canterbury, Paragon, Metropolitan, Tivoli, etc. Mss Hall’s specialty consists of character studies of the East End work-girls. She was trained by the late George Conquest and among many ro es has appeared as ‘Arriet in Shirley and Conquest’s drama “ The Work Girl,” Mrs Boxer, in “A Daughter of Ishmae .” Miss Hall received much kudos from the English critics for her comedy sketch “ A Guilty Pa’r. ” The portrait shows her as Robin Hood, the principal boy in the panto, of “The Babes in the Wood,” in which she scored a conspicuous success. It is Miss Hall’s intent'on to reside permanently in New Zealand.

“ Daddy ” Lohr’s Daughter is to appear in a new par . At the conclusion of the run of “ The Education of Elizabeth ” at the Haymarket, M’ss Lohr wi 1 appear in “ Son Pere,” a four-act play, by Albert Guinoh, adapted for the English stage by Michael Morton. The play is a great success at the Odeon, Paris. It deals with a divorced couple, who, after sixteen years of separa'ion, are re united by the sweet inttrcess on of their daughter, Jeanne. Miss Marie Lohr will play the matchmaker.

The Australian colony in London tells an interesting story about Mr Titheradge and one of the parts he played—Colonel Lukin in Pinero’s play “ The Magistrate.” Titheradge took his own reading of the part on playing it here with Brough and Boucicault, and when he appeared later in a London revival of the comedy, Mr Pinero was amongst the audience. When the author and actor met after the curta'n, Titheradge expressed some doubt as to whether Pinero would consider his a correct estimate of the character. Pinero’s reply was perhaps the highest praise an actor could desire. “My dear Mr Tidreradge,” he said“you are showing us how to play the part.”

There d’-ed at Jersey (Eng.), on iBih November, Mr Henry Kemble, at the age of 59. The late Mr Kemble was a great grandson of the actor, Roger Kemble, born n 1721. He was a grand nephew of Mrs Siddons, and was one of a family of great actcrs and actresses. He made his reputation as a comedian in unctuous characters of the ype of Gabriel in “The Man from Blankley’s ” and was a leading member of the English stage for forty years. His cousin, Gertrude Kemble, married Mr Charles Sant'ey, the wellknown vocalist.

Mr Claude H. Whaite forwards a nicely got up bi 1 of Herbert Fleming’s new English Comedy Company, the piece being “ The Mummy and the Humming Bird,” which proved a big success in Melbourne.

From friend Alex Verne, comes a programme of Carter the magician, who is jus; commencing a tour of the Dominion at Dunedin. The show is sa’d to be a part'cularly c ever and entertaining one.

Ths v’s’t of the New Zea’and football team, the “ All Blacks,” as they have been nick-named in England, to the Leeds Musical Festiva’, caused quite a sma 1 sensation. The London “ Punch” waxes very merry on the subject, and announces, inter alia, that Sir Edward Elgar is going to commemmorate the event by a set of var’a.ions entit'ed “ From the Southern Cross Bar,” that Mr Banock is going to treat symphonically in a tr'p'e cantata the life history of a Canterbury Lamb, into which a soprano solo, ” Maori Had a Little Lamb,” is to be introduced with a bleating phrase for the cornet; and that Mr Josef Holbrook, taking Chopin’s Black Note Study as his basis, is interweaving w.’th it “ Waltz Me Round, Wi’lie,” “ The Leather Bottel,” and “ Thou’r Passing Hence, Mr Brother ” ; the tit e being “ The Scrimmage ; an Orchestral Foo'-ball-ad. ”

The King of Span went to see “ Carmen ” during his stay in London. . He had never before witnessed “Carmen,” which is regarded as rather “ taboo ” in his own kingdom. Bizet’s opera has held the stage for a period of thirty years. The original gipsy in the English version was the late Selina Lolaro, who has been dead some years, but Miss Em’ly Soldene and Mr Durward Lely, the original Lon Jose, are still living.

A new theatre, capable of seating about 2000 people, is to be erected in Melbourne by Mr William Pitt, architect, at a cost of

Miss May Beatty appeared as Dick Whittington in the pantomime of that name at' Newcastle, Eng.

Mr Edward Lauri has been engaged to appear in “ Sinbad the Sailor” at Mr Mulholand’s Hammersmith Theatre.

Mendel, a blind pianist, appearing in London, plays a different tune with each hand, and at the same time sings a third.

The members of Messrs Meynell and Gunn’s new Musical Comedy Co. will leave England very shortly. The organisation includes Misses Ruth Lincoln, Alice Russon, Emmeline Orford, and five other ladies; Messrs Arthur Appleby, Vincent Davidson, Edwin Brett, Willie Cromwell, Fred Payne, Victor Champion, and Charles Weumann. The manager, Walter Everard, is now in Melbourne. * ♦ • •

The eminent actor Mr Forbes Robertson, has had some amusing experiences during his theatrical career, some of which have occurred in “ Romeo and Juliet.” One one occasion, as he was about to descend through the window of Juliet’s bedroom, he was horrified to find that the steps had been taken away. It was a clear drop of 12ft, but the actor had to go. At another time the steps by Juliet’s tomb rolled away, and he was compelled to jump as gracefully as he could. But it was more awkward for Juliet, and ■®>

to this day Mr Robertson declares he does not know how she got down.

New York’s opera season opened brilliantly at the Manhattan Opera House recently, . when both Mme. Nordica and Signor Sentello, . a new .tenor, achieved a triumph in “La Gioconda.” A somewhat striking novelty had been introduced into the house by the employment of women ushers, who carried batons tipped with electric light bulbs.

It is rumoured that Mr Frank Thornton’s newly imported actress, Miss Bramah, became engaged on the voyage to the captain of the India, the vessel in which she was voyaging to Australia.

Herr Benno Schereck to an interview, who remarked that Madame Alida Loman, the famous lyrie soprano, has come to the Dominion quite unannounced :—“ Well, there is a peculiar thing about the people of this country upon which I must remark. They say, with some show of right, because they have been taken down so often, ‘ We don’t like to risk hearing artists of whom we know nothing.’ But the question is : Who brings the artists ? ” “That is just the point,” assented the interviewer. “ For instance,” continued Herr Scherek, ‘‘ I have not been, and could not be, connected with anything that is not first class. Whether you like the show or not, what I bring must be sufficiently good—but that, as Kipling says, is another story. The point I wish to make is this : When you say ‘ We have not heard Madame Loman, or whoever the artist may be,’ the question is, whom have you heard of?” Herr Scherek then went on to point out that whi’e there wer a few artists who were known throughout the whole world, there were others recognised by competent critics to be as great or greater who were practicallv unknown. “ A few of these great (but unknown to us) artists were Mariella Sembrich, Destinn, Selma Kurz, Nordica, Maria Gay, Carreno, D’Albert, Resieinauer, Sauer Silotti, Busoni, and others. All these have appeared with enormous success in Europe and England, yet are unknown here. Another difficu’ty.” said Herr Scherek, “ is that people think because I am bringing out a very great musical artist the entertainment (I use the word advisedly) will be above their heads. Now, I am an artist, and what I bring is of the highest order artistically. But I am an impressario, and I do not bring an artist here to educate the public, although such is the outcome of the visits of those artists.” lam afraid that very few Aucklanders benefited much in an educative way at Scherek’s last visit.

Mr George Giddens was in the cast of “ Still Waters Run Reep,” at the command performance given before the King and the Kaiser at Windsor Castle.

M. Paderewski is now on his seventh tour of America for which 70 concerts have been booked, extending over until May.

Miss Maude Beatty, was at latest p-ay-ing with Healey’s San Francisco Opera Company at Astoria, Oregon. The opera in which she was appearing was De Kovan’s “The Highwayman.”

It was at a theatre in Manchester. The king, aged and infirm, was blessed with two sons. He was pacing up and down the stage with a wearied troubled look, exclaiming aloud, “On which of these my sons shall I bestow the crown?” Immediately came a voice from the gallery ; —“ Why not ’arf a crown apiece, guv’nor?”

An actress wel 1 - known out here, Miss F orence Hamer, at present touring India with the Bandmann Company, recently married Mr M. P. Masson, a Rangoon merchant. Mrs Masson intends to retire from the stage.

In an interview published recently in a Vienna newspaper, Caruso stated that he has signed an engagement for America for four years at the rate of >£soo for every performance, with 80 representations in each year guaranteed. The Gramophone Society pays him, in addition, and he accepts evening engagements in New York at the Vanderbilts’, the Goulds’, etc., which bring him in fully another making in all about £50,000 a year. And the Metropolitan Opera House pays al travelling and hotel expenses. Caruso says he is now studying “ Il Trovatore ” and “ O‘ello.”

My Christchurch theatrics' correspondent writes:—“Brewster’s Millions,” produced this week at the Theatre Royal, by the J. C. Williamson touring company, is a refreshing change after a surfeit of melodrama, musical comedy and sex problem plays. It is unconventiona 1 in plot and treatment. Its characters are flesh and b ood creations; real men and women, not stage prophets ;its fun is pure and unalloyed. It keeps people laughing almost all the time; and when they are not laughing they are gazing with wonder at the marvelous stage effects. The plot is decidedly origina'. The hero is left which he must spend—not squander or waste—within a

specified time. At the expiration of which he is to inherit a further sum of two millions. . . The efforts of the legatee to get rid of his two hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds within the dme-limi: allowed, supply much of the humorous element of the piece. Brewster invests money in all sorts of unprom sing enterprises. He purchases shares in more than doubtful companies, risks cash in all sorts of seemingly foolhardy ways, lends money recklessly, and at last pays a large amount into a bank which he understands is on the point of fai ure—and all to no purpose! Every specula ion turns up trumps, and instead of dropping money he makes it so fast that he despairs of winning the coveted millions. At last his task is accomplished —he had got rid of the two hundred and twenty-five thousand! Just as he is congratulating himse f on his result, a man to whom he had lent money (in the hope that it would never be repaid) turns up and insists on a settlement! —and Brewster has only two minutes left in which to get quit of the sum refunded (£10,000). How Fortune befr ends him at the critical moment, I will leave you to find out, because of course you will go and see the play. If you don’t you will be sorry. The acting throughout is above par. Mr Thos. Kingston as Monty Brewster, is judiciously funny, and an o’d friend Mrs Brough (also met with a great reception) is as delightful as of yore. Then there is Miss Nelly Ferguson, who fairly brings down the house as a girl of the most modern type, great at athletics, and of decidedly masculine tastes. Mr Gregan McMahon, also, deserves honourable mention. The scenery is unusua y fine, and the stage effects remarkabe. The famous yacht scene, with its realistic picture of a storm at sea, is enough in itse’f to make the fortune of any piece. . . • Fuller’s Opera House did immense business during the holidays, and is still splendidly patronised every night. . . . Carter, the illusionist, who has made a great hit in Austra’ia, opens his tour of the Dominion at Invercargill January 20, and travels north.