MEYNELL AND GUNNS PANTO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 982, 31 December 1908, Page 18

MEYNELL AND GUNNS PANTO.

Messrs. Meynell and Gunn have every reason to be pleased with their initial entry into pantomime (says the “Referee”), for in “ Cinderella ” they have evolved something entirely legitimate, with musiicans and artists building around it a mass of tunefulness and beauty. The scenery and mechanical effect's are complete in the extreme. The production is a “ spectacular operatic pantomime.” It is more in the nature of a bright comic-opera version of “ Cinderella,” not being built on the conventional lines of the ordinary pantomime. For example, the two spiteful Sisters are not represented by men in female dress, as is usually the case, but by lady artists. These are Miss Emme-

line Orford and Miss Jennie Opie. The principal boy is Miss Meredith Meredro, from Drury Lane, London, and she immediately scored. The favourites of the “ Miss Hook ” Co. again appeared, and do all that is required of them.

Major W. P. Drury, part author of “ The Flag Lieutenant,” the successful nautical play now being played by Mr. Cyril Maude in London, the Australian rights of which have been secured by Mr. J. C. Williamson, is an Australian, a native of Queensland. Major Drury joined the British Navy twenty years ago. He has held several important positions in Egypt', and was Governor of Fashoda during the time of the war in Egypt. Major Drury visited Australia last year.

The Pollard Opera Company’s West Australian tour has concluded. A three weeks’ season at Adelaide commenced on Saturday week, with Broken Hill and Port Pirie to follow. They return to New Zealand, and pick up their Masterton dates on February 17. “The Gay Hussar” is the latest addition to the repertoire. This fs Mr. Thos. Humphreys’ “ The Tea Girl ” under a new name.

Mr. William Anderson’s Melbourne attraction for Christmas will be “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Mr. Ernest Fitts, baritone, has been engaged to play Uncle Tom, as the piece will be produced with all its musical features. Little Baby Watson is to appear as Eva, while Miss Fanny Wiseman, the Topsy of the original Melbourne production, will again appear in that role. Mr. Vivian Edwards as George Harris, Mr. Bert Bailey as Marks, Mr. Edmund Duggan as Simon Degree, and Miss Granville as Eliza Harris, will appear.

At a salary said to be the largest ever paid any person on the stage for a consecutive engagement, Harry Lauder has contracted to reappear over here next season for twelve weeks, once again on the Morris Circuit, says “ New York Variety.” While no authentic figures have been publicly announced, it may be pretty

closely estimated that Mr. Lauder’s contract calls for 5000 dollars weekly next year. During the present engagement the Scotch comedian is receiving 3000 dollars from William Morris. The company must in addition to this pay a weekly bonus for the time postponed for Lauder in England, which it secured, excepting the first seven weeks of the five months’ American engagement. The bonus paid by Morris to the English managers who held Lauder under engagement for the pantomime season on the other side is said to be considerable, reported to be either 1000 dollars or 1250 dollars a week, raising Mr. Lauder’s present cost to the Morris Circuit that amount.

Miss Catherine Aulsbrook, the New Zealand contralto, has been engaged to understudy two parts (Siebel in “Faust” and another in “Die Walkerie ”) for the English opera season at Covent Garden.

Meynell and Gunn’s Comic Opera Company visit New Zealand early in the New Year with “ Miss Hook,” “ The Belle of Mayfair,” “ The Girl Behind the Counter,” and the panto., “ Cinderella.”

Billed as “ The Little New Zealand Girl,” Miss Henriquette Maude was to have produced a new scene, “ The Maori Chief,” in London last month. She belongs to Napier, and left there five years ago on a tour of the world.

Mr. Kelso Henderson, baritone, who appeared for some time with J. C. Williamson’s Musical Comedy Co., is now appearing at Daly’s Theatre, London, in “ The Merry Widow.”

Mr. Alfred Woods and Miss Maud Williamson were last month still in South Africa, at the head of their own company, and appearing in Cape Town in “ When a Man’s Single.”

Mr. Cyril Maude was “ commanded ” to produce “ The Flag Lieutenant” at Sandringham before the King on His Majesty’s Birthday (November 9). The play is thoroughly appropriate to such an occasion. Its scene is the quarter-deck of H.M.S Royal Edward. The time is the King’s Birthday at noon. The men dress ship, eight bells strike, the guns boom out', and, to the strains of the “ National Anthem” officers and men salute the King.