GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1054, 19 May 1910, Page 17

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

“ PETE.” The production of . “Pete” at His Majesty’s Theatre on Monday night, June 6th, by Clarke and Meynell’s specially organised company, promises to equal in brilliancy ..the London production. which ra,n for, some hundreds of nights at the Lyceum Theatre. Mr. Hall Caine is anxiously

awaiting the New Zealand verdict, as are Messrs- Clarke and Meynell in Australia. Mr. . H., R. Roberts and Miss Beatrice Day hea,d the company, and Messrs- Wingfield, Greenaway, Montgomery, Sweeney, Forde, Forbes, etc., .and. the Misses Forbes, Harvey, Towers, Bashford and Laing-Meeson can be depended upon to adequately support the stars. The scenes, properties and mechanical effects have been painted, modelled and perfected after the style of the Lyceum London production, and an efficient staff is being brought over to meet all requirements- The success of “ Pete” lb assured. .*. * » * BOYAL FAVOURS. During the reign of Queen Victoria two actors were raised to the dignity of knighthood—the late Sir Henry Irving and Sir Squire Bancroft. King Edward bestowed the royal favour on Sir John Hare, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, and Sir Charles Wyndham. And it was King Edward who tapped Santley, the singer, on the shoulder with a gracious “Rise, Sir Charles!” In the case of Sir Charles Santley, the stage was again honoured, for the veteran baritone, who at the age of 76 is still singing, won his fame as an operatic artist. Jj! • THE GRAND OPERA COD'D? ANY. Such (says “The Dominion”) will be the demand for space in the Opera House for the accommodation of the orchestra of the Grand Opera Company, that the first row of the orchestra stalls is to be removed. Including the conductor, Signor Hazon, and deputy-conductor, Mr. Alfred Hill, there are 40 in the orchestra. This constitutes the biggest—and probably the best —orchestra which has ever accompanied an opera company to Wellington, and it comes here under the baton of Signor Hazon, who for many years was conductor of the Sydney Phliharmonic, and is regarded as one of the ablest conductors Australia has ever seen. •.* * * SIGNOB BOBEBTO HAZON. Signor Roberto Hazon, the popular conductor of J. C. Wiliamson’s Grand Opera Company, left Australia to return to Milan in October, 1907, so that he has been away more than two years. Signor Hazon comes to New Zealand this time as conductor of the Grand Opera Company. This will be his second association with Mr. Williamson in that capacity, as he brought out, in 1901, a brilliant company of Italian artists who were eminently successful in Australia.

MADAM BUTTERFLY’S COMPOSER. Of Puccini, whose work “Madam Butterfly;” will be given by the JCL Wiliamson Grand Opera Company in Wellington next week, a well-known English critic has observed “essentially he is a man of his own generation, the one whose music has caught up the spirit of his time and he has made his compact with that time in order that he should not lose anything which a contemporary generation might give him.” * ♦ * » OFF TO FRANCE. Mr- Thomas Kingston, for so long associated with J- C. Williamson’s productions, is looking forward to a well-earned rest at the close of the present “ Peter Pan” tour of New Zealand, with which company Mr. Kingston has been so successful as the bold, bad Captain Hook. When he leaves Australia the popular actor will go to his farm in France, and there enjoy the pleasures of a rural life for a timeMr. Loring Fernie, who was the original Captain Hook in Australia, is at present appearing with Winfred Emery in a one-act play at the London Hippodrome. ® A NEW ABBIVAXi. Miss Grace Edmonds, who arrived in Brisbane from Vancouver on Sunday, joins the new Comic Opera Company in succession to Miss Dorothy Court, and will appear in the part of Alice Conder in “ The Dollar Princess” when that dainty musical comedy begins its Sydney season. f ® “ THE WHIP,” That fine Drury Lane drama, “ The Whip,” which has been so successful in London and was only withdrawn to accommodate the annual pantomime at Christmas time, has again been revived, and is playing to such splendid business that the theatrical critics prophesy its continuance right up to the close of the season. “ The Whip” has been secured for Australia by JC. Williamson, and will be produced out here some time in September. ■* * * * “THE BRASS BOTTLE.” Mr- Leslie Holland’s services have been secured by J. C. Williamson for Australia. He is to make his first appearance as Horace Ventimore in “ The Brass Bottle.” Mr. Holland has proved successful not only in dramatic work, but also in musical comedy and in pantomime and his part of the young London architect, who ultimately sets free a grateful genii and is rewarded by having lavished upon

him all sorts of embrassing favours, is one that should give him ample scope for the display of his gifts as a comedian. « • ■ ' ■ . e AN IMPRESSIVE TOUCH. At the King’s Theatre last evening (says the Christchurch “ Press” of Wednesday, May 11), an impressive touch was added to the performance by the playing of a solemn march, composed by Mr. F- G- Mumford, conductor of De Grben’s Vice-Regal Orchestra. Before the programme of pictures was shown the audience stood while the orchestra played the march. At its conclusion silence was maintained, and a picture of the late King opening Parliament was thrown on the screen. The march, “ The Press” adds, is a commendably quiet work, and has many features, such as the introduction of bells and a booming of guns, that are appropriately significant at the present time. * * * # ROYAL COMIC OPERA CO. The Royal Comic Opera Company begin their Melbourne Season at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday, May 21, with the first presentation in that city of “ A Waltz Dream.” e « « a “ ALADDIN” ON TOUR. The forthcoming five months’ tour of the “Aladdin” Pantomime Company has meant some weeks of good hard work for the scene painters at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne. In the comparatively short time at their disposal the company will have to visit a large number of towns often separated by miles and miles of land and water. In order that no time may be wasted in making arrangements in each town where the pantomime is to be staged, it was found necessary to have a duplicate set of scenery painted so that while the company is playing in one town, the other set of scenery may be sent on ahead to the next stopping place and be in readiness for the opening night- The scenery is in every respect a replica of the original production, and every attention has been paid to detail and finish. * * =s= * A WORTHY ADDITION. If being a scion of renowned theatrical stock is any criterion of an actor's ability, Mr. Bertie Wright should prove himself a worthy addition to the Australian stage- The gentleman in question, who arrived in Australia recently to play the part of Joachim in “ A Waltz Dream” with the Royal Comic Opera Company in Melbourne when that popular organisation opens

at Her Majesty’s Theatre there, is the son of Mr. Fred. Wright,, who, although born so long ago' as 1826, is still appearing in London as a member of Martin Harvey’s company. Huntley Wright and Fred- Wright, brothers of the . lately-arrived comedian, have made themselves undoubted reputations at Daly’s Theatre and the Gaiety respectively. His two sisters —Haidee and Marie —favour the dramatic stage, where they are both well known. Mr. Bertie Wright has been most successful in the Teddy Payne parts, his Meakin in “ The Orchid” being one role right into his hands. * 4 * * MOVING-ON TIME. “It is “ moving-on” time with all the J. C- Williamson attractions just now, and on Friday of last week the new Comic Opera Company bade adieu to their patrons. Then a week later the Nellie Stewart Company will take their leave of Melbourne and the Pantomime Company in Sydney, after having finished their long and successful season, will start off on their comprehensive tour of Australia and New Zealand. These four organisations have been engaged since Easter time in entertaining a very fair proportion of playgoers n each of the big cities mentioned, and on a rough estimate it is reckoned that about 8000 persons a night, or 50,000 a week, have enjoyed the efforts of the quartette. * « • • SOMETHING LIKE TRAVEL. To anyone who is familiar with the vast territory which may be traversed in a theatrical tour of the United States, the longest trip which it is possible to take across Australia dwindles into insignificance. An instance of this was lately given by Miss Katherine Grey, who, with the dramatic organisation of which she is the feminine star, travelled from Adelaide right up to Brisbane, playing Ballarat and Geelong en route. In commenting on this trip Miss Grey remarked that not very long ago in America she set out with a company from New) York for a seven weeks’ tour. During that comparatively short space of time they liad to play in no less than 42 towns- They ate and slept on the train, and looked upon it as their home for the time being. With regard to rehearsals, Miss Grey is of opinion that the time actors and actresses devote to that part of their work out here is child’s play in comparison with the strenuous time they often have in America. For instance!, when Belasco is at the head of affairs, it is by no means unusual for rehearsals to last for 36 hours at a stretch.