AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1071, 15 September 1910, Page 18

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

(From Our Melbourne and Sydney Correspondents.)

That intense modern drama, “ The Third Degree,” which has been attracting marked attention in Melbourne at the Princess’ Theatre during the last three weeks, will be changed this evening, September 10, to a class of play of a quite different calibre, “ Henry of Navarre.” The latter is a typical costume drama bristling with thrilling incidents and stirring scenes, through which the love story of Henry of Navarre and Marguerite de Valois is threaded at last to a happy issue. Mr. Knight, who has long since gained such popularity in costume plays, will fill the title role, while the part of Marguerite will be taken by Miss Ethel Warwick.

-The New Comic Opera. Company opened in Perth on August 27 in “The King of Cadonia,” and were accorded a warm welcome. Before the season closes they will produce “ The Dollar Princess” and “ A Knight for a Day,” all of which pieces are new to West Australian audiences.

When Mr. Wybei-t Stamford, “ The Whip” producer, makes a call for rehearsal, it not only includes the small part people, but'- also a dozen horses and a pack of hounds, and it is no light matter to get all these theatrical aspirants into thorough working order for the big production on September 17.

After six weeks of triumphal success at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, the grand opera season comes to a termination on Saturday evening, September 10. The company subsequently left by special train for Adelaide, and opened there on Monday evening for a brief season. A return visit to Sidney will follow, and thereafter Brisbane will be favoured with a short season ere the company disbands

On Thursday week Mr. Reginald Roberts appeared in grand opera for the first time in Australia, and, as was only to be expected after his excellent work in light opera, he achieved an undoubted success in the part of Rudolph to Miss Amy Castles’ Mimi in “ La Boheme.” These more exacting roles, however, are by no means new to Mr. Roberts, for although Australian playgoers have not until now had an opportunity of judging of his talent in grand opera, it is a well-

known fact that in both England and America he has won for himself a fine reputation as an exponent of this class of theatrical presentation.

Mr. William Salisbury, the head mechanist at Her Majesty’s Theatre, is a man of wide experience and great ingenuity, for he has to confess that it is taking him all he knows to find storage room for all the effects which will be required in the big production of “The Whip.” As the time of the production draws nigh the difficulty is increasing, and all the available space for packing them is taxed to the uttermost- Not only in number are they numerous, but in bulk some of them are decidedly out of the ordinary. For instance, a whole train, consisting of a full-sized engine and four carriages, is ready for use, together with two lines of railway with junction points. Then there are two motor cars, a horse box, six panoramas and all the furniture and accessories of a fine old English hall- And these are only a few of the outstanding effects, to which are added others just as important, but perhaps not quite so ponderous.

The part of Marie Anson in “ The Whip” will be taken by Miss Fyfe Alexander instead of Miss Nora Flemming as was originally announced. Miss Alexander comes out with a fine record to back her up, and is well recommended by Mr. J. A. E. Malone. A few of the parts in which she has appeared, and which are well known to Australians are: —Lady Marion in “ Robin Hood,” Kathie in “ Old Heidelberg,” Lady Gorania in “ Dr. Wake’s Patient,” Minnis in “Sweet Lavender,” Gwendoline in “ Raffles,” etc.

By no means behind the most attractive of the comic operas which have lately been heard out here, in respect to its music, is “ Our Miss Gibbs,” which is shortly to be seen in Sydney. The names of Ivan Caryll, who for some time past has figured in the bulk of the latter-day musical successes, and Lionel Monckton, who first sprang into favour as a composer with his “ Soldiers of the Park,” appear in connection with the new musical attraction. Years ago Mr. Caryll was

a music teacher and Mr- Monckton was struggling to get a footing as a lawyer—the former -was lifted out of the drudgery of his life when he composed his first opera, “ The Lily of Looville,” and the latter took the first step on the ladder of musical fame when he became musical critic for the London “ Daily Telegraph.”

Miss Nellie Stewart is seriously thinking of suggesting to Mr. King O’Malley that the query, “ Did you go to school with Nellie Stewart’?’ should be inserted on his census paper- This course has been forced upon the popular actress by reason of the vast number of people who apparently were either born or brought up in Dowlingstreet, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, the birth-place of Miss Stewart- Especially during the past few weeks letters have been pouring in from people who either went to school with Miss Stewart or who remember her as a child when she dwelt in that well-known Sydney suburb.

Miss Marie Illington, who is to play the comedy part in “ The Whip” is considered one of the very best exponents of the grande dame parts in London. Indeed, so much in demand are her services by London managers that she does not find it necessary ever to travel through the English provinces, but is always able to confine herself to the West End theatres. When Mr. J. C- Williamson broached the subject of a trip out to Australia she was under engagement to Sir Charles Wyndham, and it was only as a great favour that at length the London management consented to release her- It was her own desire to come out to this side of the world that finally settled the matter in favour of the Australian tour. Miss Illington is to play the part of Mrs. Beamish, one of the Marquis of Beverley’s poor relations who possesses a sharp biting tongue but a good, kind heart- It is upon Tom Lambert, head trainer to the Marquis, that Mrs- Beamish directs most of her satire, and her acrid comments on Lambert’s actions and her general demeanour towards that long-suffering subordinate, furnish some of the best comedy scenes in the drama.

“ History repeats itself,” and in the great friendship which exists between Mr. Bertie Wright and Mr. Langford Kirby (both of the Royal Comic Opera Company) this fact is amply borne out. Bertie Wright’s father and the late Dion Boucicault, Kirby’s uncle, were great chums, and the wellknown author of “ Con the Shaugh-

raun” used to say that he never had a better exponent for his title role than Fred. Wright- Some little time ago in America Kirby was associated with Huntley Wright, and the two men chummed up together, and now, away out in Australia the two families are represented as fellow members of the same company in -which so far they have invariably played “ chum” parts.

The race for the Melbourne Cup, which is to be run each evening in “ The Winning Ticket” at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, is under skilled mechanical supervision, shaping itself into the most startling stage effect eVer attempted on the dramatic stage in this country. The famous event will be seen from start to finish, the horses galloping at top speed and never being out of sight of the audience for an instant. The expense attached to this production is enormous, we understand, but Mr. Anderson is confident of his public, and believes that the end justifies the means.

After leaving Australia, the wellknown comedian, Mr. William Cromwell, whose representation of Simplicitas Smith is one of the features of ■ ..ie Arcadians,” intends to take a theatrical company to Japan and Russia before settling down in retirement on a farm in Kent.

On the last night of the Asche-Bray-ton Company’s season in Perth, a beautiful floral tribute over 6ft high, and very prettily illuminated, was presented to Mr. Asche and Miss Brayton as a memento from Melburnians in Perth.

Having finished their long and splendidly successful engagement with the Clarke and Meynell management, Mr. Oscar Asche and Miss Lily Brayton are now on the way to England. Sir Rupert Clarke received the following telegram from Fremantle, W.A.: —“On leaving Australia’s shores we send our heartiest greetings to all our friends, and shall look forward with the keenest delight to our return in 1912. Until then ’Au Revoir.’ —Oscar Asche, Lily Brayton.”

Mrs. Robert Brough has been engaged by Messrs. Hamilton, Plimmer and Denniston for an extended term, and will appear with the “ Lover’s Lane” Company throughout the Sydney season, and the New Zealand tour.