AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1075, 13 October 1910, Page 18

AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS.

(From our Sydney and Melbourne Correspondents.)

Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, is still the scene of startling sensations and developments, of exquisite panoramas and elaborate costuming, as “ The Whip” runs steadily on its course of popularity and gives promise of beating all known records for dramatic presentations on this side of the world. Much interest attaches to the great race with which the sporting drama culminates, more especially as the annual racing carnival is now in sight and thoughts are centring on the various events which will take place during that festive season. The colours worn by the winning jockeys in “ The Whip” race are attracting a good deal of attention .amongst the sporting members of the community who witness the scene. Many racing enthusiasts, fully alive to the fact that Mr. J. C- Wiliiamson will be well represented in the forthcoming events, after seeing the fine style in which “ The Whip,” running under the well-known J. C. Williamson colours, wins the great race, are seriously thinking of backing the popular owner’s horses in the meetings which will eventuate during the next two months. The colours of the horses which take second and third places in the race are also being noted with a view to place betting on their representatives in the bona-fide races.

As “The Silver King” is the perennial most closely associated in the minds of the Australian public with Mr. Geo. Titheradge, so “ The Sign of the Cross” is the drama in which Mr. Julius Knight will be best remembered by playgoers on this side of the world. The Wilson Barrett play has been reproduced times out of number since it first saw the light of publicity out here, but no matter how frequently it is revived it never loses its hold over playgoers, who, during the past fortnight, have been rolling up in fine form to the Melbourne Princess’ Theatre to do honour to Mr. Julius Knight in his farewell performances in Australia. Since he established himself as such a popular favourite in romantic costume plays, Mr. Knight has given some really excellent studies of essentially modern characters, but all the same his Marcus Superbus is one of his big outstanding successes, and as such it will always remain in the minds of

the Australian public. And not only with the outside public, but also with the theatrical profession is Mr. Knight exceedingly popular, as was proved by his benefit matinee on Thursday last, when representatives from all the organisations in Melbourne; at the time were billed on the programme, and not only so, but they were eager to assist at the function and render any assistance in their power to make it a huge success.

From serious drama to hilarious farce was the change wrought at the Melbourne Princess’ Theatre, when “ The Brass Bottle” succeeded “ The Sign of the Cross,” and the theatre resounded to the roars of laughter which the Jinnee caused by his fruitless endeavours to bring wealth and happiness to his liberator. “The Brass Bottle” will only occupy the Princess’ for a short session, and afterwards will go on to Adelaide.

The new leading lady for “ Our Miss Gibbs,” Miss Blanche Browne, has already established herself high in popular favour with Sydneyites. Her admirers are numbered not only among the masculine members of the community, but the women also are charmed with her dainty personality. Society has received her into its ranks, and her stay in Australia seems destined to be most prosperous and happy.

A newcomer to the ranks of the J. C. Williamson staff is Mr. David Burton, who is due in Brisbane from Vancouver by the Zealandia- Mr. Burton, who was stage manager to Mrs. Fiske, the noted exponent of “ Salvation Nell,” is to produce the same piece for Miss Katherine Grey during her prospective Sydney season. The new producer is a great friend of Sheldon, the writer of this drama, and the latter is indebted to Mr. Burton for assistance rendered him in some of his playwriting.

Recently the accountant for J. CWilliamson, Ltd., at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, in checking the items in connection with “ The Whip” production, was rather astonished to find four shoes entered at a cost of 6s. Coming immediately after the announcement in the Sydney press of the increase in the price of footwear, the accountant naturally came to the conclusion that Melbourne must be an economical place to live in, but he eventually discovered that the office boy had recorded the item under “ wardrobe” instead of under “ live

stock,” and that the shoes in question were for one of the horses taking part in the big race which forms the finale of the popular sporting drama.

Mr. Percy Kehoe, who occupies the conductor’s chair at “ The Whip” production, has held that position in connection with every Drury Lane drama that has been staged in Australia. He predicted some calamitous happenings if the rule were broken in the case of “ The Whip,” but, of course, the management did not want to take any risks, and Mr. Kehoe was dully installed as musical director.

The writer of “ Paid in Full,” Mr. Eugene Walker, was originally a newspaper man and afterwards a press agent. During each of his “ advance” tours he invariably wrote a play which he brought back to New York and offered for consideration to the various theatrical managers in that city. After meeting with disappointment and finding his money all gone, he would take to the roads once

more, save his money, write another play, and return to the charge in New York. At last “ Paid in Full” was forthcoming, and with its advent the young American’s fortune changed. It was accepted, staged and run for two years on Broadway. The success which crowns the successful was his, and now it was his turn to be sought by the various managers, who were eager to buy the plays they had previously rejected, at any figure he liked to name. During his struggling days Mr. Walter was a friend of Miss Katherine Grey, and the bond of friendship still exists between them. When he heard from Miss Grey that she was to play the leading role in “ Paid in Full” out in Australia, he sent her a copiously-marked script of the piece for her guidance, with his best wishes.

A little incident which happened to Mr. Lionel Atwill, of “ The Whip” Company, while on a provincial tour, makes amusing reading. He was with a company in Manchester playing the dual role in “ The Prisoner of the Bastille.” A fair sprinkling of the patrons of the Royal in that town did not know the meaning of the term “ dual role,” and could not grasp the fact that the parts of the Man in the Iron Mask and Louis XIV- were played by the same person. One evening two picture postcards—one representing the King and the other Phillippe Marchiali —were handed to Mr. Atwill with a request from a lady in the audience that they should be auto-

graphed. Mr. Atwill signed them both and sent them back to the lady, who, however, was not satisfied. At the conclusion of the next act she returned the Louis XIV. card to him by a messenger, who had been asked to thank him for his signature on the “ Philippe” card, but to get his brother kindly to sign the one of the King.

The new drama founded on the Crippen case, which is to be staged later on at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, is written by William Anderson and Roy Redgrave. What a nest of playwrights William Anderson has!