Greenroom Gossip.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1115, 24 August 1911, Page 17

Greenroom Gossip.

Sousa’s Hobbies. Sousa has two great hobbies —horseriding and shooting (game and from •the traps), in both of which he is most proficient. His managers on the present world’s tour (the Quinlan International Musical Agency) were evidently well posted on the point, as in his contract it is stipulated that he must neither ride a horse or shoot a gun. He is looking forward keenly to the end of the tour. e • • ■ “The Gay Gordons.”

The New Zealand tour of “The Gay Gordons” Comic Opera Company will be inaugurated at Wellington on Friday, September the 15th, the season will last thirteen nights. The itinerary to follow is Christchurch from October 3rd to 16th, Dunedin October 17th to 30th, Invercargill October 31st to November 2nd, Oamaru November 3rd, Palmerston North November 6th and’ 7th, Wanganui November Sth, Auckland November 10th to 25th. * * * ♦ “Our Miss Gibbs.”

After their little trip of over twelve hundred miles, the Royal Comic Opera Company arrived safely in Brisbane on Tuesday last week, and began next day a season of “Our .._*ss Gibbs” that was to prove a record one for the Theatre. Brisbane was packed with visitors to the Show, and every night saw a house crowded to its legal limit. The season finishes this week, and then, after a short trip to Sydney, Miss Gibbs embarks on her New Zealand trip. •r .J. * * “The Band came Back.”

One of the most interesting musical novelties New Zealand has seen, or probably ever will see (writes a Wellington authority), is the Sousa humoresque, entitled “The Band Came Back.” Shortly after the interval has begun the attention of the waitingaudience is roused by a trumpet call. When the echoes have well died away the harpist strolls in casually, and, without any preliminary announcement, begins a solo. Yesterday it was “Annie Laurie.” The audience waited and -wondered. Then in stole a player with a clarionet, who sidled up to the harp bashfully and opened out on “I Don’t Want to Play in Your Yard-” Arrives a flautist, who interpolates a well-known melody, and more clarionets, to be followed by a euphonium, who is ranged against a cornetist, the rivals in turn discoursing entirely dissimilar strains. But no matter, four brasses take up the tale, the great bass tuba growls “Ben Bolt,” and four horns pour out soothingly Barmby’s “Sweet and Low.” Then a group of instrumentalists, with a vigorously waved tambourine to lead them, contribute the "Merry Widow,” and next the orchestra drifts nonchalantly into the introduction to the “A che la Morte” duet from “Il Trovatore.” Eventually, as Sousa himself is seen returning, the band swings into a stirring march, and the programme is resumed. The band has come back in sections. It is a quaint episode, cleverly conceived and carried out.

“Society Snap Shots.” ‘‘Society Snap Shots,” the song and monologue . entertainment presented by Mr Joseph Biascheck and Miss Mildred Wrighton, at the Y.M.C.A. Hall, Sydney, was commented upon in most eulogistic terms by the Sydney press—a subject upon which they were unanimous in their approval. Judging by the nightly attendance the public are of the same opinion, for although the clever artistes are about to enter into their third week in Syd ney, the attendance as yet shows no signs of diminution, and Mr Blascheck and Miss Wrighton are winning the distinction of being the cleverest and most popular society entertainers who have visited Sydney for some considerable time. Snakes! One of the troubles of the stage manager of the ‘‘Speckled Band” Company will be the necessity of looking after two snakes, who alternately sustain the title role of the Conan Doyle play. Mr Roche Phillips, who has been training them for months past, has issued the most precise in-

structions about handling them, but the sting is in the concluding item — “The snakes should have three frogs per fortnight for food.” And the problem is where to get the frogs. Pictures of the whole company high kilted quartering across swampy ground in search of provender for reptile, rise before the mind’s eye. “The Belle of Brittany.” The ])lot o ' " The Belle of Brittany,’ the second production o' the “Arcadian” Company’s season hero, is based upon an ancient legend. The rising of the curtain on the first act disc oses the old trysting-tree, and if main and maid meet under this tree and exchange vows of love when the bells of the neighbouring convent are ringing, it means a happy marriage. Tn the case of the hero and heroine of “The Belle of Brittany,” the legend of the trysting-tree is 'borne out in the happiest manner. * * 5® W The Castles Sisters. Miss Eileen Castles, who recently made a very successful first appearance on the English platform at

Madame Clara Butt’s Coronation concert in the Albert Hall, is a member of Madame Melba’s grand opera company. She is to play second parts, such as Musetta in “La Boheme” and MHcaola in ‘(‘lCarmen.” Miss Dolly Castles, who is to appear in London again in the autumn, is paying a flying visit to Australia with her sister, and will return with Miss Amy Castles after spending a few weeks with her family in Melbourne. Melba in Australia. The Spencer-street (Melbourne) railway platform was crowded on August 12 in honour of the return of Australia’s famous songstress, Mme. Melba (says a Sydney contemporary). As the express slowed down she was standing in the vestibule of the inspection car holding a big bunch of orchids and violets. Immediately there was a rush for the compartment, and the diva, looking wonderfully well and very bright and happy, received quantities of bouquets large and small. On alighting from the train, she was heartily cheered, and cheers were again given as she drove

away in a motor car for Toorak, where she will spend a couple of days with her sister, Mrs. C. Lempriere. When she was interviewed, Melba said she was glad to he in Australia again, which she looked on as home. She felt sure that Australian audiences would appreciate the company, and the repertoire. It had taken her 'two years to select the grand opera company, and she was about io fu’fill an ambition of hers —grand opera for her own country. The correct list of the principals is:—Edmund Bourke. John M’Cormick, Mme. Wayda. Mdlle. Ciscarine, Mme. Cisneros, and Signor Zeni. Mme. Wayda is a dramatic soprano, is in fact one of the few fine dramatic sopranos of the world. Md’le. Ciscarine is known as the Russian Patti. Mr. M’Cormick, who is considered the greatest British tenor, will arrive ’by the next mail steamer. The operas, which will be all sung in Italian —with the exception of “Romeo and Juliet,” in which the four principals will sing in French —include “Traviata,” “Boheme,” “Rigoletto,” “But x erfly,” “Lucia,” “Cltello,” “Tosca,” “Faust,” “Carmen,” “Lohengrin,” and “Samson and Delilah.”

A Unique Band. “My band (explained Sousa to an interviewer) Is the only wind combination in the world which sits on a stage and gives concerts in that manner only, and that accounts largely for the order of its constitution. The men are not asked to split their lips in the open air trampling over the cobble stones, and ruining their ability to get the finer effects. The:/ are not asked to turn out to a review or camp one day, play for the King or President the next, and at a ball or concert the next. I learnt what that meant when I was at Washington. A band may be a good band even under such conditions, but it is not to be compared with a carefully-nursed band restricted to one class of work. It is relatively like a finely-trained prize-fighter being pitted against a man whose ordinary vacation is lifting logs. The log-lifter might have a big punch, but he is not up to the finer points, and will not last like the man trained to the business. ¥ S: sp More Fullerian Attractions. Mr. Ben Fuller, who has just returned from his five weeks’ tour of Australia has acquired the sole rights for New Zealand of “Kinemacolor,” the name of the invention for producing biograph pictures in natural colours. Among the artists engaged by Mr. Fuller are the Piquays, two French artists whose speciality is arm balancing. One of them does a dance whilst standing on his hands. Millie Doris also comes across. Her line is eccentric comedy, and Mr. Fuller thinks she will be a great success. The Australian picture dramas Mr. Fuller has secured include “The Double Event,” “The Mystery of a Hansom Cab,” and “Called Back.” SJt T T „ A Treat in Store. A brilliantly successful season at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, has been concluded by the Clarke and Meynell “ Gay Gordons” Company, and a visit to Brisbane will precede the New Zealand tour of this popular organisation. “The Gay Gordons,” it is interesting to note, is shortly to be again revived in London, where it was played for thousands of nights by those famous artists, Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss, Mr. Frank Lincoln (who plays the part of Angus Graeme in Australia) following the famous actor in the role. No less than six companies toured the play in the English provinces. » » # * “The Chocolate Soldier.’ The Clarke and Mevnell New Opera Company, which is coming out to open in “ The Chocolate Soldier,” has been carefully selected to fit the various parts. The cast is a comparatively small one, bur each character is equally important, and requires capable handling. both from the singing and acting point of view. Some of the principals have already appeared in the piece' in London and on tour. They are mostly artists who have appeared for years in long and varied repertoires of operas, and the majority have had the fine training imparted by lengthy association with Gilbert and Sullivan productions. w 4? X? © A Note Of Sympathy. The many New Zealand friends of Miss Grace Palot’a, will sympathise with her in the -loss she has sustained in the death of her mother at Vienna. Miss Palotta fortunately reached home before the end came-