IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1123, 19 October 1911, Page 17

IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

Mr M. Marcus arrived by the Wimmera bn Sunday, in advance of Rickards? Vaudeville Company, which opens on Monday. This makes Mr Marcus’ thirtieth trip to New Zealand.

Madame Albani received a tremendous ovation at a farewell concert in London on Saturday night. Santley, Madame Patti, and Ada Crossley contributed to a memorable programme.

Miss Nance O’Neil shortly reappears in “The Lily” in New York, under the management of David Belasco.

King George’s pension fund for actors has a nucleus of £4650, realised from the Coronation gala performance at His Majesty’s.

We are in a position to state that John Fuller and Sons have not sold out their interest- in King’s Theatre to Allen Macdonald. The latter, however, will for some time, remain as manager at Newton for the progressive picture-show firm.

Short if not sweet! Miss Ola Humphreys, . who. married an Egyptian Prince three months ago, has dissolved. partnership, owing to incompatabiiity of temperament.

When, at the close of the performance of “The Bells,” in Melbourne, Mr Irving asked whether any present had seen his father play the part, there was a fairly general “Yes.” To the rather more delicate question as to whether this company had failed badly by comparison, came a more decisive and flattering “No.”

HaTry Phydora, whose dame-parts will never be forgotten, is amusing London audiences at present with his inimitable characterisations.

Oscar Asche has booked the Garrick Theatre, London, for the run of “Kismet” right up to the time he leaves for Australia, well into next year. Mr Asche has refused a big offer to take the piece to America, as his Australian tour will not allow of the trip “across the herring-pond.”

SAM LA MERT, Australia’s Greatest Whistler and Micmic, now appearing at the Opera House.

The marriage took place in Sydney last week of Mr G. D. Portus and Mrs Maxwell, widow of the late Mr Max Maxwell, actor.

George Bernard Shaw can be brief occasionally. He wrote the shortest dramatic criticism on record. It was of a play called Poor Jonathan, and Shaw’s notice was “Poor Jonathan.”

Madame Melba is among the . celebrities of the world included in the restricted selection of biographies in the latest edition of “Webster’s Dictionary.”

Miss Sybil Arundale left London on the 16th inst., for Australia, where she is to appear in “The Girl in the Train.”

Talking the other day of the plays in his repertoire, Mr H. B. Irving said, “Of all the parts connected with my father’s name, “Louis XI.” is the one I have found most delightful and fascinating. It may sound humorous or incongruous to use such a word as delightful in speaking of “Louis Xl.,’ but there is everything .in the part which the actor can desire from the point of view of effect. On the other hand, in opposition to “Louis,” I should put the strain of “Mathias in “The Bells.” The emotional stresa of the part and the fact that he is more or less on the rack, all during the play, imposes a severe tax on one’s energy and involves a serious intellectual strain as well, although, the interest I derive from the performance of that character is very great indeed.”

Members of the theatrical profession will be interested to learn that the Artlight Studio, 185 Symonds-street, is making a specialty of theatrical work. Those desiring a really artistic portrait can rely on every satisfaction at this up-to-date ’studio.