SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1325, 16 September 1915, Page 37

SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

(By

“Lorgnette.”)

WELLINGTON, September 14

The four nights’ season of George Stephenson’s Comedy Company at the Grand Opera House was, taking everything into consideration, very successful. The season opened last Wednesday night with the ever-popular “Fun on the Bristol,” and the large audience thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr. Stephenson has got together a very

strong and compact company, who seem to revel in their work. Mr. Frank Hawthorne, as the Widow O’Brien, scored a decided success in a difficult part. Miss Annie B,erril and Miss Ivy Davis, as the widow’s daughters, gave pleasing performances. Mr. Frederick Hughes was good as Count Mannagio, as also was Mr. Courtney Ford as the old sea dog Captain Cranberry. Miss B,ertha Busch gave a splendid interpretation of the character of Bella. Mr. Ernie Delavale, as Tom Cranberry, Mr. Arthur Sharpies as Richard Sparks, Mr. Will Gilbert as Jerry Thompson, and Mr. James Duffy as Hawkshaw ail did good work, and helped to make the performance the success it was. “Fun on the; Bristol” is staged in good style. The. company opened its overland tour at Greytown last night. The Wellington Amateur Operatic Society are leaving no stone unturned to make the forthcoming production

of “Lies Clochesi de Corneville” an immense success. Mr. Tom Pollard has arrived from the South, and is “coaching” both principals and chorus. The season opens at the Grand Opera House on Saturday, the 26th inst., and will ex end until Saturday, October 2. It was originally intended that the seventh annual tour of Barton’s Circus was to start at the beginning of the present month, but owing to steamer delays the new performers engaged were unable to reach Wellington until last Tuesday, when they arrived by the Manuka from Sydney. For this season’s tour several new acts have been specially imported from England and America. After a series of “try out” performances at the Trentham and Featherston military camps, the tour will open at Martinborough on Wednesday, the 15th inst. Greytown will be visited on the 16th, Carterton on the 17th, Masterton on the 18th. It is the Messrs. Barton’s intention to make his season’s tour the most comprehensive they have yet undertaken, and every town of importance will be visited.

Mr. Bert Royle, I am glad to state,

is making sure progress towards com: plete. recovery from his recent severe attack of pneumonia. — Having secured the exclusive rights for the Wellington district of a series of 52 five and six-reel feature, films, the management of the Britannia Continuous Picture Theatre have, decided to raise the. admission tariff. This is done owing to the enormous expense incurred in acquiring these special films. Formerly the price was threepence and sixpence. From now on it will be sixpence and one shilling. A feature of the new order of things will be the music, which will be; provided by an augmented orchestra. Mr. F. Bennett’s Maori Opera Company will open a six nigh.s’ season at the Grand Opera House on Wednesday evening with the Maori opera “Hinemoa.” The season will be under the patronage of their Excellencies the Governor and the Countess of Liverpool, and the Right Hon. Mr. Massey. The whole of the first night’s takings go to the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund. It was bound to come. The management of several of the continuous picture houses of late have been overcrowding their theatres, with the result that “law and order” has got to work, and some of them have been presented with “a bit of blue” requestion them to attend a levee, questing them to attend a levee which is to be presided over by the Resident Magistrate.