SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1363, 8 June 1916, Page 34

SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

(By

“Lorgnette.”)

WELLINGTON, June 5

Mr. Edward Branscombe’s winter attraction for New Zealand this year will be the “Pink Dandies,” a combination said to be equal, if not superior, to any concert costume comedy company that has yet visited the Dominion. There are nine artists in the company, several of them being members of the popular “Scarlet Troubadours.” They are said to be very accomplished vocalists, whilst on the comedy side the individual and concerted work is of a high standard. Several of the artists have also estab-

lished high reputations as dancers. Fuller’s vaudeville combination at Mis Majesty’s Theatre showed to fine business last week, and this week’s programme is such an excellent one that it is sure to draw the public in large numbers. It is doubtful if any male vocalist who has ever visited New Zealand has attained the popularity of that gained by Mr. Paul Dufault, the genial French-Canadian tenor, who is to give a series of four concerts in the Grand Opera House on the evenings of Saturday, June 10th, Monday the 12 th, Wednesday, the 14th, and Saturday, the 17th. It is said that Mr. Dufault’s repertoire for the present tour includes many new songs that will become as popular as the old favourites “Invictus,” “Sylvelin,” “Inter Nos,” and a host of others. Mr. Dufault is supported by a strong company. Miss Lillian De Venny, the principal “boy” of the J. C. Williamson pantomime “Mother Goose,” which opens its tour at the Grand Opera House on Tuesday evening, the 20th inst., is said to be bright and pleasant, of attractive appearance and shapely figure, does not act at her audience obtrusively, but gets there every time. She is a good singer, and makes a decidedly favourable impression with playgoers, with whom she quietly and modestly makes herself an unmistakable favourite.

Mr. Allan Doone has decided to open his coming Dominion tour at Gisborne on Monday, June 12th, with a drama entitled “O’Leary, V.C.,” a play that has not as yet been staged in New Zealand. During the tour several other new dramas will also be staged. Mr. Doone will be supported, as on former visits, by Miss Edna Keeley and a capable company. Orchestral and choral rehearsals are now m full swing lor the Royal Choi al Union’s coming production of Gounod’s opera “Faust,” which is to be git en in the Town Hall on Tuesday evening Jmy 4th. Miss Elsie Treweek, of Melbourne: has been engaged to sing the role of Maiguerite. It will be remembered that Miss Treweea sang the roie of Santuzza in the Royal Choral Society’s performance of “Cava.leria Rusticana” last year with marked success. Mr. Frank Graham, the well-known operatic tenor, will sing the music of Faust, whilst Mr. Hamilton Hodges will appear as Mephistopheles, and Mr. Frank Charlion as Valentine. It has been decided by the committee that “Israel in Egypt” will be the attraction for the second concert of the season.

The following is the cast of characters for the forthcoming production of the musical comedy “San Toy,” which is to be staged by the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society at the Grand Opera House on August 10th for a nine nights’ run: —Li, Mr. A. W. Newton; Captain Bobby Preston, Mr. V. R. Meredith; Yen How, Mr. W. W. Crawford; Sir Bingo Piestcn, Mr. Norman Aitken; Emperor of China, Mr. A. E. Shaw; Sing Hi, Mr. Zante Woods; Lieutenant Harvey Tucker, Mr. Charles Moore; Fo Hop, Mr. Herbert F. Woods; Hui Ho, Mr. J. Elliott; Wai Ho, Mr. P. Fitzgerald; Li Hi, Mr. C. Reid; Old Mandarin, Mr. H. G Shakes; San Toy, Miss Helen Gard’ner; Poppy Preston, Miss Annie Sullivan; Dudley, Miss Isabel Wilford: Ko Fan, Miss Marie Fix; Young Shi, Miss Amy Ross; Mi Konie, Miss Ivy Stewart; Siou, Miss D. Clarke; Shuey Pin Sing, Miss Doris McCormick; Li Kiang, Miss E. AlcCormack; Hu Yu, Miss G‘. Malcolm; Mrs. Harley Streeter, Miss Marjorie Saunders; Hon. Mrs. A. Stackpole, Miss Ethel Smith; Miss Mary Lambkin, Miss J. O’Sullivan.