IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1374, 24 August 1916, Page 32

IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

A chat with Miss Frediswyde HunterWatts reveals the exquisite charm and grace which make her so eminently suitable for portraying Shakespeare's delicate types of womanhood. Miss Hunter-Watts is as thoroughly versed in Shakespeare as her clever husband (Allan Wilkie), and besides characterising the immortal dramatist s heroines, she has also played a similar lead in Sheridan’s and Shaw’s works. In fact, it is the desire of Mr. and Mrs Wilkie to include Sher.dan’s and S'naw’s plays in their repertory project at some future date. The madness of Ophelia, the resourcefulness of Portia, the temerity of Viola, the romance of Juliet and the venturesomeness of Rosalind have been depicted in turn by th s talented actress, and her gallery of portraits is to be completed by her impersonation of the gentle and wronged Desdemona.

Mr. Frank Levy, touring manager for the Allen Doone Dramatic Company, is in Auckland making arrangements for the opening of the season, Mr. Levy has been retained by Mr. Hugh D. Mclntosh to pilot Horace Gol' din in his tour of New' Zealand.

“The Kerry Guards,” sung by Mr. Allen Doone and a chorus of children, is one of the popular interpolated items in “O’Leary,. V.C,”

Mr. John Hopkins, on the conclusion of the Dandies’ tour, is due at Napier to control the Mardi Gras. This will be the fourth year in succession that Mr. Hopkins has organised this big fete for Napier.

Allen Doone’s new' songs in “O’Leary, V.C.,” are “My Mother’s Wedding Ring,” “My Old Dhudeen,” “The Hams High Up in the Corner,” and “Kerry Guards.”

A young s’nger who has recently come into prominent notice at local concerts is Miss Rona Kino, her latest success being achieved in the Town Hall at the Benevolent Ladies’ entertainment, when she gave a brilliant rendering of “11 Bacio. Miss Kino is a dramatic soprano of more than average talent, and owes her development to that sterling artist Madame Martinengo, under whose tuition she has been. Miss Kino has personality as well and Madame's prediction for a successful future should be easy of fulfilment.

Mr. E. W. Morrison, who is now producing “Peg o’ My Heart” for Messrs. J. and N. Tait, first came to Australia with the late Edith Crane and Tyrone Power in “Trilby.” His most recent visit was as producer of “Within the Law.”

Mr. Leo D. Chateau is in Auckland in his capacity as business manager of the Dandies.

Miss Elwyn Harvey made an infectiously merry Maria in “Twelfth Night,’’ her work in the conspiracy scene to fool Malvol o being meritoriously good. Mr, John Cave as the roystering Sir Toby Belch, dealt out comedy with a free hand and brought his own cheeriness to bear in h‘s depiction of the wine-bibbing swashbuckler, his jocularity be’ng enjoyed with avidity by the audience. Mr. Henry Dore bore the foibles of Sir Andrew Aguecheek with correct mien.

With artistes of the cal bre of Mr. Cuthbert Rose and Miss Dorothy Gard’ ner cn their circuit, the Fuller management are keeping fa th with their public in presenting turns of high class grade. Mr. Rose has a valued experience in the old country for Irs clever character sketches and monologue work, and established himself In Australia and New Zealand as a sound entertainer dur ng his association with the Violet Dandies. “I have never had such an easy time in my life,” said Mr. Rose, referring to his present vaudeville engagement. Having shouldered responsibilities for years, producing and bearing the brunt of a whole entertainment, this is just a holiday for me.” Miss Dorothy Gard’ner, too, the clever New Zealand girl who built up a name for herself n Australia, and who was producer and chief mainstay of the Violet Dandies, is likewise having a spell from strenuous times. “To find a piece, produce it, dress it and rehearse it and then keep fit for a whole evening’s entertainment takes some doing,” said Miss Gard’ner. “In vaudeville, you go on for twenty minutes and your work is over and finished with.” But Miss Gard’ner is not the girl to let her brains and energies go idle. Most of her pieces she has written herself (a tasteful little booklet bearing testimony to that), and she is busy collaborating in a comedy sketch that should have a direct appeal to the vaudevillian taste.