SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1374, 24 August 1916, Page 34

SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

(By

“Lorgnette.”)

WELLINGTON, August 21. Horace Goldin, the celebrated Russian magician and illusionist, opens his Dominion tour at the Wellington Grand Opera House on Wednesday evening, the 30th inst., playing a season of eight nights. Goldin is described as the royal illusionist, and has had the honour of several command performances before his late Majesty King Edward, Queen Alexandra, His Majesty King George and Queen Mary, and the Royal Family, and has appeared as often as four time

in eight days, thus holding the record for Royal commands. Mr. Goldin has recently completed a tour of Great Britain extending over fifteen years. He brings with him a company of 35 people, all necessary for Ins gigantic and marvellous illusions, and also some 50 tons of properties and effects. The big illusion is a pantomime spectacular production entitled “The Tiger God.” It is a Moorish mystery, into which he weaves an awe-inspiring, weird story of the Far East, rivalling in its fictional phantasy the fascinating tables of “The Arabian Nights.” It comes to a thrilling, dramatic and bewildering conclusion, in which a living tiger is employed. Mr. Goldin will be supported by a first-class company of vaudeville artists, including Miss Margaret Jewell, a young Melbourne soprano, who is the portege of Madame Melba. Mennetti and Sidelli are a couple of acrobatic comedians who are in a class by themselves, and are said to start where all other acrobats ever seen here knock off. Marie King Scott is an American artist, wflio irom her 'first entrance grips her audience, and in no time has them in shrieks of laughter. Gosward is a French pantomimic comedian who comes with a great English and Continental reputation. Bill Pruitt is described as the American cowboy Caruso. This com-u.iiv.Lio-1 <~an confidently be said to be i.e highest-salaried lot that has ever visited New Zealand, and says much for the great fa.th Mr. Hugh D. McIntosh has in the Dominion as a show country.

The Dominion tour of the remarkable picture “The Birth of a Nation”

will open at the Wellington Town Hall on Tuesday evening next, the 29th inst. This picture has created a great sensation in America, England and Australia, enjoying a continuous run of nine weeks in both Sydney and Melbourne. Its greatest thrill is said to be provided by the men of the Klu Klux Klan, when the white-clad horsemen are seen racing madly through the town in their work of vengeance. Thousands of men form the procession, and ride with the precision of cavalry. These quaintlygarbed and impressive mystery men of the night are said to inspire one with a thrill that is not lessened at the thought that they brought peace and justice out of the turbulent times, as recorded in American history, in the days of the war between the North and South. In a word, it is a remarkable, high-class drama, based on the history of the nation, crammed with tableaux in which thousands of people figure in the most thrilling and most exciting way.

The Wellington public are already anxiously awaiting for the coming season of the English actor Allan Wilkie and his Shakespearian company, which opens at the Grand Opera House on the 9th September. During the season six of Shakespeare’s masterpieces will be produced. It has been decided that “Hamlet” will be the opening production. In referring to Mr. Wilkie’s staging of the tragedy in Melbourne the “Australasian” says: “A sane Hamlet, wholly free from idiosyncrasies or a straining for original effect, coupled with a simple, sorrowful Ophelia, has made Mr. Wilkie’s venture in the me st critical of Shakespearian dramas wholly acceptable to a great many people who are

not regular patrons of theatres. Any sound Shakespearian production appeals to a constituency, small, perhaps, but select, and one not usually considered. It helps to make such ventures possible where devotees of the light lantastic would be disposed to show little mercy and less appreciation.”

The “Mother Goose” pantomime company were passengers for Sydney by the Riverina last Thursday. Mr. John barren, who managed the tour, stayed behind to manage the Dominion tour of “The Birth of a Nation.” He will afterwards take up the managerial reins of the Hale Hamii-ton-Myrtie Tannehill Comedy Company, which has achieved such a success in Australia witn “It Pays to Advertise,” "Twin Beds,” and “The Boomerang.” Both shows are under the J. C. Williamscn management. Mr. Harold Bowden arrived from the South on Sunday morning to complete arrangements for the New Zea.and tour of Horace Goldin.