JUVENILE PLAYERS COSTUME COMEDY COMPANY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1430, 20 September 1917, Page 31

JUVENILE PLAYERS COSTUME COMEDY COMPANY.

The Juvenile Players, who have just toured the far north under the direct’on of Colonel Allen Bell, will appear in the Town Hall, Auckland, on October 1. The company, which is composed of attractive young singers and dancers (mostly pupils of Miss Cecil Hall), has won great kudos for the quality of entertainment offered, the member's displaying marked talent individually and collectively. Miss Emily Brown and Mr. Ray Brown are the organisers and Mr. E. J. Samuel is the business manager.

Miss Ada Reeve added zest to the football gala at the Domain on Saturday when she “kicked off” amidst the enthusiasm of a great crowd. At His Majesty’s in the evening the popular artist was presented with the football signed by all the members of both teams and the officials.

Mr. Scott Colville has returned to Auckland, and is making preliminary arrangements for the advance work of “Turn to the Right,” which, according to present plans, opens in Wellington early next month,

Mr. Robt. Williamson is touring manager for the Ada Reeve Company.

A party of Fuller artists headed by Mr. George Stephenson, manager of the Opera House, went up to the annexe on Thursday afternoon and brightened up the inmates with a programme of mirth and melody.

.Christchurch has another new picture house, the Liberty Theatre, which seats 1400, and was officially opened last week. * SS *

Dan Thomas, formerly on the Fuller circuit, is principal comedian in a revue company playing at the Empire, Johannesburg.

Captain Bruce Bainsfather’s humorous pictures are being utilised in Britain for film cartoon comedies, with considerable success.

Margaret Jewell may well remark veni vidi vici! (says a South African paper). There were no half measures about her reception in Kimberley. We are nearly all Vandals here, and prefer our songs in the language we understand, though we certainly enjoyed the selection from “La Traviata” — given just to show the power, quality, and technique of the artist.

Madame Melba speaks most enthusiastically about her new ' Auckland pupil, Miss Laura Walker, who is studying at the Melbourne Conservatorium. Her voice is a high soprano, and the diva reckons that the ability and keenness of the young Aucklander should place her in the front rank of singers.

When “Daddy Ixmg Legs” has finished its allotted run at Melbourne Theatre Royal, Miss Kathlene Mae Donell and Mr. Charles Waldron will be seen in “Outcast,” that powerful human story of devot.on and passion, in which the artists appeared so successfully in New Zealand.

Mr. Talleur Andrews, the tenor, who recently came out to Australia under engagement to the Tivoli Company, has rejoined J. C. Williamson, Ltd., and is appearing in the new muisical comedy “You’re in Love,” staged in Sydney.

Mr. Stapleton Kent, one of the brilliant comedians in J. and N. Tait’s “Turn to the Right” company, has had the pleasure' of encountering a long-lost brother. Mr. Kent knew that a brother had left England for Australia over ten years ago, but as

he himself had been constantly touring in America, he had no means of ascertaining his relative’s address. Judge of his surprise, therefore, when he was stopped in a Sydney stree. by a prosperous-looking gentleman in whom the Australian sun had failed to eradicate his strong resemblance to the family. He was a Kent all right, and his big, handsome exterior was proffered as evidence of his success as a farmer. It appears that he had acquired a fine farm in the Northern Rivers District of New South Wales, and was doing very well indeed.

To have to appear after Miss Ada Reeve is no enviable task, and an artist in this position must needs be something out of the ordinary to make his presence felt. However, Mr. Kennedy Allen proves equal to the occasion. On the first night, when Miss Reeve had pretty well had to sing herself to a standstill, the greater part of the audience naturally rose to leave. Disconcerting to say the least of it for the last performer. Mr. Allen quietly took the bull by the horns. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said; “and in addressing you as ladies and gentlemen I refer to those who are retaining their seats!” There was a general roar, and Mr. Allen soon showed he was well worth waiting for.

Vaude and Verne, the well-known topical vaudevillians, will play two comedy sailors in the forthcoming Fuller pantomime “Robinson Crusoe,” at Sydney Grand Opera House.

Mr. Joseph Biascheck, the clever monologuist, who is at present in the Philippines, intends to tour New Zealand again shortly.

The submarine play, “Seven Days’ Leave,” promises to equal in popularity Walter Howard’s other big melodramatic success, “The Story of the Rosary.” “Seven Days’ Leave” at Melbourne Princess finds Allan Wilkie better fitted into the cast than in the former play, and Arthur Styan’s presence strengthens the already strong company. Inman, Hunt, Landor, Dore, Vivian Edwards, are well placed, and Miss Frediswyde HunterWatts as the athletic Lady Heather is as popular a heroine as Melbourne theatre patrons have known for a long time. “Seven Days’ Leave” has been given eleven times weekly at the Lyceum, London, since last February.

New Zealand playgoers are soon to make the acquaintance of one of the finest character actors that has been brought to this country in recent years. This is the English actor Stapleton Kent, whose performance as Gilly in “Turn to the Right” and Van Alstyne in “The New Henrietta” are sa : d to be of especial dramatic value. Mr. Kent is English with a long experience of America and the training in the dual school has enabled him to pick out all that is best in both.