BRANDON-CREMER FAREWELL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1442, 13 December 1917, Page 33

BRANDON-CREMER FAREWELL.

A POPULAR TRIBUTE.

After a sixty weeks’ season at King’s Theatre, the Brandon-Cremer Dramatic Company gave their final performance on Friday night to a crowded audience. During their stay in Auckland they won the affection of many hundreds of patrons, and their popularity was ev’deneed in the i ous ng reception each member met with as he or she came on the stage, the play having frequently to be held up until the applause subsided. At the conclusion they were showered with mementoes, the stage being heaped with flowers and other gifts. Mr. Brandon-Cremer made a feeling little speech, thanking all h's staff for their united efforts, and the public for the'r loyal patronage and kind appreciation of the company’s work, and at his instigation they were all compelled to say a few parting words —Miss Kathleen Arnold, Miss Alice Rede, Mr. Maurice Tuohy, Mr. W. J. Coulter, Mr. Frank Reis, Mr. Kenneth Carlisle and Mr. Edgar Kenna. Mr. Frank Ne l, on behalf of his fellow artists, re-echoed Mr. Cremer’s sentiments as to their regret at leaving so manj r friends, and referred to their happy assoc'ation with Mr. Cremer himself. “Stock drama is not the easiest thing in the world,” said Mr. Neil, “and the pleasure of the engagement depends on the employer. It Is due to Mr. Cremer’s unfailing courtesy, tact and kindness on all occasions that our work has been made a pleasure to us.”

A farewell testimonial to Mr. Cremer was given in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Monday n'ght, when several hundreds were turned away. In fact, the large Town Hall itself would not have been too spacious to accommodate the crowds who rallied round to say farewell to the popular theatrical entrepreneur. A most enjoyable entertainment was contributed to by Messrs. Frank Neil, Maur’ce Tuohy, Kenneth Carlisle and other members of the Brandon-Cremer Company, Mr. Rud Petersen, Miss Daphne Knight’s dancing pupils, Mr. A. Ripley, Mr. Atkinson, Miss Reba Cohen, and M'ss Burmister’s two youngest pupils. There was a demonstrative scene at the conclusion, when Mr. Ciemer went on the stage and thanked the public and performers for their ev’dences of goodwill, and assured them that neither he nor his company wou’d ever forget the warm-hearted people of Auckland.

Miss Olive Godwin, an old favourite with Australasian and ences, will be the Princess in the Tait pantomime, “Aladdin.” 9*93: The following tour has been definitely booked for the New English Musical Comedy Company:—Auckland, from December 26 (Box : ng N ght) to January 7; Gisborne, January 9 to 12; Napier, January 14 and 15; Hastings, January 16; Palmerston North, January 17; Wanganui. January 18; Wellington, January 19 to Febrary 2; Chr'stchurch, February 4 to 11; Dunedin, February 13 to 18; and Timaru, February 19.

Mr. Raymond Fuller is acting manager at the Opera House during Mr. Geo. Stephenson’s absence.

Miss Winifred La France, who is to play principal boy in J. and N. Tait’s Christmas pantom me, has appeared previously in a posing and spectacular act. Last time she appeared under the Fuller banner. * * * * Vaude and Verne, so popularly 1 nown to New Zealand vaudeville audiences, are to play “Friday” and “Saturday” in the Fuller Christmas pantomime, “Robinson Crusoe,” in Sydney.

Theatregoers will learn with regret of the death in action of Mr. Hugh Buckler, the English actor, who toured New Zealand twice. His first appearance here was in the plays “A Fool There Was” and “A Woman in the Case.” In Sydney he organised a reperto re company to play good plays, and for a time ; n 1913-14 played successfully at the Little Theatre. Towards the latter end of 1914 he toured New Zealand with his own company, playing “His House in Order,” “The Great Adventure,” “Fanny’s First Play,” “School for Scandal,” “Sweet Lavender,” “David Garrick,” and “The Gay Lord Quex.” On his return to Australia he felt the call, and leaving the management of his affairs to h s w'fe (Miss Violet Paget) went Home and enlisted in the Imperial Forces. As an officer he saw a good deal of serv ce, and was killed at the Mess nes battle a few months ago. Mr. Buckler was about thirty-six years of age.

An extract from Rex Beach’s wellknown book, “The Barrier”: “I’ve just begun to realise what I am,” said Nec a; “I’m not respectable. I’m not like other women, and never can be. I’m a squaw—a squaw!” “You’re not,” he cried. “No honest man can marry me; I’m a vagabond.” “By God! who offered you that?” Gale’s face was whiter than hers now. The tempest of emotion swept her along. “He can play with me, but noth ng more; and when he is gone another can have me, and then another and another and another. In time my man will beat me, just like any other squaw. I suppose, but I can’t marry. I can’t be a wife to a decent man.” She was in the clutch of an hysteria that made her writhe beneath Gale’s hand, then she leaned exhausted against a post and wiped her eyes, for the tears were coning now. “There’s fifty good men in this camp would marry you to-morrow.” She sobbed back: “I mean real men, not miners. I want to be a lady. I don’t

want to pull a hand sleigh and wear moccas ns all my life. I want to be loved —I want to be loved. I want to marry a gentleman with clean finger nails.”

During Mr. Cyril Maude’s visit to America, a member of his cast : n various productions was Miss Dorothy Cumm ng, who appeared under the J. C. Williamson management in Australia, and has returned to play Grumpy’s dranddaughter.

Mr. Bentley, who is appearing this week at the Opera House, was for many years conceded by the vaudeville profession as one of the three greatest single xylophonists in the world, and was soloist with the Duluth Symphony Orchestra for a season.