“ONE SUMMER’S DAY.”

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1466, 30 May 1918, Page 34

“ONE SUMMER’S DAY.”

Those who saw the capital performance of “Eliza Comes to Stay” given by a company of local players a few months ago will be interested in the forthcoming production by the same artists of another smart comedy, entitled “One Summer’s Day.” SergeantMajor Herbert J. Bentley, who was associated with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., for some years, is director and producer, and he promises an artistic success. The performance takes place at His Majesty’s on Friday and Saturday, and the proceeds are in aid of the Victoria League Red Cross Fund. The cast includes Lady Walker, Mesdames Patrick Cole, H. J. Bentley, C. Forsyth, A. Kinder, Miss B. Cole, Messrs. A. L. Denniston, J. A. Tole. A. Forbes (the last-mentioned three go into camp shortly), Wallace Bruce,

J. W. Meredith, and Sergeant-Major H. J. Bentley. Mr. J. Crowther will be stage manager.

A reminder to professionals and amateurs. —At the last meeting of the Auckland Women’s Patriotic League a letter was read from a member of the staff of one of the hospital ships suggesting that old fancy dresses for the purpose of amateur theatricals on board would be very acceptable. Some of the men have considerable talent in this direction and put on really good little shows, by the exercise of considerable ingenuity in the costuming line. Their disability in wardrobe manipulation may be imagined, so we pass along the hint to professionals and amateurs to look up any of their discarded fancy dresses. These may be left at the Patriotic League (Town Hall), with Misses Basten, Imperial Buildings, Queen Street, or at the “Review” office, High Street.

The Royal Comic Opera Company concluded a phenomenally successful season in Auckland on Monday night with a spirited performance of “The Red Widow.” Miss Florence Young in the title role captured the packed audience with her voice, her personal charm and dazzling dressing, and Mr. Phil Smith —drollest of comedians — shared honours, with the star. At the conclusion of a performance marked by artistic singing, effective dancing and stage pictures of surpassing loveliness, there was an enthusiastic outburst of applause as beautiful bouquets and presents were handed over the footlights to the favourites. Miss Florence Young and Miss Gladys Moncrieff were laden with offerings, Mr. Phil Smith got a Kewpie, and many of the others were handed farewell tributes from admirers. The company on their return to Australia open in Melbourne with “Katinka.”

The Haverly Revue Company will be a feature of next week’s bill at the Opera House.

One of the most popular novels in the English language is Hall Caine’s “The Deemster,” an adaptation of which in the form of a pretentious seven-reel picture will be seen in Auckland shortly under the direction of E. J. Carroll. The author himself was a Manxman, which accounts for his faithful picturing of the lives, habits and characters of the people amongst whom he lived for many years.

“Here I am in the windy city doing my best to invite the populace to ‘Come Inside,’ ” writes Mr. Scott Colville in a line to the “Review” from Wellington, “and if the good folk of this city accept the invitation as readily as their brothers and sisters in the south there will be no managerial complaints. We commenced our tour in Christchurch, playing a nine nights’ season to splendid business, and then made for Dunedin, and, believe me, the southern city surprised us all. We filled His Majesty’s Theatre for five nights and the public took the show to their warm Scotch hearts. A three nights’ season in Invercargill, and the public left their firesides in large numbers and flocked to see and hear Sydney James’ New Revue Company and the Royal Strollers. We play Timaru, Ashburton and Waimate on the way up, and open here in the Grand Opera House on Wednesday, 29th inst. Both public and press have handed the show the glad hand, and I don’t think even the most fastidious critic could find fault or dare to stifle a yawn during the whole performance. It is what we claim it to be —a bright and merry comedy entertainment, with a little of everything' from stageland, featuring burlesques, potted plays, travesties, ballets and song scenas. It is quite distinct from the accepted costume comedy company, and although all the original members of the Royal Strollers make their reappearance it is quite a different entertainment to that given two years ago. Sydney James and Madeline Rossiter, of course, head the company, and they have associated with them many artists who are making their first visit to this country. Of the newcomers, Miss Josie Jackson, contralto, and Miss Ira Bissett have met with very great success, and they are both most versatile artists. Marriage seems to have improved ‘Billy,’ the ventriloquial automaton, who in the hands of Mr. Sydney James puts across the footlights a new budget of merry jests and quaint philosophy. We have an extensive repertoire of new numbers, and in the centres the programme is changed frequently, with the result that our patrons are on our regular visiting list, and they make no complaints of our hospitality.”

The Brandon - Cremer Dramatic Company, after their long stay in Auckland, left on Sunday for Christchurch, where they play a five weeks’ season, opening on June 1.

Mr. Charles A. Wenman, the producer of the J. C. Williamson “Dick Whittington” pantomime, opening in Auckland next week, had a difficult task confronting him when it came to the selection of the girls who were to represent Germany in the Great War Ballet. When the final choice was made, the girls selected firmly refused to go on. They declined, they said, to represent Germans. Mr. Wenman then called for volunteers, but' none were forthcoming. At last a simple expedient was agreed upon —to select the girls by ballet. This was agreed to, and those who drew the blanks were picked to be the hated Huns. They accepted the position as gracefully as could be expected.

The Murphy Adventures, to be played by Tom Haverly and his musical company at the Auckland Opera House, commencing on June 3, include “Two Irish Sports,” in which’Murphy has a gay time in New

York; “Murphy’s Night Out,” in which he endeavours to prove he has never been kissed; “The Man in Black,” in which his sombre coat leads to all sorts of amazing complications; “Murphy’s Elopement,” in which he becomes romantic, and “Two Strings to Her Bow,” in which he is very much in love. * * * The Melbourne “Punch” writes of the J. C. Williamson Pantomime, “Dick Whittington,” to be seen here on Wednesday, as follows u The fault that for some years has marked all the J. C. Williamson Pantomimes is even more outstanding in the firm’s latest production—“ Dick Whittington.” That fault is embarrassment of riches. The puzzled playgoer, after sitting through three hours of crowded pantomime, and enjoying about one hundred and eighty minutes of it, finds it difficult to pick out the conspicuous portions deserving of special commendation. His eyes and ears have been so constantly catered for, that where all is good, it is not easy for him to make a choice of the best. Like a succession of kaleidoscopic pictures, the items are presented so rapidly that each one lessens the effect which its predecessor has made on the mind. Such is the state of the playgoer after seeing the embarrassment of riches in “Dick Whittington,” which bids fair to achieve another Williamson record . Propelled by Melba, young Stella Power is making great strides in the States, says the “Bulletin.” She has been paid a fee of £lOOO (not dollars) for warbling into a gramophone, and recently collected £lOO for singing three songs at a society function. Miss Power returned to Sydney from America, and has since gone on to Melbourne to resume her studies and her family ties. * * * * Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Higginson (recently in New Zealand with the “Very Good Eddie” company) and their two months’ old daughter (born in Australia) have returned to America.

Latest news of Miss Dorothy Brunton comes from a New York cable to the effect that the popular Australian musical comedy star has left for London under contract. She returns later to fill a leading role in a New York engagement.

Mr. Hugh D. Mclntosh has decided to present to all Australian winners of the V.C. a gold life pass to all the theatres on the Harry Rickards’ Tivoli circuit. A list of the recipients of the V.C. is being prepared at once, and the passes will be issued at an early date.

Under an arrangement with the New Zealand Picture Supplies, Ltd., Miss Ada Reeve, the brilliant English comedy artist, is making a little country tour this week, visiting Petone, Feilding, Dannevirke and Pahiatua. Mr. Harry Jacobs (the singing conductor) and Mr. Kennedy Allen (comedian) are accompanying her.

Mr. Sydney James and his gifted “Strollers” brought to a close a brief season that will long be remembered with pleasure by all who had the opportunity of witnessing their entertainment (says the Otago “Daily Times”). The Strollers’ work has a distinct individuality and flavour all its own, and is both clean, clever and brightly artistic from start to finish. They excel in the creation of pure amusement, but there is enough serious work introduced to show that they have quite equal powers in that direction. ❖ On the return of the Royal Comic Opera Company to Melbourne they will open at Her Majesty’s in the first production in Australian of “Katinka,” the new comic opera, which has just had such an enormous success in New Zealand. * * * * The Anzac Coves, a troupe of veterans who fought in Gallipoli and the Western Front and spent their spare hours in entertaining their comrades in rest billets, recently gave a command performance at Buckingham Palace, when the King, the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and Princess Mary were present. The distinguished audience was most enthusiastic, and the King was specially delighted with the song, “The Day on Which Peace is Declared,” which ended: “Instead of saluting, we’ll shake Birdie’s hand The day on which peace is declared.” When the performance ended, the King expressed his pleasure, and the Queen said how much she admired “the ladies” of the troupe.

Madame Melba has raised £75,000 to date for patriotic purposes and entertained thousands of soldiers in American cantonments. A chapter of accidents befell the diva in the States. She broke her .wrist in Texas when a beam fell in a theatre, but continued her performance. She was in an automobile accident, escaped the effects of a locomotive explosion, and was in a runaway private car. She also saw a man killed on the spot when run over by an automobile.

The J. C. Williamson pantomime this year will be based on the story of Dick Whittington. The cast is an attractive one, and will include Messrs. Arthur Stigant, William Fullbrook, Harry Roxbury, Ernest Langford, Villiers Arnold, Sydney Yates, Billy Le Brun, Claude Bantock, Howard Vernon, and Misses Vera Pearce, Constance Cayley, Pauline Bindley, Maggie Dickenson, Maude Amery, Pearl Ladd, Ethel Walker, Dorothy Firmin.

A production of unusual interest at Melbourne Theatre Royal, following the season of Miss Kathlene MacDonell, will be that of the successful London military comedy, “General Post.” Mr. Graham Browne will play the leading maile character, and with him will be Miss Nellie Stewart. The cast will also include Miss Lizette Parkes and Mr. Arthur Styan, with several other prominent artists. “General Post” is full of whimsical humor. * ❖ Mdlle. Antonia Dolores, the celebrated French vocalist, has just finished her first professional engagement since the fateful August, of 1914, when she gave four concerts in Sydney. After a comprehensive tour of the principal towns of New South Wales she will come to New Zealand under the direction of Mr. Duncan Neven.

Writing to a Sydney friend .from Holmwood, Putney Hill, Mrs.;-..J. R. Wood (Essie Jenyns) makes some reference to the effect of the ? war upon the theatres. “The shows' on now,” she writes, “are chiefly light and fluffy ones, needing little scenery and few people. Oscar Asche is the only man doing spectacular business, and he is thriving so well on his Chinese mixture that I doubt., if it will come off this year. I have'had a letter from Graham Moffat, who is in America, telling me that he lifts a new play he badly wants to. do, but is waiting until his return here. The fair Ellen Terry has been playing at the Coliseum in the trial scene; I really must try and see her, if only to revive pleasant memories of the farewell matinee given in her honour in Sydney just before the war, when the late George Titheradge was the Shylock in a fine cast, in which I assisted as Jessica, with Walter Bentley as Antonio. However, the-atre-going when the raids are in opposition is not pleasant.”