STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAGE JOTTINGS.

Following the close of the grand opera season popular revue will return to St. James' Theatre on Monday evening in the form, of the Stiflfy and Ho Eevue Company and the .Charleston Symphonie Sis Jazz Band. .""■' '

Mr. Anthony Prinsep's company will produce ' Somerset Maugham's comedy "Our Betters" on Monday evening at His Majesty's Theatre. It was in this piece • that Miss Margaret Bannerman appeared for over two consecutive years in London. "Sexes and Sevens," by Arthur Wimperis, from ths French of Alfred Savoir, will be produced on Thursday. On Monday week "Diplomacy," adapted from' Victorien Sardou s "Dora," will be^present'ed.

\ho nest. J. C.> Williamson attraction at His Majesty's Theatre, after Miss Margaret Bannerman, the Celebrity Vaudeville Company,' which' will open on, October 24,' and will continue , until November -1/ This will be followed onSaturday, November 3, by the musical comedy "The Girl.Friend,", with Miss Annie Croft in the lead. ..The company will ; also'/produce, :/tHit;the" ■ Deck," another-, musical comedy. .■ ■; • '/ >•; v '

Mr. Dion Boucicault'was born'in.New YorfcV oh.May 23, 1859,. and was'-' educated at Esher, Cuddington, and in Paris: His .father, also Dion Boucicault, was both a dramatist ' and an actor. Mr. Boucicault made his' first appearance on the ' stage at Booth's Theatre/New York, forty-nine years ago this coming Thursday, October 11, 1879, as the Dauphin in "Louis VI." His first appearance on the London stage was at the Gaiety Theatre in' November, 1880, when he took the role of Andy in "Andy Blake." He subsequently appeared in "To Parents and Guardians;" "My Little Girl," "The Manager," "Comrades," "Devotior". and other plays, and toured with Mr. Charles Hawtrey i" "Stageland" and "Vice Versa." At Cambridge in November, 1883, he appeared as Harry Marslahd in the original cast of "The Private Secretary," and in December of the same year as Archie Hamilton in'"A Scrap of Paper." . He returned to America and, after, appearing' in ■ New. York in. "Tho Omadhaun" : '. and ■ other plays by .his -father, he, and his .father in, 1535 sailed r f or Australia..; At ..the conclusion of their tour they decided to remain in Australia; and Mr. Boucicault entered into ' partnership with the late Mr. Robert Brough in October, 1886. They took the Bijou Theatre,' Melbourne, where !.'they produced all the principal siiccesses of. Pinero, H. A. Jones, and

other leading dramatists of the day.. The partnership was terminated in IS9G when Mr: Boucicault-returned to London. He entered, upon the management of *the New Theatre, London, in December, ,1015, and in February, 1921, in conjunct tion with Mr. A. B. Liinpus. assumed the management of the Duke of York's Theatre. Later in the same year he. had the management of the Globp Theatre. In 1023-24 ho toured Soμth Africa', Australia'and New Zealand, appearing in "His House in.Order," "Mr. Pirn Passes By," "Mis' Nell o' New Orleans," "Belinda," "The Second. Mrs. Tanqueray," "Aren't We All?" "The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmtth," and "The Truth About Blayds." From to 1915 Mr. Boucicault was engaged as producer for the late Mr. Charles Frohinan. He is also the author of two adapted plays, "My Little Girl," p.n'd "Devotion." When Mr. Boucicault announced his intention of revisiting Australia. and New Zealand keen disappointment was felt in lingland. Mr- Boucicault, together with his wife, Miss Irene_ Vanbrugh, is expected to visit', the Dominion before the end of the year. •

To-night sees the close of the FullerGonsalez Italian' Grand Opera Company's season at St; James' Theatre. During the four weeks past thirteen of the si& teen operas in tho company's repertoire have been produced. The operas which were not produced in Auckland were:- — "La Forza del-. Destino" ' (Verdi), "Fra Diavolo" (Aubor), and -"La Gioconda" (Ponchielli). There were three productions of "II Trovatore," "Rigoletto," ."IJn Ballo in Maschera" (Verdi), "Faust" (Gounod), "Norma" (Bellini)',' "The Barber of Seville? (Rossini), aiid "Carmen" (Bizet); two of "La Traviata". (Verdi), "Lucia .di ' Lammermoor" (Donizetti), "Mignon" (Thomas), and "Lohengrin" (Wagner); and one performance each of "Ernani" - (Verdi) and "La Favqrita" (Donizetti). The only opera of which there were three evening performances was "Un Ballo in Maschera." The season has been so successful that the Fuller management may be expected to try the venture a second time. ,

An actor with an interesting -family history is Mr. Sana Wren, who is appear? ing in ''The-"Patsy " ■ in Australia. Although ho, was bom in. New York; his , parents were English, Ms father being a.direct descendant of Sir Christopher Wren, the famous architect. Mr.v Wren's family has' been connected -with tie stage for' seven generations. A Miss Ella Wren was in-Laura Keene's "Our American Cousin" on the night when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Miss Blanche Bates, the American star, is Sir.. Wren's cousin. Sir. Wren understands.that her father-ait one time man-* aged : several theatres in Australia, and that' he was murdered and robbed .over thirty years ago. Another cofasip -is Nydie Westman, who was. featured in .the ' John. Golden' production of " liightnin'." The late Eugene Blair, was 'a, cousin,, and Henry C. Mirier, American itheatre-:owner, and organiser, of the Actors'.: Fund, was an uncle. :J-Mr:. Sam \Vren made his first.•stoge./appearance at -"tte.'age of five,. as . in '? Madame .' '•"'■' " ''

The prize this week goes to Master Gordon Hamilton, Bos 40, Pukekohe, for: ' •-..•■ • NO. MONEY TO PAY. A Maori recently ruslied into a hotel, and said to the barman: "Quick, give me a drink, there's going to be lot of trouble." The barman hurriedly handed him the drink and inquired what the trouble was going to,, be. . "Oh," said tie' Maori, "that - the trouble, me got ■no money to pay you.": .''•":'..-.-•:'■ ' v , 'FURNISHING-THE ANSWER. - -..Guest: - So yoiir daughter is getting married. 'Been engaged long? ■;■•";,'• v /Host: About four easy chairs and a •chesterfield. , •'■-..,-' ; '— ■' '~ . ' '. - DISTURBING THE'PEACE. House Agent: You say you have no .children, animals, motorbike, wireless or gramophone. You seem to be just the sort of tenant the landlord insists on.. ■Flat Hunter: I don't want to hide anything from you; You'd better tell the landlord that my. husband's fountain pen ■ sometimes squeaks a little. , ■ . CONSIDERATE-. '''•''} A passer-by, on seeing a dreamy-look-ing individual gathering i oadstools, presumably under tho : impression they were mushrooms remarked: I say, I s'pose you know these things are poisonous? • • The reply:'- Oh,' that's all right. They're not for myself. I sell them to the hotel. . ' ...„"•■'. . .*" ".' HER BIRTHDAY PRESENT, ' A street singer was charged with failing to support his wife. Magistrate: She says you never" give her anything! ' ~y. Street Singer: Wlio don't?, Why ,011 her last birthday, I gave her three of my '.best roads as a present. ■ HARD ON THE VICAR. ' ;, The vicar was having a shave; and the barber, who had been drinking, cut him rather badly. "It's the cursed .drink, I suppose?" exclaimed the vicar, sharply. "Yes, sir," replied the barber, "it does make the skin very tender!" ':■■■■'■ , . ' THE TIP. ~', , .; • Higgins:,. Hullo, Matthews, old chap, I hear you backed Perfect ITool at the races the'other day and made a smallfortune.' ■ - • ■'■-' •j" Matthews: Yes, I didn't do badly., ■ "How! did you. spot the winner?".; = "Oh, they were the last words my wife said to me as I left the.house." ■ ' !• ' •■;'»;■ I SHE WANTED A PAIR. .' {IThe lecturer liaSbeen giving a, graphic description-,'of/an accident he .had. witnessed; and concluded by saying: '"Oh, my friends, there are some spectacles that one; never forgets." "Ahem," spoke up an old lady in the audience, "I'd.like to know .where sells 'em; I'm always forgetting mine." '■/■: WHAT SHE THOUGHT, ".γ-i Pat arrived home from his-work with his chest almost bursting the buttons off his clothes. . "Biddy!" he exclaimed, "Oi've get promoted.' An' now oi've a number of men under me!" ' • •■■'■,'. . "H'm!" muttered his wife, dubiously."Oi expect ye are wurrkin' on' the scaffold now." . • WORTH THE MONEY. \. . As tlio old lady strolled through' the park, two urchins confronted her."I say,'lady," said the- taller of tlie two, "my brother does fine imitations. Give 'im a penny, and he'll imitate a hen." , ■ ' ' "Dear, dear!" exclaimed the old lady. "And what will he do—will he cackle?" • "No," replied the. lad, .with a look of contempt, "nothing cheap 6*. that sort. .'E'll. eat a worm." '-.-■, . . • THE- VERY IDEA.

The fancy dress carnival was in full swing. Suddenly, however, there was some confusion regarding the character one of the guests represented., He was attired in a .Roman toga, with appropriate etceteras. : "Pardon me," ventured.an inquisitive person, "you're-Titus Andronicus, areii't you?" ' J ' ' / ;. "What!" roared the. Roman indignantly. "The very idea! Why/man alive, I haven't even discovered where the bar is yet!" '•■ ■ '■ j,

PROSPECTS POOR. "Making much progress in your new job?" • . "Not much, clear. The only compliment I've got out of the bos* «? farhas been about my work."- ■ ■

Ho: I tell you, darling, ay lore for you is driving me mad. !.-.,■ She: Well, keep quiefc about' it," it's having the same, effect on dud. rJ_

"It's fine to see the sunset'tipping the distant hills with gold." "'■ ■'',;. • Porter: Ay, sir, an' before the war ii---;-often used to be as lucky as them 'ills." : -U : Mother (in train): Sit still, I'll smack you. . • ■■' , :.'■;--:;. .'. r - Tommy (brightly): You smack me, and .'■©•-: I'll tell the guard my real age, then qou'll- <?S\ have to pay-double fare." . • -.• ';:*?.;■, He had become engaged, and was call- "' - ing on her the next day. ."■■•£-,?£ • "So glad to see you, Bessie," he said, 'yjr '1 met your-brother just now, and he. said I'd find you out." - ■ . ■ .-'.;.: ] "Oh, what about?" she asked, eagerly. .i'"' : : r Mother (to daughter aged nineteen) :.V:Sv.''. : And did you walk all the way. from the ~Hf. • village to hero alone? . . • ■• .;• !- Daughter: Yes, mother, every etep. ' .r,"-' Little- Brother: Then is it you. f ;' went, out with an umbrella and have/-v- ; come home with a stick? .■■..' '. ''_/':■■ ■ A country grocer was ftsuing taetruc- '•;..' tions to his new assistant. "' T'K • 'It's only by looking closely after -" * trifles,"'he said, "that a profit can..'be-i : "'V ' made in these days of competition," . .£-;'.' 'TTes, sir," said the boy. , . - \-C':'-' } .'Tor example," continued the grocer, -^I' , "when you pick flies out of the sugar.--'; >v don't throw them away. Dust the."-:-;.-'.- ,'. sugar off their feet 'em among : ■ : the currants." '. ■■ . '':■'" ''-r'-.W.

'* . Meow!. ' . ~'.'".••.;■.■*> - Gladys: "And I asks him 'Where have, you been all my"life?'" .'•'.; Madge: "Probably for most of the time he -wasn't even born." [.■:■._ *.. |- " .j ■ - ~ —"life"- (New Toil:)'. -../ , '.■■'■'•""•''■. New Definition; ■"'■ ■' '-~- : ?'■>''?% > 'A bargain sale 'is •an .arrangement - . A'-, : •whereby a -woman can. ruin ouc dress ';.-• and buy another.. ■ ■ ■ .'. ■ ■ ■■-<■■■■■ Hope Springs Eternal. ;\:' i '-' And when aro you thinking of getting-.' .'■" married? ' •■ • v ■ •'-■'■ Always, niy dear... •■.■■■-. ..:..;.'::>:..'' Lost. •'; ; ; -.-':";-■■,'■ He: My wife left me without any. c:; . reason. ... ■ ' "' i - She: Indeed. I felt sure somebody had lc»i\ left you without it. '■. ■-')''''< Where It Went. '■•'\V"f ■ Aunt (to growing niece): Wheib is .■■".■;'■ the iiice blue dress I gave you for. Christ--- ' jo • mas? K--':'"'.: ?'.', Niece: Oh, it is.too short for liio, so', , ;■■ mother is wearing it. ■ .' ~■ 'v. : ' ' ' :— • ■ ' ■ '.•!.■ '-^■•■•^•'i Paying The Penalty. . '.■',■?':■. You remember Fanny—the.... oldfasliioned girl of our old hoine.town? • .;•.«.' 'Yes;'dear, sweet Fanny. Where is Ehe"| now? . ■ ■ ■' . ; :vT Still there. • , . ' . - ; ' •. .- Making Himself Heara. , --.i , " Why does your neighbour speak so ;*-• loudly?' v'V: Oh, lie is talking to Mmself, and he is. ,',,- almost deaf. , • •■ -?£': . . Successful: Failures. ■ ! "'*V '■~ Boss: So you want me to hire you as' '-'igeneral eiEcieney man and business ■..':' advisor. I' suppose you Lave, references from your former employers? ■ ' - . ■'.■■ri ' Applicant: I am sorry, sir, bnt tie .■;.■'. last three firms I worked for are no : ■-. %<■ , longer in business. •.-'•■ , :