THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3167, 18 August 1917, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)'

J. and N. Tait's Pantomime. The whole time the "Very Good Eddie" Company has been in Wellington, Mr. Barry Impino has beon hard at work filing up the "book" of "Aladdin," the pantomime 3. and N. Tait are to Bta"-e elaborately in the King's Theatre, Melbourne, at Christmas time. Though a young man, no comedian we have hadin New Zealand hae Had so much pantomime experience as Mr. Lupino-it is bred in his bones, so to speak, for Lupino's for generations back have been associated with Drury Lane pantomimes. Indeed, it is on record that the originals Oi all the leading comedy parts in pantomimes were all played by Lupihos or their relatives, and it would bo considered quite odd.if the name were omitted from the Christmas bill at Drury Lane. It figured there last year as usual. Mr Lupino says he is going to give the public an entirely new "Aladdin," and the firm is to present it on a very sumptuous scalfc. As to the cast—sh—! Only two names are <o far available for publication. Mr. Lupino' will play Abanazar (the magician)', and Mr. Bert Baillie. tho dame, (Aladdin's mother). Without knowing anything, one would fancv that Miss Fayette Perry would make "a delightful principal girl, and Mies Vera Pearce ie designed for "hoy" parts iu pantomime, but this is only idle speculation. After tho pantomime season more musical comedy is promised.

Coming. Singers. Madame Evelyn Scotney and Mr. How. ard .White were heard in concert at 'lie Auditorium, both on 'Thursday and en Saturday of last week (says the "Australasiaii" of August 11). " The music sung by tho two gifted singers was in nearly every instance of admirable quality. Many.of the items were quite new to music-lovers here, and the insight the latter thus got into the class of song nowadays being turned out by .'omposors who aim higher than the creation of what is popularly known as the royalty ballad, was therefore valuable. Ihe singers treated everything nt lx>th coiiceHs with excellent effect. These notably fino concert artists, who havo never been heard here, ore shortly to tour New' Zealand under the auspices of Messrs. J., and N. Tait. Ada Reeve's Advent. It will be joyous news to all ivho are acquainted, with-the-delightful art of Miss Ada foovo and.know her status on the stage to learn that, her lour rf New Zealand is to be initiated in Wellington on September 1. The season will ''lastnearly a fortnight, and it is understood that not only will .she, appear in her monologue acts, but will also bo seen in a dramatic rolo in a J. M. Barrie playlet. Tho other dates aro:—Dunedin, September 17 to 20; Cliristchu.rch, September 24 to October 3; Auckland, October ■la to 25. With Miss Reeve will come a comploto vaudeville, and comedy company. The membsrs. include Louis Nikola, an English magician; "ilarry Jacobs, the singing ccmedian: Uaymond Wilbert, lioop spinner; Kennedy Allen, burlcsue comedian; Lucio Linde.'a captivating dancer; Prank Markloy, the banjo king: and the English Comedy Company.

An Evening With Barrie. Some of tho American newspapers simply bubble over with enthusiastic notices of "Aji Evening "With J. M. Bar- ™." recently staged there. It included "Tho New World," "The Old Lady Shows Her Medals,':, and "''Old Friends." The first is almost; a duologue- between a father and son, who have always "boon diffident and ill at cnse'in one another's company, but wh,o become companionablo and loving when the lad returns in the uniform of a lieutenant. "Old Friends" is the story of a dipsomanjao who remorsefully discovers on /the night of his that ehe has inherited tho fatal passion from him.. Barrie's masterpiece , , is, however, tho story of JJrs. Dowie, a widowed Scottish. . charwoman in London, who is weary.' of tho of women with husbands and sons at tho war. and who adopts, by letter, Private Kenneth Dowey, of ithe Black "Watch. Sho writes letters from him to herself, and sends him cakes and comforters as Lady Dolly. ..When ho returns to Blighty she fears exposure, but he is induced to accept the position of an adopted son, and / tho old lady goes around showing his medals.

Notes. ' Hiss Margaret Sutcliffo i? the leading lady of the new Bailey-Grant Shakespearean Company which is to open in Melbourne next Saturday in "Much Ado About Nothing." Mr. J. E. Mack, the noted American comedian, has arrived in Sydney under engagement to tho Tivoli Company. Miss Billy Seaton, another, lively artist from across the Pacific, hits been, cheering up Tivoli audiences since Hiss Ada Ixceve left on tour. "Baby 'Mine" is to be produced in Sydney for the first time on August 25 by the company headed by Mr. Robert Greig and Miss Beatrice Holloway. K is not generally known that tho original Bettina in "La Mascotte" in Australia (to be played by tho Wellington amateurs next month) was Mies Maggie Moore, who was seen hero so recently in "Daddy Long Legs," and in the originaL cast Miss Nellie Sfewart figured as tlio Princess Fiamotta. . The war play "Out There" concludes in a most unusual way by the leading actress making a patriotic rocruitffig speech at the foot of the Nelson monument in Trafalgar Square (London). As the play all through is rough on the slacker, it will be a tough task for the Taits to make it a financial success in Australia. Mr. Dion Titheradge, tie gifted young actor, was playing in a sketch entitled "Peg for Short" in vaudeville in New York in May. - He had then declared his intention of leaving for England in order to enlist. Lucien Muratori, the first tenor of the Chicago Opera Company, and Lina Cavali'fc'rt, Ws wife, wore both stricken simultaneously with appendicitis. The tenor became ill first, and went to a sanatorium, whence his wife went also to look atfer him. She was attacked on arrival mere severely than he. The duet .habit was confirmed, even in sickness.