THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 134, 23 February 1918, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.).

[ Royal Comics Hero at Easter. The Royal Comic Opera Company * is to be reorganised i'or a special tour of New Zealand. Tlio principals will include Florence. Young, .Reginald Roberts, Gladys Moncrieff, Phil Smith, and others. The repertoire will include "Mr. Manhattan," "The Ilcd Widow," and "Oh, Oh, Delphine." The lastnamed will be given, its first Australasian production, and Mr. George Highland is being specially brought from America to prodnco it. New Zealand will, therefore, have the distinction of a real first-night production of this notable musical play* - which has been enormously successful in England, America, and on' the Continent. The tour will open at Easter in Wellington, according to present arrangements. A Gifted Actress. A very likeable and, to itiv mild, extremely clever actress is lost to the Australian stage in the death of Miss Florrie, Gleeson. She was an actress who took a keen delight in her work, and had the faculty of merging !>ersclf into the character-and away from herself in quite a niarked degree'. Miss' Gleeson had the brains to measure up the poise.and weight of n character, and the ability to get very near to it. I remember her away back when as a youngster she played Stephanus to the Marcus of Harry Pliinmer in Australia. In after years she made quite n, little hit as the litdian girl. Nat-u-Rirli, in "The Souaw Man" : was excellent as Bessie Broke in "The Light That Failed" with the late Cuyler Hastings;' and her German spv study In the boardinghouse group in "The Wan Wlm Stayed at Home"—a little callow-skinned. nasty. sour-faced,

watchful, iiionly-mtiutiled creature, in whom burned- the extraordinary patriotic fanaticism which makes the Germans descend to the level of animals. and forget. that there are any nliysionl or mora! principles extant. Miss CWson's lost- apwaranre on the stage was in "Penelope" with Miss Marie Tempest in Australia. Drury Lano Pantomime. "Aladdin" was the Drury Lano pantomime last Christmas. For s'omo little tiino past (says tho "Daily Telegraph" of November 29) chorus and ballet have been rehearsing under the supervision of Signor Pratesi, and yesterday the principals assembled, for the first time in the saloon at Old Drury. I Here, then, were to bo seen Robert Halo as Abanazar, Madge Titheradge as Aladdin, Stanley Lupino as the Widow Twankey, Harry Claff as the Emperor of China, .and,!a.newcomer to pantomime, Caleb Porter as one of the Slaves of the Lamp, together with Will Evans,, who represents, the Slave of the Ring. A recent addition to the cast is Miss Fairy Bindley, to-whom has been allotted the role of Princess Badroulbadour. Notes. The big J. C. Williamson pantomime, "Dick .Whittingtun," will be .staged in Adelaide, following tho Mel-, bourne season, Her.Majesty's, Sydney, not being available owing to the phenomenal success of "The Bing Boys Are Here."

Encouraged by the success of the "H.M.S. Pinafore" season, the Apia (Samoa) Operatic Society has decided to stage "The Pirates of Penzance." Sydney James's "Strollers," who are to visit New Zealand shortly, have been scoring lately in potted pantomimes in the Playhouse, Sydney. Mr. James is said to have been all laughter as tho Widow Twankey in "Aladdin."

The new. revile, "Samples," at the Sydney- Tivoli, has- caught the public fancy. The .chief- mumniers are- Phil Smith,, Celia Ghiloni,. Ethel Vaughan, Frank' Green, Marie Eaton, Jean Keith and Elsie Parkes. Tho latter, a sister of Lizette Parkes, is said to have, developed into ono of tho i most shapely and beautiful dancers on the Australian stage. Tho Cretonne set in "Samples" is said to be one of the prettiest and most ingenious scenes : put on the Sydney stage for a loiir: time. "The Bing Boys" is still drawing the bigirest crowds in Sydney. Mr. Ilobert Greig, ono of our bestknown actors, has been appointed all associate director of ITorry Rickards's Tivoli Theatres, Ltd. The genial artist, takes control of the. many stages* and productions on. tho Tivoli circuit, took up his new duties on Monday in Sydney. Mr-' Greig has done excellent work on the stage, under the management of J. C. Wiliiamsbn, Ltd., with whom lie lias been- associated for many years. Recently lie furthered his experience" as a producer by producing in this country a string of the comedies Fred Niblo made popular in Australia. .These included "Broadway Jones" ond "Seven ~ey?.to Baldpate."

. Tlie idea that telegraph messengers (as we find them to-day'are peculiar to ! their generation is refuted in a. story j Mr. Bert J.-Fuller tells. In. the Fullers' -struggling' dajs, Ben'-was .running | a waxworks .show in. New 'Zealand._ A j, small boy happened along one morning with a telegram, and Ben asked him if lie would like to see the waxworks. The youngster spent half an hour or so gaping at the figures and tableaux. Then Ben bethought himself of a wire he wanted to send. Ho wrote it out, and asked the boy if he would-'lodge it straight away. "Can't,", said the messenger. "I've got an Urgent to deliver." ' , '. Vera Pearce's mail toe other day ineluded a letter from an ambitious young lady who aspired to go on the stage. This is what "she wrote:— "Motlior savs that I am no good at housework ; I certainly liate it. l ean t stand the domestic side of life. I® Bl ™ to go on the stage.- I don t think I would be good at anything else. , Besides, the ■ life appeals to me, with its gayness and brightness. Then again one only has to work at nights, and you have all the day to yourself. This 'is what appeals to me, for it islan.easy way to make a living. I read in the papers that you commenced your-stage career as a rabbit. Would I ,iave to commence as a rabbjt ajso. M'ss Pearce said in relating the incident that she felt. inclined to advise the young woman to commence as a donkey, but charitably forbore, and did not reply to tlie letter.