Plays and Pictures.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 77, 30 August 1912, Page 6

Plays and Pictures.

"SINBAD" TOUR

THE COMING OF "KISMET."

TINY TOWN.

BRIEFLETS Of ATTRACTIVENESS,

"Sinbad the Sailor" opens in Auckland to-morrow night. August 31, for a fortnight's season, after V-hicb the one and two-night "stands" of Gisborno, Napier; Dannevirke, Masterton, Wanganui, Now Plymouth, Stratford, El-t-hiiiii and Palmerston North will he treated to a visit- from the panto. The South Island tour will be inaugurated with a fortnight's stay in Christchurch. followed by seasons in Timaru, Dunedin arid Invercargill, the Dominion tour winding up in the last-named town on November 2.

Oscar Asche has received a cabled offer from a big Now York management asking him to return to London via America. The idea submitted was that the management "rouv" the star across America-, playing sjl the big cities ripht into New York, finishing there with a sea-fir*,

It will be learned with no little regret that Mr. Bert Roylc, representative in Now Zealand for J. C, Williamson, Ltd., has been advised definitely that "The Blue Bird," exquisite fantasy, will not be seen in New Zealand. The play has proved of too fine a texture for the Australian public, and has Been the reverse of a financial success —in Melbourne a- great failure from a box-office viewpoint — and that is presumably the reason why the. Dominion tour has been abandoned, though it will be remembered that the play nearest akin to "The Blue Bird" —

"Peter Pan"—was also a failure in Australia, yet it was a remarkable success in New Zaeland. Writing from Melbourne to a friend in Wellington,. Harry Plimmcr said of "The Blue Bird": "it is an exquisitely beautiful show, with a wonderful appeal to our inner natures, yet it has failed here. Tlie public is an ass—sometimes."

Reported that the Dominion tour of the Mme. de Cisneros Concert Com» pany has been definitely abandoned. A pity, if true.

Oscar Asche's tour of the Dominion will oDci) at- Auckland on September 23 with "Kismet," The Shakespearian plays to be produced are "The Taming'of the Shrew," "Othello," "Merchant of Venice," and possibly "The Merry Wives of WindsoT." While in New Zealand the company will be rehearsing the production of "Antony and Cleopatra," which will open the return visit to Melbourne.

Said that Allen Doone, the AmericanIrish singing comedian, has in view another tour of the Dominion on comtion of his Australian date?.

Oscar Asche sums it up this way:— Our greatest Shakesperian success artistically is "Othello." Our most popular success, "Taming of the Shrew." By "our" the actor means himself and Miss Lily Brayton (Mrs. Asche).

A Vocal Cow.—This advertisement comes from the country:—"Wanted, a steady, respectable young man to look after a garden and milk a cow who has a good voice and is accustomed to sing in the choir."

At two Sydney theatres actors and their wives as starring—Oscar Asche and Lily Brayton in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" ,at the Royal, and Fred Niblo and Josephine Cohan in "GeWEtfch-Quick Wallingford" at the Criterion.

The New Zealand friends and admirers of Harry Diver will be pleased to learn that the complimentary matinee recently tendered him at the Adelphi Theatre, Sydney, resulted in the promotors being able to hand over to him the very substantial sum of £360. That was quite some benefit, as the Americans say.

According to Albert Chevalier, the celebrated coster impersonator, of London, "Marie Lloyd is a great genius. She is an artist from the crown of her head to the sole of her foot. I say deliberately that no woman alive can 'read 'a song like Marie Lloyd—can get so much out of the lines. It is an education to hear her."

The quaint little village of Tiny Town is now a feature of the Dominion landscape though it has no permanent location on the map. Regarding the town and the delightful dwarfs who constitute its inhabitants, the Sydney "Newsletter" thus expressed itself: "No doubt Tiny Town is about the most remarkable show ever 6een in Australia; and, just as it is th© most remarkable, it is the most pleasant and picturesque. People who imagine this Lilliputian show, must be ropellant and unpleasant will find it the prettiest and most interesting sight that can be imagined. The 6'how proved of great human interest to all men, women and children competing for the sights of the arena and of Tiny Town. "What heightened the interest was the revelation of perfect models of dear little ladies— each with a kind and beautiful face, each with a perfect artistic physique absolutely fascinating; and to this may bo added a gesture and stage deportment that nothing but a high-class education could have produced. And here on this point of education the Lilliputians, both ladies and gentlemen, converse in several languages, one lady speaking eight—all in sweet and perfect though, child-like tones. Without knowing it; Tiny Town gives young and old Australia very good lessons in courtesy and deportment." I

The public are sheep-like; but even sheep have a native ability for discerning clean pastures.—C. Reginald Enoch.