STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 77

STAGE GOSSIP.

-The only revolving stage in London is 'that > i&^e^^comedi«, i. to Ne wZeai a nd under - Company is doing eoooV business in Perth. - •. Miss Celift' Ghiloni will, it is stated, leave for England next July. , -- ' --Irene Franklin and husband (Burt- Green) -Seive- New for London in June. - , Hugh Ward - and • his- wife, . Ghrace Miller IvVaia^ lea-ve Austxali* on- March 16 for Ame*'l The Priness Theatre, Melbourne-was closed! -flown on Saturday last owing to theexcessive - J. E. Wood, (Miss Essie Jenyns) after fc,.tour in Japa-n, is^settled for the present in 'England. - ' — , ■««■ The -death is 'announcea-ia London of ,-M.r Howard .Baker, who was on© of the original Moh«wk--Minßtrels. i - r" . '— ,' . n O - Reported that Mr Walter Baker will be leading- man in Messrs Musgroye and Wren s Pxaznft-tic- Company, ". - . ' ' Messrs,- Meyhell and G-uipn have organised * company to play "The Little. Breadwinner' ,trith -Beattic* Holloway in, the leading part. " Miss. Annie -Laurie, a well-known Home vocalist and dancer,' wa* married, on Nov«mJberi.l3/sto Mr Carslake, ,the Auatealiaa jockey. - r v ~" ' -Mme. sLavalliere', a Pariaiftnr actress, h»s.%*d, a" small airship built- to bring. her to Eondon so' as to escape the horrors of seaeickness." \- - - : - Those- clever comedy acrobats,- Price ana Berost.iar-e the chief s^traotion at Adelaide ffiivoli -Theatre with" Sayers ana Creiner's /Company. - , - Mr J. C. Williamson has engaged Madame "Ada Crossley to. tour with -a con'oert party & Australia} Tasmania, an^ New Zealand- in -6eptember. '^ ' \ - -Lady Brampton, who died the other day, - jaedi-81. •was Imown on the stage as Jane Keynolde, .when fiihe married Justice HawkiM, indßß6. -•-• - " ' ■ '." \<, - -Mr" Edward I*uri was engaged for the fantoindmei.' r Sinbad^the Sailor," .which -was > be produced at the Hammersmith Theatre a. Boxing Day.'- -' - '.- vv M*nd HLldyoid (supported- by Meynell and "<Gunn » Iwwttafio Oamosmj) is~ still going <fctrongly at Adelaide- Theatre. Royal, and is tolftyißg to splendid houses. ~ - ' , including the -people engaged in the* front fcf the houae, and those on' the at>ge, Dxury

Lane, -London, E-as no fewer than 1100 people on its salary, list " this- season.. Miss Margaret Parker, under engagement to Mr Harry. Rickarde, is to be benefited by fellow-vaudeyillists at the Snrxey Theatre before she leave's for Australia. The New Zealand dates for Clara Butts concerts" arei Wellington, 20th and 24th; Christchurch, January 80 to February 3; and Dunedin, February 6 and 7. Mr J. W.~" Wintbn, the ventriloquist, for "Jong in Australia -with. Rickards, is on the Klaw and JEslanger circuit, in the Unated States.' Hens booked for two years. One of Berlin's most popular, and certainly one of the -cleverest, comedians, Herr George Engels,- has passed aw,ay, after a very brief illness, at -the age of 61. -For singing three songs at a Sunday night meeting of the -Manhattan Millionaires Clubs, New York, Harry Lander, the Scottish comique, received a cheque for £200. _ Irene Franklin, who was so successful in Australia' under the Rickard banner, is now doing musical sketohea - with a comedian partner on the American variety stage. "The -Merry Widow" still remains the one elittering success of the year in London, and is booked six months ahead Mr Williamson has secured the Australian . rights of this The licensing of stage plays first became ll'aw in 1737. The act of 1843 is the one und«r which the Lord Chamberlain's department now exercises its -.authority in play matters. - "-,,.-, '.- i Mr Van Biene, the 'cellist-actor, who produced "The: Broken* Melody", in New -Zealand two years "ago. is -appearing- as David Garrick,. in the comedy of that name, in -the English provinces. _ ' *"""'- - Mr George Musgrove has departed tor JL»on•don.. It, M^ stateeC that the> object of his visit is to arrange 'for attractions which are to be'- brought out under the .auspices -ofJohn Wren and. MusgTOve. . , .Mr»^Brown-Potter v is apparently, going to make -^ more money. Tin. vaudevile .than she ever did. on". salary in theTllegitimate. She has %.been/engaged -for. an Amenoan season at £600 per, week, for 10 weeks.Miss "Oissie. Neil 1 , "who -appeared with Mr George Muegrove's "Thirty. Thieves" Operatic Company- a few jeftiß back, died recently" in London. Miss Neil was "Mrs Edward Lauri, wife- "of -> the well-known comedian. Mr' Frank .-Weathersby, formerly " business manager ' for, Mr^ Johnny Sheridan's "Fun on the .Bristol" Company, has been ..struck down ' ■witbt .pleuro-pneumonia- in London, where he had '.'estabUshedc- a -theatrical agency. Frank' -Thornton- is- one of. the- most nervous of actors, • though you> mightn't think it Jrora. the: front.- So is John F. Sheridan, who soothes " himself during his waits by the j exhilarating- motion of a rocking-chair! Lady- Halle,' who has had "a professional , career of nearly 60 years, intends to abandon concert" work of the more exacting kind. Her final appearance to ' the public is still; however, an event "of the. indefinite future. Harry Rickards , has- a " pretty sumnasr "residence" near" Margate, -the English, watering-place, where during his. forthcoming., visit he -will -spend' most oi _th© time not devotedhto capturing artists 1 for Australia. Foe "The Tea- Girl," -the : -new musical comedy to" be- produced "in Auckland "by the society established -Jo - exploit the .work, of Australasians, an . effort is to . be -. made- to -secure' "lso- chorus ■ singers ' and.^*? .-ballet or 50* ;•'-'", , ~sj j ~.*~--i -*-•"'■ ' c ---"The--Girr Behind -the Counter"* is the . biggest musical- play -success of •■bhe present "New Ybrkseasonr : Messrs^ Meynell and' Gunn "will. produce : this" ,piece during , their musical '■eomiedy season" in 'Australia. - and New Zealand. -•-. - 1 "*. •~ - _ _~ Miss Maggie Moore has been touring the United States -with ,a, son of the famous, actor, Joseph Jefferson. I.t is- said that i .Miss Moore and Mr Harry Roberts will shortly revisit Australia with a -•number of new P The name of Mr George Castles— brother of Amy. and Dolly — is mentioned amongst new engagements by .Mr Wiliiamson, for the Comic" Opera Company. 'He has been,, studying in Paris, under his* sister's tutor, M. Mr y Alfred Hill, under whose -baton Dunedin amateurs recently staged the* Hill-Birch, opera,' "A Moorish Maid," is in Wellington. It is his -intention "to- nettle in Wellington and form! an orchestra for the performance of good music. . .' - . , . "The greatest sensation ever created in vaudeville in San Francisco" is the statement made about Miss Nance O^Neil's performance at the -Orpheum Theatre. One of her best studj.es '' is the sleep-walking scene from "Macbeth." „..,■ -, "Her Love Against the World" has proved as ' great a - success iat the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, as its predecessor, "The Midnight Wedding." Miss Madge M'lntosh has more than confirmed the good opinion of her performance in the latter play. " Signor Caruso took with him to New York an Italian' tailor, who will make all the clothes the tenor wears during , hia stay in America. - The tailor is installed in "a room adjoining . Signor - Caruso's hotel suite, and j has- started' work on 12 siiits of /lothes. Miss Stella Chapman, erstwhile of George Rignolds and bfiier companies, left Australia recently by the^ Runic for England. It is Miss Chapmans intention, on arrival in London, -to enter the! dramatic, school, of Mr Beerbbhm Tree, the eminent English actorr i The famous AdelpTii drama, "The Harbour Lights," has been revised and rewritten by ■ Mr G? n:z Sims. So Also has "The English ; Rose." The latter play was revived at Home i on" Boxings Night, and on- January 27 '-'The Harbour' Lights" will again -see the boards. " « Mr , J. -C. . Williamson .made -o. -handsome offer to Mr. John' .Drew, .tour Australia -with his company, their chief attraction being the new play "My Wife." Drew's contracts with Charles Frohman, the American manager, would not permit him to accept. - "" -~^_^ The rise of the incomparable* Cameo is full of romance. The son of. a .mechanic, he little thought when he' elected to become a singer that he would one day demand a fee of £40,000 for 50 concerts. His first earnings amounted to lOd a week as a member of - a choir. - — Many people (says Sydney Referee) are under^ the impression" that G. S. Titheradg« is an Australian. Though w« would be prowl to claim him' as such, the fact remains that he was born, at, Portsmouth on December 9, 1848. He made his first appearance -theie in 1866. Madame Blanche, Arral has. determined to extend her season in Australia. It is not generally known that the brilliant French soprano possesses' gifts as ,a pianiste .of a very (high order, and if she had not -gone m for singing would- have made he*-- mark , in th&t" capacity. • In the hope of inducing ladies to reduce 1 the size of. their hats, the m"anager v of~ the Paris Gyma).*se haa" announced- 'that a/t ~tihe coming dress, rehearsal of "La. Belfo-Miljiar-daire," a present contained in an envelope will be presented- to the lady wearing the smallest hat or bonnet. . _ - ,- ■" A- "local -hit"' from -the -pantomime "Cinderella," at -the- Tivoli- Theatre, Sydney : —"The Baroa ajki, 'Do- you, remember when knights wete bold?' 'No,', retorts the gentle Baroness V 'but-' I: 'remember .when, Trumper was bowled, and we all felt very Hill until the Enilish^ain Cottgr odd; 1 "■

"The Scarlet Pimipernel" was produced for the first time in Australasia at the Sydney Eoyal on December 21. The cast of characters was a particularly strong one, with Mr Julius -Knight and Miss Ola Jane Humphrey in the lead, playing 'Sir Percy Blakeneyand Lady Blakeney respectively. The death is announced of Colette Dumas (Mdine. Dumas-Matza)\ the eldest daughter of Alexandre Dumas fila. A great favourite from her childhood with her illustrious father, Colette Dumas grew to be a woman of rare intelligence, and being also an amateur actress of no mean order. Mr John F. Sheridan's make up as the Baroness in "Cinderella," now being played ,in the Palace Theatre, Sydney, is described as "probably the ugliest he has -ye* achieved.' Miss Kolan'd Watts-Phillips and Mr Percy Denton are playing the Ugly Sisters to the "Cinderella." of Miss Heba.. Barlow. 'The' new operatic, star, Mdme. Tetrazzini, has signed contracts with Ml Hammerstein, of -the Manhattan (N.Y) Opera House, for 20 weeks, to appear 40 times, the engagement to last threef years. The rate' 'of payment for each performance is as follows:—^First year JE3OO, second year £400, third year £500. . During the sensational cycling act by the Three Kohrs at -the Empress, Hartlepool, -on a recent Monday, what might have been a serious accident occurred. ,The stagetasten- ■ ing of the globe gave "way "whilst the looping of the loop was bsing. done. The cyclist fell, but, -luckily, -no" serious injury -was announced, although- the perfo-nner was unable to finish -fehe- actr „ . Mies- Blanche Bates, - the talentedt Ameri- • can actress, has been^ seen in "The Girl ' of the Golden" West" somewhat more than 700 times.. Before _the> . Belasco drama- _of ,'-49 is s finally taken off,- she will' have played tiie *pait- of Minnie .Smith oftener .than, she ard». that of Yo-San in, "The Darling, of the Gods," and that in her .appearances num- - berea.more than' 1000: .- ''■',' - Maskelyne, and Coolre-for 34 years have -been appearing at' the* Egyptian . and -St George's" Halls, ' London. During this time these famous' magicians " have given °y«r 19,000 consecutive- performances, this being the longest^run in the -entertainment history._of the world. .Maskelyne and" Oooke, who"now appear under the name of Moskelyn« aaui Devant;, will open ftn Australian tour in -Sydney shortly!- before Easter. '- A stick, of dynamite- plays- an importaait part in "The Life of an- Actress," which is being staged in One "scene represents a -big sawmill in operation. IneteaoV of * log," the vill*inß-lia,ve tied a-girl to jthe truck that carriesrthe log to the s%w. Juaf I as she is about to bst.cut mh-alf-by _ the- " xapidly-r evolving ' saw, -i a v stick of ' dynoanite ! is thrown into the mill, blowing it to "pieces, and throwing ihe girl -into . the river, from ' which 'she is rescued by the hero. , _ Saya the Indian Field: v "Hftrmston's- Circua opens in 'Calcutta on the! 12th inss. - -We look forward to a- . sight of. the genial Bobx Love, in the near .future, "and expect* to hear something about the/ special tr«»ts he- has in store fox us. We^ see poor "Diavolo'MJ.. C/Carter), who .u&ed.^to loop the. loop nexe1 last year,' and "nightly shook dice with death, as the poetic' Love used^to expieSß it, has' taken "the risk "once too -often; he f ell_ out of the loop in Singapore "and was- killed. - •■ Great depression prevails -in theatrical -circles in N«w" York, .according to. .the correspondent of -the' Lokdon Tribune,' .owing- to-4he-failure of "lMSany "plays. Mr Daniel Frohm&n,: president of the Actors' Fund , Sooiety, states th*t -thousands ' of.' actors throughout ,the "Unitea' States- are unemployed; - ma-ny" being - in- dire straits. " Managexs' hold the "finahci«l situation partly resMnsible for this state of affairs, bttt'the main reasons locally lie in the multiplicity of theatres and th« lack of -'good playal Madison Square Theatx^ has been "closed temporarily. "< The Baroness Vigier, well-known to operagoers as Sophie Cruvelli in the. early fifties, I •whose_death, at the advanced, lage of 81, was announced 1 recently, -made- her fitst appearance' iu v London, in "Figaro," in 1848. But her principal success was made a few years later in "Fidelio." She" had a magnificent, voice, using it with great dramatic force. Her careefcwas unusually short for so gifted and popular % » singer, as she retired on (her "marriage with the Conrfe Vigier t in 1856, Laving only appeared ,on ,the stage for -10 years. An elder sister, 1 Friederike Marie, was also an opera-- singer, 'and achieved some success in London in^ 1851. Paderewaki frequently- sits at his instrument until well i into the small hours of the morning. " Hence he Beldom rises untile 9 or 10 a.m., and immediately h© -is dressed he gets to work, gener-ally practising on the piano, but often composing. He keeps to his< task un-til 1 o'clock, and not a, minute 'earlier does he break his fast. By that time, however, his appetite is keen, and the feel-" ing that 'he has already earned his breakfast helps io make the hour of his first -meal by "far the most enjoyable of the day. The meal itself never occupies long. He follows it ■with a quiet -game of billiards, playing against " himself. He is, an enthusiastic devotee 'of the game: . ' | The -greatest of -living pianists is Paderew-. ski. ~ The ill-health from -which he suffered for more than*' a, year -because of 'the ner--vous shock -causecl ..by a railway collision, kept him from "' the stage last season. -Fortunately it -did not prevent". him *from' composing. *- With one, of !his . new pieces he opened, his -American tour -recently. ~ It ,is enj titled "Va-riatiotts ' «,nd^ Fugue." - -Says a. I New York .paper:— "That "the great Polish ; pianist has fully recovered 'from, his illness j was shown by the leonine, strength of hi 3 playing — a strength alternating with feminine tenderness. -Bas new piece is too long,, lasting "as it does 27 minutes, and the themes' are overelaborated. But there is much"" that is -beautiful, and it is « - masterwork, of 'pianisrtic-achievem-ent." THE END OF THE PLAY. The play, is done;" the curtain drops 1 , Slow falling' to the prompter's bell ; A 'moment yet_the actor stopi^ And looks around to say farewell. It is an irksome word and t*ekfc And, when, he's laughed and -said his say, He shows, «s he removes the mask, A face that's anything but gay. One word, 'ere yet the evening ends, ~ Let's close it with 'a parting rhyme, And pledge a. hand to all good friends, Kb frts the merry Chxistmjag time. Ob. life's wide scene you, too, have parts, -That Fate er-e long shall -bid you play;---Geod-night, with honest gentle' hearts Ju kindly greeting go *lw«yf — W. M. Thaokewtf,