THEATRICAL AMD MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 66

THEATRICAL AMD MUSICAL NOTES.

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I , TUESDAY, Sept. 7, 1809. ! From Mr J= .'M. Campbell, the'' clever 1 comedian of the "Jack and Jill" Panto1 mime Company at present in Wellington, comes to hand a memento of a little picnic I up the Wanganui River, which is of vivid I memory and associated with pleasurable i recollections To the stay-at-home actor ' and actress life away from the grease paint and hare's foot means nothing, but to those who love the open spaces on river and plain it is the true joy of living. The little picture is full of the atmosphere of the pine woods. The artistes _are at their bast— they have ceased to be actors and actresses. Who is it says that "It is with some violence to the imagination that we ! conceive of an actor belonging to the rela- | tions of private l.fe, so closely do we ! identify these persons in our mind with the characters which they assume on the stage "? Yet that outing up the Wanganui i Rivpi- revealed the true and the real as opposed to the sham and the artificial like nothing else in the world. Eddie Odell, tho capable- and 'courteous treasiuer of the "Jack and Jill" Panto Company, whose marriage in Dunedin to Miss Tilly Woodlock, one of the finest solo dancers in Australasia, is of delightful memory, is looking forward with eager anticipation to his return to Melbourne, where Mrs Odell i 3 with the Rpyal Comio OpVra Company. It was a curious trick' of fate which decided that Dunedin should temporarily be the 'parting 1 of the ways," Eddie Odell leaving foi Christchurch to take over tho treasureship of the panto, company and his bride returning to Australia with the Royal Comics. The youthful-looking Captain M'Quade, who recently married Miss Betty Ohls, the Jill of the merry pantomime "Jack and Jill." armed from Sydney the other day, and is touring- Maoriland with the company. It is delightfully refreshing and picturesque to see the one-time Merry Widow clinging affectionately to the arm of hor soldier husbnnd. Just on going to press Mr Bert Royle, tha New Zealand representative for th« I J. C. Williamson "firm," advises that the [ cominc attractions for Duiwdin include the approaching visite of Miss NeLlie Stewart, , Juliu? Knight, and "The King of ' Cddonia" companies. The "Jack and Jill I panto. bu-ines3 is enormous in Wellington, wh-M-e the eoason commenced on Thursday , la.-t. Thp pantomime company will coni cludo its New Zealand tour at Wellington I on the 16th inst., and on Friday, the 17th, tho ir em bora of the company take steamer for Sydney, thence by rail tc M«lbour n«, en rout© fo Adelaide and the West. A two weeks' 'season will be played at Perth, the company ™»tu.rning to Adelaic.o. where two weeks will also be played. Brief sca-ons in he small towns will finish ! the record run of the panto. The cotn- | pany will then disboiu!, only to be re-, 1 orsrflnisrd for rehearsals for the new panto, J " Aladdin," which will go up in Melbourne , at Christmas. i The Hugh Ward Comedy Co. com-nrwic-sd their New Zealand tow very pxol roisinglv at Invercargill by turning people ! away from the opening performance on Monday night. ) At the conclusion of the present season at His Majesty's Pollard's Opera Company drop down "to Invercargill for five nights, during which time they will play tho "best of their repertoire. The company is booked up until November with 1 the followin-at tour: — Invercargill, 11th to » 16th September; Gore, 17th and 18th Sep-

tember; Oamaru,. 21st September; Timaru, 23rd "September; Aabbxxrton, 24th Septem1 ber ; Feildmg, 2nd October J Watijganua,' sth, &fch, and 7th October; Hawera, 9tb'; s and- llfch October; Stratford, 13th an*"" 14th October; New Plymouth, 16th, 18fch, and' 19th October; Auckland, October 20 to November 6. Mx J. Mac Donald, one time of the Black Family of Musicians, a.rud more recently with Maskelyne and Devant's Illusion Co., leaves Dunedin on Friday to take OTer the management of Henry Haywaid and T. E. Taylor's Pathe Pictures, at present showing a film of Zola's famous novel, "L'Assornmoir." ' ' Mr Albert Goldie, the energetjc businesr manager of tht Hngh Ward Comedy Co.^ leaves Dunedin x>-day for the north to arrange for the reception of the Grace Palotta, Rose Musgrove, Celia . Ghiloni, Mrs Brough, and Hugh Ward Co. Albert " Goldie deserves all the success which comes his way, for his energy is only rivalled, by his enthusiasm in his work. Mr John Farrel'l, the touring represembative of the Nellie Stewart Co., is a bright and cheerful soul, whom it is good to know. He had not been long in the town before he found us out, arid* in : gratiated himself 'into our esteemed favour. His is an interesting 'personality, and I liked him rather at the" finish. Mr Howard Caxr, whose ballet music in "Jack atwJ Jill" -was so much appreciated, has again been commissioned by #." "C. Wil- - liamson J to u write the music for the . ballet/ 1 which will be included' in "Aladdinj" -the - next Christmas production under their management". Sir Cwrr's work is aJso in evidence in "The Duches3 of Dantzig" in " the finale of the second act- end the FolHo Ballet in the third act. Some interesting details axe" to hand regarding Mr Julius Knight and some of *is experiences in connection with' his first appearance as Napoleon in "The Royal Divorce." Following on bis returr from Australia some yeais a.go Mr Knight was engaged by an American manager to play in "The Royal Divorce," but the management had rather peculiar ideas on the disposition of the cast, and considered tha'. the character of Napoleon should be taken by a low comedian, while, as leading man, they offered Mr Knight the role of De Beaumont. "~ However, Mr Knight differec in his ideas of the casting of the play, and eventually prevailed upon hie manager to allow him to play the part' of the Man of Destiny. The" mornirg after the first performance the popular actor was congratulated by a critic on his conception of the part, and told that he was born to play it. This made Mr Knight think over the possibilities of the role, ard since then he has studied the life of Napoleon from every aspect, and otade himself familiar with all the great Emperor's peculiarities and mannerisms, until it is doubtful if any man in Australia '3 a* well ■ versed in the history of Napoleon. as himself. Then besides this particular study of the Emperor Mr Knight lias also played with Lily' Lanprtry in a play cali-d "Mdlle Mars," In which he was first the i youthful lieutenant and afterwards the Imperial ruler of France. The negotiations 'for a>n amicable settlement of the Huero Gorlitz-Herr Rubelik case, claim of £3000 for alleged breach of contract, having proved fruitless, the hearing will come on at the sitting of the> Supreme Court on Tuesday, 14-th inst. The evidence 01 two witnesses — Mr G. D. Portus arid Jaanes Lindsay, of the Meynell and Gurm Company — was taken on commission last week. That merry s oul, Fred Shipman, the entertaining Canadian who made the Pike famous at the New Zealand Exhibition in Christchurch a couple of years Bigo, was last week in Dunedin managing the tour of Bengough, the clever cartoonist, mimio humorist, and entertainer. A breezy chat, with one who has travelled and: observed much in all corner* of the world- is as refreshing as a champagne bath. I found • the manager for Benigough better than- I knew, and I gleaned more information from him in five minutes concerning things theatrical and matters of greater moment than I coukl have digested in .a week of study. There are some unfortunate peopl© whoia departure causes- no regrets. Shipman is not one of these. ''The maid -who loves goes out to eea upon a shattered plank and pute her trust in. miracles for safety." I don't ltnowAlbert Goldie, the dapper and genial- business manager of the. Hugh Ward-Grace Palotta Comedy Co., entered at tfiat mo- - meat, and: I ceased eolUiquisintg. Then I remembered that Albert Goldie had but - recently returned from the Far East after a moat entrancing tour with .Hiigh Ward, Rxne Musgove, Grace' Palotta, and Celia Ghiloni. Could any tour in such company/ especially in the Purple East, be anything short of entrancing * Also, Albert Qp'klie was accompanied by his clever 19-year-oioT wife, who has made, much fame in, literary circles, and who, while something of a I genius, has none of the eccentricities. This is at once refreshing. I listened' with in*