THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 64

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL.

By Pasquin. Mr Joseph Hislop, the noted tenor, arrived from Christchurch by the express , on Wednesday night. He was met at the station by representatives of the various Scottish societies of the city, and bagpipe selections were played by Piper P. Davidton. The visitor was then escorted to Wain’s Hotel, where a short reception was held. Speeches of welcome were made by the Minister o£ Railways (Mr W. A. Veitch), Messrs Hope (president of the Council of Scottish Societies), A. M'Lachlan (chieftain of the Gaelic Society of New Zealand), A. M’Donald (a past president of the Dunedin Burns Club), G. Hay (a past president of the Otago Caledonian Society), and A. Gilchrist (on behalf of the Dunedin Highland Pipe Band). Mr Hislcp suitably replied. The itinerary of the J. C. Williamson company playing the- splendid comedies “ The First Mrs Fraser and Det Us Be Gay” has been changed. Instead oi openin" <it Wellington, <is was originally proposed, the company will make its first New Zealand appearance at Auckland on ■Wednesday. The company is one of the most capable ever assembled by the firm, including as it does Miss Ethel Morrison (formerly Miss Ettie Maginnity, of Vv ellington), J. B. Rowe. Mary MGregor, Leslie Victor, Noel Boyd, Roger Barry, John Wood, and Miss Eileen Morris. William Heughan, the Scottish actorsinger, and his wife. Gladys Sayer, pianist, scud greetings to Hamilton friends (says the Waikato Times). They are in New York, having motored from Los Angeles to Canada, and giving scccessful concerts at Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto. Maud Bell, the’’cellist of the party, has gone to England for a holiday visit. Joseph Hislop is to appear with the Melbourne University Conservatorium forces on his return to Australia, taking the lead in “La Boheine,” “ Carmen, and “ Faust.” Walter Baker, the ex-Bland Holt lead, now president of the Actors’ Union in Australia, who is well remembered by Dunedin theatregoers of the ’nineties, recommends that every time a professional in Australia goes to a show free he should contribute a shilling to form the nucleus of a fund to help incapacitated actors and actresses. Sir Thomas Beecham conducted the London Symphony Orchestra when it played with Rosenthal, the pianist, giving evidence that he is one of the few really great conductors of the time. George Gee has joined the cast of “ White Horse Inn,” a novel musical comedy at the London Coliseum. Stanley Lathbury, a Musgrove Shakespearian actor, has a good part also. Mark Hambourg has four daughters. Sonia is on the Daily Express staff, and contributes to the Bookman; another is studying sociology at London University; Michaela, who is only 11, is a pianoforte prodigy, who has already’ played a concerto with a big London orchestra; and the youngest, aged 9, has ambitions towards the Russian ballet. As a protest against a certain scene in the performance of a new opera at the Warsaw Opera House, “The King as Lover,” the Polish President and members of the Polish Government walked out of the theatre. The King of Poland and Saxony, Augustus the Strong, was represented in the opera as ill-treating the Jews, and the-President and his colleagues took umbrage at the scene as giving great offence to Jews in Poland. Their exit caused a sensation, developing in the withdrawal of the opera and the dismissal of the persons responsible for allowing the scene to be played. Marshall Crosby, the robust singer with the George Wallace Revue, has left the company after 11 years’ association. Lance Fairfax, the Wellington singer, was among the performers at the annual banquet in London of the National Advertising Benevolent Society. Tom Burke, the tenor, husband of Marie Burke, the Singing Actress in “Katja” and “Wildflower ” at His Majesty’s a few years ago, also appeared. Ada Reeve has joined the “ Spot on the Sun ” company, headed by Ethel Morrison. and including the First Mrs Fraser ” cast. The play is hilarious comedy. “ The Love Race,” which established a London record, has been opened in Sydney by’ the “ Sons o’ Guns ” company, im eluding Josie Melville, Elsie Gus Bluett, and Cecil Kelleway. It is a Williamson show. Eileen Castles, the singer (sister of Amy Castles), and Walter Cornock, w’ho was “ The Sentimental Bloke ” some years ago, are with a revue company at Melbourne Tivoli.

George Storey, formerly well known on the Fuller vaudeville circuit, has returned to Auckland from a nine-months’ visit to England, where he and his wife made two “ talkie shorts.” broadcast for the 8.8. C., and did vaudeville work. Mr Storey has brought back a play with him. which he will produce if he considers conditions favourable. Allen Doone, well remembered in New Zealand, recently sailed from England for South Africa to appear in a repertoire of Irish plays under the auspices of African Theatres, Ltd. Among his supporting company are Edna Keeley. Meriel Moore, Patrick O’Moore, Richard Clarke, John Clifford, and Edwin Dodds. Leo Carrillo, here in the stage play “ Lombardi, Ltd., a year or two ago, plays a gangster in the talkie “ Hell Bound."