STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1915, Page 11

STALLS GOSSIP.

MIMES, MUSIC AND MOVIES.

Mr. Joseph Blascheck is appearing at the Little Theatre Sydney, in bis 50911181 "Snap-shots" entertainment.

' The Napier Operatic Society is performing the "Blue Moon" on October -23 and for the three following nights. The whole of the proceeds will go to tile Wounded Soldiers' Fund.

"High Jinks," as produced last Monday night, fulfilled all expectations. Frivolous, flimsy and frisky as it wa», it would have been a nightmare In the hands of a less capable company. • V * *

Local playgoers were unfortunate in. not seeing that fine comedian, C. H. Workman, but a bad attack of gout prevented hia appearance. Harry Wootton, as liis understudy, was not out of the limelight, however. * '* * »

Florence Vie and W. H. Hawlins are the real laughter-makers in "High Jinks." They were both "Immense," not only in stature, but in the fun they created. * »• $

Dorothy Brunton is nob a star. She has a sweet voice, though rather strained, but she can't act for nuts. Still, she works hard and deserves a fair share < of the limelight. *-e * *

Daisy Yates was one of the brightest sparkles in a bast of scintillations. "Chi' Chi" put a heap of ginger into her performance, and the very .acrobatic tango, with 'her clever partner, was a gem. % . # $

Why does not the Theatre Royal proprietary provide a decent drop curtain? The. circumstance that at present does duty would scarcely be tolerated in a country town hall. Twice on Monday nigfrt it refused duty. And 0I1! the seats! Really, gentlemen, you should look into these two, of several, things that matter. • * * *

When "The Man Who Stayed at Home" finishes up in New Zealand, Mr. John Farrell will act as touring manager for J. C. Williamson, Ltd. The season opens at Auckland on November 29, and only the four centres will have the opportunity of seeing this excruciatingly funny Jewish play. **. * *

Some of the New Plymouth unco' guid thought "High Jinks" rather "Frenchv." There was absolutely nothing objectionable in it. As Mr. Workman remarked, "The plays we present are the right types of plays for the present time. They are only made for laughter. They make your forget yourself and your worries and troubles, and save doctors' bills. And is anyone the worse for a good laugh?" * * * *

Serene and sparkling as ever, "Charlie" Berkeley, the genial "front" for J.C.W., Ltd., effervesced into this town last Monday, gladdening the heart of the Thes-pian-lover with his reports on "High Jinks." He was full of optimism, as usual, of the prospects of the tour. Auckland, he said, panned out "Klondyke."

* ♦ * » Age cannot wither him. C.B. confided to the writer that he had been more than 27 years at the game. Who would have thought it? He further said that every year for neariy a decade he has announced his intention of retiring. But each time he hurls in the blast the management hurls back a rise in salary. C.B. is now thinking of resigning once a quarter! # * *• *

Mr. Dave O'Connor is again in New Zealand witli a small but capable little opera company, and is playing the smalls with several of the latest musical comedies. Under the terms of his contract with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., Mr. O'Connor is prohibited from playing in the four principal centres of New Zealand, but 'his advent in the provincial towns with such lively bills as "The Girl in the Taxi" and "The Girl in the Film" will be welcomed. But with their own New Musical Comedy Company now touring the Dominion with the Taxi and i/ilm Girls, the J.C.W. manoeuvre scarcely seems sound policy. * * * »

Puccini's "La Rondine" is neariy completed, It is in the "opera comique" style, as understood on the Continent, though eliminating spoken dialogue. Tho plot of "La Rondine" is somewhat of the type of "Manon." The most important of the three arts is said to be the second. The composer believes the quartette therein will rival the famous one in the snow scene in "La Boheme." "I have let my pen run as it would," said 'Puccini, "and no other method is satisfactory for getting results, in my opinion. No matter what marvellous technical effects may be gotten by prolonged meditation, I believe in heart in preference to head."

Harry Lauder is making recruiting appeals in Liverpool. Speaking at the conclusion of his act and dress in the uniform of a Beot, he says: "Some of you will ask why I stand here and talk, like this. Well, because our country needs everything we can give_ her to-day and he who has his country at heart 'must respond. While you are in this world, do what yon can. I tell you this because one day, when you have lived to be an old man, you may have a wee bairn on your knee, and that wee bairn will look into your .wrinkled face and say: 'How old are you, grand-dad?' You will say: ;'T am a very old man, but I was 19 or 20 when the great European War was fought.' You may forget your age, but von will never, never forget this war. And the wee bairn will look into your face and say: 'Did you fight in the war, and did you do something, grand-dad?' You have a heritage to hand down to the children. What are you doing!" * * *' *

In "High Jinks," Mr. W. H. Rawlins, who turns the scale at a modest 17st 71b, and is as breezy and exhilarating off the boards as he is on then,, turns handsprings and cartwheels with surprising agility. By the way, he tells a good story. He was once appearing in drama, when the company had to put on a new play with but scant preparation, On the day of the opening the manager, who was also I lie producer as well as a member of the cast, pointed out that none seemed to know their part at all well, and the only thing to do was to be prepared for emergencies. "I'll tell von what I'll do," he said. "If I find things are too bad, I'll come on with a pistol and kill everybody off." "And this is what happened," said Mr. Rawlins. "Half-way through the last act, after everybody had been floundering terribly, the 'villain' came on with a pistol, and pointing at each of the principals, exclaimed, 'Your time has come now die!' shooting them all off, one after the other, and the curtain fell amidst >oud applause.

Freak or genius, if you can do something better than everybody else —go into vaudeville! You'll get twenty min"utes to do it in, and from one hundred dollars to live thousand dollars a week to pay you for doing it. Vaudeville will pay for almost anything from an educated goose or a headspiu or "Shooting the Bull Around the Bulletin Board," to "Lohengrin."—Brian Duryea, in tlw "Green-book."

The English chorus gentleman has gone to the front. His place is now being taken by the young manhood of President Wilson's nation, who will now, says an American exchange, have an opportunity of testing their cbarrns by their deftness in tying the shoe strings, their steadiness in bearing the weight of the show girls when on their bended knees, or their elegance in twirling in mazy waltzes the heroines of the stagedoor waiters.

Sydney Sun tells the following relative to Mr. Ben Fuller's dry humour: Not long ago a friend offered to lend him an interesting novel. "I really havenvt time," Mr. Fuller protested; "in fact, I never read fiction—except the war news." They saw that nn otii-' cious acquaintance pressed Mr. Fuller to give a managing billet to a man whose business ability he did not admire. The appeal was made 011 tho plea of sympathy. "He'd be thankful for the job, Ben; the poor chap has Bright's disease, he has been in the hospital for dropsy, and he is threatened with consumption." "That's too many specialities in one programme," Mr. Fuller said impatiently. Another Fuller yarn, which (of course) must be dated many years ago. In a New Zealand tour a man came out of a Fuller show and found Ben smoking a cigar outside. The Maorilander stated tersely what he thought of the show. He believed honestly that its manager ought to be arrested. "Do you expect any intelligent human being to sit it out?" he demanded finally. Fuller blew away some smoke. "Tou see, I came out as well as you," he answered kindly.