STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1915, Page 11 (Supplement)

STALLS GOSSIP.

MJSP3, MUSIC AND MOVIES. Miss Carrie Moore has been engaged by Mr. George MaTlow to play the principle boy in hjs Christmas pantomime, "Dick Whitttngtoa." Mr. Out Thomas will be the dame. * » • * Mr. Barry Lupino, well-known throughout New Zealand as a pantomime artist, has now joined the Fuller vaudeville circuit, and is at present performing at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne. * * * • .Two popular members of the Bed Dandies further cemented their contract; before leaving .New Zealand by uaiting themselves iu marriage. The interested couple were Miss Mona Thomas, the engaging little soprano, and Mr. Cyril-Con-nolly (vioiinjat). The oejsmoay toofci plaee "m durstchureh. * * • •

Miss Alma Phillips is being featured as heroine in a number of films now being taken in Australia for J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Miss Phillips was in Hew Zealand last with the Julias Knight Company. * • • • Harrington Reynolds and Company evidently did not find Brisbane a profitable field for permanent comedy. At alii events that actor is back in playing a revival of "The Rosary" at the Princess Theatre. The cast differs considerably from that which brongbt the tearful drama to New Zealand. * * * * At the dress rehearsal of "Paul Joans" by the Palmerston North Amateur Operatic Society on Friday week, the members of the chorus presented Mr. Tom Pollard with an handsome silver inkstand as a token of their esteem, and in recognition of the good work he had done in training them. The season of IfVul Jones" commenced at Palmerston North on Tuesday evening and closes to-night. * * * *

Mr. Harold Ashton, who for the past two years lias been resident director in South Africa for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., is returning to Australia, via America and England. He was, at latest, in San Francisco, whence he wrote "Pasquin," of the Otago Witness, that he was going om to London, and hoped to be in Australasia in the course of a few months. Mr. "Dick" Stewart, who relieved Htrold AsntoH in Afriea, has already settled down ae resident manager iu Johannesburg. * • * • A German name is not popular theseyears, and sinee vaudeville artists Irv* by popularity rt is advisable for those possessing suspicious names to modify them as they approach the war zone. That aimless wonder, "the Great Lutes," gives an example of judicious modifieation. In America it was "Carl Lutz and Company," Australia showed no objection to "the Great Lutz," but on arriving in the north the name changed to "Charles Lutes." He was in Christchurch as "the Great Lutes," and Dow, it is noticed, that on reaching Dunedin be became "Clarence E. Lutes." * "« * •

John Galsworthy's latest stage effort, "A Bit o' Love," contains a remarkable theme. Its hero is a mild curate, Michael Strangway, so tender-hearted that when he finds a girl with a caged starling he gently persuades her to set the bud free. Immediately afterwards ■he greets his wife, who had bolted with another man. She pleads that she must have liberty to love as she pleases, and he lets her go—like the starling. A resigned spirit indeed. Miss Madge Mcintosh plays the part of the runaway wife. * * * * The return to the scene of so many of her successes was taken advantage of by the Melbourne public to accord Miss Florence Young an ovation when she made her reappearance as Paul Jones the other day. There was an enormous house, and at the fall of the curtain the popular artist was the recipient of enough flowers to stock a florist's shop, while the members of the company gathered round her, and added their quota to the salvos of applause from the front. *'* * •

Madame Melba and her concert associates, Messrs Robert Parker and Fraßlc St. Leger, made a profitable sojourn at Honolulu en route to San Francisco, or to the "mainland," as the Americans say in Honolulu. That genial island city covered Melba with fragrant Hawaiian leis on departure by the Matsonia. Before sailing she expressed the hope that her stage costumes will have arrived in time for her engagements in opera in Chicago and New York. "One can't sing grand opera without clothes," she remarked whimsically, "and my entire operatic wardrobe has been war-bound in Paris since August of last year." * * * *

Maud Allen, the classical dancer, io reported to hove aroused the interest of M. Claude Debussy, the famous French composer. Debussy has composed the music of a new dance sensation, entitled '•Khamma," and said to be full of Egyptian mummery and mystification. The piece is dedicated to the dancer, who is assiduously practising it with a view to trying it on a seJect company of intense people at an early date. Miss Allan, however, is not neglecting her motion picture work in America, where she is said to be under contract to a big bio-' graph linn. She is contemplating a tour of the United States next year, under her own managemeat. * * * *

"The Glad Eye" Company has been disbanded until Christmas time, when it will enter upon what is hoped will be a long season of "Stop Your Nonsense" at the King's Theatre, Melbourne. All the members of the old cast will be roengaged, but bigger specialties arc to be provided, so that something like decent competition with the other holiday attractions may be the result. "Stop Your Nonsense" is to be followed by ".Mum's/ the Word," which lias yet to be tried on Melbourne audiences. ' Ethel Dane and Tom Shelford join the comedy company at the Sydney Criterion Theatre for the production of'"A fPaiv of Sixes," the farce comedy which will follow "Stop Thief."

"Neptune's "Daughter" ran for 300 nights at the Broadway. New York. "With an Australian to demonstrate its title," said Mr Shipman, who is piloting the film, "I saw its possibilities for Australia. And I soon clinched the bargain, Annette Kellermaii is not only a swimmer of fame, but has pronounced dramatie talent. So no more desirable heroine to give publicity to this great motion picture could have been chosen. One of the mermaids, by the way, who disports her shapely limbs on the roots is Miss Miuii Knlman, it clever Auckland girl, who is making her way in America. There are three copies of the film breaking records in Australia now. And no wonder 1"