STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1915, Page 11 (Supplement)

STALLS GOSSIP.

MIMES, MUSIC, AND MOVIES.

Graham Moffat and Company, in "A Scrape o' the Pen," are still going strong at tlie Princess Theatre, Melbourne.

Norliert Lusk, formerly scenario writer, reader, and all-round handy man in the editorial offices of the Lubin Company, is now adapting features ror the World Film Co'poratiou.

Moving pictures with seats selling at three dollars each aro an actuality in New York. The ultrafasliionables can now chose between moving pictures and grand opera.

Frank Griffin, a member of the Vitagraph Company, has been in the picture producing business for fourteen years, and he says in the early days a 25ft reel was quite a stunt, and a 150rt reel was a feature.

Scene: Somewhere in France. Time: Midnight. Sentry (to a figure seen approaching): Who goes there? Figure: Chaplain. Sentry (still dreaming of the cinema lie saw when on leave) Pass, Charlie Chaplain.

Miss Violet Paget, at present in Sydney, has received a cable message that her husband, Capt. Hugh Buckler, who soon after the outbreak of war abandoned the footlights for the trenches, is lying dangerously ill at Malt#.

Kosina Buekmann, the well-known New Zealand operatic artist, was included in the cast chosen to present ''Madame Butterfly," "Carmen," "M Boheme," "La Tosca," and other works at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, for the season which commenced during October.

South America is the happy hunting ground of the Italian tenor. Caruso, singing at Buenos Aires this season, has made such an impression that his contract, which was for seven performances at £I4OO a night, was extended for anumri eight at the same figure. He thus earned lor I£S appearances.

Conductors are plentiful in Germany; the war does not seem to diminish their number. Considerably over 100 applications for the post of conductor of a symphony orchestra in a lesser city of the Fatherland were recently received in response to an advertisement. Of these it is said that at least 82 were worthy of consideration.

All the theatrical and other business interests of tho late Mr. George Edwardes will in future be carried on by his daughter, Mrs. Cuthbert Slierbrooke, who for the last two years has been managing her father's affairs. She will be assisted by Mr. Robert Evett, but -the controlling staff will be the same as before.

"Alf" Linley and ''Billie" Low, best known in Wellington for their pioneering work in establishing permanent "movies," have enlisted for active service. Will Burton, Ben J. Fuller's stepson, is another "theatrical" who has enlisted. lie offered himself in Christchurch, was rejected by the medical officers, had another try in Wellington, »nd got through.

Percy Dix, who will be remembered by most old patrons of vaudeville in New Zealand, has been very ill for some time past, and his condition is now reported to be critical, very little hope being entertained for his recovery. The professional diagnosis of liia ease is that it is "a general break-up." ' For the past few years Percy Dix has been running a. vaudeville theatre iu Newcastle, N.S.W.

Madame Patti has declared her nationality with emphasis, if not finality. To a recent question she answered: "I am an Italian, wholly an Italian, and nothing but an Italian. I have lived in all the countries of the world; I speak French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, and jßussinn, out I am an Italian. The fact that I was born in Madrid is of no consequence. If 1 had happened to be born in a stable, would that have made me a horse?"

Some of the most realistic war pictures that have ever been released were shown in Paris just recently, and in a short time will no doubt be shown in the Pathe Gazettes throughout the Dominion. The first instalment shows actual scenes in the trenches during an assault by the French grenadiers. General Joffre's forces are seen throwing hand grenades into German trendies, and the resulting explosions, with loss of life and property, are clearly shown. Following one of these explosions a horse is seen blown into the air and landing on the topmost branches of a neighbouring tree.

The Vitagraph generally succeeds in scoring successes with any big feature Comedy they produce, but reports speak i-o highly of one of the, latest productions thai it must be a bit out of the 'ordinary. The plot is a simple one. Three wealthy men go for a holiday tour; the train is wrecked, but they manage to escape with scarcely any clothes on. Their wives also go for a trip in a motor-ear. When miles away from anywhere the motor-car breaks down; they have no chauffeur. It is in the experiences of the different parties that the audience reach the convulsion of mirth stage. The picture is called the "C.O.D.'s." The title comes because each person has' his or her initials C. O. D.

■London Opinion makes the announcement thus:—For the iirst time in theatrical history an Australian play by an Australian author has been accepted by a London manager. The manager in question is Arthur Bourchier, and the play, which is by Arthur Ji. Adams, is called ''Mrs. /Pretty and the Premier." •Just when (Bourchier will let us see this piece, which promises exceptionally well, is not quite settled, but 1 should not be surprised if lie made it Ins opening card when lie resumes management on his own. The author of the piece is known already as an uncommoiliy gutea novelist. illn is the author of those two fantasies ''Galahad Jones" and "Grocer Greatheart," reviewers praised so lavishly, mention several books of uncommonly good verse, published in London as well as in his own country, when produced by repertory companies and also of seven other plays, which, in Australia, liava prov«d much to the likinp of audiences down undu,

In "A Sad 'Dog's Story" two English pedigree bulldogs are used. They are caat as sympathetic listeners to the story of another dog, wlio tells of certain incidents in which he has figured. As the dog proceeds with his story tile. Bcenes and episodes he described ere screened.

Motion pictures are going on everywhere, and are capturing theatres in New York. The Knickerbocker Theatre, for instance, which has a long career as a dramatic house, 'has been acquired by a film company, and will be devoted to pictures in future. The Knickerbocker, built as Abbey's Theatre by Henry Abbey, was opened on November S, 1893 by Sir Henry Irving, and it was at the same theatre thiU .Sir Herbert ffree made his American debut in 1895.

]t cost Harry Palmer, the Mutual cartoonist, some effort to "Keep up with the Jones's." He makes a cartoon every week for the Mutual Company. For every foot of film, Mr. Palmer has to make sixteen drawings, and as he has something near four hundred feet a week to get ready lie lias to produce nearly 0500 separate pictures. Busy man," Mr. Palmer!

George Edwardes would probably have died a poor man if it hadn't been for "Tho Merry Widow" (according to the Bulletin). He was practically broke, and actually in despair when Lehar's opera fell into his hands. It gave him a glimpse of hope, and lie borrowed enough to put it on. After that all was smiles. During its long run at Daly's Theatre it gave a profit at every single perforaa'uee.

Elsie Wilaon, well-known to Dominion theatregoers by reason of her line performances in many of the J. C. Williamson attractions, is rapidly making a name for herself in the photo-plays of America. She has joined the Flying A Company, and her performances in "The Lure of the Marsh" is spoken of as being a performance that has seldom been excelled. Miss Wilson is a sister to Miss Nellie Wilson, who is under the J.C.W. banner, appearing in comic opera,

The Musical Times prints an amusing story, which is attributed to Gounod, of the days when he was serving in a military band in Paris. The band was playing on parade, and the Colonel reined up and listened intently, keeping time with his riding-whip. Tin piece over, the following conversation ensued: Bandmaster (saiuting): "The programme is concluded, but is there anything more which M. the Colonel would like?" M. the Colonel: "Oil, no, unless you will have the goodness to play for me that piece I love so much." Bandmaster: "Sir, that was the piece we have just played.' 1 11 the Colonel: "Ah, yes? Then nothing more, thank you." (Salutations. Exeunt).

Curiously enough, the first play the lato Mr. George Edwardes produced independently at the Gaiety was a failure there. It was the famous "Dorothy," which holds the record of the longest run in comic operas. For six months it ran at the Gaiety; some weeks a little money was made on it, other weeks money was lost. One day Mr. Edwardes met George Grossmith in the Strand, and was told by him that the new opera, "Ruddigore," by Gilbert and Sullivan, then in rehearsal would bo the best comic opera ever produced at the Savoy. Mr. Edwardes was certain it would spell the death-knell of "Dorothy," so just after lie had brightened it up he sold it to Mr. H. J. Leslie, liis accountant, for £I,OOO. The sequel is we!l known, "Buddigore" was a dead failure, whereas the despised "Dorothy" took the town by storm and brought £IOO,OOO for its lucky owner. But Marie Tempest was not in the original cast, nor was Mr. Ben Davies. It was bad luck for Mr. Edwardes that almost at his start -the great Gaiety favourite, Nellie Farren, broke down; but with her departure he tried a new kind of musical play. It was a piece touched with the actuality of London life, called "In Town." "The Gaiety Girl"—first of a series of "Girls" —which was in the same style, succeeded it with equal success.

Six or seven years ago Sarah Bernhardt saw a girl in London portray a scene from one of the great tragedienne's own triurapts, "Fedora." She saw the girl give scenes from other plays. Thou the actress kissed the girl ami said, ''That eliild lvas the spark of genius. She will go far." The girl 13 Alice Pierce, who is now playing on the Puller circuit in Australia, She has had six or seven years' experience since thgn. But she is at heart just as much of a girl as she was then. Miss Pierce is not an imitator. She is not an impersonator. She is an impressionist. She imitates to the*extent, that slip fellows little noticeable mannerisms, tricks of speecli or of gesture, but, apart from that she is Alice Pierce, even while she is the person she is giving the impression, She never losps her individuality. When her mother took her to London after she had made several successful appearances in drama, Sir Charles Wyndham was enthusiastic in his praise. Hall Caine and Sir Herbert Tree joined him. Finally Miss Pierce poined Tree's company for a time. Then Sir Charles Wyndham, >vho has seen her impressions, advised that she should make her appearance on the music halls. She did so, and has given her impressions for the past five years, chiefly in London, but also in Amerioa, Europe and Africa. She has been in Australia only a few weeks, and it is said that she has received nothing but praise wherever she has appeared.