STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1915, Page 10 (Supplement)

STALLS GOSSIP.

MIMES, MUSIC, AND MOVIES. Recently, "Madame Butterfly" was put on in London, Miss Rosina Buckman singing the title role, with Mr. Frederick Blarney, who was in the Quinlan Opera Company, as Pinkerton. The dates of Wirth's Circus and Menagerie are: Invercargill, December 21st; Dunedin during Christmas week; Christchurch, January 10th; Wellington, January 17th. After Wellington the big show will visit every town of importance en route to Auckland. "A Scrape o' the Pen," that splendid study in true dramatic art, which failed to appeal to the average theatre-goer in these islands, is having a fine reception from the Melbourne papers, who all speak in the highest praise of the "Art which conceals Art," shown both in the acting and in the comedy. # * # Dorothy Burnton, whose work in the recent musical comedy, "The Girl on the Film," delighted theatre-goers, will bo featured in the forthcoming J. C. Williamson picture, "The Seven Keys to Baldpate." Another popular artist to appear is Fred Maguire, who made a great hit as Herbert in "The Girl in the Taxi." » » ♦ Anna Pavlova, the famous Russian danseuse, who has been filmed in "The Dumb Girl of Portici," is said to have received £20,000 and 45 per cent, of (he profits from the sale of the picture. Special studios were fitted up at Chicago, near the Midway Gardens, where the dancer was appearing, so that she could attend between her "turns." # # • It is merely a coincidence (says London Opinion) that the present, run of revue titles inclines moat curiously to articles of food. Among the many that have been derived from tn« pantry and the condiment cupboard are "Mixed Pickles," "Peaches," "Sugar and Spice,'and "Chutney." Others in preparation should be '"Arf a Mo'lasses" and "Tripe." The latter for choice.

Community 'singing flourishes at Baltimore, U.S. On a recent evening the municipal band played in front of the Washington statue in the presence of some 20,000 people, who sang "Dixie," "The Swanee River," "Star Spangled Banner," "Annie Laurie," etc. 'i'he words were thrown on a screen by a lantern. Hardly necessary, it would seem, for an American audience.

Margaret VVoodrow Wilson, daughter of the President, was to appear in a song recital in America last month. The assisting artists were Melville A. Clark, harpist, and Mrs. Koss David, pianist and accompanist. This was one of three concerts given by Miss Wilson under the management of S. Gwendolyn Leo, of Erie, Pa., the other two being given in Buffalo and Erie, Miss Wilson was also to appear in Cleveland under the local management of Helen DeKay Townsend.

. Miss Elsa Maxwell, the composer of music hall songs, a native of San Francisco, has been residing in London for the past two years. It is said she plays many instruments by ear, including the organ. She plays over her compositions to her secretary, who writes them doivn. ,She- writes both words and music of her songs. Miss Maxwell has just written the music and lyrics for a revue, which is to be produced shortly at a London music hall. She has also conducted orchestras.

The repertoire of the Royal Comic Opera Company, which opens at His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, on December 27th, will comprise six pieces. Two of the productions will be absolutely new to New Zealand. The new pieces are "Gipsy Love" and "The Dancing Mistress," whilst the pieces to be revived are "Ma Mie Rosette," ''Paul Joneß," "Our Miss Gibbs," and "The Quaker Girl." The same company will play throughout New Zealand as played Australia. Mr. John Farrell will be business manager and Mr. Charles Berkeley touring manager.

The artists engaged by George Marlow for his pantomime "Dick Whittington" will comprise, in addition to Miss Carrie Moore as principal bpy and Mr. Dan. Thomas as the Dame of Dames, Miss Kathleen Mack, "the girl with the glorious voice," and Miss Audrey Worth, a dainty little lady, who can both sing and dance. Then there is Mr. Harry Burgess, who is si.v feet of infectious fun, and Ted Stanley and Billy Watson, who also keep the laugh moving. A speciality act will be that of Matambo and Wells, their work being a revelation in acrobatics.

"An amiable correspondent writes asking me to say who is the most beau-' tiful woman on the London stage today?" says the editor of the Pelican, in the issue received by the latest English mail. The question is, of course, a most difficult one. to answer, for we are each of us possessed of our own ideas of what constitutes beauty; but, as I am asked, I should say that Miss Ivy Schilling, of the Empire Theatre, is certainly in face and figure one of the most beautiful women seen in London 011 the stage for a good many years past. I have never seen the lady "off," but "on" she is certainly very good to look at."

Charlie Chaplain, the Essanay comedian, lias been sued by an insurance broker. Charlie is kept so busy at the Essanay studios that he hasn't had time to submit to a medical examination. C. D. Cornell, the insurance broker, asks damages for £7O 12s, and prays that the idol of the picture houses be compelled to take a medical examination. The suit has been filed. Then comes the news that Chaplain makes so and so much a day, which can be figured so and so much ?n hour and so and so much a minute. He could not take the examination because lie could not spare the time from turning somersaults before the camera.

The introduction of the liude in "Hypocrites," the morality film play, is a lather startling departure, and Miss Margaret Edwarda, who symbolises the Naked Truth, states that when she agreed to adopt the role she was quite prepared for much hostile criticism. The controversy which sprang up largely influenced the censors of Chicago and Pennsylvania in banning the production, hut the public protest against what was termed "official shortsightedness" resulted in a peremptory demand from the National Censor Board for a removal of the prohibition. The photographic qualities of the picture have caused much comment, and in several cases entailed twelve exposures of the one piece of film, which thus had to pass through the oam«ra twenty-four lime*.

The advent of F. W. Horriung, the English author, and famous as the creator of "Raffles" and "Htingarec," as a writer for motion pictures, has been annoueed by the Kalem Company. "Stingaree," considered by many to be the best work of this versatile author, has been purchased at a cost of 10,000 dollars, and tlie first episode of the series, "An Enemy of Manhind,!' will be shortly released. ♦ * » It is interesting to note in connection with the four-part drama in Pathe colour, "The Adventures of a Madcap," that its colouring in the Pathe factories at Vincennes, France, was made possible by a chance happening. The man in charge of the colouring department was lighting at the front when the picture arrived from America. Shortly afterwards lie was wounded in the leg, and While convalescing, directed the colouring of the picture. * » » One of the most taking numbers secured in New York by Mr. Hugh Ward for the coming pantomime, "Mother Goose," in Melbourne, is a song entitled "My Radium Girl," which precedes a big electrical effect, "The Radium Dance." This was purchased from the Ziegfeld Follies. He has also several others, and some of their stage effects. Amongst the musical numbers, especially good things are: "Hold Me in Your Loving Arms," "I'll be a Santa Claus for You," and "A Girl for Each Day of the Year." Mr. Ward is back in Melbourne in time to see these numbers placed, and also to superintend the final preparations for the Sydney production of "So Long, Letty." » # • Ragtime, the bete noir of many musicians, has woii Madame Melba. Also it has won Uda Waldrop, the famous organist, who for several years has made San\Francisco his home, and who has the distinction of being the first American pianist to act as accompanist to Madame Melba on a concert tour. While Melba was still in San Francisco, Waldrop, by way of being democratic, performed his own interpretation of how "Cavalleria Rusticana" would sound to him in ragtime. This occurred at an informal musicale at the exclusive Bohemian Club at San Francisco, when Madame Melba was present. Melba was delighted with the interpretation of the intermezzo, and soon after informed the musician that she would take him as pianist on a lengthy engagement tour of California and the Dominion of Canada.

Three times in as many weeks has Enid Markey, the beautiful Ihee leading woman, met with mishap. Her latest accident occurred a few weeks ago while she was enacting another big scene with Frank Keenan and a company of 100 players in the current Ince-Trinngle feature in which Keenan is to be starred. Miss Maekey i 9 playing the part of a military commander's daughter, who barely escapes ignominies at the hands of a despot who covets her. She seeks shelter in a convent, and as the barbarians rushed past the door Miss Markey was carried olf her feet and thrown to the ground. Before she could rise, a half dozen men had trampled upon her during the excitement. Prostrate. she was carried to her dressingroom and there revived.

Savs "Peewit" in the Bulletin: 'There has been much talk and writing about an occurrence at the Little Theatre (Sydney), and as to the meaning and origin of the term 'getting the bird'; and not one who has gaily pranced in with his little lot has given the right definition. The'expression is \erv old ft was originally 'getting the goose.' Does not the poor old acrobatic elown in Dickens's 'llard Times' say despairingly: 'I was goosed last night'? He meant that he was hissed. Kverybody knows, or should know. that, geese are star hissers and the phrase probably originated in some unsueccssi'ui performer alluding to a hostile audience as ";i mob of hissing geese." (irndimll.r "goose" was changed into "bird," and has stuck at that. « » »

"A word in favour of the Sydney girls," says Mr. .Tohn Hopkins, the weliknown advance agent. "The darlings Smart, neat, bright and chic) not cheeky. The New Zealander might run away with the impression that on first acquaintance the Sydney girl is choekv. No such thing. She knows how to take care of herself, and also knows what to say, and how to say it. Smartly dressed and neatly shod, she can show the Maoriland girls many points in those departments. She also knows how to walk, and it is good to stand and look at her as she trips along the street. The people of New Zealand have a false idea that the Australian girls in general, and the Sydney girls in particular, have a very sallow complexion. Don't yon believe it. The roses are on their cheeks every bit as much as the roses of Maoriland's maidens. And they are not artificial roses either. Three cheers for ■the Sydney girls, they are very lovable." Sounds rather like Frank Morton riding his pet hobby, It i 9 evidently infectious.

A High School youth with tall views about the universe, started in as an extra man with one of the big motionpictures companies recently. He was talking with a scene painter, and endeavouring to point out to the latter the truth of the lofty assertion he had just made that "it takes a man with an education to get along nowadays." Drawing a circle on the floor with a piece of charcoal, the young man said: "Now, if this was a circle of grass, and there was a golf ball lost in it, you or any other uneducated man would go into it and walk all around, doubling on your tracks, and wasting time in looking for the ball; while the educated man would simply begin at the outskirts of the circle, walking round in a narrower circle each time, until he picked up the ball without having gone over the same ground twice." "Kid," snorted the scene painter, "go back to school and learn some common sense. The way to find that ball would be to set iire to the grass and hit for the place where you smelled the rubber burning!"