AMUSEMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2550, 10 July 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

AMUSEMENTS.

HLS M.-UP^TY’® LOCAL .FIXTFT? FP To-night.—Pollard’s Juvenile Opera Company. July 26, 27. —Geach-Marlow Dramatic Company. It was a coincidence that Miss Henrietta Grossman, a fine comedy actress, created the title part in “Sweet Kitty Bellairs” in America, and was also the first to play “Sweet Nell” in New York, two pieces introduced to Australia by Miss Nellie Stewart. Madame Melba will rest for a couple of months after her big concert in Melbourne during Carnival AVee’k. In March next she leaves Perth, and on May 16 is to.open the season of opera •at Co vent Garden. At the conclusion of the London opera season the diva will start to fulfil her engagements in the United States and Canada.

Madame Sarah Bernhardt—still the “divine,” to judge by the enthusiastic euconiums of the Parisian Press —has made a triumphant success in the revival of “Fedora” at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt. “The Kingdom of Li limit ” with its 300 dwarfs, continues to make the other and very different sensation in the entertainment world of Paris.

Mrs.’ J. A. Stirling has taken up the part of a show girl in “Our Miss Gibbs” at the London Gaiety Theatre. Mrs. Stirling, it will be remembered, figured in the recent “Society and Stage” divorce suit. At the time of Mrs. Stirling’s marriage at St. George’s Registry Office., Hanover Square, in October, 1904. she was appearing in the “Earl and the Girl” at the Adelphi Theatre.

News has been received that the “All Black” Musical Company have just concluded a successful tour of South Australia and are just about to visit Victoria, after which they will return to New Zealand, beginning the tour at Invercargill, on October 12. The company now comprises ten members, deluding their own brass band of seven. The company also bring an electric plant of 10,000 candle power.

Miss Ada Ferrar, who, for some months past lias been endeavoring to arrange with the Australian managers for a. return visit, which she is anxious to make in'order to see and old friends once more, has had to resign these plans, as she was one of the first of the artists secured by Mr. Herbert Trench for the new repertory scheme at the Havmarket, and has been engaged for an entire year, opening 5n September. '

A red cotton handkerchief to a bull is nothing like a bull-nigger to a Burns. At Mount Morgan (Queensland) Tommy’s punch and picture show was going strong, and Tommy was pointing with pride' to the flickers of his successful wreckage of Gunner Moir. He remarked: “Here vou see the referee has called him (Moir) aside.” “Pitv he didn’t call Johnson aside!” yelled an ape. “Come ut> here, and I’ll knock vou aside!” said Thomas Burns warmly.

Miss Elbert Orton, the dark-eyed, classical-looking lady who figured with Julius Knight in “Robin Hood’ and “Raffles,” has invaded the United States boards, aonarentlv as an actress from Australia. She was lately playing in “A Fool there Was.” a dramatisation of Kipling’s “Vampire,” in New York, and was said to be printing herself Miss Katherine Karbred, an Australian actress. Well, there is something more than promise m the immature histrionics of the commanding Miss Orton, opines a correspondent.

Henrietta Watson. Madge Tithetadse. C. G. Matthews, and Lownde o-ave' a distinctly Australian flavor to the cast of Hubert Davis’ now comedy. “Bovis,”' just produced at the Havmarket. writes a London correspondent of the “Bulletin.” Madge litheradge revealed herself as a young woman who is taking her profession soiiouslv • too seriously for success m sillv comedv of the Davis brand. She was more at home-playing heroics with Lewis Waller, and will irobably 'vert to the management of that successful barn-stormer. I should not tlnnk “Bevis” would ever travel to Australia ; it is not strong enough to stand the sea journey. On the other hand the new theatrical season is responsible for one really good absurdity Cartons “Mr. Preedv and the Countess. It kept even the weary first nigh tors laughing.

Mr. Oscar Asche and Miss Lily Bravton who are well on route to Australia, left behind in England a memento in the shape of a tastefully xirmted booklet, giving an interesting record of their careers. Both artists are old Bensonians, and it was during M r - Asdic’s sixth year with the renoimed company bearing that name that Miss Bravton, then but a girU enlisted undei the Benson banner, and within a short time became Mrs. Asche. Their subsequent career amid which the artistic Shakespearean productions at the Adelphi stand out prominently, is well and widelv known. Contained in the brochure are a number of admirable portraits, in which the beauty of Miss Bravton and the striking personality of Mr. Asche are effectively displayed in favorite characters, including those of Ivatharina, Rosalind Udico m tila,” and Christopher Sly, Potrucluo, and Othello.

Miss Maie Asli, a. well-known London comedv actress, -whose smiles have earned her a lot of money in the course other professional career, probably lost monev by indulging in one of them ttie other daV. Miss Ash sued a motor-cab company for damages in respect- of injuries sustained while being din on m a “taxi” which collided with a post, causing the fair fare to be thrown forward against the glass screen whereby her face was cut and bruised. Iheu was no doubt that through the forcible conta.ct with the glass Miss Ash endured panes, and satisfactory proots wore adueed of lier face having been scarred. But the defendant contended that the injuries were not of the kind to incapacitate the actress from smiling or to detract from its effectiveness. Miss Ash, in the well of the court, could not refrain from smiling in the most convincing fascinating way, and m) she was only awarded 150 guineas damages. If she liad only the presence, of mind to weep instead, goodness knows how much the susceptible jury would have awarded. Miss Ash’s smile possible oust .her thousands-.

Major du Maurier’s Englishman's Home,” has beeiPpubfished in' volume form, by Mr. Edivard Arnold, and. illustrated with several photographs of the London production,, makes a vcr.y acceptable book. The play ends here as the author originally intended it to end—that is, with the shooting of Brown, and the following sentences spoken by the invaders : —Officer : “Do we stay here, sir?” Yoland: “Yes, here, in what the late owner ca.ied 'An Englishman's Home.’” Officer: “For how long, sir?” (Curtain.) The concession made' by the producers of the comparatively hapo-/ ending is inartistic. Messrs J. and N; Tait have received news from London regarding three artists who are well known to Australians. At a charity concert at cLre Mansion House, organised by the Mayor of London, the leading features on the programme, which was uniqueas regards the number of distinguished, artists,, were the singing of MadameClara Butt and Miss Marie Hall’s violin playing. It is stated that both performances aroused intense enthusiasm. Later on Madame Clara Butt, with Air. Kennedy Itumford, gave her usual Albert Hall concert, an event which returns to these two distinguished singers, anything between £ISOO and £2OOO.

An abridged prospectus of f 'A Moorish Maid” Opera Company, Ltd., ‘is being circulated privately in WellingtonThis is a company formed to produce Mr. Alfred Hill’s opera in London,, whither it was taken by Mr. Cunningham Bridgeman (of London), who was much impressed with the possibilities of the opera on hearing it performed in. Dunedin some months ago. The capital is to consist of £6OOO, in 120 share® of £SO each. Of this amount, £2200 lias been found in London, and 1100 has been subscribed in New Zealand. Another , fourteen shares have been made available for New Zealand “With a view of giving the public here a chance? of sharing in the anticipated success of Alfred Hill’s opera.”