Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Saturday 16 May 1908, page 7


DRAMATIC NOTES.

fBy 'Bohemian.'] _ -

'Peter Pan*' will bid farewell' to Mel-' bourne this week, but not a long one. It has to go on tour, in order to keep dates* long ago arranged for it, but the announce

ment of the dose ot tne season contains an intimation of a future revival, and revivals are things to which 'Teter Pan' is particularly partial. The company will leave for Brisbane to-day, where they are due on May 22. That ^'Sherlock Holmes' has- an 'enduring popularity was foreiMly evidenced last Saturday night., when that vigorous drama was revived at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne. Mr. Kingston's fine 'nervous' study of the great detective wass keenly appreciated. Mrs. Brough'3 long experience found her more than equal to the part of Madge Larrabee. Only five nights could be allowed for the revival, as the company are due to open for a fortnieht'5 visit to Sydney this evenifig, the initial piece being 'Brewster's Millions.' A short season in Newcastle will follow before the compare depart for Adelaide arid Western Australia, . The Royal Comic Opera Company were farewelled by a crowded audience at' the Sydney Theatre Royal last Saturday, and; left on Sunday for Melbourne., there to rehearse 'The Merry Widow' throughout this week. 'The' Lady Dandies'' retained its popularity undiminished right up to the last night of its seven weeks' season. 'Humpty-Dumpty' has now to bear. all the attendant honours incidental to being the only musical entertainment lin Sydney. It is not q hard task apparently, for the pantomime keeps. crowded hous.es in. a continual state of laughter and applause every evening at Her Majesty's Theatre. On Thursday, May 14, the J. C. Williamson Musical Comedy Company commenced a six nights' season at Newcastle, whither they journeyed from Toowoomba. Next Thursday they will be back again in Sydney to finish their rehearsals for 'The Prince cf Pilaen,' which is to be produced at the Theatre Royal there on May 30. The Auckland season ? of the JuliusKnight Company finished as Btrqmrly as it started, and this week the prganization began a tour of ' the smaller towns of the South Island, travelling southward towards Wellington, .where they .open, on. Saturday, May 23. 'Miss Hook of Holland' has passed the fourth week at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, and appears to have achieved -\ notable success. It differs in many respects -from. the. familiar, type of comic opera, its quaint Dutch atmosphere being particularly novel and refreshing. 'Miss Hook of Holland1 earned £80,000 in London alone, and to all appearances its career in Australia, will be proportionately profitable. , ? *?-'The , Belle of Mayfair' will succeed 'Miss Hook of Holland' at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, when the Dutch' oomio. opera has concluded its run. This is * kind of comic opera version 6f 'Kome--and Juliet,' on modern lines, of. course, the motif being the 'love' affair, of- two young? people belonging to rival houses. It is described as in Mr. Leslie Stuart's best vein, and the piece sparkles with_ epigram?, smart witticisms, and clever fooling. Miss Grade Sinclair, who1 was. recently imported to play the title role,- will# make her first appearance in .'[Australia in tha part taken in London by Edna May. Tho dresses in 'The. Belle of Mayfair' will make a brilliant display. Meynell & Gunrt are said to be spending close upon £3,000 upon them. ??'? . 'The Little Bread Winner', and 'Step-mother' Company, Tinder the direction ot Meynell & Gunnj.will tour Queensland on the completion . of the Brisbane season, whi--:h Is proving very successful.. Mr. Clyde MeynelL of the firm., ov Rupert' Clarke, John Wren, and Mevnnll and Gunn, leaves for England next Tuesday, and will make a number of important engagements for the firm's Australian enterprises.Already Already great preparations are being made for the production of Meynell awl Guna's 'Cinderella' pantomime at the Theatre Royal, ? Melbourne, at Christmas time, and neither effort nor expense, it'w stated, will be spared to make the production a memorable one. Mr. St. John Den; ton, who. it is said, has probably produced more pantomimes than any one .else in,. the theatrical world, and who accompanies Mr. Clyde Meynell to Enetfand next Tuesday,, will return' to take charge of the'.produ'etion,' ?-;..,. ' .. ,k_ ? , William Anderson last week, m-the Melbourne press, advertised for. suggestions for a name for his hew- - theatre 'in Russell street. It had then proposed that the name should be 'The King's,' but Mr. Anderson, confident there are many better titles, offers a prize of £5 5/ to the person who can suggest something more suitable for an Australian theatre, owned by an Australian manarprl and used by an Australian company. The corn-petition will close on May 31. and suggestions must be addressed to 'Competition,' care of. William Andoreon. Bijou Theatre, Melbourne. Within 24 hours of the announcement of the competition in Melbourne nearly 100 replies were received, and the Bourke etreet postman has been staggering under extra neaw loads of letters ever since. It jg expected that the theatre will be finished ?about the middle of July, and will be oTiened by William Anderson's Dramatic Company, beaded by Miss Eugenie Duggan, Georne Cross, and the popular Bert Bailey. William Anderson, now that he is to have a new theatre of his own in Melbourne, finds the necessity of a press representative and private secretary to assist him. When Wonderland City is open, and Anderson has several companies on tour, he is an extremely busy theatrical manager. He - has appointed Beaumont Smith, of Adelaide, his press representative. ... Will the popularity of 'East LynnC never die? William Anderson's 1m ew Aufi-. tralian Dramatic Combination stajred it at the 'Bijou,' Melbourne, on Saturday, and turned quite 500 people away before halfpast seven. Perhaps the reason of the boom was the fact that Miss? Frances Ross pkyed the part of Lady Isabel for. the first time in Australia. She gave a fine performance of the tear-drenched heroine. Wonderland (Sty will not be closed during the winter. The frroundfrwill be. onen to the public for picnics, while the.KintTfl Theatre -will be' let out for dances, concerts and the like. It is .also proposed to have skatinjr rnees- &c. on the bur openair rink on Saturday afternoons and other cnecial occasions. In the summer Wonderland will be crowded with new attractions, sensations,- &c. ? ?? ' .? :??;?.' , 'The Squatfe/a Daughter' will leave Western Australia, after a three. months stay, early in June, and all the company, including George .Cross. Bert Bailev, and Ada Guildford, will go back to .MeUxmrne to start rehearsals for the play that win open the neto theatre. ? -.-.,?' Miss Jennie Reiffert, whom playgoers will remember with keen pleasure as^ the onfeinal Madame Vinard in the Fax-Crane production of 'Trilby,' is to pay another visit to 'Australia. She has been engaged for the part of Mrs. Schultz, one of the denizens of 'the Cabbage Patch,' of which Mrs. Wiggs is the Heroine. The company who are to produce that comedy under the direction of J. C. Williamson, will leave Vancouver next week. ' . . Stories-^fipod. stories, too— begin to rise up round 'Peter Pan,' most of them bearing on- the : way. the youngsters are absolutely fascinated by the fairy play. Mies Tittelt Brune has already received many letters from ? youthful admirers anxious to assure her that they do believe in fairies, and breathing undying affectio'n for .her as an immortal here. One youngster asked her to send along sixpence worth. of 'fairy dust' so that she, too, -might fly to. the. Never, Never Land, and to all herrcorrfrjjpondents Peter Pan sends along a 'thimble'r-which in- the language-of Peter Pan, means a kiss— with her love. It is always, interesting to watch the children, and to listen to' their comments during the performance. They quite lose themselves in the glamour of it all; and once from th6 stalls in the fifth act Mrs. Darling's sorrowful entrance after playing 'Home, sweet home,* Tvas greeted by a childish voice eagerly crying— 'Your children have come back.' '.??.' ?'???'.-''. As American naval officers and American naval cadets take noi inconsiderable part in 'The Prince of Pilsen,' its production just now comes particularly opportunely,Seeing that tl* approaching /visit 'of the United States Fleet is such an absorbing topic of conversation. So exceptionally keen were the Melbourne playgoing pubtic to ' see 'The Merry Widow' that the management opened the plans last Monday for the first six nights instead of for the opening .performance, as is the customary.1 rule. 1Mb evening will be marked with a red letter in the annals of the Austrtdian lyric, -stage, and ? there can be no gainsaying tbfe fact that for the liistoric event J. C. Williamson has organized 'a company,; the strength of which in all departments, has never been bettered on this side of tie world. First and foremost comes Miss Carrie Moore, specially engaged for the ideal part of Sonia. the memywidow, and her return to the scene of so many 'of her' former triumphs is an 'occa-sion' in itself. Sir. Andrew . Hiftginsou again it due for his Australian debut in fa*; part of .Damlo, whilejMr. Edmundl Shenras. ..who preceded him out .here by a

few months, has yet to introduce. himself to Melboubrne audiences. In Miss Florence' Young the important pirt cf Natalie will have an exceptional exponent, while Miss Connie Milne, Misa Ivy Scott, Miss Jessica Deane. Miss Nellie Wilson, and others' are lalTfoond places. On the male sids the cast, is exceptionally strong. Nearly every member of it is called upon for some comedy work, and every oae of those entrusted with it have already established themselves _ in' that; connection. Mr. Andrew Higginson, t«sides being a vocalist, has a reputation: as a light comedian, and fo have Mr. Edmund Sherras, and, of oourse, Mr. Reginald Roberts. For the rest, the names are Messrs. Claude Bantock,' Fred, Leslie, W. S. Percy, Victor Gourietin, D. B. O'Connor, and A. Hunter, all of whom have already made good. The engagement of Herr Gustave Slapoffski, as musical director, guarantee's the orchestral tihd chorus work as likely -to be much 'more than ordinary, while Mr. Gerard Coventry's experience has been., devoted to the stagedirection. Altogether nothing seems wanting to ensure instant success with Lehar's great woTld