THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2308, 26 May 1898, Page 39

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquin.

Tuesday, May 24

There was a large and ap23reciative audience - at, the Princess Theatre on Monday, whea the Japanese extravaganza "Djin-Djm" was produced for the second time by the Pollard Opera Company. The uninterrupted series of gorgeoue stage pictures were'tbe theme of general admiration, and- evoked spontaneous demoastr&tions of approval. The illuminations cf • the palace gardens and the eruptions of Fuji San were, ss heretofore, particularly admired, and were singled out for specially cordii.l rounds of spplanse. The acting ar<d singing were deserving of tbe highest encomiums, and particularly so in the case of Mr Filts as Djin-Djin, Mi?s Maud Beatty as . Priiice Eucalyptus, snd Miss Marion Mitchell as tbe Princess. The humorous sojijjs and diverting antics of Messrs Percy and Qupaly kept tbe audience in a general state of xnerr:- .?> znent throughout the evening.

Madame Amy Sherwin intends to give three farewell concerts in Dunedin on the 26th, 27bh, ntxd 28th inst. She then leaves for Western Australia.

2Sr Harry Abbolt, the manager cf the Cow*u Dth.m:ttic Company, writes me froaa Melbourne I bat arrangements have been completed for the appearance of this popular and successful company in Dunedin on Saturday, June 11, when f. new and interesting draasa of the sensational order, entitled "The Battle s|J>:fp," will be produced. The company have just concluded II successful tour of the principal Austr&li&iL »ndTa'smanian towna, and will start their.New Zealand tour at the local theatre aa stated. Mr H: C. Ward, the advance agent, will arrive by aexc Melbourne boat to make preliminary arrangements. Mr Abbott adds that during hhe shorfseason at Dunedin a number of new draoias wi)l be staged, and a change of bill will be given on each Saturday and Wednesday during tbe company's visit.

Fitzgf raid's Circm is reported to have had a novel experience at Whangarei. Owing to bad weather the steamer which conveyed the circus thither was some hours late, and did not arrive till 11 p.m. on tha night they were advertiesd to open. The audience, however, was in waiting, and a start was made to put up tha tent, with the result that everything w"ss in readiness to commence the performance at 2 a.m. The show closed at half-past 4, and the takings amaunted to £283.

The benefit tendered to Miss Millie Jacobs in the Garrison Hall on the evening tf the 18th ended in a. manner not anticipated by its promoters. Ia the dailies of tbe day preceding the benefit an announcement appeared intimating that in consequence o£ unforeseen circumstances the proceeds would be devoted to a local charity instead of being availed of by Miss Jacobs to assist in prosecuting her musical studies in Australia. The mystery attached to > hia departure was made clear by the announcement of the marriage on Thursday morning of Miss Jacobs to Mr Richard Hudson, jun., and Mr and Mrs Hudson's departure ia the northern ( x press on their honeymoon tour» I wish the newly-wedded pair all happiness.

Mrs Collet Dobson's appearance on the pl&t*orm at the benefit performance was looked forward -to with considerable interest. Mra Dobson recited "La&ca," by Frank Dtsprey. .The effect of _ the recitation was heightened by ■vhat waa termed "dramatic mnsic," played 'ucler' the direction of Mr Leech, and the '■.• arty encore which followed was responded to •vith " How Bab's Malone Won the Handicap."

Dear Pasquia, — Hugh J. Emmetfc success'olly opened his tour at Picfcon on tbe 6hh. Picked houses followed at B'euheiaa, ditto at Neisoo, where, on the second night, it rained cats and dogs. Mr Enimett will play " Slespy Hollow " in his- return. So satisfied is BJr Bmniett with the first week of his tonr, t.L?cfc he iutende to go right through tits South IsUud. Dates fixed are as follows : — Reefton, May 19, 20 ; Ahaura, May 21 ; Hokifeika, May 23, 2* ; Kumara, May 25, 26 ; Greymouth/May 27, 23 ; Westport May 30 ; Nelson (return), June 1, 2 ; Havelock, June 3, * ; Blenheim, June 6 ; Picfon, June 7 ; then north. — Yours truly, Lou Le Breton, touring manager, Greymouth, May 13. "Orpheus," of Wellington Post, gathers together the following whereabouts of people we kuow :—": — " Miss Alma Stanley is back in London. — Mra Brown-Potter and Mr Kyrle Bellew have just finished a brilliant season in Glasgow, and are now at Newcastle, England. They propose going to South Africa at the end of "the year, and may afterwards return to Australia. '—Kir Edward Sass (last here with the Myra Kemble Company) is produoing 'My Friend the Pnnce ' (same thing as 'My Friend from lndi»') at OroydoD, Eogland.— Mr George Leitch has the chief character in a new political squib, 'A Warm Member,' playing at Terry's Theatre.— Mr J. F. Sheridan (« Widdy OBree-on ') and Miss Gracie Whiteford are at We»t Harilepool with 'When the Lamps are Lighted.'— Miss Alice Barnelfc, who was the Fairy Qaeen in 'lolanthe' and K&tiaha in ' The Mikado ' vheu produced here by the Kojal Cumics some years ago, is playing in « Billy,' a new musical play being performed at Newcaatle-on-Tyce.' — Mr Chas. Godfrey is on his legs again and singing at the Tivoli and Pavilion Theatres, London." The ctbles last wsek announced the death of M. Recienyi, the noted Violinist, who some few y&ars ago did a professional tonr of the oolonies, including Maorilaad. Remenyi was a facile Yiolinisfr, of * lig^ tbaosb

school. He possessed the knack of infusing passion and sympathy into hi* playing and had a complete mastery of technicality. Ai the same time, he exciled the suspicion that much of his work lacked (sincerity. He made his mark eariy in life, and when he was practically o. young rna.u he was appointed solo violinist to Queen Victoris. In temperament be was nsrvoas and reei!es», in disposition kindly and siuoplp, and probably his extreme fcensitiveaeas was responsible for many of his eocenlricities. lie loved adventure. He fought for Huagsity in her hopeless struggle against Auetm. and for the part he played iv the war wa3 temporarily exiled. His hobby was the collection of curiosities, aud in pursuit of thi<? he travelled in many countries. During his wanderings he wa« shipwrecked on the coast; of Madagascar, and was reported to be drowaed. The rumour was of course contradicted, bub »ob before Eemenyi had enjoyed the privilege of reading bis own obituary notice?.

i Mr W. S. 6 c lbert has been pxperreneing the sensation of " Trial by Jury." In an Edinburgh interview, galled at the failure of his last play, " The Fortune Huntsr," he let out all round at audience, actors, and critics, declaring amongst other fKiflga that the &nSience had bad taste, that Irving, Alexander, and "see«bbhm Tree •' delivered blank verse with dull monotony," that; "-irresponsible comedians . wera allowed to do as they pleased on ihe- stage," and- that Mr (Sydney Graady was ''only a- translator, and could nofc be put on the name level aa Pineco."' The E» " wont for " Mr Gilbert in strong terms, asserting ths»,i his " abnormsl self-este? m bad, with &<tvai.cing years, developed into a malady," and when he was In oueoF his tempfi's he ought Mo be kept from interviewers. Mr Qilboifc retaliated by suing the Bra for £1000 damages for libel, and the proceedings furnished some amusing " copy." The jury disagreed, aad both sides were left to pay their owa costs, whicb, it is said, were considerable.

The £6000 realised by the Nellie F&rren benefit performance tt Drury Lane Theatre, and substqu&nt subscriptions whicb raised it to £10,000, will, it fcas been ascertained, purchase an annuity for Miss Farren of £4-00, but this snm the Messrs Rothschild hare guaranteed to pay her annually ac interest on the money, leaving the principal intact. Two-thirda of ths total she will be ulir.wed to dispose of by will at net doaib, but .-81000 ip to go to establish a " Nellie Farren " coh in a hospital for children and another £1000 i 3 to be equally divided balweea the two greab theatrical benevolent funds.

On tbe German stage Shakespeare occupies a dominant; position, aud Shakespearian roles have always been the teat for actors and actresses. Of all the tragedies if; is •* Hamlet " that has ever been the most liked, aud the names of the greatest Gerrntvn actors, past and present — Hendrlch, Devoir, Davison, Sonnenthal, Kaitiz, and others — are closely connected with the character, which has also become the irabjeci; o? a complete literature.

An ingenious, stage waterfall, devised by Gailhatd, has attracted attention at the Paris opera ball?. It is made of tulle, stretched on frames imitating (she curves cf a fall. Behind it little streams of water are discharged through perforated pipes ngaiuat a metal plate, so as to throw a spray against the tulle. When the electric light is played on this the effect is magical. -

Miss Ellen Terry Is said to have " achieved her first shigo distinction by screaming." In a plsy bearing the outlandish title of "Altau Geell" she had to take a snake round her neck and scream, and so realistic was her simulated Tiorror at the tituation that the scream electrified the house.

Mrs Arthur Lswia (Kftte Terry) is returning to the stage after an absence of many years, and makes her reappearance at the London GHob'c with Mr Hare. When Misj Terry retired -in 1867 she had for/ some time held a leading position, and the ecane at the Adelphi Theatre on the occasion of her farewell performance I w*s one of striking enthusiasm. I Of all the Beries of Gilbert and Sullivan operas none, with the exception of " The Mikado," so well suits the purposes of a present- | day revival as the "Gondoliers," siaee it oon- | tains hardly a topical allusion which is not as j apt now as it was nina years *go. Tha pretty piece has been brought out again at the London Savoy, and the favourite numbers are as heartily encored aa o£ old.

If Bnglish managers are disposed to follow ths example of their brethren in New York in the matter of costly sonvenirs they will have to leara from them how this expensive practice is mads to pay. Lately the ladies at a leading theatre were each presented, in commemoration of the hundredth night of a popular piece, with a portable carriage clock. Since then the Castle Square Opera Company celebrated their fiftieth night by presenting their lady visitors with silver trays for the dressing table. The opera performed on the occasion was Flotow'g " Martha," and it is stated that hundreds of persons wera turned away from the door and a "platoon of police "had to be employed to keep the enthusiastic ticket buyers in line.