GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4536, 13 December 1884, Page 4

GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

(By Euterpe.)

Val Vose, the clever ventriloquist, is playing in Pennsylvania.

Mrs 6. B. W, Lewis and hor company are In Wellington,

"Royal Love" ib tho title of Wilkie Collins's new story.

MrC. Kegan Paul is putting into English "Blaise Pascal's Thoughts."

A volume of short stories by the author "John Halifax" is announced by tho Harpers.

Mr Farjoon has written a new story for tho " Town and Country Journal, entitled " The Tragedy of Featherstone."

Mr Dampior has been keeping tho Royal open in Sydney with "Notre Dame," in which several old favourites assist.

Mr Charles Harding is declared to be far and away tho best tenor to be heard in Sydney.

Mr and Mrs J. P. Burnett (Miss Jonnie Leo) and family loft Melbourne for London direct by the P. and O. steamer Carthage.

A new log.al quarterly,, edited by Professor Frederick Pollock, will appear in January next, the price of whichis to bo 2s 6d. Miss Mary Lanyonhas concluded hersoason at tho Sydney Opora Houso, and will, doubtlesSjSOon make her bowtoa Melbourne audience.

Sheridan's "Fun on the Bristol" company open at Sloan's Theatre, Invorcargill, on tho 10th instant, and at Dunedin on Boxing Night.

Miss Fortoscue now gets £25 a night, instead of E7 a week, though she is; described as not having half the chic or talents of Nellie Stewart.

"The Sins of the City" is the title of Messrs Merritt and Conquest's new sensational drama for the Surrey Theatre. It is in eight tableaux.

Woodyoar's Circus has been having a fairly successful season in the Otagon metropolis. It is said to have greatly improved since its last visit.

Mario Loftus, tho chief star of tho notorious Loftus troupe, which created such a sensation in this colony somo years ago, is back in America, her congenial sphere.

Messrs Blaokwood announco a cheap edition (being the fourteenth) of " Bon Gaultier's " " Book of Ballads," with the original illustrations by Doyle, Leach, and "Crowquill."

There is a second infant "Roscius" in Missouri, by name Walter Whiteßide. This tragedian of fourteen summers has already commenced giving Shakespearian readings in Kansas City.

The death is announced from Milan, in his 72nd yearj of Giulio Carcano, whose Italian version of Shakespeare's works entitles him to a prominent placo among modern Italian literary men.

The Princess Theatre, Melbourne, has been leased for a period of twenty years to a wealthy theatrical firm, who undertake to remove the present building, and to erect upon the site a handsome and substantial structure. ■

The. Montague-Turner Opera Company have re-opened in Sydney with Auber's'' Fra Diavolo." They also give " Maritana," Bizet's "Carmen," Herold's "Pre aux Clercs," and other operas not yet heard from the Company.

A. Reichardt, the composer of the once so popular song, " Thou Art so Near and Yet so Far," and who has for some years been at the head of the Philharmonic Society of Boulogne-Sur.Mer, has just been awarded the Academical palms. ■ ■ • ■

Extensive alterations are to be made to the Christchurch Theatre Royal.- Part of the dome is to be removed; the stage is to be supplied with flies, the scenic stock added to, and the auditorium beautified. The cost is estimated at about £1,500.

Richepin, who is Bupposed to have outDamala'd Damala in his adaptation of " Macbeth " for Sara* has added a scene representing the murder of Lady Macduff, "an incident," says "Truth" satirically, " which no doubt Shakespeare forgot."

Dr. Schliomann's new work, "Tho Prehistoric Palace of the Kings of Tiryns ; its Primeval Wall Paintings and Works of Art," will be illustrated with coloured lithographs, woodcuts, plans, &c, from the drawings of W. Dorpfeldand others, taken on the spot.

The next additions to the collection of American authors for English readers will be shilling editions of Mr G. Parsons Lathrop's "An Echo of Passion," and Mr Frank R. Stockton's "The Lady or the Tiger?" Both books have run through several editions in America.

Chiarini still pursues a chequered career. When leaving Picton for Nelson the s.s. Ringarooma, with the circus and menagorie onboard, got stuck on a mudbank. She got safely off again, however. The ComSany, after " doing " Nelson, have gone to 'unediri, whence, they will return to Australia.

Messrs Hermann & Wills have written a comedy for Mrs Langtry. She, of course, will be the heroins, and she will have two men inlove with her. Shemarriesthem both —one after the other, of course; and, with that consideration whioli should characterise so sweet a personago, she marries the old man first.

Woodward's Japanese are at Wanganui, Webb's Marionettes at Nelson, and Pollard's Juveniles working up to Wellington. Thence they return to Christchurch, where Miss Gonevieve Ward is doing good

" business." The skeleton of Clark and Ryman's Comedy Company has also reached the Cathedral City.

"Sinbadtho Sailor" is stated to bathe name of tho pantomime at tho Opora Houso Melbourne, at Christmas next. Tho clown in the harlequinade will bo Mr H. Hodson and the columbine Miss Xellie Greenlees (MrsE. B. Russell). "Cinderella" will be placed on the boards of the Royal, with Mi 33 Maggie Moore in the title role.

Mi s Louise Crawford's season at the Opera House ends on Tuesday night. She will be succeeded by Fred Millis, the ventiiloquist, who has bargained for four nights, and then Professor Oarrollo and his acrobatic pupils will adorn the boards for a couplo of nights. After them—on Boxing Night—Mis G. B. W. Lewis and her dramatic company.

Mr Jolin Hesford, formerly of Mr Wilmott's Company, who, it will be remembered, loft tlio stage some time ago and took' a hotel at Riverton, ha? not been successful in his new walk. The receipts of that flourishing hostelry having fallen to halfa-crewn a day, both the'landlord and hia creditors deemed it advisable to shut up, and Mr Hesford intends to resume his professional labours.

At tho conclusion of the Adelaide season, tho " Romeo and Juliet" Company, headed by Miss Fanny Reid, was disbanded. The speculation all through Molbourno and Adelaide wns a failure. The worn-out scenery which had been used by Mr Irving at the London Lyceum, and afterwards carted all through the provinces of Groat Britian and Ireland, found no favour in the eyes of Australian playgoers.

A posthumous article on "Stage Interruption," by tho late Dutton Cook, relates tho following incident: —A favourito actress was playing in a temparanco drama called "Tho Bottle," and in the course of the piece she runs across tho stago crying— " llero's the bottle—what, oh, what shall I do with it?" when a man in the gallery callod out "Throw it down and smash it; we'ro sick of the d thing !"

Yon Suppers " Fatinitza" has boen played by Pollard's juveniles. Its success was only partial, as tho young performers, although exerting themselves most creditably, are scarcely able to da justice to tho music. The first act depicts the Russian camp before R.ustchuk, tho second the interior of a Turk's harem, and the third the summer retreat of a Russian count. "The Princess of Trebizonde " was presented on the last two nights of the season.

J. S. Smith (Simonsen's son-in-law) has made a lucky " hit" in renting the Hobart Exhibition building. Tho variety enterment which he there presents to capital business is said to be tho best and most complete entertainment the Tasmanians have had for many years, and reflects tho highest credit on the tact, energy, and business capabilities of Mr George Dean, tho director. Herr Schott (not unknown to local fame) is director of amusement.?.

During a recent performance of "Jano Shore," in Wellington, a funny incident occurred. In that part of the drama where tho Duke of Gloucester, finding that the heroine is not to be suborned, denounces her as a witch, Mr Douglas had just finished tho speech wherein he avers that Mistress Shore has withered his arm, when suddenly an individualia the pit, overcomeapparently by virtuous indignation, exclaimed at the top of his voice, "You're a liar." The applause which followed testified to the sympathy of the audience.

Handel's "Jephtha"has juat been performed by the Melbourno Philharmonic Society. Miss Carandini sang the music allotted to Iphis, Mrs Kamßden that Of Haraer, and Mr Armes Beaumont that of tho title rdlo, while Mr Gordon Gooch rendered the music incidental to the part of Zebul. Of Mr Gooch tho " Leader " sayß:— "Thoughhisvoiceis sufficiently well adapted forits(the music's)adequate performance, his style is so stiff, and the quality of tone he produces bo monotonous, as to detract from the value of his performance In tho recitatives this drawback became painfully evident; his unwarrantable introduction of appoggiaturas where they are not required, and consequently out of place, is also to be deprecated."

The Sydney "Bulletin" waxes funny at tho expense of several members of Miss Crawford's Company. SpeakingofMissMelrose's recent carriage accident, it says that it shook everything but her unalterable resolution to "love, honour, and obey. Marion, we may tell you, is, while her own H.W. is wrestling with Romeo in Adelaide, playing in Miss Louise Crawford's Cotriptiny at Abbott's—with Henry Teece (he couldn't leave it!), Percy Shannon, Martin Ilagan, and Lucy Fraser—'The New Magdalen,' ' Our Boys,' itc. We are glad to sco that Teeco is tho stage-manager; for, when he played hero, it took him all his time to manago his feet. Who, by the way, is Miss. Louise Crawford, who, the New Zealand papers say, has scored so many ' genuine successes' in Europe and America? It won't bo before he reaches New York, probably, that we shall hear of the genuine successes scored by Mr Teece (say) in Australia ! Hem !"

Thus the "Bulletin " : —"Dunning is now back in Adelaide with the etarnal " Bcccaccio," and a lot of girls with big limbs, and, by way of novelty, Appleby, Loredan, Annette Ivanova, Annie Leaf, who used to support Mr Harding—how kaleidoscopic is the life theatrical!—and Knight Aston, who, we hear, is in splendid voice—aeonsummation he mildly attributes to the effects of ginger-ale." An Adelaide paper says that "-Mr Loredon, as Pletro, seems depressed by tho general badness of the Company, and his scenes with Isabella are almost entirely spoiled by Miss Julia G Wynne's execrable acting and worse singing. Mr Lissant, as Lotteringhi, is gradually improving, but it seems rather hard that people should come to Adelaide to learn their parts. Only for Mr T. B. Appleby's Lambertuccio, the representation would bo a dismal failure." There has been an evident falling-off in the strength and efficiency of tho Company.