OUR SYDNEY PLAY BOX.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 202, 28 August 1886, Page 5

OUR SYDNEY PLAY BOX.

(Br Dbonfielb.)

Sydney, August 19,

Georgo Loitch's version of " His Natural Life" was placed upon the stage of tho Theatre Royal last Saturday, before a packed house. "The Candidate," a Criterion comedy, is a big success at the Opera House, which has been leased by the " Triumvirate " for six weeks. Harry St. Maux and Minnie E. Pouys are appearing ;in the above ploy, which, after a run of three weeks, will be withdrawn ta-morrow ovoning, and "Tho Great Divorce Case," another Criterion success, by Doe and Matthison, will bo substituted. In this play Alfred Maltby, a member of Charles Wyndham's Company for upwards of eight years, will make hia firet appearance in Australia. "Pink Dominos " will most likely follow. Nap re-written, and revived at the Gaiety by John F. Sheridan and his moat excellent combination, crowded houses the result; J. L. Hall, Amy Horton, Charles Brown, the latest addition to the show. Sheridan informs us that he ehortly inteuda playing a season of burlesque, such as " Acoa nnd Galatea," " Little Don Giovanni," and othora ; also that ho is negotiating with an American variety company for a tour of tho Australian and New Zealand colonies. Edward Farley, who returned from India a few montha since, is running a very fair opera company at tho now Masonic Hall. Thoy have produced " Los Cloches de Corneville " for six nights tpsplcndid houses, and are now playing "Tho Bohemian Girl." One littlo lady of tbo Company—Kate Lovell—doservoa to bo well spoken of, she, being tho moana of making ".Do Cornvillo " what it was—a success. ,Tho Raynor Brothers are showing at the Academy of; Music in conjunction with Fred Hiecoc _8 Fedorals.and aro meeting with tho auccess thoy desorve. Crowded houses assemble each night to witness thoir clevor entertainments Alfred Dampier, who opened the Eoyal Standard Theatre last May, Etill oceupios It, and during tho week revived Thomns Somer'« vereion of " His Natural Life," which will be token off the boards to-night, and on Friday '"the Merchant of Venico" will bo ployed. Dampior places Shakspero on the boards once a wook, gonorally Friday nights, and can always command splendid houses. On Saturday the " Lyons Courier " will be performed, and thoy havo in rehearsal "The Sona of a Great City," ond "King of Diamonds." Hugo's Buffallo Minstrels, who hove hold the public grip for the lost nine or ten weeks, closed their successful season laat Wodnesday, that evening boing sot down as a complimentary bonefit to Charles Hugo. Wo are ploased to state that there was a bumper houso on the occasion. The combination proceed to Melbourne in tho course of a dny or two, and thence to Launceaton, playing at tho Acadomy of Music thore. Harold Ashton, theironorgotic business manager, basseccdod from the above show, also Ruby Clifford. Georgo Darroll's new play, " Tho Soggarth," and written especially to the older of Williamson, Garner, and Musgrovo, will bo produced in the Theatre Boynl on August 2Sth, but George Darrell will not appear in it, he being undor engagement to McMahon and Leitch to appear at the Theatre Royal, Brisbane, in "Tho Sunny South" about September 4th. W. J. Hollow ay, Eesio Jenyns, Kato Arden, Charles Holloway, Alice Deorwyn, and Dick Stewart, junr., aro nt present playing a farewell season ot the Brisbane Royal, appearing in '• A Bing of Iron," " Romeo nnd Juliet," " Hamlet," " A Mad Marriage," "My Milliner's Bill,'' kc, &c. They open at Majeroni and Wilson's Opera House in this city during tho early part of September, for a long season of coven weeks. Frank Thornton, H. R. Horwood, omd the Private Secretary Company ore ploying o splendid season ot the Academy of Music in Brisbane. They close shortly, and proceed to Northern Queensland, opening at the Bijou, Melbourne, on the 25th September. The Academy will next bo occupied by E. C. Dunbar's Musical Bouquet Company, many members of which were for a long time associated with Fred Hiscock's Federal Minstrels. Frank Smith, of the Alhambro Music Hall, conxinuea to keep tho theatrical world clive down at the Hoymarket, the latest addition to his numorous body of artists being those clever musical and acrobatic artists, tho Matthews Brothers, who draw big houses each night.