Song, Stage, and Story.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 77, 3 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

Song, Stage, and Story.

Mr Rignoip should have every _.-«on to be satisfied wibh his present season ab tbe Opera House. Eaoh piece seems to bave meb wibb greater success than its prede; cessor, and when • Tho Lights o« London was produced on Monday evening, the bouse was crammed in every part. There ia no doubb fcbab bhe greab majority of the public bave a very decided preference for melodrama, and a play so ful of d£» a™ incidenb as ■ The Lights o' LwdM » always certain of a good recepbiori. 1>» certainly above bbc average of melodramas, and the glimpses it affords of the hope loss misery of tho^ London poor ahould »ob be wi bhoub bheir lesson even to the most thoughtless io the audience. The play h&e drawn good houses all thia week. Pollard's Opera Company completed a very successful season ab the, Thamea laat week, and lefb on Monday by fcbeTakapuna for Now Plymouth, where they^play a couple of nighbß. Hawera, Wangaoul and Marton follow. ■ Miss Maribel Greenwood and ber sisters are bo appear at tho Ciby Hall ab Easter in a muaical medley entertainment, and judging from fcheir programmes their per iormances ahould be most enjoyable. Ibe Misses Maribel, Agatha and Rjiby will ei „g some of the newest and most popular songs, duets and trios, and tbo ladies promise, besides this, an exceedingly pretty burleaaue on . Romoo and Julieo, Mr Henry Paulbon, who has been engaged by Messrs Williamson and Musgrove for an Australian tour, is an English beat known to colonials as the aubhor of bho farce • Niobc-AU Smiles,' in which he made a greab hib aa Peter Amos Dunn His opening piece in Australia will be A Nighb Oub,' a farce comedy from the MT Jerome K. Jerome is to have the honour of following on • Charley a Aunb at the Globe. The present tible of tbe piece 'The McHaggis ' scarcely Bounds line rollicking ori.. reality. It means, probably, little Penley in a kilb. The Ovide Muein Concert Company are appearing ab Newcastle. From thence they go on fco Bri.bane, and then back to Sydney. Then the Company proceed bo Victoria, South Australia, China and Japan. en route fco San Francisco. Large audiencea continue to patroniae the.plendid production 'Matsa' ab Her Majesbv'a Theatre, Sydney. This is certainly "one of the greateab efforts of Messrs Williamson and Mu«grove in the way of scenic eiiects and gorgeous and appropriate costumes. Mr "Henry Bracv and company are appearing in Sydney in ' Nemesis,' an opera boutie described as one of the prettiest, merriest entertainments afc present before the Sydney public. Mr Bracy bas gathered around him a highly capable company of vocalists, actors and entertainers of the variety order, including Mr Albert Whelan, whose musical imitations and mimicry of well known actors are almosb perfecb of i their kind. In Melbourne ' Two Libtle Vagabonds seems to have made a much more decided impression ab fche Princess Theatre bban did *Zonda,' the press notices evidently pointing to a somewhat iflftnarkable success. Wo read that bhe audience ' wepb and laughed and wepb again, wibh intervals of unstinted applauae.' The new play, which is a translation of Pierre Decourcello's ' Lea Deux Goaaea,' aeem. bo be o well written melodrama of 'robuatious ' calibre.

Miaa Flora Graupner, who waa for several years wifch fche Firm's Comic Opera Company, leaves for England shortly. Mr Henry Paulbon, the new English comedian, makes his Ausbralian debut at fche close of the Pobter-Bellew Beason. Ho brings two English actresses bo supporb him.

The projected visib fco Ausbralia of Frohman'a American Musical Comedy Company has boen abandoned for the presenb.

• The Sign of bhe Croaß,' which will probably bo produced in Sydney at Easter, has passed the Ru.aiao censorship, and laat month was magnificently staged ab St. Petersburg. The run in London closed on bhe 30bh of January ab bhe Lyric Theabre, wibh bhe 435 th representation. Mr Wilson Barrett informed the audience bhab, afber a run in America and England' of bwo yeara, some members of the Company found fche strain more than they could bear.

Mr Bland Holt (says Melbourne * Leader') is rapidly reviving bhe former bub, of labe, somowhab faded glories of bhe Royal as the home of pantomime and melodrama. The central posibion of tho house haß, no doubt, something to do with thia, bub bhe real factor in the case is the powerful and superbly mounted playa which this enterprising gentleman has produced from time to time. No ono has more carefully studied public taste and striven to keep abreast of ib than Mr Bland Holb in his particular lino of businees, so bhab failure, _o far as he is concerned, may be declared an unknown quantity.

' As to the Royal Comic Opera Company,' Mr Williamson suid, ' the arrangements aro .well forward now, and fcha probability'is that .he re-organiaed company will appear soon after Easter. We have boughd bhe rights of'Tjhe Gay Pariaienno,'a musical comedy by George Dance and Ivan Caryll, which ia eaid to be intensely funny, and has certainly been a great success at bhe Duke of York's Theatre, London. At cho 300 th performance of it recently, 40 policemen were called in early in tho afternoon to disperse the crowd thab was waiting for admission, and at nighb more than 1,000 people were turned away from the doors. The .crip and score of 'The Gay Pari.ienne' came to me by the laab mail, and bhis will be one of our earließb productions —probably the first—when the Comic Opera Company re.ume. We have arranged for a London Gaiety Company fco visib Australia, to phy "The Geieha," "The Circus Girl," and "My Girl," but tho exact datea I can'b tell you yeb.| Messrs Williamson and Mußgrove's plana for fchj. theatrical year, which may be eaid to begin at Ea.ter, are nearing a practical climax. Ab Easter Mra Pobtor and Mr Bellew will occupy the Princess, Melbourne, where ' Romeo and Julieb ' will be the opening play, and * Francillon ' cerbainly be in the repertoire. ' Mafcsa 'is feo bo taken to Adelaide during the holiday season and fche English dramatic company will be in Sydney aboub bhab time to play either ' The Sign of the Cross' or one of bheir other two pieces.

A tragic scene occurred in a New York theatre lately, when Armand Casblemary, a well-known singer, died suddenly of heartdisease. The Opera House was crowded to hear fche opera « Martha,' and Casblemary, in the parb of Tristan, by his superb acting and wonderful singing, had drawn round after round of applauae, Ab fche conclusion of the olay the eceno represents bim aa surrounded by a crowd of merry villagers. Nearly half a hundred chorus-girls who took narb in bhe production were dancing in t. circle aboub bho old man. Suddenly Casblemary reeled, fcripped and fell. The first to reach the dying man was Jean de Reszke, who was standing in tho window. C._-tleraary withoub uttering a word breathed his laab in De Reszke'a arms. Casblemary was 63 yeara old.

The bankruptcy of Sims Reeves ab bhe age of 74 no doubb seeing i -comprehensible bo those who only know, thab bill comparatively recently the great bener hardly ever opened his mouth under a hundred guineas. It is nob, however, albogebhor bhe old man's faulb, His eon-in-law, W. F. Wiggs, came bo griof on fche Sfcock Exchange, and Mr Reeves was eureby for him. Ab presenb fche vofceran ie laid up with bronchitis, but he wants for nothing, and his wife hopes as soon aa they can travel bo geb bim aboard ship en route to fulfil bheir Australian engagements. Bub fche chances are bhab this will never come off,

__ITB_aARY KOTJEfi.

For few no.vola has there been a steadier demand bban 'John Halifax, Gentleman,' which, year oub, year ia, since 1856 bai sold well in the expensive six shilling form. About 18 mouths ago Messrs Burst and Blackefcb reduced the price to Zs 6d, and sow a cheap reprint is promised. The secret of fche permanenb popularity of bhia book—which the ' Spectator' truly enough dubbed ' a novel of second class'—lies in its perfecb suitability for midd_e-cb_*_ family reading. Many of ue are far from altogether approving of Mr Halifax, who belied the promise of his boybood in several ways, abill hia adventures contain thoroughly wholesome lesßonß for the rising generation, and they are nob boo tireeomely obviona, 'John Halifax' is far from being Mian Mulock's besb book. This wo take bo be * A Noble Life.' In ibs beginnings tbe first named musb bave made an altogether unusual impression, as ono constantly comes across copies of the bhree volume issue which were given in the fifties as preeetifca.

The story of bbc Grand Duchess 'Palladia ' and her luckless young buaband as relAbed by Mrs Hugh Fraser will be found first-rate reading. Tbis novel, indeed, is fcbe besb bhe new year bas bo far given ni Ib opens crisply, and incident afber incident holds one's attention fasb to tbe lasb page. * A moeb engrossing and enthralling tale,' says the ' Specbabor,' which is nob given to gu.b, and obbar papers are equally flattering. * Palladia' ia—barring a child's book —Mrs Fraser's initial literary effort, bob she gained repute some time ago as authoress of several charming playlets and proverbs for drawing-room consumption. Macmillan'a have added this novel to their Colonial Library.

Mr G. W. S tee vena noticing bis own book in fche 'Daily Mail' ia genuinely humorous. He was despatched to America in bhe interests of this journal, and sent ib a number of racy letters on fche Pre. sidential election, etc. These are now re-printed in a book called *Tho Land of the Dollar.' and Mr Sieevena reviews ib himself also in bhe * Daily Mail' The' ' Academy' considers thero is something pleaaanbly symmetrical aboub this proceeding. Mr Steevens seems both to like the book and to dislike ib, which is the righto attitude for a conscientious author. In the end he adviaes Mr Balfour to give the writer a pension, and declares his opinion bhab a copy should be in every borne and cobtage, if only negatively bo instruct the nation in literary style.

Stephen Crane, author of * The Rod Badge of Courage,' who was recently Bbrp. wrecked on a filibustering vessel while on his way to Cuba, has a story in a new vein in fche February 'Century,' ib is called ' A Man and Some Othera,' and is a bale of the Wesbern plains,

There is in the January * Temple Magazine ' an article of great interesb on Moody, the American evangelist. One bad always thought and heard of him as an uneducated Boanerges of narrow sympathies. Bab that, Mr Meyer assures us, is a mistake. Some years ago the Roman Catholics in Northfiold, where hn lives and where his college is, determined to build a church, and went round the town collecting subscriptions. Ab firsb they cherished a nabural hesitation as to the reception lit Moody would give them, bufc, to fcheir surprise, be handed them one of the handsomest subscriptions, and when the chapel waß finished presented them wibh an organ. In answer bo an objection raised against him on this account be said, 'If bhey are Roman Catholics it is better bhey ahould ba good Roman Catholics bhan bad. Ib il surely bebber to have a Catholic Church than none, and aB for bhe organ, if tbey are to have music in their church it is better bo have good music. Betides (b. added) theaa are my own townspeople. I( ever 1 am bo be tbe least use to them* surely I musb help them.' Tbe end of blw story is that when ib waa rumoured that k was aboub bo build a church, one day be found the site covered wibh greab piles of stones which the Roman Catholics had broughb down from tbe mountain bo serve as tbe foundations. Mr Moody himself told Mr Meyer tbab on the day of bis mother's funeral a Roman Catholic would insist on helping bo drag bhe sledge that carried bhe coffin over the frozen snow.

Dean Farrar, in giving his reminiscence! of Tennyson in bhe same magazine, tolls vi that afber bhe marriage ot the Laureate's eon Lionel to Mias Locker-Lampeon [now Mrs Augustine Birrell), ab Woabminsfcer Abbey, fche chief guests wenb inbo the Jerusalem Chamber for fche signing of tho regjsber. __ was almosb impossible to secure a passage for the distinguished personages who were to sign an witnesses. ' After securing tfca. signatures of Mr Gladstone and bhe Daks of Argyle,'continues Dean Farrar, 'Ikad to find Mr Tennyson—ib was nob bill afterwards thab he received hia title—and steer him to the book. He was shorb-sighted, and fche Jerusalem Chamber, always somewhat dark, was still more so trom its densely-crowded condition. Ac I held bis arm ond led him along, a lady held oat her hand with a warm "How are you, Mr Tennyson ? I'm glad fcbab you gob in just in time." "Oh, how do you do," be answered, " I have nofc the leasb idea who yoa are," "I am Mrs Lewis," she said with a emile. It was his friend and neighbour "George Eliob," bub (as be stopped bo oxplain) he could hardly diefcinguisb her features in the crowd and somewhat dull light of the ancient famous chamber, and had nobab fche moment recognised har voice. This wua the only time thab I had the pleasure of seeing " George Eliot."'

Mr Arthur Harper's work on tbe 'South Sea Switzerland' is deservedly getting excallenfc notices. Ifc is an expensive book, of course. All Alpine books are. Thia.weeuppoee.mu. t be because climbers bave plenty of casb. Only well-to-do parsons can afford to go in for hanging on to inaccessible peaks by their eyelids. To ascend tha Matterhorn cosba ijj> guides alone from £15 to £20, and even a common everyday • __£ in the Engadine runs to £5 or £6. Tha 'Daily News' gives Mr Harper's book nearly a column, observing r—' This is nob one of bhe mountaineering books, numerous of late, which constantly invite tbe reader to observe how the gallant climber cbo hang on to a precipice by tbe skin ol his teeth. Mr Harper's book is vastly mora interesting than a mere record of feats in climbing. There are such feats recorded in it, bub Vn& volume is in tbe main an accounb of bhe local beauties, the bird life, fche peculiarities of glacial action, fche topo' gruphy, the flowers and vegetation, of -be Alpine region in bbc South Island of New Zealand. Tbe author gives soma curiooa and amusing details aboub fcbe habits of such birds aa tbe weka (wood hen), ib. kiwi, fche kea, or mountain parrot.' The reviewer then gives a number of entertaining extracts regarding these birds, etc., winding up:—'Many unexplored glaciers aad unsettled peaks await future pioneer*. Touriets who care only for ecenie pieturesqueness and grandeur are assured that the scenery of Westland "equals, if no* surpasses thab of Switzerland and Norway." As regards the .New Zealand forest, the fascination which ib bas over all those who see or work io ib cannob bo understood by one who bas not experienced ib. I will nob attempt bo describe the innumerable beaubifui feme and mosses and bbc wonderful colouring of tbe bush, which never eeaae bo exercise bheir power, ova* even the oldesb " hand " if be has any l«v« of fine effects.' Mr Harper predicts a fine fubnre for bbc New Zealand Alps as a tourists' reaorb. Doubtless bhey will at* fcracb holiday travellers from tbe »•* Eaglands of bhe Southern Ocean. Bub jurt ab presenb they have no hotels, no roads, no picturesque ohalofcs, no human astociablone. They will paasesa them all hy the bime bbc New Z.alander bakes his eiwid an tho broken arch of London Bridge.