SONG, STAGE, AND STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 211, 11 September 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

SONG, STAGE, AND STORY.

The Auckland Amateur Opera Club ac rehearsing "Les Cloches de Corneville," for production early next year. The Brough and Boucicault Comedy Company will commence then lareweß season here at the Opera House on Monday night Avith "A Woman o No Importance." A good run seems to be already assured. Mr Frank Lawton, the American comedian who visited Auckland with the Matsa Vaudeville Company, passed through in the R.M.s. Moana last Saturday, on his Avay back .to America Mr Lawton's present intention is to tour the United States and pui in a season in London, after which he Avill pick up the second Chinatown Company ,and with that combination make his Avay to Australia. The Inman Dramatic Company have had a very successful season at the Opera House, drawing good houses throughout. A change from the conventional melodrama Avas made this Aveek when "Dr. Bill was staged for a couple of nights. Ihe popular farce Avas, on the whole, well acted, and "took" splendidly. _ The Misses Greenwood have just returned with their talented company from a most successful tour round the e-oldfields, the trip having proved, both financially and artistically, a great success. 'Wherever the company have been they have ensured a certain welcome for themselves should they return ou any future occasion. In every town the halls presented only standing room long before eight o'clock Avas reached, and allthrough both Press and public have been unanimous in pronouncing the show the very best ever seen in that direction. The company starts out again in a few days, and we feel confident that the same success will attend them throughout. Apropos of "Dr. Bill," our London correspondent Avrites: That \vellknoAvn and popular comedy in Australasia, which brings back memories of Myra Kemble, has been refashioned' by Mr Oscar Barrett into a musical comedy. The title oi the transmogrified "Dr. Bill" is "The Kangaroo Girl"—one had almost said "of course." "What to do Avith our girls?" is a problem in the Avay of rapid solution by means of musical comedy. A London paper says that Mr and Mrs Kivington (formerly Miss Flo. Young) have been doing a round ot the. London shows. Up to date there is no rumour of the lady venturing on the London boards. Professor Bristol's educated horses are noAV appearing at Brisbane. After the season there the shoAv Avill Avork its way back to Sydney, en route to Melbourne, so as to reach the latter city in time for the Cup festivities. Ballarat, Sandhurst ,and other important centres in Victoria Avill be assailed in due course,and arrangements are to be so carried out that Adelaide will be the scene of operations during the Christmas holidays.

Madame Amy Shenvin left London for Australia on August 8, and is due in Melbourne on September 18. She Avill open at the Melbourn ToAvn Hall on the 25th. Madame has secured the services of Mr Barton McGuckin, an English operatic tenor; Mr Arthur Dearie, an Australian baritone; and also a young Polish pianist.

A curious experiment is to be tried in London by the Elizabethan Stage Society, avlio intend to revive at the Matinee Theatre that old murder play, "Arden of Feversham," also "The King and the Countess," a play of EdAvard lll.'s time. Both of these pieces have been attributed positively to Rhakspere —Avrongly as is now admitted, though "Arden" may have been revised and corrected by the poet. The story of the murder of Arden by his Avife Alice, and her accomplice, Avas lately retold in the volume "Twelve Bad Women."

George H. Chirgwin, "the only White Eyed Musical Kaffir," and the idol of the. London "gods," has arrived in London from Australia. He was aAvay from England for nine months, and judging by his enthusiastic outpourings to an intervieAver avlio seized on him before he left the deck of the steamer, he had a good time. "Pleasant! Glorious! Never had such a delightful time," said George. "They are fine felloAvs and hospitable, good natured, treat you like a brother. Why, its just like being at home." "There Avasn't much topical to talk about," confided Chirgwin to his interviewer, "but I learned an Aboriginal Avar dance and fetched, 'em with that. Maybe I'll try it on here. And by the way, I brought something else back. Come and see my Avife and the boy, and I'll introduce j rou to a j^oung lady Avho is travelling with us, Miss Florence Esdaile, a soprano who Avas singing with me in Sydney. She'll make a hit here."

A neAV drama for the Adelphi has been Avritten by Messrs Haddon Chambers and Comyns Carr, and the subject selected for the central incident is the Brussels ball scene before Waterloo — material Avhich a number of dramatists, T. W. Robertson included, have been going to utilise but never did. These authors have, at last, seen the dramatic value of that touching- conclusion to Chapter 32 of "Vanity Fair." "No more firing was heard at Brussels — the pursuit rolled miles away. The darkness came doAvn on the field and city, and Amelia Avas praying for George, Avho Avas lying on his face dead, with a bullet through his heart.

Mr Sutton Vane, it is understood, has just written the book of a new musical comedy to be called "The Bandmaster." It is a skit on the Princess Chimay affair. A Bloomsbury pianist, Avith a soul above his surroundings, passes himself off as the leader of a Blue Hungarian Band and elopes Avith a Fabienne dei Franchi, Avho is descended from the "Corsican Brothers." The scope in this plot of working off humour of the usual musical farcical comedy character seems to be considerable.

The London Shaftesbury Theatre has been taken by Messrs Williamson and Musgrove from October 15th next and it is said that they Avill produce Francillon, a comedy new to London, but Avhich has met with success at the Antipodes. Mrs Brown Potter and Mr Kryle BelleAv, aa'lio have sustained the chief parts in Australia, play them also in London.

The Hambourgs and Mr John Lemmone opened at Brisbane on the 7th inst., for a three nights season. They return to Sydney about the middle of September, for a farewell season, and then give "return" concerts at Melbourne, also visiting Geelong, Ballarat, and Adelaide is next on the list with the second Saturday in October as the opening date. It is not certain whether they will come to NewZealand. Mr Lemmone is waiting instructions by cable from London.