WHAT AN APPEARANCE BEFORE THE QUEEN MEANS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 252, 25 October 1898, Page 3

WHAT AN APPEARANCE BEFORE THE QUEEN MEANS.

"BY COMMAND."

When Her Majesty Queen Victoria wishes to see the performance of any play, or scene from one, by some special 1 company, a note or verbal message is 1 sent to the manager of the company a day or two previously to the appointed time by the Lord Chamberlain, or aorna I other official acting for him, 'command- | ing' the company to appear. At the time i arranged for, supposing the performance lis to take place at Windsor Castle, it will i have to be done in what is known as liie 'Waterloo Chamber,' as that is the best room for such performance that the Castle boasts.

During the preceding day the scenery and , dresses required are sent to Win isor, and all is got ready. Naturally, owing to the room being designed for quite another purpose, it is not so 'handy' as the ordinary theatre for the artistes' requirements, but they make the best of it.

After dinner, which Her Majesty always takes at 9 o'clock, she is, as a rule, ready for hearing the performance. This,therefore, never begins before 10, and often it is half-past. Generally speaking, it lasts from one hour to two hours; the Queen practically never goes beyond that now,

Tho play dees not begin until she gives the signal, through the official attendant, that she is ready. There is, as a rule, no applause, as everybody takes their cue from the Queen, and it would be contrary to etiquette for Her Majesty to applaud. But if she has particularly enjoyed the performance she sends for the artistes and the manager at the close of it and personally compliments them.

A day or two later the manager receives from the Chamberlain a letter saying how much the Queen enjoj'ed the play, and this note is often accompanied by personal presents in jewellery, etc., to the principal actors and actresses.

'We are, of course, glad,' said one who had been thus honoured to 'Tit-Bits, 'to be called or "commanded" to appear, but it is often an awkward business. For it is no joke to get a lot of scenery to Balmoral in the middle of winter at a day's notice. I have recollections of being half frozen in the process before to-day. But there is one thing you can ever reckon on, and that is the appreciation of the Queen for all really good work of any kind, whether it be singing or acting. And no woman I ever knew puts you at your ease sooner.'

'Nobody could possibly be kinder or moro encouraging than the Queen and her sons and daughters when you sing or play before them at Court,' said a private individual who has more than once entertained royalty, including the Queen and the Prince end Princess of Wales- T well recollect what a "stew" I was 'n Then I first received tho well known "convrand" to appear at the palace. Yet you will be surprised to hear that in my case it did not "command." It was an invitation which said that Her Majesty would like to hear me —just as you might send from one friend to another'

And she showed the note, which he treasures highly.

'You ask what happens when we get to tho palace? Well, I was shown into a waiting >-oom by the servant-5. and soon was joined by Lord Dash, who was waiting on the Queen. He told me that Her Majesty was at dinner, and would be ready for me in 15 minutes or so. In th-> meantime he showed me into the driwing room to see that the piano was all light and to arrange the music. I had a programme (so hastily made out as I came along in the train that it was written on an envelope), and I had barely got ready when the door opened and In came the Prince of Wales.

'Being introduced to His Royal Highness by Lord Dash, he was most interested in what I was going to play, and, indeed, practically took upon himself the post of mr-ster of the ceremonies .I^or when the Queen came in just after, H.R.H. introduced me to her and told her what I was going to play first. Indeed, he did more than that, for he Mid, quite loud, "It goes like this"—at the same time humming a few bars and moving his fingers as if playing.

'So I went through the programme; it took nearly an hour. I was called to the Queen in the middle and at 'he end of it, and she graciously expressed •.ho pleasure my performance had given her. You can take my word for it when I say that, of all the great audiences that I have performed before, I have never found any moro kind and sympathetic than these small audiences of royalty in the drawing rooms at Windsor or Osborne.

'Yes, after the performance is over thero is refreshment provided, for the royal family never overlook anything that can contribute to the artistes' comfort in any way. And not one of them is ever too proud to come and ask a question about anything that has specially struck them but which they do not quite understand. I have played before most of the aristocracy of England in iheir drawing rooms—and at one place was actually asked to go into the next room and have something to eat -wi.fi tho butlerl— but for real appreciation of one's work and perfect gentlemanly treatment in every way, there is no audience, in my estimation, like that one gets when one gives! a "private performance before the

Queen." '