DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7712, 18 November 1890, Page 2

DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

By the Man in the Pit. When the last mail left England, another of Ibeen'a plays wa% about to be produced in London by Mlaa-Marion Lea. "The Lady from the Sea " is the name of the play which has been-translated by Eleanor Marx Aveling. Aα excellent cast has been secured, as well as the service* of M. Mariua, a most capable manager. Mr Toole has been continuing hie way merrily in Wellington, where his season has been as successful as those that pre> ceded it.

The London: Bellringere, in oonjunctioq with the clever Faust Family, were to open on Monday last at the. Opera House, Auckland, and are to be followed a later by Miss Elsa May and.her husband, Mr Boothroyd Fairelough, whOrthen commence a tour which wiu. embfacelthe laadincr towns of the colony. The entertainments to be .given will ,consisfc\of recitals of some of Shakespeare , * works by Mr Fairclough, interlaced with songs sung by his wife, Mr JT Wentwotth, the well-known singer, is Acting as business manager to the venture. A Napier correspondent writes* thafc Wfadame Marian Burton's concert r,narty finished their week's stay at Napier'on the 7ch, with the moat crowded house of the season. Madame Burton's highly cuU tured contralto voiceearned triple encores, A sensation was'alub created by Gounod's " Aye Maria," sune by Miss Colbourne r Baber, the instromentatpartn being taken by M. Pouesard, Mr Bradley, and Mr Sjdney Hoben, who gave his - aervices. The ensemble was perfect and theaudienca very enthusiastic. The company have gone tq Nelson, and after a short season in thai place take up their Wellington dates, after which a second season will be played in Auckland, Chrlsteaaroh coming next. .

Miss Grade Warner who a year ago wa* acting in thie colony, is now tearing the chief towns in Bngland with " The English Rose" Company. Miss Warner takes (lie leading part, that of Ethel .Kingston in Messrs Sims and Buchanan's new dwtma, Edwin Booth tells a good story connected with his professional visit to Germany- Iα Berlin he was bftyed to present Hamlet, and during the performance, in the first interview with the players, he was utterly astounded to see the First Actor come on the stage made up as a very old man, with a long, flowing white beard which reached to his waist, making him look like the traditional Hebrew patriarch. Being upable to speak German, and the performer having no knowledge whatever of English, Mr Booth could, not ascertain the reason of this extraordinary make an. He was unable, however, to master his curiosity in regard to It, so,' after the representation fee procared an interpreter and proceeded to interview the performer on the enbjeefc. "Why on earth," asked Mr Booth, " did yon mate >up go r ©id for the first actor? In America he fa always played as a young man, and I cannot understand why he should be represented otherwise." " Oh," replied the German, " Shakspeare himself in ray authority, for doee he not make Hamlet addret* the first actor as an old friend." Mr Booth smiled and proceeded to explain that in English a man might be,called an old friend and yet be young, but %b& German utterly failed to get it through his head, Mr Booth afterwards ascertained that not only in Berlin, but throughout Germany, where Shakspeare'e plays »re done more frequently than in either Eagland or the United States, the flrac actor had invariably been made ap as very aged be«u^BAmle**tyie4l^oj|^«r|wd.