DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9668, 5 March 1897, Page 2

DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

[By Prospb-U"*.] season in Christohuroh was brought'to a close last Friday evening, when "The Merchant of Venice". drew another very large audience, the orchestra, as on the previous evening {when "She Stoops to Conquer " formed the attraction) having to be removed to the wings of the stage to make way for patrons. In the passages in the circle chairs were brought into requisition. On Wednesday evening " The Lady of Lyons " formed the bill. The season was one of allround success, and Messrs Williamson and Musgrove will, I should say, be surprised at the magnitude of the receipts, which will no doubt induce them to send further attractions to New Zealand. Much disappointment was felt at the non-production of " Camille," "David Garriok" and "CaValeria Rusticana," but as there was a nightly change of programme there could be no cause for complaint on the score, of want of variety, and every production drew a crowded house. Arrangements could not be made to keep the steamer back on Saturday night to enable an extra performance to be given, and the company, who worked very hard during the Christchurch season and deserved the good results, left on Saturday afternoon for Dunedin, where the season was commenced on Monday evening with " La Tosca," which drew a big house. It is on the cards that Messrs Williamson and Musgrove will send their spectacle "Matea,- the Fire Queen," which they produced at Christmas time with such great success in Melbourne, to New Zealand—very short stays in each centre—at a later date, probably at Easter time. " The Prisoner of Zenda," and "Sign of the Cross," will in all probability be- sent over to New Zealand after Australia has been worked. The former piece was produced for the first time in the Colonies on the 13th inst. in Melbourne. By the last mail to hand Mr W. Hughes had word from Messrs William-: son and Musgrove that 400 seats had up to the time' of writing been sold for the opening; night. There's no doubt there would haver; been a .big house to welcome .the new company. "The artists specially importer! by the " Firm " for " The Prisoner of Zenda," Ac, include Messrs Julius Knight, Henry Carvill, Glaston Merivale, W. W. Hawtrey, and Misses Ada -Ferrar,' Elliott Paige/ and: Nellie Mortyne. Messrs Harry Hill, Dick Stewart, Arthur Lissarit. Marie and George Majeroni and 0. Wakefield are among the local talent engaged. Judging by the illustration- of the leading omanotan ia the

latest numoer of The Australasian to hand t should say the costumes are on the motelaborate scale

Mr Bland Holt and Company will be pity, ing his new pieces iv Christchurch bithe'.'at Carnival week time in November or "at Christmas.

The Broughs will commence a seasonal the Christchurch Theatre Royal in August next. Mr Allen Hamilton will be ahead.' The Pollard Opera Company are still on the West Coast of the South Island, and business is reported as good. The Ada Delroy company appeared at the Oddfellows' Hall, Wanganui, on Friday and Saturday and the company was announced to open at Feilding on Monday. On Saturday they commence a season in Wellington,

The George Darrell Dramatio Company commenced a five nights' season at the Theatre Royal, Napier, on Friday last, and on Saturday next the Company open at the Opera House, Wellington, in "From Scotland Yard."

Probasco's Circus is at present in the Rangitikei district, aud on Friday and Saturday last they performed at Feilding.

The Wellington Opera House (says i Wellington exchange) enjoys the distinction of being the first theatre in Now Zealand completely lighted by electric light. Th* extent of the installation may be gauge-! by the fact that there are more than 359 lamps, equal to 6600 candle-power. & i feature of the illumination is that by mean* I of switches tho auditorium, dome, border! and footlights can be regulated from fu_ candle-power to half or quarter. So powerful is the light that the green moonlight which shines on the distressed heroine ii she wanders through the heartless stage-, world is produced not by the 'limelight,' bat by groups of incandescent lamps. The regulating apparatus is a work of art, and it situated on the " prompt" side of the stage. It consists of a largo polished marble slab framed in totara. Through the marble 250 holes had to be drilled, and on it are a bewildering array of switches connecting with every light in the Opera House.

A Sydney exchange of February 6th, am of a musical man well-known in New Zealandj —Mr Juncjjer, of Newcastle Musical Union, is on the eve of producing his new opera, "The Romance of Corsica," which is being assiduously rehearsed.

Harry Rickards is now lessee of The Palace, Sydney, and runs it in conjunction with the Tivoli and the Opera House at Melbourne. He also has a couple of com* panics on the roadv' The contracts of the Palace Theatre artists were, in most cases, taken over by Rickards, who now practically has'a monopoly of the variety dubhioss in Australia. He leaves for London, the Continent and America almost immediately in Bearch of fresh talent. J. W. Wintoa accompanies him

The Ada Delroy Company suflered:an' injustice recently in the North,lsland. An exchange says:—Hotalkeepers are probably the heaviest sufferers by the " down on his: luck" Thespian, and it is not surprising ; that some of them, on that account, view the profession with suspicion. This probably accounted for a peculiar mistake at Waipav/a last week on the arrival of the AdaDelroy Company. The proprietor seemingly laboured under the delusion that the members of the Company wero a se L? spielers, and acted accordingly. The altercation with the kotelkeeper catne to a finale by Miss Delroy indignantly left" r «f the hotel and going straight back to the Railway Station to await the next trainf or Danevirke, whither she went and her company Despite the extensive advertißmg nad been done, she refused to play at Waipawfc On Saturday night people came riding ana driving in from all parts of the country, ana. had the company played,- they wouldhavo had packed houßea every night. It shouia be mentioned that, before tho company left, the manager paid every penny a liability inourred through the> company s proposed visit. Miss DeLroy's Company do business on a cash basis, and " mine host is now lamenting his grievous error. Mr John F. Sheridan and Mim Rose Dearing are in thepantomime of Ala-dam at the Metropole Theatre, London. On his reappearance at the Criterion Theatre on Saturday night, (says the Sydney Daily Tdegrapk of February Sth) Mr Fiank Thornton had - "thumping" audience n the fullest sense of the phrase; that is w say, an audience Vhicn Was not_ only numerically great, and therefore a "toW? ing " one, but one which thumped its hands together and its feet on the floor by' way ol causing enthusiastic . applause. _""»« playing a part peculiarly suited to him, «w well supported by players who, on the whpte, made ahout the most of their slender parts, Mr Thornton may fairly be «aid to have made a successful re-entry. .■■-■' "Maxine Elliott is free I" is the in letters nearly an inch long, to a one of the San Francisco papers of A 0 * ■»«■,- Elliott succeeded in her divorce suit Her real name is Jessie M-Darmott. She was. married at 16 years of age (ten yearsj»» Mr M'Darmott, who is a New York and who, aocorduig to the evidence, treajed her with terrible cruelty. The 1 ' we call affected going into the hot she sat and wJWUn • side room, and while giving ™* e °° e » .gjbroke down several times. Apparently ncr petition was not opposed. Lucy Cobb, a Melbourne paper reports, refused to understudy a small part. W " Matsa, the Fire Queen." A London paper says :-Mdme. Elea May, an Australian prima donna of tog h 4 m «"V who has sung dramatic soprano parts wiwi much success at Melbourne and «}? eWh in her native land, gave a concert, on w» afternoon of J>^^ r tingufshed patronage, at Lady Phillimore a, Ea_bn-place. Her fine resonant voice wouia be more effective in a concert-hall than in a drawing-room. But she gave abundant proois of her talent in various styles, and m piece* so opposite in character as Leonora » first *»* irt t_V"Trovatore M and "Aj Maria "—one so passionate, the other so pure. Mdme. May was perfectly accompanies By Miss Tennant, who, besides conspicupua ability as a pianist, possesses fuU sympathy with vocal music, which piamstn sometime* .aok> ■'■■