THE NATHAN JUVENILE TROUPE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3044, 29 April 1867, Page 5

THE NATHAN JUVENILE TROUPE.

To'attempt in a single artiole to give either a fair criticism of, or to do adequate justice to, this truly marvellous band of juvenile performers, would be as hopeless a task as it would be unsatisfactory both to the reader and writer. It has struck us, however, that, irrespective of the performances of this talented little family, some interest would naturally be felt in learning a few details respecting the circumstances under which these clever juveniles were first brought forward in a professional light. Mr. Nathan, we may premise, has for years past been connected, as proprietor and manager, with vari- ' ons theatres in the Australian colonies ; and it was under his auspices in Adelaide, some three years ago, that the children were first introduced to public notice. In tracing the career of that infant prodigy, little Marion, we fear we shall hardly have opportunity at present to notice the other members of the family, each of whom, in their respective lines of theatrical business, give every indication of a most successful professional career. Little Marion, with whom, undoubtedly, the chief attraction lies, is a piquante pretty little child, now six years old. She was born in Bendigo, Victoria, and, from the earliest possible age, gave some indication of the future cleverness that omly required time sufficient to develop itself. When quite a baby, music formed the great source of attraction to her, and the opening of the piano or the sound of any other musical instrument was amply sufficient to rivet her attention, and detract it from all eke that might be going on at the time. When little more than able to toddle she displayed practical symptoms of her truly wonderful juvenile precocity by an evident desire and most persistent determination to be allowed to join her two sisters Juli* and Selma, who, under the auspices of Mr. Chambers, were commencing to learn dancing. To quiet the little elf her wishes were acceded to, and, in company with her two sisters, she soon attuned a proficiency that must be considered really wonderful when the age of the child was taken into consideration. In her, as well as in her sisters, Mr. Chambers found the aptest of pupils ; and it was at his earnest solicitation that Mrs. Nathan was induced to write to Mr. Nathan on the subject of their appearing publicly, the result being that the children were engaged as supernumeraries at the theatre in Adelaide, at a very trifling remuneration. The actual date of little Marion'i first appearance we have been unable to determine, but the first time she stood before the footlights was a little over two years ago, when the child caiae forward to execute a hornpipe — in which somewhat difficult dance she had become quite a proficient— to the enthusiastic admiration of an overflowing house. The child created quite a furore in Adelaide, and danced for nights successively to the delight of every one who saw her. She received the highest encomiums from the local press ; and so small was she at the time that, in order to lift one le» to assume an attitude, she had to catcli bold of one of the theatre flags to support herself. Shortly after her first appearance, Miss Cleveland arrived in Adelaide to fulfil an engagement at the theatre there, and obtained little Marion to take a child's part incidental in her great impersonation of "Leah, the Forsaken Jewess." Thare were but two or three lines to repeat, it is true, but the manner in which they were spoken, the delioacy of feeling, and intuitive knowledge of stage business displayed by Marion, astonished everyone who saw her. During the same season Lady Don arrived, and was at once struck with the wonderful prococity of the child, and engaged her to act a child's part in "Orpheus," A somewhat amusing anecdote, as related by Lady Don, is told here of little Marion. Previous to the first performance, the child hardly knowing her AB C at the time, and quite unable, therefore, to study a part, "Lady Don asked her whether she thought she would be able to remember what she had to say, when, turning round With the most contemptuous expression of a little tragedy queen, she replied, "Know my part, indeed ! You may ask me that when I have some forty or fifty sides to learn." That Lady Don felt as surpiised as she was delighted it is almost needless to remark. Marian did play her part, and that to perfection too ; and from that night an uninterrupted flow of success has followed in her footsteps throughout the Australian colonies, Tasmania, and New Zealand. With respect to what has been always considered the most attractive of all the child's performances, her impersonation and singing of "Finnigan's Wake," she had as her instructor the great O'Neill himself, who was the first to discover her wonderful capabilities of impersonating Irish character. One night, whilst O'Neill was in the course of fulfilling an engagement, he was taken ill, and unable to dance, LiT—, « uu, _««» iuu±t~^r <~ i^-J —^ — ~l to go on in his stead, and offered in the most cool deliberate manner to do so. O'Neill wanted her to dance, but Mr. Nathan did not like to let her do so at so early a stage, although O'Neill declared that she could dance it far better than he could himself. However, O'Neill did eventually obtain his desire, and the child wenfc through the performance one night for his benefit, whilst the best indication of the success she achieved is evinced by the encore that has always greeted her on every succeeding night of her so doing. To enter at all fully into details respecting the other members of this really talented family in the present notice would be out of the question, but we shall take an early opportunity of so doing. As will be perceired, the performance advertised for to-night is an entirely changed one, and we shall await eagerly this infant phenomenon in some new character.