Mimes and Music.

Evening Post, Volume LIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1897, Page 2

Mimes and Music.

The baby in the theatre is an unknown quantity till it wants something to drink, and will have it. Then also the theatre baby appears to be difficult to please at eventide in the matter of its favourite poison, so to speak. The adult man goes out to see another man about a dog, and by some occult process his thirst is temporarily allayed. But the theatre baby appears to want just the kind of tipple which is not on tap on the spot, and yowls for all it is worth because the hock or sauterne, or whatever it may be, is "off." Oddly enough, it never strikes the mother of the theatre baby to take it out to see another baby about a rattle, or a woolly sheep, or something. My object in these remarks is to perauado (if it be possible) mothers who take'their babies to theatres to adopt this course with the other masculine ways they are commencing to annex. Anyhow, the baby in the theatre is a superfluity, And only fear of consequences prevents it being sat upon by the heaviest man present. Some day the theatre baby will loom larger thau the fear of the law. Mr. J. Maginnity, of Napier, son of Mr. John Mas?innity, of Wellington, sailed with Mdme. Trebelli by the Monowai on Monday for San Franoisco, in the capaoity of accompanist. Another tribute to the skilfulness of New Zealand's young musicians. The Pollards laid the foundation for a prosperous season at the Opera House on Boxing Night with " Rip Van Winkle." "Paul Jones" followed, and excellent houses have prevailed. The phenomenallysuocessf ul season which the Potter-Bellew Company had on the other side closed in Sydney with a scene of the • greatest -enthusiasm by the Lyceum audience, who oheered the 'Company again and ag.-iin, and insisted upon speeches from Mrs. Potter and Mr. Bellew. They had also a big send-off on sailing for New Zealand. A crowd of girls surrounded Mrs. Potter, and caught excitedly at the fragments of her bouquet, which she threw to them. Mr. Beane, of the Chinatown Company, who saw the flowerthrowing from another part of the ship, began throwing cigars to his admirers, amid roars of laughter. The talented Company introduced itself at Auckland on .Boxing Night in Sandow's powerful play "La Toeca," and to a house packed to the doors. The Australian season bids fair to be equalled, in a proportionate degree, in this colony. Mr. Scot Inglis and his wife stayed in Sydney to join Mr. Charles M'Carthy at the Lyceum, and Mr. Cyril Keightley is playing juvenile lead. The New Plymouth amateurs reproduced "Dorothy" this week, and the Duuedin Society, which began a season with "The Pirates of Penzauce" on Boxing Night, contemplates staging "The Mikado" before the close of the season. By the way, the jubilee (1000 th) performance of the favourite Japanese opera has been celebrated at the London Savoy, on which occasion the composer and author came before the curtain, and Gilbert and Sullivan birthday books were presented to every member of the audience. The Christmas number of Messrs. W. H. Paling' and Co.'s (Sydney) Musical Annual has reached me. It contains several new instrumental and vocal pieces of merit, including a setting as a duet of Mr. A. W. Juncker's popular composition "I was Dreaming." Mme. Francis Saville, the daughter of the late Madame Simonsen, will, it is stated, next season share with Mme. Nordica the rCles at the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, formerly undertaken by Mme. Melba. The latter is off to New York, and writes to a friend that she may go to South America from May to August next, for which she will receive £40,000—not bad for an Australian, as she herself remarks. Miss Ada Crossley, another Australian, has rushed into the front rank of English favourites, and after a recent performance in "Elijah " a Ldndoc paper spoke of the " golden-mouthed eloquence " of her voice. Miss Bertha Rcssow, who was here with Madame Burton, has been singing with success at the Crystal Palace concerts; and Miss Large, of Napier, was the principal vocalist at a recent popular concert in London, at which Herr Balling, formerly Principal of the Nelson School of Music, introduced the viola-alta. Mr. A. H. Gee, formerly of Auckland, was to ring in a production of, " The Golden Legend " at the Crystal Palace, on the 31st December. R. S. Smythe, the much-travelled, is waiting in Melbourne for three touring-round-the-world English cyclists, whom he is to escort through the colonies on a lecturing tour. The new Palace Theatre of Varieties, Sydney, which is understood to have cost £80,000 to construct, was opened by the English All Star Company on Boxing Night. There was a tremendous rush for seats, and the performance, which is of the real music-hall type, was cordially received. As in Melbourne, where the company filled in time, tho bright particular stars speedily recognised by the audience were Messrs. R. G. Knowles, who gets off some good songs and droll patter at hurricane speed, and Mr. Henry Lee, who gives wonderfully natural impersonations 'of " great men —past and present,'-- with short selections from their works and speeches. The Chinatown Coinpacty is not coming this way—it left for San Francisco last week, after breaking all Australian records with a single piece. In saying good-bye, Mr. Harry Conor, the leading comedian, expressed a hope tljat he would see the colonies again. "The Firm'! have a complete English company on the way to Melbourne, with a repertoire of pieces including "The Sign of the Cross," " The Prisoner of Zenda," and " The Two Little Vagabonds," all recent London nnccesses. Mr. Frank Thornton and his English Company opened in Melbourne on Boxing Night with "The Strange Adventures of Miss Brown." Mr. L. J Lohria managing, and will see the Company through New Zealand after the Australian season. The Broughs are back in Sydney, and during the season will stage several new plays, including "Nancy & C 0.," "A V7Oman's Reason," " Mrs. Othello," "Godpapa," "A White Elephant," and " 7—207 —20 8, or Casting the Boomerang." New Zealand dates wore cancelled to enable the Company to play a return season in Melbourne. Miss Kate Bishop {Mrs. L. J. Lohr) is off to England, partly to visit her friends and partly for tho education of her little daughter. It is proposed to give her a benefit in Sydney before she leaves. Miss Emily Soldene, who has been some time in England, during which she has written a book and acted as correspondent for some Australian journals, iB coming out to Australia again. She told an interviewer that she had another book in her mind, 'but really felt she could not write it in England—she must have a clearer atmosphere. She was to sail in December. < " One of the.? Best," which somehow did not draw well at the Melbourne Royal at first, although presenting the most magnificent stage spectacle of modern plays, was withdrawn by Mr. Bland Holt last Saturday, and " For England " substituted. Mr. George Ritrnold gave Sydneyites "Tommy Atkins" for Christmas fare. Mr. Harry Plimmer represents the hero in the cast, and Mr. Diver a military celebrity. —Obphxus.

"It is next to impossible to send a rich and influential man to prison, as you well know," said the Anarchistic gentleman to the Judge. " Why don't you make an example of some of them." "I don't mind tolling you in confidence," said the Judge, " that that is the very thing we are afraid of. If a few society leadern were sent to gaol there is great danger that getting into prison would become a fad."