MIMES AND MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1902, Page 3 (Supplement)

MIMES AND MUSIC.

[By Oui'iinua.] J COMING EVENTS. OIM'.RA HOUSE. WilKam Anderson Company, to 14th April. William Anderson Company, 26Ui May to 4th June. Willoughby-Qeach Comedy Company, 24th June to sth July. Pollard Opera Company, 14th July to, 9th August. George Musgrovo Company, 18th O»Vober to 6th November. Bland Holt Company, 15th November, to 29th (pencilled). Willoughby-Geaoh Company, 24th November to 6th December. / Charlas Holloway Company, 26th Da-' •amber to 22nd January, 1903. Bland Holt Company, 24th January to; 7th February (penoilled). THEATRE ROYiOt. P. R. Dixs Vaudovilio Company.— Permanent.

The one topio in dramatic circles this week (says the Sydney Mail of 29th March) has been tho burning of Her Majesty's Theatre and its consequenoes. "Beu Hur," the greatest stage production attempted in Australia, appears to have been unlucky from tho first. It started with a great rush of business. Then camo the plague . . . and the attendance fell off. Mr. Williamson had some chance of getting the great expenditure back at Easter and in the Melbourne season — the audiences were already good again— when the fire finally killed "Ben Hur." It cost between £6000 and £8000 to stage, and it would take six months at least to get the machinery duplicated from America, and an equal expenditure to start again. As tho Sydney run was more than half over and only great seasons in Sydney and Melbourne could justify the expenditure, there is no likelihood of our seeing any more of "Ben Hur" thus doubly stricken. Mr. William* cou's losses are estimated at something like £14,000 through the fire, and of this only £2000 is said to be covered by insurance. He is compelled to reconstruct tho whole of his plans and keep back some of the companies which were to come to him from America and England till dates and accommodation can be readjusted. A fire at a theatre cancels all engagements. Therefore tho 500 or so peoplo engaged in "Ben Hur" woke up on »Suuday inomiug to find their employment gone. The season baa been . peculiarly hard on stage people. The abrupt termination Qf Mr. Musgrovlfs "Aladdin" season through the plague, and the early disbandment of Mr. Williamson's pantomime company (now being reorganised at Melbourno as a No. 2 Comio Opera Company), following on the close of the grand opera season, throw some hundreds out of work. In the "Ben Hur" Company a good pnrt of the Italian opera chorus and orchestra and the ■ "Alice in Wonderland" ballet was ab- v torbed. Now all are out. Some of the ladios' Wiirdrobos were spared in the fire, but the men's wardrobes went and about £120 worth of instruments privately owned by the orchestra — some of whom, of course, habitually leave their instruments at Hie theatre A groat many performers lost in other ways. To meet the immediate necessities of the orcbastra and replnue their instruments the Professional Musicians' Association is organising a benefit at the Town Hall, and there is Homo talk of a monster benefit for the choru* and "auxiliaries." Mr. Williamson has been waited upon by the representatives of a syndicate, who offered to build a now theatre on * suitable site, and make it the best and biggest in Australasia, if he would agree to take it for a long lease. Mr. Williamson informed the deputation that he could do nothing in the matter at the moment. He prefers to continue in the old spot if possible, and he hopes to see a new and up-to-dato theatre erected to replace Her Majesty's. Spoaking of the ercc.tiou of the new theatre, Mr. Williamson says ho does not think there will be room for another, one if Her Majesty's is rebuilt. Operatic selections form the more important part of the music whioh Miss Amy^Castlos has in view for her concert tour in Australia and New Zealand. During tho last nine months of her study in Paris she devoted about three days a week wholly to opera, and in addition to the experience thus gained she had the advantage of hearing all the best Continental singers of such music. Her own preference for it was confirmed and has since been shown in her choice of songs for the various London concerts in which she has taken part. Her programmes will include choice airs from "Tannhauser," "Lohengrin," "Hamlet," "Mignon," "Les Pecheures de Perles," "Roberto il Diavolo," "Rigolotto," "Cabmen," "Faust," and othw works by wellknown composers. For Ambraise Thomas's "Hamlet" Miss CastleS has, a special liking. Mdrao. Mraviaa, tho gifted Russian prima donna who, has often scored successes at the Covent Garden Opera in* conjunction with Mdme. Melba, M. Jean de Reszke, M. Plancons, and other celebrated artists, has written from the Imperial Opera, St. Petersburg, to a Sydney music firm to ask particulars as to Australia proving a likdy field for a concert tour. Mr. Wilson Barrett is a man of coincidences. His "Sign of the Cross" was nearly akin to "Quo Vadis," and many will recollect the lone controversy on the subject. When Her Majesty's Theatre was ' burnt in Sydney last month the flainti consumed the 'script of a new play sent Mr. Bttrfett by Mr. Gerard. [ Maxwell, a son of "Miss M. B. Bigid- \ \ don," the well-known aufhorese. Ao- ■ cording to Mr. Barrett's confidences to a Sydney interviewer, this drama "proved to be on a subject that the actor was himself dealing with, and under a title' 'almost exactly similar." On his arrival • in South Africa Mr. Barrett is to produce an Australian play of his own writ-, iag entitled, "The Never-Never iand." Theatrical chips.— Ada Delroy had to' ' undergo another operation in Sydney, bub is recovering fast. . . . Clifford Walker, society entertainer, is oft to " (India. . . , Josephine Stouten Company has aoncliided its Perth season, and started on a tour of the 1 Wes-_ tralian goldfields. . . . Edward Sags is playing the part of a circus prepvietot! : in "The Circus " Clown" at Terry's Theatre, London. . . . The post of,. Master of Music to tho King of England oarries with it a salary of £300 a yow. . . . . The Government appreciation fov the opera this year in Paris has been set for £48,000 ; a new con-cert-hall for the Conservatorium has been recommended. . . .The autobiography of Richard Wagner is in the possession of his sou Siegfried, who made a promise not to publish it uutil thirty years after the death f of Wagner Masciigni has decided to set to work on a new opera, to be entitled "Marie Antoinette." . . . Harry ConoV, formerly of "A Trip to Chinatown," is tourkig the United States nt the hend of a strong compauy in "The Chaperons," a musical comedy. . . . Ada Reeve waa ill in Loudon when tho latest mail left, and her plnce at the Apollo was taken by Bertha PiilliKer. . . . Henrietta Watson (Mrs. Rudcliffo) lost her orol>' child, a little p,iv\ of sixteen months, in London lust month. ... In theatricals the great event of February was the performance of "Troilus and Cressida" at tho Imperial Burgtheater, Vienna. It proved nu enormous stage success.

On the conclusion of the tour of "Alice in Wonderland," Mr. J. C. Williamson partially re-fiirmed iho company, which has gone on tour Avilh "San Toy," "The Hunawny Girl," "Florodora," "Tho French Maid," and "Tho Belle of New iork." Mr. F. Graham will be tho chief comedian, Miss Rose Musgrove and Mm Lilian Diages will share prima ponna parts, outline new company will also i inoludo Mi»s Cecile Engleheart, Mr. Wallace firownlow, Mr. Maurice Dudley (a character actor from Eugland), and Mr- Frank Pierce {a newcomer from fcfffuEi Africa). Harry Pliramer, now touring America, on Henry Irving and Helen Terry, whom ihe saw in the "Merchant of Venioe" at KaMu City: -"I saw Henry Irving and ntT T^^y a m »tinee performance of the Merchant, 1 the result, intense and $*f" •tbreakuj^ disappaintmont. . . . Miss Terry 18 V sry matronly, and very Jirecj ; Bh« seamed to be always looking for somtthinjr to sit on. She reminded °f Kftto B whop at her worst. She is world-frunous in the part, and yet I T * £ v Bhß was b*d-not even decent., She was imperfect, fidgety, nervous, and the revme of cliarmuiK. There is no teaoo l«ft of pact grtatniss. She m retiring after this tour-she should haye retired before it. Irving'i case was not so bad. His personality is fascinating, and in the first act f liked him very much, though he was very melodramatic. A great 'make-up,' no man ew looked the part better, marked mannerisms but that I went prepared for— awkward gait, and ungraceful gestures; yet there seemed a halo round iV m :', In the trial B cene he was a distinct failure. There were no 'moments.' I only echo the feelings of the jammed house. You could gather that the audience respected him, though they did not like his performance. . . . The best thing in the show was the admirablysustained atmosphere— it was wonderful " I have not yet seen Irving and Terry on Plimmer. J The Carterton Observer ia my authority for the announcement that Miss Jennio Sheen, who has been taking the leading soprano parts in the recent performances of "Les Cloches" and "The Pirates" at the Skating Rinlc, is shortly to be married to Mr. Louisson, of Palmerston North. Mr. A. E. Balch, the resident secretary in Sydney for the Associated Board ,of ths Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of MusU, states <hat the Prince of Wales hag accepted th» Presidency of tlao Board. Mil George Aiex&adar \engaed Mr. Lsmpriere Priaek for the part of Maroo, a songster soldwr, mi his production of Mr. Stephen Pliillips's *Paolb and Franoesca" oa 6th Marsh. Mr. Alexander himself wa« to pky Qiovanni Malatesta, FransescaAs husband ; Mr. Henry Ainley, a recruit from Mr. F. It. Benson's company, the passionate Paola ; Miss Evelyn Miltard, Francesca; and Miss Elizabeth Robins, Giovanni's cousin, Lucrezia ; so that the cast will be a gtrong one. Tho simultaneous running inj London of two poetical dranos bj v so young a pool at Mr. Phillips is considered to be an event unique in Jhlngliih drtuna, aud ono which augurs well Tor an improvement in the prtsent degraded theatrical taste. Mr. Kyrlo Bellew, in the character of Qaston do Marsac in "A Gentleman of Fran«e," at Wallack's Theatre, New York, has to defend himseU with hu iword against no less than fivo assailants at caie wne on a stairoase. He disposes of all of them, the combat being more realistic than anything of the kind ever seen on the New York stage. In fact, at times it has proved a little too Ttalistic for th 0.50 who take part in it. Mr. Bellew recently showed a cut on his head and two more en his right arm that he had received during tiro fight. One of his assailants, after one experience with Mr. BeUew'g sword, wears a steel plate under his shirt. A supernumerary who executes a daring fall down the stafrcace has been injured twice, and is temporarily retired in order to undergo the necessary repairs. It has been suggested that the management post a daily list of the wounded in the theatre lobby. The committee of the Barnett-Hoppe concerts is making arrangements for a series of three to be given in the Sydneystreet Schoolroom during next month. The performers will be Messrs. Maughon Barnett, Max Hoppe, A. Hamerton, and Cyril Towsey, and the programmes will include trios for piano, violin, and 'cello by Max Bruch, Hans Huber, and Rheinberger; piano and violin sonatas by Beethoven" and Huber ; and the concert-givers will contribute piano and violia soli. In addition to the instrumental work a professional vocalist will be engaged for each concert. Mr. Maughan Barnett will resnme his organ recitals at St. John's towards- the end of the month. His programmes fop the sei'ies will include the six organ concertos of Handel, the fourth and fifth symphonies by Widor, a suite by Boollmann, and other works which he has not yet played here. Dr. Hans Huber, the Swiss composer, has recently had a new symphony, inspired by a series of pictures by Bocklin, performed in London, and New York. He is a prolific composer, having, reached his op. 115. A sixteen-page catalogue of his works has been published by Hug and Co., of Basel. Mr. Mauglrau Barnett has recently received a letter from the composer expressing interest in the performance of a work of his (tho B-flat Eiano and vftjlin. sonata produced, at the ist Barnett-Hoppe concerts) in, as he .expresses it, "the far away country of New Zealand." The booking for the first of the three' concents to b* given by Miss Amy Castles at the Melbourne Town Hall ie said to have been the heaviest known in Mol- ' bourne. The whole of the balconies and the ground floor, containing 2000 seats, were secured before midday, and* as the demand' \vas v still' unsatisfied, Mr. Williamson arranged to open a plan for reserved seat* in the organ gallery and in .the^swUl gallery at the extreme back of'the hall. - As early as half-past 4 ia the. morning persons anxious to book seats began to take up positions outside the ' ' booking office, and before the plan wag opened! 509 oeopons had been given away. Eueh coupon entitled the holder to book 18 seats, and the coupons wore numbered* 'so that the holders' inspected the plans according to number. George Musgrove is reported to have secured the Aiistrfaian rights of the Strand Theatre, success, 'IA Chinese Honeymoon." .. . . • MUsßillio Barlow >is at the London Musia Hall, - London. . . . Carl Hertz, who ii expected in Australia next -jrtar, has instructed Edwin Qeach to start all preliminary -matters. . . . . Bernard iSspinasso, the Australian dramatist, has arrived in London. . . . New York Dramatic Mirror says that Billy M'Clain and £rnest Hogan, upon their return from Australia, will arrange for what promises) to he the largest negro musical comedy uompnuy ever presented to an American public. . . . Frank Thornton, who opens in Melbourne shortly, has acquired the Antipodean rights in the contediotta, "The Test Match," by Fred Bowyer and Gerard Fitzgibban. . . . According to latest British Australasian, Dion Boucicault will produce the "Princess's Nose," the new comedy by Heury Arthur Jones, at the Duke of York's Theatre, iv which his wife, Mi«s Irene Vanbrugh, will make her re-appear-ance. . . The Willoughby-Ucach (Joniedy Company opened in Melbourne at Easter with "The Wrong Mr. Wright," which is pronounced a grent laughing success. "Flashlight," of the Wangamii Herald, tells this "yarn" : — A show well-known in Wanganui was some time ago hard up, or, to vie a vulgar theatrical expression

"on the battle." They arriveu at a certain town, where their reputation had travelled ahead of them, and consequently the hall keeper refused to open- the hall to them unless ho -had hia riioney in advance, which could not be forthcoming, j After arguing tho point for some considerable time, an arrangement was made that tho hall-keeper was to go into tho Box and take the money as it game into the house. When the time came- to open the house (a good crowd outside) the hall keeper went into the box, but tho theatricals locked him in, and shut the win- ' dow, and then calmly opened the door i and took the money themselves as the peoplo went in. Then they "skipped by tho light of the moon," leaving the poor old man to ten his tale to the audience as a performance Miss Lilian Wheeler, formerly Mr. George Rignold's leading lady, is now appearing in the drama, "Sherlock Holmes," at the Lyceum Theatre, London, tinder the management of Mr. Gillette. She remains with him for his English and American tours, and also for a projected Australian tour. " Darnley," the first part of Bjornson's drama "Mary Stuart in Scotland," was produced at the Berliner Theatre on 14th February. Tho play was very well received. An absorbingly dramatic scene was Rizzio's death it Mary's chamber. This scene was designed by the Duke of • Saxe-Meiningen, and it was observed that the room was a faithful copy of the apartment in Holyrood where the tragedy took, place.