THE COLONIAL STAGE.

Evening Star, Issue 6760, 27 November 1884, Page 4

THE COLONIAL STAGE.

Mr J. C. Williamson, on arrival at San Francisco, was interviewed, and gave a lengthy account of his managerial experiences in Australia.

"On our return to Australia in 1879," said Mr Williamson in answer to an inquiry why he ventured on management in that country, "we had the same old success with ' Struck Oil.' I intended to limit my vißit to a year, but after aiew months, embracing an opportunity to get hold of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, I formed a company to produce them, especially 'Pinafore,' in which, with my wife, I played occasionally with great success. About this time Arthur Garner arrived with the Londcn Comedy Company, one of the most complete that had ever been in the colonies, with everything on the stage corresponding to the best English theatres, and with first-class people. He produced 'Friends,' afterwards played as 'Peril,' and all his other pieces in a manner that astonished the Australians. Close upon his arrival there also came George Musgrove, nephew of the late WilliamLyster, of the Prince of Wales Theatre, Melbourne. He had an opera boufie company, including Patty Laverne, who later played at the Baldwin, and a large repertoire of adaptations from the French. He opened in 'The Tambour Major.' The time, the meD, and the occasions all fitting, a joining of forces was proposed, and a professional partnership formed under the nams and style of ' Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove.' This partnership actually dates from July 1,1882, but was in existence nominally for some time previously. They call us," continued Williamson with a laugh, "the Triumvirate ; that is, we are so called by those who do not like us very much. But businoss men cannot phase everybody." " Our firm has by no means a monopoly of the business in Australia. The chief ground of complaint against us is, in my opinion, that we endeavor to do our work in a business way; whatever contracts we make we intend to fulfil, and, to guard agaiust contingencies, always keep to the firm's credit a reserve fund of LIO.OOO, " It is a favorite cry that the firm of Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove are monopolists, and that they are bound to clinch all stars that come under their management. We assert that we play stars on as liberal terms as they can get elsewhere; and the benefit we have been to the profession is that the best talent in it has been compacted and made profitable to those who possess it, while several would-be actors with great promise and no performance have been rejected. But really, so far, the greatest success we have met with has come from our own operas rather than from stars. We have taken in L 1.200 a-week (of six performances) for 'Mascotte,' playing it eight weeks; and the pantomime (always given at Christmas time) has been equally profitable. From the last one, 'Aladdin,' in which Mrs Williamson appeared, we took for a season of eight weeks and two nights L 8.446 7s Gd, ' The Silver King' at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, gave L9OO a-week for eight weeks; and 'lmpulse,'a fine English comedy that I am surprised has never been played here, after a run of seventy nights at the Princess'?, waß taken off to LSO more than at the opening. "There is a general complaint by actors on this Bide that it is not worth their while to visit the colonies, What with the long trip, the managers' terms, and the limited population, they say they generally return home with their labor for their pains. The complaint is groundless in nearly every instance. It is in the colonies as in eveiy country that accepts dramatic and operatic performances. One great mistake made by managers and combinations in this country , is that when an attraction is p'ayed thread-1 bare in the United States it will do for Aus-'

tralia. That might have been the case, in a degree, twelve or fifteen years ago, but now a great revolution has taken place in our world of amusement. Pieces aro produced in the leading cities of the colonics contemporaneously with their appearance in New York and London, and the acting an i raise en scene on the Australian stage must be equal to the standard in those cities ; if not, they will be rejected. There are no better scene-painters in the world than George Gordon and John Hennings, permanently in cur employ, and therefore there is nothing to prevent pieces being presented in the host stylo so far as scenery is concerned. Combinations, I may say further, weaken their strength before leaving for the colonies, in order to save travelling expenses—a serious mistake, as you may judge from what I have already said. The strongest, best, and freshest talent will only find a marie 1 ; nowadays in Australia ; and if this be not borcc in mind and acted on by professionals from this side, they will have to face failure. As for the individual actor, it rests entirely with himself. If ho be equal to the great exemplars of the stage who ha\o preceded him there in the legitimate, nothing can prevent success, unless, indeed, it may be certain idiosyncrasies made too public. "Lot me show you some figures to sub stantiate my words." Mr Williamson here exhibited some balance-sheets, including those for the last half of the fiscal year. "Jennie Lea with her meagre repertory of 'Jo' and 'The Grasshopper,' played with us for thirteen weeks (six performances a week) in Melbourne, and was paid L' 2,200 for that time. Her season, with the same pieces, in Sydney (twelve weeks), tfetted her L 2.500. Genevieve Ward played with ua in Sydney and Melbourne for twenty weeks, her bhare averaging nearly L3OO anight. The gross receipts of George Rignold, with the 'Lights o' Loudon' and 'Youth, averaged over L9OO a-week for thirteen weeks. Bland Holt, in 'Taken from Life,' averaged LBSO a-week for a month and a half. When Mrs Williamson and myself returned to the colonies in 1879, they asked us what novelty we had brought. I replied 'Struck Oil,' whereat the knowing ones smiled derisively, and said that was threadb ;re. But the piece was so popular, and we had been so kindly remembered, that our share for the first week in Melbcurr.c was L 557, and the old, 'threadbare' piece ran for four weeks to crowded houses. An engagement in Sydney gave the same result. The last engagement of the 'Williamsons,' as we are called (during the past twelve months), six weeks in Melbourne and five weeks in Sydney, netted us over L 4,300 our share of the profits. Joe Polk made a big hit on his recent visit; he did very well during the first year with the ' Strategist,' and the Press gave him liberal praite, but not haviDg sufficient novelty, he stayed one year too long. " The tenacity with which the Australian public sometimes hold on to a fuvorite piece forms a strong contrast to the short runs of plays in San Francisco. We ran Jennie Lee sixteen weeks at the Priuce3h'd Theatre (now one of the most fashionable in Melbourne); Polk, ten or twelve; the opera company ten weeks with ' Mascotte.' To give an idea of the business transacted hy <ur firm, let me say that for the six months ending February, 1884, we paid out in wages and salaries alone, L20,6f>7 I'm 2d, and the entire expenses on all accounts will sum up within a few hundred pounds of double that amount."

" The theatres controlled by our firm at present," continued Mr Williamscn, "arc the Theatre Royal, Melbourne; Theatre Royal, Sydney ; and the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne, Others, in the interior, we leaee as we need them; but there is not much business in Geelong, Sandhurst, Ballarat, or the other rural or mining colonial towns. The New Zealand circuit is open since Mr De Lias died) Mr Abbott, of Auckland, being at present the most responsible manager. My present visit to the East and Europe is one of business, snlely, in connection with the theatrical enterprises of our firm in the colonies. My wife, I am happy to say, is in good health, and enjoying herself in Melbourne furnishing a new house I have just bought. I expect to return from Europe via America, in which case she will meet me either here or in New York, and we will play a short engagement jns' to show our old friends that we have not deteriorated as actors."

"Have you elected to make Australia your permanent home?"—" More than likely [ shall end my days there. We have been generously treated by the peoplo, the climate is a genial one, and as to management in San Francisco, which has been suggested, I am afraid it is too much cut up for me or anyone else to engage in it with any hope of profit."