FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Evening Star, Issue 8773, 14 March 1892, Page 3

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Messrs 0. V. Anson and Cecil Ward return to England shortly. The latter is now playing Eccles in ‘ Caste ’ at the Mel bourne Bijou. Mr Lohr contemplates an early descent on New Zealand with a variety company, of which Professor Carl Hertz, the illusionist, is the principal attraction. One of the wonderful feats performed by Mr Hertz is thus described: “An empty bath, placed on a skeleton framework, which precluded any suggestion of traps, was partly filled with water, and as soon as the conjurer tossed a few eggs into the bath live ducks suddenly bobbed up serenely and splashed their way out of the bath and across the stage.” The Dobson-Rennedy Company are now playing in the inland towns of this provincial district.

Mr Sydney Wolf intends to produce ‘Elijah’ in Timaru in July next, Miss Spensley, Mrs S. F. Smithson, and Mr John Prouse have been engaged for the solos. Tne ‘Aunt Lucinda’ Company have left for the West Coast, so as to avoid clashing with Wirth’s Circus,

Miss Kate Bishop will resume her relations with the Bland Holt Company for the forthcoming Sydney season. Owing to serious illness, Mrs Walter Bentley has been compelled to abandon her tour through England. Mrs Bernard Beere opens in the Melbourne Opera House in ‘As in a Looking Glass ’ next week. She is not likely to come along this way. The Brough and Boucicault tenancy of the Criterion at Sydney terminates in June, immediately after which Mr Brongh will take a company through New Zealand, “ Pete ’’ Hughes has struck oil in Sydney with the Italian Opera Company. Present attractions in the North Island; Bentley at Wellington, Hayes and Brillianso’s Great Allied Circus at Masterton, and Davy’s ‘ Bright Lights ’ Company at Napier, The last-named entertainment consists of a comedy, an olio of musical novelties, and a marionette show, Max O’Rell is the much-travelled Smy the’s next attraction.

A new opera-house is to be erected immediately in Palmerston North, with seating accommodation for 1,500 people. The staging accommodation will suffice for the largest theatrical company visiting the colonies. Mr Robert Gourley informs us that Mr Snazelle, assisted by Mr Hawkins (accompanist) and Miss Snazelle, will make his first appearance in this City at the end of this month. Mr Snazelle was for ten years a leading baritone of Her Majesty’s and the Carl Rosa opera companies, and latterly he has filled important parts with the comic opera companies performing in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. His present entertainment is enlivened with beautiful scenic effects.

The Myra Kemble company arrived at the Bluff by the Waihora to day, and appear at Invercargill this and to-morrow evenings, coming overland to Dunedin on Wednesday. The company consist of Miss Kemble, Mias Nellie Lyons, Miss Ada Lee, Mrs Walter Hill, Miss Maggie Corcoran, Miss Clitheroe, Messrs R. Harris, E, Diver, J. J. Walshe, Edwin Lester, Leonard and George Leopold, The names of Mr Joe St. Clair (agent in advance) and Mr Jim Kitts (treasurer) are a sufficient guarantee that the company are well worthy of support. Janet Achurch did good business in Calcutta with ‘ A Doll’s House.’