FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Evening Star, Issue 10339, 12 June 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

:1 s *' [By|JAitßo7.Jnff v '"''"-;f !i Mr Harry Sprojfe. who sncoeedß Ciirja Simonsen as a native of Gtjfcc, whero hsj&eld a.jjosition in ttbeifjank of New, .;.■>> Mr Harry Piimmei"has been engaged as juvenile lead for the Brough company throughout New Zealand, and as leading man for the Eastern tour. Paderewski was once staying in Paris with his son, to whom he is very much attached. The boy happened to hear that his father [ was to perform at the Cirque, and eagerly asked permission to be present His request was granted, and young Paderewßki was to the? concert, where his lighted all the qija exception, —by hisjvplagjng. asked the"; famous musician; when they rejHfmed, "howj did yovyanjoy Hf' " Noi atljl," said thej boy desrj*sljr* f **Not at all ♦ Why, what jjvas wrong?" "Oh," was the reply, "it| Was the dullest circus I have tvet U}. I expected you to go through hoops, and all that; but you simply played on the piano just as usual." Sira Bernhardt will appear next season as Hamlet! A combination headed by Edwin Farley and W. Walshe is giving English opera in Sydney at "popular" prices. The papers tell Hetty Lambert very plainly that her singing days are past. Foli, the basso who visited as a oouple of years ago, is a cabinetmaker by trade, and specimens of his skill as a tradesman may be seen in many London houses. The performing elephant belonging to Lord George Sanger's circus, now touring in South Wales, which recently attacked a :*jay dijrio&vEarteir aHG!ynnsatb|?!§outH SThe a and savagely attacked the Oak and Twee Cranes public-house, besicjes smashing the windows of a town councillor's residence. It was at Llanelly, however, that the brute chiefly distinguished itself. Mr Jones, Cefor Farm, Llwynhendy, was driving in a trap containing several large cans full of milk, and when passing the elephant the wheel of the conveyance aocidetaliy touched its foot. The animal, snorting with rage, picked up the trap with his trunk, and threw the horse, trap,and driver With great force into the hedge. The unfortunate farmer was badly cut on the head, the trap waß much damaged, and the milk cans smashed. The hone was not injured. Olga Nethersole has been telling the New York pressmen a good deal of her youthful history. Premising by saying that she greatly needed rest, wherefore she meant enjoying a furlough near London, where "I have a very quiet little place, and where I usually spend my vacation*, living as simply as may be, trying to be a child again in thought and deed too—yes, even playing with dolls," she went on say: " Everything is moving—progressing—here. This healthful activity has been as a tonic to me. It has spurred me on to great effort. It has broadened my mind and improved my art." Looking baok upon her girlhood, Miss Nethersole relates how at one time she was seized with a violent attack of religious fervor, and thereupon determined to enter a convent. But a worthy clergyman restrained the impulse. "My child," he said, "it is better to live in the world than to flte from it; better to meet and conquer temptations." In this view the future representative of " Carmen " eventually acquiesced. A little later she "conceived a childishly romantic idea of marriage," which to her appeared to be the greatest thing a woman could accomplish. On this point, too, however, her impressions subsequently became modified ; and although she still confesses belief in marriage, "particularly if you know a man who has been devoted to you for nine years" (wby nine, by the way ?), she has made up her mind that no thought of connubial bliss shall ever be permitted to interfere with her career. "That," concludes Miss Nethersole in a noble peroration, "is the supreme thing in my life. lam trying to shape it always upwards that it may culminate on the heights." While she was at Cimiez the Queen witnessed a performance of 'Jean Marie' by Sara Bernhardt and her company. At the close of the performance Her Majesty congratulated the gieat tragedienne, and gave her photograph aud autograph signature. A " Christian " theatre is to be established in Paris for the exclusive performance of plays with a good moral.

Oar London correspondent, writing on April 30, supplied the following items : , 'His Majesty,' having failed to fill the coffers of the Savoy Theatre, has been called upon to abdicate, and in the couree of a fow days ' The Yeoman of the Guard' will make a welcome reappearance. Produced originally in 1888, tin's piece found great favor with both London and provincial audiences. It was in ' The Yeoman of the Guard' that Miss Geraldine Ulmar first made her mark as Elsie Maynard the strolling singer, Mr W. H. Denny as Snadbolt the gaoler, and Courtice Pounds as Colonel Fairfaix. The places of this trio will now lie filled by Madame Pal may, Mr Henry Lytton, and Mr Charles Kenningham respectively, but Mr "Richard Temple will once again represent Sergeant Merily, and that old Savoyard Rosina Braudram once more appears as Dame Carruthers. Mr Walter Passmore will be the jester in place of Mr George Grossmith, and that prime Sivoy favorite Miss Jessie Bond will be superseded as Phtebe by Misa Florence Perry. Times change and mummers with them. Australian theatregoers are not, after all, to make the acquaintance of that accomplished comedian Mr John Hare—at least not yet awhile. He returns shortly to London", and will open at the Court Theatre with Pinero's ' The Hobby Horse,' which piece he revived at the Grand, Islington, i last autumn, prior to setting forth on his tour abroad. THE NEWESI LONDON THEATRE. Though 'twas but in July last that Mr Beerbohn Tree laid the first stone of his new theatre, he wa», thanks to a comparatively frostless winter and other favoring circumstances, able on Saturday to invite a host of pressmen and friends to look upon an all but ! inished house. The new "Her Majesty's" is in every Bense worthy of its name. The theatre is built in French Renaissance style of Portland stone relieved with red granite I The building as to exterior is imposing and pleasant to look upon, but the interior is the thing in a theatre, and in his new house Mr Tree may be said to have excelled in catering for the comfort of patrons at all prices. The theatre is capable of holding between 1,600 and 1,700 persons. The most striking features of the auditorium are that there are only two tiers of seats above the floor instead of three, the width of the houte, and the nearness of the fronts of the tiers to the stage. The floor is apportioned off into orchestra stalls, pit stalls, and pit. The first five rows of the first tier are given up to the dress circle, and those behind form a " family circle." In the second tier are three classes of seats, ranging from 4s to Is. The pit is remarkably gool both as to the comfort of the seats and the excellent view of the stage to be obtained from any part of it. But, indeed, the stage is in full view from any part of the house, and by the rake of the seats the terrors of the matinee hat are annihilated—almost. The building is, of, course, fireproof, and to every part of the house an exit and an entrance is furnished, all stairways being of ample width and easy gradient. In case of fire the house could be emptied in a few minutes. To the ventilatory arrangements special attention has been paid, and draughts, we are told, will be rigorously exoluded. In winter the theatre will be warmed on the most approved hot-air system, and in summer the fresh .'air forced into the bouse will be cooled by passing over blocks of ice in a refrigerating room. The decorations of Her Majesty's Theatre give an idea of simple grandeur rather than elegance. The style selected is that of the period of Louis XIV.XV. The proscenium, together with the great columns and pilasters supporting the various parts of the house, are in .Breehe Violette marble, with ormolu mountings. The ceiling is of the wheel type, witnbroad bands of trellis divided by trophies of musical instruments in gilt. The panels are enriched with emblematic paintings. Ovtr the proscenium are the Royal Anna, while on either aide, reclining on

the outer aggies, are the muet of Tragedy and Comedy. On either side of -Tshe walls supporting the ceiling is an arcade supported by Breche Violette pilasters, the spandril* of the arches bsing enriched with paintings to match tho ceiling. Below the arches are medallions with bas-relief busts of six great dramatists. The fronts of the Circles arc treated with, euriehei panels-, and are divided by small pilasters carrying ormolu appliques, while the central chandelier in ormolu and crystal is in the same style. Trie curtains and lambrequins are of rich cerise silk and embroidered velvet. The tableaux curtains are of deep red velvet embroidered with gold, and the seats upholstered in short-pile ▼elvet The carpets are of imperial blue Wilton pile. The act drop is an enlarged production painted by Mr Dignam of the Wobelin tapestry by Coypel, «Dido Receiving .Eneas.' The Grand Foyer is decorated in the same style as the auditorium. The vestibule is treated with oak panels between pilasters in the Renaissance. Jityle, the ceiling being constructed of oak beams with enriched plaster panels. The appliques are of wrought and burnished iron, especially deaigaed to harmonise with the rest of this room. The lighting arrangements of the theatre have arrived at the nearest possible pout to perfection. Gas has been entirely superseded, and the electric light is supplied from three separate sources, so that in esse of a failure of any one supply, in one second the whole system of the theatre can be supplied from another source. The electric lighta throughout the front of the house have been adapted to the style of decoration, being an exact reproduction of the Fontainbleau candle brackets, with electric light substituted for candle wicks. The old-fashioned chandelier of the period has also been reproduced in the ceiling of tho auditorium, treated in a similar manner as the brackets. As regards the stage, the electric light arrangements are as complete as those in any theatre in the world. And change of color of light or shade or sudden darkness, any moonlight or sunset, or sunrise effect may be produced by the hand of one man. ' THE FRENCH MAID.' ' The French Maid,' a musical farce produced at Terry's on Saturday after undergoing a probationary tour in the suburbs, is one of the brightest and most exhilarating trifles of its kind it has been one's pleasure to sit out for some considerable time. The plot (such as it is) is a trifle complicated here and there, but diverting incidents follow one another with such rapidity, and are carried off by so much piquant dialogue, tuneful music, clever acting, and energetic dancing that one has no inclination to worry about the details of the story. The scene is laid in Boulogne, first at the Hotel Anglais and afterwards in the gardens of the Casino. At the hotel the chief chambermaid is a certain Sozette, in love with and affianced to Paul, a gendarme, but led to believe that he has transferred his affections to two English ladies—the wife of Admiral Hawser and her niece Miss Trovers. As a matter of fact, Paul suspects the latter of sketching fortifications, and plays detective in the hope of achieving distinction and therewith emoluments sufficient to warrant bim setting up an establishment with Suzette. That damsel, meanwhile, has set her cap successively at Miss Trovers's lover, Lieutenant Harry Fife, and the young Maharajah of Punkaphore, who has arrived in charge of Harry's father, General Sir Drummond Fife. The hotel is kept by Mons. and Mdme. Camembert, the former being ridiculously jealous of the latter. He imagines that Admiral Hawser is his wife's first husband, whom she divorced, while the Admiral is induced to fancy that Lady Hawser has a clandestine love affair in progress. Out of these misunderstandings numerous amusing contretemps and passages of equivoque, arise, but of course before curtain fall all parties have things explained to their satisfaction. The notable thing about 'The French Maid' is the smartness and neatness of the libretto supplied by Mr Hood. The dialognes are always neat, and the lyrics are above the average in both idea and expression. Mr Walter Slaughter is responsible for some very tuneful and "catchy" music, which is seldom commonplace, and the company at Terry's is admirable all round. The piece should run for months, and will certainly find its way to the colonies.