FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Evening Star, Issue 11266, 13 June 1900, Page 7

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

[By Cau, Boy.] r '' Rough on the original exponent of the part. In its notice of 'The GeishV as produced by the Pollards at Christchurch last week, the 'Press' says:—"Miss. May Beatty, as 0 Mimosa San, gave us an incomparably better performance than her predecessor (Miss Perry) in the part. It was a. most charming piece of acting throughout, fully equal to Miss Beatty's excellent performance in 'La Poupeo.' Both ; in singing and acting she was excellent, the character standing out in bold relief." ' What Happened to Jones,' by Mr Charles Arnold's company, attained its forty-seventh performance in Melbourne on May 28.' Business was then reported as "still very fine and large." The San Francisco critics severely roasted Miss Maggie Mopre,.Mr Harry Roberts, and company, and in a letter to Sydney Mis? Moore ascribes this treatment to the fact that when Nat Goodwin returned to America some years ago he made a speech in which he complained-bitterly about his Australian treatment. The company have since disbanded. The massive Miss Moore is resting, while Harry Roberts is filling an engagement in New York.

The full programme for the Stratford- onAvon festival, which commenced on Monday/April 23, was as follows:—Monday, April 23, 'As You Like It'; Rosalind. Miss Marion Terry; Orlando, Mi- Thalberg; Jaques, Mr Hermann Vezin. Tuesday and Saturday evenings, April 24 and 28, artd matinee, Wednesday, April 25, Mr John Coleman's version of 'Pericles.' Wednesday evening, April 25, 'Macbeth,' with Mr Hermann Vcziri and Miss Eleanor Calhoun as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Thursday evening, April 26, and inatine'e, Saturday, April, 28, 'The Merchant of Venice,' with Mr Hermann Vezin as Shylock and Miss Marion Terry as Portia; and Friday, April 27, 'Othello,' with Mr Herbert Vezin as Othello, Mr Thalberg as lago, Miss L. Brayton as Desdemona, and Miss Calhoun as Emilia.. The Stratford Theatre was elaborately decorated for Shakespeare's birthday, Monday, April 23. In the divorce proceedings instituted by Charles F. Armstrong, the' husband of Madame Melba, the famous opera si'-'er, the petitioner allegedi.that he has been an actual bona iide inhabitant of Texas County and' of Galveston since May, 1895; that he and the respondent were lawfully married in December. 1882, in Australia, and lived together as husband and wife until 1894. when Mrs Armstrong voluntarily, without cause, left him with the intention of abandonment, then and there declaring that she would not live with him any longer. Armstrong also alleges that he has invited her to live' with him as his wife, and that she has refused to do so. He says he has observed his marital obligations', and always supported respondent in good style, and conducted himself lovingly towards her. The only child born of the marriage is a son, sixteen years old, now living with the plaintiff. Through her counsel Madame Melba made a denial of the allegations of the petitioner. She was not present in person, and her counsel was appointed by the Court. After the denial was riled the Court entered •a decree of divorce in favor of the plaintiff. Armstrong is the owner of the Buena Vista Ranche, in Kansas County, and bv the decree of divorce the Kansas County Ranche is adjudged his separate property, and the custody of the hoy awarded to him. On the eve of his leaving for London Mr Wm. Paull was tendered a. farewell concert at the Adelaide Town Hall, and profited to the extent of £IOO by it. Next day he assisted at the reception given in the same building by the mayoress. He sang one song, and had got part of the way through his encore number when suddenly he stopped, and as he walked off the platform muttered : " I'm not going to sing to a cup and saucer accompaniment"—a reference to the clatter of teacups in the refreshment room hard by. In the place of the Melbourne Alexandra barn-like buildimj has risen a worthy monument of Mr J. 0. Williamson's resumption of theatrical management in that city. On Mafekiiv* night, when the new and'elegant' structure was reopened, a tableau.of 'Britannia,' introduced in the opera of ' Pinafore,' raised the audience to a fever heat of exciteroent,( which culminated in rousing choruses of ' God save the Queen' and cheers for Baden-Powell. At the close of a short speech by Mr Williamson he was greeted with cheers, the gallery sang 'For he's a jolly good fellow,' ami the popular manager was presented with two huge horseshoes"of flowers.

Signora, Eleonora Duse, it is announced, is to play Gabrielle d'Annunzio's tragedy La Giocondii' at the' Imperial Burg 1 heat re, m Vienna, with her whole company. Never before has a foreigner played in a foreign tongue on the venerable stao- e oi the Burg Theatre, and the Emperor himNclt had to give permission for the perfoimance to take place. t Under the new contract made with Mr J. < -': T Williamson, extending Miss Nance 0 Neil's Australasian engagement to December 1, Melbourne. Adelaide, and the four centres of New Zealand have to be visited.

Before this letter reaches Australia, savs the London correspondent of the 'Australasian.' the smart London set, in which Mrs Brown-Potter is such a favorite star will be discussing her divorce ; an announcement of which may bo made any time during the next few weeks. Mr Potter, who is anxious to outer into a second marriage, has been giving his attention to the matter for some time past. Not so long ago he failed in his petition, whicn came up for hearing in New lork State. Since then he has resided for •wo years m Rhode Island, and being by that Leim now qualified to plead under the I.hodo Island laws, he has presaiitc.l his petition for divorce on the grounds of his wife's desertion. As Mrs Potter could not b<s persuaded to rejoin her husband, she has been ao vised by her London lawyer, Sir George Lewis, not to frustrate Mr' Potter's action, which she could easily do on the score of his having never contributed to her maintenance. [The latest cables report that the divorce proceedings were successful.] On the occasion of the farewell performance by the Brough Company at Sydney the other day, when the ever-popular 'Niobe' was staged, the Theatre Royal was packed in cverv available alley and gangway from ground floor to gallery, and hundreds' of old playgoers had to be denied admission. At the end of each act flowers were handed up, until the stage blossomed like a garden, and in one of the "waits" three vociferous cheers were called for the actors. In response to the inevitable demand for a speech Mr Brough remarked rh:it as to the past season he was well satisfied with its success considering all they had had to contend with' As for the future, they were now about to visit Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and the East, and after an absence of twelve months it they were all spared, they would again be in Sydney once more.—(Loud cheers.) As in former years, he hoped to return with all the best and newest comedies of the day, and with a company capable of such interpretation as would please Australian audiences Before their return he honed that that unwelcome visitor the plague would have fled for ever, that the wAr would be ended, the victors safe home again, Australia re-founded as a nation, and that the tree of Federation would he bearing in profusion the luscious fruits of peace and prosperity.' The fi'udience then joined with the band in 'Auld lang syne,' and the calls continued till Mrs Brough, in a, few well-chosen words, had wished all present farewell with a " God bless you all" and a kiss of the hand, which provoked renewed enthusiasm.

Mr Donald Macdonald, the 'Argus' war correspondent, who was invalided home, is at present giving a series of three illustrated lectures in Melbourne telling of the siege and relief of Ladysmith. Mr Edwin Geach is managing the venture, and will doubtless induce " Observer " to visit this colony. Mr J. B. Atholwood, who visited Dunediu with the original ' Sign of the Cross' Company, is now supporting Miss Nance O'Neil (the American actress under engagement to Mr Williamson). Mr Atnolwood's Artful Dodger in 'Oliver Twist > J s described bv*a Sydney paper as the success of the play rht cplprmg was perfect, and the Tvhole study betrayed the fceenesfc of ' Miss Clara Morris* the American" actress gives in tho ' Century.' some, practical advice to girls who wish to. go oa.thc stage, bhe says that a girl in private life has &]• most no chance of getting on the stage:—

"I know of but three powers that can open the stage door to a gjr} who comes straight, from private lift—a fortune, great influence, or superlatiye beauty." Even should a woman get a footing on the stage, she can rnly aijvance by learning niany things. "You tH}l learn that punctuality is next to godliness. As you hope for fame here ana life hereafter, never be late to rehearsal." x Another bint:—" Your gowns at this stage of your existence may cause you great anguish of .mihd. Ido not refer to their cost-, but to their selection. You will not be allowed to say ' I will wear white,' or ' I will wear pink/ because the etiquette of the theatre gives the leading lady the first choice of colors, and after her the lady next in importance, you wearing what is left. In sojne New York theatres, actresses have no worij in the selection Of their gowns. They receives 'plates' from the hands of the manager, and dress accordingly.'' Mr Walter Mills, who has ah English reputation as an oratorio (bass) singer, intends visiting Australia and New Zealand early next year. ■ After a phenomenally successful run in Melbourne (when the average receipts totted up £I,OOO per night), ' What Happened to Jones' uas been withdrawn by Charles Arnold in favor of 'The Professor's Love Story,' by Mr J. M. Barrie, the author of ' The Little. Minister.' Mr Bland Holt's company hare commenced another season in Sydney with ' Woman and Wine.' 'Zaza' of the sunset hair is in danger. Under the surface of success runs a quiet undercurrent of opposition which may eventually swamp 'Zaza' and relegate her to the darkness of banished things. With the publication of the first-night criticishis unanimously denouncing the bad tone r."d immoral tendency of the play, the Lord Chamberlain, mindful of the fact that 'Zaza' had received the usual official certificate, sent a peremptory message to Mr (i. W. Redford, the examiner of nlnv*. nM demanded an explanation. Mr Bedford replied that he had carefully read Mr Belascp's English adaptation when it was first submitted to him eighteen months ago by Mr Lestocq, Mr Fronman's manager in this country; that beyond the picture of life behind the scenes in a French provincial music hall, given in the first act, taken in conjunction with Zaza's effort to win Dufresne, there was nothing in the play which could in any degree be regarded as offensive to public decency. But Lord Hopetoim thought that further investigation was necessary, and sent for Mr H. T. Brickell, the lessee of the Garrick, with whom he had a long and animated talk, and the upshot of the whole difficulty is that Mr Brickwell and Mr Lestocq have been requested to furnish Mr Bedford with a manuscript copy of the play as now acted at the Garrick and the copy originally submitted to him.-r 'St. James's Gazette.'

Madame Eleanora Duse Las confided her aspirations towards, the ideal to an interviewer. She dreams of a theatre which shall resemble the theatres of the Greeks. She would hare no more horrible photographic plays of everyday life, but the great and unique drama of the Greeks. She would play Shakespeare, but Shakespeare without " cuts," and in all his sublime splendor. The author should be a priest, an apostle, and the audience should enter the theatre as if it were a temple, to pur»e themselves of all base worldly thoughts and ideas. THE POLLARDS. On June 29 Mr Pollard's popular operatic combination will celebrate their ninth birthday, and the event will probably be marked in some special manner, possibly by a theatrical production of a unique character. It jas in August, 1831, that "The. Pollards," as they are familiarly called, were iirst seen in Christchurch, the opening attraction being 'La Mascotte,' and the repertoire consisting then of this charmina work and 'The Mikado.' Of the original company of nine years ago there remain Misses Wilson, Stephens, Zeigler, Foord, and Rede, and Messrs Percy, Quealy, Sjte- ?> n ' J Young ' 3nd Alb ? rt - Since 1891 Mr 1 ollard and his company have visited this city no fewer than twenty distinct seasons, aggregating the somewhat phenomenal total of 294 separate performances, not including sixteen matinees and seven Sunday concerts. The company have produced thirty-six pieces, of which 'Paul Jones,* 'La Mascotte,' 'Djin Djin,' and 'The Gondoliers' have become the recognised public favorites. These productions (remarks the 'Lyttelton Times') have naturally involved considerable outlay, and it is of interest, in view of the oft-repeated assertion that travelling companies take money out of tjre country, to read some of the principal items of expenditure in Christchurch, as revealed in the books of the company :—Rent accounts for £2,040 10s; hotels, board, etc., £2,767; local employes, stage hands, etc., £2,118; wholesale' chemists. £224 10s ; timber, canvas, jind paints, £3lB ; cartage, £550 ; advertising, £1,310; local printing, £1,163 15s ; gas and electric light, £Bl2 ; ironmongery, £174 12s 6d; piano and organ hire, £B9 10s ; posting bills, £510; hire of furniture, £198; drapery, £315 17s 6d. As the fares average £9 10s for each performance these alone amount to £2,793, and sundry small items account for more than £I,OOO. When the salaries are added, and these have grown from £IBO per week in 1891 to £3BO per week in 1900, the total for the forty-nine weeks played in Christ-church is, roughly, some £20,000. The great bulk of this money is spent in tile city—Duhedhi, Wellington, and Auckland having a similar tale to tell, so that Mr Pollard may claim in a very material sense to be a benefactor to the community.