FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Evening Star, Issue 11674, 5 February 1902, Page 8

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

[By Cam- Boy.]

When the 'Ben Hur' ,company passed through Melbourne en route for Sydney they were entertained by Mayor Gillott at th-i Town Hall. The reception was primarily in honor of Miss Mabel Lane, who is a native of Victoria. Complimentary speeches were delivered by His Worship, Mr Deegon, M.L.A-, Alderman Maloney. and the well-known dramatic critic, Dr Neild.

Maurice Gran, the American impresario, is hill up of grand opera. He is satisfied that so long as "stars" can command snea huge salaries there is nothing in it for the manager. Referring to the passing of Colonel Mapleson, who, though the greatest impresario of his day, died a comparative pauper, Gran said "that in two years —-as soon as all his contracts expire—lu will sever his connections with grand opera and retire to private life. He added: " For the past five years I have succeeded, and the world never knew such opera before^—the Western world, at any rate. 1 have given society what it wanted. But no more from me after my contracts expire. Not another venture. I shall die leaving enough money for my funeral expenses. Every other opera"manager haJ been bnried by his friends. If New YorK wants my kind of opera after I have quit then New York must assume the risk. Let a millionaire like Morgan, who must have spent one hundred thousand dollars at least bringing out a train of bishops to California, put up half that amount as a guarantee, to be lost if necessary without murmur, and I will manage. But the New York millionaires, who own their own opera-house, and get their boxes practically for nothing, will not put up—not even that little bit. Gran must assume all risk. Well, Grau is tired, and after thirty years of it from one end to the other, (Iran will retire, and say that, only a fool or a madman will take it up wheie he left off. They say Gran will come crawling back after he had been out of it for six months. ' Wait and see. I haveplayed the game, and I have won, atH I shall quit while the lock is still hot : and the burial of Maurice Grau will not be paid by his friends." La Seal a Opera-house, Milan. Italy, one of the largest theatres in the world, is reported to be in difficulties. There are 120 musicians in the orchestra, and a separate orchestra for the ballet. The scenery is all painted in the city, and all the silks, velvets, gloves, boots, and shoes, and the thousand and one necessaries of an opera-house holding 4,000 persons are of Milanese manufacture. The boxes, which form almost all of the seats, are private property, and therefore bring nothing hut the entrance fes. Cheapening the representations is out of the question, and the expenses remain enormous. The venerable Italian tragic actress Adelaide Ristori, who has passed her eightieth year, has just celebrated her " diamond wedding to dramatic art." So she herself described the anniversary of her first apEearance on the stage, which was in her abyhood. Her parents belonged to a wandering company of Italian play-actors. In some drama, where an infant was necessary, and the part had hitherto been represented by a stuffed theatrical doll, the manager suggested that Adelaide's mother should "take her own baby upon the stage" as a substitute for the dead doll. was thus," said Signora Ristori to an interviewer, "that I made my first practical acquaintance with the excitements of the stage." At her recent jubilee this great dramatic matron received the congratulations of the still more venerable Ernst Legouve, who is in his ninetyfourth year. Newcastle (New South Wales) was last week to have been the scene of a theatrical event of considerable interest and excitement—the reappearance on the stage of Essie Jenyns (Mrs J. R. Wood). Mrs Wood superintended a revival of ' Ingomar at Jesmond House, the object being to raise funds for the completion of Newcastle Cathedral. A stage was built upon a terrace in the gardens of the house, the electric li"ht was installed, dresses were sent out from London, and Mr Rege Robins (of Mr William Anderson's Company) painted new scenery. It is understood (wrote the Sydney ' Morning Herald' prior to the performance) that Mrs Wood will appear at one of the three representation!?—which one forming a jealously-guarded secret—whilst at the others the Parthenia will be Miss Sophia Lashmore, an amateur studying under Mrs Wood's direction. Tt is of interest to recall that Essie Jenyns first appeared as Parthenia at the Sydmy Operahouse on October 15, 1886. and subsequently played the same tlur-cter at the Criterion Theatre during Mr Yv. J. Holloway's revivals in 1887 and 1838. Miss Jenyns was the finest exponent of classic parts that Australia ever pio.uced, and during the last two years of her brilliant career drew audiences as large as a;.y artist who ever starred in that Her farewell was at the Criterion lb a re, Sydney, on June 28, 1888, when sue appeared as Rosalind and Portia. Mr Alfred TuUett, of the Nan-e O'Neil Company, writing to a Sydney friend, relates the company's experiences in South Africa. He savs, inter alia.—"Sass and Nelson sued Mr Rankin for an injunction to restrain us producing ' Magda,' as they claimed to hold African rights. We won. Miss O'Neil gave a matinee in aid of Soldiers' Comforts Fund the other day, and handed over £l6O net. The piece was 'Magda.' All pubs, close at eleven, and everybody must be in by midnight. A patrol marches in the streets at evening, the pofice are armed, and the Town Guard patrol the streets after twelve. The Boers fought some of our men thirty miles away a couple of weeks ago, so we are not fax from them, you see. Cape Town is not a very big place; a bit old-fashioned and Oriental, and full of all nations—mostly blacks. The officers stroll round in loosebottomed riding breeches and eyeglasses, and are great guns to look at. Everything is very dear. Hotels charge £2 10s a week and upwards to £2 a day. Tho city is very small, and what one wants cannot be got. Miss O'Neil resides at Sea Point, eight miles from Cape Town, and drives m her carriage every day. We leave here (after six weeks' season) next Sunday for Kimberley, play there three weeks and four nights, then follow Port Elizabeth, Durban (at Christmas), and Maritzburg; other places if possible. We get Tommies from the barracks for supers, and good supers they make, too. We are at present playing 'Tosca,' and Miss O'Neil has scored an immense triumph in the part. The papers say it is hex finest work. Our prices are: Stalls 7s 6d, back stalls 4s, back seats 2s. The house can hold over £2BO. We couldn't get the Opera-house. I hope to get out in a year or two. Percy Brough left us and went by the Nineveh for London. Mr Kingston also went straight on to London by same boat."

Oddments.—Mr Pail De Wynne died in Adelaide Hospital from typhoid and heart disease. He >vas a juggler and shadowgraphist.—Lit'b Alma Gray has rejoined the Bickardi ■'orces at, Sydney.— Mr Walker Gregory (b.usband of Elizabeth Watson) received a ~iwiy and diamond rin<g from Mrs Langtry, arx other gifts from tho company, on retiring to London after the conclusion of 'The Royal Necklace' tour, which he managed.—Florence Galhmore, who comes out to Mr Rickards in May for six months, has oookmgs to the end of 1907! E. A. Greenaway is appearing in ' The Broken Melody' at the London Princess's. —Young John Fuller goes to London shortly in search of novelties for Sydney and Brisbane.—Mr 3nd Mrs Thomas (Agnes Knights), at the conclusion of the present Arnold season in Sydnv, intend resting for g few months, then go to England, and afterwards tour tiu United States.— "J.C.W." knows how to boom a play. Prior to the production of 'Ben Hur' he ordered, through Ward, Lock, and Co., 50,000 copies of Lew Wallace's famous story, ana is distributing them hi three capitals at popular pi:ces!—Maggie Moore has been doing good business in a round of Irish characters at the Gaiety Theatre, Melbourne.