DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10310, 31 March 1894, Page 6

DRAMATIC GOSSIP.

[FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.] London, Feb. 2. Irving has had a grand season in America, the receipts up to the end of December exceeding Ji90,000. Whilst the | tragedian can do this sort of thing when- j ever he chooses to cross the “ herring ! pond ” I fear there is no likelihood of his | making the long journey to Australia. Plucky little Jessie Bond has the | courage of her convictions. It is not | everyone who after the “Pall Mall Gazette” i essjposd would have the nerve to champion j Harness. Miss Bond, however, both wrote j to the papers and went into the witness- j box on his behalf. Jessie believes Ear- ! ness’belt and treatment.price fifty guineas, restored her when weak and voiceless, to health and strength. The revival of Caste at the Garrick recalls many memories to the “ old playgoer,” which alas the writer is becoming. Prominent amongst these is tha death of the original Ecdes, poor George Honey, who was struck with paralysis just as his entrance formed the situation which closes the first act, and had to be propped up against the door till the curtain fell. David James, to whom the part reverted, is also gone, and John Clayton (the best of I D’Alroy’s) has likewise joint d the majority, i In three respects the new cast of Robert- < eon’s comedy ought to equal any of its ; predecessors. Mr Forbes’Robertson, Miss : Kate Eorke, and Miss Rose Lsclercq ara j simply ideal artistes to play George, ; Esther and the “ Marquizsy,” as Eccles calls her. Miss May Harvey. 1 am told shapes well, but to tuose who were privilege to see Mrs Eancrolt’s Polly there can never be bub one. The part was and always will be hers, just as Paula Tanqueray is Mxa Patrick Campbell’s. I am told, by the way,_ that the Brough management in Australia-, taking warning by the absolute failure of Mrs Kendal’s new reading of Paula in America, mean to accept Mrs Campbell’s, and have engaged an actress to play tha part who will not bo too big to understudy her. The Transgressor, a three-scb comedy by A. W. Gabtie, produced at the Court Theatre on Saturday evening with moderate success, shows more promise than the bulk of maiden efforts. The dialogue, of course, is the weakest feature. It generally is with young playwrights’ work. The hero, Eric Langley, marries, as a lad, a young woman, who, within a year of their urion meets with an accident which renders ner incurably insane. She has to be sent to an asylum, and Langley, moving to another part of England, passes as a widower with an only child, a girl. Seventeen years later, when his daughter Constance has grown up and is engaged to Dr Hurst, Langley falls in love with and (hearing his first wife is at the point- of death) socretly marries Sylvia Woodville. Langley does not wish to disclose thq.marriage till his first wife is actually no more, but to hie horror, instead of dying she recovers, and grows better than she has been for years. In this dilemma Langley Confides in and consults his future son-in-law, Dr Hurat. But instead of doing this privately he talks at the top of his voice in a room with open windewa. Naturally, the man is overheard, not by Sylvia, but by a curate lover of hers, who sees in the embroglio hia opportunity. He announces, when he has heard enough, his presence, and his intention of telling all to Sylvia’s guardian. In act 2 the guardian and the curate break the news to Sylvia who is indignant and scornfully incredulous. Langley, however, on being sent for admits the transgression, bub puts in a powerful plea for himself. Ultimately Sylvia listens and sympathises, and at tha end of the act gives herself again to her lover. But here the guardian interferes, either the pair part at once, or Langley ia handed over to tho police. The last act is an anti-climax. Langley when he recognises all it will signify, refuses to accept Sylvia’s sacrifice and departs, but whether to give himself up to the police or to decamp, no one seemed to know. The piece afforded Olga Netheraole soma admirable opportunities for powerful acting as Sylvia. Mr Charles Coborn, the music hall vocalist, to whom we are indebted for “Two Lovely Black Eyes,” “The Man who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” and other lyric gems, is at present singing a song with the following engaging chorus: — Come vrlicre tlio “booze” is cheaper. Come where the pots hold more, Come where the boss is a bit of a joss, Come to the pub next door. It seems that on Jan. 10 soma of tha audience at the Palace Theatre took exception to this canticle, and hissed the great Charles. That they were really shocked is a little difficult to believe. More probably the group Knew Mr Coborn to be short-tempered, and resolved to “draw” him.- If so, they succeeded perfectly. Giowing more and more wrathful as song and hissing progressed together, Gobom at length burst out and, breaking all tho rules of the establishment, slanged hia persecutors from the stage. Most of the audience took tha air gar’s part, and ha finally retired with the honours cf war. The management, however, pointed out to Mr Coborn he bad broken his contract, and dismissed him there and then. Had Mr Coborn’s songs been a big draw, there can be little doubt his breach of discipline would have been forgiven, but “ Come where the hooze is cheaper,” hasn’t caught on, and the management were glad to see a way of curtailing expenses of .£2O a week. The sequel can be imagined. Goborn resolved not to lose this sum without a struggle,and presented himself as usual on Monday at the theatre, accompanied by hia solicitor. After some conversation with the manager, Mr Coborn was seized by the two big footmen who change the song numbers, and “chucked.” He then tried to force a way into the house, nor would he desist till arrested and conveyed to Bow Street. Nest morning, of course, the comedian was bound over to be of good behaviour, &c., &c. The fuss there has been in the evening papers concerning this absurd incident leads me to believe the apotheosis of the Music Hall approaches. Columns of letters for and against the “ moral influences” of “ Come ivlicre ilie booze if- cheaper,” appeared in the “Pall Mall Gazette” for some days. The publishers (Moccatta and Co.) of tho song wrote that it was “ a favourite in the halls of our moat illustrious and aristocratic families.” Finally, the following astonishing tale is gravely vouched for :—“Her Majesty the Queen was struck tha other evening with a plaintive air which her private band (performing in tho adjacent conservatory) bad repeated once or twice. *lt touches a familiar chord of memory, Beatrice,’ said the Queen; * there ia something very tender and invocative in it, don’t you think so, Battcnburg ? ’ ‘Yes, Momma. ’Tis wunderschon.’ * Weil, go and ask the bandmaster the name of the melody, or stay, perhaps you know?’ ‘Y a, I kntuv ?’ ■ Koiu, Momma, wham da booze is sueepar, Kom where de pots hold more, Kom where de boss is a bit of g, joss, Som to de tmb nest door. 1 “