DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8950, 14 January 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

Th* only dramatio news In Auckland worth commenting upon, indeed all there is to comment upon, is the wonderful success of Bland Holt's company at the Opera House. This week they have produced the great racing drama "A Run of Luck," which has drawn crowded houses. It is splendidly staged, and appears to have hit the popular taste.

Mr George Leitch's season in Wellington Jim been a most successful one. Mils Carrie Swain's capital company have done regular holiday business at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin. The Lynch Family of Bellringers are still in the South. On New Year's Day they appeared at Oamaru. Mr. James Pain will give an exhibition of fireworks in the Basin Reserve, Wellington, in February. Mr. J. O. Browne, who is now acting as advance agent for Mr. George Leitch, is a well known New Zealand journalist, and brother of Monty Browne, the much respected business manager of the Opera House, Sydney. The Greenwood family have been giving performances in the Lyceum, Dunedin, to rather meagre audiences. Professor Driver " Kudavz" has been appearing with considerable success in the small towns of the Wellington distriot. Mr George Darrell is shortly to begin a farewell tour of the colonies prior to his visit to England. Fred Maccabe is still drawing well at the Academy of Music, Sydney. lie appears in Melbourne at no distant date.

Hanlan was tendered a complimentary benefit on the 22ud ult. at tier Majesty's, Sydney, when the house was filled with his admirers.

Society is about to give to the stage another aspirant for histrionic honours in the person of Mrs. Churchill-Jodrell, a cousin to Lord Randolph Churchill, heiress to a fine estate, patron of two church livings, and wife of Herbert Henry, the son of Dr. Augustus Henry Cnurchil), a distinguished Liverpool physician. It is said that the lady is beautiful and accomplished ; that she siugs and plays delightfully ; and that while iu Paris she was besought to understudy Jeanne Granier'a part in " Le Petit Duo."

Miss Maggie Knight, who went to England some time back, and who placed with Mr. Charles Warner in " Held by the Enemy," intends to return to the colonies early this year. Miss Knight has been ill, and therefore obliged to refuse engagements.

"Held by the Enemy," by Williamson, Garner and Mu?grove's Company, and with Mr Wybert Reeve at the head of affairs, is the holiday attraction in the South Australian capital. Mr G. R. Sims' new play, with which Mr Wilson Barrett will commence his season at the G obe Theatre, will bear the pretty title of "The Golden Ladder." Some beautiful scenes are promised at the hands of such well-known artists as Telbin, Hann, and Bruce Smith.

Mr. Henry Irving's popularity at Liverpool during his recent visit to that city was so great that his progress through the streets was absolutely impeded by the crowds who, easily recognising their idol, hurried to look npon him "off the stage," so that Mr. Irving's striking personality became almost an inconvenience to him through the enthusiasm of his worshippers. In the last realistic play at the Standard Theatre, called The Tongae of Slander there is an immersion scene, which is very ingeniously managed. When the representative of the hero rushes to the rescue of the heroine he passes behind a block of stone nt the margin of the "tidal harbour," and his place and the plunge which follows, are taken by Mr. Beckwith, jan., the celebrated swimmer. The water in the tank is made tepid for the comfort of the performers by the infusion previously of a number of jets of steam. "I can tell yon," said Mr William Rignold, "a somewhat sorrowful story about clowns ; my experience of them has generally been sad. A doctor in Liverpool of my acquaintance is the author of it. He Bald : 1 Una day there came to me a fine, tall chap with a terrible cold. I examined him, and said, "Yon must lie by for a fortnight at least; your lungs are affected." "I cannot," said he, "I'm the clown at the Queen's Theatre, and mast appear to»morrow night, Give mo something to help my voice — never mind the nngs," I did what I could, of course, sia weeks after I went into St. George's Hospital to see a man, when, as I passed the bed, a voice feebly called out, «' Dootor." There was my friend the clown. As I leant over him and looked into his death-stricken eyes he said, " Doctor, you were right, I ought to have lain by; but I could not. I had to amuse people then, and was obliged to work. Now it's the cat scene, dootor. Good-bye ! It will be glory and paradise directly." Of course he died soon after. But what did he mean by the ' cat scene ?' ' That,' said I (William Rigsold), 'is the dark scene in the pantomime which is on just before the harlequin waves bis wand and brings on the transformation scene.' ' Oh,' said the doctor; ' well I hops the harlequin waved it.'" MIJdICO-DRAMATICUS.

* 4 « All communications intended for this column should be addressed "Alns'.co Dramaticus," Herald Office, Auckland, and should be forwarded as early as possible.