DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8986, 25 February 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

The success of Carrie Sjyain at the Opera Bouse has not been of a terrific character. This high prices of admission have militated against overflowing houses. Had she played to lower prices I have no doubt that the theatre would have been packed nightly. She is uncommonly clever, and the whole entertainment is just the 6ort of thing to take. But when the management stick on the prices they must expect to find empty benches. The Auckland public have found out the absurdity of paying preposterous prices for their amusement. They have also discovered that in these hard times they can't afford it. It may gratify Miss Swain's managers to keep the prices up, but lam convinced it is bad policy. In London she would have to play to a sixpenny gallery and would make no bones about it. But the moment a proposal is made to lower prices here—and as a rule they are far too high-there »; a hm about degrading the profession. The fact is that members of the theatrical profession are paid absurdly high salaries, and managers with heavy expenses are very often compelled, much against their own inclination, to play to prices which the majority of the public can't afford to pay. Why should an actor be paid more than a clerk, or a clergyman, or an editor. Until their wages nearer approximate those paid in other professions, demanding far greater intellectual culture, I suppose the era of cheap amusements will remain as far off as it is now. Messrs. Brough and Boucicault s London Burlesque Company in " Little Jack Sheppard" will open at Abbott's Opera House on the 28 th March. The following are the principal members of the company: Miss Fanny Robina, Mr. E. B. Manning, Miss Florence Harcourt, Mr. E. W. Royce, Mr. W. Warde. Mr. Chas. Brown, Miss Bessie Major, Miss Emma Temple. Miss Hetta Beaudet, Miss Virginia Vi Vienna, Miss Marie Reddall. ifiost of these are new to New Zealand. The full strength of the company, according to a letter which I have received from the manager, Mr. Cunard, will be between 60 and 70. The orchestra will be under the conductorship of Mr. F. Stanislaus, late of the Gaiety Theatre London. When it is stated that it takes nearly '2*2 hands to work the scenery, some idea may be trained of the elaborate nature of the production. , , . , , lima di Murskais reported as being back a train on the concert stage, but her voice is said to have lost some of its quality, though her vocalisation shows all the old skill, and taste. _ Arrangements are being made for the production in Russia of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas by an English company. Regarding the death of John How son, mentioned by us last week, the following strange coincidence is narrated : In the play, " Pawn Ticket 210" occurs a scene where Howson as the Jew, Uncle Harris, falls to the floor, where he is discovered by Charley Saxe. " Oh, Charley," is the line for the Jew, having spoken which his head drops and he lies dead in the presence of his friend. The mimic death was duplicated by death in fact. Charles L. Harris, of Lett's company went to Howson s room at the hotel and found his fellow-actor on the floor in the identical position assumed in the play. As the door swung open Howson made a convulsive movement, and with his Uncle Hr.rris, expression, tone and gesture, moaned, "Oh. Charley, and fell back dead. The mimic death that he had suffered that very night—the death he had mocked with such natural effect—had conquered, and the busy brain was paralysed for ever. The irrepressible " Sarah" has the following letter published in the New ork Herald: —" lam told ha Maurice rrymore accuses me of having stolen from him the denouement of a play called "Nadjezda, " in order to give it to Victorien Sardou, and that he has "used it for "La Tosca." The accusation Is an insult which I will meet by the most formal denial. The idea is absurd, since the piece has been played for a lone time, and everybody has been enabled to see and reDort it. Furthermore, I do not know "Nadjezda," but I will read it to see if it bears the slightest resemblance to La Tosca," which would surprise me, •with all due respect to Maurice Barrymore. My best regards. —Sarah Bernhardt. That the stage has its " ups and downs," the following story will be very apropos : — About eighteen years ago Thomas W. Iveene went to England, from the States, with Barney Cahill for a starring tour of the provinces. In one of the provincial companies with which he played Henry Irving, then struggling and unknown, had a small part. Recently, when the trio met in Keene's dressingroom at the Haymarket, Mr. Keene said : You may not remember it, but you played in a company in England with me once." Mr. Irving quickly looked up and said: "Are you that Keene? I remember you perfectly." Mr. Irving has had a little the best of the world since then.

Signor Campanini wants a guarantee of 50,000 dollar? to produce " Otello" in San Francisco, but it is not likely that he will get such a guarantee ; and California can afford to do without the production at that price, so says the Press. According to Caesar Cui, the Russian correspondent of the Paris Le Menestrel, Tschaikowsky's " The Charmer," which has been recently produced at St. Petersburg, is not nearly so good a3 any of his other productions. R. S. Smythe, the much-travelled, recently returned from England. During his stay at home he has arranged for several people to visit the colonies, foremost amongst them being Max O'Rell and Edward Jenkins, author of "Jinx's Baby." They will not arrive until 1889, but a lady lecturess, by name Miss Von Finkelstein, will, in all probability, visit Melbourne about next August. She is a native of Jerusalem, lectures in Oriental costume, and in the representations of Eastern life is assisted by several people attired like herself. News of two old seekers for the favour of the public in New Zealand comes from the United States. That fiery tragedian, Herr Bandmann, has, since April last, been on his cattle-ranche in Montana, straightening up matters consequent upon -his loss by the failure of a large cattle and banking house, and also a loss of cattle by disease. He has things in good shape once more, and was starting on a tour in the course of a few weeks with his dramatic company when the last mail left New York. Miss Louise Baudet, who has been in Europe for several months, will be chief in the supporting company, which will also include several of last season's people. Herr Bandmann will do Tom Taylor's " Dead or Alive" in New York, provided he can arrange a date for the production. On December 22 the new Empire Theatre in Leicester Square was opened with tremendous success. M. Herv6 directs the orchestra, and the theatre is given up to a variety form of entertainment in which everything is done with great liberality and good taste. The strong point is the ballet, in which some one hundred and fifty performers are engaged. Two separate representations are given during the evening, one being an Oriental novelty called " Dilara," introducing musicians, slaves, odalisques, and so forth, in a Caliph's palace. The colouring is most dazzling and gorgeous, and the dancing, under the management of the celebrated trainer of ballet dancers, Madame Katti Lanner, very splendid. The opening ceremony attracted the attention of the Prince of Wales, who occupied a box during the latter half of the entertainment.

Mary Anderson, it is said, wears a cloak in " A Winter's Tale" which it took twentyfive women three weeks to embroider. The embroidery was done from designs by Alma Tadema. Miss Anderson's necklace is copied from one supposed to have been worn by Helen of Troy, which is now in the South Kensington Museum. Miss Anderson, in London, occupies a house on Hampstead Hill, from which she can look down upon the smoky city, and congratulate herself that she is breathing purer air than the millions of human beings below her. Musico-Dramaticus.

*,* All communications Intended for this column should be addressed "Musico-Dramat cus," Herald Office, Auckland, and should be forwarded as early as possible.