DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9184, 13 October 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

Miss Von Finxelstein opens at Abbott's Opera House on Monday next. This celebrated lecturess has been a triumphant success in Wellington and other towns in the South in which she has appeared. In the capital she created quite a.furore. The All Star Company are working up to Auckland. In Dunedin and Christchurch they have been doing splendid business. Mr. Abbott is in charge of them, and Mr. Cunard is the business manager. They could not have had a better. The Gaiety Company passed through Auckland on Monday en route for America and England. Mr. Frank Leslie and Miss Nellie Farren waited an hour for nie at the Imperial Hotel, but believing that the steamer had sailed at two o'clock—she was delayed for an hour later—l did not turn up, being I am sorry to confess a late riser —I go to bed when most people are thinking about leaving it—and so I missed them. I am glad to learn, however, that there is every probability of their being back again in the colonies before long. The Rickards Company was well received in Bailarat, and has since been favourably regarded in Sandhurst. In Bailarat the regular dramatic business has been resumed with " The Mystery of a Hansom Cab." Mr. Grattan Riggs has found it. to his interest to prolong his stay at Broken Hill At Broken Hill, also, are the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The Darrell season in Adelaide is not unlikely to progress favourably for Mr. Darrell. Mr. Hudson, with a portion of his company, is believed to have left for India. !Miss Amy Sherwin has been giving some concerts at Adelaide. The Australasian, in noticing the reproduction of the " Old Corporal" at the Melbourne Theatre Royal, says :—Miss Maude Appleton, who had not appeared for some time on the Melbourne stage, but who has been earning much deserved praise in New Zealand of late, played the heroine of the story. And she played it with a naturallie*? so manifest and a gentleness of manner so exceptional that she entitled herself to all the plaudits that were abundantly bestowed upon her. Id is obvious that in a certain line of parts, in which youth, a bright, fair face, and a most engaging , niaiineAare necessary attributes for efficient representation, Miss Appleton ought, and of a surety will, take a conspicuous position, if only the opportunity be afforded her. 1: is stated that the takings of the Gaiety Company in Australia averaged over £400 a night.

Miss Adelaide Detchou has made her debut in Melbourne. The Argus, in noticing the performance of this talented young lady, who in addition is described as being remarkably beautiful, s;iys :— Her tirst recitation was that of '"Annie and Willie's Prayer," written by Sophia Snow—a pathetic little ftorv, wherein two innocent children, who have lest their mother, find with regret that " Santa Claus " no longer visits them at the blessed time of Christmas ; and so, in perfect faith in the efficacy of trie deed, they put up their earnest prayers for gifts, and are overheard by their father, who has been harsh with them during the day, and who is deeply moved, and becomes the willing instrument whereby the wishes of these little ones were fully gratified. The manner of this recitation was very taking, and the elocutionist was < recalled. " The Birds' Advice to Lovers,' , j by au anonymous author, gave Miss Detchon opportunity lor the display of her unique talent of introducing the veritable gongs of birds themselves into the story she has to tell aoout them, and the lovers they influenced by their songs. This time the " Bob o'link "—gay Kobin of Lincoln— was again the bird Mentor, and his insistent advice and passionate appeals to the young lovers were given by Miss Detchon in tones of truly thrilling quality. This line performance was encored with enthusiasm, and the talented elocutionist gratified her hearers greatly by her pathetically humorous recital of the story of '• The Charcoal Man," which we noticed recently en her first appearance. Miss I'etchon opened the second part of the programme by a most appreciative avid highly effective and quasi-lyrical recital of Jean Ingelow's " High Tide in Lincolnshire." The " New Church Organ," by W. Carleton, was one of those clever bits ot character-acting wherein, in a moment and by means of facial expression, this wellfavoured and most comely young lady, aided by a pair of spectacles and a crutchhandlfd stick, transforms herself into the hardest of aged spinsters ever found amongst the hardest citizens of the Eastern states. Miss Detchon finished her performances by singing " Within a Mile of Edinboro' Town," and was heartily applauded upon her weil-achieved successes. Mr. Charles Du-Val, who seems to revel in visiting out-of-the-way places with his famous monologue show, had, by last accounts, reached the South African goldfields of De Kaap, and appeared with great success in the mining town of Barbeton. Mr. Du-Val previously visited the goldbearing districts of Witwatersrand, and he is preparing some descriptions of the Transvaal fields for publication. He is iccompanied on his tour by Mrs. Du-Val, Mr. Frederick Carter, late proprietor of the Journalist, and Mr. Breakspeare Smith, Df the London Conservatoire. He will probably visit Delagoa Bay, running over the •oute to the terminus, and thence to the port by the new railway. Mrs. Arthur Stannard, writing under the fobriquet of "John Strange Winter," has completed a new four-act play, which will be brought out at a West End theatre in the course of the winter. " Dorothy" completed its record of seven hundred consecutive performances at the Prince of Wales' Theatre on August 24, when floral souvenirs were presented to each member of the audience. Mr. Charles Arnold and Manager Lohr are at the Gaiety Theatre, Brisbane. George Carey and his Australian Company are to open at the Corinthian Theatre, Calcutta, in November next. Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove's next comic opera will, it is said, be " Pepita," a piece wnich has been played in America with immense success under the title of " The Queen's Mate." Miss Fanny Robina and her talented husband, Mr. Stanislaus, are coming out to Australia. They have been commissioned by Brough and Boucicault to purchase any piece which will suit the lady, and are expected to arrive about the end of the year. Private-Secretary Thornton will make his re-appearance in Sydney at the Criterion Theatre under' Messrs. Brough and Boucicault's management early in November next, or perhaps at the end of the ensuing month. He will open with "Sweet Lavender," a new three-act comedy by Pinero, which was produced at Terry's Theatre in March last and is still running. He will afterwards appear in " Les Surprises du Divorce," which the London critics have unanimously—it is not often they can agree —pronounced to be " the most laughable stage absurdity of the past decade." My latest advices from Melbourne, dated October 3, are as follows:—At the Princess' " Romeo and Juliet" was performed on Saturday, with Miss Essie Jenyns as Juliet, supported by Mr. W. J. Holloway. The company of Spanish Students are at the Opera House, and several Italian songs were interspersed in the programme, for which the singers were recalled. The Brough and Boucicault Company are doing good business at the Bijou. The last four nights of "On 'Change" are announced. At the Theatre Royal the Majeronis' season closed on Friday night with a benefit to Signora Majeroni in vice-regal presence. On Satur'day nighb Mr. Charles Warner reappeared with a powerful company, scoring a success in the new drama, " Hands Across the Sea." Messrs. Hiscocks and Friedman have closed a very successful four weeks' season at the Alexandra. Messrs. Coghill Bros, continue large business at St. George's Hall. Mr. Frank M. Clark's company, at the Victoria Hall, has been strengthened by the return :et Wilson and Cameron, and continue to iraw good houses. The writer of dramatic notes in the London Figaro says:—" I hear circumstantial rumours of the forthcoming production, on a scale of spectacular grandeur and completeness befitting the subject, of a dramaof Lord Tennyson's " Idylls of the King." As, however, it is not intended to combine the various legends which have been treated by the Laureate, it is possible that not one spectacular play, but a halfdozen, will be required to complete the imbitious project in question." Musico-Dramaticcs.

V All communications ihtended for this column should be addressed "Musico-Dramaticus," Herald Office. Auckland, and should be forwarded as early A3 pOSSIDio.