AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 852, 29 June 1888, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS.

[lnformation from members of the theatrics profession respecting their professions, doings in this and the neighboring colonie l is invited. Communications to be addressee to the Editor of this column."]

. The Theatre. The Wellington Amateur Operatic Societj will commence a season of one week at tin Theatre Royal, on Monday, July 16, whei “lolanthe ” will bo produced. ■. On Friday’(to-day) “ Hans, the Boatman will be produced, for the first time in Dun din by Mr Charleg Arnold, suppoftecLisr good company. The success of Mr Arno 'wherever.he has appeared has been so grei both in London and Australia, that there little doubt he will be accorded a hearty ■ ception here. The character in which, appears, Hans the Boatman, is somewl after the style of Rip Van Winkle. He is a German-Swiss, full of rollicking hum very indolent, passionately fond of childi but of rather intemperate habits. Ho is centre figure, and the qvents depicted are > to a great extent to hiß characteristics. Arnold has full scope for displaying I cleverness, and he always succeeds iff lighting his audiences. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Mrs Frances Hodgson Burnett has won action in which she sought to prevent ‘ Li' Lord Fauntleroy ’ being played iu Lone and she will now produce her own dram sation under the title ‘The Real Little L Fauntleroy ’ Brough and Boucicault’s Company < banded after finishing at Dunedin, and turned to Australia! It may not ho generally known (say exchange) that in 1565 the great Irving' appearing with Fred Maccabe in an entert meut designed to show up tho so-c. spiritualistic seances of the Daver Brothers. * y ! . Cheap editions of * Maritana are 1 ( published, the copyright having expired." George Rignold has begun an action aga Williamson, Garuer, and Musgrove foi infringement of copyright by introducin' real water effect in ‘ The Tomboy ’at I bourne. Tnis is the richest thing we 1 had for some time.

At a benefit at Wallaek’s Theatre the lowing ‘immense’ cast of Hamlet watf sented : —Hamlet, Edwin Booth ; Ghost Hamlet’s Father, Lawrence Barrett; 1 Claudius, Frank Mayo ; Polonius, John bert Laertes, Eben Plympton ; Hor. John A. |:Lane; First Gravedigger, Jot Jefferson ; Second Gravedigger, W 7 Florer.ee ; Priest, Harry Edwards ; Opl Helena Modjeska.; Queen Gertrude, trude Kellogg; The Player Queen, Coglau. About $22;500 were realised.

On the reverse cover c£ a very neat souvenir of his German anti Russian tour, when he played ‘David Garrick’ with great success', Charles Wyndham,' the English •comedian, has a fao simile of a unique letter ■written by Garriok. It is worded as follows-: "“Thursday, Jan’y. 14, 17i3 s , , “ Dear Dr. Half a dozen friends packed together in haste, will meet ye at Ade phi at four to-day to eat sour krout & a haunch of • Veninoa—will you make ne ? Yrs ever, „ “For Dr. Douglas. David Garrick. ‘She’ has been dramatised, and was a failure in New York. . The Mohawks swooped down on CRriStchuroh last week, and were still playing there to good business this week. Madame Adelina Patti commenced her South American tour at Buenos Ayres, tne opera selected for the opening performance heingll Barbara. The total r eceipts amounted •to £4400. Madame Patti’s contract, is to -take the whole of receipts to £I2OO, to give Mr Abbey the next £I2OO, out of which the manager has to pay all ex--penaes, and to equally divide the rest with Air Abbey. Therefore Madame Patti received £2200 for this solitary performance, •certainly the highest fee ever yet paid to any prim£ donna. . ' * ■ Autolycus.