AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 957, 4 July 1890, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

The Theatre

The Vivian Dramatic Company produced at the Opera House last night week the first piece of their present season, when “ Queen’s Evidence’’ was staged. The plot of the play is fairly well known to the theatre, goers of this city. Miss Helen Vivian, an aotresß of good dramatic power, showed to great advantage as Kate Medland, first as the injured and afterwards as the deserted blind wife. Miss Flo Hazelwood gave a good representation of Ada, and Miss Violet Andrew was charming and sympathetic as Laura Sydney. Little Rosie Andrew, a clever child aatress, scored a point in her character as Arthur, the adopted son of Sir Frederiok Sydney. Mr Arthur Vivian took the part of Jonas Isaacs, a pure Cockney Jew of the orthodox Petticoat lane type. The other characters were ody moderately filled. The piece was well staged, the sensational look scene being warmly reoaived by the audience. The after-piece consisted of a musical melange, introducing variety sketches, songs, and ventriloquism. The dramatic representation of the plot of Mrs Henry Wood’s famous,novel of East Lynne always possesses a fascination for a certain section of playgoers. There is a sufficient amount of humour, plenty of pathos, highly dramatic situations, and enough of the purely sentimental to suit in* dividual tastes, and consequently the play always draws. The drama last Friday at the Opera House was briskly played throughout. Miss Helen Vivian has been seen before in this oity in the dual oharaoter of Lady Isabel and Madame Vine. Her conoeption of the parts iB a good one. Mr Vivian’s true vocation is a light comedian, and he does not, therefore, do such justice to the character of Sir Francis IiOVIHOU US iio uGoolu SGuiu Gl CC*U“ genial parts, Miss Rosie Andrews made a capital liittle Willie,and her sister, Miss Viclet Andrews, showed to some advantage as theeooentrio Aunt Cornelia. Miss Hazlewood was sufficiently vindictive as Barbara Hare. The somewhat serious drama was pleasantly relieved by the laughable farce of “A Silent Woman,” which completed the bill of fare last night. The parts were well filled by Miss and Mr Vivian and Mr L. Harcourt. Mr Bosco Wilson, the well-known theatries! aifsat. was uasssnecr. for Melbourne by theMonowai, which left on Monday. Mr Wilson is in charge of the greater part of the scenery used by Messrs Williamson, Garner, *nd Musgrove’s Opera Company.

(per press association.) Auckland, July 2. The well known theatrical busiuess manager, Mr Hughes, has received a cable mes. sago asking him to book dates for Mr J. L, Toole for a nine weeks’ tour of the Colony, commencing 29th September, and for the Brown-Potter Company for a season of eight weeks from Christmas. Both companies will commence in the South and play up the coast. ,

THEATRICAL NOTES. Mr D: Christie Murray’s play ‘ Chums ’ was being played by the St. Miu’r Company in Christchurch last week. The Times praises the piece highly. Mr G. W. Anson and a strong company are playing ‘ School ’at the Criterion, Sydney, Mr Wm. Rignold's production of * After Dark ’ was a great success, and Mr Toole continues to draw large audiences. Sir Charles and Lady Halid have also begun their Sydney season. During Miss Clara Merrivale’s illness at Auckland, her place was ably filled by Miss May Pollard. On Saturday night ‘Princess Ida’ was played. ‘La Masootte ’ on Mon-, day night, with Mr Howard Vernon in Elton’s part, Laurent XVII. Mr Francisco was to play Rocoo, The Auckland amateurs also have ‘ La Masootte ’ in preparation, with a powerful cast and a chorus of 60 voices. The Wirth family have opened a riding school in Auckland. Of their circus the Star warbles thus alliteratively ‘lt is really wonderful how Wirth’s circus draws—it is like the famous mustard plaster—or rather it is not wonderful, for its interest is so great people can’t help going again and again. There is a charm to the boyish breast in the fascinating feats of fearless fairies like the Miss Wirths, and the doughty deeds of daring performed by the male members-of the marvellous troupe fill the girls with glowing gladsome glee. The jumping of the bayonets is worth going a very ong way to see. It has never in our knowledge been performed by any other circus than Wirth’s.’ Sing, sweet bird ! Mr G. G. Miln began a season at Napier in * Julius Csesar ’ on Monday. The Nellie Stewart Opera Company have replaced ' Paul Jones ’ by ‘ Boccaccio ’ at Melbourne. The company appears to be a pretty strong one, for it includes Miss Stewart herself, Madame Burton, Annette Ivanova, Ida Osborne, and Messrs Woo.ifield, Snazelle, Gourlay, and Kennedy. Mias Stewart alternates the name-part with Madame Burton.' A company in which Mr Herbert Flemming and Miss Janet Achurch play lead wilt begin a New Zealand tour at the Princess Theatre, at Dunedin, on the Bth of October. Their principal plays are Ibsen’s ‘Doll’s House,’ a dramatisation of Miss Braddon’s novel ‘ Wyllard’s Weird,’ Rider Haggard’s ‘Devil Caresfoot,’ and others. ‘ Sweet Lavender ’ and ‘ Mamma ’ have been played by the Thornton Company to good business in Melbourne,

Mr Henry Edwards, whose performance of the Earl of Dorincourt in 1 Little Lord Fauntleroy ’ will be remembered with pleasure, was to be given a big benefit performance in Melbourne recently. W. S. Maltby, the trick cyclist, was showing at St. Kilda recently. Madame Sara Bevnhardt’s next great effort is to be Cleopatra, for which she is making great preparations at the Porte St. Martin. Next season she is to play an American season, Mr George Darrell lias been appointed general manager for Messrs Williamson and Garner.

Clever little Amy Horton, the_ burlesque actress, recently told a London interviewer that she hoped to very shortly appear in a burlesque which Mr Fergus Hume had written for her. ;I may say,’she added, ‘that this is the special reason which has brought me Home; but I am not at liberty to say anything further about it. I must then have a little

time to look about me before I think of eommcncingwork,’ ■ . ■ : Autolyous.