Amusements.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 992, 6 March 1891, Page 16

Amusements.

The Theatre. Rehearsals toward the production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera “ lolanthe ” a"e progressing well, and it is hoped that it. will be staged in about six or eight weeks’ time. On Monday the chorus singers and principals went on the stage, going through the business and music throughout. During the evening the cast was announced, and was voted by members to be a good selection, to judge by the applause tendered. The cast is as follows : —Lord Chancellor, Mr W. D. Lyon ; Earl of Mountararat. Mr C. King ; Earl of Tolloller, Mr G. Must ; Strephon, Mr E. J. Hill; Private Willis (of Grenadier Guards), Mr J. W. Kilner ; Queen of the Fairies, Mrs Malcolm (who will be better remembered as Miss Staples) ; lolanthe, Miss K. Frank ell; Leila, Miss Mouatt ; Celia, Mrs Moore ; Fleta, Mrs Woolcott ; Phyllis, Mi 33 Samuels.

THE SECOND GOUGH.

It has been truly said that a good story never grows old, but rather improves with antiquitv. Acting perhaps on this theory, Mr Edward T. Smith, a Birmingham gentleman, appeared on Monday on tho stage of the Opera House in the character of the “ Second Gough.” The late John B. Gough, whose name is known wherever the English language is spoken, was acknowledged to be the most successful lecturer in the temperance cause the world has ever known, and certainly no other lecturer has ever improved upon his eloquence, his pathos, and his marvellous power of winning adherents to the cause he advocated. Mr Smith comes before us with a reputation peculiarly his own. Full of enthusiasm on the temperance question, gifted with a marvellous memory, he essays the very difficult task of repeating word for word the exact lectures delivered by the late J. B. Gough. Such a feat is in itself a very attractive item. The Rev J. K. Elliott, who occupied the chair, with a few humourous remarks introduced the lecturer, who said he wished the audience to dismiss from their minds all thoughts of himself, for ha appeared before them in the oharaoter of the late J. B. Gough, and would deliver, without changing a single word, the whole of Gough’s celebratsd lecture, entitled, “For the sake of others.” Mr Smith’s memory is a most retentive one, and his faculty for grasping thoroughly the very spirit of his subject is very great. He has evidently made a careful study of Gough’s rare capacity for deeply interesting his audience. Though not possessing Gough’s robustness of voice he has power sufficient to demonstrate with skilful dramatic effect the most telling points of his story. The theme is no doubt well known to all readers of Gough’s works. It is from beginning to end an earnest appeal “ for the sake of others to support temperance principles. Mr Smith has all the qualifications for conveying impressiveness with the words he speaks. A capital mimic, full of dramatic force, and with a voice capable of careful modulation, he gave delicate points of pathos with rare effect, and then, with an exquisite pith of humour, convulsed his audience with roars of laughter. Story followed story in rapid succession ; now a tear-compelling tale exciting the deepest sympathy, and then a grotesque delineation of the humours of a drunken man, who, falling down a flight of some thirty steps, said to the scared spectators, “I’m all right. I always come down stairs in this way.” Mr Smith concluded a most interesting lecture by Gough s magnifioent peroration, and inviting moderate drinkers to sign the pledge and adopt the blue ensign of the temperance body.

Mr E. T. Smith delivered another of Gough’s lectures at the Opera House on Tuesday on the subject “ Safe and Sound. Tho story was of deep interest, containing as it did part of Gough’s actual experiences in his young days. Mr Smith, with a graphic delivery, told the tale in picturesque language. Ab with his previous oration, he

illustrated his theme with well-told racy anecdotes. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair. 0

THEATRICAL NOTES. Miss Jennie Lee,, the world-renowned * Jo,’ will commence a season of twelve nights at the Opera Eiouse, Wellington, early in May. The Dobson-Kennndy Dramatic Company, who are doing excellent business up country, visit the West: Coast of the South Island for St. Patrick’s Day. Edisou’s wonderful phonograph should be in WelUington next week. Mr James McMahon, of the firm of McMahon Bros., lessees of the Melbourne Opera House, has, during his recent trip to America, secured. the Australasian rights to several novelties, one of them being a sensational drama, ‘The Still Alarm,’ in whioh a Fire Brigade is seen with real horses going to a tire. Another is a drama by Neil Burgess, * Tbe Country Fair,’ which contains a race scene, and which is so uleverly managed that tho silk jackets of the jookeys flutter in the breeze as they gallop by. Then comes a comedy, * Men and Women,’ said to be more interesting than even ‘ Diplomacy ’ or * Impulse.’

Mr McMahon has also secured an American opera ‘The Sea King,’ for which a prima donna will be engaged in Europe, and a noted baritone from the States will appear in one of the principal roles. ‘ A Parlour Match,’ a musical farcical comedy, will aLo be produced by the same firm, and an excellent variety company, in which the Vaidis Sisters, acrobatic artists, will be principal attractions. Mr John L. Sullivan, the fighting man, will appear at the Melbourne Opera House in July in a drama written specially for him.

•Dr Bill ’ is drawing immense business at the Bijou in Melbourne. Mr Alfred Plumpton, as conductor, and Miss Fanny Liddiard, accompauy Miss Nellie Stewart to England to support her in her engagements there. Franz Erkel, tho distinguished Hungarian pianist and composer, has recently on his 80th birthday performed Mozart’s concerto in D minor with cadonzas written by himself.

Mrs Brown-Potter and Mr Kyrle-Bellew open a season in London during tho present month, when they will produce ‘ Hero and Leander,’ with which they made a society sensation in Sydney and Melbourne. There have been many rumours of late that Sims Reeves will shortly visit the colonies. I have heard it quoted, on what should be good authority several times, that definite arrangements have been made for his appearance in Australia. But accord iog to my latest files from London I learn that he was announced to give his farewell concert in the Town Hall, Birmingham, on February 12, and that, he was advertising to receive applications for pupils for singing at his residence at Upper Norwood. This latter item certainly does not look as if he was proposing to visit this part of the world just yet awhile. From Salt Lake City, Utah, comes the news of the death, early in January iu that city, of Emma Abbott, tbe famous American prima donna and theatrical manageress. A sudden chill on a bitter cold night, aud in three days she died from aoute pneu monia. She was a remarkably clever woman in business matters, and it is said that she was worth at least five hundred thousand pounds sterling. She was a great favourite in the United States, aud with the well-organised company of which she was the manageress, did much to promote the popularity of opera in the English tongue. Like several famous soprani, her birth was humble, and from a very early age she earned her living by singing and by playing the guitar. She expired while on tour in Salt Lake City, and her last words were, ‘I am not afraid to die.’ Miss Abbott was only 40 years of age. * The People’s Idol ’ was introduced by Wilson Barratt at the Princess Theatre, London, with a big blare of trumpets. It wa3 to take the world by storm, but like many other storm predictions it did not come up to expectations. In short, it was a total failure, Beautifully written, splendidly mounted, and superbly acted, it did not ‘catch on’ with the British public, and now Wilson Barratt has to play that sure card, always a trump, ‘ The Silver King.’ This will revive the ex ohequer while preparations are being made for the staging of ‘ Belphegor.’ Henry Arthur Jamas, once a commercial traveller, but now a successful dramatist, has produced a now play, ‘ The Dancing Girl,’ which was staged at the Haymarket Theatre, London, on Jan. 10. Critics say it -is a better play than his famous ‘Judah,’ and should be financially as successful. Mrs Langtry, on New Year’s Eve, was the recipient of a substantial proof of the good feeling existing between herself and the ar. tiates whose services she enlists. A few members of her old company presented her with a handsome bracelet of dead gold, bearing the words ‘ Cleopatra ’ in diamonds. Mrs Langtry was much touched by this evidenne of the regard of the givers. Mr Justin Huntley McCarthy is contemplating the construction of a serious play on the subject of ‘ Carmen,’ hitherto only treated musically. A play by this author will also be produced by Mr Norman Forbes, at the Globe.

M. Sardou’s play ‘ Theremidor,’ recently prohibited in Paris, will shortly be produced simultaneously in Melbourne, New York, aud London.

Miss Marizles Wirth, Bister of the Wirth Brothers, was recently married at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, to Mr John Martin, who has been for many years connected with the band. The wedding breakfast was served in the huge tent. ‘ Hierne,’ a grand opera, on a Scandinavian subject, has recently been composed by Frau Ingeborg von Bronsart, and is to be performed at the Berlin Court Theatre. Frau von Bronsart is the wife of the intendent of the Weimer Theatre.

A son of Dr Joseph Joachim, the famous violinist, is undergoing a course of vocal training, with a view to adopt the operatic stage as a profession. Madame Joachim (Amelie Weiss), was a celebrated contralto singer.

The following is said to be the true explanation of the rumour that Madame Patti had become a convert to Judaism : The singer Diaz de Soria, an orthodox Israelite, always carries a mesonssah in a locket attached to a little chain around hi 3 neck. This mesoussah is a little piece of parchment, on which are written in Hebrew characters the Ten Commandments. When Diaz de Soria waa singing in Patti’s castle one evening last summer, the mysterious locket became detached from its chain and fell on the floor. Patti picked it up, asked Diaz what it signified, and expressed an ardent wish to get one for herself before she appeared in ‘Juliette’ at the Grand Opera of Paris. Diaz de Soria procured one for her, and had it placed in a locket, with the inscription ‘ God ’ in Hebrew ; and this locket containing the mesoussah, was fixed upon the bracelet of tho lady. Shortly after Patti’B great success in ‘Juliett9’ at the Paris Opera, she Baronne de Rothschild, in conversation with her, noticed the locket. ‘ Are you a Jewess?’ she asked. ‘Nomadame,’ replied Patti, smilingly, ‘ but I am a great admirer of the Jewish religion, especially since the mesoussah has brought me such good fortune. I am wiliiug to risk being taken for a Jewess, although I am a Catholic.’ Signor and Signora Majeroni have returned to Sydney after an absence of fifteen months. Unhappily, for nearly a year Signora Majeroni has been so seriously ill that at one time it was thought impossible for her to recover, and her surviving the voyage was doubtful. Loss of voice was added when other sufferings diminished, and the trouble aggravated by disappointment at the impossibility of continuing the professional tour, and heavy expenses of the illness, which absorbed the results of the brilliant commencement.

Mrs Kendal ha 3 been reading a paper on the stage to the members of the Goethe Society in New York. She ridiculed the idea that the palmy days of the drama were things of the past, and declared that the stage had never so wide an influence before as it excercises at the present time, and that actors were never held in ■such high estimation socially. At the same time she was afraid the theatrical profession was suffering just now from the disposition of some members of it to seek notoriety for the sake of advertisement, to disclose publicly all their private affairs, and to keep their names before the newspapers to a wearying extent. In this way they brought discredit on all actors as a class.

The stories of the progress made by Verdi with his comic opera ‘ Falataff’ now appear to have been greatly exaggerated. Answerng recently by letter a friend’s questions on this subject, the composer wrote, ‘Nothing, or almost nothing, is dons of the music.’ Though apparently delighted with Boito’s libretto from Shakespeare, it is evident that Verdi do©3 not intend to hurry with the score, but to make it a source of amusement and, to be taken np or laid aside at pleasure. Mr Augustus Harris is expected to begin his Royal Italian Opera season in April. «Orfeo ’ (with JMdlle Giulia Ravogla) and ‘Tannhauser’ (with Jean de Reszke) are understood to be certainties. There is to be another notable Wagnerian production—either ‘ Die Walkiira ’ or ‘ Siegfried,’ the former being the more probable. Gable news tell us that Mr Haddon Chambers, tbe Australian author, has scored another success In the literary world, this time bringing the dramatic muse under levy for kudos. * The Idler ’ has just been produced with great success at St James’ Theatre, London. We have heard a great deal of this comedy for some time past, and critics prophesied success. But we have had better evidence than prophecy—which very often proves as false in the dramatic life as in sporting. About the opening of this year Mr E. S. Willard, a talented English actor, took ‘ The Middleman ’ and * The Idler ’ with him to New York. Both plays are opposites to each other, and it has been said that the only English actors acceptable to New Yorkers were the ffendals, bnt not only did Mr Willard instantly take with the most critical audiences of the States in the leading character of * The Middleman,’ being specially eulogised by The Tribune, which paper, in the person of Mr William Winter, possesses one of the most accomplished of American critics, but when * The Idler ’ was produced in another theatre, it toos, to use an Americanism, * like hot cakes.’ This new play is a four-aot comedy. The last number of the New York Dramatic Mirror tells us that in its fifth week ‘ The Idler ’ was a great success, the seats being reserved a week in advance.

THE LATE WILLIAM WOODYEAR. Many of my readers will remember the name of William Woodyear, the proprietor of the circus bearing his name which made a trip through this Colony some few years ago. Mr Woodyear was a very popular man wherever he went. He was as much unlike the average circus manager as it is possible for a man to be. He was a well-educated man and a thorough gentleman in every respect. He was the first man to take a circus through the islands of the Sonth Seas, where he made a pot of money. Lately he has been travelling in the far East, and while in India died very suddenly of cholera. The sad event is referred to by a writer in ‘ Hayes’ Sporting News ’ in the following terms : —* It was with very sad feelings that I heard of the sudden death from cholera of Mr Woodyear. He had only just opened what promised to be a very successful season with his circus, and it is almost impossible to realise that this cheery entertainer who has travelled over the world with his performing animals, all of whom were great friends and pets of hi 3, only arrived in Calcutta to die. He leaves a wife and family, all of whom, poor things are stricken with grief over their great loss. As an instance of the kind feeling fellow-showmen have for each other, I may mention that Mrs Lincoln, the wife of Mr Frank Lincoln, had no sooner heard of Mr Woodyear’s death than she hastened to his bereaved wife with every kind offer of sympathy and help. After all, a little help, especially from one woman to another, is worth a great deal of pity, is it not ? Mrs Lincoln, like a true Christian, was ready with both.’ The writer of in the same paper, says :—‘A few nights ago I went to see the eirene, and muoh admired

the clever manner in which that finß horsemaster, Mr Woodyear, made the pony Sultan go through hia aot. Two days after I was shocked to hear that poor Mr Woodyear was dead. Having been in the Bhow line myself, I went with a heavy heart to the funeral, and was glad, as a humble token of respect, to lend a hand, or rather a shoulder, in bearing him to hia last resting place. Except Mr Boyce, Mr Pat. Lovett, and myself, I did not see any Calcutta people beside the grave, around which were grouped the members of the company in deep grief for their dear friend and master, and in tender sympathy for the loved ones whom he had left behind. There was not a dry eye among the ladies or gentlemen of the troupe. I hope, though hardly expect, to have at my funeral as sincere mourners as the clowns, athletes, circus riders, and ring men who stood with tearful faces and bowed heads last Tuesday afternoon in the Circular Road Cemetery while the clergyman read the Burial Service over the remains of poor William Woodyear. The soene was very, very sad, and will he remembered by all present. Next day my’ wife went to see Mrs Woodyear to offer her the sympathy of one woman to another in affliction. Mrs Woodyear told her that she was not able to get a doctor to attend her husband, although she sent far and wide throughout Calcutta, the first three hours of his fatal illness, for medical assistance. All those called upon made the excuse of having their own business to attend to. At last a native doctor was induced to come. Ido not wish to infer that this practitioner is not as competent in the exercise of his profession os any of his European brethren; but it is deplorable that three hours of invaluable time in a rapid disease like cholera should have been thus lost. As Mr Woodyear was staying at Spence’s Hotel, there was no excuse for delay in procuring the attendance of a physician, had one been willing to come. I feel so disgusted at the horrible neglect from which this stranger in oar midst suffered, that I cannot trust myself to write further on this painful subject.’ Imber,