‘NOTES BY LORGNETTE.’

New Zealand Mail, 21 July 1892, Page 25

‘NOTES BY LORGNETTE. ’

The Gratten Biggs Dramatic Company arrived from the South on Saturday, and will open in the Opera House on Monday next, with G. B. Sims and B.obert Buchanan's Adelphi drama ‘ The English Bose.’ The company have just completed very successful seasons at Invercargill and Dunedin. Mr B. A. Underwood is making their business arrangements, and Mr B. E. Inman is superintending the production of the piece in conjunction with Mr Biggs.

Mr Walter Bentley, having concluded his Sydney season, is now at the Victoria Theatre, Newcastle.

Carl Hertz and the Empire Variety Com pany, inaugurated a fortnight’s season at the Garrick, Sydney, on Thursday last.

‘ The Trumpet Call ’ has fairly * caught on ’ at the Melbourne Boyal. The Age, in a eulogistic notice, says :— ‘ Had Miss Edith Blande, with the genius of Bernhardt, studied the part from an original, she could not have produced a more impressive aud powerful representation.’

Tho Monfcagu-Turner Company arc doing splendid business in Dunedin. This week, however, they have had to enoounter the op* position of the Ovide-Musin Concert Company. • « • • Snazelle has just completed his New Zealand tour, and is about to leave on a short visit to the Islands. The English Opera Company are doing big biz at Her Majesty’s, Sydney, with ‘ Marjorie.’ The story takes us back to the year 12L7, when tho English were engaged in a skirmish with tho French. But this element is only used as a background for a pretty story of love and chivalry. ‘ Marjorie,’ which had a run of over 100 nights on its original production in London, is being mounted in Mr J. C. Williamson’s most lavish style. I hear that there is a probability of the company visiting No v Zealand in the summer, in which case Mr George Tral is (Mr William* son’s courteous representative who looks after the front part of the house) may rely on a warm welcome from my brother knights of the quill on his first trip to Maoriland. He is spoken of by pressmen throughout Australia as a most obliging and painstaking manager. On Saturday week Her Majesty’s was so crowded at a quarter before eight that late arrivals were glad to get seats in the vice-regal reserve, the price for admission to which was seven shillings and sixpence ! Popular concerts *to meet the times ’ are being given in Melbourne. At the Exhibition Signorina Cuttica is the chief attraction, and at the Sunday concerts in the Rotunda Hall I find the names of Messrs Armes Beaumont, Henry Stock well, John Lemmone (the flautist), Signorina Rebottaro, and Miss Clara Mongredren. Miss Billie Barlow, who returned to England by the Orizaba, carries away a big collection of Australian birds and animals, inolud. ing two wallabis and various parrots and cockatoos. She is delighted with her experiences in Australia, and talks of a return visit with a burlesque company, in which case New Zealand is to be included in the tour.

At the close of the -Jennie Lee season at the Imperial House, Sydney, Mies Myra Kemble will take possession with a company, including Mr A. R, Lawrence, Mr H. R. Jewett, and Mrs Molyneaux. The comedy-drama, ‘ A Peer of the Realm,’ will probably be the opening piece. Max O’Rell is at Broken Hill. Mr Irving’s latest revival at the London Lyceum is * Richelieu.’ A London correspondent says :—The oft postpone ! revival of 4 Richelieu ’ duly can e off at tho Lyceum on Saturday last, when Mr Henry Ir\ing, who had played Cardinal Wolsey in the after-

noon, gave us his renowned representation of the groat French statesman and prince of the church at night. Our leading actor’s mannerisms grow more emphatic as he gets older, and in consequence his Richelieu soaroely seems the brilliant and subtle performance it once was. This part will, however, always rank with Mathias, Louis the Eleventh, and Duboscq and Lesurges.as OCJ of HBary Irving’s bona fide successes. On Saturday his ourious drawl irritated some of us to the verge of frenzy ; but in the famous scene in which the frail old cardinal keeps his enemies at bay aod protects Julie da Mortemar by drawing around her the cordon of ‘ our holy church,’ the actor was magnificent. There is no living tragedian who could do this better. Mr Irving has for some years held unchallenged the position of ‘ England’s leading actor.’ Mr Beerbohm Tree’s ‘Hamlet’ makes it, however, questionable whether the flattering designation ought not to be trans* ferred to the Ilaymarket manager, In versatility, of course, Tree beats Irving pointless. Whether disguised as Macbeth, or Claude Melnotte, or Mephisto, the latter is always aggressively Irving. Tree, on the contrary, sinks his individuality completely. • • • * Emily Soldene was a passenger to Sydney by the ’Frisco. She must be getting a veteran nowadays, for nearly tweuty years ago we heard her in ‘ Genevieve de Brabant,’ and she wasn’t exactly an ingenue then. Theatrical news is scarce just now. Dampier will be round in December, and we shall have our fill of * native dramas,’ with bushranging aud goldmining incidents. The * Ta-ra-ra-boom de-ay ’mania at home has moved a Cockney bard to verse a 3 fol* lows : Once again comes Easter Day, When young ’Arry loves to play With his ’Arriet blithe aud gay, Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay ! Feathers form i grand display, ’A- ry wears his test array; Who will all the cost defray ? Ta-ra-ra-boom de-ay ! Now behold them on the way, In the van or one-horse shay, Laughing, shouting, all the day, Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay ! D wn at Margate in the Bay, Sniffing up the salt sea spray, There for hours they love to stay, Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay! — ~ Thcn their thirst they must allay, Glasses to their lips convey, Tossing coins for wh ’s to pay; Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay ! Sign 3 of drink they both betray, As from side to side they sway ; This, their everlasting bray— Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay !