NOTES BY LORGNETTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1249, 6 February 1896, Page 18

NOTES BY LORGNETTE.

Hypnotism, mesmerism or whatever you may choose to call the dominance of one man's will power by that of another, is " in the air " as the French say just now, and the forthcoming visit to Wellington of Professor Kennedy, whose mesmeric manifestations in Melbourne, Sydney and other Australian centres have caused such a diversity of public opinion and comment, will no doubt be largely availed of by ppople who wish to study a science which, though known to the Egyptians, has in its latter day development been of such admirable service in the relief of suffering mankind. But the Professor is not only a mesmerist, but ahurnorist as well. "-One long roar " his entertainment has been described as, and certainly from what I have read in Australian papers as to his achievement in this direction he can give Mark Twain points and beat him easily. The Kennedy entertainment has been more widely discussed in the Australian press than any other for the past seven or eight month'!, and the fact that he was able to place a man in a mesmeric trance and keep him therein for a whole week, without food, and that this test of his remarkable power was effected under the most rigid personal scrutiny of several leading medical men, speaks volumes for his bolta fides. The Professor makes his appearance at the Exchange H&ll, now renovated and made both pretty and comfortable, and a 3 he will appear under v the management of our old friend Mr ilohr, we can be quite certain that everything will be done to make patrons of the " show " —if I may call it such —as comfortable as possible. Mr Edwin Geach, iuu., recently business manager for Mr George Eigriold, is acting as manager for the Professor.

Talking about Kennedy, the famous mesmerist recently related to a Melbourne interviewer how in the house of H. M. de Young, the proprietor of the San Francisco Chronicle, in 1888, a young lady present with a marvellous voice resisted all entreaties to sing because of her nervousness. As the rest of the company had been doing their best to entertain he felt that he could do no less than amuse them, though much averse to performing off the public platform. This young lady was sitting opposite to him, and Mrs de Young asked him if he could cause her to believe that the table was a piano, and that she was alone in the room. Thia he did, and the young lady sang as woman never sang before. America's beautiful songstress, Miss Emma Abbott, who was present, warmly congratulated her, but she was entirelv unconscious of what she had who was lecturing Francisco at the time, saw this hvpnotic feat, and that is what sowed the seed of " Trilby," at least he says so. Madame Corelli also owes at least two of her stories to him. In London she used 'to call on Mr Kennedy day after day, and have long conversations about hypnotism Mrs Kennedy was continually remonstrating with her husband for giving his ideas to other people, and when From Life to Death" was published she brou-ht it to him and said, " There s your book°" It was made up of talks Madame Corelliand Mr Kennedy had had together, A nd he admires her for the clever way in **wßch she has utilised them.

Mr Fred Duval, Mr Pollard'i popular business manager, writes to say that the Opera Company arrived at Auckland on Monday last by. the .Manapoun, but owing *t tVJ« Ooera House being engaged were my Pollard's dates are as follow .—-Auck- , 3 S \ L 9v>nd -New Plymouth, 25th tika,23rd to 26th; Grey mouth 27th and 28th; Nelson (return), Apxil Ist and 2nd; and then Wellington, opening on Easter .Monday for a three weeks Mr Daval tells me, that t^|

Company have added " Paul Jones," " Girofle-Girofla " and " Manola " to their repertoire since they were in Wellington last, and have two more operas " on the stocks." The Company is booked for Wellington next Christmastide, when Mr Pollard intends to produce a pantonine which he promises will eclipse his previous efforts, "Aladdin" and "The Forty Thieves."

I hear that Mr Harry Rickards, the famous comic singer and proprietor of the Sydney Tivoli, who has jusi returned to Australia from London, where he has engaged a whole host of new talent, is to make a tour of New Zealand about Easter. Mr Rickards intends to bring all his new English " stars" with him, and will no doubt do a big business.

J. D. Foley, well known on this side of the Tasmaii Sea, has been appearing with much success at the Sydney Royal as the Irish Attorney in " Pat." Johnnie was to open last week at the Sydney Music Hall in his " celebrated monologue entertainment."

" The Roll of the Drum," in which there is a good deal of waving of the British flag, much gunpowder, etc., has been having a big run at the Melbourne Alexandra, where they keep a continuous supply of melodramatic hash. Thus the Bulletin on " The Roll of the Drum " : " The scene of the Flag's triumph is laid in the Johannesburg district (according to the programme), and it is vaguely understood that Tommy Atkins wipes out the combined armies of France and Russia, in addition to decimating the Boers. Altogether, 4 The Roll of the Drum,' is a fine moral military drama."

Harry Plimmer, says the Bulletin, has greatly improved of late. We are always pleased to hear of the success of New Zealanders. Harry has made his latest hit in " The Work Girl."

Handsoma George is thinking of playing " Joseph " in London.

Financially, Mark Twain has been Mr R. S. Smythe's best spec. Lecturer Charles Clarke is next on Mr Smythe's list, and he is expected in Australia at Easter.

The best of Pollard's girls are New Zealanders.

Will Johnson, the coloured basso, whose singing of " One Hundred Fathoms Deep" will be remembered here, died of dropsy at Sydney Alfred Hospital, the other day.

The great Drury Lane, clown. Harry Payne, died y/ith £6OOO to his credit.

Bernard Shaw disputes the prevalent theory that people go to the theatre to be amused and pleased. He says : —"They want to be excited, and upset, and made miserable, to have their flesh set creeping, to gloat and quake over scenes of misfortune, injustice, violence and cruelty, with the discomfiture and punishment of somebody to make the ending ' happy.' The .only sort of horror they dislike is the Borror that they cannot fasten on some individual whom they can hate, dread, and finally torture after revelling in his crimes."

Miss Geraldine Oliffe, late of the B. and B. Company, is now playing in London in " Mrs Ponderbury's Past," but the critic in the Saturday Review likes her not.

The St. John's Royal Burlesque Company, the features of which are " The Paragon Trio," a Turkish soldier (the champion gun-spinner of the world), and a juvenile wonder, were to open in Auckland on Thursday last in " Sinbad the Sailor."

" The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith " is to be the next production of the B. and B. season.

Bland Holt has found " popular " prices a great success, and he is going to play at reduced rates in Christchurch. But for the "popular" prices his Wellington season would not have been .such a great financial success as it proved.

A new comedy company was to open at the Criterion (Sydney) on Saturday week. It included two New Zealanders —Harold Carr, last here with the " Land of the Moa Company," and Miss Minnie Howarde, who began her theatrical career in Masterton. Miss Howarde is a sister of the widow of the late Mr Robert Vernon. Miss Fitzmaurice Gill, also an ex member of the " Land of the Moa Company," is in the new combination.

Mr George Coppin, who produced his first panto, in Melbourne during the 1845 46 season at the old Queen's Theatre, had a " grand souvenir night" recently, when articles from a gold watch value i-25 down to a souvenir value 61 were given away. It may not be generally known that a relative of Mr Coppin is travelling with the Bland Holt Company.

I hear that the next effort of the Wellington Amateur Operatic and Drain atio Society will be in the comedy line. There is some talk of " The Wedding March " being revived. It should go well.

Mr and Dobson are touring

in Victoria. They talk of a New Zealand tour. If they are wise they will stay where they are. This much suffering country wants a rest.

I A reminiscence of Dickens by Mrs I Keeley, the actress whose 90th birthday I was celebrated in London on November I 22nd, is given in " Later Leaves " of Mr 1 Montagu Williams, her son-in-law : ' " Dickens superintended the rehearsals of ' Nicholas Nickleby,' but I don't think he cared much about any of his works being dramatised. The plays were mere paste and scissors, done by old Stirling, and, at rehearsal,, the novelist knocked them about pretty considerably, always effecting an improvement. I remember that in ' Nicholas Nickleby ' the adapter had put into Smike's mouth a lot of stuff about ' the little robins in the field ' ; and I shall never forget Dickens' face when he heard me repeating these lines. Turning to the prompter, he said, ' D —-n the robins ; cut them out.'"

The latest thing in Sydney is a " larrikin ballet." It is described as very smart.

Kenneth Mackay, M L A. for Burrowa (New South Wales), has, in conjunction with Alfred Dampier, completed a drama entitled ■« The Golden West," which will shortly be produced at one of the Sydney theatres.

Bland Holt concluded his Wellington season on Saturday with a revival of " The Union Jack." The house was packed, beating all previous records. The piece, however, was not so well played as when Mr Holt produced it some years ago. The mouuting was quite up to the mark.

Pollard's juveniles arrived at Auckland on Monday, and were to open at the Thames on Thursday. The Company will next favour Auckland, and then work south.

" The Passport " at the Sydney Lyceum is one of the liveliest farces Brough and Boucicault ever staged—it is one long, well-dressed laugh in three acts, so says Sappho Smith in the Bulletin.

Mis 3 Edith Blande (Mrs Austin Brereton), who was for some time leading lady with Bland Holt, has recently been most successful in some of Mrs Kendal's parts, notably in " Impulse" and "The Queen's Shilling," which she has been playing in the English provinces with Mr Garthorne's Company. Mr Garthorne, by the way, is a brother of Mr W. H. Kendal.

In the BosJiqe (-U.S.A.) Beacon Madame Camilla Urso has been gushing to the irrepressible interviewer of the huge successes of herself and the De Vero Sapios in Australia. She says that Madame Sapio was feted and showered with honours in Australia. Hum! Whatever was her reception in Australia, her New Zealand tour was one of the ghastliest " frosts " on record.

Many Wellingtonians will remember Miss Bertha Rossow, who was round here with the late Madame Patey. Miss Rossow is, so I learn by a Melbourne exchange, to go to London to try her fortune on the concert platform. A benefit will be given her by her Melbourne friends and admirers at the end of this month.

The Melbourne Leader states that it is probable that Mr George Tallis, who is well known in New Zealand, will succeed Mr Harry Musgrove as business manager of Melbourne Princess, when the latter leaves for England with the Australian eleven next month.

Messrs Brought and Boucicault are thinking, it is said, of producing Ibsen's "Pillars of Society " very shortly. It is a strong play, with no " sex problem " in it.

The only one of Ibsen's plays yet seen in New Zealand is his " Doll's House," in which Miss Janet Achurch was so completely admirable as Nora. But Ibsen is rarely a financial success, and most New Zealanders preferred Miss Achurch in " The New Magdalen" and " Forget-me-not," although in the latter play Miss Achurch was voted far behind that superb actress Miss Genevieve Ward.

Mr Walter Goodman, in " The Keeleys on the Stage and at Home," tells how Mr and Mr 3 Keeley were married. Mrs Keeley, then Miss Goward, was playing at the Covent Garden Opera House. " During these three years she had appeared nightly with Mr Keeley, and the couple had come to be regarded by the public as inseparable—which was not to be wondered at, for in ' The Sergeant's Wife ' —a piece that made a great hit at the Opera House —there was this dialogue :

Enter Miss Goward

Mr Keeley (coming forward from his hiding-place).—Oh, Margot, my own beautiful Margot, you can't think how your coming rejoices my poor little heart ! Miss G.—Does ifc Robin ? Mr K. —Does it? I believe it does, indeed; Margot, will you oblige your tender, loving husband with one kiss ? Miss' G.—Kind, simple Robin, you shall have one. [Kisses him rapturously. TJhe public married them, so they coni Jlded that they had better marry them-

selves, which they did in 1829. 'l've done it!' wrote Keeley to a friend ; ' I have proposed ! And I'm d dif ehe hasn't accepted me !' Henceforth, until his death in 1863, they played together ; and their married life was as happy as their joint professional career was prosperous and full of fame for both."

A Loudon West-End theatrical manager is said to have recently received a suggestion that durii-g the "he might possibly be glad at short notice to put his hand upon a few well dressed ladies or gentlemen to fill stalls or dress circle seals that might otherwise be vacant. The writer's friends would be prepared to provide such from among their clients (any number up to say 100), keeping a private register of those whom they considered suitable, and whom they would like to compliment from time to time from a business point of view. They would be prepared to pay to the manager if necessary a nominal price for the tickets (say"l9), and would give him every satisfaction that they would be judiciously placed."

Our London correspondent under date December 13 writes as follows : Miss Nellie Farren seems unfortunate in her curtain raiseis at the Opera Comi'que. The Dickens and water (the latter commodity prevailing) comedy " Nannie," has been replaced by a threeact futility, " Madame," which ought properly to have been produced by the f unous Boisottc knockabout troupe at the Canterbury Music Hall. Much of the business is on a level <vith the old country fair sport of grinning through a horse collar, and every stale device of rough-and-tumble knockabout 13 dragged in. And of noise there is enough to supply a Diu y Lane battle scene. But of humour there 13 not a spark in the three acts. The story is slender. George Baxter, a young Stock Exchange man, buys his wife a millinery business in Regent street, which had formerly belonged to a Madame Vivienne. The services of Miss Godolphin, the mana gereas, are retained, and the guileless little wife, on answering to the name < f Madame Vivienne, immediately finds herself involved in a double barrelled intrigue. The real Madame's husband has put a private detective on her track, and becomes to the Regent street shop as a lodger, mistaking, of course, the new prourietoress for his quarry. The shop, it ieeins, has been a recognised rendezvous for lovers of all sorts, and out of this further complications arise, for the secet nieetir.g* of a Captain and his fj'ViY-ee are watched from the sky lioht. Baxter's suspicions are aroused against his wife. He comes to the shop in the dark, and, after embracing a " dummy" in mistake for his wife, grows enraged at it, and strangles it. This crime is, of course, observed from the skylight by the detective, who straightway the story tf the murder. Half an-hour's shouting ensues, with many exits and entrances, and finally the whole crowd stand in a rowand roar at the detective who doesn't know a "dummy" from a stockbroker's wife. Then the curtain falls. " A Model Trilby," which is the piece de resistance of "Our Nellie's" show, has been brightened up wonderfully since the first night, and has no check from beginning to end.

As I anticipated, that lugubrious and unwholesome play " The Divided Way" has failed to satis y Mr George Alexander's patrons. The last nights thereof are announced, and with it " The Misogynist" will disappear from the St. James's bill. Mr Edward Rose's adaptation of Anthony Hope's "The Prisoner of Zenda," is already in active rehearsal, and will be produced early in the New Year. This play has had a great success in the States, but Mr Alexander can hardly set much store by the American verdict in the light of recent experiences with transAtlantic successes. The cast for the St. James's will, however, be very strong. Mr Alexander will undertake the triple loie of the three Rudolphs—Rudolph the Third in the prologue. Rudolph Rassendyl and Rudolph V. of Ruritana. Herbert Waring is cast for the two black Elphbergs -Dukes Wolfgang and Michael of prologue and play, and Charles Olenney has been specially retained for the outraged Rassendyl of the prologue. Bliss Lily Hanhury takes the part of Antoinette de Mauban, and the Princess Floria, of "glorious hair," will live and move in the person of Miss Evelyn Millard. A part will also be found for Mr George Bancroft, the son of the wellknown comedians, who is to make his professional debut in this play. Jne younrr fellow's intention follow ill his father's footsteps was quite a surprise to the old people. But they are quite content he should become of the proression, for things are different nowadays from I what they were when Mrs biddow a«d I of her sister, "Thank God, she is off the ! B i-A:re " Yet they had chosen a different plat,of life for their son, as had Mr and Mr, Kendal, and it is » curious 1 iMtration of hereditary tendency that these young men, like the sons of Sir -Henry Irvine, Mr John Hare ana Mr Edward Terry, have gravitated to the stage in spite of opposition.

There is no dearth of promising soubrettes in England, and yet it w said the heroine of the new Gilbert and Sullivan opera that is to be produce<Vone of these line evenings, at the SajA will_be

impersonated by the Viennese actress Fraulein Palmaj', who made a hit in "Die Vogelfadler" during the German summer season at Drury Lane. The part is being written for her in broken English, and an Austrian understudy has been secured in view of temper, illness", and other contingencies. Poor old England !