NOTES BY LORGNETTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 18

NOTES BY LORGNETTE.

Pollard's Opera Company continues to attract largo audiences to the Opera House, the merits of the entertainment offered, togother with tho popular prices bo sensibly charged, proving irresistible to tho play going public. The careful way in which the vaiious productions are mounted is no small factor in tho general success.

On Friday and Saturday last “ La Fillo du Tambour Major" was produced, this week’s programme commencing with a performance of “ Girofie-Girofli." On Wednesday the ever popular “ Mazcottc" was staged, and on Thuisday “ Patience," Friday “Erminie," and Saturday “Pina fore," conclude this week’s bill. On Monday next Mr Pollard proposes to stage “The Black Cloaks," a merry, tuneful opera.

The death of Mr Gillen will bo much regretted by members of the theatrical profession. The deceased was an ardent lover of the drama, and his encyclopaedic memory enabled him to recall some very interesting stories of the drama in the earlier days of the Colony. He was agent in this Colony for Messrs Williamson and Musgrove, and amongst the many beautiful wreaths laid on Urn grave was one sent, by “Tho Firm" through Mr Grattan Riggs, who represents their interests in tiie operas produced by Mr Pollard.

Mr Gillon was a great lover of Shakespeare, and his knowledge of the works of the “ Immortal Bard " often stood him iu good stead when writing his articles. His quotations were always correct, and generally most apt and timely.

Mr Gillon was also agent in this Colony for the British Dramatic Authors’ Society, and, as amateurs well know, kept a sharp lookout lest any drama! ic copy rights held by him as the Society’s agent, should he infringed.

The L-uidon censor “jibbed" at “Joseph of Canaan," the Scriptural play which George Rigno'd produced with success in Sydney, and yet he licensed The Sign of the Gross," another semiSeriplural production. He, no doubt, drew the line at Mrs Pntiphar.

Miss Nelhe Alortyne, an Australian actress who has gone ’o;ne, writes her impressions of several London theatres and plays to Sydney llcferr.e. .She reports that Pallia Browne “ has grown very stout, and it takes away tho piquancy < f h; t former self, to my way of thinking." Alas, it is the fate of eouhrotte actresses to grow over-plump, but they neve.'discover the f mt for romo years .after their audiences have, been fttily aware of h.

Miss Moityne report a that Henrietta Watson, formerly with Hand Holt, is playing in melodrama, “ One of the Best," at the ’Delphi, where also is Bass, "solid m.d painstaking as usual." Harry Nicholls plays the comedy part. Bland Holt has got the colonial rights of thin piece, and is now playing it to big business at Sydney Royal.

By the way, Henrietta Watson’s sister MBs Elizabeth (hero with Blatul) is din missed by tho Bulletin with the remark that she is “strong in spots and weak in spots." When Miss Watson w»3 in Wellington, her weakest "spot" to "Lorgnette" was her horribly monotonous voice. Also, I would express my humble opinion that Miss Elizabeth if* one of the weakest (all round) so called "leading" ladies that the gonial Bland has over brought round these parts.

After expressing tho above opinion, l ought to say that I am leaving town for a few day 3, so infuriated local admirers of Miss Watson will please keep their bricks in their pockets.

Alfred Darr.pier is touring inland Victoria with that ghastly production,

“Robbery Under Arms.'* As a large proportion of tho inhabitants of up country Australia have been in gaol for horse-stealing—or ought to have been the success of the dreary drama of bushrangers and bobbies is naturally assured.

Extract from theatrical ad. by the renowned "Dan" Bury in a Melbourne paper : “ Wanted —IOO extra men as convicts in ‘ His Natural Life.’ Those used to gaol preferred ” !

“Tain'r. wot’e six, but it’s the narsly way ’e sc2 it.” Bulletin on Irving:

“ Henry Irving is now 5S and has been 42 years on the stage, lie will soon be old enough to coma to Australia.”

The "much travelled " Smythe’s latest lecturer (an old friend re-tempting fortune) is the Rev Charles Cla k, who is now in Western Australia and opens a lecture season at Adelaide early next month. Melbourne, Sydney, Ac., to follow, and than, of course, Mnoriland. Clark’s new lecture, said to be one of his best, treats of the history and associations of St. Raul's.

Bessie Bell.vood, the London music hall singer, and once tho bosom "friend" of that debauched brute in the person of a so-called peer, the Marquis of Ailes bury, is said to contemplate a descent upon Australia. MBs Bcliwood is given to impersonations of coster "donahs," and tirst established herself in popular favour by the exceeding wealth of her vocabulary of "cuss words" when replying to the "barrack "of the music ball "gods." She is a fat, vulgar, oldish woman now, and quite played out at the better cl ss hails.

The musical knowledge of some of the much-advertised English parsons of the "tub-thumping" order is not oppressive. Dr "Joe" Parker, of London City Temple, recently spoke, in the course of a sermon, of Handel as “ that great singing b comotive.”

Several weeks ago I announced that Nat Goodwin, the American comedian, had, with his own company, been engaged by "The Firm "for an Australian season. I now learn that the said season, which is to run 12 weeks, is to commence in July. The company numbers 10.

Nat Goodwin, besides being one of America’s best comedians, possesses a big reputation on both sides of the Atlantic as a teller of "after-dinner stories." Plnl May immortalises him in s me very clever sketches in his immensely smart, and now very rare, “ Parser, and the Painter.”

Nellie Stewart didn’t catch on at all in New Yurie. But sho can console herself with the fact that neither did the London favourite, E lahnc Terriss.

Her Majesty's Sydney management— Woods-Marsball—were to have produced a melodrama entitled “Called to Arms.” But an injunction obtained by Bland Holt (who maintained the piece was a piracy of a play for which he held the colonial rights) stopped the production, and tho manar/cmc-nt fell back on that venerable medley of gore and glial), “ Hands Across the Sea.”

Royal Comic Opera Company are now at Adelaide. New Zealand to follow

"Trilby" has caught on at Melbourne Princess’. Tho Svougali of Reuben Fax, one of the impotled ’Mutkan actors, is said to be very fine, and Miss Edith Crane, the Trilby, is reported as being a “ tine figure of a woman," with, what is not always a corollary, considerable talent as an act teas. If W. and M. don't, let New Zealanders have a peep at “ Trilby," there’ll bo a row.

Latest news from Boerland runs to the efleet that Charles Arnold, of “ Hans the Boatman, ’ is still a huge favourite in the country where "(him Paul" outwitted “Dr Jim ” and where the l'it Linder is at

present so vmy much in the doleful dumps. Charles is a decent chap, and his many New Zealand rrieuds will he glad to know he is 11 mrishtng.

Fillis’ Ciivtts i t brick at Jo!; muesburg. In ,‘<pile of B :er tyranny (I'it binder theory), bad crushings and a distinct general air of depression, Johannesburgers still rush to witness the inspiring spectacle of the genial Frank urging on hD wild steed over a two-foot hurdle and doing v.-liat be can do better than any other man I’ve ever seen —tho Bounding Jockey Act. Also, tho “genial Frank” has imported several new and (as per bills) “surpassingly beautiful equestriennes," and so all goes well with lam, and ho is not yet in a hurry to give Australia another turn.

Talking about circuses, the Wirth family can hardly be said to bo "united" just now, Last week 1 chronicled the .appearance of a Wirth’s Circus at Honolulu ; this week I learn from a Buenos Ames

paper (through Sydney Jlefcrcc) that, “after losing all their wardrobe by fire at Mon to Video, the Wirtha have had a successful run in this country, both here and at Rosario."

According to London Weekly 1 lisped eh.., the Perman family (well known iu New

Zealand) “stand at tiie head of I heir profession in Australia. As gingers, dancers, acrobats and comedians they are reputed to be something of a revelation,"

Ac., Ac. Similar pars appear in London Evening Nc its and other papers. The Permans, I may mention* went to India with Tommy Hudson, and thence were logo to Morrie England. Tney have evidently .a perfect artist in their advance agent.

After the close of the Sydney season of the B. and B. Company and the departure <J Bouccy for Loudon, Bob Brough will take the company m a tour through Queensland. Allan llami'lon, formet ly wilii I’tilts Circus, is to be iu advance.

The latest from (he States is that the lucky adapter of “ 1 rilby," Mr Paul Poller, is now making arrangements for Du .Manner's famous work to come out as a comic opera.

The shapely and jaunt ly Ada Lee (sister to Jennie “Jo" Lee) is to lie ma-ried to an Indian gentlem >n, who is exceeding! v wealthy.

Amongst the engagements made by “ The Firm " to support Mrs Brown Potter and “Curly" Billow are Wilson Forbes (round New Zealand with Wybert Reeves some years ag- ), also the veteran Cathead and Cyril Knightly.

Paganini’s s-m, the Baron Acliille Paganini, died recently at Parma. He had inherited a fortune of £BO,OOO from his famous father, and was himself a clever musician.

Madame Antoinette -Sterling informed a New Yoik interviewer that her coming to A meric i was a psychic necessity, and had to be obeyed, “though thousands of pounds in England engagements were sacrificed." Dreary old humoug 1