NOTES BY LORGNETTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 17

NOTES BY LORGNETTE.

The Pollard Opera season has continued with unvarying success, and considering the frequent change of ’programme the various operas presented are very well done. On Monday the ever popular “ Paul Jones" was revived, and on Tuesday and Wednesday the Company gave a very good representation of “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin," the interpolated songs and dances being highly appreciated. The season closed on Thursday with a performance of “ Los Cloches do Oorneville," in which Miss Cissy Sandfoul took a farewell of the stage.

From Wellington the Company go to Christchurch, where they open on Monday. Dunedin to follow, on May 24th.

In another column the London correspondent of the Mail gives an interesting account of Gilbert and Sullivan's new comic opera at the Savoy. The famous pair seem to have repeated themselves as usual. The similarity both in plot and music of the later operas of tho “ two Savoyards " has often struck me, and 1 for ono prefer tho earlier productions.

“Trilby" is, I hear, from a Melbourne correspondent, an immense success. Tho Svengali of Mr Reuben Fax seems to have made a groat impression on the critics, and as wo shall see the piece here in July, a few notes on Mr Fax’s part from the Australasian may bo of interest. My Melbourne contemporary remarks :—lt is no use blinking the fact that as constructed it is a Svengali play, and in view of tho treatment on the subject so it ought to be, for Svengali is the central character ,or a drama of weird and lurid effects. Mr Reuben Fax brings fine power and immense nervous intensity to his work. His performance from first to last fascinates the onlookers hatefully. It is of lho siege stagey, assisted liberally by mechanical resources, for the limelight has to nimbly follow tho actor in his hypnotic .scenes, but all this, meretricious as it may be, there arc high precedents to justify. Mr Fax’s make-up is demoniacal in its saturnine ugliness ; lie plays the piano, or seems to play it (tho illusion is very clever), demoniacally; his leer is Satanic ; his laugh has an echo of the pit. But independently of this the partis acted with consummate histrionic skill. 1 did not frankly think at one stage that anything eouldgalvani-ia into healthy vigorous life that terribly artificial seem: in the loyer which the (Lain List has adopted a; a short cut on: of all his tribulations.

Miss E litii (banc, In, as “Trilby," has “caught on" witli tho playgoing public, and is quite llu: rage with the I yeiing-o 1 in.:.-, h r face and figure both being voted charming. Of her acting the Aii.Aralasi.n: says :—Miss Crano charms by her appearance without particularly impressing by her power. She is a winning Trilby in the studio scenes, gay and frolicsome enough, but not startlingly bizarre. In the third act, however, when under the spell of Svengali she mocks her former lover, we are treated to an admirably-sustained effort. Her peals of derisive laughter, drowning tho pleadings and the passionate reproaches addressed to her, have a wonderful ring of spontaneity.

Tho other Americans have all created a a good impression, and an old friend of colonial play-goers, Mr 11. R. Harwood, is very warmly received as the Rev IJagot, father of the delightful, but unfortunato Little Lillee.

Mr Harry Rickards, the popularity of whose Sydney music hall, Tho Tivoli, shows no sign of abatement, is to make a tour of New Zealand ere long, opening at Auckland. Personally, as my readers are no doubt well aware by this time, I am

not an admirer of the variety show, but j Air Rickards is facile princcps in his own j line, and as he will be well supported by j a strong company, including some of his j recent English importations, ho is sure to ! do well. ' ' 1

Our old friend Bland Holt, who, by the way, revisits Wellington in January next year, has, I am glad to read, made quite a hit at the Sydney Theatre Royal with “ One of tho Lest," which is described as the story of a Scottish regiment. The play, which is by Messrs Seymour Hicks and Geo. Edwardes, is now running at the London Adelplii. Its plot is founded upon and closely follows the dramatic trial and degradation of Captain Dreyfus, who was convicted in Paris last year of selling military plans to a foreign power. The drama is said to be full of pathos, but Mr Holt has an exceedingly comical part as Private Jupp, of the 2nd Highbinders.

I am glal to learn there is a possibility of Mrs Brown Potter and Mr Kyrlo Bellow coming to New Zealand before many months are over, and that it is quite on tho cards that Mr and Mrs Brough will be in the company. The rumour goes that “As You Like It" will bo produced during the talkcd-of tour, but who would play Rosalind ? I confess that I can hardly fancy Mrs Brough as Rosalind. Her voice is too harsh for tho part. But what a Touchstone Bob Brough would make. By the way, I wonder whether Mrs B. would play Audrey. If she would, there is an ideal cast with Mrs Brown Potter as Rosalind, and Air Bellow as the gallant Orlando.

A Christchurch correspondent, who is generally very well informed in matters theatrical, informs mo that the Royal Comic Opera Company will open in Wellington on Boxing night next, also — and this I particularly hope is correct —- that the “ Trilby " Company will be here in J uly.

I hear that Brough and Boucieauit Company have cancelled their New Zealand dates. This looks as if Mr Brough did not intend to carry on tho company very long.

The Paragon Trio and Dora Busch loft tho St. John's Burlesque Company at Christchurch, and have joined the Fredo Family for a tour of the country districts and the West Coast.

Millie. Trcbelli did well at Christchurch where she appeared at the Temple of Truth, which is said to be admirably adapted for concerts and lectures.

The Faust Family have been giving performances this week at Blenheim and Nelson.

Bland Holt has been chaffed in Sydney over a line in his play bills which announces to, I trust, a duly awed public, tho interesting fact that “ Mr Spong is responsible foi the illustrative and pictorial details" of tho military drama “ One of the Best." In more colloquial phraseology this moans that Mr Spong “ paints the scenery."

St. John’s Burlesque Company at Dunedin.

“ Dot " Boucicanlt’s baptismal name is not Dion, but George Darley Boucieauit. The real Dion, jun., says the Jlulletiu, was an elder brother, who was killed in 1111 English railway accident in 187(5. Tiie- .Edinburgh to Imndon train met with a bad smash in one of the midland counties, and, managing to escape with a slightly injured arm, Boucieauit started to help the more seriously injured passengers out of the wreck. While thus humanely engaged, a second train thundered down into tho debris of the first, completing the fearful destruction and killing Boucieauit outright. George Darley then assumed tho name of the deceased brother.

Tho II 'll.Hn announces that Priscilla Via no, formerly wife of (’has. Hugo, from who she gut a divorce, is to marry “ a rich fa-hionable." Ahem !

From a long and interesting biographical sketch in the I billet in, of Mr j. C. I Williamson, the famous Australian manager, 1 condense the following facts. Mr ,1. 0. Williamson —the initials j.C. stand for .lames Cassius—commenced life as a member of “ tho profession " at the age ol 15, somewhere out in tho Western States. Wallack, in his day the greatest New York manager, gave Williamson his first start in the East, and seven years good, useful work as a member of Wallack’s grand stock company. Ho made a specialty of dialect parts, and played Dick Swiveller to Delta's Marchioness. Also he played Shakespearian comedy parts from Touchstone to Dogberry, also Dr Pangloss, Bob Acres End Lucius O’Trigger. Finally ho went to California, got hold of “ Struck Oil," married Maggie Moore, and rapidly made his way to fame and fortune. In 1874 tho pair arrived in Australia, where they played (“ Struck Oil" mainly) for fifteen months. Thence to India and London, where for 100 nights the “ Stofols " occupied the stage of tho Adelplii. Then Mr and Mrs W. made another hit in “ Arrah-na-pogne," and finally in 1870 returned to Australia. Soon afterwards the famous “ Triumvirate " was formed, and tho later career of Mr 'Williamson my readers know as well as I do myself,