NOTES BY “LORGNETTE.”

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 21

NOTES BY “LORGNETTE.”

Miss Cecilia Loftus has been engaged to play the part of Anne in Bernard Shaw’s play, “Man and Superman.” Mr M. B. Curtis’s American Novelty Company will commence a six nights season at the Wellington Opera House, next Thursday evening. The combination is said to be an exceedingly strong one. and as the season is a limited one, excellent business ought to be the result. The box plan is at the Dresden. Professor Andrews and his Magic Kettle' will commence a short Wellington season at the Theatre Royal next Thursday evening. A first-class company including the English Pierrette accompany Professor Andrews on the present tour. The box plan opens at the” Dresden on Monday. The Driscoll Brothers arrived in Wellington by the Warrimoo on Thursday tinder engagement to the Messrs Puller. Since they left New Zealand some months ago, they have played seasons under the management of Mr Harry Richards and the Orpheum Circuit (Manila). The work they do is exceedingly clever, and what is more to the point absolutely free from vulgarity. They are a clever team and can rest assured that they will receive a,hearty welcome on their re-appearance on the Puller Circuit. In referring to their recent appearance in Manila the “Sunday Sun” says:—"The strongest act at the Orpheum is that of the Driscoll Brothers, who are really a very clever double and excellent comedians and dancers/'

Sir Henry Irving’s American tour, which was to have commenced in January, has now been postponed until the autumn of next year. It is said that when he visits that country he will take hie farewell of American playgoers. •Hobart Temperance Hall has now "been fitted with the electric light. The Strand Farcical Comedy Company, which will commence a twenty weeks’ tour of Australia and New Zealand at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, on Saturday, September 9th, in the enormously - successful farce, the “J.P.," by Fenton Mackay, is the organisation arranged by Mr Clyde Meynell on his recent visit to London. The Company, which will appear by arrangement with Mr J. C. Williamson, has been specially selected for this one play. Mr Meynell organised the Beerbohm Tree Company, now the KnightJeffries Company, so that we can rely that we shall have something complete and out of the common. The completeness of the well known combination of the Knight-Jeffries Company is- well known to all of us here. The “J.P." after a very long run at the Strand Theatre has been continuously touring England for four years. This is the first opportunity that has presented itself of bringing the piece to Asutralia. Theleading part in the “J.P.," viz., Caesar Montague; the J.P., will be played by one of the very best comedians in England, the weli-known actor, J. J. Dallas, for so long in the front rank of Gaiety comedians, and he is probably one of the most popular men on the English stage to-day. There is little doubt that Jack Dallas will be as popular in Australia as be is in England. The principal lady is one of Australia's prime favourites, in the person of Miss Florence Lloyd, so well remembered as Lord Clanside in “In Town." Miss Lloyd may be assured of a hearty-reception in the country in which she was so popular on her former visit. The part in the “J.P." was created by her, and she received splendid notices in all the English papez*s. She will once more impersonate a man, or rather a young lady masquerading as a man. There is no doubt that with Vesta Tilley, Florence Lloyd ranks as the very best male impersonator on the boards, and her equal in these parts has not been seen since Nellie Farren. The light comedian of the company will be Mr Aubrey Mallalieu. who has been playing parts of this type in farcical comedy the. l.ast ten years. Mr Mallalieu played at the Adelphi in “Flying Colours." This was the production in which Mr Julius Knight played the leading part, and Miss Florence Lloyd was the principal comedienne. Since then he has been playing Jack Chedney in “Charley's Aunt" with Mr W. S. Penley, in the' “Adventures of Miss Brown/’ “What Happened to Jones," and “The Night of the Party.’’ The welcome reappearance will be made in the “J.P." by that popular little lady, Miss Maude Chetwvnd, this being her first appearance since her marriage. Miss Chetwynd will play an excellent part, suitable to her bright style and undoubted ability. _ The two soubrettes of the company will be Miss Florence Redfern and Miss M. Rossmore. both exceedingly clever actresses and dancers. Others of the caste will be those well tried and popular performers, Mr Tom Cannan, Mr Gregan McMahon, and Miss Madere Herrick. The production of the play will be in the hands of Mr H. J. Wilde, the original stage manager of the play in London, so that not one point in the production or business shall be missed, and thus every performance will be assured.. As stated above the company’s stay in Australia is limited to twenty xreeks, and, consequently, they cannot under any circumstances' remain longer than a fortnight at the Princess’s Theatre, Melbourne. Beatrice. Day's little misadventure with the piano in “The Walls of Jericho" at Melbourne Princess (the wretched thing went on playing after she had risen and left it), recalls a, similar trouble that happened to Fax when he was playing Svengali in Melbourne. , The instrument played on after he had risen, and Fax gazed at it with concentrated ferocitv. “My God. Svengali," said Taffy, in wellsimulated amazement, “you have hypnotised the piano."—“Bulletin." Mr Haddon Chambers, the Australian playwright, has •written a new comedy, which he has entitled “Sir Anthony." It is said that Mr Edwin Geach pays the great Thurston a salary of <£2so per week.

Victor Kelly, who is at present appearing at the Melbourne Opera House, is one of the Kelly and Ashby team of bounding billiardists, who toured New Zealand with the World's Entertainers. Ashby has got another partner, and was at latest advices playing a season in England.

The bouse and personal belongings of Mrs Brown Potter, who has lately suffered financial losses in theatrical ventures has been sold by auction. Among the actress's belongings disposed of "a fide, old Chinese four-leaf screen 6ft high, presented to Mrs Brown Potter by His Excellency Li Hung Chang,” and '‘the Anglo-Saxon Review (with presentation inscription to Mrs Brown Potter, from 'Queenie Randolph Churchhill’), handsomely bound in Russian leather.” In her evidence in a recent action Mrs Brown Potter said: —"Among the documents I signed was a bill of sale on niy furniture. It was to pay the poor people who had been working at the theatre. I felt that it was better to suffer myself than that they should suffer.” The prices realised, on the whole, were only ordinary. It is stated that an audience of 103 at a Perth variety show was made up as follows:—Williamson Cd., deadheads 15; Van Biene, ditto 9; daily paper pressmen. 7; their' friends, 7; wives and sweethearts, 6; performer’s wife and friend, 2 ; usher’s friends, 2; doorkeeper’s ditto, 4; boy, who brought doorkeeper a drink, 1; orchestra’s friends, 3; landlady cutting out board. 1; and daughters, 2; publican, who leases theatre, 1; his friends, 2; publican’s barmaid and housemaid, 2; their friends, 4; man who gave comedian a gag, 1; all his family, 8; paying public, 25; total, 102. Captain Basil Hood and Mr Hamish MacCunn have collaborated in a new musical play, entitled "The Golden Girl.” The story deals with the troubles which arise in a ladies’ club.

Miss Unis Russell, playing juvenile lead with the Knight-Jeffriee Go., talk* of leaving the stage in a month, or two. when her engagement with Williamson terminates. The work and the continual travelling are too nruoh for her. 'Tie a Pity, for Unie shaped remarkably well for a beginner, and her Stephanas, in “The Sign of the Cross," was something of a little masterpiece. But, after all, slight, fair girls of her type can never hope to star with any great succeses. The heroine of most plays stands sft 6in at least, and is usually a haughty damsel of commanding mein, at least once in/ every performance. When a very small .girl repudiates a very tall villain, the gallery is apt to Laugh.— “Bulletin," Madame Sara Bernhardt played the hero in M. Rostand’s historical play “L’Aiglon" in London last month, at the Coronet Theatre. She contrived to convey, says one critic, “an impression of youthful-ness as the Due de Reichstadt, and looked handsome in her military uniforms. She declaimed the patriotic speeches with a fervour which aroused enthusiasm, but she was more successful in the tenderer passages. The popular actress has recently developed an energy ot speech and action which sometimes mar the effect of a scene because her utterance is too rapid to be followed easily." Dame Rumour, sometime® a lying jade, circulates the story (says a Melbourne paper) that there have been constant bickering® in the- camp of Andrew Mack, and, as a consequence, some of the members of the troupe will cut the painter. By the Ventura departed Myron Calice and Luke Martin, two of the company, and that would infer that something had “gang aft agley" in the circle referred to. The Great Thurston"® engagement with Mr Edwin Geach is for six month®. Miss Trixie Le Mar and Mr Harry Leeds, who lately toured the Fuller Circuit are members of Mr Harry Rickard'® Vaudeville Company at present in Western Australia.

The Royal Comic Opera Company commence a Melbourne season, at Her Majesty’s on the 26th inst., which will extend to Christmas time.

Mr J. E. Sheridan’s production of the Musical Comedy, “The Earl and the Girl," at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, is Droving a marked success, the theatre being well filled at every performance. Mr Sheridan as the out-at-elbows dog trainer, Jim Cheese, with the faithful Liza Shodham in the charming person of Miss Heba* Barlow, and Mr Blake and Miss Amber as the here and heroine of the title-role, all contribute to the fun of the piece, while the admirable singing and. dapeing of the chorus and the excellent support of the other members of the company are quite sufficient to account for the popularity enjoyed by the new comedy. Mrs Brown-Fotter, to whom a receiving order was granted at the Bankruptcy Court, London, a few days ago, first made her acquaintance with the stage as an amateur. A native of New Orleans, she married, while very young and already famous for her beauty, a prominent business man, relative of the well-known Bishop Potter. Playing as an amateur for several years, she earned 50,600 dollars for charities, and finally—prompted, it is said, by the sensation caused in a Boston drawing-room by her recitation of Mr G. R. Sams’s poem, “Ostler Joe," she decided, though against the wishes of her husband and friends, to adopt the stage as a profession. Mrs Brown-Potter made her mark in London in “The Three Musketeers," with which she has toured the world. She has co-operated with Athol Forbes, the dramatist-Vicar of Gorleston, in his endeavour to bring Church and Stage into practical relations, and has recited for Dr Ker Gray at St George’s Chapel.

Tins question is put by Mr G. Bernard. Shaw in a letter in the London "Times” of the 3rd July. On Saturday night, he says, he went to the opera, and wore “the costume imposed on me by the regulations of the house. I fully recognise the advantage of those regulations. Evening dress is cheap, simple, durable, prevents rivalry and extravagance on the part of male, leaders of fashion, annihilates class distinctions, and gives men who are poor and doubtful of their social position (that * is, the gr eat majority of men) a sense of security and satisfaction that- no clothes of their own choosing could confer. But I submit that what is sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose. . . . At nine o'clock a lady came in and sat down very conspicuously in my line of sight. She remained there until the beginning of the last act. I do not complain of her coming late and going early; on the contrary, I wish she had come later and gone earlier. For this lady, who had very black hair, had stuck over her right ear the pitiable corpse of a large white bird, which looked exactly as if some one had killed it by stamping on its breast, and then nailed it to the lady's temple, which was presumably of sufficient solidity to bear the operation. lam not, I hope, a morbidly squeamish person, but the spectacle sickened me. „“I presume that if I had presented myself at the doors with a dead snake round my neck a collection of blackbeetles pinned" to my shirtfront, and a grouse in my hair, I should have been refused admission. Why, then, is a woman to be allowed to commit such a public outrage? I suggest to the Oovent Garden authorities that, if they feel bound to protect their subscribers against the danger of my shocking them with a bine tie, they are at least equally, bound to protect me against the danger of a W'Oman shocking me with a dead bird.” The Great Thurston's Melbourne season commences at the Athenaeum Hall, on the 2nd September. Mr C. M. McLellan, who wrote "Leah Kleschna,” is engaged on another strongly emotional play for Miss Lena Ash well. It is rumoured that Mr Bob Inman, who has just returned to Australia from America intends organising a company of liis own, though there is a likelihood of his rejoining Mr William Anderson's Dramatic Company. "The opera management at Covent Garden regulates the dreas of its male patrons. When is it going to do the Bam© to the women P”

It is said that Mario Majeroni will try his luck in the land of the wooden ham after finishing his engagement with the Nance O’Neil Dramatic Company. Cuyler ''Hastings is now leading man with Mine. Bertha Kulich, a New York tragedienne who made her name in Yiddish plays. America possesses a number of theatres where the plays are given in Yiddish, and most of the popular dramas are turned into Ghetto language. Mine. Kulich now speaks English on the stage, so the cool, calm Cuyler need not learn to be imperturbable in Zangwillese. Madame Caron, accompanied by her daughter Irma, left Sydney for London per s.s. Ayrshire on the 7th. It was the late musician’s wish that his daughter should receive a continental musical training; and, in order to comply with same, she 1® now proceeding homewards with that purpose in view. Mr Gus. Neville is a member of tb® Sanford Dramatic Company at present playing the country town® of Victoria. Th© Knight-Jefferiee Dramatic Company commence a season at Melbourne Princess, on the 23rd September with. “His Majesty’s Servants." Mr ‘Alfred Sutro’s new v play for the Imperial Theatre, London, is called “The Way of a Fool." Mr Lewis Waller hopee to produce it early in October. Michaelo Z&mpi, the famous one-legged acrobat, died at Sheffield a few days ago. H© was a” native of Rip on, Yorkshire, and for over twenty years his daring feats kept him in. the front rank of his profession. His great leap of 22 feet from ceiling to stage even those blessed with two legs have not cared to emulate. In his time Zampi could boast that he had “appeared before all the crowned head® of Europe,” including our present King and other members of the Royal Family at the Royal Aquarium. For the past eight years he had been invalided, and lived at Sheffield in retirement. “From the Unseen World," is the title of a new drama “of strong human and supernatural interest," which was recently produced at the Borough Theatre, Stratford. The author is Mr S. CreaghHenry, and the principal characters were impersonated by Miss Dora Rignold, Miss Lilian Revelle, Mr Charles Vane, and Mr Walter Westwood.

Miss Florence Young, who left the. Royal Comics to try her luck on the American stage, has not found theatrical life in the land of the wooden ham congenial, and, it is stated, intends returning to Australia. The hustle and hard work of American theatrical life ha<a proved too much -for a number of Australians. While salaries are higher than in Australia, the work (owing to the frequent matinees) is harder, the winter climate is excessively severe, living ia dear, and there are perforce three months' holidays during the summer months, when the theatres close. Actors and their wives have to separate, for engagements will not be offered if they wish to join the same company (probably to prevent friction if quarrels’ arise on tour). In vaudeville, however, married couples are always easily “placed" together, under the appellation of “teams." News comes from France of a revolution in the matter of fire r resisting scenery. The latest idea to combat fire and ‘make everything behind the curtain as safe as human ingenuity possibly can is the invention of M. Moiesan, and consists in replacing canvas and wood by metal —light galvanised iron and metallic gauze. The framework of the scene® is made of iron tubing, supporting a special kind of metallic gauze, ou which it is said the scenic artist can depict his designs as easily as upon canvas. The new kind of scenery is said to be not heavy—in fact/ it weighs about the same as that used in our theatres at present. M. Moissan’s scenery has been used in the theatres in Rouen, Nancy, and Dijon.'

Mr David Belasco has been giving th© "New York Herald” some particulars of the theatre which is to be built for him in London. This l , says Mr Belasco, will be named after him, and will be opened in 1907 with a new play, in which Mra Leslie Carter will star. Mr Belasco is somewhat hard in his summary of the theatres in London. He selects two. His Majesty’s and the Waldorf, for praise. As for the others, says Mir Belasco, "most of them might be pulled, down.” On a par with this sweeping statement is Mr Belasco's description of the Einglieh managers at the thought of the invasion of Eh gland by the American Theatrical Trust. Says Mr Belasco, or the interviewer reports him to have said, "English managers, apparently, are terror-stricken, and do not know what to do to combat it.” This (says "The Stage” may make good reading matter for the other side of the Atlantic, but we Should like to have the names of the managers who are in the lamentable state described by Mr Belasco. Wirths’ Circus and Menagerie at present touring the country towns'of New South Wales. Fred Bluett was at latest advices showing with Ted. Holland's Vaudeville Company, at the Theatre Royal, Brisbane. The heirs of Sam S. Shubert are (says the New York "Dramatic Mirror,”) fortunate in profiting by the) business sagacity of the deceased. David Henderson insured him in the Equitable a and a half ago for ,£IO,OOO. He paid one instalment. He carried another policy for ,£IO,OOO in the same company. Some question arose as to the place of hia nativity, but this was satisfactorily settled, and cheques to the value of ,£20,00® were delivered to his administrator, Lee Shubert. It is stated that in addition, to this he carried accident insurance. Then there will be a case with the railroad company, which may amount to a large sum. Mr Forbes Robertson speaking at the Authors’ Club, London, recently said "the present actor-managers in London had succeeded in persuading a difficult public to come to very interesting and high-minded efforts. The biggest efforts in art, as a rule, only appealed to a very limited class. Concerning "The Walls of Jericho,” still running in London, Mr Arthur Bourchier recently stated that it was very unlikely "the walls would fall thiß side of Christmas.”

There was again an overflowing _ audience on Saturday night at Hie Maj Theatre, when the Entertainers, under the management of Mi' Ben Fuller, g;ave * complete change of programme lUere were two new-comers- —the Driscoll. Boys. In the first part they gave a neat song and dance "turn"' which encored. In the second half they did a " patter " turn, which, judging by tfie laughter it excited, completely caught on This was their first appearance since showing at the Orpheum Theatre, Manila. The Rollos gave a capital sketch entitled "A Hungry Visitor/' in which the singing of 80110 and the piano playing of Mr Hollo were features. The comedy part was also most entertaining. Mr Fred Edvenhall, as usual, had to pay the penalty of popularity by singing _ hve more songs than were set against his name on the programme. Certainly his efforts are assisted by his audience in tha better known items as they relieved him altogether of the chorus singing m Songs such as "My Heart’s G-ood but my Feet Won't Let Me," and " er." Others who assisted in producing one of the most diverting vaudeville entertainments seen in Wellington _ were Signor Torzillo and Miss Stelle lapman (who appeared for the last time), Mieses Nelly Power, Kitty Stanley, Mabel Lynne and the Valmne Sisters, Messrs George Pagden, Ohas. Howard, Henry Wilford and Trevor and Cora, while special mention must be made of the assistance rendered by the compact little orchestra, under the direction of Mr Edgar Collins. To-night the Stewart Trio of Vocalists And mstramentalist© will make their reappearance for a short season, while lor next Saturday many new attractions are promised.

It is almost a certainty that Miss Nance O’Neil will include in the repertoire for her-New Zealand tour the historical drama "Queen Elizabeth, a play in which she has appeared with conspicuous success in Melbourne and Brisbane. In noticing the performance at His Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane, the ‘'Courier" of the 10th says: A finer audience could scarcely have Been desired than that which filled TTifi Majesty's Theatre almost to overflowing last evening, on the occasion oi the revival by Miss Nance of the historical drama ‘‘Queen Elizabeth. - Every part of the house was occupied, and the upper circle and the stalls were densely crowded, * every box was occupied, and there was scarcely an empty chair in the dress circle. And the reception accorded to the gifted American tragedienne was on a piece with tiie magnitude of the audience, for it was tinged with a heartiness amounting at times to enthusiasm. The drama, so- far * as staging asd costumes were concerned, * was presented with great completeness. The setting, for instance, of the throneroom, representing a fine Gothic chamber, with all the rich appointments of a stately court, constituted, a very striking picture. Tlxe cLrama ha© been termed historical ; and 30 it is, in that it deals with phases of the Elizabethan period, but it would need a Shakespeare, to do justice to the age of Spenser and Shakespeare, of Bacon and Burleigh. The dramatist does not pretend to have done that, or indeed to have done much more than construct a play in which Queen Elizabeth is the central figure, and some of the great men who adorned her reign flit more or less fitful shadows. The play is not a great deal more than a respectable melodrama, but it affords generous , scope for the artist who plays the Queen, and the actor who represents her illfated favourite, Robert of Essex. The character of the Queen seems to follow pretty closely historical record, except that' it gives chief prominence to the furious jealousy which the Queen entertained both of pretenders to her Crown and pretenders to her affections. At the period at which the story opens, the Earl Leicester, once the imperious Sovereign’s favourite, has fallen from his pedestal, and the sun of the Earl of Essex has risen. Elizabeth was certainly greatly attached to Essex, but his •violent temper was ill-suited to her haughty disposition, and he, in his turn, passed from favour to the block. Elizabeth never forgave herself for his death, and she herself scarcely survived him three years. Miss O’Neil is certainly a Stately representative of the Queen, and indeed she might almost have stepped from some ancient portrait. She makes Elizabeth, very passionate, very vindictive, and very remorseful —swift to act and swift to repent—but she invests her i with few of those aspects of softness and charm, which belong also to her historical character, Elizabeth was a great Queen, but she was also a woman, and poets wrote in her honour. The difficulty in a play of this kind and in the impereonat on of such a character, is in preserving a proper perspective. Mias O’Neil succeeds to a great extent in that, and she gives a realisation of the part, which is full of power • and dramatic intensity. Her passionate outburst© are, perhaps, unqueenly, but it may be presumed that a monarch in a violent temper is not necessarily more dignified than a more humble person. Miss O’Neil certainly drew a great round of applause from the -1 audience by the patriotic fervour with which she declared she would lead her own troops to repel the threatened Spanish invasion. She was very effective, too, in the scene with Essex, when under the sting of resentment and chagrin at the coldness of his—welcome back from the siege of Cadiz, he hurls reproach after reproach at his Sovereign. The death scene was very vivid, and it was certainly a solemn close to the drama. Mr John Glendinning's Essex

was a well though tout performance, but tlie actor was perhaps too stormy and melodramatic in tire great scene in the throne room. The Lord Burleigh of Mr Gaston Mervale, was cold and hypocritical, and Mr Mario Majeroni's Lord Howard fiery and rugged. Mr Andrew Robson gave King James a gallant and kingly figure wh'.ch history has hesitated to credit him with, and Mr Maurice Nodin took the opposite extreme with Sir Francis Bacon. The great philosopher could never have cut so mean a figure as Mr Nodin made him, but then both ac-

tors followed the dramatist's ideas, not the historians, and Mr Hobson did so with signal success. The Lady Howard, of Miss Jane Marbury, was graceful and womanly, and Mrs Henry Bracy'e Lady Burle.gh was dignified and natural. The Davison of Mr Alfred Tullet and the Marquis of Mendoza by Mr Geoffrey Williams and Sir Francis Drake of Mr Geo. Friend were conscientious efforts. During the forth coming Melbourne season of the Royal Comics, the London success "Veronique" will be produced. It is also probable that "My Lady Madcap" will be staged Probably no theatrical event in the history of. Wellington has aroused such keen interest a© the forthcoming production at the Opera House of the HillBirch 'Comic Opera "A Moorish Maid." The whole of the new scenery and dresses used for the brilliantly successful Auckland production will be utilised and theatregoers mayvrely upon a spectacular treat such as none but the finest Australian visiting companies have staged here. This is the first time in colonial history when the authors of a work have exploited it themselves, and such pluck will commend itself to amusement-seek-ers. The new opera is in active rehearsal, and is shaping splendidly a fine cast of principals and a chorus of fifty having been secured. Mr Fred H. Graham the well-known comedian will shortly arrive in Wellington to take over the stage-management of the “Maid.” He will also play his original character in the opera. Madam Lilian Tree, who created the chief soprano role in Auckland. will repeat her triumphs in it here. "A Moorish Maid" is a story of Morocco and is amusing from beginning to end, each member of the cast having both a singing and an acting chance. , Bright and sparkling dialogue intervenes between a series of the most fascinating and melodious musical numbers, most of which are gems. The company at present engaged in rehearsing the opera are one and all most enthusiastic about both book and music. Below I give an interesting comparative cast showing the performers in- the original production in Auckland, and those to play the same part here. Auckland. ~ Wellington. Prince Omar Mr H. B. Coney Mr Leslie Hill Elferino Mr M. Hamilton Hodges Mr E. H. Parkes Alii Mehemmet Mr Archdale Tayler Mr Charles Gray Gastro Mr F. H. Graham Mr F. H. Graham Princess Hashma Mias Lucie Ehrenfried Miss Lloyd Hassal Mena Miss Marion Mitchell Miss Leila Spiller May Miss Sdesie Sanford Miss Nellie Dent La Zara Madam Lilian Tree Madame Lilian Tree Excellent business has to be recorded at the Theatre ’ Royal during the past week. On Saturday evening the Stanford and Howard Dramatic Company presented a change of programme when the domestic drama. "A Woman’s Sacrifice," was staged. The plot of the drama centres around the fortunes of Philip Clyde (Charles Stanford) and his wife lie . Hyde (Miss Betherton Glover). Philip who has married beneath his station in life is cast off by his relatives and falling on evil days has to endure the pangs of poverty in their utmost severity at a London lodging house. This culminates is stolen diamonds being found in his room (placed by robber© there in his absence) and in the arrest and sentence of his wife on the charge of being the actual thief. From Act 1.,* a room in Jones's lodging house to Act V., lawn at Philip Clyde's home, interest in the drama never flags, and hearty applause was bestowed on the different members of the company for the excellent portrayal of their respective parts. First honours must be accorded to Mr Charles Stanford, whose Philip Clyde, a young student. was a very fine interpretation of the part, while unstinted praise may be awarded to Miss Betherton Glover (Philip's wife), and Miss Carl Barrington (Bella Dallas). The comedy parts were in the capable hands of Mr Alfred Bootham (Gustavus G. Jones), and Miss Ethel Gibson (Tilda Mopps). The other characters in the drama were sustained by the following: —Ralph Dallas (Mr Paul Clifford), Algernon Carew (Mr James Hansfield), Dr Mallorie (Mr Walter Richmond), Bob Allen (Mr Courtney Ward), Jim Blake (Mr Edward Nobb), Sam Hunter (Mr Morton Symes), Hilda Carew (Miss Jennie Farrell), Matron (Miss Lillian Adderley), Lilian Leigh (Miss Alicia Martelli), and others who helped a clever play to success. "Yes," said the advance agent, "I write my own advance pars. It gets pretty stale after a few months, I can tell you. You express things in all sorts of ways till there's no other way left, and then yer have ter lie, but pretty soon yer run out o' lies. T make up lies about plays being produced 2,000,€00 nights and all that sort o' thing is easy; eo’s yarn© about actors. But th' rotten eat work I ever had was when I was ahead for a bioscope show. I did get stale. I stuck tf the truth as long as I could, and then I lied about the cost of films, and the expense in getting them, and so on. I soon ran out, arid 1 had to start on the opera/tor. He was a timid sort o' chap, and 'ad never been out of Australia in his life, but I said he had seen much active warfare, and bore mark? of wounds that he had’received when getting pictures.. One ©hot had gone right through his left arm, I said, and he carried in his right shoulder a bullet that doctors had never been able to abstract. In the Boer war he had been a prisoner for five months, nad had enteric six times, and his life bad been despaired of on many occasions. I made him famous in the rural districts, and when we arrived at a place near the border of New South Wales (on the Victorian side), the local paper sent a man to interview him (for they had got wind of his fame), and asked him to recount his experiences. He was shy and backward (as I said before), and Avasn’t very ready at lying, and became terribly embarrassed; but next Aveek the paper appeared with the intervieAV, and he Avas spoken of as an unassmiling young man, who Twuld not talk

about his OAvn experiences. I m advance agent for a whirligig now, and that doesn't need much neAvspaper comment. ' The Messrs Macmahon have made arrangements for what promises to be an interesting dramatic season of three weeks, commencing at the Opera House on the 31st inst. The ever welcome young Australian actress, Mies Fitzmaurice Gill, supported by a large and powerful company, including many old favourites and ffeAv- faces incorporated m the organisation since her well-remem-bered season under the same management here last year, will re-appear in a series of the most up-to-date dramat-c novelties of the British stage. The opening production avtll be that of the latest Eriglish success, "Bearing Her Cross. Mr Joe BroAvn, s> Avell-known m the theatrical and journalistic world, has been living "the strenuous life" during the last several days in Wellington, completing the somewhat elaborate arrangements for the looked-for appearance of Professor Andrews in his exi r a ordinary manifestations of the mystic poAvers of "The Magic Kettle." This unique attraction, Avhich Mr George Stephenson now introduces to New Zealand, became, at the hands of Professor AndreAvs, the rage of London during a long season at the Palace Theatre.

The company wnich Mi’s Langtry is organising for a tour of South Africa will include Miss Marie Linden, Mr Thomas Kingston, and Mr Charles Garry. Amongst the plays to be produced Avill be "The Walls of Jericho," "Mrs DBering’s Divorce, ' and 'Jr s," in which she intends opening. The South African tour will not interfere with her plans to appear in America in vaudeville. Mr Sydney Grundy has revised and rewritten his play, “An Old Jew," and intends to call it "After Many Days* It will be played in England by Mr John Hare. The "Adrienne Lecouvreur" of Mme. S air ah Bernhardt has bewildered us on many points, but it has loft us quite clear (says the London "Timesi") about one. It has compelled our admiration for the “Adrienne Lecouvreur" of MJVI. Scribe and Legouve. We had hitherto attached little value to that ancient melodrama. vVe had thought it stilted, artificial, and long-winded. But then wehad n>>t become acquainted Avith the "Adrienne Lecouvreur" of Mine. S’arah Bernhardt. What caprice temp Ted the actress to rewrite the old subject is beyond our conjecture. Is there not a proverb that it is well to let sleeping melodramas lie. Surely common gratitude might have induced Mme. Bernhardt to respect the mortal remains of MM. Scribe and Legiriive. Time after time she has triumphantly appeared as the heroine of their unimpeachably respectable Avork. But, apparently, her fam-iiarity Avith it has bred contempt. Slhe has got to feel that, in Mrs Poyser's phrase, "it ought to be born again—and bom different." Different, indeed, it now is. We do not say that the lady found it marble and left it brick; let ua rather say that she found it stucco and left it carton-pierre. Where the deceased Academicians were long-Avinded,- she is intolerably prolix; where they were merely dull, she is appallingly tiresome; where they were slightly vague, she is absolutely incomprehensible. They, too, had now and then a gleam of fun; Mine. Bernhardt is as solemn as a mausoleum. Why, we ask again, was she Avas not satisfied with the old work?

"The Whit© Chrysanthemum" is the title of a new musical play, Avith seven characters only, and no chorus, written by Mr Bantock, and composed by Mr Howard Talbot. It Avill be produced by Mr Frank Curzon at the Criterion Theatre, London, -on the 2nd September. A large addition has (says the Sydney "Referee") just been made to the menagerie connected Avith Wirth©* Circus, by the arrival of another shipment of animals from Asia. Early last year the Wirth Brothers sent Mr BricKhill, one of their staff, to As.a, with a free hand to buy some .elephants, and anything else that Avould maintain the reputation ot the concern as a novelty-provider. Alter sending several preliminary lots doAvn, and establishing agencies m all the principal animal districts, Mr G. Br.ckhill has returned to Australia, bringing Avith him a large and varied shipment. Amongst them were a couple of elephants from the extreme north of India, a tapir from Sumatra and another from Negri Sembilan, a python thirty feet long, which was caught in the jungle m hang, and a large number of other novelties, numbering in all about twenty-five.

Mr Brickhill managed to secure a fine tiger, from an island near Siam, ana. had it landed in Australia within six Aveek© of the day on which it was caught. He brought a splendid pair of leopard cubs from Central India, some black apea from the Malay Peninsula, a couple of hyena cubs, a lorey, a mousang, a batch of oretty and playful Indian rock squirrels, and a number of bears. The bears include two fine-cubs of the Himalayan, species,, which the W'irthe were very anxious to secure for training purposes. Himalayan bears arc tlie most intelligent species' existing, and they are said to make excellent performers. As the name denotes, they come from the heights of the Himalayan Mountains, and, by . reason of their intelligence and their scarcity, they are very eagerly sought after by animals dealers. Mr Brickhill states that he was searching for sdis months before he managed to secure the two he bought, only one other having been disposed of during that time. The tapir is practically unknoivn in Australian zoology, for the animal is* eo delicate that it is exceedingly difficult to acclimatise it, -even if. it survive the steamer journey. Mr Brickhill had exceptionally good luck, for he landed both the tapirs he bought in excellent condition. He explains, however, that this Avas accomplished only by giving them constant attention on ah pboard, even to the extent of regulating the temperature by artificial means. The firm spent a large sum of money in this venture. The search extended through Java, Singapore, Sumatra, the Federated Malay States, Penang, Upper and LoAver Burma, the Shan .States, the Ch n Hills, and s iveral districts of India. Calcutta is the principal centre for wild animal buy ng, and to this place representatives are sent every year by Hagenbeck (of Hamburg) Jamrach (of London)* sometimes by Crisis (of Liverpool), and regularly by two or three American animal dealers. The demand from America is said to be increasing rapidly, and as competition strengthens prices are rising enormously. The latest country to enter largely Into these operations is Japan, which is establishing some capital public zoos. Circus matters seem to be overdone in the East, for when Mr Briokhill left, there were no fewer than six repre>sentatives all fighting each other in J ava. These include, Harmston's, Warren's, Fitz-Geralds', Rose’s, an English show, and a nat ve combination, and at least one was tottering on the brink of financial disaster.

The clever builder ©1 successful plays, Mr J. M. Barrie, celebrated his 45th. birthday on the 12th May.

Following upon the somewhat romantic wedding of Misa Grace HaAvthome to a young actor in her company, Mr Bernard Sergeant, on the 20th June, at the Oratory, London, comes the neivs of Miss Deeima Moore’s engagement to Major F. G. Guggriberg, R.E., Director of Surveys at the Gold Coast and Ashanti. Major Guggisberg is a good cncketer and a very popular officer. He has only just reached England from the Gold Coast, and the Aveclding is likely to take place very shortly. Miss Bec.ma Moore, as- her name implies, was the tenth child of Mr E. H. Moore, some time public analyst to the Brighton Corporation. She is one of a talented batch of sisters, including Miss Eva Moore and Mme. Bertha Moore.

"Lorgnette" ha© got an important letter for Mr Charles Taylor of the TaylorCarrington Dramatic Company.

It is -with extreme regret that I have to announce the death of Mr Frank N. Jones, which took place at Sydney on the 2nd instant. Mr Jones for the past twelve years had been connected Avith Fitzgerald Bros. Circus and Menagerie, as Press and, touring representative. He had been ill for a considerable time from heart trouble. Mr. Jones, who was a son of the late Mr B. N. Jones, many years ago lessee of the old Opera House in York street, Sydney, was well-known amongst the members of the theatrical profession in Australia. He was 40 years of age, and a Avidower. The remains of the late Mr Frank Jones, were _ interred in the Waverley Cemetery on the 3rd. Amongst those at the graveside were Messrs Dan Fitzgerald, Edwin Geach, Laurence Foley, Thomas Durack, G. LeAvis Scott, Thompson (Burns, Philp, and Co.), J. Peterson (Wirth Bros.' Circus), S. Jones, F. M. Jones, and Carl Ackhurst. Wreath® were forwarded by Messrs Geach and Cowan (Palace Theatre), J. Sheridan (Criterion Theatre), H. MaxAvell (Gisborne, N.Z.), Mr and Mrs Gaut (Grand Hotel), Wirth Bros/ Circus, and others