PLAYS AND PLAYERS

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2409, 15 January 1895, Page 4

PLAYS AND PLAYERS

By “Lorgnette” in N,Z. Mail. The proper name of Harry Roberts, Maggie Moore’s leading man, is Robertson, and he ia a son of Mr and Mrs Robertson, well known ia early Melbourne theatrical circles. He is a cousin of Forbes Robertson, the popular London actor. Laura Roberts is Harry’s sister, by the way.— Bulletin. Rev. H. R, Haweis. the English Talcuage imitator, described in “A Yellow Aster ” as being quite a clergyman, except, of course, when he is in the pulpit, is thinking of visiting Australia. Mr Haweis is the author of “Music and Morals," and a lot of other books, pe is a gieat Wagnerite, and has done'much by his writings to popularise the famous German's music in England. Miss Maud Lila, who was here .with Montague-Turners, recently made a hit at the German Fair, Sydney. Rawei, the “Maori Evangelist," has been giving a “ Maori Picture, Song, and Story ” entertainment in Tasmania.” He is now back again in Dunedin. Mr and Mrs Arthur Dacre (Miss Amy Roselle) arrive shortly in Australia from London. Both are well-known as comedy artists. They come out, so it is said, under a 12 months’ engagement, and will open in conjunction with William Elton, at Melbourne Bijou, with a repertoire consisting of “A Wife’s Ordeal” and “ Queen’s Colours," both by George R. Sims; “Either Sandraz,” “A Nine Days’ Wonder,” and “ A Bunch of Violets,” by Sydney Grundy ; “ Men and Women ” and “ A Doub'e Marriage." The season will open with “ Men and Women."

Messrs Williamson and Musgrove’s Comedy Company, have, I hear, “caught on" capitally up at Auckland, where “The New Boy" drew record houses during the holiday season. “The Foundling," “Jones," and “A Night Off,” the latter being the piece in which Mr Augustus Daly’s famous company made such a great hit in London, are also in the company’s repertoire. After the Auckland season Napier will bo visited (this week), and then Wanganui and Palmerston North, the company opening here on the 28 h inst. A few particulars concerning “The New Boy" will be of interest to my readers, especially those in the towns mentioned above; It was produced at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, last year, Mr Weedon Grossmith at once making a great hit in the name part. The piece is still being played in London, and is “going as strong as ever.” There was a desperate competition for the colonial rights, but eventually these were secured by Mr William Holloway for Messrs Williamson and Musgrove, and a special English company engaged for the Australasian tour. In Sydney “The Now Boy” drew even bigger houses than “Charley’s Aunt” had done, and both the Sydney Morning Hcnd'l and the Sydney Tele graph —the two most critical of Australian journals in dramatic doings—pronounced it the funniest play ever seen in Australia. Owing to the pantomime season blocking its immediate production in Melbourne fora couple of months, The Firm decided to send “The New Boy" round New Zealand, and we shall therefore have the pleasure of seeing a London success of the present day produced here by a company most of whose members were specially engaged in England. The accompanying sketches depict scenes from the play, the plot of which deals with the adventures of a gentleman of mature age, but very youthful appearance, who, through a curious mistake finds himself sent to a big boarding school, and is condemned to share the tasks arid pastimes of a host of youngsters. Those who have read Mr Anstey’s “Vice Versa” can have an idea of the fun which can be got out of such an embroglio. The Royal Comic Opera Company con tinues to score a success at Dunedin. “Paul Jones," the second production, is, I hear from a private source, an immense hit, Miss Nellie Stewart singing and acting with great charm, whilst the mounting is, as usual with all this com pany’s productions, very rich and tasteful.

Signor Verdi, once well known in NewZealand, has produced “I Pagliaoci” at Johannesburg. Mr Vernon Reid and Miss Leonora Braham were in the oast. “The Mystery of a Hansom Cab,” Fergus Hume's dramatisation of his own novel, is running at the London Britannia, an immense theatre up in Hoxton. Miss Frances Seville has appeared at the Opera Comique, Paris, in “Paul and Virginia,” playing Virginia. The performance was highly successful, and the Australian vocalist has made a great hit. Teddy Lonnen, who is a part proprietor of the “Little Christopher Columbus" show, must be doing well out of that production, for a London paper alleges ho refused LXIS a week from another management I Who wouldn’t be a popular burlesque actor ? Mr Pinero is a prolific dramatist. I read lie has four new comedies on the stocks. His income from his “ Tan- . queray ” royalties alone is LIOO a week. The Sydney correspondent of the Witness says :—Wirth Brothers' Circus was showing at Capetown when Fiilia and Co. arrived. Fillis visited the show, and was at once recognised, i the*audience rising almost to a man (and the boy outside) and cheering him. From Gilbert’s latest comic opera . Quixotic is his enterprise, and hopeless his adventure is, Who seeks for jocularities that haven’t yet been said, The world has joked incessantly for over fifty centuries, And every joke that’s possible has long ago been made. I started as a humourist with lots of mental fizziness, , But humour is a drug which it’s the fashion toabusej For my stock-in-trade, my fixtures, and the good-will of the business No reasonable offer I am likely to refuse, And if anybody choose ■ Ho can circulate the news That no reasonable offer I ain likely to refuse. Miss Romer, of the B. and B. Company, will, it is stated, not go Homo with Mrs Brough and the others, but remain in Australia. “ Chawles ’’ Holloway, with Alice Deorwyn, J. F. Cathoart, Westmacott, Sweeney, and others, are at Adelaide Royal. Repertoire includes “ My Jack," “ True as Steel," and that sort of thing. : ENGLISH NOTES. Front Our Own Correspondent. ■ : London, November 23. It is rather hard oh Haddon Chambers, that so many of the critics should believe his heroine with dubious antecedents the outcome of the “Second Mrs Tanqueray's " popularity, for the truth is she was invented (shady past and all) long before that questionable young female took the stage at the St. James’s. Under the title of “ Two Men and a Woman," the successful . “ John-a-Dreams" had, when produced, been lying in Mr Tree’s desk, accepted, for the best part of two years. For one thing ir-yvnarKet lessee did not like his ” own part therein, and for another ho no doubt felt ihe failures of Mr Chambers with the Crilerion farce and the ” Queen of Manoa" had handicapped the chances of success. Mr Tree’s instincts about his own part were right. It does not—manfully though he struggles with it : — fit him as the character would have fitted Forbes Robertson or Alexander. Otherwise “ John-a Dreams "is grandly acted. Mr Cartwright has never been seen to greater advantage than as Sir Hubert, nor has Mr Nutcombe Gould’s gallery of handsome old men ever contained a more delightful and convincing portrait than that of Mr Wynn. Mrs Patrick Campbell—well, wo shall see her era long acknowledged our greatest living actress. She comes nearer Sarah Bernhardt than anyone else on the English stage; I was at the dress rehearsal of “ John-a-Dreams," and there saw the real Mrs Campbell— a very different person to tender, sensitive, loving, and fearful Kate Cloud. The genuine Mrs Patrick Campbell is. a: vain, conceited, untidy, chattering, and very ordinary little woman. She talked incessantly, nearly always about herself, and often saying things in execrable taste. I decided she , was not beautiful, had hardly a good feature in either face or figure. lAndyet there is a nameless charm and fascination about her against which 'tis hopeless to straggle, lean tell you I did struggle that Wednesday evening, for 1 had a cold in my head, and ought to have been lapping nitre between the ; blankets. Instead I stood shivering in a draughty : corner, with watering eyes, and a running i ruby nose for three mortal hours. Every ] two minutes I said.“l must go," yet I 1 stayed and watched Mrs Patrick Camp- ‘ bell, compelled by her genius to wonder ’ and admire. To see the actress turn from herself to Kate; Cloud was marvellous. In a second every trace of Mrs Patrick Campbell disappeared,' and an absolutely different creature'stood before * ua. 1 had never seen an English actress ‘ metamqrphosize herself thus, completely E before A Depend upon it this actress—if she-can keep her head—will go - Tar. Some think she would make the greatest { Lady Macbeth there has ever been. i “The Mask of Truth," the.hot and i

strong melodrama Charles Warner ia doing such big business with in the provinces, will be produced at the new theatre in Camberwell this week. He may take it next year to both America and Australia.

The tit’e of the fairy pantomime at the Lyceum will be “Santa Claus." At old Drury Lane “ Wh’ttington ” is once again the legend selected, but instead of going to Morocco he will Set sail with ►the Cat (needless to say Harry Lauri) for China. A Chinese festival and a special transformation scene are to be the features of the show.

The fair Australian, Olga Brandon, goes into management to-night at the Opera Comique with a three act piece called “The Wife of Dives." G. W; Anson and Carlotla Addison are her best known supporters. I fear neither of the recent Australian ventures at London theatres did well financially. Mr Holloway may have just paid expenses with “The Foundling," though, to tell the truth, I doubt it; but Madam Ruppert unquestionably dropped a pretty penny at the Princess’. If she' returns to the composition of hair wash and to lecturing on the complexion a wiser woman, the money will not have been spent in vain. As for Mr Dampier, I’ve little doubt he’ll find coin and consolation in the provinces.