PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2530, 8 June 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

The death of poor Mrs Tapley (Miss Yi. Varley) in childbirth is a very sad affair, and will cause a very widespread feeling of regret in the theatrical world throughout the colonies. Mrs Tapley was a charming woman both on and off the stage, and, being quite young, had presumably a fine professional future before her. It was well known that she was to rejoin the Royal Comic Opera Company before long, her re appearance to be made, so it was said, in “His Excellency,” Gilbert’s latest comic opera. Her husband, Mr Tapley, is a talented artiste, an educated gentleman, and a thorough good fellow, and life seemed full of pleasant possibilities for the clever young couple. King Death, however, has come down with his iron hand, and shattered the husband's' happiness with a doubly cruel suddenness. Mr Tapley will have the sincere sympathy of thousands of colonial playgoers in his lamentable loss, tho news of which has been received with special regret in Wellington, where Mrs Tapley was a very great favourite.

“Piripi” writes as follows;—P Dear Lohgnettb, —lie tho death of poor Yi. Varley, which will be so deeply regretted by belli personal friends and those who have only mado her acquaintance across the footlights, your roadeis may be interested to know that the deceased lady was a grand daughter (on her mother’s side) of the late John Disliu, tho celebrated performer on Iho saxhorn and trumpet, and who was the principal trumpeter at the coronation of Queen Victoria. Tho lady was marritd as recently as April 11, 1894, at tho Australian Church, Melbourne, to Mr Ta[ ley, about a week after she had nearly lost her life by [idling down tho lift shaft at Buxton’s Buildings, Melbturne. As one who has watched her progress from tho ranks of the juveniles to an important position in such an excellent organisation as tho Royal Comic Opera Company—a position won by sheer merit and bard work—allow me to pay my humble tribute to the memory of a sweet singer aud a conscientious actress. The following weto some of the principal characters impersonated by the deceased lady : Mincstra and Nita, in ‘-The. Mountebanks’ ; lolantho, in the opera of that name; Chopioette, ‘Paul Jones’; Mat ton, ‘La Cigalo ’ ; Fiumetta, ‘La Mascolto ’ ; Pitti Sing, ‘ Mikado’ ; Gianetta, ‘Gondoliers’; Inez, ‘Pcpita’; Little Red Ridingbood, in the Princess Theatre pantomime of 1894 ; and many others that I daresay will occur to you.”

Mr Phil Stuart writes me from Audiland to say that tho George Darrell Company open at Napier on the 7th inst._ for a week’s season, and thence go straight to Dunedin, commencing a season there on the 18lh prox. Mr Stuart says he is not yet qu'to certain whether Mr Darrell will play Wellington, as “ there is some difficulty about dates. ’’ The difficulty, I feel sure, will be got over, if Mr Darrell can manage it, for he is just as well aware as 1 am that Wellington is the host “ show town " in tho colony.

The production of “The Guv’nor" was, lam glad to ray, a great financial success, over .T!CO clear being tho amount to bo handed to Mrs Marshall. From an artistic point of view “ The Guv’nor " was also an undoubted sucoers, although I cannot altogether agree with the unmeasured, eulogies passed by tho critics of the dailies. It is true that some allowance must bo made for the shortness of tho time available for rehearsals, but there were faults in the production which cannot bo explained on that account.

The Mostyn-Dalzeil Company were to open at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, on Wednesday last. Mr Wheeler, the advance agent for the company when they were heto, returned to Wellington last week, en route for Sydney, having severed his connection with the company. ;

On Wednesday, also, the Gwen Davies' Sketch and Concert Company were to make their first appearance at (ho Dunedin Choral Hall. The company includes Miss Gwen Davies, Mr M. Marcus (tenor), Herr G. Randko (viola and violin), and- Herr Rubl (“ solo slide trombone”). Mr Marcus acts as manager. Ho will bo remembered as acting in the same capacity for the Bello Cole tour.

The Rev. H. L. Haweis drew large audiences in Dunedin. The Christchurch season commenced on Tuesday last. Mr Haweis gives his first lecture in Wellington, at Thomas’s Hall, on Tuesday next, Juno lltb.

Mr Smytho’s other importations, Mr Fred Villiers, the war correspondentartist, and tho Rev, Haskett Smith, the greatest living authority, and most eloquent lecturer on the Holy Land," have both been atu acting large audiences in Australia. Mr Viiliers created an excellent impression during his brief season in Sydney, and tho views of the war scenes are said to have been most awe-inspiring. Mr Haskett Smith has also been jnost successful at Adelaide. In the “ Holy City,” as the South Australian capital is familiarly called by showmen, a lecture on Palestine was sure to prove a diaw.

Sydney shows -“ Ma Mio Rosette ” at the Lyceum, “Struck Oil ” and “ The Chinese Question " (Maggie Moore) at the Royal, “Shamus O’Brien’’ (with Mr Vomon as the hero) at her Majesty’s, and Rickard’s Variety Company at the Tivoli./

Melbourne programmes (—“Tho Shop Girl " (Gaiety Company) at the Priucess’, Bland Holt at the Royal, and Varieties at the Opera House and Bijou, the former run by the great Rickards, and the latter by Frank Clark.

The “ Gaiety Girl ’’ Company wore due at Adelaide, for one week, on the Ist Juno.

The Brough and Boueioault Company, after doing good biz at Brisbane and Newcastle, have returned to Melbourne, after which they play Adelaide, and then return to Sydney.

Some of the dialogue in the pieces produced by, the “Gaiety Girl" Company were somewhat high-flavoured. One, from “In Town,” ran thus “ Oh, yes, she’s very French. Her father and mother are to bo married next week, and she’s going to keep house for them." This, says the Bulletin, “gave great ofleuce to French people in Melbourne, vjho regard it as a gratuitous and unwarranted- insult to their country which might well have been left behind in Loudon.”

A feature of the Melbourne Bijou variety show is a big “promenade" at the back of the stalls. Hum. Wonder whether the “promenade ’’ audienceJs as mixed as at some London’alls ?

The latest Wellington street nusiance

is a huge “ piano organ," in an express and drawn through the town as an “ ad." for a “ galloping horse" show.

Tho Dacres, so unsuccessful in Melbourne, are to appear at a Sydney theatre shortly, probably iu “Jim tho Penman.”

During a recent performance of “ Hamlet" up South. “Hamlet: Thus bad begins, but worse remains behind." Unfeeling person in the stalls : “ Oh, does it! Then hero goes.” And be left. Bulletin.

Clifford .Hall 6, son of Sir Charles Halid, is giving lectures at Melbourne Athenamm on the art of-sinking. Some of the professional singers over there could do with a little more instruction, and a little less self-esteem.

Harry Rickards, who lias been coining money with his variety shows in Melbourne and Sydney, leaves for. “Lending ’’ on June 10 to secure fresh talent.

Buffer, hero with Dampier, is running a small dramatic company (with partner Leston) round Sydney suburbs.

Tho show busi ess must be getting a little overdone in South Afiica. When the last mail left tho Jennie Lee Company, Fillia’ Circus, and our old friends, the Payne Family (who were to have “ retired" hut thought bettor of it) were all at Port Elizabeth.

Mr Robert Brough, of Brough and Bouoieaulr, now iu England, has cabled cut that lie has secured the colonial rights of Pinero’s latest success, “ Tbo Notorious Mrs Ebbsraith."

At the Railway Institute, Sydney, a fortnight ago, a company of amateurs staged a new and original comedy-drama, “The Swagsman,” the author of which is Mr C. W. Anson, son of tho great G.W. of that ilk.

Mario Lueffa and Horace Wheatley are both with The Finn’s big " Cinderella” Company, now>t Brisbane. It is possible the company may visit Now Zealand later on.

A female Hamlet is not always properly appreciated. Says the Bulletin “The night Mrs Lewis played Hamlet there was a largo trapeze hung from the ceiling in readiness for Frank Clark’s Company on tho following night. During the too-long dreariness of the melancholy Dane, the ‘ gods ’ often impatiently asked when she was going to do the trapeze act.

Mr William Elton has been appearing at Adelaide in Dion Boucicault’a racing drama, “The Flying Scud.” Elton played Nat Gosling, tbe jockey.

The Australasian (May 25) says: “ Theatrical matters arc very dull in Tasmania and New Zealand at present - There is no leading company in either colony.” What will Mr George Darrell say to this \I

Tho Esty-Marsh Concert Company, a high class combination, including Madame Enriquez, Miss Alice ■ Esty, Mr Alec Marsh, all of whom bring a high reputation from the Old Country, and Mr Robert Cunningham, the well known tenor, did a terrible “perish" in Melbourne.' The company, will nut, 1 hear, come on to New Zealand as had at first been intended.

A daughter of that popular actor, Mr George Titberadge, is to make her dehut shortly with tbo Brough and Boucicault Company.

Our London correspondent writes under date April 12 : , The real Mrs Ebbsmith being a woman with some sense of humour would probably have, postponed her departure “ beyond these voices ” sine die had she learnt the true origin of tho christening of Pinero’s heroine. It seems tho dramatist invented (as ho thought) Ebbsraith, founding it on the analogy of tho well-known namo Flood-Jones. There was also, Mr Hare’s, secretary told an “interviewer,” a real Mrs Tanqueray, who made a fuss concerning the use of her namo on tho stage. She would have liked to make some money out of the coincidence, but, as neither Mr Pinero nor Mr Alexander saw their way to oblige her with any, tho subject dropped.

In New York tho news of Oscar Wilde’s arrest sufficed to end the runs of his plays, which I imagine were not paying over well. Hero iu London we aro less particular, and the managements of “ Tho Importance of Being Earnest ” and “ An Ideal Husband ” have simply erased tho author’s name from the playbills. Somo of the papers aro very indignant on the subject. The Weekly Sun says :

“Is it good taste, to say the least of it, for a fashionable house to seek to attract ladies and gentlemen to a work by a man who stands in the position of this author ? Is it good taste to allow English ladies to speak the words of such a man ? “ Tho erasure of his name from the bills and programmes is mere trifling. The excuse that people would be thrown out of work is not to the point. A revival, a stop-gap of any kind, could surely have been provided, and successful managers could afford to pay their hands for a little while until the theatre could he ro-oponed. “It is a very terrible business, and it seems remarkable that London managers cannot see matters in their true light. “ Does tho action of snob managers help to remove from this city ,of ; ours tho stain, .the stigma, and the disgrace that recent events have brought upon it ? “It there are managers who ask the public to patronise such a man through his work, if there is a public, to support such plays—does it not show a decadence in Englishmen, a blunted feeling, a suspicion that wo are saying, ‘ What does it matter?”’ -

Respecting the foregoing, Mr Sydney Grundy has dealt a coup de grace to the controversy in the following epigrammatic comment: —“I wonder on what principle of law or justice, or common sense, or good manners, or Christian charity, an author’s name is blotted from bis work. ,If a man is not to bo credited with what ho has dono well, by. what right is he punished for what ho has done ill ?”

Mr Kyrle Bellow is responsible for a most extraordinary stage incident. When Mrs Brown-Potter was playing the part of Lady Macbeth in an Indian city—the name is not, given—the darkness of tho house being only faintly illuminated by a candle which she carried in her hand, the ■audience - , wore ' horrified at tho sudden ehtranoe ’ through a window of a hideous vampire, which fastened upon Mrs Potter’s bare arm in tho sleep-walking scene and sucked her blood until tho people became mad with excitement. Tho lady, it is stated, was so absorbed in her part that she did not even feel the bite, and it was not until she had gone through her soliloquy and retired from the stage that she became aware of the presence of the horrid creature,; which thou flew .away, .Mia Potter fainting with exhaustion. The writer who tells this,story second-hand in “Green Room Gossip” in the Weekly Sun prudently refrains from, giving/ certain details which are germane to the authenticity of the yarn. For example, ho does not mention what time in the morning it was when Mr Bellew narrated it, or what special brand of whisky had been most in demand during the evening. Moreover, wo should like to have ■ the vampire’s -version cf tho affair.

It is said that Sarah Bernhardt is fond of reiterating “twice’told tales,” quite oblivious of tho fact that she has told the same old story many times previously. One of these stories relates to the Far West. She was speeding by rail to a distant town to fulfil a professional engagement, but tho train was suddenly brought to a standstill by the dangerous condition of a bridge which spanned a chasm of abysmal depth. Sarah was face to face with the dreadful alternative of risking her life or of disappointing her audience. With heroic courage she chose the former. No one should ever be able to say that she had broken an engagement. The narrator is silent as to the thrilling nature of her experience, but it is presumed that she crossed in safety from the fact that she has survived the incident.

Mr George Grossmith met a friend in the Strand after a tour in the provinces with his piano. He was asked if he had seen “ The Gondoliers,” and replied in the affirmative. But there was one thing which” somewhat detracted from his enjoyment of the piece. “ What was that ?” anxiously inquired his friend. “ Why I kept wondering all the time when I was coming on," was the funny reply.

The Westminster Gazelle hits off in an imaginary play bill the increasing fashion of puffing, tradesmen and caterers who are in the .smallest degree connected with the Staging of a piece. The supposed house is

“The-Come-and-Sec-Em Theatre,” and tho play “’I he Awkwardness of Feeling Dicky.” It gives the names of tho persons who supplied everything from tho tea drunk in one of tho acts to the bad language supplied and so forth, while tho names of the artists are obscurely printed below.

According to Mr Bernard Shaw it is just as important to be conventional as to bo “ Earnest.” Ho has lately been banter-ing-press interviewers on the subject of his latest play, “ Candida," which lie claims to ho tho only really conventional play of modern times. . He declares that ho never deals in villainy, and that tho nearest approach lie has ever made to that typo of character was a minor poet, and as no poet who over wrote regarded himself as belonging to that category, Mr Shaw is in no immediate danger of becoming a martyr to the long-haired rhymsters. Mr Shale’s heroine is an ideal wife. Sho does not go rampaging round to afternoon parties, where tho flavour of tho tea is heightened with scandal, nor does sho belong to the new type of advanced females. On tho contrary, sho stays at home with her own husband. In fact ho claims, that his play is so innocuous that oven the Kev. Hugh Price Hughes would license it without blinking. Ho talks of sending up to tho Censor another play entitled ‘‘Airs 'Warren's Profession,” which will make the public sit up.

A story is going tho rounds of tho provincial press which does credit to tho kindly nature of Paderewski, the great pianist; When he reached Clifton ho received a curious letter from a lady earnestly requesting him to play one piece during tho afternoon to an invalid lady whoso ill-health precluded her from going to a crowded concert room. Half a guinea was tho modest sura offered for the favour. Paderewski appointed a meeting at his hotel, tho lady duly appeared, and after greeting her he took his place at the piano and played for her successively a prelude and a nocturne by Chopin, and some Songs without Words. It is not stated whether he accepted the half-guinea. —‘‘ Lorgnette ” in N.Z. Mail.