PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2691, 14 December 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

Tho following are the principal local advance fixtures : December 25 to January I—Newbury-Spada

Conceit Company. January 18—Bland Holt Dramatic Company at Opera House (return visit).

This ia a busy week in the way of amusements. On Tuesday and Wednesday Mark Twain’s ‘‘At Homes,” on Thursday tho Orchestral Society’s concert, and on Friday tho Festival Choral Society's production of 11 Acis and Galatea," As tho Mail goes to press opoeially early thin week in consequence of this being tho Christmas issue, I am obliged to omit detailed reference to the concerts until next week. “Scrutator" ta dealing with Mark Twain.

On Monday next Mr Maughan Barnett’s Musical Society produce “ The Messiah" at tho Opera House.

“The Messiah " will also bo produced ™ Christman night at the Opera House fey tho Nuwbury-Spada Company, who will commence on that night a series of live high-class concerts. Tho Festival Choral Society will assist in “ The Messiah."

Mr Bland Holt has purchased the colonial rights of “Tho Derby Winner," ono of Sir Augustus Harris’ latest Drury Lane successes. Mr Holt is a most enterprising man, and caters most liberally for Australian and Now Zealand playgoers.

Fitzgerald's Circus and Now London Company have had a splendid season at Auckland. Tho show is at Now I’lymouth ■and llawera this week, opening at Wellington at Christmas.

From a private letter I learn that Mr Pollard's Company have been doing well at Brisbane. Tho Company has added “Giroflfi Girofla ” to its already extensive repertoire. Young Alt. Stephens, who has got baok his old voice, has, I Lear, developed into a most promising tenor, with an excellent range, and plays Marasquin. The Company open at Sydney Criterion for ftu eight weeks’ season, “ Olivette " being the first production.

Davia' “Pfintftßtiqaea," a thoughtreading, ventciloquinl, find mesmeric ahow, in touring the Taranaid district.

Mr Cadzow, the well-known singer, so long in Wellington, has been touring in the Canterbury districts with a small concert company, anil is, I hear, coming North very shortly.

Bland Holt's last production, " A ‘Woman’s Revenge," was a tine play, much superior as to dialogue to the purely spectacular dramas which had proceeded it. Bland gives the Napierites a treat this week, and thence proceeds to Auckland for Christmas. Ho knows how to pick good dates. On his return to Wellington ho will produce “ The Fatal Card" (of which Hadden Chambers, author of “ Captain Swift ” and “ The Idler," is a joint author with B. C. Stephenson) and a big sensational piece, “ Saved from the Sea."

Mr W. J. Payne, of the well known Payne Family, recently touring Cape Colony witn great success, was married on' the 19th Sopterhbor to Mias Belle Heine! ricks, pianisto to the Company. The Family have since lo f t the Capo for England, where. they intend to make a lengthy tour of the provinces.

The Brough and Boucioault Company phvyotl two nights at Timaru last week, and thenoo proceeded to Christchurch for an eleven nights’ season.

The “Jo" (the organ of tho English professional banjo and guitar players) records tho death of Madame Sydney Pratten, who enjoyed the reputation of being tho best guitar playor in Groat Britain. One of her pupils was H.R.H. Princess Louise. At her funeral a wreath was sent by Her Majesty tho Queen.

Mr Walter Haybittlo, late of Wellington, and who went to Australia to join the Marshall Woods Company in Sydney, has written to say that ho will appear in a good comedy part in the pantomime of “Robinson Crusoe," at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Under the management of Mr George Dampier. Mr Haybittle’s many friends in Wellington will be glad to hear that he is making such rapid advances in his now profession.

Maggie Moore, writes Mr Haybittle to the Witness, is resting in Sydney. Mr Haybittle also says that he was arranging n New Zealand tour for the Dacres when the terrible tragedy occurred. Ho writes : —I received a note through the post tho day after his death (Sunday), written mi tho Sunday, in which he said ho was in communication with tho manager of the Princess Theatre at Dunedin, and asking mo,to coma, to lunch with him on tho Monday. 'lmagine my surprise on reading the account of tho tragedy in tho morning paper.

Misa Linda Raymond, well-known on this aide, ia a member of Charles HolloWay'a Company at Melbourne Alexandra.

“ A showman's paradise ; a jolly picnic for performers," ia how Fitzgerald Bros, advertise Australia in San Francisco Music" and Drama.

H’m, Australia’s hardly a paradise for tho poor mummer who is out of a “shop," A private letter from Sydney tolls mo that “Poverty Point" is still crowded with pros. “ out of collar."

At Her Majesty's, Sydney, Alfred Dumpier has just produced a dramatised version of Marcus Clarke’s brilliant, but, to my mind, most repulsive story, “ For ! the Term of His Natural Life." If tho play be halt so “ realistic * as the story it ought to be worth seeing—as a champion horror.

Alice Leamar, tho vulgar little music hall singer who was here witli Lomion and tho alleged Gaiety Company, is now back in Australia, appearing with great success at Sydney Tivoli—just the sort of place to suit her.

Owing to the ambiguous wording of a cablegram, net a few New Zealand papers, the Mah,, I regret to say, included, inferred that the Dacres loft a little child. As a matter of fact tho only child of the unfortunate couple died some seven or eight years ago.

Amy Fawaitt, who was in the original cast of James Alhery’s “ Two Roses" (in which Irving was the Digby Grant, and Harry Montague the Caleb Duecie) was - Amy Roselle’s rival in “Youth." Poor Fawsitt perished miserably in a low tenement house in Now York, and at the time there was no small rumour cf foul play.

According to the Bulletin Caere never got over the disappointment of seeing Willard being substituted for him in the original run of “Jim the Penman.’’

By the way, talking of “Jim the Penman," wltoro is Harry St. Maur nowadays? That was a good company he tan through (ho Colony with Florence Seymour as loading lady. This was the company got mixed up down South.

London World, famous for not toadying to either musical or dramatical celebrities, advises Melba to study acting. “It is rjuito uncanny," says the World, “ to hoar her sliming like an angel, and to see her acting like a mechanical doll."

Mias Juliet (Flegeltaub) Wray, the now star of the Royal Ccnitcs, having informed a Melbourne paper that “I hate appearing in tights," the Bulletin gets off tl|o following:

Don’t fret about that matter, Ju t) Most slender of tho lasses— Remember when in tights that you Appear but to tho very few With magnifying-glasses.

“Professor" Kennedy the mesmerist is, 1 hear, to pay New Zealand a visit. He did wonderfully well in Sydney, but I question whether tho spectacle ol mesmerised * men ’ chewing tallow candles, and swilling train oil under the impression they aro revelling in chicken and champagne, will possess maoy attractions for New Zealanders. Still you never know.

Sydney Referee says that before Mr (Jen. Rignold returns to England he may mako a Now Zealand tour. “ Lorgnette" has repeatedly expressed tho opinion that Rignold would do well over here. I hope trie Referee's story is true. ’

Mrs Bancroft has been telling her love story to a young, confiding little female periodical known as Homo Chat. Mrs •R’s narrative sounds simple, or otherwise, juat according to the reader’s age and knowledge of ancient theatrical history. She first met her Bancroft, she

says, at a Liverpool theatre, where she treated him rather coolly, because he was repuled to be a lady-killer. Next time she went to Liverpool she acted in several pieces with him, and was so much impressed that she never quite forgot him afterwards. “ When I was planning to bo a manageress," says tho demure old lady, “X thought I couldn’t have' a cleverer or handsomer young actor in ray company than he, so ho was engaged j and then—a long time after that, though —wo wore engaged. And that is the end of the story." Mrs Bancroft reminiscing of her spinalerhood and “ engagement" to it, “a long time after"ls funny enough, but not half as droll as the notion of a lady reporter going to interview her on tho delicate subject. By tho way, there is no mention of tho Bancroft fits who bears such a strong resemblance to the Royal family.—Bulletin.

Mr Mapleson, the American operatic itnpressario, to whom Madame Melba is under engagement, states that the famous prima donna will not be abto to pay her promised visit to Australia next year.

Johann Strauss hae written a now operetta, which will be heard at tho Berlin Lessing Theatre on May 4, 1896. Orert things are said about this new work. Thu composer will also load tho orchestra through the run of the opera.

Mr George Alexander (says Loudon Topical Times) has secured the English rights of the dramatised version of “The Prisoner of Zenda," by Anthony Hope and Edward Rose, and in duo course will produce tho play, which has been a success in America, at the St. James.

In an interview ii Toronto, Henry Irving, speaking for the stage of his immediate country, England, declares himself in favour of a State Theatre or conservatory of acting. Ho says that “ tho supply of good actors speaking the English tongue is decidedly short.’’ Ho does not mean good leading actors who are in tho maturity of their powers, but rising actors ; and in this he does not imply that there ia now a lower grade of men seeking the stage than formerly. “In fact,” says Sir Henry Irving, “ they may be a trifle bettor as to their education outside their calling, but they are not actors.

Dr Furnivall calculates that tho action of tho tragedy in “Romeo and Juliet” occupied five days and a half. Ho disposes of the time thus : On Sunday the ball takes place, in spite of the protests, wo suppose, of tho Sabbatarian party, and on Monday Romeo and Juliet marry. On Tuesday tho heroine takes a draught, and on Wednesday she is placed in the tomb. On Thursday Romeo returns, and on Friday the unfortunate pair commit suicide. It is not many girls of 14 who have so much happen to them all in the inside of a week.

One of tho subjects with which Sarah Bernhardt’s memoirs will deal will bo the bull-tight. At one time the actress had a groat fancy to play the part of a picador herself, and on at least one occasion ventured into the ring in Havannah.

A great scandal has been caused at Brussels, says the Central Nows, by the publication in an evening paper of a statement pointedly reflecting on tho relations in Paris of King Leopold and the famous ballot dancer of the FoliosBorgero, Milo. Etnilienne d'Aleiigon, to whom His Majesty was introduced recently when ho visited this famous resort in tho Rue Richer.

Tho latest to turn and break a lance with critic Clement Scott'is Mrs Kendal. When tho Kendala appear in London next Easter Mrs K. expects “ there will be nothing left on the stage but a large bone and one tooth."

An unrehearsed scene took place in the Belfast Theatre Royal during the performance of the last act of a drama dealing with the Irish Rebellion.' On the appearance of the villain of the piece he was received with a volley of metal, tobacco boxes, apples and other missiles, hurled from the gallery. Tho play was immediately stopped, the stage manager intimating that members of the company had been injured. The demonstration quickly subsided, and the piece concluded without further interference.

Madame Modjeska tells a good story of her best introduction to the bloomer costume. She was performing in Washington, and at tho close of tho first act she hurried to her dressing room. It was occupied by what was apparently a male thing, and Modjeska was horrified. Her horrifioation increased when the thing said, “ Modjeska, come, to my arms." After all it was only Dr Mary Walker, who was one of the first ladies to assume attire.

Tho Drury Lane pantomime this year will be “Cinderella." Miss Mirie Mont, rose will be principal girl, and Miss Ada Blanche tho boy.

Mrs Langtry is steadily practising cycling. She wears a long skirt oosiumo. —“ Lorgnette ”in N.Z. Mail.