THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4259, 19 January 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

(BY " LORGNETTE.")

V,'h'lh Brothers' Circus, after many years' absence, will be with us again next week. Since tho proprietors last visited New Zealand they have taken their circus through Great Britain, South Africa, India, the Far East and Australia. As showing how successfully they catered for English popular taste, the circus was stationed at Southport, Lancashire, for nearly eleven month l -; continuously, tho performances being given in a specially erected building. The company is saul to include a number of very clever performers, who give an entertainment of a singularly varied and always attractive character. Since last here the firm has lost two of its members, one of tho vy'irth Brothers dying in South Africa, the other in Chyia. A menagerie accompanies th© circus, and a feature of the show is the exhibition of curious feats given by various welltrained animals. It is now so long since a circus visited Wellington that a most successful season is assured. Mr Middleton, for many years business manager for tho McMahons, and who managed the Cuttica Concert-Company's tour ol this colony, is Messrs Wirths' managing agent; Mr H. Lyons is general agentMr Arnold's programmes during the week have included "The Professor's Lore Story," a truly delightful play; "Captain Fritz," which on Wednesday and Thursday greatly pleased tho audiences ; and "What Happened to Jones," produced last night , for one night. To-night (Saturday) Mi- Arnold stages what is sqid to be an intensely amusing farcical comedy, "On and Off." This will be repeated on Monday and Tuesday, when the season concludes. .. "The Babes in the Wood", continued to

attract good houses until the panto, was taken off on Thursday. Last night and to-night tho bill of faro will be varieties provided by the members of the panto, company, and on Monday Wr Dix promises us an entirely now company at the Royal.

At Fuller’s Choral Hall the company will bo changed on Monday next.

The Federal Theatre re-opens tonight with a Kmomatograph and Variety Company. Playgoers are reminded of the capital programme arranged for the Martvn Hagan and Lucy Fraser matinee at the Opera House to-day. There should be a big house. Miss Nance O’Neill’s repertoire for her first season in Wellington includes “Magda,” “Elizabeth, Queen of England,'' .“Fedora,” “La Tosca ” “Hedda (fabler,” “School for Scandal,- “Camille” and “Peg Woffington.'' If will-be seen that the. repertoire’ includes plays by Sudermann, Sardou, Dumas, fils, Charles Keane and Henrik Ibsen. Nance O’Neil is to' commence her Wellington season (opening night the 23rd) with Sudormann’s now famous play, “Magda.” It was in this play that the American actress won such unstinted praise both from the Sydney and Melbourne press. The “Melbourne Argus” remarked in the course of a column criticism : —“Ileal flesh; a soul born active, windbeaten, but ascending.” That is the woman pictured by George Meredith when he bids us imagine the celestial refreshment of having a pure decency in the place of sham. It would serve as the cry of self-defence for that passionate, storm-tossed soul depicted by Miss Nance O’Neil when she undertook to quicken into life the heroine of Sudormann’s great play, “Magda.” She succeeded. With a striking stage presence, and a voice capable of fine modulations, from the. ringing 'note of passion to the cadences of tenderness and grief, Miss O’Neil had some admirable physical equipment for the delineation of this remarkable character, while her intellectual grasp of it is undoubted. The hushed interest with which a crowded audience watched Miss O’Neil's unfolding of the character attested her skill in making its varying phases readable, until it stood out clear-cut in its warped nobility. » The leading paper in Adelaide,- the “South Australian Register,” was equally appreciative. Hero is an extract specially dealing with Miss O’Neil’s most valuable possession, her fine voice: —“A splendid reputation had preceded the star, bub expectations were real ised, and with a great actress, a great play and a great house it is not hard to understand that the theatre was the scene of a dramatic triumph. After all, it is the orator or the advocate, the preacher, or the artist that feels who impresses the people, and Nance O’Neil, warmed by the lire of genius burning within her, was absolutely “Magda” during the three hours’ traffic of the stage. Miss O’Neil has a striking stage presence, and she possesses a voice which is a God gift. It is capable of expressing anything—love, hate, joy, sorrow, defiance, submission, tenderness, rage, scorn, and passion, indeed the gamut of the emotions. It is a full, round, vibrant, ringing voice, soft and velvety in tenderness, full. of tears in anguish, clamant in intensity, cutting and scornful in satire, and lashing in rage and passion. This young American tragedienne is a great actress, for whom a brilliant career is assured.

No alteration in Sydney Xmas shows. It is reported that the many open-air festivities and the terrific heat have tended to keep down the expected rush to the theatres, but now the Commonwealth functions are over theatrical managers ought to he smiling once more. Williamson’s panto is voted a dull affair, as a literary production, not funny enough. Quealy’s dancing is well liked, and Percy has scored. Maud Beatty’s fine stage appearance is much admired, bub the critics all condemn her faulty enunciation. This was always a bad fault with the Pollards. Madame Edmunda (Dante’s widow) is conjuring before good audiences at Brisbane Opera House. , Bland Holt’s latest production at Melbourne Royal, “With Flying Colours,” is a naval melodrama, in which, by the way. Julius Knight made his appearance in London. Mr Williamson’s os-dramatic star has had bad luck since He went to London. He has been “resting” for some time now, and talks of returning to Australia. , ffi Miss Ada Crossley gets £4O per performance nowadays. She is engaged for everv night almost right up to the cud of 1003, '

Orlando Daly, once with Williamson’s Dramatic Company, and recently play, ing seconds to Walter Bentley, has re. reived a commission (ho writes to his wife in Sydney) a.s a senior lieutenant on Ihe body guard of Lord Kitchener. He once held a commission in the Queensland Def ence Force under General Owen.

The Musgrove Grand Opera Company is very busy rehearsing “Tannhauser” and “Maritana” at the Sydney Royal. G. G. Titheradge recently played “Macaire” (Robert Louis Stevenson’s version of the old play) for the Stage Society on a Sunday night and Monday afternoon. It was a semi-private affair, as the audience was restricted to members of the club, but he got eight calls, and there was a great demonstration. Next morning there was a letter in “The Morning Post” asking why the public wore not permitted to enjoy such magnificent acting as Mr Titheradge’s, and exhorting the Stage society to repeat tho performance in public, “one of the finest and most artistic ever given in Loudon.”

William Anderson (Charles Holloway’s co-partner), who has taken a lengthy le.ase of Sydney Lyceum, intends, it is said, to make it his headquarters. He is organising a company for Tasmania and New Zealand. Sheridan, on the conclusion of his Lyceum season, will also tour New Zealand and Westralia. Minnie Brandon, leading lady briefly on, tour with the Walter Bentley .Dramatic Co., is about to marry, it is said, a wealthy French gentleman. They tour America and Europe for the honeymoon, and then settle down in Paris, where Miss Brandon intends to study singing.

W. F. Hawtrey, who is doing well with his London comedy company at Sydney Palace, is son to the Rev. John W. Hawtrey,, of Aldine House, Slough (Eng.), and went on the stage early in ’Bl. Six or seven months later his brother, Charles, also joined the profession. Although “A Message from Mars” bears the name only of Richard Ganthony—an American author —it has been remodelled by Author George Hawtrey. .

Joseph Napoleon Raynqr, who died in a Sydney benevolent asylum the other day, was one of the last of that city’s early stock actors. He had played lead or seconds to every star, man or woman, who arrived in the old days. Had supported G. V. Brooke, Walter Montgom. cry.Ohas. Kta.n, Chas. Dillon, Lord and Lady Don, Mr and Mrs Stark, and many others. He soon followed Charles Bur. ford' and Lachlan McGowan to the grave, and now only James Haske r is left lamenting, a pathetic figure, among memories of what has been.

Musgrove’s panto, “Cinderella,” at Melbourne Princess is said to-bo the roost gorgeous affair of its kind ever seen in Australia, but the comic business is “slow,” and is to bo freshened up. The two sensations of the show a,re the dancing of the Dartos, a Viennese couple who get a* cool £l2O a week arid; the superb costumes worn by Nellie‘Stewart.’ These latter deserve a par to themselves. : Miss Nellie Stewart, as Prince Charming in the pantomime of “Cinderella,”; wears/ says Melbourne “Punch,” five different costumes notable alike for their originality and distinctive beauty, and in all of these her predeliction for turquoise jewellery is manifest, the only exception being hei’i first dress, which is black, decorated with glittering lions rampant in diamonds and rubies; one large design is in front, another on the leg and one in front of th e crown, which is of the same stones. A long white' mantle, with a lion embroidered in red, is worn. Thq shapely form, not a curve of which is hidden, is prettily accentuated with a double girdle of the same glittering stones. The' third dress has a black silk scarf fastened on each hip with a diamond buckle, and is all white; diamond buttons glittering on the coat and on tbo chiffon vest, and also on the Rubens hat of white felt, with a long whit c plume. Turquoises appear on all her other costumes. The second dress is in autumn brown. The jaunty coat turned back with white has a wide girdle and dagger of turquoise, and the small white hunting cap an aigrette ornament of turquoise. The dress worn, in the ballroom scene with the beautiful black satin cloak, gorgeously embroidered with Indian pheasants, has a girdle of these stones in medallion design. A chain pin crosses the silver vest, and the dainty black satin coat has large turquoise but-; tons at the- back. Only one hand is gloved; on the other every finger hears a ring of quaint design, most of them in a brilliant setting of diamonds. Quite a feautre of this costume is the black satin hat, cleft in front, and embellished with rich silver embroidery and silky black plumes. The scintillating carbon coat of mail worn in the last act is over pale pink tights;, the gauntlets of the white gloves and the’ Trovator© helmet are decorated with fleurs tie lys in turquoise. Mr Frank Lawton’s latest solo at the London Empire is a swinging waltz. It was discovered (according to a writer in “M.A.P.”) by Mr Tennant, on whose approbation the novelties of the programme depend. The orchestra “ran through” the waltz at a morning rehearsal while Mr Lawton listened —for, oddly enough, he can’t read a note of music —till he knew the air by heart. But at night, just before his turn, he ha* no recollection at all °f the waltz. He tried to hum it, and failed. However, the cue came; lie orchestra started, and the tune of the waltz came back, bar by bar, as he faced the audience. Miss Maggie Moore, who has heen in the United States for some few months past, returned to Sydney by the ILM.S. Mariposa the other day. Mr H. R. Roberts, who was Miss Moore’s leading man. has, according to the American press, don© some very fine work in the great Republic. Dan Leno, who. Mr Charles Holloway states, was the finest “pick-me-up” he had iii England, is a much-quoted man.’ He was recently interviewed in London on a borough council election, and spoke as follows:—-“There's heen an election I know,” said Daniel, “because I’ve had any amount of election addresses sent to me. One party called themselves ‘your old and tried representatives.’ They didn’t say whether they’d been tried at the sessions or the assizes, But they told me everything had gone, on all right lor years, and they’d see that it went on in the future as it had done in the past. So T made up my mind to vote for them. Then I got the other party’s address, and they told me that things had been going wrong for generations and (they were the only people

who knew how to alter thenS, and so I 'made up my mind to vote for them. Then I discovered that I hadn’t a vote, as I had only recently moved. But, you know, I have some serious opinions on the question of local government. I never saw a muddier district than this in all my life. .Why is it? Because it rains. Well, when a candidate for the council can guarantee that it won’t rain when I want to go out, and discovers a method of'making mud clear itself away immediately, I’ll vote for him if I have to hire a special train to get to the polling booth.” As to being a borough councillor himself, Dan Leno said: “I’m too kind-hearted for a borough councillor. I should want to make the rates nothing in the pound, or less, and then give the ratepayers their money back if they didn’t like the performance.” The little man also considers that he is personalb’ ill-adapted for a mayor. “I always think it wants a man with whiskers to fill a position of authority, whiskers go a long way to give a man importance. Besides, I couldn’t do justice to the decorations. Herbert Campbell would make an ideal mayor. Herbert has a chest for a mayoral chain —I haven’t.” As an instance of the demands made on £he time of a popular singer w r e may cite the following (says the “British Australasian” of November 15); —Thp week before last Miss Ada Orossley, the Australian contralto, had. two vacant dates, and returned from the North of England for a brief, rest on the Wednesday and Thursday. r For these two days Miss Ciara Butt had arranged concerts at Derby and Nottingham, hut being too ill to appear asked Miss Crossley to appear in her plate, which she did at a moment’s notice, being hardly out of one train when she was in another. On Friday morning the Australian girl returned from Nottingham to sing the same afternoon with Mme. Albans at St. James’s Hall. On the next afternoon (Saturday) she sang at the Queen’s Hall Ballad Concert which began at 3 -and by 4 o’clock was in the tram for' Manchester, where she appeared with Lady Halle, Mme, Brema, and other stars that evening, the actual time of her entrance to the plat, form at Manchester.—nearly 200 miles distant from the scene of her first con-cert-being half-past eight. In order to do this. Miss Orossley had to change her afternoon concert dress in a reserved compartment of the train, so as to be ready in evening toilette on arrvial at Manchester. At the close of the concert there she drove to her hotel, changed into a travelling frock, boarded the midnight train, arrived at. Euston at 6 in the, morning, andwasbusy in London rehearsing; by 10 o’clock on Sunday. Five concerts in four days, and close on 900 miles ■ of railway travelling. The manager for Mme. Anna Held, whose comedy company''is now touring the States, the other day ■from Indianapolis ’'Offering Mr Bryan £4OOO a yeah to, join hfer company. The offer is purely ah advertising “fake,” for, apart from all other considerations,. Mr Bryan, by his practice as a lawyer and by his lefitures, is making an income of some : £12,000 per- anhuah. Some six years, ago, however, when he was almost an unknown man, and rather a poor one. Mr Bryan came very near to signing such a contract with Anna, and it is on the basis of these old negotiations that she approaches him now, believing,' her man. ager says, that he “may need some consolation in his defeat after his brave fight for the Presidency. One of Sir Henry Irving’s most notable characteristics (says “To-day”) is an extreme reticence in showing admiration for anything unconnected with the stage—and himself. So much so is this that his friends and intimates frequent, ly go out of their way to ask his opinion on the exploits and achievements of any celebrity who happens to he the lion of the hour, just to hear his laconic inappreciation. The controversy which had just arisen in Continental scientific circles as to whether Dr Nansen did cv did not perform the remarkable achievements with which he is credited by the world at large, reminds me of a story in connection with Irving at the time when Nansen was the most talked of man in London, just after his return. It was during a performance at "the Lyceum, and Nansen was the occupant of one of the boxes—the cynosure of all eyes. Miss Ellen Terry, who had noted l the presence of the famous explorer, came up to Irving between the acts, and said, in her impulsive manner, “Do come and look. Nansen is here. In that box.” “Where?” he asked, apathetically. ‘There!” she said. “Can’t you see him ? Isn’t he a wonderful man? 5 ’ After mature deliberation, Irving said, grudgingly. “H'm. He can stand the cold.” At tee new Royal, business has continued most satisfactory. The new edition of the pantomime includes some capital songs and dances,' and the company all work hard to make the show go brightly. - . , , Mr Dix s gaiety companies at Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin continue to do good business. . At Dunedin-' Princess the Stanford Dramatic Company have been playing to good houses. This company will commence a Christchurch season next week, and will be in Wellington after the Nance O’Neill season. MoAdloo’a Jubilee Singers are touring the Southland district, on their way to Dunedin. Wirth Bros.’ Circus started operations at Christchurch last Saturday, when the big tent, one of the largest ever seen in this colony, was simply packed to overflowing. Besides the usual circus attractions, the show includes a bucking elephant, a ndmg bear, a troupe of performing bears, and a pair of boxing ponies. The opening date in Wellington will be announced shortly. The .Nance O’Neil season in Auckland appears to have been responsible for some quite remarkable scenes outside the Opera House. A correspondent in the Northern city writes _ as fellows: There is a curious lesley street, Auckland, outside the Opera House every evening, between six and half-past seven. As you know, t here * is Nance O’Neil playing there. What- you probably .do not know is that w ell-dressed women go there and stand in crowds for over an hour and battle for position with all the fierce determination of football barrackers at a big match. It is a source of endless amusement to watch this well-dressed push crowding the roadway. The patience of woman is remarkable, and as she is usually of frugal mind, when paying for herself, she regards waiting for an hour and a half in the street" as a less evil than paying an extra sixpence at the

early door. Most of the crowd are well dressed, and all are gorgeous as to hats. They do not, like other crowds when waiting, indulge in violent shoving and strong language but they get there ail the same, by milder and quite as effective methods. They are sinuous, like the “serpent of old Nile,” and use an elbow or a trip as the thin edge of the wedge. Gently does, it—and, before the novice quite realises how it happened, she finds m front of her a polonaise skirt, bodice and hat that were not there an instant before. The only consolation to such novices as get left is in words that wound and aaeers that sting. References are made to the way “some people” must have been “brought up”— or dragged up. “Do you see that woman just in front ?” This in a perfectly audible voice to a friend. “I wonder where she got. such an outlandish and unbecoming hat? It doesn’t suit her a bit.” “Did you ever see such a dress, Minnie? It’s easy to see that it was made at home.” To which Minnie will reply sweetly, “Or in the Ark.” But neither satire, sniff, nor sneer avails to shift the woman who has secured a good position. Only the opening of the uoors will do that. Then there is a swaying of skirts and a general forward movement. It is now that the repose which marks the caste of Yere De Vere breaks down, and in the skirmish from the ticket box she pushes with force, and uses her tongue as well as her elbows in being in the first flight. Sometimes, but not very often, one of. the eager rushers gees down, but the press of skirts around her enables her to make a recovery before she is trampled on; -besides which there are always a couple of sturdy attendants to lend a helping hand, so that the worst that happens is a tom flounce or a ruffled hat.- But the crowding, the sheering remarks and the torn dress are soon forgotten as she scrambles into a good seat, gives a sigh of relief, wriggles her right and left hand neighbours a little further apart, and settles down comfortably to admire the acting and the dresses of Nance O’Neil in one of her favourite characters.

Messrs Owen Hall and Leslie Stuart’s successful musical comedy “Floradora” is being produced in Now York, with Mr Willie Edouin in his original part of Professor Tweedlepunch. Mr Charles Collette, who has been for nearly two years starring in “What Happened to Jones,” is drawing large houses at Cardiff, where ho is an old favourite. To keep in touch with his Welsh friends this is how he announces His production in the Principality ; —‘?Os Yclych am Wybo"3 “Beth Ddygwddodd T Jones” gofy- . nwch I Charlie Collettee yn y (Jhwareudy Bfenhiol, Caerdydd, Llun t Tachwedd 26ain, ae yn Ystod yr Yythnos! Peid. iwch Anghofio!!” At the close of a recent performancp in the Edinburgh-Lyceum, Mr Wilson 'Barrett made a speech in response to loud calls. There had been, he said, a re_ viyal lately of those spasmodic attacks upon the stage by people who aserted that no good could ever come out of the drama —that the theatre was altogether ja place to be condemned; that its very existence depended upon its panderings to the basest passions of the mind. All this unworthy twaddle; stupid as it was, had a ■ certain amount of influence on those who . did not think for themselves. Led by the nose by well-meaning but mistaken men, or men who were bigoted, or perhaps seekers after advertisement, they were taught to look on the drama as a snare of the devil’s to lead them to destruction. One did not condemn the Church for a few bad- and uncharitable sermons or mistaken dogmas, nor literature as a whole because some vile books were printed and published. There were sermons and sermons, books and hooks, plays and plays. He did not claim of desire that the theatre should be a church, that the stage should be a pulpit the drama a sermon; but he claimed that it could be all those things, and therefore from the point of view of those who attacked it, it could he a great power for good. , ' There is likely to be considerable discussion (says a London exchange) concerning “Mr and Mrs Da veil try.’ the play by Mr Frank Harris which was produced at the Royalty Theatre- It is claimed by Mr Kyrlo Bellew that he had contracted with Mr Oscar Wilde to write the piece; that Mr Harris made him— Mr Bellew—an‘offer to purchase the work, with an alternative that he (Mr Harris) would write a play Himself on the same plot, which had. it is stated, been “recounted” to Mr Harris by Mr WildeThis, writes Mr Bellew, was done, and “Mr and Mrs Daventry” is the result. We of course, adds the paper, refrajn from expressing any opinion upon the case, which is certain to give nse to lively argument. , A writer in “Pearson’s Weekly” gives some account of the American roof gardens. Says he:—“Perhaps the highest of these 'roof gardens is the one on top of the Masonic Temple Building in Chicago. it being 354 ft above the level of the sftreet. This is just a matter of 4ft higher than the cross of St. Paul s Cathedral’ which stands 350 ft above the street. The building is twenty storeys high, and is chiefly given ,up to offices. Few other American .cities can boast of roof gardens quite'.so high. In Slew York, where they range from 150 ft to 250 ft in' height, they are chiefly built upon the roofs of regular theatres; and in the other large cities, with few exceptions, it is very much the same. In Washington, the American seat of Government the Summer roof gardain is built on' top of the Power House, the chief power station of the local tram company. The roof of this building is something over 200ft,above, the street level. New York is blessed with no fewer than seven of these high open-air theatres. 1 * «

Madame Fillis, who is travelling with Fillis’s Circus in South Africa, recently met with a serious accident at Blackpool, Natal. Her hors© fell in the ring and threw her, seriously hurting her SP A e '“Sungry Hamlet,” who had been compulsorily “resting for a rather longer period than suited his pocket, bethought himself the other 'day of applying to his last manager for a letter of recommendation to a well-known lessee. In reply, lie received the following letter. with instructions to present it when calling at the theatre:—“Dear Jones. — This will introduce to you Mr Barnstormer. late of my company. He is a thoroughly capable all-round actor. He plays Sir Peter Teazle, Hamlet, and billiards—billiards best. -Yours faithfully, J, Macredy Tomkins.”