THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4289, 23 February 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

(BY "LORGNETTE.”)

Nothing attracts mankind more than an exhibition of skill and daring. The Patterson Bros., at present performing at the Theatre Royal, possess both these qualities to a marked degree. Short-limbed and of perfect proportions, they strike tho spectator as being built of steel wire and whip-cord. The brilliant show is unerringly carried on in silence, vivified hy striking pantomime as occasion arises in the interludes ot humour, until the moment arrives for the apparently older of the twain to make an announcement, which he does with the quaintest accent and prononneiation imaginable. Whence this beaming, fresh-faced gymnast springs from it would puzzle a greater traveller than “Lorgnette” to pronounce. It looks as if tho lino exhibition of triple .Horizontal bar work at Wirth’s Circus, which visited this city recently, had served to whet the public appetite lor more of its kind. The applause after each feat at the Royal is thunderous. Patterson Bros, are certainly very fine exponents o’f a' branch of gymnastics which nest to the _ flying trapeze, lends itself most readily _to graceful and daring display's of physical activity-.

Nerve, muscular energy- and constant practice alone lit men for suoh exhibitions. There is nothing sensational in t!ie act. The long, patient training and self-denial necessary.to attain such physical perfection as the brothers possess is so seldom witnessed in these days of sensational dives that such a genuine performance las theirs is well worthy of every support. I would cunsel everyone to see them.

Fitzgerald’s Bros.’ Circus left Hobart oy special steamer yesterday', and will arrive at tbe Bluff on the 26th- The New Zealand tour will open on the same evening at the Bluff. Dunedin will be visited on the 3rd proximo, and. after filling that engagement tbe company will work its way north.

I understand the Orchestral Society has determined to produce Mr Mnnghan Barnett’s “Jubilee Ode,” composed ‘for the Canterbury Exhibition and Jubilee celebrations, at their next concert about March. As there is no vocal society in Wellington capable of giving the performance the Orchestra] Society has committed itself to a new departure in undertaking this prod notion. It was only in response to many urgent requests that the Orchestral Society was induced to do so. The production of the ode will involve the training of a special chorus. Applications are invited from ladies and gentlemen willing to oiu the chorus, which is now being-formed. The Wellington Liedertafcl choir practices were to be resumed last night at. the Oddfellows’ Hall. Mr C. It. Stanford’s actors will dose a prosperous season at the Opera. House to-night. Reviewing the novelties produced 1 by this experienced and clover company I feel inclined to assign ihe palm for all-round merit to “The Power and the Glory,” though “When London Sleeps” enjoyed a surprising run of popular falvour. The last piece but one produced, “£IOOO Reward,” showed signs of unpreparedness, and was certainly not up to the standard set at the beginning) of the season. In such a level company of players it would he unfair to single out any one or two for special mention. It may be said, however, that Messrs Stanford, Hawthorne, Chalmers, Oath cart, O’Neil and Westraacott 'among the men, and the Misses Gresham, Conroy, WattsPhillips, Towers, Hellmrich and Holloway, of the ladies, all became deservedly popular with the large audiences that went night after night to witness their impersonations. The scenery and dresses were always admirable, and Mr Frank Eugarde was especially happy in his musical selections. Miss Kate Connell, of whom I had occasion to speak in my notes last week, has now formed a company with which she intends touring the colony prior to her departure for Europe to finish her musical education. Exceptionally gifted, Miss Connell has received a splendid training at the hands of Sister Mary Agnes, of the Wellington Convent school. She won, it will bo remembered, the gold medal of the Royal Academy of Music (for Australasia), having gained the highest number of points of any candidate. Others have, of course, won the gold medal, but Miss Connell holds it for the highest known record of points. Miss Connell will appear at Warn paiiui on Friday, March Ist, when she will be supported by the following artists:—Miss Lorraine Tansley (mezzo), Mr Roland Boot- (basso), Mr Buckeridge (baritone), and Miss Winnie Connell (violinist?). Apart from Messrs Frank Clark and Arthur Hahn, the Misses Mollic Bentley, Olive Lenton, Ida Clarkson and some others, the “Muldoon Picknickers” at the Royal do not improve on acquaintance. Messrs Hampton and Steel’s odntributions cannot be commended from an artiMio point of view. Refinement is creeping into every phase of public entertainment and exercising its gracious influence in' elevating the public taste. The people must have song and music, the beautiful in form and colour to satisfy their aesthetic cravings. It is a pleasure to gaze on a mimic scene of enjoyment where life presents itself in its brightest colours, and doubtless the spectacle has a beneficial effect on the onlookers. There are episodes in Muldoon’s picnic conceived in a vein of broadest humour, and the audience applaud the action with the heartiest lauohter, but the business of some of the characters represented is worse than a travesty on nature it is a slander. The offenders against good taste have doubtless their own special talents, but in this case they are clearly exercising them in the wrong direction.

After listening with patience to a London actor the other day (He has gone now or I. would not tell the tale) lie suddenly pulled up short and looked at me hard. He certainly had been harping most volubly on the eternal “H and his past triumphs, and perhaps I had allowed a movement of the impatience I felt to escape me. He paused a moment, pursing his lips, and, then, with grave impressiveness, quoted a passage from Henry V. sligHty altered to suit the occasion—

“Forgive me. God ; That Ido brag thus! Your colonial air Hath blown that vice in me. I must repent. 1 '

Of the charity of th e profession much micrht bo written. Here are a fev- examples:—Mrs Kendal s Christmas re. citai attracted a largo audience o - ,1 allies's Hall. A pretty sight was tne platform filled with children fiom the Foundling, boy messengers, and o.mr youngsters invited by Mrs Kendal. On "the same evening she gave an entertainment in aid of the poor of the pansa of St. Luke’s Church, Camberwell, at the Peckliam Tabernacle. Siio had an enthusiastic reception. Mr William Lostocq. the well-known London actor, calls the attention ot the editor of "The Stage” to a somi-cminty that lie thinks should be more widsli known and supported.—The ‘ Homes lor Motherless Children.” Mr Lestocq aajs of the institution :-;T know al about it, and have interested myself a utile in it for some years. Tnere is not, I thhik, anything that can oommamimoie sympathy from us all than the weliaro of little children left without niotom. who are looked after f whilst poor father earns his living. In the same paper I notice an account of an act of charity on the part of some French actresses, for there I hnd it stated that Madame Repine and Malle, du Minil, had promised their assistance at a concert being organised at heniuf on behalf of the Anglo-American Orpnan-

"‘The recent re-election of Mr Allred Hill to the oonductorship of the bydney Licdertafel suggests to my mind that it, would bo a graceful and appropriate idea to revive his cantata ‘Time* oa during the approaching Rojal visit. Xt is a long time since it was penormed here, and nothing more characteristic of Now Zealand, in the way, of mnsio. could be offered for the delectation of our Royal guests when they visit Wellington.

Mr James 0. Bain, the comic singer (who has been such a draw m the HixT combination in New Zealand for a long time past) having terminated his encasement, has formed a company of his own, and is now, a correspondent writes, playing to packed houses in the Auckliind country towns. Ho has secured one of the latest marvels of Edison s wonderful brain, the very latest improvement in phonographs. Records of the human, voice are taken nightly on the stage And* l reproduced, every inflection and tone or the voice being given with marvellous aoCU Mi' i Phil. Newbury, the tenor signor, proposes to revisit Now Zealand shortly. - Many would be glad if the Choral Society would take advantage of his visit to engage him for a concert. “The Great Ruby," Bland Holt s latest production, has a number of good acting parts for people built to fit them, says the “Bulletin.” The people at the Loyal don’t fit them as a rule, and oho improvement in the performance since the first night is not very startling. Miss Robs, as the lady president of the L«ng, can’t be congratulated on making a hit, but she must beware of » tandenov to lapse into her old, slow method. Baker's brown Prince .is’»‘commendable change in all respects from the heroic _ white Baker of other dramas, Styan gives a hh'fdit character sketch, Miss Florence Seymour is satisfactory, Corlesse plays a robust burglar of the ancient Briton, type with Oorlesseian vigour, and Albert Norman is making an earnest endeavour to conquer his troublesome grin. When that is subjugated he will be able ta taka severe measures with his right hand, which has a trick of waving like the paw of a candidate at an election meetmo-. Meanwhile Norman is getting along nicely. None of the other p«pw are quite at home in this drama. Miss Harne Ireland and little Miss Athena Claudius should certainly exchange places. Each of them would be better than the other in the other one’s shoes. Ihe incidental lords and captains and society girls want a little more maun ah all round. Ohas- Brown is not a bit like a qmet, wealthy jeweller who thinks the aristocracy was made to receive love, honour and long credit from shopkeepers, neither does Mrs Holt fill the bill as the fussy, dressv expansive spouse of the man. whom Brown isn’t. ’Mrs. Holt gets many laughs, but she .never identifies herself with the character, which complaint applies to Bland Holt’s detective in a less degree. Bland merely manages to repress himself with difficulty in a part that would be a soft thing, and effective withal, for a comedian like Brough, for instance. Not so many years ago, says the “Bulletin,” a certain, young songstress was lauded to the skies by the Australian press as a coming pnma donna.' 1 er-i-ps she was never quite so promising as her admirers thought her, but anyhow her future looked bright enough. A Mew nights hack that same vocahst haa a painful experience in one of the cities where she was formerly a favourite. After singing one verse of a ballad in a weak tuneless .voice whilst the gallery hoys “guyed” her, she got a mysterious managerial order to come off, tnid the poor woman slowly retired from the stage in a dazed condition. It IS an awM thing for one who has known the rapture of glowing newspaper notices, and floral tributes from johnnies, to get ordered, and very properly ordered, to come off. Madame Cole started singing as a soprano originally, but, though her voice still maintains its extraordinary compass upwards, the contralto quality soon marked her out as a star m that PV Arthur Styan, of the Bland Holt co., is a master in the art of making up. the ‘‘Ruby” he converts himself into a fine Dickensian figure that is Aseh a masrerniece. Everybody remembers hm wonderfully good transformation into a grotesque hunchback in Woman <*nd Nance O’Neil opens at Melbourne Her Maiestris at Easter. ~ Miss Jennie Upie, who used to sing, tne interpolated song, “Because I love you, with such gusto in “The ueisha, under Pollard’s management here, is at present appearing in Bland Holts production, “The Great Ruby.” She is said to cut a great figure in the part of a big, manly, striding middy. „ Nance O’Neil, whom Melbourne people (women chiefly) raved about a tittle time ago, hut who did not altogether thrill the “Bulletin,” receives very unkind treatment from Stafford Ransome, who was “doing” Australia for the Lon- , don “Sphere” and “Daily Express, at the time. He writes in the former paper that the bulky lady has “a rudimentary knowledge of acting,” and that when, she gets to London —if she ever does—“both she and her audiences will be disappointed by the results.’ Among those who leave Sydney for New Zealand shortly under engagement to Mr P. R. Dix are Dainty Irene Franklin, Miss Daisy Harconrt, Mr Harry Gray, Professor Almond, and several other big favourites.