THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4313, 23 March 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

FITZGERALD BROS.’ NEW CIRCUS INTERESTING CHAT WITH THEIR RIGHT-hjui D MAN. Mr Frank Jones, Fitzgerald Bros.’ advance agent, is in Wellington this week, making'friends ail round and paving the way for the greatest combination of novelties and talent it has ever been the privilege and good fortune of the famous Bro tilers to present to their patrons. In reply to the “Mail” representative Mr Jones was good) enough to relate something of the early history of his employers. “It is,” he said, “some eleven or twelve years ago since tho Fitzgeralds organised their first circus combination. In those days they travelled from town to town in waggons, camping , out at night, and having their meals cooked by a man who accompanied them for that purpose. In short, the whole combination was like a moving community. But things have altered greatly since’then, for the show grew by leaps and bounds, and for the past four years they have travelled by special trains and boats. . “Our special trains,” continued Mr Jones, “comprise 32 trucks for our animals, one sleeping car for the performers, and a largo second-class and brake van for the workmen. Altogether there are 112 men and 12 cages of animals, besides those used for the elephants and horses.” Anxious to make the most of a favourable opportunity to get, a peep behind the curtain, our representative pressed Mr Jones to give him some account of how they managed to train the horses which they bought in the raw state in Australia.

“When we first get a horse,” said Mr Jones, nothing loth to gratify our representative’s curiosity, “we fasten on to him. a long , rope, ana so that he will not go in among the audience the first thing we teach him is to ‘come up,’ tih© same' as a horse-breaker does in a stockyard.; Then we teach him the,tricks which we require him to do. It is only a matter of time when he will get to know them all. No cruelty whatever is practised. All w© do is to give them a bunch of carrots or something of the sort when they do well, and they soon get to know this, andi do their best in consequence for their reward 1 , which they always look forward to." “Riding-horses are always ai risky speculation. Sometimes it tabes us a year to train them, and then they turn out of. no use,; as; they will not: allow the rider to stand on their backs, as it •makes them tender,. , Seeing Mr Jones was in so communicative a mood he was, with, the exertion of a little tact, induced to make further, revelations on the subject of.circus life. “So far as the children are concern-: ed,” ho continued, “we get; them as young as possible, when about five years of age, and they are placed under instructors. For every branch—riding, acrobats, tumbling, dancing, etc—each chid, no matter what line he may be in training for, is taught dancing, in order to secure gracefulness. • “We have a.tutor who. looks after their scholastic education, every afternoon. In cities where a lengthy season is inprogress, they all attend school, and are never allowed to neglect their church duties on Sunday. “Rehearsals commence at 6 o’clock in the morning, and continue until noon every day, except when we have matinee performances.” It was, Ixdwever, on the subject of the dazzling string of novelties Mr Tom F. Fitzgerald had secured for the Brothers’ show, during his recent visit to Europe, where he haunted the famous Renz circuses, the French Cirque d’Hiver.’ and many others, picking up one great artiste here and another there as his fancy and long experience dictated, that Mr Jones really lot loose the flood gates of his eloquence. Launched on the subject of the recent engagements Mr Jones indeed became expansive. ■ The first of the new comers is the Jaudachevsky fainily, who dance in Spanish costume a national dance illustrative or a bull fight. The Spanish dances are full of grade, and their Beauty is peculiar to them. There is ' in them nothing of the sensuous motion of the east, nor the vigorous hilarity of the north. They are largely pantomimic, and the most suggestive of them merely indicate coquetry. Then he pointed out a famous name on the bill re-engaged by the Brothers. Mademoiselle Adelina Antonio, a French girl from the London Aquarium, who gives her directions in a charming Parisian lisp, ascends to the fipof of the tent and on a trapeze there performs a variety of daring evolutions, after which she drops to the net, turning a, triple somersault on her way down. She then re-ascends to a fixed bar, from which she daringly drops backward, turning a double somersault in her descent.

; .Rhodesia, the lady juggler, introduces a number of feats quit© new to a circus, Mr Jones averred, and worthy of a place on any stage.' Dressed as a dude, in fawn overcoat, belltopper, with umbrella, gloves, etc v she ■ performs • a number of balancing and juggling tricks with all Irindls of unipromisiug materials. Afterwards divesting herself of her overcoat, she is seen to be attired; in pale blue satin tights, and continues a programme full of elegant and dexterous items. She toys with tennis rackets, ikmquets, plates, billiard balls, cups, and all sorts of things as to the manner born, and the grace and finish with which her feats are executed are beyond all praise. Two French clowns, Guillaume and August, introduce a comic bull fight interlude. , • This is an excruciatingly funny piece of business- The dog “Black,” which enacts the bull, being a perfect demon in his own particular line and a vast favourite with the audience.

The three Dunbars have a wonderful %nd sensational trapeze act. One of them swings in the roof at the middle of the tent, and on long swings from either end the two others, who are a lady and a gentleman, glide alternately in graceful flights to the centre and are caught by the third, afterwards leaving go, and catching their own swing on its return oscillation and regaining their lofty perch. Words almost fail to describe the grace and daring of these feats, and these artists’ turn alone is worth more than the price of admission. In a wire cage,enclosed arena a trained tisror rides a horse, and performs several other acts- The tractabihtv of both animals is surprising; and reflects great credit on their trainer, -Herr Zapf.

The groat high jumping act by the horses Nowhaven, whose record is o.c 6in, Stockman and Uadet, is described as being a wonderful sight. Wo have in the above indicated only tfio startling novelties of the programme. There are the usual clover feats of horsemanship and acrobatics. In addition there is the menagerie of trained and untrained animals, and these look exceptionally well cared for. Everything about the circus is good. The seating is comfortable, tho lighting excellent, the attendance satisfactory, and the music first class. Hence everything conduces to the fullest enjoyment of its patrons, and proves that the enterprising proprietors are determined to live up to their great reputation. The show will open here on Monday night next.

NOTES' BY “LORGNETTE.”

Dix’s Gaiety Company has had an extraordinary run of good houses last week. The quality of the ‘programme accounts for it readily. George Dean and Olive Lenton are among the best doing the round of the “halls” just now. Johnny Coleman’s "Scarecrow Danoe” v.ill probably draw rounds of applause for some time to' come. It is one of the most grotesque bits of fooling seen for a long time, but as a comic singer—well the least said about Johnny’s comic singing the better perhaps. Messx-s Puller and Son, of Bijou Com. pany fame, whose reputation and influence already extendi beyond New Zealand, for they are at present making a bold bid for a slice of the big fortune awaiting .successful variety show proprietors on the other side, have elected to change tho title .of their show. Henceforward it will be known as Fuller’s Empire Vaudeville'Company. Tho success of tho Wellington management of Puller and Co.’s is due to their enviable faculty for guaging the tastes of a certain section of the community. It may not he .the highest taste, but it is healthy, and revels in sound and riot. Otis 'actions. ’ And . how tho_ people do laugh at the Choral Hall—it does one good to hear them !

Erodl Bluett and Geo. Williamson are very popular there. Miss Maud .Fanning is another favourite, and: that young Wellington artiste, Xloralie Barlow, with good coaching ought to make a name for herself in the halls some day. The success music halls are meeting with in the colonies is, it is stated, attracting the attention of some of the better class of talent at Home in our direction. Even third-rate artists looked askaneb 'at offers of engagements colbmal'.'inanagers not many years ago. "Wa have changed all that, and a .trip to the Antipodes is even becoming sought after by really, good people nowadays. !■; - It is too eairlyvfft ithe-day to contemplate the .formation of anything like a church and stage guild here, But the work done in England by the institution bearing that title in" elevating the tone of the amusements of the people nee dnot be lost sight of. The presence of clergy in our houses of entertainment oould not fail to act as a powerful factor in the process, one notices in progress everywhere, ’of eliminating the vulgar element in the amusement provided. It is no fc all roses and raptures with even the most successful in the profession, and the lives of those struggling for a foothold on £he lower rungs of the theatrical ladder are-, full of, sorrows.

Those curst,'or blessed, with the artistic temperament alone, know, perhaps, how bitter these may be. There is a strong bond of sympathy between the pressman and tho player. It goes against the grain to condemn even a hopelessly weak and foolish performance. The public, however, is inexorable, as I bad reason to note recently in this very city, when it passed judgment on a show with an icy reserve which ought to have chilled the marrow m the very bones of the management. Not that some of the performers did not show glimpses occasionally of real talent, font a.l they could do served nothing to relieve the depressing atmosphere in which they laboured so hard'to entertain their patrons. » Mr George Edwardesi hsis been la-, menting over the dearth of artistes, of the type of Mr Hayden Coffin and Miss Ellalind Terriss. He cannot find them, ivxany men, he says, with good l voices, the quite unsuited to tho stage, and then he quotes a story that Carl Sosa used to tell. He* (Carl Rosa) took bis opera company to Belfast, and in crossing the water his tenor caught suoli a severe cold that he could not sing. The “Bohemian Girl” was given on the Mon-, day, and . the under-study, a throaty tenor, simply murdered “When Other Lips.” In the midst of, the song a beautiful voice in the gallery took up the refrain, and the audience were delighted, At the close of the act Carl Rosa excitedly rushed before the car, tain, and called out that if the singer would come down he. could' have £ooo a year. The young man with the divine tenor voice responded with alacrity, but proved to be a terribly misshapen dwarf! Carl Rosa paid him the £SOO, but never made use of the voice. Reviewing the season at Dunedin the “Witness” says of Fitzgerald Bros. Circus—“ The success of the show in this. City was phenomenal, in spite of counter attractions and bad weather. The secret of it was the merit of the whole performance. From the time one passed the menagerie into; the ring nntil (he band played r ‘God save,” there was not a dull moment in the entertainment.

Fitzgerald Bros, have a reputation for r bringing the best shows that money can buy to this land. The present combina- \ tion is absolutely the best of the many ; good shows they have brought through. Mdllo. Adelina Antonio, the daring trapeze artist; Mdlle. Rhodesia, the lady Cinquevalli -and the Dunbar trio are alone worth doing a pilgrimage with peas ' in one’s boots to see. This writer 'wishes those two enterprising and popular brothers, Tom and Dan Fitzgerald, all the success that the ! Big Show merits.” The Musgrove Comic Opera Company are booked for New Zealand on the conclusion of their Australian tour. ■Mr. Montgomery, of the Bioscope and | Concert Co., who has just returned from ; a visit to London and Paris, has secured j. some fine sets of animated pictures of | the Royal navy, army life, the pantomime | "Cinderella,” and the Queen’s funeral. ' These will be exhibited during the Wei- i linerton season, which begins on the Ist ' April.

Pollard’s Opera Company open their New Zealand tour at the Priuoess Theatre, Duoedln, on August 1 with the reigning success “Ploradora,” to bo followed by “The Casino Girl.” Sir Pol-*' lard has also secured the New Zealand rights for “San Toy,” “The Greek Slave," and “The Runaway Girl;” Several new faces will make their appearance in the P. O. ranks. They will be truly welcome. “Sapho,” the play that so shocked a section of New York society, and that ■ was refused a license in London, is coming to Sydney to try a “shock.” The propriety of a play, by the way, lie* rather in its treatment than in its subject; otherwise “Camille” would never have been tolerated.—“ Bulletin.”