THEATRICAL GOSSIP

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5229, 19 March 1904, Page 11

THEATRICAL GOSSIP

(D Y ■'LORGNETTE.") ~\w Zealand Mail.’ ) r^th. Ii ,jOKJ- N ’ (;s----OPEFA g t 0 , Pr.un atll ' L ' fcJjfSSw** «“*»* ... rntertaiae 1 -- £ ‘ a EXCHANGE HALL. . r«ietr CompanyBirth’s oieclc . ,„,; OiV »f °P era ‘ ' SOWS ]iVjLOH GN iOTIE-” , u „..tinns in t.ho Theatre T a ! l re‘ Aortiv 10 lie comjM * h ’- h p‘ i; Bi.x has decided to ■t&el * ,r „„ ,it the Exchange Ma.l m-i.miiml members of. h ••"a.'-- I jf , t[ . .Mr Toil Galloway, rf.cowrfi-- %L.„ ami Carlton and : J» ''“‘C*.-rl’om Vii: contribute new -A- 1 Ui nil's ma-dendec-e “d lie Im:i U' , i.(ia 1 | ]y the Cliarles rv'i'itio Cum iiiuiy on Thurs-Kml-aai. ■ , j,ached house. The to cud was jcrlui.i.*' 1 | lll( .-itorious one. _MI Character of .<*» * ~, cxt-lleiit impersonation ol ’top;* Vl:,-i:trice Holloway played pi also did Miss Ida ,ri !" '■> -V’hri ff.-diett. The oilier Ir 7 in thV were all abl,y tilled. 2f. i, , W erllfid.ly Matted. r! r‘ Uaies'v's Theatre was ro-opened J :.;- ,yoaimc when the seating ”Sion o. this cosy little hou-e 1U SvnreupiM. The company which JJ i.Fuller have appearing contain ' tl " i i,(.'iitle in- well ns several old Mr Fred Bluett " in ansi calhusia-lie reooption on rK ;T Mr nick Davis created "l,'* ,n c uiMircssiou. and ought to -kt favourite. Miss Ida. Ber--rP the llertotocs received hearty ‘‘r,,,. their respective contributions. \lv«M \V Melrose, Tom Robins, .1. I san -uni' He' Driscoll Brothers gave rvntab'h' turns. The program me is a !pr/, •<'(),low, and aught to fill the theatre ; 'Vy. l W,.i|i‘ iit;‘on season of Wir Ill’s ’’jrnn mi-1 Mwingerio is a great financial ' (iiito-s The seating accommodation of i tent has he in taxed-to its utmost , I r,- aerfornianee. Tho program mo talinillwl hy tiln Messrs Wirlii is a mlilv excel lent cue. and every act reits quoin- «f appreoiatio-u from the ii’ilicnw. The season closca on Saturday ! i>l-Ito last mail came to hand the news lhai Miss Alice Crawford, the young Ails!ruiinn, who wont to Bngland with the iVilsui iiai'rett Company, was lying vory JiBS-siiidy ill'from a complication of rydoid (ever anil lung trouble. So bad was Sirs. Crawford's condition that two. doci;if, ami two mures wore in constant ntiraJawo on her. Mr. George Stephenson's American Comedy Company did big business at Nciwadlo, Now South Wales. Mr. J. C. Williamson presented Miss lib Cre»h:y with a beautiful ring, opt bill iiiliamuid and pearl of great value. At,or a successful career of three years Mr, J. C. Williamson's Alusical Comedy Aimpany ims been disbanded. “A Country Girl. ' wuic-Ii will be the first production in New Zealand of the Soyal Comic Opera Company is still join; played t» packed houses at Her Mnitsv's Theatre, Melbourne. “A Country dirt" at; her Majesty’s is one of those liiiiple ami lively young Indies who- (says Tillich"}, when they come to town, come j :o stay, Tho variations and iutorpolniKiUj have infused so much fresh, young Mood into her system that she is livelier amt than over. Tho new melody, “Hiairutlia" has caught on with, an octopus (rip, aud the Kit jah .of Bong gets in all Sis up-to-date points j n a solidly effective manner. Mr. George Lauri has a new ■•mis which goes well. but lacks any special characteristic to make the playgoing iiulio fall over itself in securing enthusiistio encores. The success of “A Country did" has more than fulfilled the inanajerial expectations

.Mr. Jusda Huntly MpCarthy is dramlying Longfellow's ‘•Hiawatha.'" , A labour play, entitled “A Human b'avi'," is at present being toured in AmJrica, and is drawing packed houses. Ilio William Andorsou Dramatic Cominny last Saturday night revived Brooke »wren’s sensational melodrama. “The race at the Window,” at the .Lyceum Thcitr?, Sydney.

( Miss Celia Mavis has just concluded a years engagement with Air. J. F. J'.cndan. Miss Mavis has been engaged Mr. bcorge Abbott for the New Zeatour of his Musical Comedy Company.

Ihe Lrnton Trio are playing a success[r SKisou at the Opera, liouso. Chriat- :. ir ll, u ilre duo to appear shortly a ms vlajesfy’s Theatre, Wellington. J-'- Williamson’s Dramatic Comdid excellent business at His Maft.vd Auckland, with “The h- «; i ailed,’’ which was played for ;= '.cg.’.O. ‘'The Admirable Crichton” stagea last Saturday night. r" r - AtJiol iorde. round New Zealand George Mnsgrove’s ShakespearV»'! l Pany. luts been engaged by Mr. J. ■ ulinmson for his New English Coma M Urn;,any After Mr. and Mrs. Athol i -, ss Kathleen Armstrong) had ■Lw u ~° r ,,^ on( ' on . Mr. Vincent learnL* ■ M ' r \ ■ 1 diauison's need for more art-n-s}de and be accordingly ardight of the newly-wedded pair F^.T u ? e ’ aud Persuaded Mr. Athol ad... . on for the new piece. In a,", N-iygoers will not fail to observe lvt‘v n o ea ,S a S elll cnt. led to tho marriage of riw l r„fea nftei ' a while, •‘The Mar'ed *'■’ an engagement. : "e >n 1 1 American. Players are showC “iistSch S ‘ UeSS at thc Thoatr(> Koyal, r< Mpwa^i,s' arnc ?r.' ii l shortly make his Hls Majesty’s Theatre. It is aid f of nevr Soods. fiou tn t, Hat Mauame Slapoffski’s mis?induction ?, m \ a ls ,*? sccuro Pieces for t th» my-if*. Australia towards the end Mr tf year. Koyal 5i ac T' singe manager of the iy (is vie-;-, f 6ra Gorapany. was recentaia. hm hf a ° a Vloleut at * a ck >'.f influMrWiP' c * recovered. Pan v i, ; -ttulerson's Dramatic Comfte Aaek'and 'o t 0 e ? T c ellent business at Mr \rtt,‘, :,-.° r£ ' ra House. -*pbe? of Mr ra j e ’r h ?v-‘!V" a P r °minent L ' '}tthamson’s now engaeed'h,- 'u on ’m y Company, has r*'! join'his Hr. Tom, Pollard, and «iL 1:5 company m Western AustraR<, K 1 Coudc r>™ Cy ' ,® tas ° mal iager of the sey f w Aucvte a > 0 , mptuiy ’ leaves § y d - Mr. J c where he Kill fee by t h e\s i A-- vi 1 r m sc>a - 0 n bis arrival already f n i a *i om t>an Francisco. li s^-andlJ r n“ ed thea b® dis - to rweire rt S'r Wll l oa to DuaPtty onThe r Ji® Country Girl” vmmarrival f or the Easter -eaof'Hi;” f b r S^-°-? d piec « in the ttipire Corw ’p ’ '' ilhamsoa’s New ?. a of about I has enjoyed a London 7 ar at Haymarket ,f a Home” is the title Bland Hoff el <? drallm . •1 59, 0 th iagt r>rrtri OI j Baturaay evening, rS 1 for C f lr °f" ced at the Melbourne Wgl’s^ im . e 111 Australia. Mr lide.” 8 a * meuMarce, “The Flood h-7- Zea ‘ a r4'<iml l s ts who toured advices fuifiir tuae a S°> were ■at ' 3 Pth. Africa U 1“ an. engagement in

On Monday evening tho Charles Hoi-* jo way Dramatic Coin pall v will produce Mr ’E. Hill-Alitchelsou’s sensational drama, <f rhe Assassin, a p.ay that has Ivon successfully in -tVustrnliu llr Holloway. - When produced in Sydney some weeks ago t.ho ‘Hlerald’’ said: The new drama is one of L. Atill-ilitcnel-son’a sensational efforts ,and tho barest outline of the voluminous, story., can alone be given. The now scmier-v by Messrs .T. J. Rickets and Edward. Vaughan is chiefly devoted to splendid interiors, and the curtain rises on a cal on at the Grand Hotel. St. Petersburg, opening on to a terraced balcony overlooking Cosky gardens, with a bird’s-eye view of the lighted domes and palaces of the city beyond the gloomy fringe of verdure. Tliis formed one of several tableaux which excited applause. In this first seen© the audience learns that the beautiful Countess Wnnda has consented to marry the infamous Prince Demetri on condition that ho is to secure the release of her sister Abidina, condemned to be hanged for murder, and bring heir to the room. The Prince is incensed on his arrival with the marriage contract find Connie Jonathan, an aggressive American girl, present with his unwilling betrothed especially as she refuses to leave the room “for a cur like you.” Wanda signs tho document, and the-Prince goes nway to make it legal by getting it officially stamped and sea Jed. In the meantime both ladies are startled by shouts and gunshots followed by the hurried entrance through the window of Ivan I pan off. a voting soldier flying from the police for tho crime of striking has su-. perior officer (the Prince). The ladies consent to bide, him. and when the guard appears, he re-enters Die room heavily cloaked, and is parsed off by them as a family friend. Another dramatic development is due to the arrival on a stretcher of the corpse of Wanda’s beloved sister —hanged a few hours before. The Prince, Hho thp juggling fiends in “Macbeth’’ do ih "keep the word of promise to the our. but breaks it to the hope,” and that is his method of bringing her sirter to his betrothed. The marriage contract is u« yet unsealed, however, and -Wanda has herself hastily married to 'lvan two minutes before the official ratification of the bind. She then dedicates her life to revenge. Apart from a very spirited duel wit Ii swordis by moonlight, her modus operand! is generally of a more subtle an insidious nature. Above all she strikes terror into the heart of tha P’rince bv causing the message, “Mato your pence, your end is near,” to be frequently and mysteriously conveyed to him. A choir of raonfcs and nuns sing thei words of doom in front of his palace, and they nr© embroidered upon Wanda’s fan a.t tho moment when she stabs him. to the heart. Tt is just n question whether the author has net been a little too- prolific in his melodramatic eiton.tiions, which follow.one another fast and'furious, like the Euc-oessivei “bangs” of a child’s cracker. However responsive applause was gen-era-lly fort booming, and besides being staged with glittering go-rgeousness, the piece was effectively acted.

Miss Minna do Loitte, a clever young Australian artist, rejoins the Royal Comic Gfiera Company for thp forthcoming New Zealand tour. -

Mr Alec. Verne, touring representative of the J. F. Sheridan Company, is on the sick list at present but hopes to be well enough to resume duties for the South African tour.

Tlie Charles 1 Holloway Dramatic Company commence a season at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, on Easter-Saturday. Air. Haigh Jackson, the newly-arrived baritone of the Royal Comics, made ,-iia Australian debut in “A ■ Country Girl” at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, on the sth inst. •

The Willoughby-Geach Comedy Company commenced a three weeks’ season at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, on Saturday evening, tho sth inst.. with “A Stranger in a Strange Land.” The company fias been considerably strengthened since it toured New Zealand. The fiftieth performance of “A Country Girl” at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Mei bourne, was-witnessed by a house crammed from‘floor to ceiling. . Mr. George Stephenson’s New English Musical Comedy Company leave London on tho 31st March, and are due in Sydney on the 13th May. Mr. Stephenson ex- 1 peels to commence a tour of Australia and New Zealand on the 28th May. Mr. George Abbott’s Musical Comedy Company will leave Sydney by the Victoria on the 26th inst. en route to Christchurch, where tho New Zealand tour commences on Easter Saturday. Theatrical management is not all beer and skittles. It is, said one manager had to deposit .£7OOO before a certain artist could be tempted to seriously think of visitm-- Australia.

Mr. Vivian Edwards, the clever juvenile load of Charles Holloway’s popular company, was originally intended for tho church, but like many. another Thespian his lines have fallen in different places, and even before he had found his right vocation in the stage had played .many parts in the game of life. As a. sailor, for which capacity he hoids a mate’s .certificate, ho has visited almost every country of the world, and as a soldier he fought in the Cuban VVar under the Stars and Stripes.. In appearance this distinguished actor is a veritable servant girl hero, but withal he is a very forceful, eleven actor, who never fails to impress his audience. Miss Neva Carr-Glynn and Miss Lulu Zesch have joined Mr. J. F. Sheridan’s Company. Mr. Mel. B. Spurr’s Tasmanian tour is proving a great financial success. Mr. Spurr visits New Zealand shortly. Messrs. Nawn and Eial's World’s Entertainers commence their Australasian tour at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, on the 1-lth May. Mr. Albert Clark, late of Mr. George Muogrove’s companies, and wellknown in New Zealand, is the general business manager. What may be called a second edition of that charming musical comedy, “A Country Girl,’’ is (says tho “Sportsman”) causing quite another run on Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne. The principal artists are introducing new songs and business, which give a fillip to the show, if that were needed. A very pleasant feature is the introduction of the Hiawatha sextet of ladies, speciality song and dance artists. Hiawatha is the melody which became so immensely popular throughout England and America that it was played, hummed, whistled, danced to. and barrel-organed till tbe inhabitants formed anti-Hiawatha societies, in the desperate endeavour to suppress it. The construction of a new theatre in Perth, Western ’.Australia, has been started.

Influenza has recently been very prevalent amongst tho members of the Epyal Comics. Seven artists have successively been out of the bill through it during the past few weeks. Miss Maud Ldtta, who, lately played a season at the Sydney Palace, has been engaged by Mr. George Abbott for his Musical Comedy Company, wfiich commences a tour of New Zealand at Christchurch on Easter Saturday.

The Fitzmaurioo Gill Dramatic Company are at present touring the West Coast of the South Island with good results.

Mr. Herbert Flemming, chatting with the Launceston ‘‘Examiner," says:—"The day after the contract with Mr. Spurr had been signed I met an Australian commercial traveller in Bloemfontein in the market square, and told him of my new venture. He asked-me when and where, wo should open, and I replied that 1 was cabling to Melbourne to secure the Athenaeum Hall for Derby night, October 30.. He then said:—“lf you succeed; old fellow, book me three seats, numbered-17 18, 19, row C.' I laughed, - and like the maid in the song, promised. We opened in Melbourne on Derby night, and ten. minutes before the commencement of the entertainment, the commercial, with two friends, came to the hall and claimed his seats, which I may say had been, reserved for him. That, i think; is a record in booking—7ooo miles away from where the performance was to take place." Miss Olivo Godwin, who sang'lead in "The. Country Girl" while Miss Florence Young was indisposed,' is a Sydney girl. She, made her professional debut at tho private opening of the reconstructed Sydney Her Majesty’s, and ever since then has been waiting for an opportunity.— “Critic.”