Music and Drama.

Otago Witness, Issue 1584, 1 April 1882, Page 19

Music and Drama.

For I am nothing, It not critical. The man that hath not music in himself,

Let no such man be trusted. — Shakkspiabi.

THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pdok.

[Contributions fromthe Profession chronicling their . movements and doings are respectfully invited.]

Xnterprovinoial.

The cablegrams this week report the destruction of no Jess than three European theatre* by fire. For* * tunatelyno loss of life is reported, though in all the cases the buildings were completely destroyed^ It is to be hoped that our civic authorities will not stop short ac discussing Mr Mirams' report. There' ja/absolu'te'need, for action. Surely the writing oh the wall is plain enough.' ' ' " , ' Mr J. P. Hydes recounted in Dunedin on two evenings this week his experiences of the colonial stage. He said nothing in addition to what was published in these columns the other week. The audiences were ; not .large, but those who, were present evidently passed an enjoyable hour or two. ', , ,'," '.'. j, My Auckland correspondent wires that mattera theatrical there are absolutely stagnant. " Mac« ,is ; giving his statuesque and sparring exhibitions at the Theatre Royal, but to very moderate business. ' ' ', Encouraged by the success of Mr Thompson, Herr t Carl Schmidt is organising a band contest in Auckland. The Thompsons visited the Thames and gavo . an entertainment there.

The Williamson season at Dunedin must be con- , aldered to have been decidedly successful. , Good , houses continued to the last. The only mistake was in withdrawing " Patience "so soon and keeping' on , "The Pirates" so long. The company opened,' in , Christchurch, on Wednesday, and have secured ; the ,, vice-regal patronage for the season.

Mr Williamson is likely to soon add the "Mascotte" . to his operatic repertoire. , . ' The Mastodon Minstrels were to have inaugurated a , three weeks' season at the Princess, Dunedin, on Wed- , nesday, but owing to the detention of the steamer they could not make their appearance till the next night. ' , , R. W. Carey's liabilities include these items :— J. • Saunders, £352 ; E. T. Gillon, as attorney for J. C. ' . Williamson, | £100 for copyright ; |J. Briggs, l £20 ;, . C. B. laher wood, £20. The bulk of the £977 they come . , to is due to the parents of the juvenile, pirates. The , assets are put down at £433. | It is stated that legal proceedings have been instituted on Mr Williamson's behalf against Mr Cary and . Mr Cemino, his .orchestra leader, for playing the " Pirates" after the former's license had expired.' ] : Concerning the appearance of the comedy and bur '. lesque company in Wanganui, the local Herald 'had ', the following :—" J. Wilkinson and Miss Amy Johns, 'who were to have been the bright, particular stars of« the company, have deserted their allegiance, and in Consequence 'Rip Van Winkle' cannot be played, notwithstanding the brilliant transparency which ] graces the theatre portico. It appears that Mr and ' Mrs Wilkinson left Greymouth a week ago, bound for , Taranakl, in a schooner, and were put ashore at Waitara on Thursday last. Instead of at once pushing t overland to Wanganui to join the company they pom* ' tuenced business on their own account." , , ' , . <

J Australian. ■ •• '-■••; ; \ At Sydney the other day for Teddy, Haygarth'a ' benefit J. J. Wallace, played Pygmalion to 'Miss Ada .W&rd'sGalatea. Ye gods *nd little 'fishes I" ' "■."",' I Jessie Grey and Herbert Flemmingare'the strong' points of Louise Pomeroy'a company. Our old friend v. B. Steele is" also earning plenty of 'kudosi "Led kstray" was well playedby the company. ' '■" ': ■ Pollard's Juvenile's appear at the' Queen's, Sydney, ,, luring Easter: ' ' ' M • ' Musgrore's company. have been playing," Madame* 1 ' favart" and " Les Cloches " to capital houses at Adeaide. " Billee Taylor" is in active rohearsal. '\ '. ' ;1 The Adelaideans profess to-be yerymvißical/but'the leridelasohn Quintette Club ' couldn't attract ' one" .veragely fair audience. The Begiator says: "If the ' Club could have stooped low enough to have Bought' 1 fheaidof a few negro minstrels or plantation clog- 1 ' dancers with faces smeared with, tallow and" burnt cork, they might have secured crowded audiences.'"' ' , s Mrs Walter flill is now a member of the Melbourne

Royal company. ' • ' ; ' , * l I The Montague-Turner season. in Melbourne waa'tb,' have opened on Monday last with "The Bohemian' Girl." 'I'"'." "' i A round of benefits was given in Melbourne 1 la/at • week] At the Princess' to Mr' Titheradge j at the ! Bijou io Mr G. P. Carey and Mr H. Daniels ; at Uddson's'Theatre to Mr H. E. Walton. ' , ■ > ■ ■ • < The "Comedy of Errors" was performed at. the ' Melbourne Royal on March 18th by a double company. Of the performance th« Argus wrote:—" The twin.' brothers Antipholus were represented by 4 Mr W. J. Holloway and Mr Chas. Holloway, whose 'similarity in , . face, figure,' and' voice is so remarkable that the '. audience often could not determine whether it was" the twin of Ephesusor of Syracuse that was, on the _ itage. This happy peculiarity of course greatly' helped' the' illusion of the scefto, and gave'additiorial point ( to many comic humors. Both actor* appeared to ad- ' ; vantage in 1 the picturesque attire of their parts.- The"' two Dromios, impersonated by Mr, W. Hoskins 'and Mr ' ' J, J. Kennedy, also contrived to present a strong 1 peraonal resemblance, and in their hands the* exuberant ' mirthof many of the situations was well 'sustained.' • Mr Hosktas Dromio of Syracuse is lull of broad humour:" pis deUvery of the description of the maid in the house '<' q4 Antipholus of Ephesus, who set her cap : at hini; was ' particularly good. In- the last scene, in which the • four twins confront each other and a sudden explana- < tion is given of all the whimsical errors of the play," ' yhen surprise and bewilderment are depicted on every' countenance, to be quickly followed by a jorial ac- ■ ' Septance of the denouement, the height of the fun was reached, and the curtain 'fell upon a well-pleaaed- ' audience." The cast included Misses Mayor, Anstead, \ and Jenynß, Messrs Deering and Appleton. ■ ■ ; The I^nch family have returned to Melbourne. J< ' , George Rignold was to make his first appearance in " Youth " in Melhoume on March 25th. ' • ' " i ; "The Big Bon>nna" at the Melhourne Bijou was a 1 wise substitution for the class of pieces' the Howes 1 ' produced Business was good in consequence, up to

the end of the season.

The business Fred Marshall is doing in Melbourne with the " Professor " is wonderful. ' Maccabe is coining money in Tasmania. ' • ■ " Walter Reynolds Is a cute one. He arranged an old English fayre in his theatre during Maccabe's visit, and reports " takings highly satisfactory." j The Argu9 patronised and the Age denounced Israel ' and D&rb.vßhire'a juveniles, who, however, did very fair business, and were able to extend their business five nights longer than they anticipated. ' '■ ! Home and Eorelgn. ' i The Duke of Edinburgh is envious of the fame of ' his friend Dr Sullivan. It is stated that he has all ■ but completed an operetta, the scene of which is laid - in a Russian village. The plot was suggested by the Duchess.

A musical prodigy ha<« appeared in Italy. Her name is Tua. Her father, a very poor man, scraped a little money together to buy a violin for himself. His next - extravagance was to buy his wife a guitar. When the little girl was three years old she taught herself, and ■ played in such an incredible style on the violin that " her father immediately undertook to produce her as a < ' prodigy. When she was seven she arrived in Paris. There she was brought to Massart, who was so struck ' with her precocious talent that he at once offered to take her into the Conservatoire. To this the father dbjected because of his gagnepain, which he was not going to jeopardise. But the sensation which the ohild created was such that a subscription was opened to secure the parent's existence during the time of her apprenticeship. She has now left the Conservatoire, a phenomenon, and gone to Milan, where she gave four crowded concerts. She is to appear in London shortly. Massenet's Scriptural opera, " L'Heriodade," is a wonderful success at Brussels. Albani was among the celebrities present at the initial performance, and she is said to have been so enamoured of. thd part created by Mdlc. JJuvivier that she' hut written to father-in-law Mapleson strongly aft vising him to secure" the London righ.t if the objection' of my Lord, Chamberlain c.*n be overcome. The ' work is thus sketched by the BvussekT correspondent "o^ the Era :— '.'The subjject of thfc op'cra, or, xo, speak more (iorre'ctly, the oratorio, is one of Biblp history. Jt treats of the loye of Hero-.' diiule, the w\fc of Herod, for John the Evangelist; only in the libretto of M. Paul tyillet Sajome, the daughter* of HeroJiade, loves John tne Baptist with * a puye affection, for she has .been c&nverted by the t - teachings, of the prophet; and, so far from exaotinjr, t his hea?, as we have It in the Bible, she kills ; herself, l in despair on learning his death. The flrqt .act -iMn , two tableaux, and tne opening scene show* (w the'

inte"rioVoT'th"e"pTlace;'with Herod avowing hla love." The second Bcene takes place aWf r ? B »W.v.ffS r °; Consul: Vitellhis lirriveX .' surrounded SfifcnM Roman Smp. Kv dS .had endeavoured to free himself iromthe authority of Rome, also proclaims.the i proConßul. In the (Second act we see ,the interior of the temple of" Jerusalem.; 'the' mounting is magnificat. A curtain at the back of 'the stage conceals the sanctuary, , where sits the, judge before whom the prophet John is accused l by Herodiade'of conspiracy.. Vitellius, of whom tho dqath of John is asked, refuses, .and it is gws,yfeo P??\ nounces the cohdemnationtalike of Jdnrfana l Salome... The duneeon of John, wherein passes a thrilling love scene Sen Salome and himself,. forms tho third act The fourth, and last scene, is grand in the extreme Here we witness the terrible interview be?ween Herodiade and Salome, and the curtain falls on the death of i Salome,. who, recognising Herodiade ,as her mother plunges into her own heart the dagger orchestra of the Theatre ', Royal do la Momiaie Xeu'Hself ,'futy equal to, ,the trying task fmooaad 'upon' it, 'and tho' director oi me SSPm. Joseph DuponVwho was so thoroughly aP&ated last season at Covent-garden, gave a fresh p?oof of'his'.eminent talent: And now I wffl Wfg ( SrfiMatsattEr-«Bag: effect.' ,The scene in Jerusalem, and the musjc i belohrinetol thte part of the opera, brought forth vocifflaSHs.- Itwasliter-allya musical spect acle, wife 'all^tne'-voices of- the crowds Wedding harmoniously together. Soldiers on one side, and- the $pWon ( the other, formed a'toffltatit spectacle Eeame the "Marehe'Sa nte," with the long defile of bentvors; arid the^solernn pealmodv of thphyiAns on the one hand,, Joined to the vivacibus Zyi dancers on the othor, rendered tbis'secdad act superb, imparting movement and 'colour overywhere Massenet' seems spec ally endowed with, the power of making the' 'flute sirig,; "for, tfa&Jn? to' the' music "emitted' 'from" this. BitmW looking instrument; one was constrained to' thWk ifc'posseßseda'soul.' The delicious 1 prelude whlchdisclosed the prison to the spectators 'in the' ttfect seemed by its tonesto foretell the presence of S»feand' J to'loi'etell,''aß it' Were, 1 the Mtalifcr'At her hopoloßß love. „ This prelude was executed with a finisfr'Snd'uiifson on the' part of tho orchestra which are rare enough on first representations. ' It might havebfeeh one 1 single instrument in the hands of a master so'peWect was the rendering. The success of trie opera was from this moment assured, andaposi-. tive'ovationl 'was the' result, which went on increasing as the love duet be.tween John and Salome listened'to. 1 ' The pathetic rendering of this touching Bcene-went straight to the heart. ' Never has M. Masfleyetbeenbetter inspired than in scoringthis ac), for It contains wonderful effects of harmony.^ Vergenet, tHe French 1 ftn'or,' was very fine as John the Baptist. American journals dealing with the drama certain'y do hot err' in point bf tenderness towards the profe«Bt6nV Here is what the Hour says d I an Mot £-'< Mi !j_i; is se'en to be- English or Irish,, from the first moment' he'eome's on tie stage, for the beer and the beerWop'onderate in' those heavy lids, that' choked vdice, And' that rubicund visage.";. ■'• < _ An unrehearsed incident occurred at , the London. Bdyaltyi'whichfetthe hquse.'onandofithe stage, m a, roSr.' "W Rodney' was.begging Miss'Hiltori s pardon, for milking love' to' her in a'fashion that was not the , lefis'su'ccossful " because 1 honourable' intontions, were; wakrig, and a&urihg her, that he .would never; never. beWutydf such half-pay again;, wheii,' insfe'ntbnan 1 'tones, dame'a voice froni' the gods demanding " l Wtiy the '-^— can't you marry the i gal? • *FoS fcfe'J&.V ■'eplete with wit and satire failed todraw a^the London Criterion; whichha filled" to overflowing by thrrevival ;of Great Divorce if'isL saiaithat' thVOerman season of opera'to conj.,, mehM SfDrury Lan^ ih May, under HerrßlcWe,,,^. to be .conducted on, such a large scale thas it wijl Wflulre, the 4 receipts ,tp> £2000 a nigW f to securfta,. (air " mwglp 'of profit. ' Henci" ,the , high .charges of , admission thatiave been fixed. . , / w , . . - mSs oratorio ;'f World's End, Judgment, and New Mrsl»'fealaß, an African yiolinist^Kaa appeared with; huccobb at HauovoT.r , , , ' , - . A flattering 'reception was accordsd.by the Vlonnose to Mr ooVenTB rt ,Scandinajfia,n Symphony," which Jjhe t PHUharmbhtc' Society of that city performed on .the, recommendation, of Herr, Bitter., ,The British com : , M^iwa> recalled four. times. ,/ •: ■ .(-... + . ■ '•Borneo "and Juliet", ia to be produced, ajb the London Lyceum with' ,this,,grand cast: Prhice of Verona, i Mr Tyars; Paris,, Mr Alexwider; O^ulet, Mr Howe ;Mercutio, Mr Terrls ; Benvolio, Mr Chjld ; Borneo,.Mr, Irving; tybalfc, Mr gienny j The Frmr, M"r ,FerVdez ;, Petre, Mr, Andrewn ; Lady Jlontagu^ MlM 'Mafliews ; Lady Capulet, Mrs Pauncefort ; Juliet, Miss. Ellen Terry : : Nurse, , Mrs Stirling.. ;For.the propel! production of, t^tragedy, twenty scenes haveWeflipearited"tor .Hawes-Craven, Telbln, Harm,, and, CutnbwC l The mounting generajlyi.^ijl .be. on/the scale usually attepipted by. the, Lyceum.^ , • • ,ri The papers ito band frpmEpglanq.this w,eek«eny;; OiitMt LeoD»rd'B6jne ( ,accompanied,,Mr .Bignpld to.' Melbourne; The Btatement, was made by „the usually,, veiy eowect Er*.,'. "Mrißoyne continues' |o,aotas t Mri WibonjßarraWfl "stage" .-manager,, ana, dirqetsj Wij " L'Shis t>\ London "company in the proy,inc«s., ,,, >,<■ Cynic?! .the, piece ,that .was i-produceij, tat , Manchesteriwo months .before under the title of the, •'Modem ' TFaust," ,"in / onior to , , s,ecure . copyright, ; and wm performed',, lib' London for ,the,, first, time^'aT the, ' Globe theatre, Ib., thus, .described by,' » ( the' London ."cojrrespondent of the New York Dramatic' News:—". lt, is, a scholarly work,, but it can. tiardly , be. ,classed as „a .great addition . to , our, dnunatic' literaiure." The.author;? notion has been to, modernise ttie' well-known story, of fausi and Mar- \ jnierite. adapting it tp'the circumstances ,of ,evoryday. i Fife './Marguerite in'-'^The Cynic' is represented ,by 5 oaViPilW'Brent; ahappy, t ,morry ,fast,,andiperhaps, lust a trifle vulgar grass widow ; Faust by the average, vouhK'.nian" of the present, day, suffering under an , attack of jilts ; and Mephistopheles, by one Count L'Estrarige, whose Bjiake, instead of a soul, Ib the substantial", bot.* of' £10;(fo0 that ,Guy' Faucet, otherwise FausLshall witHin a, stipulated time,elopa iwith the merry Brass widow, Daisy Brant. Truth to.tell, Count L'Es'trange is but a, very commonplace devil. ,. By, far the most objeotjoriable , character in tho play is Lady Lußcombe,. of) whom' Martha may be said ; ta be the prototype. Mr Merivale set himself « difficult task ip ©ndeavourinir to'reproduce th« characters and incidentsiof' and, it is only after all as a species, ot clever parody that.he can be said to have succeeded! , Of the writing it was only to be, expected that .the author would give his.undoubted talent full swing, in the opportunities his scheme afforded for dialogue, nor is the expectation disappointed, for the clever speeches put, in to the mouth of the Count do much to redeem ,the"play. Here are a couple of samples. The, lady who "refuses to subscribe towards the conversion ofthe.Jews,.buj;pKHnJ se sh' they send her one to do 'her best to conyert him.'— 'Go in for politics,' in the .Count's,' advice, to anyone who is not happy at homei "Now-a-daya,, the deyil ,is composed of two, persons, of whom ono is always a woman,' is a brilliant lon trwtF ■ '-There -is one great fault,' continues ttie American critic, ' and that is the dodging backwaras andi forwards in confusion of identity botween, the. Count of Herman Merivale and the Mephlstopheles of .Goethe,, the sentiments expressed being at ono moment apparently those of an evil- 1 minded peraon/the next those of the Father of Evil himself. 'In a few words, I am inclined to class the new play'with such clever literaryfeats as'writing a' dozen, verses without using a prohibited • lettor. It ib very curious, very clever, but rather uninteresting. r That the leading roles are filled by Miss Litton and' Mr Hermann Vezln goes without saying." The New York Dramatic News' obituary for January includes three names well-known to the profession 'in the- States. In Dr Bellows the American stage lost tho best friend it ever had. "He was not only an appreciate judge of acting but a warm defender of the drama.' He championed 1 Macready against Forrest, and- then said: 'Though he had been the meanest of his kind, ho should have been protected hero {this was spoken just after the Astor Placo riot] to the' conclusion of hi» announced cngagoment, if ftuiarmy of 10,000 men had been required to wait on his movements, and a ship of war chartejed to carry him 'to his native land.' A few years later Dr Bellows preached from his pulpit a discourse which is tho noblest defence of tho drama that ever emanated from the'sacred desk." David W. Waller, after placing with' acceptability in tho English theatres, appeared us Hamlet at tho Broad wny theatre, New York, in June 3851. With his wife, who was a distinguished tragedienne, he visited Australia, but returned to America in 3868, and for several j cars the pair starred. He was Edwin Booth's stage manager. His kit appearance was made a year ago. His doith was a happy release, as he had borno months of suffering John E M'Donogh commenced his ca-eer ia tho Old Bowery theatre in 1844, as Philip in the "Three Brothers "' was in Philadelphia for a number of years ; in 1867 ntaired in California; and not long since was in Australia. His last venture was in " MUsa," in whioh be Played tbe part of Tuba Sell, He died from c»ucerwwejftw.

~.?T1i6 Nfcw Yorkers are quite astonished at 'the .favour, with; which' Mr EEarkinS'Was' received in Melbowrrie as' a tragedian, News says the ' Melbourne criticisms Vamlnd it ota .little story.' Just before, ,Mr, Harkins ffioni^ was seen at the .Old.Union Palace.hotel, by tWdistingulshed 'Mr Melgh'an, ,o£ the Herald. Melighan asked a friend who was present, for an introductidn to tho tragedian, and they , were irihoduced. ." That' neck of yours, Harkins; 'ifl' exactly suited to traeedy" the' journalist exclaimed^ shaking^ the tragedian by ;the hand,,/,' everybody knows you. are a, bad actor, but you can play, Othello well." , t „ ;. 'Mrs'Scott-Siddpna makea.a Jour of the English Pro,- • The Jersey Lily' has been engaged for the entire Haymarket season., ' • ' ""' ' ! gadler's'»>Vellß .Theatre, is 'to, be foopehed- by Mr Bobson, a .relative of, the/Great Bobson, and ,-Mt E. Hallows will have the stage management. / < . Mr W. S; Gilbert has endeavoured to get a telephone fixed between his house at South Kensington and the Savoy 'Theatre] in the 'Strand, in ' order that he may Hstento and! direct 'the rehearsal of 'his piecos'without' tho trouble of putting, in an appearance on thd stage, ' but as he has been unable, to,get tho assent of , two or three of the neighbours to allow' the wire to be carried over .their gardens to his own, the , project hadto^be dropped. "■ ' '"' ' ' ■ ' , " ! Mr Mapleßohsayg that the safety of the London and Paris theatres from fire, is the! eternal vigilance over them... Two firemen of the department are. stationed! on each .side pf the stage, and, watch for fh;os Las , a oat vat'ehes tor a. mouse. Little force-pumps throw a small itreani 'a long" distance,' and put out, the,, slightest, ipark, 1 generally Mthout anVbody'fc knowing it: , One dght 'a prlma donna came In 'after singing her part, remarking, that it >the roof, was to> leak like that 'she would,haya,to^ipg in, overshoes. > But it wasiotthe' teakj.b'ui the dripping of f>he water from above, where' a spark had' ,caught, in .the flies and ; was instantly flooded,; She'dia'nd^kriow pf 'any fire. In -Paris, there is a' squad of "firemen on" tho stage during the Wholeiof a performance.'" 1 • ' ' j A panic occurred in' Waterford Theatre a few" nights since during,, the pprformance ,of "H.M.S. Pinafore"' by Mr JCj'Oyle'y. Carte's Opera .Company. The. theatre was crowded. 'Tie panic, was caused by some sparks ailing. The lodiefc' escaped from 1 the dress circte by the windows, 1 atid the' gallery occupants jumped' into the dress circle. • Great confusion prevailed, but order was ultimately. restored. • . n- ' . ' ' '• ' { Sir Julius Benedict is engaged in composing: the incidental musib to, accompany the performance of •' ltomoo arid' Juliet " at the Lyceum Theatre., "Pationce" has been running einco last April ; and M Olivette" at the Strand Theatre, has been represented more than 450 times. "The' Colonel,"'at the Prince of Wales, has run 362 nights. ■ There have been more than 114 performances of " The .Lights o' London ", at the Princess' ; and " The Half-way House," [ at" the Vaudeville, Is rapidly approaching its 100 th representation. ' All these pieces are yet full of vitality, and show no 1 signs of- being^near the end of their (ether. Such dramas of the sensational school as "The World?', and " Youth" are temporarily withdrawn;' but, they aro still **, paying successes," and will be reproduced, when the pantomimes aro over, to .add to tho number of lengthy runs. • • „, , „ 5 rTIiGr TliG production of " Mignon ",by,the Carl Bosa,Company wHs noticeable' for thb' splendid, perfqrmance o f PartbiTM'Gdu'ckiri' tw' WilKeltu Meister, and 'the jContinued success 1 of Miss DeLa Rue, the new contralto,' in tbe part of. Frederick.' Mr Bosa conducted in person at , the .initial, performance of'Balfe's posthumous j opera, .which has. now ; been called ."Moro." I 'Madame; y&llerla, 'struggled hard to obtain a success for>whati is' said !td J 'be u 'littre r more ' than ' a", .collection, , of pretty,, tunes. ,'.,:; '<. > • . • l ' } '"Lights'o'Lon'don/'atthe.Prlncesß', London, is.as popular as ever ; 'whilst the " Halfway-house . con-tinges,to^crowd-'thoWaudeville.. Two"companies go into .thejprpyinces, with the pieces. ,; i pother new theatre, to be called ,the Pandora, : isto be built in .Leicester Square,", London. It, is to " hold nearly £400'," aid' wjll be under the'manacrement of a joint-srook. company, on 'the' directorate of which are the .Duke! ofi Beaufort, Earl 'Londesborough, and' Mr JTohn i Hollingshead. ',,,,, A ' ■'■'* • ' '■ 1 Madame Marie Bqse-Mapleson: jhas been presented by the Queen with a very handsome, bracelet, in test!-, bony, -as an' accompanying' letter from Sir. Henry Porisonby states', of the 1 pleasure experienced by her Majesty at her singing at Oaborno 6h December 29th last; ;' • . >.. ■'- •'' 'v • " '' r ' I The New Avenue; Theatre, London,! is expected to ' be opened on March 4th, under .the management of M. ,'Manns., The comic opera, •' Madame (Fayart," With ' Miss St. John and' the manager' in characters^ yery long sustained 1 with' eclat at the Strand Theatre, will be the chief attraction. '• ' ' „ ; As souvenirs of the recent dramatic performances' at,Sandrio|>ham, the Prince; of Wales has presented Mr, J. L., ,Toole with a scarf-pin,, set in onyx and diamonds, and Mr i' George" Lpved^y,. who was stagemanager ori the, occasion,,, with a scarf-pin set, in turqUoisean'dpeariß. •' ,'•' ". ,/ ,V ' ' ... ■ Au' agreement- has been! 'signed. between Madame Bisto'ri's agent and Mr, Augustus Harris for a series' bf performances; to be given at Drury Land during tho month of, July. The, series will begin the. first weefe, Of the month wife Lady Macbeth, which Madame JUstori'' will '• play in 'English., The best ayailable English actors tylll be 'engaged' to, co-dpei?ftte with iew.'q -.if ./.- - •■:■■ ._ ; •.)«■ ,' ' ' •»'.■ , J .'.'Patieiice" is stillivery popular at the Savoy; indeed, somuch so,, that seats -are booked a month 'in ' Advance. „ ,„ \ , , i , ■ i! ••> ■ ' I " Taken from Life,!t,Qontinues ,to draw full-houses at^e^iaelphi. _ . . - - \ Zazel's perf^rmapces at. th,e London Aquarium have peen stoppedy^in "Co'nßeque"nc;e'''of the i'utef ferehce of some of the Middlesex magistrates. •. Mr D'Oyley Carte is Said to have made overtures to Mrs- Langtry for, an ' engagement in Amorica. ■ Nothing'definite has been settled, though it is probable, that the terms offered 1 will induce the lady, to accept. j TheOldCohcert-rdomat Evan's',' in 'Covent'Garden, pas been trahsfonned l into'a' theatre 'of remarkable beauty ; in connection with tho new FalstaffClub.' ';'; ' ! One.of theiviotims 1 ofther6cent"fin^ncialcrai<h'al! Pads is M. Bouzeau, the husband of Madame Christine Nilssehn. t , Hej is, now in a very precarious state in a private lunatic asylum- In Paris ; indeed, bis condition is so bad that not. even his wife ia permitted to see him.' It Is stated that he was really engaged in, Bourse speculations on his own account, though it is hoped that Madame Nilssohn's fortune remains intact.

; Mr t D. G. Boucicaulfc,' somof Dlon,haß,with the consent of, the authpra,, turned Messrs Besant and Rico's* Story of "My, 'liitje, Girl" into a comediettai which Will shortly be.produced at the Court Theatre. •;, One' of Edwin J B6pth's company thus relates the story of their appearance at Ne.wh*ven, Connecticut sans wardrobe:—" I send you a few hurried lines to tell you of 'the funniest' performance imaginable. This week we are play ing, in one night towns, and we leftN:Y. yesterday, morning for Waterbury.with, the intention of playing • Richlieu ,'< in , the , evening, As we rode from the little railway-station up to our hotel we observed how excellently" iye were billed, and, as we bad heard l that the advance'booking vfm great, we anticipated a- very fine house: ' • Everything looked' promisingfuntil ;the last moment/ when it was discovered that pur baggage, which comprised our wardrobe and properties,, and wljich had beep despatchedearly on Sunday niorning from Baltimore, had somehowgone astray on the road,; and was miles away'from the company. What was to' be done?' A dismissal appeared certain, substitutes for the play announced were engaged, but we were destitute of dresses and props. At 7.30 the theatre was crowded. , Punctually to time the curtain, was raised, disclosing to the astonished audience Mr Booth and the entire company in their, ordinary travelling dress., Mr 'Booth .appealed to the audience apologetically, ' stated briefly 'the situation, and offered, Insteadiof ' Richelieu,' to go through the first three acts, of 'Hamlet, I ' if they would overlook the 'trifling'; inaccutapies of costume. The applause with wh^ch this little speech was received testified to the good temper of the audience, and in < a few minute's the play began. Horatio appeared in the first scene' in a monkey; jacket and round felt hat, while Hamlet, in a cutaway coat, apostrophising his father's ghost, who was clad in light tweed trousers and stand-up collar, with a bold face, was something to remember. Miss Bella Pateman, as Ophelia, appeared in a dark brown travelling dress, embellished at' the last moment with a cloud of white laco purchased at a neighbouring store. Laertes wore a blue pilot suit, and looked like the captain of a river steamer ; while PoloniU3 looked eminently woll in a black frock coat, and, for latk of the necessary requisites, appeared without hti traditional beard. There was no possibility of ' making up' for the parts, and the Kinff of Denmark, with a dark moustache and clad in a 40-dol!ar sporting suit, looked like Col) Sucket, more on the spree than over. The evening entertainment concluded with 'The Quiet Family,' in whl h tho Itoynl family of > enmark again appeared, under other names, but in the same coftumes. From the applause with which the entertainment was received, it wa= evident that the audience did not share the distresu of the actors placed so unexpectedly in a position both embarrassing and novel. Very few comparatively asked for the return of their money, and wo leave the town richer by a thousand dollars, netted by a performance which, for originality, has perhaps not been equalled io this genera*

"MrH.Peftlt,"nowwriting in conjunction with Mr Augustus Harris a now melodrama for Drury Lane, has signed -an engagement with Messrs A. and S. GatM tot produce for them a series of playß to be brought out at the A delphi. , , . The report of a shocking trapeze accident comes from 'Frisco: George Fox, ono of the Lorella troupe of- gymnasts, whilst practising at Woodward's Gardona, fell from the flying trapeze, and died from his Injuries next day. ■ As he lay doublodup he exclaimed in a, very weak voice,, "Oh, George, I'm dead this time. I'll novcr do anything in the air again." They were practising the flying leap similar to that performed .at tho Bush theatre by the Davenes. The apparatus 'consisted of along ladder with three bars, hanging from the room some 40 feet above the floor, a flying trapeze, 'and a large netting about nine feet below the ladder, and about 26 feet abovo the ground. Lorella was hanging to the latter by the toes, head down of course, and the deceased waa swinging by his hands' on tho trapeze. The feat is to swing thus, and then lettliig go, turn a somersault and catch Lorella's hands. The' leap is about ten feet, and Fox tried this several times,, but had filled and fallen into the netting withput hurting himself. On this occasion he struck Lorella's olbows in his leap, was turned on his side, and fell into the netting on his face. The netting was quickly out down, Fox taken out and attended to by 'doctors, whb pronounced him lifeless. Ho is said to have) been a native of Australia, was 10 years old, and St, clever gymnast.