NOTES BY PASQUIN.

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 1705, 26 July 1884, Page 23

NOTES BY PASQUIN.

Contribution* from the Profession enronicling thtir mwemmtß and Mings are invited. All communications to be addressed to zPatquin," Otago Witness Office.]

New Zealand is at the present; time absolutely destitute of any theatrical amusemonts worthy to be so called. Miss Georgie Smithson, "the only female Maccabe," opens in Wellington on the 25bh inst. In Christchurch Fisher's Burlesque and Pantomime company have been playing to audiences about commensurate with their merits ; and in Wellington the only alternative to Miss Smithson's undoubtedly very clerer performances ia offered by an amateur Byronic Club who have singled out one of the worst of the late author's pieoes— " Weak Women "" — for representation. The Adelaide papers speak of "Impulse," now running at the Theatre Royal, as the most satisfying dramatio entertainment seen there since the days of Frederick Marshall and "Friends." They also consider that the comedy is the base performance obtainable in Australia at the present time. The Rosa Towers company have put into Adelaide on their way to India, and have been trying unsuccessfully to do business with Scudamore's hollow drama "Fighting Fortune." They threaten to fall back upon Chas. Reade'a famous adaptation " Drink." Oar old acquaintance Donald Dinnie, despite his victory over Thomas, and other triumphs, appears to be iv rather hot water on the other side. He recently appeared at the Sandhurst Police Court to answer a summons for non-pay-ment of salary to M. Victor, one of his company. A cabdriver also summoned the athlete for a fare of 23 6d, and obtained a verdict with 163 costs, and it is stated that various similar cases are to follow

Not before it was needed has Miss Jennie Lee made an addition to her repertoire which for a weary time has contained nothing worth mentioning but "Jo," "The Grasshopper," and " The Ticket-of-Leaye Man." The somewhat risky "Divoi oons'' is to be one new feature in hor present season at the Sydney Opera House, also "Sam," and perhaps Burnand's burlesque "Blue Beard," which, by-the-way was no very pronounced success in London.

The 80 called "Royal Opera" company comprising Vernon Reid, Templeton, Misa Lambert, and others are still touring the country districts of New South Wales. Messrs Willis and Pickersgill have of late been doing a little better with their hitherto unlucky panorama, " The Innocents Abroad." Business was tolerably good in Adelaide, and they subsequently journeyed to the Port to try and continue the run. Benhamo, the circus proprietor, has come to grief in Adelaide, and been forced to visit the Insolvent Court.

Mies Emily Fitzroy, who made so excellent an impression in Dunedin in "Youth," has been engaged to support Miss Jeffreys-Lewis in her Adelaide season, which commences on July 26. Mr George Ireland is also a member of the company. The latest Intelligence concerning Mr Lawrence Barrett is contained in the Melbourne. Weekly Times, which states that the American aotor will' appear in Melbourne in June. As, however, no particulars as to the engagement are' given, and the writer states that Mr Barrett has been lately playing at the " Royal Princess Theatre, London," the information mußt be swallowed warily. There is certainly no such theatre in London or the suburbs. Lawrence- Barrett has been playing at the Lyceum. The value of an iron curtain in a theatre in case of fire was strikingly exemplified in the burning of the Vienna Stadt Theatre a few weeks ago. The fire started in one of the boxes through the carelessness of a workman. Within an hour after the outbreak of the flames the entire auditorium was in a blaze. The Viennese firemen, were slow in reaching the theatre, and slower still in getting their hose into play. For this reason the firo obtained a headway that precluded the possibility of caving the building. The iron ourtain of the Stadt- all places of amusement have been provided with them by law since the horrible Ring Theate calamity — was lowored, and reliable accounts state that it withstood the terrible volume of flame in the auditorium for one hour and six minutes, thus preventing the fire during that time from extending to the stage, and permitting the firemen to remove the inflammable material at the back of the proscenium. Something definite has at last transpired with respect to the next productions of Mr Wilson Barrett. A tragedy entitled " Galbo " by Mr Leonard Outram an American author is absolutely to be placed upon the boards this season.

As an example of theatrical prosperity it may be stated that five New York theatres have lately remained closed during weeks of the the Busy season— viz., the Thalia, New Park, Cosmopolitan, Union Square, and Bijou.. English ideas are evidently growing upon Parisian theatregoers. At the Porte St. Martin Theatre " Robinson Crusoe " is to be presented with an elaborate wise en scene, and in the autumn a version of Chas. Reade's " Never too Late to Mend " is promised. A. very satisfactory proof that people who will not go to a theatre will go to a concert and hear precisely the same music in a different dress is given by the attendances at the "Floral Concerts", held each Saturday evening in London. The hall is crowded invariably, and Mesdameß Albani, Lucoa, and 3calchi, red-hot from Icahan opera, are applauded to the echo by audiences of farmers and country clergymen who would esteem it a sin to set foot in a theatre.

The following is the verdict of Mdme Janauschek, an actress surely as experienced as Bhe ia clever, with regard to youthful aspirants for dramatic fame:—" What can I say, except that I am glad when fortune grants me the opportunity, by my advice, to keep any good gin from a life which, nine times out of ten, is one of misery or aimleas selfishness. Do I have many applications from would-be actresses? Yes, and from would-be actors as well. Scores and scores of them all the time, I cannot see one-half of them. Look at these letters, they all tell the same story : ' I want to be an actress ; I have never been on the stage ; lam only 26 years old.' " A peculiar divorce suit is now on the tapis* in which Hortense Schneider, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, is respondent. The lady haa long since retired from the stage, and her husband, ML Bionne, asks for a separation, and also modestly requires a pension of £12 a month. The wealthy Grand Duchess is likely to think herself woll rid at the price, especially as she says that Bhe wab " swindled " in marrying her husband, who ia neither a'count nor an Italian. Mis Laugtry io making capital out of her

piracy "A Wife's Peril," Sardou's play, known as "Friends " in Australia, "Peril" in England, and " Nos Intimes "in France. At Buffalo, U.S., brilliant audiences rose to her nightly on the strength of her performance of the weakj silly, lucky, and easily Jet oft wife. An American author— Earl Marble— asked why he dated the action of his opera 230 years back replied : " Well, I have observed that the average actor not only will indulge his individual gag, but generally a great many of them, especially in comic opera ; and I have looked over the ground carefully, and, among other things, studied Wendell Phillips' ' Lost Arts, and concluded that on the average the jokes introduced are between two and throe hundrad years old ; so to keep everything in character, and not have the interpolations seem like misfits, I chose the era that, seemed best fitted for their reception." And the bottle of wine was ordered immediately — not at Mr Marble's expense ! The private operatic performance arranged for the delectation of His Majesty the King of Bavaria have now actually taken place. One performance in the Munich Opera House— that of " Parsifal " lasted until three in the morning, during the whole of which time his Majesty remained shrouded in the curtains of his private box.

The impressionable Parisian public have been experimented upon with Mdme Sarah Bernhardt's Lady Macbeth, prior to risking the new conception in London. The Parisians, knowing possibly little of Shakspeare and his creations, were charmed. That they do know little— very little— is demonstrated by the criticisms of the press and the attitude of the audience. The latter were most enthusiastic in their applause of the witches in the cauldron seene — probably because it was novel and possessed a sulphurous infernal flavour char to tho Continental palate. Banquo's ghost, the gashes, and the gory locks also met with high approval. Mdme Bernhardt's nightdress, in the sleep-walking scene, was pronounced in good taste ; but the Scotch kilts worn in the course of the play were considered ridiculous. It is noteworthy that one reviewer puts Hamlet's " To be or not to be " into the mouth of Macbeth, and emphasises the mistake by saying that few Frenchmen know more about him than this familiar speech. Talking of " Macbeth " leads naturally on to the fact that the American Negro Tragedy Troupe, of which I spoke some time ago, are now in full awing. A nigger Macbeth telling a nigger Macduff to come on, and remarking that blanked be he who first cries "Hold, enough !" presents a funny idea, and funnier still is that of a black Lady Macbeth holding out a gigantic Ethiopian paw and protesting that all the perfumes xof Arabia will not Bweeten "this little hand." Nevertheless, funny or not f unuy, the niggers— some professional and some amateur— have given performances in Washington of " Macbeth," "Richard III," and " Ingomar." The leading tragedian was a man and a brother named Beatty, and it is refreshing to learn that the entire performances were execrable.

There is a strange rumour to the effect that Douglas Jerrola's "Black Eyed Susan " is to be revived in the new Alhambra. An unlikely rumour, as the little burlesque would be quite wasted in that vast auditorium. '

" The Great Divorce Case " has already supplanted "Fourteen Days" at the Criterion Theatre.

The ill luck of the Novelty Theatre has changed with the production of "Lalla Rookh."

True recognition has for once come to an English artist in America first and not in England. Mdme Trebelli's Carmen has created quite a revolution in the States. One leading paper concludes its criticism in these words. 1" It 1b not too much to say that the new Opera House han never heard such richness of voice as those wonderful notes expelled from the chest of .MdmeTrebelli. , The house, too, was large, attentive, cultured, appreciative. This woman, who has such wonderful gifts, and who has such fine opportunities of giving them display, did herself honour. Her voice unquestionably is the richest in quality ever heard in New York." ■ It is well known that Taglioni, like her. distinguished compatriot and fellow artist Mario, jsnded her days in poverty and obscurity. "You arc real queen," said the Duchess of Berri to her 1 on one occasion ; *' you have no insurrection and no exile to fear." Taglioni spoke cf ill-health and old age as things which the artist had to dread. "No doubt," said the royal lady, " health and youth do not last for ever ; but by the time they go you will have your diamonds, your chateaux — you will be rich, in a word." Taglioni, like so many other stars, was improvident ; and the diamonds disappeared long since. Her marriage with Count Gilbert de Voisins— an event which took place exactly fifty-two years ago —was as unfortunate as such unions often are. The parties soparated in less than a week.

Dr Hans Yon Bulow has experienced some results of the gross insults he heaped upon England and English musicians after his last visit. His recent pianoforte recitals in London were but coldly received, and outside the concert hall he very narrowly escaped personal castigttion. "Confusion " has now passed its 350fch night at |the Vaudeville. The New York Wagner Festival, organised by Mr Theodore Thomas, although it was little thought of in England, excited a great deal of interest in America. The famous Wagnerian vocalists Frau Materina, Herr Winkelmann, and Herr Soaria were imported specially from Vienna for the occasion, and the chorus num bered nearly 1000 voices.

A practical personage who has lately bsen reading Shakespeare has come to certain conclusions about the bard. One of these conclusions is that an inexplicable mistake has crept into "As You Like It," and he marvels that no editor or commentator has pointed out the absurdity. The banished duke speaks of finding " tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermonß in stones, and good in everything," but the practical person declares this to be nonsense. The obvious slip and trans position have passed unnoticed. What it should be, he has no doubt, is — "leaves on trees, stones in the running brooks, sermons in books, &c." As to the poetry suffering, that is nothing. A monument in polished granite dft 6in in height has been erected to the late Benjamin Webster in Brompton Cemetery. ' The panel bears the simple inscription — " In memory of Benjamin Webster, actor; born 3rd September, 1797 ; died Bth July, 1882. A new dancer, Mdlle Bessone, has made her appearance at the new Leicester Square Theatre in " Ohilperic." She is officially described as being the " acknowledged finest dancer in Europe," and as hailing from the theatres of La Scala, Milan, and San Carlos, Naples. She is at any rate a graceful performer, and met with an enthusiastic recoption. Her attitudes are animated and striking, she dances upon the points of her toes with the greatest ease, and there is remarkable vigour in her pirouettings, which are accomplished with little apparent effort. Still Miss Kate Vaughan is not yet extinguished. An incident recorded by Derrick shows us conclusively that Btage realism is not a thing of

to-day. In 1693 one Henry Higden produced a. comedy called " The Wary Widow, or Sir Noisy Parrot." The prologue was by Sir Ohas. Sedley, and the piece Was in fivoacts. We are informed, however, that *' the audience were dismissed at the end of the third aflt, the author having contrived so much drinking of punch ia the play that the actors all got drufck, and wore unable to finish it." For " it " read the play and Hat the punch. The celebrated " Silver King " authors in their new one act play " Chatterton " seero to" have achieved only a qualified success. They have introduced a, few nappily conceived characters to prevent the piece degenerating into a mere monologue, but at best it ia little more than an effoctive study of suicide. Mr Wilson Barrett makes the boy-poet a perfectly likely and consistent personage, but he iB lacking in the heroic qualities needed to give sentimental interest to his self-inflicted death.

It is notorious how very slight a circumstance will somatimes serve to wreck a play, or to turn to ridicule any gravo situation either on or off the Btage. " Called Back," which is now lunning so successfully at the Prince's Theatre, London, had a narrow escape of this kind on ita firet night. It waß at the moment when the applause was at its loudest that a servant opened the door of the room in the Paria hotel wheie the hero Was Btaying, and at hia bare appearance a simultaneous roar of laughter arose from all parts of the house. The man had merely to say that someone waited below to see Monsieur, but something comic in his manner or voice, or his badly put on whiskers tickled the house, and very nearly caused a catastrophe. Ah it was no slip occurred to confirm the merriment, but the moment was critical, and many a good piece has been laughod off the boards fiom a Bmaller beginning. However, the success of 'Called Back " is unmistakably .demonstrated by the fact that already a parody is in preparation at the Globe Theatre by the title of " Crawled Back." Mr Lawrence Barrett's unsuccessful season at the Lyceum Theatre is at an end. Nevertheless, in the higher qualities of the art, the gentleman is at least infinitely superior to his predecessor Miss Mary Anderson, into whoso lap riches have flowed so rapidly. Judging by her experience Mr Barrett would have done better without even the thought, experience, and artistic perception he has, — were he only provided with youth, a handsome faca, and a clever advertising agent to get up rumours as to his social doings and intentions. Mrs Dutton Cook, widow of the late dramatic critic, has been granted a small annuity by the Crown.

The present season is spoken of as one of the worrft that London managers have experienced for some time. The death of the Duko of Albany and the absence of thß Prince of Wales arc estimated as two of the principal causes. Pinsuti's new song " Laddie," which has olreidy found its way here, has achieved more popularity in London than anything of the kind published for yeara. Forty thousand copies have been sold there during the last six months.

A chance of distinction came unexpectedly to Signora Boy-Gilbert (who was singing in Australia about 12 months ago), but the cup was snatched away before it reached her lips. It was at the Italiens, Paris, quite recently, and Mdlle Dalti, who was cast for Rosini in " II Barbiere," having sent word that she was too unwell to perform,- the management determined that Signora Boy-Gilbert should play the part. She had costumes hurriedly prepared during tho afternoon, but when actually going on the stage, Mdlle Dalti came down suddenly recovered, and Signora Boy-Gilbert's opportunity had vanished into the air.

The distinction of playing lago to Salvini's Othello has beou conferred uppn only one English actor, Mr J. B. Howard, lessee of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. Mr Howard, naturally proud of the unique opportunity afforded him, was a trifle nervous, but on mastering this weakness did admirably. He has now not only the record of having played lago to Salvini's Othello, but also Othello to Irving's lago.

At a certain theatre recently the curtain was raised unexpectedly after the close of the piece, and dipcovered the company in a semicircle evidently puzzled as to what was about to happen. The audience waited, and the manager called upon Mr , a young actor, who stepped forward in surprised confusion. Producing a beautiful gold medal, the manager then handed it to the gaping Thespian with the following well chosen remarks :—": — " As a alight token of the appreciation in which your conduct is held by the managers of this circuit, this medal is presented to you. _ The self-sacri-fice and heroism of the deed which, this offering is intended to commemorate is unparalleled in the history of your profession. Accept this, then," &c. &c. &c. The inscription upon the medal was then read. The noble young fellow attempted to reply, but his stammering protest was drowned by the applause of the delighted audience and of his brother actors, who gathered round him. One side of the medal, upon examination, was found to bear the name of the recipient and a description of the gallant deed for which the gift was a reward. Me had turned down the gas in his dressing room upon leaving it for the stage. The famous Pasdeioup Sunday Symphony Concerts, which have been carried on by M. Pasdeioup in Paris for the last twenty-three years, are to be stopped.

The musical appetite of his Majesty the King of Bavaria must be insatiable. He recently intimated that the Munich Opera House would be closed for a fortnight, but during that period he himself was to enjoy a series of performance's in solitude, even the intendant, Baron Perfall, not being allowed to be present.

A copyright case recently decided in England proves very clearly where the line is to be drawn in tho matter of " private " entertainments. Even a tea-meeting at which sixpenny tickets are issued must be held to bo a public ocoasion.