THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 23

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

NOTES BY SOALFAX.

Melboubnb, June 1. " lolanthe" is drawing aa well as during the first week, and is certaicily "set" for a long run. Of the characters I have nothing new to say ; and the same remark applies to chorus, and the great body of staee handß who are never seen, and yet are ao indiapensable in the successful yertormanoo of any piece. My friend " Pasquin " baa been giving you an assortment of dramatic curves lately, and hore, to follow suit, is tho verso launched by the Fairy Qa o en against the House of Lords. Mu'oo trcniolo, with occasional wails on the violin : — Every Bill and every Measure That roay gratify his pleasure, Th utrh jour aoger ifc arouses, J'halt be pasaod by both your Houses 1 (Chord.) You shall sit, it he sees reascn, Thr u.»h toe givu-e «r.d summer reason ! (Bigger chord ) Ho bhall end the eheriehed rites You tmjoy on Wcdneßday nighta ! (Anothor sort of chord ) Ho shall prick that aanua b istor. Marriage with bectoßod Wife's flißkr ! (Trumpets.) orders ah< 11 tmnoble then All tbe common coir oil men, And a Du> o'u ejeaded rtatnn Be obtainable by cornpu'.uive examination. (Ternfio craoh.) Thora ia every probability of Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "The Sorcerer" being pio<luced Defore long, It was tried at tbe Bijou Theatre some years ago with Miss Alice Lingard as the heroine, but did not draw. In London it was by no means a groat success, although it had a good run. A wellknowu Colonial prima donna, Minß Alico May, waa tha Aline at that time. There ia eomo ©xcol-

lent music in (he opera ; and the great tenor rolo " I love that love" is, perhaps, Sir Arthur Sullivan's finest effort in this hne. I should not be surprised if " Tb^ Sorcerer " turned out a draw this time. When first prodaotd it followed directly on " Piuafore," and fche contrast was too marked, for " The Sorcerer " h a more ambitious and, therefore, heavier opera. The plot of the latter opera is fully as amusing as " Pinafore," but tbe aira are not so catchy, to use a popular word.

"Youth" ia also filling tho Opera House nightly, and seema likely to do so for many nighta to come. Tho drama has been well mounted, and a great deal of attention has been paid to the scenery. In the battle act enough powder is waated to satisfy the moat exigeant gallery boy. In the forlorn hope scene Mr Eignold rideß his weilknown grey charger Crispin, and certainly manages him amid the firing with great skill, Some nigh 1 or other a careless shot may knock the sang froid out of that horse, and the kettle-drummer, who sits in front of him in tbe orchestra, will have to execute a lively retreat.

"Bobadil" is in its last WBek at tho Bijou Theatre, and next Saturday we are to hava Offenbach's well worn opera " Las Brigaudo, 5 ' known hore in the old Lvoterian days in association with Mi«s Clara Thompson (Mrs H. Bracy), who is living in retirement in London, The Nugget Theatre is fairly filled every nigh!;, and some additions have bean made to the company, notably a fine basso, Herr S oeffol. Messrs Hussey and Lawton, the comedians of the company, have arc apparently inexhaustible stock of farces, and, mirabile diclu, aome of them are now.

The Red Stocking Minstrels at St. George'B Hall are also doing good business. That " good time coming" I have so often spoken of in my notes on the Aquarium soems to be at haud. Last wepk alO feet octopus and a 5 feet carpet shark were added to the tanks. The latter is said to be the only specimen in captivity. If anyone should fall over the edge now be will have a bad time. I shall be on hand ; I could not miss that par. for a million.

The Swiss Fair in the Exhibition has added a midwinter gala to its other attraction ; and for the small sum of one shilling you can ride on a merry.gorouad, peril your life on the swing ing boats, get bored over Punch and Judy, and be worried out of all reason to buy somnthing you don't want at a price entirely bayond your means. Bazaars are a great institution.

Mr L. L. Smith, the -srell-known doctor, horso breeder, exhibition tru3tes, and inventor of a navr sort of champagne, appropriately named Creme do Bouzy, was plaintiff in an action .igainsfc Mr Georgo Muagrove, one of .our triumvirate, for slander, You may remember, con^ant reader, that in Deceinbtr and January laat a Jubilee Exhibition was held in tho Ex hibiHon building, under the auspices of Mr J. H. Knipe. A deputation of theatrical managers waited on the Chief Secretary and protested against the issue of a lease of the building to Mr Kaipo, as it would interfere with their business. In the course of the interview certain expressiona were used intimating that the Exhibition trustees had a share in the enterprise themselves. Dr' Smith considered himself slandered, and brought tho action. You may remember that I told you Mr Rignold published an apology for hia share in the transaction. Mr Mungrove determined to fight it out, and lost tho case ; verdici, one farthing dimiasfaa. Dr Smith has a similar action against M/ Garner, and in tbe course of cross-examina-tion Mr Mutgrove had to admit that. Mr Garner bad made tho idontic.ii statements for which the second action iv brought! It waa, without doubt, an awkward position for Mr Musgrovo.

Dr J. E Taylor, our now scientific lecturer, arrived th;s morning from Adelaide, where his lectures attracted a good deal of attention. He opans at the Athenaeum Hall next Friday, the subject being "The World before Man." The doctor has brought some thousands of lantern slides with him, and intends to fully illustrate all hiß lectures. The genial, if diminutive, R, S. Smyths is piloting him, so he haa everything in his favour.

Adelaide. — " Pink Dominos," as performed by the " Confusion " Compauy, is in favour at the Theatre Royal. Tbo varied entertainments at Garner's Theatre have been fairly patronised, aud tho neason of one week haa closed. Tbo Military Band hai'o beon giving a series of concerts ; and a "Great French Company of Bear Hunters" aro at St. George's Hall. Ah a special attraction they challenge all coiners to wrestle wi ( h the bears ; and guarantee safety The Harry Rickarda Company ojien at the new Academy of Mu3io on Juno 6. I nndorstand that tho now building io likely to prove a formidable rival to tho Theatre Royal. Mr John Kruse. a Victorian yoxxth sent to Germany to atudy the violie by the liberality oi tha Victorian public, haa arrived on a visit, and will shortly m&ke hiH public reappearance.

Garton's wnll-known theatrical hotnl is now in the hands of a triumvirate, namely : Messrs T. Curnow, Geo. Rignold, and Jainess Allison. Miiis Oliver, whom every actor kuowr, is io be given a handsome tertimonial prior to her departure for Enpiand Mr Gaorga Darreil hao made satisfactory arrangements for a season at, the Opera House, aud hia military drama, "The Forlorn Hope,'' will have a prominent plaoe. This is the drama, written many years ago, in which an Australian contingent sails to old England's aid.

Sydney.— " Impulse " haa been revived at the Theatre Royal ; and the Majeronia are playing " The Foundry Master " -at the Opera House, A new place of amusement, the Al* bambra* Concert Hall, haß bsen opened in George street, under the management of Mr Frank Smith, the well-known Botany entrepreneur.

Emerson's and the Federal Minstrels aro at the Gaiety Theatre and Academy of Mußio respectively.

Emelie Melville's Company has gono to ufctar smash in Calcutta, and Mr E. Farley has lost all his money. He takes a portion of the company round tho China seas. What becomes of the other portion is a mystery. Tasmania.— Hall and Hamilton are still playing at Hobart. This firm tried to obtain money to erect a much-required theatre in Launceston, and £1000 was raised. The building was partly erected, but no more funds came in, and work was stepped. Stantield and Dean'fl Company are touring in the country, as is Misa Georgie Smithson. Queensland.- The Dunning Opera Company closed in Brisbano on the 23rd ; and Alias Genevieve Ward opened on the 25bh ult. The Dunuing Company opou to-night iv Newcastle. Tbe Carrie Nelson and Marion Willis Couipauies are in the north ; acd tho Juno Company arc a Townavillo

" Fun oa tho Briatol " is now playing a three nighta' season at Sandhurst, followiog tho Helen Vivian Dramatic Compuny. Everyone knows a banjo by appearance, and ifc ut ones nonjurPß up vkions of minstrel oompunies, "Yjli! Yaha !" and breakdowns. In (he course of some researches I oamo across a few faots about banjos, which I hava uofc seen in print before, and I have dovetailed them with facts wifchio my knowled^a to tho follow

ing effect : — 'The first banjomaker wav Dave> Jacobs, of New York, who owned a little store 1 in Grand street, near tha Bowery, in 1850, His baojos soon became celebrated, and in 1855 he* entered on their manufacture on a large scaie iv Chatham street, A prominent rival of hia was Morrell, in 1853 The banjo is a popular instrument in America. Tha following Hat of names 'Will show toat the bsmjo moves in good society, for they are the names of some wellknown proficients s— Miss M. B. Patterson, tho favourite grand-daughter of th« late President Johnson ; Miss B. S. Raid, niece of Whifcelaw Raid ; Mias Fanny Carleton, daughter of tho publisher ; James Gordon Bennett ; Fraderick Taaderbilt ; the two sons of Harper, the publisher ; and a host of others. Christine Nileson plays the banjo, as does Lotta and Clara Louise Kellog. Lady Randolph Churchill and many English society ladies are given t» this instrument. The Earl of Dunraven is supposed to have tho finest collection of banjosin the world, including one with a nolid gold hoop, fine rosewood neck with ivory frefcs, and decorated with band painted satin ribbons.