THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1764, 12 September 1885, Page 23

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

NOTES BY SCALFAX.

Melbourne, September 1

As I intimated last week, Mr Boucisault did not change his programme during his last nights, and for his kenefit on Thursday, when " Kerry," and " Arrah-na-pogue " were played for the last time. In response to the inevitable call Mr Boucicault made a short farewell speech, in which he referred to the success of his engagement and told us that he never played a more profitable one, which I can easily believe, for his terms with the triumvirate were almost princely. After thanking the public for the favour they had shown his children, he said that "he had produced many works in his time, but none of which he was prouder than those two," a witticism which appeared to suit the audience. Mr Boucicault has ample reason to be satisfied with us. His pieces have been placed oil the stage with a total disregard of expense, and in a manner superior to many of his London premiers ; a good company supported him ; crowded houses greeted him each evening ; and his receipts have been enormous ; what more could he want ? Mr Boucicault and the company left for Sydney last Friday, and appeared in " The Shaughraun," in the Theatre Royal at that place last Saturday to a crammed house. The Sydney season is to last six weeks, and then the venerable old actor returns to America. The marriage with Miss Thorndyke has not yet taken place, but ifc is to occur before Australian shores are quitted.

On Friday last we revelled m an amateur performance of " Hamlet," at the Theatre Royal, given in aid of the funds of the children's Hospital by the Roscian Club. Amateur shows are our delight, and when they soar as high as the Shakespearian tragedy our exuberance is uncontrollable. It is a curious thing, this ambition of young people to become actors, and strut their brief — all too brief — hour upon the stage. Success as an amateur is harmful ; let an amateur be praised and be places himself upon an equality with the best actors he knows. He feels the Promethean fire, his work — steady, every-day, money-making work — becomes distasteful to him, and he, not unfrequently, goes on the stage, and then discovers what an ass he is. I know of two cases in this city where young fellows were led by undue praise to throw up good situations for the stage, and both of them at the present moment are closely bordering upon a state of absolute poverty. T,he amateur always forgets that the newspaper praise he receives is only given for his superiority over other amateurs ; he considers that he is weighed in the same balance as the professional actor. A man may be the best amateur actor in a great city and yet not have the makings of a third-rate professional. Curious as it may appear to the unitiated, the life of an actor is one of constant and wearying work, varied with an amount of excitement which often has an injurious effect upon the system. Amateurs pride themselves upon feeling no nervousness in their little stage plays, but your true actor is always nervous, and first nights are a thing to be dreaded.

There is a story told of the late Charles Matthews which bears upon this subject. He had engaged a promising novice for a fairly important part, and on the night of performance asked the usual question, "How d'ye feel ?" The novice professed to be as right as the historical trivet, and on Matthews placing his hand over his heart he felt that it was beating^ regularly and steadily. Turning to a bystander he mentioned this, with an air of surprise, and said " Feel mine." His heart was fluttering with nervousness and expectation. There are few, very few, actors who do not get a touch of what is known as the " gas fever " on their first appearance in n new role. An actor has to depend upon popularity with the mass for his living, and the mass are as fickle as the summer wind.

The Hamlet of the evening was a superior performance, and the young gentleman who appeared in the character is to be congratulated, or else his tutor is. The King had evidently practised an eminently regal step, bu.t he had practised in modern costume, and when he tried to exhibit it in robes the effect was confusing. Rosenorantz and Guildenstern were allotted to two of the most opposite characters possible. The one was tall and thin, but with a powerful voice ; the other was short with tremendous understandings and a weak, undefined voice. Miss Roland Watts-Phillips was an effective Ophelia, and Miss Flora Anstead a passing fair Queen. The theatre has been closed during the week to enable a host of necessary alterations and refurnishings to be made, and will not open till Saturday next, when it has been decided that Mr Frank Thornton shall appear in " The Private Secretary." A full house assembled at the Opera House last Saturday to witness the first performance in these Colonies of Mr A. W. Pinero's new comedy " Lords and Commons." This play was first produced in London at the Haymai-ket Theatre on Saturday, November 24, 1883, and achieved at best but a partial success. Mr Rignold saw it performed in London, and, although, advised not to do so, bought it. When played in America it was coldly received. Mr Plner6 confessed that the xna^n idea of the ijomedy is d\\e • <' \ '\ ''.'; v. '''< " '■ ' •

to a Swedish romance, " Mannen of Bors," by Maria Sophia Schwartz, and I am not iv a position to contradict him. The comedy is Pineroish in the extreme, with all the faults and excellencies of his style strongly marked. The characters are, to an extent, improbable, and selfishness seems to be the mainspring of their action.

The scene is laid at Caryl Court, in the spring and summer of the present time. The Caryl family have run through their money, and are forced to sell the old home, which is bought by a wealthy American widow, Mrs Devenish. She sends clown her man of business, Tom Jervoise, a broken-down English gentleman, who has been eight years in America, talks with a real "down-east" twang, and dusts his boots with sa|fin chair-cushions. Jervoise meets Lady Nell, the only daughter of the house of Caryl, and afterwards her brother, Lord Caryl. The aristocrats have an intense hatred for the plebeian new comer ; and Jervoise, who bears a kindly message, is sent away with contumely. Mrs Devenish arrives sooner than expected ; the Caryls are forced to meet her, and hard things are said on each side. The characters in this scene show an utter disregard for all the canons of taste and breedin g. Lady Caryl, the haughty mother, falls in a fit, and is compelled to remain in the house as Mrs Devenish's guest. We then discover that Mrs Devenish had a purpose in buying Caryl Court, the main object of which is to make things unpleasant for Lord Caryl. It appears that he made a marriage when quite a lad by his dying uncle's bedside with the said uncle's supposed ward. Lord Caryl learns after the ceremony that his girl-wife in not his uncle's ward, but his illegitimate daughter ; whereupon he deserts her. Mrs Devenish appears in the character of this lady's friend, determined to humble the ruined peer. She removes all the family pictures, replaces the Caryl coat of arms over the fireplace by a picture of the deserted wife, sinks shafts for lead in the Caryl grounds, and finally offers the post of mining manager to Lord Caryl— an offer which is refused with scorn. Lady Nell atid Mrs Devenish are becoming friends, but Lord Caryl stays at a house ho owns in the next village, whither he proposes to remove his mother and sister as soon as the former is well enough to be moved. The third act is devoted to love, and Lady Nell falls in love with Tom Jei-voise, who reciprocates, and Mrs Devenish and Lord Caryl follow suit. Lord Caryl's house in the village gets burned down, and he becomes reconciled to accepting the post of mining manager in the Caryl mines. The last act clears up nothing at all, because we all knew what was coming. Mrs Devenish reveals herself as the deserted Lady Caryl, and the illegitimacy docs not weigh with Lord Caryl this time; Lady Nell marries Tom Jervoise; and all is joy.

Mr George Rignold was a manly, if monotonous, Lord Caryl, 'and Miss Kate Bishop an effective Mrs Devenish ; Mr Bryan Darley was the Tom Jervoise, and Miss Lucia Harwood the Lady Nell. Mrs Rignold appeared in a minor character — Miss Maplebeck, an American girl — and her performance was the most commendable feature of the evening. Miss Flora Anstead was wearisome as Lady Caryl with her platitudes anent the superiority of rank; and Mr Stirling Whyte was scarcely less so as an old nuisance, Lord Lewiscourt. On. its production in London an able critic said of " Lords and Commons " that " everyone is more or less a bad person. Old Lady Caryl, who ought to know better, is offensive and overbearing. Lady Nell is a pert, offensive minx, who gives her opinion with consistent effrontery. Tom Jervoise, an ex-aristocrat who has lived some years in California, is a perfect savage. Lord Percy Lewiscourt is a pragmatical , nuisance, and Miss Maplebeck, the American girl, is the only cheerful member of this doleful society." This is sweeping, but it is very near the mark. The great length of the cornedy — it is not over before a quarter to 12 — is also against its success. " Lords and Commons " will have no run worth speaking of — a faot whioh the management appear to be conscious of, as "The Romany Rye "is in rehearsal. " The Lights o' London," and " Henry V " are to follow " The Romany Rye ;" and our old favourite, Mr T. B. Appleby has been engaged to furnish the humorous element.

Mr W. H. Vernon took a benefit at the Bijou Theatre on Saturday last, when Sydney Gruudy's farcical comedy "The Snowball," and " Woodcock's Little Game " represented the bill-of-fare. His Excellency the Governor and suite were present. The same programme has been performed during the week ; and next Friday Miss Ward benefits in " Lucrezia Borgia." She then goes on tour in the country, opening at Kynefcon and working her way on to Sandhurst. During Cup week Miss Ward returns to Melbourne to appear at the Town Hall at a benefit for the Lying-in-Hospital. An English version of Sophocles' "Antigone," with Mendelssehn's music, is to be given on November 6. The stage is to consist of two platforms, one imposed above the other, like the theatres of the Grecian era, and every care is to be taken to make the representation as classic as possible. Mr George Gordon is to paint the scenery, and the best available artists in the city have promised their co-operation. The balcony of the Town Hall is to be divided into boxes, whioh are to be sold by public auction, and the admission fees to otner parts of the hall will range from £1 to 2s. The performance is expected to, be, an enormous success ; and, no doubt, it will be.

" Uncle Tom's Cabin " is now running at St. George's Hall ; and Miss Helen Fergus has produced an original drama, " Crime," at the Nugget Theatre. I have not seen it. There is apictured canvas outside the door which purports to show an incident of the play, and tiho, sight of it unnerves me. . " "

Adelaide. — " The Sunny South is drawing well at the Theatre" Boyal, The juveniles are playing *i T^e Little Duke " and "' The Pirates of Penssiance " at the Academy, and a gentleman has been lecturing on that fascinating subjeot, phrenology, at Garner's Theatre.

To-morrow evening the Governor and suite visit the Bijou Theatre, when Miss Ward and Mr Vernon will appear in "The Queen's Favourite." The Majeroni and Wilson comedy company open on Saturday next wii;i\ the farcical comedy, " Mixed."

Mr Harry Rickards has concluded 1 a succesf ul season in Brisbane, and. opens at our St. George's Hall on Sati\ydjyy next,

Sydney. — " The Shaughrauu "is drawing its orowded houses to the Theatre Royal ; " Isidora "is running at the Opera House ; and the Federal Minstrels are at the Academy of Music. The triumvirate are gobbling up theatres everywhere, and the latest, I learn, is the Sydney Opera House, whioh has been secured for next Christmas.

Mr A. T. Dunning was sued in the County Court during the week for salary due to^a 1 chorister and his wife, bad to pay the money with cqs^. The case \vaV'a test one, and the balance of, the 'company are now ' going f.Q£ D,unnlrig. ' It appeared in, evidenoe. fh.a.f half salaries only were pai,d at cerfafo periods of the company's late in^c.olonjaj tow.