NOTES BY PASQUIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1813, 20 August 1886, Page 28

NOTES BY PASQUIN.

In view of the re-opening of the Rignold Company at the Princess Theatre on Saturday next our friend Liddy has fairly surpassed himself. So much must be candidly admitted. This town from the Grand Hotel to the smallest beershop is billed quietly but firmly. Billed, not with the flaming placards the sight of which disorders the gastric juices and upsets the whole internal economy of the passer by, but with something at once chaste and compelling —a neat arrangement in black and white, and it is all but impossible to resist. The pictorial presentment is Mr Rignold as Paolo Macari, the smart and gentlemanly scoundrel in "Called Back," who bores a hole in poor young Anthony March with a stiletto, and afterwards silences his conscience and atones to avenging Pate by making a frank, straightforward confession, not of this particular crime —that would be asking to much, —but of a little political peccadillo on the part, not of himself, but of his dear friend and accomplice, Dr Ceneri. He sends the poor old gentleman to the Siberian mines, and continues himself to ruffle it gaily in a fashionably cut overcoat with a fur collar, vide Mr Rignold's portraits. I hear on good authority that Rignold's Macari is a really excellent performance, and can believe it. At all events he makes up for the part Mllingly —the picturesque wave pf his eyebrows, and droops of his moustache will not be lost upon the fair sex. We have already had two spurious versions of " Called Back " performed here, neither of which made a particular hit as produced. It was not to be expected that they would, for the story is. one that requires great ingenuity in dramatisation. Messrs Rignold and Allison have the right to the piece as originally written by- Comyns Carr and the late Hugh Conway, and this will, no doubt, prove to be a play, not merely a shriek and a vision in three acts. " Called Back " will run for a week, and then be replaced by " Faust." I can say nothing as to the version of this piece that will be played save that it is sure to be a good- one, and it is equally certain not to follow ,the Lyceum version in every detail. The Brocken revels must of course be cut, but the production is nevertheless to be on an ambitious scale, Mr Rignold playing the devil in the role of Mephistopheles. Every ounce of sinster ingenuity in his composition, that he hpjs not already used up as Macari, he wjll throw into his impersonation of our great arch-enemy, Metro ! Our amateurs —my kindliest wishes go with them —will give " Blow for Blow'" on Thursday and Friday evening at the Princess. _ They intend to hit as they can, and see if Fortune cannot be buffeted into favour. Mr A. H. Burton has resolved to start at once for England with his panorama of the volcanic district. It is a little late in the day now and it would no doubt have been better to take the exhibition straight away to Melbourne and Sydney after the eruption, but there is no doubt still money to be made with it at Home. If there is a suggestion to offer Mr Burton, it is that his elocutionary style should be softened and toned down. At present it is not a bad style. It is a good style—too good. That is the fault. There is too much style about it. At Rockhampton, Searelle and Harding's Opera Company gave a Sunday evening sacred concert, for the benefit of two women who had been suddenly widowed. £40 was realised, but church and stage fell foul of each other over the affair. A local clergyman, preaching on the Sunday evening, told any of his hearers who were awake not to go to the concert that night. The play-acting people were merely doing the thing to gain a little cheap notoriety, and it was a desecration of the Sabbath. Before the opera commenced next evening, Searelle presented himself before the curtain, and retaliated upon his reverend assailant by saying, " Let his or kindred congregations give an entertainment for the same laudable purpose on any day of the week, and the chances are that the results will be a paltry £5." True enough. A Melbourne journalist wails over the doings of a number of depraved patriarchs from Adelaide—" the city of eternal snuffle." " I never go to the Melbourne theatres," he says, "without seeing in the front rows, especially with opera bouffe, a number of well-nigh hairless old gentlemen from Adelaide, drinking in the spicy bye-words, and gloating over the sight of the fair lasses in dishabille." News reaches Melbourne from Tinnevelly, in the presidency of Madras, that the local theatre has been completely destroyed by fire during a performance, and 100 lives lost. In Sydney they have seven places of amusement in full swing: —"The Pearl Divers," at I tho Royal; "Fuu on the Bristol," at the Gaiety; " The Candidate," at the New Opera House; Hugo's Minstrels at the Princess; the Federal Minstrels at the Academy; a third " burnt cork" troupe at the Alhambra; and •' Voices of the night" at the Standard. An American paper wafts the following gentle complaints in the direction of Dion Boucicault: ■—" There is nothing in the world more wearisome .to a careful reader of the Sunday papers than the reiteration that Boucicault has taught so many actors their art. In the name of goodness where are they? We cannot name one, and we pretend to know the people who are actors in the United States of America. The fact that old Boucicault is a martinet has created the opinion that he is a great instructor in the art of acting. Acting is an art beyond this old man, and it always has been. Because he can drive an actor into either the right or left corner of the stage at a certain point in the play, is he to be called the admirable Crighton of the Englishspeaking stage? He has attained this reputation through the credulity of his roportorial interviewers. It is the custom with this ancient Hibernian to say that actors owe to him everything that; he has to coach and instruct them in their roles. Now let us, kind reader, dispel this illusion about the marvellous genius of Boucicaulfc and his kind. Boucicault steals a play from the French; he carefully prepares a manuscript of said^play; he comes to the theatre with that manuscript under his arm, the business being wiitten in, and if the actors engaged to support him hesitate to obey his instruction ho has them A wcJiargod. This is no fancy picture, for he had Katie Pell discharged from the California Theatre nix or «evenycar« ago for her disinclination to bo bulldozed by him, Say that any of our readers haa committed a chapter of any novel to

memory and should meet a friend to whom only a minute was given for the perusal of the same chapter, and that the friend should be unable to repeat it. Would the aforesaid reader be justified in claiming that he taught his friend to read, and that he was a stupid fellow because he didn't know as much about the novel as the man who had committed it to memory ? That is the way with stage managers. They have six months or a year to study a play ; they come to the theatre on a certain morning ; the actors have received their parts the night before, and if they are not pat in their lines and business the following morning, Mr Stage Manager says, 'Oh, I'm almost crazy trying to teach these infernal actors.' Let Dion Boucicault take a part in play he has never read, and let him be limited on the same time that a dozen actors of our acquaintance are, and we will wager that he will know as little about it as the actor. Besides, come right down to it, he has not played as many parts as a dozen men of our acquaintance. In all of his experience, has he ever played a part in either Shakespeare or Sheridan Knowles ? We opine not. Has he ever played a part in any of the standard comedies ? No ; he has only played in French and Irish adaptations, and then he has taken good care to have all the 'fat' to himself. Dion has taught a good many young women — that we will admit — but did he teach them acting? Hardly. In fact, he is a blowhard and a humbug. He pretends to love his native land, while in reality he despises it. In the course of a good many years' experience, we never heard of him going to a meeting of Irishmen, and saying that he would make a sacrifice in keeping with his boasts. No ; he merely advertises his nationality for the sake of what it will bring in, and when next he is accosted by a penny-a-liner, let him not say that he has taught actors how to act." A queer case was heard in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, on the 11th June, before Vice-Chancellor, Sir James Bacon. Mr E. Cutler moved in the action, Fox v. Baker, to restrain the defendant from carrying on, on the premises, No. 367 Edgware road, any noisy noisome, or offensive business other, than the business of wax figures. The original lessee took the premises for the purpose of showing wax figures, but the defendant in March last started a low-class entertainment of "the lion faced lady," " two girls called the iron-jawed athletes," " the section of a woman," and an entertainment called " a ghost delusion." A man stood outside shouting and playing a barrel organ. Mr Russell Spratt, for the defendant, said that the show was similar to that of wax figures ; his predecessor had a barrel organ outside. The Vice-Chancellor granted the injunction. A grand open air performance of "As you like it" was given on July 3, at the Botanical Gardens, Manchester, under the auspices of the Arts Club, with Miss Marie de Grey as Rosalind. A story of Miss Mary Anderson comes from America. While she was rehearsing the part of Juliet an eminent physician, an intimate friend, was present. The performance delighted him till towards the conclusion of the play, when his countenance wore a troubled expression. When it was over he went up to the actress. "My dear young lady," he said, "you are wrong in one of your effects. Don't you know that a corpse doesn't stiffen for at least six hours after death?" "My dear doctor," responded Mary slowly, speaking in deep, rich tones, and adopting a strong, American twang, "do you think I'm going to keep my audience waiting for six hours while I stiffen ?" Mr Kyrle Bellew has been engaged for the winter season as leading man at Wallack's Theatre, New York. / Mr Fleming Norton was expected home in London at about the end of June, after an absence of three years. At the conclusion of the London season, Daly's American Comedy Company intend to play " The Magistrate" in Paris, Hamburg, and Berlin ; possibly in Vienna. The author has arranged for the subsequent production of the piece in German at the Wallner Theatre, Berlin, and in about 50 German towns. Miss Genevieve Ward and Mr Vernon were to play six nights engagement at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, commencing June 28, and introducing to the English public Miss Tyndale, _the young American, who accompanied Miss Ward to Australia. This will be the only appearance of Miss Genevieve Ward in the provinces this season, as she returns to Australia in August. The musical critic of the World (Dr Louis Engcl) *ays that Sir Arthur Sullivan is hard at work composing his Leeds oratorio. It is for this that he has laid aside the opera he .began writing for the winter season at the Savoy. With regard to the title, '• The Khedive," announced here and there, he begs to say that, first, the book itself is not all finished ; second, the music is only half written ; third, no title whatever is as yet given to the piece, and there is nothing Egyptian in it. The receipts at the Lyceum Theatre up to the middle of July continued to average over £400 a night, and the public anxiety to see " Faust " seemed rather to increase than diminish. The theatre was to close for six weeks at the end of July, and reopen on September 11 — still with " Faust." News has been already receive I by cable of the departure of Mr Lionel Brough for Australia with a comic opera company. Brough is an artist who in his own special line has long been a firm favourite in London, and the colonies are sure to like him. For a year or two back he has been playing in conjunction with Willie Edouin at the Avenue and Novelty Theatres, and by last advices from Home an extraordinary benefit was in preparation for him at Drury Lane. It was announced that " every principal artist connected' with the West End theatres " would appear. The New York Spirit of the Times, referring to the failure of " Adonis " in London, calmly remarks :—": — " We " (the Americans) " thought • Adonis ' trashy, but condoned it for the sake of Dixey's cleverness. Besides, the only chance of a success in London was to have the burlesque rewritten by one of the ' ring ' which controls the stage and the dramatic Press. The playwrights and critics of London form a close corporation which has existed for many years, and which no foreigner can break through without a fortune or a fight." The English critics are thus admitted to be right in their judgment of the piece, and yet stigmatised as "a ring." Rubinstein has resolved that two of the prizes he has recently founded at St. Petersburg shall be open to musicians of all nations. One is for the composition of a pianoforte concerto, and the other for pianoforte playing. The competititions do not take place till IS9O. Truth has been taking a plebiscite of playgoers, with the view of discovering who is the best living dramatist. The result is somewhat , of a surprise in several respects. Mr W. G. Wills (of " Faust " fame) is adjudged the best dramatist by 41 votes, Mr G. R, Sims taking second place with 32, and Sardou third with 31.

Then come in the order named : — Mr W. S. Gilbert, 22 ; Mr Pinero, 18 ; Mr Boucicault, 17 ; Mr Sidney Grundy, 15 ; Mr Comyns Carr, 10 ; Mr F. O. Burnand, 7 ; M. Dumas, 5 ; Mr Wilson Barrett, 4 ; Mr Pettitt, 3 ; and Sir Chas. Young and Lord Tennyson, 2 each. The elevation of Sims above Sardou and of Pinero above Boucicault aud Dumas seems to me one of those things that " no fellah can understand." Speaking of dramatists, by the way there seems to have been an edifying gathering of the fraternity at the Green Room Club Dinner a few weeks back — a gathering all " sweetness and light." Mr Comyns Carr, High Priest of Art, commenced operations in proposing the toast of " The English Drama and the English Stage," by sneering at Mr Augustus Harris, who, according to Carr, laughs " in his Drury Lane way" at the claims of Art, and thinks only of £s, d. Carr in a previous sentence had said, very emphatically : " I believe there is not one amongst us who has not done his utmost for the elevation of the drama." Mr H. A. Jones was called upon to respond, and Harris was for the time being kept in his seat by a i mixture of force and persuasion. Jones could see little in the dramatic prospect but barrenness and desolation, which was natural enough, perhaps, when his o>\n pieces were not being played. He evidently was not happy. Mr " Gus " Harris was glaring at him, and Pettitt was preparing to say ditto to Harris. Fernandez followed — distinct, but ponderous. He seemed to think that the best thing Art had done was to Establish the Green Room Club. Pettitt next got up to gird at the gloomy gentleman who was not content with seeing his name placarded all over the town, and with being the only Jones in London. Time was when he (Pettitt) thought Art meant getting the best possible percentage for his pieces. He thought so now, but in presence of so much cant and humbug, didn't care to say so. By this time neither persuasion nor force could restrain Augustus Harris. He sprang to his feet, and let go in fine style. What did Carr mean by digging at him while pretending compliments? He— the speaker— since he had had Drury Lane, had tried to keep his head, and not to make a fool of himself by talking and braying like an ass about Art. His work had shown that he loved Art a great deal more than the humbugs who talked so much. He had produced more Shakespearean plays than any other two theatres in London. Jones had attacked him in clubs and in magazines, but he flattered himself he knew a jolly sight better than Jones what the public wanted. Let Jones — and Carr too, if he liked — go and get shaved, and show a clean skin, so that he might see the expression of their mouths. Meanwhile the waiters were engaged in quietly removing knives, forks, saltcellars, plates, and other useful articles that might have been turned into dangerous weapons. Wilson Barrett now said something to calm the perturbed tempers, and John Hollingshead followed with a splendid bit of banter. In his opinion our dramatists (who, he stated, were five in number) instead of being where they were, heating their blood with rich feasting, should have been in the country seeking nourishment from new milk. Sound advice, but then where would the advertisement have been. Mr Charles Dickens, who has lately commenced a reading tour, is confining himself to the suburbs of London and the provinces for the present. He has, however assured the correspondent of an American paper that he has taken his father as his model, and that some day, if he succeeds iv his enterprise in England, he may try his luck in the United States. He seems to have created a favourable impression upon his audiences so far. Before leaving London Rubinstein wrote a cheque for £300 for the benefit of certain distressed artists. He can afford it. The sum he has made in Paris and London within the last few months is prodigious, and the American Opera Company have now offered him an enormous amount to go over and conduct his own opera, " Nero," in New York. Rubinstein is willing enough to do this, but as he is little or nothing of " a draw " as a conductor, the Company demand that he shall also appear as a pianist, which he obstinately refuses to do. A statement is printed in the Paris Figaro that, " owing to the demand of too high a sum, M. Nicolini and Mdme. Patti had to resign themselves to the absence of a dispensation from the Pope." Just before his death Liszfc wrote to one of our English composers — Mr Mackenzie — volunteering to write a transcription for thef pianoforte of some of the principal melodies in his new opera, " The Troubadour." Managers and mummers are still groaning at these annual South Kensington Exhibitions, and the dissolution of Parliament was one more unkind cut for them, for it emptied London. Under these depressing circumstances they keep on dropping into newspaper offices and leaving such verses as the following : — Alas ! the harmless (and, you'll own The necessary) mummer Beneath depression has to groan When comes the sweltering summer ! Apart from this, Colindian shows Upset our constitution ; And now the House of Commons goes For instant dissolution. The news of Mdme. Christine Nilsson's approaching second marriage, which was contradicted about twelve months ago, is now officially announced from Paris. The happy man is the Count Casa Miranda, who has been Vice-Presi-dent of the Spanish Financial Commission tat Paris and London, the Secretary-General of the Premiership under Senor Canovas del Castillo, a member of the Cortes, and Gentleman-in-Waiting to the late King. The Count is also a journalist, and in that capacity he accompanied Mdme. Nilsson during her last American tour. This marriage has caused the idea of a fresh American tour to be abandoned. But the wedding will take place in London townrds the end of the month, and the Countess de MirandaNilsson will next winter undertake a Continental tour, which it is alleged will be her farewell. Mdme. Nilsson is forty-two years of age, being just six mouths younger than her once great rival, Mdme. Patti. She married M. Auguste Rouzeaud in 1872 in Westminster Abbey, but her husband died insane a few years since, after losing, by, unlucky investments, a good part of the prima donna's fortune.