NOTES BY PASQUIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1822, 22 October 1886, Page 28

NOTES BY PASQUIN.

The Princess Theatre was reopened on Saturday evening by Messrs MacMahpn and Leitch's company, and a dramatic version of Marcus Clarke's celebrated novel "For the Term of his Natural Life" was produced. The theatre was well filled, the pit and stalls being crowded, and there being also a good attendance in the dress circle. The task of dramatising Marcus Clark's chief work is not an easy one, and it is not perhaps surprising that playwrights have avoided it. The book is so full of incident, its tone so sombre, .and its conclusion so different from that which playgoers regard as essential, that no dramatiser could do more than seize a few of the leading features. A wide departure from the novel, and more especially in the conclusion, was therefore to be expected. The version which was presented on Saturday and following evenings not only differs materially from the novel, losing much of its interest and most of its power, but is for the most part a taDgle, to unravel which, and follow the thread of the story, is too much of a tax on the ingenuity of the audience. One of the subsidiary characters in the novel, the Rev. Mr Meekin, attains considerable prominence in the play, and this does not serve to make things any clearer. No doubt the dramatist found it necessary to introduce a larger share of light comedy into his play than was to be found in the book, but his wisdom in taking " The Private Secretary " for a pattern is very doubtful. The prologue of the book is fairly though by no means closely represented. .This part is somewhat tedious on the stage, but it serves to introduce most of the characters, to show their relationship to each other, and to explain how it is that Rupert Dawes is wrongfully convicted — prefers rather the martyrdom of convict life than allow his mother to. suffer the threatened exposure. After a very long interval the curtain rose on the first act, the scene being the deck of the convict ship. The scenes in this act — the upper deck, 'tween decks, and the mutiny— are very creditably represented, but the first scene is to some extent spoilt by the pecentric gait and mutinous conduct of the sentry. The mutiny is represented as successful, and in fact the prisoners have it entirely their own way until Dawes, who struggled on deck, though suffering from typhus fever, points the howitzer at th« mutineers in order to save the ladieK. The curtain fch»»n falls, and the nextscene discovers Dawes, Mr and Miss Viokers, the Rev. Joshua Meekin, and Lieutenant Frere on the island. This is a wide departure from the novel, not only as regards incidents, but ohwan*

ters. According to the play, and in contradiction to the work, Rupert Dawes is always a gentleman, never degraded by convict life ; while Lieutenant Frere is always a coward, selfish and brutal, and the Rev. Joshua Meekin an imbecile of the " Private Secretary " stamp. The last act shows prison life in the convict settlement, the inhuman treatment of prisoners, and concludes more happily, though less dramatically, on the stage than in the story. The characters were well portrayed. Mr N. T. Douglas, an old favourite in this city, took the leading part of Rupert Dawes, and played carefully and consistently throughout. Miss Kato Douglas, as Sylvia, was graceful and natural, and ono of the most strongly marked characters in the play. Sarah Purfay, who planned the mutiny and aided the mutineers, found an able exponent in Miss Flora Anstead. Mr Montgomery appeared as the cowardly and brutal lieutenant, and consequently had an unenviable part, and one in which he could not be popular with the audience, though as an actor he discharged his duty efficiently. Mr George Loitch caused a good deal of amusement as the Rev. Joshua Meekin. Mr A. Vernon deserves credit for the manner in which he filled the part of James North, and the same may be said of Mr E, B. Russell, who gave a consistent and striking portraiture of Sir Richard Divine during the shorttime Sir Richard wsis before the audience. There were no less than 22 characters in the cast of the play, and they were all fairly well presented. The scenery too was good, as were all the spectacular effects, but the audience was rather cold. At the City Police Court on Monday morning a man who wns charged with having insufficient lawful means of support urged by way of defence that he was employed as a supernumerary in the play of " His Natural Life " at the Princess Theatre. Sergeant-major Bevin pointed out that the accused's receipts from this source must have been very small, as he had only been engaged one night. The accused retorted that ho was engaged for more than one night, as he could not be expected to go on the stage without previously attending rehearsals. Sergeant-major Bevin intimated, in rather a knowing manner, that the accused played the role of a convict in the play, and had no occasion to rehearse that part with the company at the theatre, as he had often rehearsed it in gaol. This provoked some laughter; but the laugh was rather against the gallant sergeant-major when the accused quickly informed the bench that he did not take the part of a convict at the theatre, but that of a policeman. The charge was dismissed on the accused promising to go to work. The Melbourne people are begining a course of some of the latest London comedies. Besides "The Candidate," Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove's Comedy Company at the Bijou intend to produce " Two Too Many," " Jim the Penman," "The Schoolmistress," Brighton," &c. Mr Harry St. Maur, late leading man to Charles Wyndham, has come out on purpose to produce the Criterion comedies ; and Alfred Maltby, another well-known English actor, is witb the company. A remarkable wedding took place recently at St. Maude, the bride being Mdlle Maria Pezon, the daughter of Baptiste Pezon,the famous French lion tamer, and the bridegroom Alex. Penzon her cousin also a tamer. The company at the banquet included lion tamers, menagerie directors, strol.ling players, and others, and according to the menu the wedding fare consisted of " potage de lezard," "sancessin do lion," "bombs siberiennes," "elephant roti," "poulets a leopard," and such dishes. The guests, however, believe that tbey partook of nothing but good roast beef, ducks, and the like. The banquetting hall was adorned with stuffed lions and similar trophies, and above the bridal pltir was a group of superb tigers. The great "Billy" Emerson is in 'Frifico, and Mr A. Ryman, late of Clark and Ryman's Minstrels, has joined him. The Alhambra has a new premiere danaeuse in Mdlle. Zallis from the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, and the Theatre Reggio, Turin. She appears as Hebe in " Cupid." Irving told his guests at the Delmonico, New York, that in spirit he was willing to build a theatre in that city, but that the flesh was week. Nothing would give him greater pleasure, but he knew it was impossible. But while he could not build a theatre on that side of the Atlantic, he hoped(he could live on both sides in the hearts of his friends, to which everybody answered '"Hear, hear." The Violet Cameron Opera Company, piloted of course by his Lordship of Lonsdale, crosses the Atlantic shortly for an American tour. The " Giddy Gusher" in the Mirror, anticipating their coming, says : " Violet Cameron is a handsome, statuesque woman. She knows it. She thinks about it all day, and she dreams how good looking she is all night. You won't need to keep this fact set up. She'll do. it for you. Every action denotes her knowledge of her attraction." The following neat anecdote is from the London Referee : — G. was a comedian, short, but striking. B. was also a comedian of less renown, but larger in bulk. G. was prone to perform before royalty — sometimes at his own house, and often would he come to the theatre o' nights, tired out from romping with the royal children, but nevertheless full of rapturous recollections of the gracious kindness showered upon him by his exalted friends. One day it c ime to pass that B. was summoned to the royal residence, either to beat a drum or blow or sing something, I forget which. When all was over,B, pursued the even tenor — or rather baritone — of his way, and said no more about it. But G., happening to hear that royalty had smiled on 8., took it ill that B. should not have told him (G.) all about it. " I am astonished, dear boy," said he (G.), " that you (B.) should have kept the thing so dark, when you know what an interest I take in the family !" George Grossmith has temporarily resigned his part of the Lord High Executioner in " The Mikado," and gone on the continent for the first holiday he has had for 10 years. The air of course is full of stories of the late Abb 6 Liszt, and here is one said to explain his hatred of the Russians. At St. Petersburg Liszt was playing at a concert before the Czar Nicholas and the Czarina. When he had finished his performance, he coolly put his glass to his eye and surveyed the Czarina with the critical eye of a connoisseur in female beauty. The Imperial family left the box in high dudgeon, und Liszt received orders from the director of the police to quit Russia at once or be kicked out. Hence his dislike to the nation. 'Credat Judceus! A bister of Mrs Labouchere is engaged to support Miss Forfcesciie in America. When in Philadelphia last year Howard Paul in the course of an after dinner speech related an anecdote of Charles Dickens and his agent George Dolby. It seems, according to the speaker, that the great novelist brought Dolby to America because of his remarkabe digestive powers, and his tine old English stomach, which was equal to all demands made upon it. When Djpfcfens was invited

to drink, Dolby was gently put forward to attend to these frequent libations, and the agent was sent to represent his chief at numberless dinners, the participation in which would have taken up too much of the novelist's time. This speech was reported and copied into an English journal, but the best of the joke is that Dolby, who is still living in a needy condition in London, has taken grave exception to having his digestive apparatus thus paragraphically cracked up, and has actually brought an action for libel against the paper (Tit Bits), claiming £500. A granddaughter of Dickens has adopted the stage as a profession, and is to make her first appearance in America with MrsChan'frau. The popularity of the amoniaphone seems now well established. Mr Gladstone, it seems, uses it before a long debate ; Mrs Langbry protests that its use " gives a richness and roundness to the voice " ; Adelina Patti has a good word for it ; and Marie Roze never goes on the stage without a few preliminary sucks at the instrument. Joseph Jefferson is defended by William Winter from the charge popularly made against him of being a one-part actor. He has played (according to the critic) more than a hundred parts, but still it would be interesting to be told what single part Jefferson is generally known or remembered in except his marvellous " Rip Van Winkle." It seems to me that a one-part actor who plays his one part as Jefferson plays his Rip doesn't want to look for any more parts. The world is wide, aud it is a performance that everyone in the civilised world ought to see. It is said that the recent performance of " The Ticket-of -Leave Man " at the Novelty Theatre wasforthebenefitfof an anonymous barrister who, having fallen upon evil times, mainly through paying more attention to Thespian manners and customs than his own business, now sends round the hat in a way which reminds one of the lady of quality who, being reduced to sell pigs' feet for a livlihood, used to cry " Trotters " under her breath, and pray to goodness that none might hear her. There is a talk of Arthur Roberts, the pet of the music halls, who sings and whistles and in generally very funny indeed, accompanying the Violet Cameron Opera Company to America. The Americans are prejudiced against Miss Eastlake, Wilson Barrett's leading lady, and expect to find in her an imitation of Ellen Terry's appearance without any of Ellen Terry's genius. " She is mild," says an American paper, "and does not wear corsets, and dresses like an aesthete. She sticks out her chin and tangles her hair in a terrible manner, but there the imitation ends." Rosina Yokes and her sistf r Victoria — two of the famous family — are going to play "The Schoolmistress " in America, assisted by Weedon Grossmith, 1 brother of the comic opera artist, and an exceedingly droll little man. Miss Nellie Farren and Mr Fred Leslie are going to America next year with the Gaiety Company at big salaries. An English visitor to the festival plays at Bayreuth sends home some interesting notes of the first performance witnessed by him in the Mountain Theatre, the piece being Wagner's "Parsifal." Inside the house the hubbub of many languages subsided as the lights began to fade. From a few of the 16 doors the sunlight streamed in and late comers were rapidly passed in, but one by one they were shut, and at last total darkness reigned. The change was singularly impressive — one minute 1500 voices and brilliant light, and the next profound gloom and a silence so deep that the theatre might have heen empty. Then from out the gloom came a solemn and beautiful strain of music, rising and swelling from the concealed orchestra of more than a hundred of the best performers in Europe. The " Parisfal " prelude is the longest in existence, and yet so glorious was the effect under these conditions that it seemed but a moment before the curtains parted, and disclosed a lovely forest set with the sleeping attendants of the Holy Graal in their crimson mantles. I am afraid the next hour was rather tedious, musically speaking, but then a Wagnerian music-drama is a 'combination of arts, and painting, poetry, and drama being grandly represented, there was very little cause but complaint. As for the Holy Supper scene it baffles description, so grand and awe-inspiring were the impressions it created even in those who have no belief in the dogmas of Christianity. At the close, amid a silence more significant than shouts of applause, the audience passed into the open air, one man near me remarking " Well, if you call this amusement, I call it listening to a sermon." The second act is uncanny ; it deals with sirens and unholiness generally,and to emphasise the lesson the scenery is garish and tawdry to a degree.- But the play of tune is enchanting, and is of course heightened by Wagner's glorious orchestration. In the last act we return to a religious atmosphere, and the beauty of the work attains its climax in the scene where Parisfal is baptised and the repentant Magdalen — alias Kundry — washes his feet and wipes them with her hair. There is nothing irreverent in this ; it is carried out in the purest artistic spirit, and creates exactly the impression desired. Indeed, the whole performance is calculated to convey deeply religious feelings to the minds of those who witness it ; but, at the same time, one revolts at the idea of "Parisfal" being performed in an ordinary theatre. Those who desire to witness it should come to Bayreuth and undergo an experience absolutely unique. Mr Charles Wyndham has been seriously ill in France