THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. NOTES BY SCALFAX.

Otago Witness, Issue 1838, 11 February 1887, Page 28

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. NOTES BY SCALFAX.

■ ' Melbourne, January 25. The past week has not been productive of any startling novelty. We are now at>a very slack season for news in the theatrical world, and the fact that Mr Arthur Garner has got a new pair of pants is", in consequence, receiving a much greater share of attention than it is strictly entitled to. This is the period of the year when toe weary critic shuts up his notebook and is seen adorning the dazzling halls of society and mingling in the festivities of the' great ; that is, if he is lucky. The only flaw in his .perfect happiness is the Italian opera season, and, by a stroke of good fortune, they havo few changes of bill there. Our theatrical scribes are adorning the pandg of the watering places, ftncV wasting much profanity over hotel bills. You' can geuerally tell wheu they return to towu as the next issue of their particular newspaper is 6ure to contain a blasting article on the "human vampires who fatten on the follies of men," as I once saw it put.

*' Robicson Crusoe !I still continues to attract fair audiences to the Theatre Royal, bat it will te pissed for tis I&& tin* 0n Friday mtefc*

The usual arrangements for the annual benefits are now being made. It is understood that Mr Geo Rignold follows the pantomime with a short season of drama. ' Be always bad a lingering regard for the Royal stage; the limelight man* there is the best in the colonies'. We only hope that Mr Rignold may have something new to show us ; we' shall get up andhowl is wti have to suffer " Henry V " again. 'His Ballarat 1 season was a very successful one, I believe. , | "Little Jack Sbeppard" is quite as popular at the Opera Honse as it was during its first ; week, and the management hare no intention of : taking it off at present. A Drury Lane success, "The Forty Thieves," is, however, : iu' rehearsal, and will follow the biirlesq<ie. \Mr Spong is painting some charming scenery for the production ; and, with tho admirable company which Mr Brough now has," " The Forty Thieves" should prove an unqualified success I have long been insisting that good burlesque, well -acted and mounted, would always take here, but was generally laughed at. Mr Brough is giving me my revenge.. . " The Sogt,arth" . flickered feebly during the week and expired last "Saturday night, when Mr George Darrell took a benefit, which was only poorly attended. Mr Darrell was ill advised in attempting to play .drama sgainfct thr pantomine aud Italian opera ; the opposition was too heavy, and was more suited to tbe season. We do not take kinlly to sensatkn a* Christmas. Wh-tt we want now is to see Mi Dtrreil play in a piece which is not written by himself, aud we yearn' with a mighty yearn to see hiai as Hamlet. He has played that character in several towns in this and other colonies, but never here. How we wouhi sharpen up the little hatchet, and bow we w)iild crowd that theatre should become a matter of hwfory. On Saturday next that played-out farce " Mixed" will be revived for a few nights by Phil Day, who seems to cling to .'. it with a deal of affection. Mr Boucicault hah been lent by the Opera House management t<-. play the part of Mike, the Irish servant. I cannot seu much of a prospect ahead for " Mixed.'' " I'»lantho" was revived, " for six ■ n"gbt> • only," at the Princess Theatre oq Saturday night, and its reputation was good enough- U fill the honse. The many charming bits, and' the stirring chorused of this op r era will alway s keep it popular with us. The music iv tbe second act becomes almo«t dramatic ; the scene between the Lord Chancellor and his fairy wifr having a decided Wagnerian tone. Miss Alice Barrett repeated her able impersonation of the Frtiry Queen, and was encored for her solo. "Oh! trembling -dove." Th& second verse o* • this song which ppeaks of Captain Shaw nt> " emblem of love unrequited" has a peculiar interest at the present moment, where the gallant captain is attaining an unenviable notoriety iir connection with the Colin Campbell divorce case. Miss Nellie Stewart was an effective Phyllis ; and Miss Ida Osborne was a distinct improvement upon her predecessors as lolanthe. Mr A. Brennir was an unsatisfactory Sfcrephou both from a vocal and acting point of view. It is somewhat remarkable that we have not yet had a thoroughly capable representative of the part. Mr Howard Vernou'f Lord Chancellor lacked the gravity which make*that part so humorous. To say a funny thing and let everyone know you know it is funny itnot nearly so funny as to say it' as if it were not funny at all • This requires careful reading, but it is the index to success in most of Mr Gilbert* creations. Mr Woodville ably replaced Mr Boyle as Earl Tololler ; and Mr Ridsdale was at home as Lord Mount Ararat.

" Un Ballo in Maschera" was Satnrday nigbtV bill at the Alt- x<wrira Theatre, and the performance passed off satisfactorily. "Lucia" will again be played dariug the week, and •• II Barbiere" is to be presented on Saturday next. M Jutes Joubert, lessee of the theatre, fired by the ccess of the Italians, wishes to arrange for the visit of a -French operatic company, w^o shall perform French operas in French. There i« a good deal in the idea. French is becoming an everyday language now; every young lady," almost, speaks it ; and with a good company Herve and Offenbach ought to find a high' place amongst us. If M. Jouberb brings one or two high kickers for the can-can in such operas as " Orphee aux Enters " or " Chilperic '* it is not" probable that we shall be greatly displeased. Mr J. C. Williamson attended the District Court yesterday to answer the charge of overcrowding the Theatre Royal, and was fined £1 and £2 2s costs after a spirited defence. ' The - man Banson, whose case was reserved last week, was fined ss. To-day a rule nisi was granted in Chambers for a- prohibition order to" prevent the" justices at the District-Court" enforciug the fine against Mr Williamson on the following grounds: 1-— l. That the bye-law under whioh he was convicted had not been proved e&> the- document put in evidence wan merely a copy, and not-even a copy of that which was originally issued by. the Central Board. 2. That the bye-law- was ultra vires as the board had only pbwer to -make regulations regarding alterations in the structure of the threatre, and not as to the obstruction 6E gangways. 3. That evidence had been improperly received of an offence which was alleged to have taken place previous to that upon which the conviction was' made. Mr James Moore, treasurer of the Theatre Royal, during the hearing of the case yesterday quoted- some interesting figures as to the Attendance on Boxing nights 1885 and 1889. In 1885 the pit ami gallery held 1740; upper circle. 837; stalls, 899; dresß circle, 311; total, 3787. In 1886 .the pir, and gallery held, under the n*-w regulations, 1610 ; upper circle, 708 ;' stall*, 677; dress circle, 250-; total, 3245. In 1885 the receipts on Boxing Night were £408 13-* 6d; but last Boxing Night they dwindled to £322 2s

I understand that Mr Alfred Oellier, the popular and capable conrinctor of the Princess orchestra, goes home shortly to produce a now opera which hnsbeen written bat here.

Messrs Brock and Pain are now giving' their firework displays on alternate nights •With grati* tying trefeults. Mr Pain atinbuncei his last nights prior, to leaving - the' colony ; -but- Mr Brock intends to give a display every Monday night for three years.. "He will have 'heaps of fun when the winter sets in.; He has applied for a three years' right to. use the Friendly Societies Gardens for the purpose, but the Crown Lands Department nave put a veto on the scheme for the present at all events.

Mr Minnie Palmer Rogers writes to me that the little ladywill shortly return to our Bijou Theatre and open in Pmero's comedy t* The. Schoolmistress.*' ' He also hints at dreadful .disclosures as to the ways of colonial managers, from which I infer that someone has been smiting Johnny] on the hip.

Mi?s Maggie Moore writes- to me from. San Francisco to say that 6he is weU and happy to bo homo once again. She has refused several good offers at the leading theatres,. as she is determined to have a whole* holiday. Miss Jeanuio Winston, whom6hesawatthe,Aloazar,bas become a great favourite in '"Frisco, aud '•' looks superb." With the details of the Jeffreys-Lewis case wo are already acquainted, and it is no -ftrpritfe & feem tliat blio spcalu- ci iiio &&oi&

hi jierms'oi .violent abuse. T&e { last, exposure seems to "have Mone Miss- Lbwis iiiurh' harm pt-6fessionklly,an^' I should not be surprised to see her- name disappear from the theatrical stage. -Mr? Harry Emmett is walking 'Frisco out of an engagement and luck. Dr liyhh and : his "Vanishing Lady" have been doifagthe country towns duiiug the past week with varying* success. ' That does not commit me to, anything. ' ' General'jM'lvii,' whom I met ait' Mr R; S. Smythe's, some three years ago^ where ' he was going to plaut a fifteenth play upon New Guinea, is on the war path again. He is going to lecture on the omiuousbigns in Europe, for which his South. American it seems have peculiarly ' Qualified him. c \-, ~ The Continental 'concerts In the Zoological Gardens afe extensively patronised each fine Saturday. '• The M Vagabond" is lecturing in the suburbs. Mr Robert Kennedy gives "A nicht wi'. Burns'* to-night at theAtbenaum in honor of the poet^B apnivtreary. Sydney pregrarames are much thesame; except that " Keck for Neck," a ferocious drama; with a real banging scene, is attracting lively audiences to the Gaiety. \..''J ' Mslboubnr, January 31. This week I absolutely pressed for news ; there Hue 'hot been an item of more than passing interest^ during'. the past seven days. The weather has. continued at a steady- average o' heat, and -limpness has been the order of the day and ' most - especially the order of the night. Now, that I come to think of it, we have had remarkably few mosquitoes. The mosquito is an overrated luxury, and we are nut sorry foi. his absence. A fair-sized active mosquito can . induce more , blasphemy than a two-hornui' rhinocerous. > This is geogiaphy, and may be relied upon.' Iv the days when wire blini'twere yet unknqwn, I have spent many a dark hour before the dawn chasing tho adolescent mosquito with; varying success Tbe mau wbi< can chase a mosquito in the " wee sma' hour?tjont tbe twal," and catch him, should be madi chief of the detective force at ouoe. If you do not believ.e dip, try it. . - " Robinflpn'Cruboe "is now in itß last week a\ the Theatre Royal, and despite its many fault h has been very fuccehsful iv. drawing the goo<; round shekel)' of the, hydra-beaded public. Oi> Saturday next Mr George Rignold and Mis;Kate Bishop open in Bartley Campbell's Bomewhat extraordinary drama "Siberia." The nami is indicative-oT the. plot, arid it runs- into t>ix Hctfl, The last piece* in six acts we had wa> " The Crttues of Paris,"' and it was & nightmare. The betting - amoHght the cognoscenti as t»whether tne only George will wear that Macari ■ <-oat or not is about level at pres-ent quotations. The Matthews family of acrobats benefit in a special programme to- morrow, and the employes' benefit is due about Thursday. There is nothing new to say about " LittltJack Sheppard "at the Opera House ; it rtravvr. •ts well as ever, and appears likely to run for some weeks yet. " The Forty Thieves," I have already told you, is in active rehearsal, and wilsoon be r< ady for the public — when that public demands it. ..

" P_atience'.' was-, revived at the Princess Theatre on Saturday, last, and met with a gratifying reception.. Miss Nellie Stewart held the.title-roJeas a matter of course, ' "On Fridaj next she takes her farewell benefit .in " Th« Mikado ";and leaves us for 12 months, during which 6he proposes to study in Europe Thert is a wild rumour in the theatre that. Miss Julia Sidney, the Uvfcja' manageress of the Alexandra Tneatre, niay .take her place. It is s»id that Mitts Sidney. is a capital singer, and likely to make a great impression. JVbus- verron3,"M.i Howard Vernon repeated his inimitable Bunthorne; and Miss Alice Barrett was encored for Lady Jane's opening sole in act 11. The scenery, chorus, and orchestra were perfoctiou, as usual, f , ' •* Mr 'PHI Day. essayed to fill a gap in the dateV of the Bijou Tfceatre by appearing iv Mr Walter Craveu's comedy ♦' Mixed " labt Saturday before J a crowded House.' Tho comedy went with con-, bjder&blufcpmt, Mr.Phil Day making the most | of Bdscd ßlithers, "a broadly farcical part;., and Mr DjjG*. BoucicaUit achieving a decided success las the Irish' servant Mike. ' Mies Miqnje Palmer and "Tlie.Scßoolmistress" are due at this Kou6e shortly. " ' „ • . One of our weekly papers of Saturday's date, , referringto that. wor]n-out subject " tho decline . of the drama," makes* the remarkable statement that 'the iyictoria. Hall, by Herculean efforts, has beeu simply enabled to keep going. If full 'houses every 'night come under this head the author may be right. .1 always understood that Mr FJ M. -Olkck' was laying up a solid* fortune, ..biifc I ridW^ee^ that .Jae Has been simply staving 'off poverty.- "iThe same atrabilious critic con- • cludestjiit" alt the houses are doing badly," " and do not 'satisfy managerial expectations." ~ Aud *y*(EJt,, onljr lafe.t" Wednesday, a manager of the leading house <3row my attention to the splendid attendance Hhoy had.; and professed himself peculiarly all- because,* in reply to a 'question,'? 1 How are' the Rime's?" I hadqubted, " Stale, flat, apd unprofitable." '• Lucia ,di Lamniermoor " waß Saturday night's bill at the' Alexandra Theatre, and Signorina Rtibo^tafd obtained the unqualified approval of the entire audienc« by the excellence of her singing arid acting in the title-role.' ' Mr'B."S. Smythe tells, roe that, he has left Dr Lynn to.his own 1 devices, the reason being that his agreement with the, doctor was mch as. would enable him to make money when the magician might be losing, and amid tbe un- • certainties of - a -colonial tour unpleasantness might at times : arise. The " much-travelled "—" — helikes that— ifitends to ¥< turn to England in a few days for mof § eminent lecturers. Througb/the courtesy of Mr Harry St. Maur, I learn that he has* taken a Brisbane engagement,r*nd opidns Kb tne Gafety Theatre in that city on"February '14fb, 'stipported-by Mrs Digby Willonghby. ; He ! expects to do New Zealand after his. return visit to Sydney and Melbourne. From thence he hopes to go to China and India, "en /<■•«<! to London and the Criterion once again; Mr Dickey,' of th^Brisbane Koyal, was'in-'negch'-tiatipn ~wHE 19r J St*.. 3 MaiJrfor J a four week's sea-, son, but/qwSng to M- inability to agree -as to' term,6, tne offr-rof Jhe' rival house wad accepted. 1 Upder'date of- Friday last, I have received a full budget- fyom.a.brpther theatrical scribe hi - Bydaey,^ wh6,'»af ifeir tome cursory remarks about ' the weather, s^tbs np tlie shows thus >—? Slepping Beauty "-Tmiipic ,dull,d"alogae'spiritleßß and unfunny. Amy Hortop,'and Emma Chambers are not worked for a/quaitier of their worth. Mardies Al", and, scenery _gohd. -. The Raynors and the. Faults, especially Uttl^Daisy— are the salvatiou of thesh^v.r Minnie' Palmer is doing well; her first fortnight' was a boom. Standard pantomime haidone well until this week; it-is to "be" | withdrawn- iln favour of "Bast Lynne" tomorrow.- •< Falfcjji", did not* draw" much, nor did " Maritana,'"—^weather, I think; the Criterion is'^ery stuffy these'hot nights. - 'From btlier sources I gather that Miss CarrieSwain opens. at.tflV Sydney Theatre Royal on Fatqrday next'in"" The Tomboy " ; that Minnie Palmer eorieiadestieV season at tbe Opera House on' Friday nekt"; that Sir Dampier is playing' ;»* fc^f *^8ey I »]BflSWb ? e% %© St&idatrd* that

the!? Bohemian Girl " has replaced " Maritaoa » at the Criterion; that the Federal MiuatrtU have given way to H< go's MiusfrVls at the Academy of Music; and that Messrs MigoTycrtlj anriGeo.Dalziel bavetaktn th^Gaittj and mexa to open with M Tbe Queen of the Turf." If j . am not wroi.g, Mr Dalziel ia Dickie Lingard'g dt< h .er-in-law.

• Mr John R. Rogers has. been writing a deeply analytical criticism on" The Stage as an Educa. tional Influence" in the Sydney Daily Telo graph, and proves to his own eatihfaetion i th&fc uu one can do better than see Minnie Palmer in •• My Sweetheart." Mr Harry St. Manr has taken np the cudgels in reply, and, a» he writes freely and ' with a * satirical' pen, honours are about even.; I quote a little quote from the reply :— " The « njillicn ' which Mr Rogers looks upon— justly perhaps—as • the really payii>g patrons of the stage is undoubtedly the objuct of which the • almighty dollar ' is the. accepted symbol, but why * the scholarly class,' forwhosg * pampered tastes ' Mr Rogers expresses such scorn, should be left to frequent the public* : bouses, which we learn are the only alternatives 1 to the theatres, I don't quite, understand. ' Mr Rogers asserts that henceforth the •taj.te and convenience of the "million' are the only aims for a theatrical manager to keep in vie.w. But does it not seem ' that iv following such a guide we may be led into ecmewlat dangerous courtes? In Prance, Italy, and Germany, means are taken, by tub-Msing eucb. managers as believe in the moral "aiid ail. tivating influence of the stage, to direct the tastes of tbe people ; and though Englaud may ' characteristically consider bem-lt' beyond the need of leading stri igs towards improvement, a >oung country like Australia may have lews false shame. . . . . No one would wish to prevent Mr Rogers « scuing the hahitues of the publichouses ami bringing them nightly to be rer'rebhed at the pure htreams of farcical entertainment, but it is rather unkind to refuse those' who require .intellectual relaxation after tho labour of the day the opportunity' of enjoying something a little above th« *tat>t© aud' COn« venience of the million.'"

On Saturday next we ere to have "Billee Taylor " at the Princess Th^atne, and a. friend bas i just wbit<pered to me that an operetta by Mr Alfred Oellier, •« Charity Begins at Home," will serve as the opening piece, Miss Julia Sidney officiating as prima donna. The rumour mentioned above — iv ignorance of this factrums out to be true after all. ' The performance of " Mixed " Is likfly to be more mixed before long. 1 believe an injunction has been applied for to btop the performance on behalf of Mr Waiter Craven, the author. It never rains but it pours. This is an old ndage which is not alwajb t-o accurate as it looks. I have rereived still another It-ttcr about the Brisbane season of Mr tiarry St. Maur. His anting manager bends me a large sheet of writtug paper, with a large portrait of himhelf in one corner, and intimates the "The Candidate" opens, and "Lady Clare " follows, with Mre Wilioughly in the title-rote; "Jim the P^nroau" follows *• Lady Clare," aud tbe 6eason ends with " The Great Divorce Case."

Marshall v. Opera House Company on points reserved, is to come r>n to-morrow before the Full Court, and a very strong bar has been engaged. The action, my readers may remember, is brought by the well-known printer for printing and posting done to order of the secretary of the Opera Hout-e Company. ' The company alegesthan the secretary alone is liable, and at a former trial a verdict was given against them. The question now before the' court is. Was there any, evidence of defendants' legal liability ? iho case will probably occupy several days.