THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1855, 10 June 1887, Page 28

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Notes by Scalfax.

Melbourne, May 2i. Again we are having a holiday, and the city is en fete. We do very well in holidaj'S over here. It appears to me that we get about one a week on the average. This is the sixty-ninth anniversary of our Queen's

birth, arid we are simply exploding with loyalty.' "Crowded houses are .oejtain at all the theatres to-night, it is good form to finish up the day at the playhouse. "Alone in London" has been doing excellent business at the Theatre Royal during the past week, and will continue to. do so for weeks to come. The drama has been condensed, to its great advantage, and now runs pretty evenly to the end. ' The scenic effects work smoothily and 1 smartly, and dramas such as this depend in no slight measure upon the capabilities of the scene shifters. The attempted drowning of the heroine by tying" ,her to the sluice gates of an old look and letting the water in on her is a cleverly managed scene, the river pouring, apparently, irresistibly in and filling the lock, while the steamer which carries the rescuer gradually draws nearer and nearer, until the expected dive is taken, and the heroine recovered from her uncomfortable position. It is-'a fine scene, but in a real lock the heroine would have been drowned long before any help could have been of service. , Miss Kate Bishop acts in her usual careful' mariner, but will wear a bracelet and rings even when steeped in deepest poverty. Two other characters require noticing — that of a swell nobleman, played by Mr Wiseman, and that of Liz, the daughter of old Jenkinson, who prefers to remain honest, and gradually gains fame and money upon the music hall stage, admirably played by' Miss Sophie Harris. Mr, Herbert Flemming is sufficiently villainous as the bad hero Redcliff , and gets heartily hooted by the gallery, who rejoice to see him stabbed in the last act.

With sorrow I have to record again another death. Mr W. E. Sheridan diedat Sydney at 2 on the morning of Wednesday, the 18th inst. He had never regained consciousness from the time the fit seized him, particulars of which were given in my last letter. Mrs Sheridan was to arrive in Sydney the same afternoon, and came just in time for :the funeral. Mr Sheridan will be well remembered in New Zealand, where he has been on tour quite recently.

" Youth " was revived at the Opera House on Saturday evening for a season of 12 nights as a kind of farewell for Mr G. Kignold, who leaves shortly for Sydney to open his new theatre— Her Majesty's— a fine house in Pitt street. "Jn the Ranks "will be the initial production there. The other new theatre — the Criterion— has rather disappointed the Sydney public, as it is badly built for seeing in, and comfort has been sacrificed to increase seating accommodation. Of the present performance of " Youth " there is not much to say. The drama is well known to my theatrical readers, and it was produced with all the customary scenic and other effects. Mr Rignold was a burly hero, and acted with his usual enthusiasm. Mr Rignold is always admirable as Willie Spratley; and Miss Emily Fitzroy pleased as Eve de Malvoisie. Dot Boucicault was excellent as Larry O'Phasey, the Irishman with the grievance. Mrs George Gordon as'MrsWalsingham, and Miss Julia Pearce as Alice Wenlock com r pleted the list of principals.

Mr Walter Craven's eccentric comedy " Mixed " was revived at the Bijou Theatre the same evening, " Hide and Seek " having failed in gaining any great attention from the public. Mr Phil Day reappeared in his old and successful role of Bosco Blithers. Mr Day was still weak from his recent illness — he fainted in the Theatre Boyal on Friday night — but he pulled through most creditably. Messrs Lawrence, Greville, Musgrave, Craven, and the Misses Amy Horton, Lily Bryer, and Ellen Beaufort completed the cast. On Saturday next the Majeronis will return to this theatre, and open their dramatic season with " Wanda," an adaption by Mr George Leitch, from a novel of the same name by Ouida, that eccentric ex-governess who has been creating a sensation in London recently by her brusquerie and impertinences.

The highly-fashionable Consumptive Hospital matinee passed off successfully on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a crowded house. Mr W. S. Gilbert's fantastic comedy " The Palace of Truth " was selected to display the talent of a mixed amateur anel professional combination, the ladies being represented by the Misses Kate Bishop, Annie Taylor— vice Miss Jenny Watt-Tanner — just recovered from an attack. of bilious fever— Kate Douglas, and Fredericks ; and the gentlemen by Lieut. -col. Brownrigg and Messrs Hallward, Thomson, and Fraser. An original prologue was spoken by Mr H. G. Turner ; and Mr L. L Lewis composed an original valse. Viola tout.

On the same evening, Saturday, May 21 — we had fun by the square rood that nightMr Thomas Hanson opened a comic opera season at the Al xaiider Theatre with " The Little Duke," an opera already maue known to us by the Lingards and Miss Emelie Melville. Mr Hanson is the never-to-be-forgotten author of that startling temperance drama "Tempted; or, Life on the Back Blocks," which ran, if I remember rightly, three consecutive nights at this theatre. The opera cast is remarkable in containing only the names of two gentlemen, all the other male characters being sustained by' ladies. Miss Marion Norman essays the role of the Due de Partheney, and gained the favour of the house. This is announced as her first appearance, but I am inclined to believe that she was once one of the Pollard Juveniles, and is now Mrs Tom Pollard. The orchestra was unusually good, and if the management are satisfied with moderate receipts they may pull through fairly well.

On Saturday night the Princess Theatre was crowded to overflowing, when that eccentric comedy, " A Night Off," was presented for the first time in Australia. I have already given you the preliminary particulars, and have only to deal with the plot. Professor Justinian Babbitt (Mr Alfred Maltby), a harmless, henpecked old gentleman, has written a tragedy unknown to anyone except the housemaid, Susan (Miss Annie Taylor), to whom, Moliere-like, he has read portions of it. The professor has a masterful wife (Miss Jenny Watt-Tanner) and two daughters, Nisbie (Miss A. Thomas) and Angelica (Miss Fischer), the latter married to Harry Damask (Mr Hans Phillips), a virtuous young medico.

Angelica reads in Balzac that jif a y woman only knew the past history of the man, she marries, the world would be full of old maids. She starts the family complications by pestering her husband for his past escapades, but he has none to reveal, having been a very good 1 young man. A strolling company comes into the town, and , the proprietor,, Marcus' Brutus Snap, (Mr G! W. Anson), calls ttpoc the Professor for his patronage, learns that he has written a play, sees away to make money,* arid .at once I offers to produce it. The, Professor weakly consents, and the troubled .commences. Babbitt is afraid his wife will find out his secret, and resorts to numerous subterfuges to hide it. Angelica pesters her husband into inventing a scandalous-past for himself to keep his wife quiet, in which a fierce uncle figures, together with a lock" of air, and a bundle of unpaid bills. Snap .calls to see the, Professor about the tragedy and is taken for the mystic uncle in search , of, blood. Angelica's mother, to whom she, Angelica, has, of course, .revealed the supposedly guilty secret, ' pleads for son t in-law, and Snapp, mistaking her purpose piles up another story to please her, in which a Camille, a dying father, and other etceteras figure.' The fun goes fast aud furious flow. • The 1 Professor, Nisbe, and Damask manage to elude Mrs Babbit and go to the theatre where they find the tragedy has become a farcej owing to a boy' in the gallery with a whistle and a, parrot which says, " Kiss me .darling " in the. pathetic scenes. The absence is discovered by Anglica and her mother, and they determine to leave home for ever, and the wildest and most extravagant fun ensues in a pack-ing-up act, where everyone is at cross purposes ;' but an explanation follows, and all ends as it should do. For a- wild, outrageous comedy commend me to this. You must laugh ti and laugh till the tears roll all over 'your face. I know I did. I have not seen a piece so intensely' funny ,for years. Tb,e scene between Snap and Mrs Babbitt, where the actor piles horror upon horror on the fair fame of her son-in-law, cannot be conceived ; it must be seen. The , above description gives only the baldest idon of the plot; it cannot be described. The company was eminently suited to the comedy, and the wild; almost hysteric laughter of the audience told how much they enjoyed their work.

Mr W. Horace Bent, the well-known negro comedian, sued his late employers, the Hugo Brothers, on Saturday morning, for £10— one week's salary. The Hugos alleged that Mr Bent came into the hall drunk one night, and was unable to play, so they discharged him. U*r Bent admitted that he' was dijink after the performance, but pleaded complete sobriety before it. 1 He got a verdict for £8.

May 30. Theatrical business has gone ahead during the week with great impetus, good houses everywhere, managers jubilant, and the door of the cellaret never locked. It is a fine thing to be a successful manager, it is almost as good as being a bookmaker; tha* which I can think of no speedier way to make a fortune at no other expense than your lungs. The popularity of " Alone in London," at the Theatre Boyal, remains unabated. The house was crowded in every part, except the dress circle, on Saturday. Our fashionables do not patronise sensation Tlrama after the first night, but the pit and gallery roll <up in tremendous force, and everyone knows that a full pit and gallery gladdens the managerial' heart. There is nothing new to note about, the drama, a consolation' in its way.. „

" A Night Off," at the Princess, is doing business which may be described as simply immense, the theatre being crammed every evening. The reason is not far to seek, for a more amusing comedy you could not desire. Mr Anson, as the tragedian Snap, is a violent anti-dyspeptic, the scene between himself and Mrs Babbitt where she believes him to be an irate uncle of the girl young Damask, to please his wife, has alleged he betrayed, and Snap, to revenge himself upon Damask for calling him a. " barnstormer," introduces the harrowing story of Camille, another suppositions victim, being the gem of the comedy, and hilarious even to the, danger point. Mr Maltby's Professor is perhaps the best thing he has ever done here ; it is a finished performance. The comedy all round is excellently acted, and a change could not be desired anywhere. On Saturday, all the actors received an unanimous call after the third act, and never was the compliment better deserved. Mr Pinero's comedy " Dandy Dick ", is in rehearsal, but it will not be required for many weeks to come. " Youth," at the Opera House, is receiving its fair share of patronage, when you consider that the drama has been played here so often that we have lnd ample time to tire of it. The unrivalled George Eignold now publishes a testimonial from Lord Wolseley as to the military correctness of the London production, which is quite soothing to us, and reconciles us to .uuch we might take exception to. Mr Rigt, old's season closes on Friday next, and he then goes to Sydney to open Her Majesty's Theatre — at last completed — with "In the Ranks," another of those beautiful military dramas in which Mr Bignold has so much of the " fat " and the others so little " Arrah-na-Pogue "is underlined for Saturday next. The operatic season at the Alexandra Theatre' still continues, and " The Little Duke " is now in its second week, from which we may infer that the first one has been profitable. To add to the attraction Mdlle Frauzinni now does, a bicycle act, the great feature of which is " that it is entirely side saddle." After that what could anyone desire? " Les Cloches de Corneville " will be tried next Saturday night. Hudson's Surprise Party opened a new programme on Saturday, "and an excellent one of its class it proved. There is Onzalo, '" the Demon of the Air," there is any quantity of song and dance business, and there is what is called "The Mysterious Sketch, the Bewitched Cabinet," and if that is not enougli for anyone's money the much travelled Tommy Hudson will return the entrance fee with the cunent rate of interest added. Mr Frank Clark is continuing his successes at the Victoria Hall, and is now aided by Mr

W. Horace Bent;, whose name is headed with these words, "We've got him" in large type, a v delicate allusion to ' the Hugo episode mentioned in my last. The Cottier family, are still ( playing at the Nugget Theatre.! They have not taken up the challenge of the infant phenomenon Nicholls yet. \ • - .., The second of the historical concerts given hj Herr Louis ■ Palst will be given in the Athenaeum Hall on Saturday next in- the presence of the Governor and suite. Herr Palst aims at inducing something more than a mere superficial knowledge of the ancient! masters and introduces each example with a short .history of the composer and an analysis of his methods. He is assisted by . his wife, Madame Engelhardt Palst, and Mr James Smith, a well-known journalist and , critic. These concerts are becoming highly popular ; and to a student of music are invaluable.,.;, . • ' ' . Mr" S. Genese, one time manager for Miss . Jennie*. Lee; but lately of the Theatre Boyal, Adelaide, wds accorded a. Ttiatinee benefit at the Princess Theatre on Saturday. Why it wasso Ihavenbtbeenable toascertain,'for Mr , Genese's claims upon us are of the slightest? 1 The ' programme included ',' The Critic," a musical interlude, and the third act of " A 1 Night Off." The audience was poor, ,and the , first part flat. , It seems, a pity we can never get "The Critic" well done nowadays. It is a glorious 'comedyj'.and I should consider there was 1 money in it.' ! On Saturday, June 11, Miss ! Amy Sherwin, the Australian, prim'a donna, "leading soprano 'of Cbverit Garden, Her Majesty's, and' Drury Lane Theatres, London," 1 will give her initial concert at' the Town Hall. Herr Johannes Rhodes, the' celebrated violinist, and a strong company are engaged to support heir. The .performance is to .be under the patronage of the Australian Natives Association. . "Wanda," Mr Geo. Leitch's adaption from Ouida's novel of the same name, was played at the Bijou Theatre on Saturday last for the first time on any stage. The plot follows the novel closely, arid Mr Leitch' has made good use of his' opportunities. Speaking for myself, I may say that I consider it the best of Mr Leitch's many adaptions. Signora Majeroni, as the heroine, acts in her usual powerful manner, although the effects, her efforts have' on. her, weak health are only too apparent. Signor Majeroni, as the Marquis de Salron, was himself, as he generally is. Mr, H. Jewett surprised me by an exceptionally good rendering of the strong part of Prince Egon Vasharly ; and Miss Lucia Harwood was a creditable Countess Brancha. The performance to-morrow night will be under the patronage of , his Excellency Sir' Henry Ldch'and suited A few of the leading members of Messrs Rignold and Allison's late Opera Company have formed themselves into a commonwealth and are playing in the northern towns of New South Wales. The sharing system is a lively one for the sharers ; d? never knew a company that held out long on such terms, and I have known many. • The up.-country news is poor this week. Miss .Marion Willis and her company are at Beechworth ; and Mr Kennedy is carolling his Scotch melodies in Sandhurst. In Tasmania the Faust family and amateur shows ■rule the roost — or is it roast ? I am not sure ; never was. ■ Sydney, r— The Italian Opera Company finished at the Theatre Royal on Friday night, and on Saturday the Brough Burlesque Company opened in " Jack Sheppard," The Opera ' House is playing a popular drama, "Current Coin, or Snared." Miss Alice Morton is, gaining favour in "Lost in London!' at the Standard Theatre, while the Vivians are playing " Bleak House " at the Academy of Music. . Mr Locke Richardson, at the V.M.C.A. Hall, is continuing the successes .he achieved here. Miss Minnie Palmer is due at the Criterion Theatre on -June 4, when she will play " Pert," by far her beat piece.

The only companies of note in Queensland are the Holloways in Brisbane and Mr St. Maur's Comedy Company in Eockhampton. " Harbour Lights " is still popular in Adelaide. '