THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1915, 3 August 1888, Page 28

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Notes by Scalfax.

Melbouene, July 23.

That it never] rains but it pours is an adage we are all more or less acquainted witb, I suppose—and, by the way, I notice you have been having some fine specimens of rain in your district, with some lively outcomes on the Port Chalmers railway — and the same appears to me to be the case with theatrical news. The last few weeks I have been soaring high and low to get something more than the monotonous recording of monotonous facts for this column without success, and to-day I have enough news for at least two columns to crowd into one. So far as weather goes, the past few days have been simply freezing from my point of view, and on Friday it rained with that eager attention to business which is one of the notable features of our climate.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin," at the Theatre Royal, is still popular, but its last nights are announced, and on Saturday next Miss Carrie Swain will appear in a new "American success" entitled 11 Jack and I." Miss Swain is to play " Rhoda Thome," her favourite character. Mr Fergus Hume's specially written play appears to be kept in the background.

" Zuleika, the Pirate Queen," has managed to keep the Alexandra stage for a fortnight now, which is much longer than I, for one, expected. On Saturday next that well-known melodrama •' The Golden Farmer " will replace it.

The Riekards-cim-Cogill combination at St. George's Hall appears to please our public, and it may be said that it affords a better class of amusement than we are usually accustomed to obtain in the minstrel line. The "All Star" company is still at the Victoria Hall, and there it appears likely to remain for an indefinite poriod. Miss Yon Finkelstein has been doing well in the country towns, and gives three farewell lectures in our Town Hall on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday next. Part of the proceeds ia is to be handed to the City Mission Fund. " Houses and Haunts of Jesus," " City Life in Jerusalem," and " The True Life of Jacob" will bo the subjects of her lectures. The Lynch family of bellringers are touring the suburbs with considerable success.

" Bachelors " is fairly well patronised at the Bijou -Theatre, and it makes way on Saturday next for Mr Stephenson's comedy " Comrades." Mr Stephenson is the author of "Impulse," which had such a long run at the old Princess a few years back. Mr Harry St. Maur and Agnes Thomas have been specially engaged to strengthen the cast ; and Mr Dion Boucicault, commonly known as " Dob" because his name is Darley George, will make his re-appearance after a somewhat lengthy absence from our stage.

The main topic of conversation during the week has been whether " MissEmeralda" would equal " Monte Christo Jun." and the sort of free fight which took place for tickets last Monday, when ladies were driven into hysterics and tangled costumes, and men took off their coats and issued free invitations to fight to the general company. It must have been an hilarious sight, and one I am sorry I missed. The description by the musical gentleman who owns the scene of the conflict, " masher blackguards" seems to fit the crowd very nicely. I am told that the pressure on the staircase was 60 strong that the balustrade bent visibly and a

serious accident was anticipated. The greater part of that crowd was in the Princess Theatre on Saturday evening, but they were on their good behaviour then. Of the plot of Messrs Torr and Mills' burlesque it is needless to speak. Those who know Victor Hugo's " Hunchback of Notre Dame" can form some idea of it, and to those who do not the present plot will convey only a very vague idea. Like all burlesques, it only has a plot when you know the original, otherwise there is no plot to speak of. The burlesque is beautifully staged, there is much charming music and equally charming dancing for those who like those items, and the principals are equal to the requirements of the piece. Miss Marion Hood appears to better advantage as the heroine than she has yet done ; and Mr Fred Leslie, as Claude Frollo, excels himself, if that is possible. Miss Nellie Farren is the, masher Captain Phoebus; and Mr Fred Storey the hunchback Quasimodo. Mr Charles Danby is the Corporal Gringoire who is slain by Frollo, and for whose murder Esmeralda gets imprisoned and tried. The trial scene, where Frollo impersonates the prosecutor and a number of the witnesses by quick changes of costume, was perhaps the most humorous part of the whole travestie. Of course Gringqire comes to life inthe end, Phoebus marries Esmeralda, and the burlesque ends in a kind of Jardin Mobille, where everyone enjoys him or herself as they may think best. The scenic effects, especially the views of Notre Dame and the Seine, call for special mention. Space prohibits my going to any length upon the burlesque this week, but I hope to be able to say 'much about it in my next letter.

" Faust " was produced at the Opera House on Saturday evening with certain approaches to magnificence. Miss Amy Sherwin was Marguerite, and may be said to have sung well but aoted badly. Signor Verdi was not in good form as Mephistopheles ; I have heard him to much better advantage. Mr Otto Fischer's Valentine met with considerabable approval. He has a fine baritone of considerable compass and much flexibility. He has improved greatly since the days when I coached him in the music of his encored solo, " Loving smile of sister kind," about six years ago. Much of his present success is due to Madame Luoy Chambers, who took extreme pains with him in those days. Madame Chambers — once well known on the operatic stage as Lucia Chambesi, and a Tasmaniah by birth — has trained up more well-known singers than most people, your Miss Colborne-Baber included. Miss Minnie Fischer was the Siebel, and an old brulesque friend in the shape of Miss Kate Lovell was the Martha. Miss Lovell came here hoping to play in the " Cinderella " pantomime, but arrived too late. Her first, and I believe only appearance at the Theatre Royal was made in " Trial by Jury," played 'as an afterpiece to " The Sorcerer."

It seems now that the triumvirate have fully decided to break camp and separate. Mr Garner and Mr Musgrove go to London, where Miss Nellie Stewart ia to achieve great things — Mr Garner always yearned for London management,—and Messrs J. C. Williamson and Charles Warner unite to manage the present colonial interests.

What has been justly described as " a horrible case " became public last Wednesday. Thomas Cruikshank, said to be a chorus singer at the Opera House, was arrested on Tuesday on a charge of criminally assaulting two little girls name Wite, aged 6 and 3| years respectively, living with their parents in Hoddle. etreetj North Richmond, According to the elder girl, Cruikshank met her coming from sohool on the Thursday before and gave her 3d to post a letter for him. Afterwards he induced her to go with him into the yard of a local school, and there committed the alleged assault. Subsequently he met the younger girl and took her into a house off Hoddle street, and also assaulted her. The girls made no complaint, but their mother, fr»m certain indications, made inquiries, and gave the information to the police. The case has been remanded.

Sydney has got a little scandal of its own now, which is mightily worrying the minds of what is known as what Jeames calls the " uppaw suklcs." The wife of a prominent politician, it is alleged, has bestowed her tender affections on a handsome, though married, member of the theatrical profession. The husband suspected something wrong, and engaged detectives, with the result that he was enabled to capture the pair in company in a house to which they had gone in a hansom cab. (Hansom cabs have a lot to answer for.) It is not known yet whether the husband will take any action, but it is expected that the matter wiil be hushed up. Both the lady and her friend are well known in society, and were privileged visitors at Government House.

Signor De Alba, late a member of Simonsen's opera company, sued the well-known theatrical agent William Jinkins for £85, money lent, on Wednesday last. The signor married a most amiable and pleasant lady who was a great favourite in theatrical" circles, and who is proprietor of a well-known photographic firm which has a penchant for photographing professionals. Jinkins was manager of a concert company which included De Alba and Madame Schuller, the pianist. The company went to Adelaide, and it is said that it was a sort of honeymoon tour for the plaintiff. Jinkins was lent £50 here and £35 in Adelaide, the tour turning out a loss. The defence was that the money waa partnership money, and a counter claim for £26 9s 6d was put in. The £35 claim was struck out by the judge, the cause of action having arisen outside of the colony. A verdict was given for the £50 with £13 8s costs.

Mr Robert H. Millett, who describeshimself as a mining speculator from the famous Broken Hill, had an unpleasant experience at the Princess Theatre on Monday last. He' purchased a seat in the dress circle, and left his overcoat in tho gentlemen's cloakroom, in the pockets whereof he had five £10 notes, papers, letters, and mining shares valued at £8000. When he took his coab out of the room he found all his property missing, and probably felt mad enough to kick a blind duck. The police are inquiring into the matter.

You will probably have seen in the telegrams that the well-known Mrs Gordon Baillic has been getting into trouble again at home. She used to be well-known in our theatres when she gaily fluttered here, and had a partiality for a refresher between the acts. It is one of the most serious charges against her now that she hired a house from a young nobleman for a term, and then quietly sold the furniture and levanted. She left many a tradesman mourning here. It was stated in a Router's cablegram on Friday that Mr Knight Aston, the well-known tenor, who is now in these colonies, is concerned in the furniture fraud. Mr Aston was married to Mrs Baillie but obtained a divorce, and afterwards married Miss Maggie Johnston, who will be remembered as perhaps the most beautiful of the many beautiful girls the late A. T. Dunning had in his opera company.

Two people well known on the operatic stage here a few years back are now in the Brisbane Hospital, in the shapes of the well-known Johnson (whose Christian name I just now forget) and Mr Charles Templeton, and both are stated to be in dangerous states. Johnson .never rose much above the utility business, and was usually cast for small tenor parts, though I

have seen him play the Prince in the " Grand Duchess," and not play it badly either. The last time I saw him was with the Simonsen opera company, and he was then only an imitation of his former self. Mr Templeton used to be a leading baritone in the late W. S. LysterV days, and I have heard Catherine Lewis — sister of the well-known Jeffreys Lewis, — who sang here many years back, speak most highly of him. Like many a clever man he was principally his own enemy, and has not been heard in our metropolis for many years. It is stated as a curious fact that these two old .friends, who meet under such unpleasant circumstances, commenced their stage existence on the same day of the same year at the same theatre.