THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1942, 7 February 1889, Page 28

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Notes by Scalfax. Melbourne, January 28. " Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more," as anyone who has seen our ouly George ou certain occasions at various moments between 9 p.m. and 9.30 will recognise the appropriateness, or otherwise. Now we ar« having rain, and a fine cold blast from the S.W., which is knocking all the leading people of this country (including yours reflectively) into a state of influenza and irritation. Saturday, Anniversary Day, was very hot, and most abominably dusty. (N.B. — When it is dusty here the streets are never watered. It is one of the best Bigns of rain to see a watering cart.) On Sunday it was cold and stormy, and to-day ie is worse in several places. If any reader wants to join a fine, variable, unreliable weather colony, let him coma

here, and bring his certificate of title to a firstclass grave with him.

If anyone has any anxiety about " Sinbad the . Sailor," they may rest assured that it is still on the war path, and that it has not yet been found necessary to introduce any great changes in either the words or music, usually a standing 1 sign that business is getting dull. What with matinees every Saturday afternoon, and having to divide their attention between the pantomime and " Dorothy," the ballet people are getting a little tired, but the present coJd weather should brace them up. It appears that there was considerable disgust amongst the fair members at having to spread themselves between two theatres, but the matter has been amicably settled. One thing seems rather hard on them, and that is that the principals and orchestra receive half days' salary for the matinees, but they receive nothing but a tea at the expense of the firm. It appears that the orchestra struck for higher payment than a day and ahalf for what is practically two days' work, but it became reconciled in the end. The pantomime is to run for a few weeka yet, and Mr Bland Holt follows with that startling drama, " The Union Jack." "Dorothy" is now in its last nights at the Princess Theatre, and "Pepita" is coming into the immediate foreground, the box plan for seats opening to-day. " Pepita " is a comic opera by the well-known Charles Lecocq, composer of " La Fills de Madame Angot," which everybody knows, and was first produced at Toole's Theatre, London, on the 30th August 1888. The burden of the opera rests on Pepita (played in London by Mis 3 Wadman), fostersister to Inez, heiress to the throne of Canaries. 1 Inez has been always kept in ignorance of her noble birth, but one General Bombardos discovers it, and plots to place her in power and oust a usurper, Prince Guzman, which after many disguises and much assistance from Pepita he manages to do. General Bombardos will be played by Mr Walter Marnock, the original of the part in London, and from whom we expect a great deal. Oar old friend William Horace Lingard was iv the London cast, and well spoken of. It is rather carious that this English version of •• La Princess dcs Canaries " [ was played over 700 times in the English provinces before it reached the metropolis. There has been a little difficulty at the Princess over this opera, as the company in general is not quite satisfied with the parts allotted, and has been kicking rather strongly. Mr Elton, it is said, refused to play, but a lawyer's letter was sent to him stating that if he refused to go on with his part an action would be brought against him for damages to the tune of £2000, the price of the opera, and that the theatre would be closed until a new opera could be rehearsed and produced, and that he would also be held responsible for such loss as the management might incur through the closing of the house. Mr Elton rehearsed under protest, and has since found out that he has no case, and will have to make the best of what he no doubt thinks very unpleasant circumstances. " The Private Secretary " is now in its last week at the Bijou Theatre, and on Saturday next " Sweet Lavender" will call upon us for a verdict. This three-act domestic drama was first produced at Terry's Theatre, London, on the 21st of March 1888, with Miss Norreys as Lavender, Mr Edward Terry as Dick Phenyl, and Mr Bernard Gould as the lover, Clement Hale. Mr Pinero has walked on considerably well-worn lines in his plot, and it hag been objected to that the plot is weak because it is simple ; but one of the best of the London critics says, of it that " we do laugh, meirrily and heartily, whilst wiping our eyes, and we are ashamed cf neither, for this outward show of diverse feelings is only the just tribute to the author, who, nas written one of the best plays we have se.en for a long time." I think I Khali go and see it on Saturday. l( Marvellous Melbourne" has done very well during the week at; the Alexandra, and may most likely manage to run about a month at its present cheap prices, but I do not anticipate much more for it. Mr Wrangham has already discovered the man who writes to say that it is a marvellous drama, and anybody who says it is not "in his frantic feverish haste to be critical forgets to be a critic," and prints his letter in full. It somewhat surprises me that these people only select the Alexandra plays for these flattering notices, and never worry about the treatment the other houses receive. I have not met any of them since John R. Rogers of "My Sweetheart" fame left until now. Mr Dampier will shortly try Shakespeare on one 1 day of the week, as used to be his Sydney ; practice. On Saturday the Vivfans revived " Neck for j Neck," a drama of which Mr Vivian is the reputed author, and the principal sensation an execution with real drop, rope, and other essentials. On Saturday next the C. B. Hicks company of real " Coloured artists " will open at this house under Mr F. B. Hiseocks' care. I believe this company is already known to you. The St. George's Hall and Victoria Hall companies are hard at work to cut each other out, and manage to keep their heads well above water in doing so. The great concerts at the Exhibition are now drawing to a close. On Saturday we had Haydn's " Creation," to-night Beethoven's " Choral Symphony," and on Thursday, the last day, the fifth performance of Mr Cowen's " Ruth." Applications are now invited from competent artists who would care to be members of the permanent Victorian orchestra, which we are expected to keep going at the very fair cost of £15,000 per annum. Mr Wilson Barrett and Miss East lake, who are going shortly on tour in America, are thinking of a run over to Australia after the shekels, and-Mr Barrett has told an interviewer that when he reaches San Francisco he will be in a position to decide whether he will come over to the land of the kangaroo and bunyip or not. Poor old Horace Bent, a minstrel who has travelled all over the colonies for years, and must be well and favourably known to any number of my readers, has met with a nasty accident and severely injured his jaw. A benefit will be arranged for him at an early date. Mr George Leitch has recovered considerably from his distressful accident at the Ballarat Academy of Music, and benefited on Tuesday in " His Natural Life." The company is due in Hobart this evening. Her Majesty's Theatre and hotel in Pitt street, Sydney, was sold by the mortgagees on the 25th inst. for £50,000, everything included. The building has a frontage of lOlffe, with an average depth of 150 ft, and also 24ft to Market street. The lease has aboiat 30 years yet to run Together with the hotel was sold the interest of the mortgagees in the sum of £6500, the amount of deposit under covenant for special insurance contained in the original lease from the ground landlord. Mr J. E. Kemp purchased the property on behalf of a syndicate. Madame di Murska's body was cremated, and the only mourner was Mr John Hill, the husband the once eminent vocalist; married in Dunedin. The latest " wheeze " I have heard is that the bookmakers of this city, who certainly made a good deal oufc of Signer Verdi, subscribed the money to pay h!a and Miss Emilie • Melville's passage to London. Of course it is known now that Miss Melville (otherwise Derby) is now Signora Verdi, There was until lately, and may

be still for all I know to the contrary, a Mr Derby in America, and I am creditably informed that there is a Signora Verdi somewhere thereabouts also. Divorce is easy in America according to current, accounts. Sydney news is fair to middling. "Hands Across the Sea " has faded at the Theatre Royal, and "Captain Swift" has not followed ifc, as so many people expected. " Dora " and " The Barrister " were due on Saturday. " Youth "is still doing well at Her Majesty's, unless you except the trifling fact that a super got shot in the eye during the week. "Hans the Boatman "is in his last week at the Criterion, and " The Magistrate," by the Broagh and Boucicault company is due on February the 2nd. Simonfeen's mixed opera company has been doing well at the Opera House with the old, old operas. The Gaylord pantomime company are, or is, now at the Gaiety; and the music halls are in as fine swing as ever. Brisbane, Adelaide, and Tasmanian news needs little mention, except to say that Miss Kate Lovell has left the Stanfield burlesque company in the first-named place ; Mr Harry St. Maur, of the last-named place, expects to follow Mr Frank Thornton at our Bijou Theatre with his own version of Mrs John Strange Winter's story, " Bootle's Baby " ; and that Liddy, the man with no Christian name and of no place in particular, is to take the management of the Brisbane Opera House. I have just learned from telegram that during the performance of " Carmen " at the Sydney Opera House this evening, Signor Dimitresco, the Don Jose, quarrelled with Signor Lombardi, the conductor, and left the stage. Afterwards he came on and made a statement as to his trouble with the conductor, who left the orchestra and refused to return. In consequence of the trouble, Mr Simonsen has decided to close the season.