THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1943, 14 February 1889, Page 28

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA.

Notes by Scalfax. Melbourne, February 4. Friends, Romans, Gentiles, and other deadbeats, in the select language of the pantomime clown, " Here we are again." The great Centennial show has closed and the weak-eyed dude and much bn«M ■ 1 .'n.^ii.o will have to seek another field to display their -new clothes and aggravating side these warm and limber nights. Towards the latter end of* its- days, or .rather nights, the" Great Deficit " became principally a meeting house for the youth of both sexes, and those who had not got anybody to meet went in the sure and certain! hope of finding: somebody, which they could always do if they were too particular. , The imported piokpooket and the , thrilling switohback'railway have lost an important source of revenue, and a large "army of office-seekers will soon be on the look-out for the friend who has a shilling to lend and will not be partioular, in wanting it back, and certain high officials who have been drawing fat salaries will have to live on their savings until they see how the next election will influence their party. The Exhibition, with all ifcs faults, is an admitted success, but now it has got to" be paid for, and it is not pleasant to pay for your pie after you have eaten it. " Sinbad the Sailor " still keeps up its popularity at the Theatre Royal, and Saturday's matinee was well attended. Miss Ida Oaborne completely eclipses Miss Clara Thomson, and the little that the latter lady has to do meets with scant approval. It is said that her husband, Mr Henry Bracy, will become lessee of the Sydney Opera House, an old weatherboard and stone combination that always looks to me as if it would fall over if you were to lean hard against the King street wall. No change of programme is announced at the Royal yet, but preparations are being made for Mr Bland Holt and the " Union Jack." " Dorothy " was played for the last time on Friday, and on Saturday " The Mikado" was revived for six nights only to give more time to get the company well fixed in " Pepita," which is due on Saturday next. The little disagreeI ments .as to parts have not been fully settled yet, and a little feeling displays itself at times, but the artißts j engaged are, I 'think, artists enough to forget them on Saturday, and " Pepita" will be acted with as much spirit and art as " Dorothy " or other' rdcent successes. The cast of " The Mikado " is much as before, and when I have said that the theatre was full that is all there is to say. " Marvellous Melbourne " has been condensed considerably,' and is <jow presented in a much more attractive form than during its early nights. It is doing good business, gets good notices in the papers, and Mr Wrangham elaborates gaudier advertisements every day. What more could be desired ?- " Sweet Lavender," as was expected, filled the Bijou in every part on Saturday, and went from beginning to' end as merrily as the proverbial wedding bell. Last week;l gave you a brief outline of the plot, and now I have only to say that Mr Finero's lastest comedy is his best, and with all respect for the humour of " The Private Secretary," it stands as ?ar above that so-called comedy as colonial cheese from grated Parmesan. Dick Phenyl (Mr Thornton), the goodnatured barrister with a strong inclination ior drink, who becomes in the end the benefactor of all parties, was well placed and amusing. Misa B. Gibson was the heroine "sw.eet" Lavender; Miss Lncia Harwood, Ruth Holt, the mother of Lavender, who was betrayed by Mr Wedderburn, the banker, in her earlier days ; and Miss Lilian Gilrnore, Miss GHfillan. Mr Fran* i Cates was the young American who saves ' the Jasfc-njentioned lady's life and chases her. everywhere afterwards; and Mr T. Hilton, Wedderburn, the banker." Mr Cecil Ward played ! the lover, Cileraent Hale, and may be considered j the only weak part of an otherwise admirable ! cast. " Sweet Lavender " is a play it does one good to see after comedies like " The Barrister " " Nina's First " and such like. There is nob one' line that could reasonably be objected^tg.^The plot is simple and good, and the scenery-is' to bo spoken of only with prajse. Bunches of swuot lavender were banded to tbe ladies in tbe

dress circle, and on such a hot night as Saturday their perfume was particularly refreshing. The Hicks-Sawyer troup of "coloured minetrels opened at the Opera House on Saturday, the Vivians having closed their season with the inevitable " East Lynne " on The attendance was good. The company all round is a very fair one, and the fact of their being real "cullud pussons" gives them an extra interest, but their performance contains nothing that is specially new to/you, and we also miss the female element which we always expect in minstrel shows now. The season here is short, so I do not expect the managers will sustain any loss. In the country towns they will draw like a traction engine. The Victoria Hall and St. George's Hall companies are being well treated by the public and have nothing to complain of. . Pain's fireworks and "Siege of Sebastopol" will have a bettor chance now that the Exhibition is closed. The Temperance Hall people get up a scratch company every now and then and play " Ten Nights in a Bar-room " to show their followers what an awful thing drink is. They did this on Saturday. Nobody was killed.. -^ Messrs CM:' J. Edwards, tenor, and Frank H. Morton, two colonial singers, have been pleasing Mr Cowan so much during the Exhibition concerts that he has recommended them to go to London and learn how to use their voices. This they propose doing, and a concert under excellent patronage is being got up for their benefit in the Town Hall, date Saturday next. They go Home with Mr Cowan. By the way, it has been rumoured in town that the eminent composer, and conductor is to marry a daughter of Alderman Benjamin, the Mayor of Melbourne. You need not believe it unless you like. Mr Cowen himself and his imported orchestra give a grand concert in the Town Hall on St. Valentine's Day in aid of the charities, and sail next day for London. Mr Martin Simonsen has been " a-chuckin' of his sentiments" with regard to the reasons for the failure of his Italian Opera Company at us through the dailyTpress. From his statement it would appear that for a collection" of all-round " naggers" the company would be hard 6o beat. A certain tenor would not sing with ascertain soprano, and the v sbpYano 'objected to another oontralto. Then again the contralto and tenor would not sing with a mezzo-soprano, and the orchestra always wanted to play in three or four different keys whenever it felt that way, while its conductor would not conduct for certain singers. When anybody was inclined to have an evening off, he, or she, simply sent down to say that .a cold' would prevent the management utilising their valuable services that evening. As Mr Simonsen plaintively says, the company wanted to run him, and so he got tired and shut the doors. He admits that he lost all his money in Melbourne, but the kindly assistance of friends enabled him to get to Sydney, and he hoped to recoup himself somewhere there, and would have had the company stood by him. He rates his loss at about' £8000. It is probable that a benefit will be' got up for him here before

long. Intercolonial news is weak—very weak. " Dora" and "The Barrister" have replaced "Hands Across the Sea" at the Sydney Royal, and Mjss Graoie .Warner shines in jjoth pieces. " Youth " still runs at Her Majesty's," and appears likely to keep on for a week or two more. " Hans the Boatman " Arnold has finished his season at the Criterion, and goes to Tasmania nnder the able management of " Pete " Hughes. Many readers may remember that the diminutive Hughes came here as agent to John F. Sheridan, of " Fun on.the Bristol " fame, and may be glad to learn that Mr Sheridan will be out soon with a new variety company which to eclipse all others. " The Magistrate " is now running at the Criterion. The "Humpty Dumpty" pantomime company atjhe Gaiety is having bad look, arid the, music halls are as usual.' The first? concert 4 by 'iHi, Cowen and his imported orchestra was a huge, success at the old exhibition building on Saturday. > * ,■ Brisbane news is not worth reading this week, and Adelaide ha 3 none at all. It is now said that the B rough and Boucicaulb season at the latter place was a' failure. So much for advertisement. Tasmania relies upon Mr George Leitch and Harry St. Maur, and the latter is leaving. It is a Bad world. , I have- no fanny story to tell you this week, .the weatheris too dry. We do not swap yarns when we meet these days, we only rip at the c clerk of the weather. When it gets cool I' may hear a tale or two.

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