THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. Notes by Scalfax. Melbourne, April 1.

Otago Witness, Issue 1951, 11 April 1889, Page 28

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. Notes by Scalfax. Melbourne, April 1.

me pass has been rather a quiet week so far as theatres are concerned. Our vigorous public has been expending all its superfluous energy and fracturing its lungs in attending election meetings. We have been electioneering mad, and have had little inclination or time to attend shows. On Thursday, however, our mania came to a crisis, and took the form of smashing hats, tram windows, and other articles of virtue. On Friday we woke with a good many sore heads, and generally expressed much satisfaction that it was all over, and that it was a good thing it only happened once in three years. The publicans wish it would happen about once a quarter, but triennially is often enough for the sinners. " The Union Jack " has come to an untimely end at the Theatre Royal, and on Saturday that ever-green drama "The World" took its place My own opinion of •• The Union Jack " has been freely stated, but I thought it would manage at least a four weeks' run. Its successor has been played here so often that there can be but little interest in it for the public, and Mr Bland Holt will have to hurry up something newer if he expects to make money. uSK GJG J e °r r r g T e ,, MilQ is man aging to make Richard 111 " pay, and that shifty monarch will display his venom for another week, and perhaps even two. I am very glad to note Mr Miln's success, and hope he may have plenty of it. He is a'good and reliable actor and of a class which we see far too seldom. "The Pirates ef Penzance" and "Charity Begins at Home " was the Princess' bill on Saturday, and there was no novelty in the second, and the only article of that kind in the first was Mr Walter Marnock's appearance as the sensitive Pirate King. Miss Fanny Liddiard was was a most attractive Ruth, the piratical maid of all work, and the remarkable bevy of remarkable daughters of a remarkable major-general I were all that their admirers could wish. Xhe ! scene, plots, and ebceteras for " The Yeoman of the Guard " have arrived, and preparations are being made for its production at an early date. Another crowded house at the Alexandra Theatre on Saturday testified how popular Mr I Dampier and Miss May Holt have made the place. Miss Holt's new drama, " Men and Wo- [ men," has not anything particularly striking in [ either plot or incident; it is of the good, homely i style, and the story is told in a good, homely i manner. • The plot may be reduced to this : | Ernest, the son of Colonel Wolcome, falls in j love with Daisy Thorho, the daughter of Sam, Thome, his father's gamekeeper. The Colo,nel is in the claws of a rascally lawyer named Jerning- ! ham, and through him finds out Ernest's love for Daisy, and, of course, objects. Ernest and j his lady love elope at once, and turn up in naughty Paris, where they have very bad luck, but are discovered by Daisy's father before I they are quite starved to • death, and return ito England. Ernest and his father become reconciled, and turn their attention to fighting Jerningham. The Colonel has a horse named j Merrythought, which is expected to win the j Derby. Jerningham, however, lays heavily against it, and compels the Colonel to write to the trainer to scratch the horse for all engagements. Thome manages to get hold of the letter, and Daisy is put on to ride the horse, and, of course, wins the race, ruins Jerningham, and recovers all the Colonel's lost fortune in less than no time. " Men and Women " is well ' staged, and the real dog-cart and the real racehorse thoroughly enthused the gallery. Miss Holt was the heroine, and acted with much care and judgment. Miss Lily Dampier as Maud Bryanstone had the only other leading part of any note. Mr E. Holloway as Sam Thorne gained first honours 'amongst the gentlemen. "Men and Women" will run about two weeks. Mr Harry St. Maur opened his new season at the Bijou Theatre on Saturday evening with Mr C. Bradley's version of " Bootle's Baby." lam not aware whether I know Mr Bradley, but I think I have seen a previous play of his. I hope Ido not know him, because I carry a gun. I hope he carries one also, in case he should meet the man who told him he was a dramatis*. His version of "Mrs Winter's" chaymiog story is about as weak and flabby as it oould well be. The plot is strung out so far that it becomes almqat invisible, and what there is of it is uninteresting. «. Bootle's Baby " will come oft; the stage on Saturday next if Mr St. Maur knows what he is about. Mr Sk Maur, Miss Lucia Harwood, and Miss Meta Pelbam deserve most praise, and favourable mention can be made of the glever child who played the baby. Me Frank Lincoln resumed business at the Athenaeum Hall on Saturday. To-night and tomorrow he cannot appear, as the hall is otherwise engaged. On Wednesday afternoon , he gives a special matinee performance at the special request of a large number of members of the theatrical profession, and in the evening j commences a regular course of. entertainments'. j The minstrel business is ke'eping'un i 6 aboat [ itsusual standard. The Yfctom E&l is the leading place just now. Mr Frank Clark and al 8 ? ew^W* whi « h includes the. well-known glade Murr-ay, have arrived safely, and are expeoted to cram the place to its utmost during the Easter holidays if it does not rain, and it looks very muoh as if we will have it pretty damp this year, * There was a rare panic at the Theatre Royal SffK d n y^f fc> U appears tbat two People in the stalls had aa argument during the fourth act, and came to blows. They wL standing near one of the escape doors, and a fro peoS? rushed up to stop the disturb/mee. ' The \™ circle and gallery EeepleeQuld not see what was going on, h.ut nqfcicmg the rush to the escanedoor- the usual idiot orled •• Fire," an d in one moment the whole house was on its feet Most rushed to the doors, but many clambered m ?,v th ? xr tage> Mi , ss Kate Bis °0P «kod Mr Albert Norman, who were on tha stage at the time, tried to calm, ihe people but could not make themselves heard in the' noise and confusion. The gasb'ghts were quickly turned full on, and a huge placard with the words, "Keep your seats';, there is no danger" w,as brought on the stage, a.nd gradually fch'e audience went back to their pjaces. I have seen three or f««r stampedes at the FjoyaJ, but Saturday's was much th.c worst. gg a d there been really a fire I should have had a most frightful catastrophe to record to-day, providing I had got out all right myself. Mr Arthur Garner's " Silver Falls" Company i has arrived in Adelaide, and will open at the Royal there at an early date. Miss Edith j Blande (Mrs Austin Brereton), Miss Ofausa Cooper, Miss Maud Williamson, a^d Messrs J. H. Clynds, and A. Brickl^- are the leading stars. Mr Gfarner afcajea that he has arranged .

for both Mr Wilson Barrett and the Kendals to visit this country next year. That ancient' and excellent comedian, Mr J. R. Greville, .has decided to follow Mr Harwood's lead, and will make a trip to London to see his eldest son, who is as good a doctor as I might almost say his brother is a weak actor. Mr Greville was one of the lessees of our Royal in the days when Hennings, Coppin, Stewart, • and Harwood ruled the roast. Mr George Musgrove bought a horse for £60 odd from a man named Bourke, and after he had used it a little he returned it on the ground that it was not up to expectation. When under examination. Mr Musgrove skated that "he liked everything of the best," including horses and jewellery, and that he did not consider the horse by any means up to his standard. A cruel judge, however, ruled that as he had kept the horse for some time he must pay for it.