THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. Notes by Scalfax.

Otago Witness, Issue 1973, 12 September 1889, Page 28

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. Notes by Scalfax.

Melbouenb, September 2.

Friends, Romans, and countrymen, et hoc genus tramcar, omnibus, or something, you find me here again. I must have my usual whack at the weather first, and now have to inform you that we have been having three days of real fine 16 x 16 rain, which has been laying the country out in beautiful lagoons, and making the city worse than a mud-hole. You may rely upon my statement that it has been bad when I tell you that the Governor of New South Wales got stuck up by floods ou the railway, and decided to go back home at once, although there were two banquets waiting for him here. He may have had enough of banquets, but many of the other people have not, and hence the tears.

There is not much theatrical news this week to record, for which I am truly thankful. " Harbour Lights " replaced " The Silver King "at the Royal on Saturday, and rather disappointed the people who went to see it. Without going into any criticism of individuals, which probably would in no way interest you, I may state that the present production is by no means up to the standard of excellence which marked it when first played at the Princess. The scenery and mechanical effects are quite as good as before — they are the same ; but the company does not appear to take kindly to the piece, and even if it did the parts allotted are not suited to it. I have no hesitation in saying that " Harbour Lights " will draw very poor houses before the week is over.

Mr John F. Sheridan and " Fun on the Bristol," at the Opera House, is the 'boom" in town just now. During the week the theatre has been fairly filled, and on Saturday all the tickets were sold long before the overture. It has been whispered to me that Mr Sheridan draws about £100 per week clear profit out of his piece ; yet when he was here before he was a failure, and his recent season in Sydney with the same piece, company, and programme hardly paid his way. He tells me he has already made arrangements to keep the comedy-farce on for a week over the advertised time, and may even extend it further. He is not at all anxious to put on " Two Lovely Black Eyes," which is really a burlesque on the well-known " Blackeyed Susan." Miss Jennie Lee produced her new comedydrama, " Jack in the Box," at the Princess on Saturday, the theatre being crowded everywhere. I have already given you some particulars about this very remarkable play, wherein Miss Lee represents a sort of Jack-of-all-trades who wears many male disguises and always manages to foil a heavy villain, who, aided by "a vile Italian, always wants to ruin the daughter of a showman who is of noble family, but has been accused of a murder of which, of course, the heavy villain and the Italian are the real perpetrators. The showman gets his own, Jack gets the girl, and the villains get discomfited and " skilly." Why Miss Lee ever selected this piece io waste her talents on is hard to say, but what I am inclined to say about it is just nothing at all. We have had worse pieces here, and may have them again. We have also had more ancient and disheartening conundrums than the inquiry as to why an exalted personage wears blue braces, and its exhilarating answer that he does it " to keep his trousers up," but I think they must have been here some time ago. Miss Lee wastes her undoubted talent in this piece, and it is without regret we notice that it can only be played for a fortnight. " The Wages of Sin," at the Alexandra, is now in its last nights, and will give way on Friday next to " Romeo and Juliet." wherein Miss Lily Dampier is to take a well-deserved benefit, appearing as Juliet, with Mr Dampier as Romeo. The Dampiers go next to Sydney, and will not appear here again until Christmas. On Saturday next a new American actor, Mr Robert M'Wade, is to appear for the first time ia Australia as Rip Van Winkle, in his own version of Washington Irving's well-known story. He is said to give a different and better reading of it than Jefferson, and to have a huge reputation in America. Miss Louise Halber, also a newcomer, will support him, and the scenery is going to be magnificent, as scenery has got to be here just now. Mr Snagelle is working his way carefully into favour at the Athenssum Hall, and the more his show gets talked about the larger his audiences become, although you might 6ay that the larger his audiences get the more the show would be talked about. His programme remains much the same, and is carried out in a manner which must please almost all, and cannot give offence to anyone. When he comes your way you ought to see him. Professor Jensen and his conjuring tricks are not doing much at the Victoria Hall. The plain fact is we are almost tired of that kind of thing unless it is remarkably good, and we never believe in any part of it even if we do not understand it. The London Pavilion Company is moderately successful at St. George's Hall, and for people who like variety shows this is just the thing for them. The Royal Museum still hap its " three widows of the late King of Oudh," the " monkey boys," and " the largeheaded man/ but has also added to its attractions "Mallibar, the fire-king and modern Goliath/ I think I must go and see him. The Cyclorama of the Battle of Waterloo is doing good business. Last week was the great Agricultural Show week, and our country cousins have been here in swarms, and we have always dragged them to the Cyclorama. They prefer it to a lecture on ■" Colonial Federation." Bad taste, isn't it ? especially when you are chaperon and can get into the lecture free, but have to pay at the other place.

Get your guns loaded. Mr George Darrell is going to get up a new company, and tour New Zealand. He has a new and original drama, "The Half-caste," which is to make "The Sunny South " take a back seat, and " The Trump Card " retire into oblivion. ' By the way the Hugos have definitely settled in Wellington, and ara wanting variety talent here to make a trip over to them. On Wednesday last Hugh Tyndale, a gymnast, and a member of the London Variety company, sued the brothers Warburton, hairdressers, of Geelong, for board and wages due. The company had a bad week in Sleepy Hollow, and no salaries came in. The defendants had in evidence an agreement showing that they were only responsible for the printing, advertising, and hire of the theatre. The plaintiff was nonguited through an informality in the summons.

Some time ago Mr John Whiteman, ex-M.L,A. and poet, started an action against Mr Alfred Dampier, of the Alexandra Theatre, claiming £2000 damages for alleged libels on himself in the drama " Madame Midas," which was a failure at that theatre. On Wednesday application was made to Mr Justice Eerferd to have the case dismissed, and as there was no appearance of plaintiff the application was granted. Mr Whiteman, as everybody knows, is the husband of that clever speculator who is known as Madame Midas in allusion to the " Midas " gold mine out of which she is gathering such a remarkable income.

Professor Jensen, as you will know if you have read carefully thus far, is a conjurer at the Victoria Hall, and you may be aware that a conjurer is a man who amuses people by boiling eggs in people's hat, bringing globes of goldfish out of an empty handkerchief, making things disappear, and indulging in other pleasantries. There was a man at the Victoria Hall, however, who was superior to the professor in his own line. His name is Karl Pahl, and he was engaged as a general stage hand at the hall. One night, before going on. the stage the professor handed his valuable gold watch, ohain, and locket to Pahl to hold while he was before the public. (He evidently did not trust their looks.) Pahl determined to do a little conjuring himeelf, so he caused the watch and fixings to disappear, and then disappeared himself also. He was arrested in Sandhurst, and got six months' "hard" on Wednesday. Ho will £ot conjure any more for some time, unless it be schemes of vengeance.

My very old friend Giulio Agrati writes to me from Adelaide, re the Silbon-Stirk Company, that they opened at the Royal to a very good house, but not quite so good as was expected. Still the average was good, and they have decided to play an extra week. He also insinuates that the company may open again in Melbourne in four weeks, but declines to say where. Ido not think, however, I shall be very far wrong if I say the Exhibition Building. You already know that Signor Agrati has hired that building, and I know from Sydney experience he fancies exhibition buildings. They hold so much more money. The Midgets are doing very well at the Town Hall, and have been received at Government House. They are.making as much money as the well-remembered Tom Thumbs, Harry Rickards and his company have gone to Broken Hill. This uses up all the Adelaide news.

By an Argus telegram from Londoa to-day we learn that George Fawcett Rowe is dead. Twenty- five or thirty years ago he was well known at our old Princess under the name of George Fawcett. Those were the days of Julia Matthews, Adelaide and Joey Gougenheim, Rogers, Milne, and the evergreen Harwood, whom I saw five days ago looking as well as any man wants to, and his wife (Miss Docy Stewart) was looking better. In those days of long ago burlesque was the order of the night, and Planche was its high priest. When is a burlesque of Planches played now, and who would care for it if it was ? I give it up.

On Thursday last Mr Charles M'Mahon came before the District Court to defend a charge of overcrowding the Opera House on the first night of " Fun on the Bristol." It was stated in evidence that fully £100 was turned away after the house could hold no more. The police were asked why they did not clear the surplus people out, but it appeared they had no power to do so as long as the people were orderly. This surprised the bench, and it takes a lot to surprise our district bench. Mr Panton summed up in such forcible terms that Mr M'Mahon expected about 20 years' hard labour, and was considerably eased to find he was only fined £5. He now goes round winking his dexter optic, and considers the advertisement cheap at the price.

I have just been informed that Mr M'Wade can only play 12 nights at the Alexandra Theatre, as Mr Solomon's opera company, now at the Opera House, Sydney, has already arranged dates, and will open with " The Beggar Student " on Saturday, September 21. He intends, however, to come back and play some entirely new pieces. He considers that " Little Lord Fauntleroy," which is to come to us from America, will do well.

There is an actor in this town (I can only say at present that he is very popular just now) who never goes out without carrying a heavyleashed dog-whip with him. If you ask him why he does so, he will tell you that he is looking for a certain newspaper man, and that when he meets him there will be gore, and it will not be his own. lam awaiting developments, and expect fun before long.

The proposed new theatre at the top end of Collins street, between Russell and Exhibition streets, is getting out of the mist of promises and approaching the full light of certainties. The plans are before the Board of Health, and it is stated that Messrs Brough and Boucicault will be very willing, if they are nob already anxious, to have it.

Mr Matthew Jones has filed his schedule. Liabilities, £580 14s 6d ; assets, £19 10s. You may wonder who Matthew Jone3 is, but when you know he is M. St. Leon, of circus fame, you may cease that wonder. Cause of insolvency is laid to floods in the colonies while travelling with his circus.

This is a story I heard the other evening, and I fancy I have heard it before, but it will bear repeating. It happened at a meeting of two well-known men of letters. One was an editor ; the other was a dramatic author, "Do you ever," asked the dramatic scribe, ?• get any good contributions from the outside public?" " Oh, yes, very often," cheerfully replied the editor. The dramatist looked gravely at the editor for a few moments, and then asked in a tone that indicated wonder and incredulity : " Indeed ! Then why do you never put them in ? "

I copy the following letter, sent under date of August 0, to the editor of "Table Talk" without comment :—": — " In your pleasant chat 'On the Wing ' a paragraph appears which states that I object to be called ' Warner ' in theatrical circles. I assure you that you are misinformed. ' Familiarity breeds contempt,' and Ido objeot to persons to whom I have been introduced, perhaps, a few days or hours clapping me on the shoulder and addressing me as familiarly as though they were old and esteemed friends. Otherwise, my dear sir, believe me I don't care what I am called as long as you t«-eat me as kindly as you have all done during my tour in Australia. I remain, sir, yours faithfully, Charles Warner."