THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. NOTES BY SCALFAX. Melbourne, June 3.

Otago Witness, Issue 1897, 12 June 1890, Page 32

THE STAGE IN AUSTRALIA. NOTES BY SCALFAX. Melbourne, June 3.

We are having glorious times just now. This is the middle of winter, and we are not allowed to forget the fact. It rains every morning, gets fine and summery about mid-day, looks like a fog in the evening, and just when you get your cough mixture laid out handy ib rains again. It always does that if you have left your overcoat at home, and are not in reach of an umbrella which you can steal with impunity. I know, for I have been there. Mr Charles Warner revived "The Silver JKiug" at the Royal on Saturday to a very fair house. We have all been glad of this, because we wanted to see him in a character in which we could compare him with other good actors of recent date, and now we are sorry for it. Mr Warner does not please us as Wilfred Denver, and we want good old Litheradge agaio. His rendering of the part is rougher than we are used to, and his " Silver King " is not nearly as lovable as the character used to be. Miss Gracie Warner did better than was expected as Nellie Denver, and Royce was a very decent Jaikes, but ho revived too many memories of Poor Phil Day, as did Walton in tho part of Eljah Coombes of still poorer Arthur Redwood. Both these men came out Jaere full of talent and ambition, and made their names by one effort ; but that effort killed them. The rest of the

cast was weak, and the production oannot rank as a successful one, taken all round.

Mr J. L. Toole is commencing his last week at the Princess, where his season closes on Thursday next with a benefit to himself, thongh why he wants that benefit we find it very hard to find out. Ou Saburday he played " Arttul Cards " and the trial scene from " Pickwick " to a very good and numerous audience. Ln«t night, he gave •' The St-rious Family" and " fhe Birthplace of Podgers"; to-morrow we have " Off th . Line," one act of " Oliver Twist," and the farce " Domestic Economy " ; and Thursday the full bill of "Paul Pry," "Ici on uarle Frangaise," " Burlesque Lectures," and " Off tho Liuo," which ought to send everybody away contented. That Mr Toole has not been the success expected I have already told you ; and we will now watch with interest what Syduey thinks of him. Sydney always runs contrary to Melbourne every chance ib gets.

"Joseph's Sweetheart," Mr Robert Buchanan's revised edition of that very naughty novel of Fielding's, " Joseph Andrews," drew an immense audience to the Bijou Thektre on Saturday. Everyone who studies English literature has read the novel »t some time or other, I am sure, and it is of no use to describe the plot here. Mr Buchanan takes many liberties with ib in minor points, but he manages to elude those parts which are a little too " strong " for the good and virtuous people of to-day and yet retain the great points of interest. Mrs Brough as Lady Booby made tho mnst of a rather peculiar part, bat Mr Brough's P.\rson Adaais was a nio-it painstaking and creditable piece of acting from start to finish. Mr Cecil Ward did not pi' ase an the hero, Joseph Andrews, which was more the fault ot tho part thau hi?. Miss Athium Claudius was good in the main as Fanny Goodwill ; aud good old Cathcart was himself a? Sir George Wilsou. Mr luman was Lord Fellamar ; aud tho minor characters were as well represented as wt expect them to bo by such an excellent all round company. Mr Spong's scenery was entitled to fullesb praise ; and "Joseph's Sweetheart" will have a long run, or lam no prophet. Tho only fault to find with the comedy is that it is in five acts. This plays into the bands of the barkerpers.

"Paul Jones " is still climbing up tho hill of reputation at the Opera ITouse, and as the labt nights are announced people are going to see it once again " for the la^hb time " There is nothing now to say about ib. On Saturday week we are to have * revival of '• Boccaccio," and the bald-headed portion of our theatre-going public is jubilant. There is so much " tighl " dressing in ib that a leading jeweller and optician baa filled bis window with a special line of opera glasses.

" The Private Secretary " is doing fair to medium business a1"a 1 " the Alexandra Theatre, nnd is being kept on this week. Ib is hardly the piece for frequenters of that house ; they want their gruel hot and strong and plenty of ir. It is vory carefully advertised that there is no advance in prices ; and there does not need to be. Our public resents auything of that sort as it would an infringement of the eight hours system.

St. George's Hall is now devoted to exhibiting the genius of Mr Harry Rickards aud his company, as the Cogills have placidly filed their schedule. Liabilities about £600 ; assets, ? That old farce " Spoons "is now on deck. The Victoria Hall was opened on Saturday by a gathered minstrel company; the Waxworks has got Cecil Forrester, a good comedian and mimic, and the African Boajesmen have gone back to brick carting again. The Cyclorama is as popular as ever, and looks like paying 18 per cent, next time. That alligator has not arrived at the Aquarium yet, although I have had the baby ready for a long time. A newly-married friend of mine assures me I can have it with pleasure as soon as the alligator comes along. He would sacrifice more' than that in the cause of science, he says. I believe he would even lose his wife in the noble endeavour to settle a knotty point.

Mr George Musgrove comes back to the Princess Theatre on Saturday to run the "Little Lord Fauntleroy" company for two weeks — a genuine " last appearance." Thbse two clever girls, Misses Olive Berkley and Gracie Hopkins, will take the title roh alternate nights You are all aware by this time that there has been a rearrangement in the management of the celebrated triumvirate, and that Messrs Williamson and Garner look after our Princess and Royal in future, and that Mr George Musgrove expands his energies over the Sydney Royal, are you not ? " Little Lord Fauntleroy "is good for the two weeks, and many of us will watch with Satanic joy the rivalry between the two young stars. We delight in things of that sort. "It is so human, you know."

We have a new and very sensational show now on at the Sandridge (I beg pardon, Port Melbourne) railway pier in the old convict hulk Success. This relic of the old, old days has been hunted up from some obscure corner and found to be almost as it was in the '40's, and an enterprising speculator has anchored it to the pier and charges Is per head for raembnrs of the " old families " to go and see the " jug " their ancestors occupied. The various cells are almost in their original condition, and a lot of the old irons, bracelets, and other jewellery have been placed in advantageous positions. Plaster casts of the famous inhabitants of the " Black Hole " and condemned cells add a special attraction to the gloomy minded. It is a good show from a historical point of view, aud gives our rising generation an idea of what was suffered by the " Government emigrants" of the early days, and adds special interest to Marcus Clarke's powerful story of " His Natural Life."

Last Tuesday, Mr Charles Cogill, of Cogill Bros , late of St. George's Hall, put in an approximate schedule in his insolvency affair (brother Harry has gone to Tasmania) and admitted a deficiency of about £600, whereat many of his friends are lamenting in more or less vigorous language. That same night he attended an evening party at the house of a well-known bookmaker, and must have had a specially good time, for at 7 a.m. next morning he was found at the corner of Queen and Lonsdale streets, behaving in an " ecceutric manner," to the amusement of several early risers on the other side of the street. The police kindly took him in hand, and asserted that he was so drunk he did not know what he was doing. Several police and detectives gave him an excellent character, and he was let off with a fine of 10s, or six hours. Charles says parties are not so pleasant as most people think, now.

A double balloon ascent was attempted in Sandhurst on Saturday by Professor Price and Madame Viola, but it was a failure, as the balloon elected to go on an exploring expedition on its own account and broke away, leaving the expectant public to get their money refunded. There is no news as to whether they did so. Sydney news is still keeping quiet. " Mdlle. de Bressier," which is better known in England as Harman's " Civil War," an adaption from M. Dalpit's French drama of the Sydney name, is finishing the Bellew and Brown-Potter season at the Royal. On Saturday next Mr J. L. Toole opens his Sydney term with "A Fool and hs Money," and " Ici on Parle Francais." Mr William Rignold is keeping on "The Two Orphans" at Her Majesty's, bufc that ancient chestnut " After Dark " is in preparation. John

F. Sheridan and •• Fun on the Bristol " are at the Criterion; and a beautiful melodrama, "Judge Not," keeps the doors of the Gaiety open if nothing else. On Saturday a part of the Brough and Boucicault company follows " Fun ou the Bristol " at the "Criterion with " The Parvenu." Maccabe has fiuished his metropolitan beason, and now goes on a tour in the country.

Adelaide : Bland Holt has finished his time at the Royal, and he is now waiting for our Alexandra to be clear for him. Wybert Reevo follows him with a drama you may have seen when you were young. It is called " Green Bushes." Harraston'a circus is doing well ; aud our old frieud Ounard has dtarted a kind of waxworks and variety show. That is all the Adelaide critics havd to worry them. Lucky fellows.

Messrs Brough and Bouoicault use a large number of very valuable carpets in the scenes of their many modern comedies, and several of them were placed in the care of the Universal Help Company, and afterwards found missing. They were valued at £100. Yesterday a clerk in the employ of the company namod George Williams and a engine driver named John W. Johnson were arrested for the robbery. Williams alleged that all he knows is that Johnson brought the carpets to his house.

Sir Charles and Lady Halle (Madame Nor-mau-Neruda) are continuing their concerts at the Town Hall, but business is falling off. We can stand a sonata now aud then, but when we get nothing but them we bogin to acho for " Way down upon the Swannee river," and 6uch like hymns. The Bairnsfather family have left the Athen sauna Hull for a country tour. They are by no means bad, and revive memories of the Kennedys, only they go a little further and givj reels, violin and bagpipe solos, and othor atrocities.

The following is too good to be left unnoticed. I was going to work it up from my owu notes iv a different way, but the cutting explains everything :—: —

Doar Sir, — I find that, notwithstanding our deeire to remain on friendly tnrm9 with the management of the Princess and Hoyal Theatres, aud to do justice tii the prodii-Mims of each, they have cut down their advertison onts to the lowpst possible point, thereby making a marked distinction between the morning journals and the Kvening Standard TliU journal has now been in existence for 12 months, and has a circulation equil to at leaat two of the morning papers lavoured with the full notices of the Princess and Royal Theatres, so tlint we are placed in a position of marked inferiority. It is well known that the public look for tho lntest Bporting and dramatic announcements in evening papers— a foot recognised by theatrical managers in Sydney anil other Australian cities —Melbourne hlouo excopted ; nud the time has arrived when wo are compelled to take a slnnd in the mntler. Until we sre placed on the same footing as the morning papers, no special notices of performances at the Princess and lloyal Theatres will appear in the Kvening Standard, and members of our literary staff will bo instructed accordingly, and under no circumstances to accept free admission to either theatre

It is not, of courae, for me to dictate how your advertising business should bo oomincCi d. I simply protest agatust the unfair distinction made between ourselves and the morning journih, and take the only course open.— Yours very sincerely, James Thomson, General Manager. Arthur Garner, Esq , Princess Theatre.

Dear Sir,— Tour letter of April sth, which I have received in duplicate, has certainly astonished me, principally ou account of its contradictory nature. It appears to me that you desire to be placed on the same footing with regard to advertisements as the morning journ Is, and, at the same time, you are bold enough to assort that the members of your literary staff will be instructed to write according to the length of such advertisements — in other words, you put a price upon 'your criticisms. This is indirpctly a system of blackmail, which I decline most emphatically to encourage. If a fair account of the performances at the variouß theatres is not a portion of the attraction of your newspaper, It comes within the province of the editor or manager of such paper to see that the space is not wasted in useless matter, and the same remark applies to any other public institution in the colonies. It is quite reasonablo that every man should think his own enterprise the beet ; at the same time I beg lo differ from you with regard to the position your paper holds in the estimation of the public, so far as regards theatrical news. I consider the simple announcement in the evening papers quite sufficient for my business, consequently Bhall not make any alteration. During my 20 years' experience I have frequently had similar letters to yours, but the writers have never claimed any respectable position for their journals. I note your wishes with regard to your staff, and have instructed the treasurer to remove their names from the free list. Regretting the circumstances, youra faithfully, (signed) Arthur G-ahnru. James Thomson, Beg., Kvening Standard. That well-known actor, Mr Herbert Flemming, is going to try his fortune in England, and takes a well deserved benefit before long. He has determined, however, to make his really last appearance at Christchurch, where he made his first appearance on any stage. Brisbane has been waking up. The " Little Lord Fauntleroy " company did well at the Royal, and Jennie Le9 followed to fair business. The lessees of the Gaiety gave up their lease, and left, and Lingard and his panorama was to follow. Henry Bracy and the company lately at our Opera House have been playing " The Beggar Student " ; and a number of variety shows are scattered around. That is about all I can tell you this week. Aj«w, pour un pet't temps. There is no extra charge for that.