THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2083, 25 January 1894, Page 36

THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

O0Btrl>ntl»a« from th* Pwf««ton ohronloling their meremeaU

Large and appreciative audiences were attracted fco the last two coucerts of tho PalmerBoaumont Company at the Garrisou Hall on Saturday and Sunday nights. The* former was a popular concert, national airs and songs predominating, and this and the additional attraction of popular prices resulted in well filling the big hall with an enthusiastic audience. Sunday night's concert had the advantage of novelty in Dunedin, and being held after church hours, its also attracted a large audience. The company's season in Dunediu was a fairly satisfactory one. They were to give a concert at Milton on Wednesday evening, at Balclubha on Thursday, Gore on Friday, and Invorcargill on Monday, 29th insfc.

The Heller's Rosicrucian Somnomists Bonanza Coterie is a rather long and somewhat imposing name for a compact little company ab present playing in the Theatre Royal, Invercargill. They will work their way up to Dunedin under the management of Mr George Callender.

Mr Walter Bentley had a sunstroke on the 10th ulb., but I am pleased to hear that he has quite recovered from the ill effects induced by A happy family. It is mentioned by a writer in a southern paper that of the ladiea of the Brongh and Boucicault Company, Mrs Brotigh, Miss Major, and Miss Temple are sisters ; Misa Romer ia Mr Brough's mother, and by a second marriage is also Misb Brenda Gibson's mother, bo that Miss Gibson is Mr Brough's step-sister. Misa Nina Schlotel, the young Dunedin violinist, is at present on a visit to Melbourne with her father, and will probably be afforded an opportunity of appearing before a Melbourne audience before her departure homeward.

The Maorilmd friends of MissGeorgie Smifchson will regret to learn that she received such a severe electric shock recently as to quite incapacitate her for a while. It occurred while she was performing her part of The Electric Spark in the Melbourne Royal Panfcomine. Her dress is silver-plated copper, and the battery being imperfect foaud a connection and gave her such a severe shock as to cause surprise that she recovered. The usually conceived idea of a burlesque actress' dress is that ifc weighs soz or 6oz, and can be stowed in a cigar box. This ia scarcely the case with Miss Sraithson's, which weighs 151b 6' 1 z, which must make her work very fati^iing. The statement that this theatre is being worked on the commonwealth plan is, I am credibly informed, foundafciouleas, Mr Coppin being tho sole lossep, and disbursing salaries with a regularity which is very satisfactory to all concerned.

Misa Isabel Webster, who is appearing in the Royal Pantomime in Melbourne, is engaged to be married to Mr William Perman. The lady was the Clarke scholar at the Royal Academy of Music, London. Miss Georgia Smithaon, the Electric Spark of this panto., played Dick Whibbington in the 1881 panto, at the same theatre.

Gracie Whiteford's first Btage appearance (says the Sydney Bulletin) was as an angel in " Uncle Tom's Cabin." To keep her quiet her mother gave her a mince pie fco eat. She descended from the clouds at tho "cue' munching the pie, and with her angelic robes protected by a dirty serviette, Mr R. S. Smythe is making quite a figure in London. The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News publishes an excellent portrait of the " much travelled," and a chatty account; of hia doings in the way of catering for the public which loses nothing in the telling. He has also been interviewed by a representative of Sala's Journal, to whom he unwisely admitted a mistake into which the people of Christchnrch had fallen when Stanley was on tour. •• When the great traveller," says Mr Smythe, "made hia appearance the packed audience rose and cheered vociferously. They were under the impression," said Mr Smythe with a merry laugb, "that it was the explorer's birthday. It was in reality the anniversary of Livingstone's birth, nnd I alone was responsible for the mistake, which not only drew an enormous audience, but also led to a number of birthday presents being sent to Mr Stanley at his hotel."

The American Novelty Company are meeting with good business and favourable notices in the Wellington provincial district. Tho Masterton paper says the troup is the best of its kind which haa visited thai; town.

" Charley's Aunt," which lifts already found its way to Berlin, and is now in rehearsal at the Paris Gymnase, where "86b6" ("Betsey") was originally born, has now become happily domiciled in Australia. In Sydney, the receipts for the first week are stated by Mr Alex. Mayne to be the largest ever taken at; the^Crifcerion Theatre. A few words in conaecbion with the earlier production of "'Charley's Aunt" in England may be of interest to Witness readers. Mr Charles Arnold was present; at a little supper in Chambers at Lincoln's Inn, nearly 18 months ago, which may now be regarded as of historic interest/. It was to celebrate the approaching introduction fco English playgoers of a newly-written farcical .comedy which in tha course of the evening was named •'Charley's Aunt." Mr Brandon Thomas (the author) and his wife and Mr W, E. Penley and his company formed the party, and the conversation turned upon the new piece, which all declared was so comical at rehearsal that it 11 wenb witb/a bang," even in a theatre swathed in holland and green baize. The next day the company started upon a tour of the small towns pn the Thames. Windsor, Richmond, and various surburban theatres were visited, and everywhere the same results were obtained — much laughter from small audiences. However, the time was nob wholly lost, as during the tour the author constantly attended performances und built up the piece from a playing time of 1£- hours to 2-^ hours. Finally, their faith in the piece in no way diminished by its ill-success, author and actor joined in persuading a financier to back them with £1000, and "Charley's Aunfc" was staged at the Royalty Theatre. This tomblike little playhouse, where so many dramatic failures had been buried during the year, at once became fashionable. The piece was then transferred to another theatrical morgue, the Globe Theatre, which it peopled in turn ; and after 12 nights' run in its new quarters Mr Penley was able to announce to the' London press that he had banked £6000 for" " advance booking." When Mr Arnold left London in August, the dullest period of the year, all available seats were booked for two months in advance. It is pleasant to learn that several people connected with " Charley's Aunt" have made fortunes by it. The city financier was only called upon to advance £400, and his half-share of the net profits has averaged £600 a week ever since. Mr Penley has also drawn £6,00 a week throughout 1893, out of which he has paid the author £160 a week. He has also retained the provincial (two companies) rights, the American (four companies), and the Australian righto 1 , some idea of the value of which may be gained from the fapfc that Messrs Thornton and Arnold

will pay Mr Penley £240 for hiß Bhare in this week's receipts at the Criterion. Altogether it is estimated that Mr Penley has already realised £?8,000 by "Charley's Aunt," and' the author is richer than he was on the occasion of the little supper at Lincoln's Inn by £50,000. " Touchstone " thus reminiscences in the Tasmanian on the early days of the drama in the colonies : —

" There are quite a number of ' old stagers ' in Mr Haygarth's company at present playing a season at the Academy ot Music. Mr Haygarth himself was in years gone by a promineut actormanager in New Zealand, where, in conjunction with J. B. Steel and J. O'Brien, he ran several of the leading theatres. Poor Steel, a handsome fellow and a gentleman, has fallen in with dark days, and O'Brien retired from the profession come ten years ago. Mr Alfred Boothman comes of a veil-known southern Tasmanian family, and was for a considerable time, if I mistake not, in the Government service in Hobart. In tho minds of old Hobart playgoers the names of the brothers A. and E. B. Boothman conjure up memories of the old G. V. Brooke Dramatic Club, one of the strongest amateur combinations ever got together in Australasia.

" There are many who have still a vivid recollection of the performances of • The Rent Day,' • The Serf,' and ' Hamlet ' given on the boards of the Theatre Royal by the members of 1 the G..V.8. The first time I saw Mr A. Boobhman behind the footlights was on the occasion of a production of the ' Lady of Lyons ' at the Hobart Theatre .-Royal, in which he appeared as Beauseant. The cast included Eloise Juno, then in her prime, as Pauline ; George Ireland, Claude Melnotte ; Mrs Alfred Phillips, Madame Deschappelles; Gladstone, Dumas ; and Hans Phillips, Glavis. Ireland was just then contemplating a trip to England, which he ultimately took, not with the best results to himself. That performance was given in the year 1874 — 20 years ago. Hcigho ! truly time flies, and the hair of the youngster who sitting in front in those days so thoroughly enjoyed that representation of Bulwer Lytton's ultrasentimental composition shows signs of getting suspiciously thin on the top to-day. "J. H. Martin is another old stager. If I mistake not, he first visited Tasmania about 20 years ago &s leading old man with Frank Towers. That was when poor Frank — who now lies buried 'neath the burning sun of India — was in the heyday of his success as an actormanager. Rosa Towers was then a child actress, and drew crowded audiences throughout the colonies by her clever performances of such characters as Miggs in ' Waif of the Streets,' Gratty in ' Grateful,' and Grif in a dramatisation of Farjeon's popular work of that name. Subsequently Mr Martin visited Tasmauia with Miss Clara Stephenson's dramatic company, Baker and Farron, the Majerouis, and Mrs Mary Gladstone. He was also In Hobart with Creswick and Mrs Scott-Siddans, and his sterling performances of such parts in the legitimate drama as Dentatus in ' Virginius,' Adam in •As You Like It,' Polonius in 'Hamlet,' and Sir Toby Belch in • Twelfth Night,' are spoken of to this day by old playgoers in the capital.

" And'they may say what they like relative to the modern stage in Australasia — I hold that the majority of thejpresnt-day productions are not to be mentioned in the same breath with what playgoers in a comparatively small city like Hobart even were used to in those times. One month we would have a sterling actress like Mary Gladstone rousing our enthusiasm with such pieces as ' Queen Elizabeth,' ' Marie Stuart,' ' Lucrezia Borgi3, J or ' The School For Scandal.' Next month we would be afforded an opportunity of witnessing the performances of a London star like Creswick in ' Virginius,' 'Hamlet,' 'Othello,' « Richard III,' 'Much Ado About Nothing,' and other legitimate productions. Then would come along the delightful Mrs Scott-Siddons to charm us with her Rosalind in 'As You Like It,' Beatrice in ' Much Ado About Nothing,' Juliet in ' Romeo and Juliet,' Viola in • Twelfth Night,' and the various other roles her extensive repertoire contained.

" Truly those were the halycon days of the playgoer, for the theatre afforded amusement and education combined ; but now the suggestive opera bouffe, the inane burlesque, and the variety hall reign supreme. Well may the genuine play lover exclaim with Hamlet : — • To what base uses we may return, Horatio.'

" However, in my brief reminiscences of the Tasmanian stage, as it was when I first remember it, I have wandered away a' little from my subject ; so to return. J. Cresar is another of the old landmarks of the Australian stage. For I do not know how many years he was located at the Melbourne Theatre Royal under the Coppin, Stewart, Hennings, and Greville regime — in fact he was looked upon by Melbourne playgoers as part and parcel of the institution. J. Hesford is also a stage veteran and a sound actor. lam not sure, but lam under the impression that Miss Julia Merton is a Tasmanian and that years ago she was well known in amateur circles in Hobart. The sight of all these old stagers arouses many random recollections in the mind of the regular habitue of the theatre, and I trust the somewhat disconnected remarks I have committed to paper concerning them will prove not altogether unacceptable to my readers."

Salvini's criticisms of contemporary actors are worth studying, for the great Italian actor is imbued with the critical spirit to a degree rarely met with in those of aitistic temperament. In the instalment of his autobiography published in last month's Century, Salvini writes as follows of Madame Sara Bernhardt . " I am not blind to the fascinating merits of that eccentric actress, and I proclaim her the brightest star that has in recent years risen above the horizon of dramatic art ; bat. I ask, is the superiority attributed to her by the world all pure gold ? Is there not in it a taint of alloy P Her sentiment, her artistic intuition, the acuteness of her interpretation, her moving and harmonious voice, the just accentuation of her phrasing, the tastefulness of her dress— all this is gold, pure gold. A slight tendency to declamation, a use of gesticulation not always appropriate, a marked precipitation of speech, especially at critical moments, and a pronounced monotony in pathetic expression constitute the alloy."

Mrs Beerbohm Tree is a fine Greek scholar and an excellent mathematician. She was formerly a tutor at Queen's Collc-ge, LoudoD. Amateur theatricals we're the means of bringiug her and her husband together.

The most ancient piece of music extant is the Hebrew " Blessing of the priests," which is still used in the Spanish and Portuguese synagogues. Mr Harry Nicholls, the comedian, is an "old boy " of the City of London School, where he look part in several amateur dramatic performances. He made his first professional appearance at the Windsor Theatre at the age of 18. To become an actor he gave up employment in a city office, and was at that time so poor that he had to walk to Windsor in order to make his debut.