AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2087, 22 February 1894, Page 37

AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

(Special to the Otago Witness.)

Dear Pasquin, — Last week I wrote you stating that Florrie Forde, one of the best Australian serio-comics, was making a hit at Sydney Tivoli Music Hall in Billie Barlow's former success "Bubbles." Since the last mail left Florrie tells me that " Bubbles" wasn't written till well after 8.8. had gone 'Omo, but she admits that it was suggested by Billie Barlow's •• The bubbles that we see floating in the air,' although it doesn't resemble that song the least little bit. Florrie's words are by Johnnie Cullen (Maoriland's Mark Twain), the topical song writer, who used at one time to compose all Priscilla Verne's medleys when he was travelling with the Buffaloes, and the music is by Owen Conduit.

A stroDg variety combination (quite equal to Frank M. Clark's company, which is more Allan Hamilton's than Clark's) leaves for Maoriland on February 21, under engagement to the proprietor of a Wellington theatre.

The Permans, from Melbourne Royal, and M'Kisson and Kearns (Mr Ida Tauchert), from the Fiincess, joined Rickards's Sydney Tivoli Company last week.

Mr J. T. Forde (who played Thomas Burns in " The Tomboy," Templeton Fake in "The Miner's Daughter," and Marks, a lawyer, in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," with the Carrie Swain Company in 1887), Augustus Glover, J. P. West, J. W. Sweeney, and H. R. Roberts will bo in Maggie Moore's company at the Melbourne Royal.

Percy Per man replaced Tom Qieen as clown in Melbourne Royal pantomime the past week, and Dutchey Morris played Chinaman. Violinist Mrs Jack Leete (Catherine Viuceui) goes Home by first boat. George Rignold intends taking a rest shortly, lettipg his theatre to travelling companies. Miss Edith Blande made her first appearance with the Brough-Boucicault Company as Miriam, Marchioness of Castlejordan (a part played through Melbourne by Mias Romer). In " The Amazons," at Sydney Criterion, on Saturday, July 1, 1893, Mias Grace Armytage

Nobel made her Australian debui the same evening as Lady Wilhelmina Belturbet, which she also plays on the present tour.

Stella Stewart was singing at Melbourne Gaiety last week, and a gallery god gave her the bird. Stella looked at him in such a way that if her glances had been boxing gloves he'd have been knocked stiff in one round. Miss Stewart (then Mrs Tudor) was round Maoriland in 1892 with the John F. Sheridan Company playing Eliza Harris in " Uncle Tom's Cabin," William in " Bleck-Eyed Susan," and Dora in " Fun on the Bristol" ; when she aud Johnnie Tudor introduced "The tin-pot band," " The lazy boy and girl," and the combat dance.

"The Gondoliers, 5 ' with Tapley as lead, was reproduced at Melbourne Princess on Saturday, February 10. Miss Myra Kemble is resting after her Maoriland tour.

Schumann's opera "Genoveva" was produced in London at Drury Lane on Wednesday, December 7, 1893, by pupils of the Royal College of Music, under Professor Villiers Stamford. " Being interpreted by students it lost somewhat in power and vigour, although the performance throughout was wonderfully smooth and interesting. The music contains 1 much that is beautiful, but for all that," says the Sun, " it could never have become a popular work upon the lyric stage." Maggie Moore will introduce to Melbourne during her coming season at the Theatre Royal "Linger Longer, Loo." I see Brough and Boucicault are producing the laje T. W. Robertson's three-act comedy " Caste " on their present Maoriland tour. The Charles Holloway Dramatic Company played this piece in your colony as benefits to Misses Alice (Mrs Charles Holloway) and Constance Deorwyn (Mrs Richard Stewart) eaily in 1893, with the following cast : — Hon. George D'Alroy ... Mr Henry Willard Captain Hawtrey Mr Richard Stewart Eccles Mr Charles Holloway •Sam Garridge Mr Oily Deeriug Dixon (servant to D'Alroy) Mr Andrew Money Esther Miss Constance Door wyn Polly Miss Alice Deorwyn The Marquis de St. Maur Miss Linda Raymond Joe Brown (round with Frank M. Clark's All-Star Company some years back) has left the Melbourne Gaiety. On the termination of his engagement with the firm, Howard Vernon starts a company " on his own." Mr R. Grainger was on Thursday, February 1, presented by Mr Billy Akarman with a gold watch and sovereign case, on behalf of Harry Rickards, whose life Grainger saved from drowning a year ago. Negotiations are pending between the firm and Mrs Brown-Potter and Mr Bellow for the appearance of these two artists in Australia this year. Should the visit be decided on, the season will probably open either with Dumas's " Francillon," one of the French author's wittiest comedies, or with " Thercse Raquin." Dora Taylor, the smart baby dancer at Melbourne T.R. pantomime, is barely six years of age, and is a native or Greensborough (Vie). Dora picked up her idea of dancing from D'Argo at Melbourne Princess, and for her age is a wonder. Harry Rickards, on his recent visit to Melbourne, offered her, or her accredited representative, five guineas a week to appear at Sydney Tivoli, but the trip was declined. Madame Belle Cole, the famous American contralto, began her career as a soprano. Miss Josephine Jacombs, a high soprano, who made her debut at Sydney Town Hall on February 2, at one time sang in amateur circles as a contralto.

At George Land's "begabit" at Sydney Lyceum on Friday, February 4, Miss Marietta Nash (Mrs G. L.) warbled coster ditties. Carl Hertz, Mdlle. D' Alton, Billie Barlow, and Fannie Leslie are performing at London Pavilion. Miss Billie Barlow (Little Jack Shepherd) goes on a world's tour in 1895. Capetown, Johannesburg, and Kimberley will first be visited, then Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, returning to England via India, China, and Japan.

Lalla Miranda, the Victorian songbird, wants to go to Milan to learn enough to enable her to cut out Mslba.

" I was never exactly buried alive, but I played a week in a theatre that didn't advertise."—Jiblet Gullivan.

Nellie Stewart, previous to joining the Royal Comic Company in Melbourne, has been having a well-earned rest at Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, N.S.W.

From the Hawk. — Pinero doesn't consider Mrs Brough could do justice to " The Second Mrs Tanqueray." What in the world can Pinero know about the lady's histrionic abilities, considering that he hasn't seen her since she became an acknowledged star P If Henrietta Watson can do it, then Mrs Brough can do it four times better.

Olga Nethersole has secured a lease of the Avenue Theatre, London.

Maurice Bentley and Walter Beattie, two clever sketch artists, who were with Rickards's New English Comedy Company at Sydney Garrick (now the Tivoli) in June 1892, are working three London music halls per night.

Mrs George Rignold, looking much better for her fortnight's holiday in Melbourne, returns to Sydney on Tuesday, January 30.

Pete Hughes, the well-known theatrical agent, met Jiblet Gullivan on Poverty Point one morning last week. He doffed his hat and disclosed tis cool, clean, bald pate. " Hold on !" said Jiblet Gullivan, placing the tip of his thumb on Pete's head before he could re-cover. " What's up ? " said Pete. "If I was you I'd paint a jack rabbit there," said Gullivan. "Why?" queried Pete. "Cause somebody might take it for a hare" grinned Gullivan. When Pete tumbled there was a sound as of a rushing mighty wind, and it swept all before ifc. Business is on the improve at Melbourne Gaiety. One attraction is a man who wears black fur tops to his boots, aud does a lot of sharp execution with a heavy sword, such as carving a sheep in two — a la Dancan C. Ross, — cutting apples placed on a woman's head, neck, and throat. A display of fencing exercise between the fur top boots and the woman aforesaid was painfully tame, and might well be given behind the scenes or under the stage. Ruth Wallace in parodies on "The soldier "and " Daisy Bell " was well received. But why do a larrikin or policeman turn in dress shoes ? Wai Rockley is a success en the corner. Other favourites are Elsie Golding, Alice St. John, Lilian Forbes. Stella (Tudor) Stewart, Billy Speed, the Cohens, Wallace King, and Wally Edwards.

Frank Emery returned to Sydney on Thursday, February 1, from Adelaide, where he has been directing the production by Pollard's Juveniles of " Ali Baba" for Messrs Williamson and Musgrove.

Bland Holt and Company, during their Hobart season, produced two new pieces — "The Prodigal Daughter" and "A Woman's Rovenge," two of the very best plays of the melo-dramatic order. In the last-named there is a beautiful court Beene — " undoubtedly the very best that has been seen on any stage." In sach piece the acting was faultless. Miss Harrie Ireland has scored & big hit as

the adventuress in " A Woman's Revenge at Hobart Royal,- dressing the part and looking ifj to perfection. " H. R. Roberts was once a hairdresser in Auckland." — Jiblet Gullivan. Will Whitburn, the most versatile and popular minstrel ever on the Australian stage, is the trainer and rider of Mr C. Alexander's chestnut gelding Honour, the holder of the two-mile trotting record of Australia (4min 51£ sec).. Whitburn, whose heart and soul is in the biz., resides at Caulfield. "True as Steel" is drawing packed houses at Sydney, Her Majesty's. In one act there is a sudden change from the gloom of the interior to a beautiful tableau of a rustic millhouse, with its huge mill wheel slowly turning in the moonlight. The rush of the water as it strikes against the steps of the wheel, the ingenuity with which the floating body of Mara appears to be drawn down by the suction of the mill race, and the perilous position in which Mara and her rescuer appear as they ascend from the deep clinging to the woodwork of the gigantic machine, are the realistic features in one of the most ingenious mechanical effects yet presented at Her Majesty's Theatre. Mr George Lauri had a packed house for his benefit at Sydney Lyceum on Friday, February 2. "Beauty and the Beast" was the piece. The warm, cordial spirit which prevailed reached fever heat in the trap scene, in which " Daddy," often in and out of doors and traps in the orthodox way with the aid of an obliging " double," suddenly met that larger duplicate of himself face to face, and shook him heartily by the hand. The audience enjoyed the joke so much that Messrs Lauri and Ted Faust were recalled agaiu and again with enthusiasm. Many playgoers, it may be added, have remained under the iinpres&ion that Mr Lauri effected the lightning reappearances of this sceue eutirely by him self. "Charley's Aunt" still runniug to packed houses at Sydney Criterion, and there is no iutention of the piece being withdrawn. " Rouud tho World in 60 Days," the spectacular drama to be produced at Sydney Lyceum on February 10, is not absolutely new to Sydney, as Mr Charles Wheatleigh appeared as Phineas Fogg at the old Queen's Theatre about the seventies. Mr W. J. Wilson painted 18 great scenes for that production, with the shipwreck in the Atlantic as the chief tableau. In the present production, which will be one of the most formidable spectacular achievements ever attempted by Messrs Williamson and Musgrove, the story of Phineas Fogg's hairbreadth escapes and rapid circumnavigation will be gorgeously illustrated by Meesrj Gordon and Goatcher. There will be a great Indian ballet in which 100 trained dancers will take part, 126 supernumeries will join in the processions, and there will be a dramatic scene in which Fogg rescues the Indian Princess from the funeral pyre. Lovers of Verne's book will remember that Fogg's gallantry on this occasion lost him 24 precious hours in his race against time. At Yokohama there will be a Japanese ballet, and at San Francisco the elections will be shown with many characteristic incidents. The wreck of the overland train by Indians will be illustrated, with the rescue by the scldisrs ; and early in the night's doings a striking panorama of the Suez Canal will be displayed. Before Fogg is safe back in London in time to win his bet at the Eccentric Club he will witness "acrobatic revels," and here DonCaicedo, a marvellous equilibrist, will give a strange performance on the slack wire. Mr Edward Sass will play Phineas Fogg, and Miss Henrietta Watson (who has not been seen in Sydney since the Edward Terry season) will appear as the Indian Princess. Messrs Robert Courtneidge, Emery, Leston, and Ireland are included in the long cast. " Current Cash" was revived at Sydney Royal on Saturday, February 3, with the following cast : — PROLOGUE. Captain Milton Irve Hayman Private Bowles George Walton DRAMA. Major Challis H. Willard Rev. Lincoln Green C. B. Westmacott Bowles George Walton Mr Nailor (a magistrate) H.Bennett Constable Pallet G. Weatherly Delia Challis Daisy Thynne Grace Milton Irve Hayman Sybil Milton Kate Towers George Walton is not with Frank M. Clark's Alhambra Company, and, what is more, never had any intention of going. Mr Edward Stowe, who is an originator and not an imitator, reads the Obago Witness.* I am glad of it. He says that Franks and Lyndon, with Emerson and Wood's Alabama Minstrels in 1893, did not sing " Coloured Ward M'Allister" on the Maoriland tour. Edward Stowe is "an originator " and not "an imitator" ; but who told Mr Stowe that Franks and Lyndon did not Bing "Coloured Ward M'Allister " in this colony ? Was it Mr Charles L. Naylor. If so, Charles L. Naylor is also " an originator," and not "an imitator." Why, the song was torn to pieces by wharf labourers, hoodlums, &c, months before Mr Stowe reached Maoriland. When Mr Edward Stowe came along the dogs barked at him — even the Salvation Army had a version of it. Mr Harry L. Hall (now in the East with Willard's Opera Company) sang the same song years ago. All Mr Stowe has to do is to call at the Witness office and look over Maoriland newspaper files and programmes, and he will find that what I state is correct, as everyone who saw the Alabama Company in New Zealand knows. Why, to go further and fare worse, if Ryder, Stowe, and Queen dissolved partnership in America and never came to Australia, who then were the Ryder and Tom Queen showing along with Stowe as the World's Trio with Emerson and Wood's Alabama Minstrels in September 1892 at Sydney Garrick Theatre in their (not Edward Stowe's) original panto, gymnastic comedy "Sam Kee's Laundry," and who received praise for weeks from the Sydney press for their performance in the same ? If, as Mr Stowe says, this trio never came out to Australia, what about Tom Queen, who was clown iv a Melbourne pantomime last Christmas ? If, as he says, he is an originator and not an imitator, why does he attempt without success an imitation of George H. Wood, tae " somewhat different " comedian, in nis gags on the corner ? Nuff sed — Yours truly, Poverty Point, 3rd February 1894. B. S.