AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2103, 14 June 1894, Page 37

AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

(Special to the O*ago Witness.) Dear Pasquin,— A young lady member of Manning's Opera Company when at York (W.A ) put her tan boots outside her bedroom door, and on the following morniDg found that they had baen nicely polished with blacking. Accordingly she said wicked worth. Lynch Family Bellringera travelling Victoria. " The Flying Scud " was staged at Sydrey Her Majesty's, Saturday, June 2. Miss Eauna Chambers makes her first appearance as Bob Bloater, Miss Watts Phillips is seen as Julia Latimer, and Kate Bishop plays Lady Woodbie. The remaining characters include Stirling Whyte as Nat Gosling, Plimmer as ■ Tom Meredith, Westmacott as Lord Woodbie, Scot Inglis as Captain Grindley Goodge, and Albert Marsh as Jno. Davis. Billy Speed used to say " Muldooa'a Picnic" wasn't; worth a red herring, yet he carts it round Victoria, the cast being— Muldoon by Wai Rockley, Muloahey by Clarence Lyndon, Parson Brownlow by Speed, Jimmy Tough by Jack Lamson, the remainder by Elsie Golding, Hilda Gilbert, and others equally great. " The Second Mrs Tanqueray " was revived for three nights on Wednesday, June 6 ; and on Saturday, June 9, " The Cabinet Minister " was staged for the first time, Brough plays the Macphail of Billocheevin ; Titheradge, Sir Julian Twombley, G.C.M.G., M.P., the embarrassed Cabinet Minister, who, " when in doubt," plays the flute ; Mr Boacicaulfc, Joseph Lebanon, a pushing Hebrew fiaanoier ; Mrs Broagh, Lady Twombley ; Miss Jenuie Watt Tanner, the Dowager Countess of Drumdurris.

From London I hear of the marriage of Mr C. M. Lowne, J. L Toole's juvenile lead, with Mrs Stevenson, a young widow who travelled with him iv the same ship from Australia.

A Sydney weekly says that D'Orsay Ogden "has secured the newly-arrived pianisfce, Miss Florence J. Turner," for her tour. AsD'Oraay " secured " her by marriage 12 months ago in Melbourne, this is a bit ot a joke.

Howe-Spong Company oub Newcastle way. After an absence of 20 weeks Harry Rickards bobbed up serenely at the Tivoli on Saturday, May 26, with a new repertoire of songs, including " Oh, 'Ampstead, 'appy, 'apoy 'Ampstead." Miss Stella (Tudor) Stewart aud W. Wadding, a cornet soloist, made their appearance at the Tivoli on the same da L e.

"Am-u-let" is Horace Bent's latest sketch. J. S. Whitworth plays the manager, Geor&e Turner the strolling actor, and Bant the ftt part of the circus juggler. The Sapio-Urso concerts at Melbourne Town Hall are attracting large audiences. The third concert was given on Saturday, May 19, and, as happened at both the previous concerts, the enthusiasm of the audience throughout the evening was almost unbounded, Madame Sapio's

admirably trained voice enabled her to do the fullest justice to the mad scene from Donizetti's "Lucia," wherein the flute obligate of Mr Herbert Stoneham was an agreeable feature, and after twice returning to bow her acknowledgments for the applause she had aroused the sioger came forward at length with the familiar ballad "No, sir!" Madame Camilla Urso played a sonata in D minor, by Rust, the f ugal second movement of which served to display her powers of double stopping at their best, the indepsndence of the two parts being wonderfully brought out ; while the final Giguo, with its effective left hand pizzicati, was given with a finish that only a consummate artist could hope to emulate. The usual penalty was of course extracted, the added numbtr being Wieniawski's "Valse Caprice," considered as abstract music. " The Witches' Dance " (Pagamni) may net have a great deal to recommend it, but as a specimen of technique at its highest development, Madame Urso's performandi may fairly claim to be unsurpassed, and almost unsurpassable. A combination of harmonica and double stopping perhaps appeals more fco the initiated than to the casual listener, but it isJ a thing which few indeed of the greatest living violinists would attempt, and in which none could conceivably achieve a more complete success than did our gifted visitor on Saturday night. After such a performance there could be bob one result; and , Vieuxtemps's "Raverie," wherewith Madame Urso proceeded to appease the demand of her insatiable admirers, proved a genuine artistic treat. She has never played with more intense feeling and soul-stirring effecS The piano accompaniments were divided between Signor Sapio and Herr Benno Scherek. The sevanfch and final concert took place on Saturday, June 2. Dampier's Dramatic Company oub Bandigo way with " Robbery Under Arms," "A Terrible Crime," and "Darkest London." George Buller (Maginnis in " Robbery Under Arms ") is manager. Cyril Tyler, the boy soprano, leaves London for Australia at the end of June under eugagemenb to W. H. Poole, who, it is said, represents "the Australian syndicate." This new juvenile star was born at Naples, where hii parents resided in order to study singing under San Giovanni, Scafati, and other famous masters. Oyri's mother asserts that ho could sing Italian airs at the age of three years, though he was not regularly taught music until he was seven. At nine he entered a cathedral choir, ■taking such great bravura airs as "Rejoice greatly " ; and a year later his parents took him to America, where he toured the States, and made a profound sensation. The New York World described the voice as " singularly pure and sweet, clear as a bell, mellow as a flute, of exceedingly sympathetic quality, and of extraordinary compass, ranging from B below the staff to E in altissimo." On his first appearance in London, the Morning Post .declared that "even Patti herself never sang 'Home, sweet home' with more charm than did thia child of 12 years of age." In appearance Cyril Tyler is a manly little fellow, with an expressive face lighted by a pair of honesb, unflinching blue eyes, and his head is crownod with a mass of golden hair.

Tosco Taylor, author of " A Circu* Qaeea " is a Sydney journalist, and was formerly a teacher at Melbourne Grammar School. The newly-formed Sydney Alhambra Company includes the Sistera Fanning (first appearance), May and Mowbray, character sketch artists; Mabel Staunton (first appearance), Duvant Bros , Arthur Farley, Will Ryan, Sisters Solomon, Geo. Shaw, Horace Copeland (of Hicks-Sawyer), ffm. Cameron (first appearance), Will S. West, who gives his original pugilistic bone solo, and Albert Leopold (of the brothers) leads the orchestra. Harry A. Gribbens short career— one week —in management was at Sydney Royal brought to a close on Saturday, May 26, with Shirley's four-act drama "Saved," preceded by the comedietta " The Retired Lightweight Champion." The company included H. Grattan, S. A. Fitzgerald, Miss Audley Kingdom, Lillie Clitherow, and little Inez Andrew. After giving four concerts in the Opera House, Brisbane, Madame Belle Cole and party return to Sydney in time for the oratorio festival with the Philharmonic on Tuesday, June 5, and the following« Thursday, Saturday, and Tuesday. " Elijah" will first be rendered, then " The Messiah," " Hymn of Praise," and gems from " Eli," " Sfcabat Mater," and " Judas Macoabseus." , Three farewell, concerts will be given in Melbourne in mid-June, after which the company take part in the Adelaide festival. The Australian engagement closes on July 7. "A Life of Pleasure," produced for the first time at Melbourne Princess by Holt's Company on Saturday, May 19, was -from the melodramatic standpoint amongst the greatest successes that have been seen in Melbourne. The play may aptly be called the apothesis of realism.

The clever Perman Family reappeared at Melbourne Gaiety on Saturday, May 26, and were given a good recaption. At the same hall are Pope and Sayles, the Rtdgeway Family, Ethel Clifford, Stella Esdaile, Amy Rowe, Lorrie St. George, Sister Gray, Eva St. Clair, Eunice Fernandez, Louie Bentley, Cogill Bros., John Matlock, and Charley Norwood. Dan Barry's circus show, " The Bucephalen," at Melbourne Alexandria, has caught on. "Muldoon'a Ball," a sequal to "Muldoon's Picnic," is running ab Melbourne Alhambra. Harry Shine, Will Whitburn, Martyn Hagan, and, of course, Frank "Muriran" Clark play the principal parts. M'Kisson and Eearns, J. Wadley, Lucy Fraser, Sisters Anderson, Laura Roberts, and Mrs Edouin Bryer are at the same hall. Holloway'e Dramatic Company staged " The Shamrock and The Rose " at Melbourne Boyal on Saturday, May 26.

"A Life of Pleasure " sees W. E. Biker in a change of character, this time as the heroiuo'fl honest -lover, and he proves himself to be an eminently capable and versatile actor. The piece is drawing crowded houses. Oae of the "Two Macs" died recently in London of lung disease. AdvaDC3 ngentin Western New South Wales : " What .' only one dressing ro >m in this theatre ? You surely don't expect a dramatic company of 18 ladies and gentlemen to dress in that one room, do you P " Proprietor of theatre : " What's the matter ? Hain't they on speaking terms ? "—Yours truly, B. S. Poverty Point, Sydney, June 1.