WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 37

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS.

By P. Rompteb.

June 23. Dear Pasquin, — Glen M'Donough thus sings in a song of " Crushed" — Say what you may, think as you will, 'tis chance that makes the man. This law has ruled the human race since first the

world began. Pray ponder on the multitude who, seeking to advance, Would have paralysed creation if they had had

the chance. But then the little stage of fame is filled from wins to wing — Death drops an actor from the cast, and up a thousand spring, Upon the weakest one of whom the golden choice may fall, While better ones are shoved aside and don't appear at all. She has come — she has arrived ! We have seen her, and, oh ! she gave us such a shaking up ! Laugh ! Lohr, how we did laugh ! So much so that] we thought really we had a thorn(ton) in our side. Charley's Aunt, according to the showing of Babs, is just too funny for anything. Yes, really ! And what a house there was, and how the people did laugh ! There was no distinguishing the lau?h of tbe pit from that of the stalls, the family from the dress circle — the laughter was in the genuine human key, full-lunged and hearty. The dainty miss ceased to giggle 'and the Johnny lost or forgot his snigger, and he or she who was touched with influenza got a right good staking up, and the aftermath was generally painful to the sufferer and annoying to listeners — all on account of that aunt who is supposed to have watched our favourite nuts grow ! Hitherto we thought "Skipped by the Light of the Moon " was hard to beat for ludicrosity, but " Charley's Aunt " is more continuous and superior in every way. Bar the prino-pal, the company of performers is not tbe best in the world by a long chalk, but the piece works out its own salvation with its too-funny-for-anything situations ; in fact much of the dialogue is not heard owing to the uncontrollable laughter which seizes the audience, who- last night packed the house in every part. The opening drags somewhat, but no sooner does Babs (Mr Thornton) appear than the play lives, moves, and hath full possession of the floor. Mr Lohr's arrangements made things comfortable for all patrons, from lowly pittite to lofty circlers. Professor Montague opened at the Cri. last Monday, but the girl for " Galatea " failed to put in an appearance, upsetting largely the success of the evening. Concerning the late Howe-Spong combination, which passed through lately (a disbandment took place at Newcastle), it is stated as likely that Mr Spong will take either the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, or the Bijou, Melbourne, for a season, which would open with "As You Like It," with Miss Hilda Spoag as Rosalind. Of the other members of the Howe-Spong I Company, the records and Dame Rumour hah it of them thuswise : Mr 'Howe is on his way to America, and it is probable that Mr Greenaway will also go to the States. Mr Scot Inglis is now playing the important part of Captain Gbodge in a splendid revival of "The Flying Scud," put on by George Bigtold at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, and be is described as making a greit success in the part. Mr Fabert will probably join the Brough and Boucicault Company for their coming tour. A company styled tte Australian Comedy and Variety Company is announced to open a season to-night at the Criterion with a miscellany of song, dance, and comedy. The special engagement of Miss Annie Brandt is the feature. Mr Hugo Fischer, representative for the Urso-Sapio, arrived yesterday, and is getting things in order for a season. Mr Carlyle Smythe has arrived in Wellington en route for Christchurch, to make' arrangements there for the appearance of Dr Talmage, who is at present attracting thronged audiences in Auckland. The first lecture of the celebrated divine at the antipodes was given under somewhat peculiar circumstances. Dr Talmage was a jjassenger by the R.M S. Alameda, and he was advertise i to lecture on the day of his arrival, but at 4 o'clock in the afternoon the boat was not signalled, and Mr Smythe had gone to the booking office to announce a postponement of the lecture when the Alameda was sighted. It was fully 7.30 before the steamer came alongside, but the famous orator, who was till then in ignorance of the fact that he had to lecture, was on the stage of the Opera House by 8, and delivered his lecture, " The Bright Side of Things," to a packed house. Owing to the Wellington Opera House being otherwi-e engaged, Dr Talmage will he obliged to visit Christchurch and Dunedin before appearing in this city, whence he sails for Sydney.

The annual concert of the Hunt Club, held in the Opera House on Thursday, was a great success, there being, as usual, a packed house. A bit from the Post's critique of last night's production of "Charley's Aunt": — "In the audience which packed the Opera House from floor to ceiling last night were several who had seen the creator of the title role, Penley, in the part of the bogus Brazilian aunt, whose knowledge of Brazil was limited to the supposition that it was ' where the nuts come from.' They appeared to be equally pleased with the impersonation by Mr Thornton, describing it as not so subtle as that of Penley, of which it was not

a Copy — for it has many original points — bu differing from it in broader treatment. Where Penley stippled, Thornton clashed in his colour with broad, full brush."

'1 he Wellington product, Mr Harry Plimuef (son of Old Plimner), who was at latest advices playing the part of the hero in the Rignold production of "The Flying Scud" at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, has just been married to Miss Josephine Thynne, an attractive and popular actress, and daughter of the well known actor, Mr A. J. Thyune. As intimated in my Whispers last week, Wanganui — with its lovely river— is crying out for a theatre, has been crying out for it these years past, and like tho youngster made famous by the soap advertisement, won't be happy till she gets it. But there is opposition in the air, in the street — aye, even in the newspapers — those terrible thunderers charged with that terribly unreliable explosive, public opinion A guardian of the conscience has announced himself, and, as usual in such cases, he feels himself clothed in a little brief authorities, and consequently plays up a bit. I think most everyone knows Gordon Forlong and his peculiar religious opinions He is, if I remember rightly, one of those folk known as "Close Brethren," who, strange to say, are liberal with their opinions if they close in them, and altogether " air a strange people." Gordon has, in days gone by, travelled many a furlong with his addresses and tracts. For some time Brer Forlong has been, like Bt'er Rabbit, laying low, and I suppose he has now caught Br'cr Fox with his Lar Babby of a letter in the Wanganui Chronicle. The letter in question is headed "Are Theatres Valuable? " and straight off he dcclircs they are injurious Of courso they arc -when empty. They are real good when full— so very different to a nun when he is that way; G.F., for instance. I will not quote his letter in full, but will embalm a few sentences. Thus cries the voice out of Wanganui :

Do even wise merchants select as confidential clerks young men who love theatres ? Would respectable shopkeepers choose lads who spend their evenings at the theatre? Would respectable shopwomen like to be seen often at a theatre ?

I loved theatres in my youth. Actors are not a class, even in great towns, that a young man would introduce to his mother and sisters. And he springs upon readers a lot of chestnuts of queries, and then comes such as these if the new theatre is built —

You would have an influx from Wellington of a certain gay class, who would come for the express purpose of entangling respectable young men.

Every theatre does work of that kind— there is no use of our pretending to conceal such facts. I know what I am writing about. Is it not a fact that hundreds of youDg men trace their downfall to theatre-going ? Truly Wanganui sometimes deserves its epithet "the Place of Lunatics"! Finally, my brethren — I mean Pasquin— this G.F. (G.F. also stands for great fool) winds up with a reference to Dunedin — As to theatres pacing share?, Ac, I have preached in the best London theatres on Sundays frequently ; they were glad to let them out, and cheap ; they did not pay well. The same thing happened about 10 years ago in Dunedin. The theatre was a good one, but I could have bought it for a very small sum ; the doorkeeper told me it was never well attended by respectable people, they gave many free tickets to make an appearance, and very curious classes were there only too frequently. Thus wrote the man of Wanganui, and then "Anti-Humbug " went for him with the gloves off and gave him beans, but as the effunon of G.F. is only noticeable as a piece of humorosity, it is waste of space to treat it seriously. Let each reader judge the stage and pulpit for himself, and let the actor be for us all.