WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Volume 01, Issue 2123, 1 November 1894, Page 41

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Br P. Romptrr.

October"27. Deau Pasquin,— Tom Pollard's Liliputian Opera Company has had full fling of the city during the week, without even a free show at the House of Talk as a counter attraction. '' Olivette " was billed for three nights, but so well did it go and fo mightily did it eaten on that it was again given on Thusday, in place of Offenbach's " Princess of Trebizoude" (' Keep your eye on your father, and your father will pull you through "). So thit again have we been disappointed in not seeing the youngsters in this piece. During their ki-t s-ason it was inc'nded in the season's rvpertoire, but it was not put <>n, and therefore did not come off. I suppose we will get it after the ' Forty Thieves " at Christmas time. Here is the cast of Olivette. Captain de Merimac ... Master Alf. Stephens Valentine Miss Maud Beatty Marvjol Muster E. N-.»ble Post:c'ie Master George Young Due ill's Ifs Master \V. Percy Co'iuelieot Master Harry Qii' j aly Olivette Miss Marion Mitchell Bathilde „ Miss tCinily Metcaife Veloutine Miss May Bnatty Sansterre Miss C. Palmer De Joye.ix Miss N. Wilson Follcssmours Mis 3M. Neale Piou-I'iou Ma-ter C. Albert M Hie de Oeernay ... ... Miss S. Saudford Mdlle de Mont jole ... Miss Lily Stephens V U1 - <1- Lenoir ... ... .. N. Foord My qu v ... Miss Edit' [Zeigler L ' If uil Master C. Albert Mistigris ... Master Albert Steveos Lartiraon Miss W. Karkeek Bensole Miss L. Maher Lonp de Mer Miss Z. Karkeek Caton ' Miss L. Muwbray Nichette Mis< M. Qu«lph Bleuotte Miss N. Rede Besides being of interest to collectors, cists are really the qui-kest and least-expensive-of-space means of giving the personal of a company ■ and, besides, casts look nice. " Olivet- e" was last given here some eight or ten year 3 ago by the Dunning Compaoy, but I couW not get hold of a playbill of that date, and a comparison of actors (old and youne) would have been interesting. On Friday ths Lilis. gave " Worn m's Franchise " (Slaughter's "An Adamless Eden') as a curtain raider to " The Pirates of Pciiz^nce," and to-night "H.M.S. Pinafore" is preceded by the same curtain-raiser." Thin afternoon a matinee wa? given by the youngst-rs for the city youngsters, "Olivette" being the source of amusement, but there was a poor hni-e. Do you^know, I thought Marion Mitchell had gone off a lot.- nice her last vi«ifc until I saw her in " Olivette," and her performance therein now prompts me to say she is the life and soul of the piece in the title-role. The part suits her, and she plays it aa though she enjoyed it. It was a very clever bit of work. There are some folk who enjoy Sunday evening concerts— sacred, so called. For my part I consider six nights amusement is enough for any travelling company to provide, and better work is given "with a night off. Tomorrow evening the Liliputians give a sacred concert, when the announcement says :— " The management reserve the right of refusal to any person. A silver collection will be made at the doors to help to defray expenses. Patrons to the circlo and orchestral stalls are requested to donate not less than a shilling." Fancy eight performances in a week for the poor kiddies, not counting the severe rehearsals they have to go through almost every day 1 I certainly think they should have their Sundays off. The old Harmonic Society has been practically swallowed up in the new Musical Soci ty, which is the outcome of the late musical festival. Instead of directing some 75 singers, Mr Robert Parker will now wield the baton over some 300 voices, and work was begun this week on "Judas Maccabeus" for a Christmas festival, at which "The Messiah" is also to be given, and perhaps there will be a repetition of " Israel in Egypt." For the coming week we are promised a miscellany. On Monday a monster bonder " concert is to be given in the Opera House in aid of the Boys' Institute, and the 17 items will be given by some of our best amateur talent. Then on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday Mis Annie Besant speaks upon "Dangers that Threaten Society," Why I Became a Theosophist," and "Politics" ffchrough theosophical spectacles), then comes Heller s Somnomists for six nights, so that ours will be no Sleepy Hollow yet awhile. I hear that the Wellington Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society contemplate giving a twonights' dramatic season in the immediate future. "Betsy" being the piece underlined. We had aim st forgotten that our well-known society was anything but comic operatio, but this rumour reminds us, and I suppose the recent season of the Dramatic Students has aroused a spirit of rivalry. All the merrier, so long as the spirit is friendly, and as I hear some of the young club's talent is being borrowed for the ocasion, it speaks well for the good feeling existing. Harmony is a grand quality in society as well as in music— let it prevail. It would be a good line for some of our amateur dramatic clubs to have a reading, and maybe a performance of Mr Macdougal's play "The Sleepwalker." The Napier man has certainly cho=en a good title for a bill board, and that severe critic, the Bulletin, says it is better than many imported things Australians have to listen to. Who'll bo the first? I wish the journalist good luck, The annual meeting of the Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (Mr P. Lovi secretary) is to be held on Monday next. _ A turious Item from the Wairarapa, : The Lansdowne Minstrels give another of their burnt cork and conundrum shows in the tent at Lansdowne this (Wednesday) evening. An entertainment in the shape of amateur theatricals in aid of the funds of the New Zealand

and again on Monday by some leading local amateur?, at the Art Gallery, Whitmore street. The farce " The Boots at the Swwi, ' and the comedietta, " My Uncle's Will," byTheyre Smith, will be performed. The names of the performers have not been allowed to trauspue, but they are drawn from tbe hit.'he^t circles of our Society (big S, please!), uni a little bird whimpers in mv ear that thi; c»st iiiclii'ies Mrs Fe'l and the Grace- (I know not whether they number throe) I know not whether ther 1 is any knight in it, but I am told Mr Day promises to be a shining light. Mr J. Stuart All in is re^p >nsible for the scenery, and his n tine is good enough. And finally, to give tho whole thing a gool tone, his X. the Gov. and party will attend. If Lml G. would allow it to be advertised as part of the show that he would make an opening speech, it would draw like a young wife's first plaster— for without exception he is (taking his Minical Ffbtival -peech as a samplo) the funniest thing in speeches I have eveu sat und'-r.

M<" W. TMackenic, lie of the hm-.iovous strain and Bessie Doyle, causht our country cousins in the Wairarapa during show week at Ma t rton for two nights in a concert. He is assisted by Miss Price, contralto ; Miss Roberts, soprano ; Madame Lockett, pianist ; and George Warreu is ag- j nt. I see Mr Milford Haveu, the tenor who was down hero the othor week, ha.s been singing at Bessie Doyle's farewell concerts a' Auckland. Mr John Fuller wa<s also on the programme, and Mr Churchill Ot.ton still acted as B.IVs manager.

Mr John Fuller is running the People's pops, in Auckland.

A glance at the Auckland files has been rich in "copy." The Opera House was booked on the 24tb and 25th for two concerts, in which the principal gentlemen in our receut musical festival were«£he stars -Messrs Charles Sauuders, A. H. Gee, and John Prouse. Aucklanders say "the future Bessie Doyle " is to be found in little Celia Dampier, an Auckland youngster who haa already appeared In concerts up there.