THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2170, 26 September 1895, Page 36

THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

OontalWutlom from the Profession ohronlollng their movemenU iDd doiQM »r«. ln»lte<l. All oonmunioHloin to be ulareMoii 0 "PMquln," OUgo Wltnou Office.

THEATRICAL DATES. PRINCKSS TIIKATUE. September 28-October 21.— Bland Holt's Dramatic Co. November 18-30.— Broiigh-BoucicauH Co. City Hall. Royal Irish Dramatic Company every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Thursday, September 20 —Naval Band Concert.

Tuksday, September 24. • . • There was a very fair attendance at the City Hall on Sa'urday night, when a benefit waa tendered by the Royal Irish Dramatic Cjmpany to Mr Burrie MarscheJ, one of the mombers of tho company. The piece staged upon the occasion was a musical burlesque from (he pen of Mr Marsehel, entitled " Robber Roy, tbe Bank of New Sue-laud Ahead ; or, Scotch'd, not Kilt." The ludesquo is exceedingly funny, and takes the form ot a "skit" on U»e currt-ut eveuls of our lucil world and iti peopla. A nurabtr of topical songs and duets Rre introduced, and some comical allusions are made in the dialogue to the financial muddling of tho Government, to local, municipal, and other matters. Oa the whole the piece woufc off very well, and tho andni.ee wore kept in a bta',o of th^ utmost gco'l humcu ftom the riw until th j F»H of the curtain. Miinb Milliuenb Mowbray ttok Uie parfc of R-.bber Roy, the nifttiftga 1 of the B.uik of Now See-lani, aud was remarkably brighti aud vivackus. Among other itoms Bhe sang a pretty ballad (" Under the stars ") very Übtti-' I lully, and also took part in a topical duet with Miss Ireue Carljron. The duet was a very amusing parody on "Say 'Au revoir,' but not ' Good-bye/ " aud was loudly encored. Miss Irene Carlyon was engaging aa Diana Verdaut, the sweetheart of Robbjr Roy, and al*o sang fairly well. Her most successful vocal efforts were in the duet already mentioned, and in another duut, ♦'Steal for me, Robber, darling," which, like the previous oae, was snug with Mijsj jttowbray. Mr Bvrrie Mar-.ch-.-l took tho parl of R*«h-Ah Lee, a Scotch Chiuamtn. His "get-up" waa remarkably good, aud ho pro- [ yoked ivara of laughter by his imitation of the Chinese language, interspersed with broad Sootch. Mr Collet Dobton was intensely comical ss Windbag Bent-leg, tbe impersonation being obviously intended as a " take-off " of a well known actor. Mr Frank May was re*pou&ible for a large portion of th-s fuu by his Duckall creature, "a braw Highland laiUlie, with auburn hair." His vocal items were also much appreciated. In the character already mentioued he 6ang a comical Scotch song, 11 Does anybody want to buy ? " and as " Cbesk," a Dune'lin native, ho contributed a coster difcfcy ("Nancy nnd her goldsn getaways "), together with a dance. Both items distinctly bit the taste of the audience, who inssted on an encore in each case. The other characters in the burlesque were filled by Mr J, Ibbotson (Mr Owing, a promising man) and Mr Robert Ingle (Ciptain Thorny-tun), buth of whom acquitted themselves fairly wtll, Dai ing tho evening Mr Ba<rie Maivc'iel recited " iShimus O'Brien" with capital (ft'eer, and at (he conclusion of the performan :e tbyre were c\Va for the author of tho burli-rque, bub Mr Birric Marsehel evidently did n t hear them, and consenurntiy did not respond. Oa Wednesday " Aurora Fioyd " was bo produced. • . ' Will Delivers drops me a line f>om Christchurch informing m^ that the Princes* Dramatic and Mui-i"«il Company are en route for Invercargill and the Goldfielda. The «how is hwaded by Will Dai.v<jrs aud Miss Annie B'andt, late oi the Anuie Braudt Dramatic Con»piny, who showed here some time a^o. Mr C. F. Searle, late of the Chrutchurch Press, is piloting the show through. • . • La )hlan M'Qowan has trod the Australian boards for 44 years. • . " Mi Gf orgt" Coppin, the veteran actor and manager, in a-nounchig his retirement fcom politic?, addrts^ed the President of tbe Legslativo Counc'l of Victoiia ss follows: — " Iv retiring frcm the Legislative Council it ia a very melancholy rfftVcbiun that I am the ouly surviving member of the House as constituted during the five sears I represented the South- western Province, from 1858 to 1863 — all d*ad. Tha usher and six messenger*, the officers of tbe pMrliamentary library — all deid. Tin chrk of Parliaments and three cleka retired upon pensions, at a time when they were as capable of carrying out fche duties of their office as ever they were. In my retirement, it is peasant to feel that by devoting 37 years of my life to public affairs 1 lave done my duty to my adoped country. I huva beeu ttue aud dependable to the political party with wbiuh I have been associated, and faithfully carried Out the principles I have advocited at my eltctioaa as a Conservative Liberal. I regret that I shall not share in the honour of assisting to pass a bill for the federation of tho Australian colonies. In leaving the present Houbc it is gratifying to kuow that it is a great improvement upon the one I first filtered— vastly incrfased in popu'arifcy and influence because it is more thoroughly representative— held in great esteem throughout the colony, and justly looked up to at the safety valve of our parliamentary machinery." * . • A writer iv the Morning has unearthed a curious piece of musical criticism from the Athotueum of 1861. The writer — it was no doubt H. F. Chorley— writes of Adelina Ptttti'B debut " that her voice was developed to the almost, if not aheady fatigued," and that "a bliud man might imagine himself to be listening to a singer past her prime." • . • The Payne Family were at Johannesburg, South Africa, when the lait Cape mail left. * . • The Queen has evidently Ukea a fancy to Miss Mtti-gareb Macintyre. £he has again given tte Scotch prima donna a present— this time an autograph photo of her Majesty in a beautiful silver frame, on whioh are the letfcera V.R. in enamel, and the Imperial crown in gold and enamek