AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 39

AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

[Specially Written for the Otago Witness.)

Amy and William Gourlay, now on tour with E. M'Lean's Company, have opened a dancing academy in Sydney. The Gourlays were last through MaoriUnd with " Revels " ia '95. The refugftl to licenie Rev. George Walters'! play " Joseph of Canaan " appears to Indicates that the Blnglish censor ia straining at gnats while (wallowing camels (the problem plays) wholesale. —Sunday Times. " Saved from the Sea," a four-aot drama by Arthur Shirley and Benjamin Landeck, will follow " One of the Best " at Sydney Royal. Tho'Bovis Biothers are out back with M'Lean's Gaiety Company. By the way, what about their Londo'u trip ? William and Charles Bovis were last through MaorUand with J. F. Sheridan's "Fun o» the Bristol Company," '91, playing William. Charles. Tommy Cranbury " Fun on the Bristol Jerry Thompson Aunt Chloe " Uncle Tom's Cabin " , ' , Cufljoi Tom Stealem " Little Black-eyed Susan ' Bill Bitem So realistic is the Degradation scene in "One of the Best" that the other nijht at Sydney Royal, when Sir ArohibtM M'Greaor (Albert Gorman) was tell'ng Dudley Kepple (Walter Baker) of the enormity of his crime in revealing State aacrets, i a man, 'overcome toy 'his feelings, arose in the • audience and shoutedi" It's a i-^- lie 1 " Dion Boucicault farewellod at Melbourne Princess's on 28th ulfc., when " The Amazons" formed the bill. In a speech at the close Mr Boucicault said :— " lam about to return to London to try whether, in that vast city, I can gain an equal position to that which I have held here. --(Ch«eM.) I confess I face the ordeal with a certain amount of f*'ar and hesitation, but ( wbsther I tucceed or fail— (' You can't ! ' shouted a stentorian voice from the gallery, and the interjection was loudly cheered— whether good or evil fortune betide me, I shall always look to my friends here, and my stay here, and mj uiemory^here as a joy and a solace to me— a joy that if I succeed I nhall have justified your good opinion of me ; a aolaca that if I fail I shall have with me tbe sympathy and good wishes of the many friends I leave behind. — (Cheers.) I think I have nothing more to say except to wish you, one and all, all the happiness and prosperity which you have wished me by the fact of your presence here to-night." Miss Geraldine Oliffe, interviewed by a Sketch representative, says of her Australian trip : " I got my great chance— for so I consider my visit to Australia— while pluying at Islington. A leading lady was required to take important parts in the then new English plays about to be produced by the Australian Brough-Boucicault. I was seen by Mr Dion Boucicault, and he straightway offered me a six months' engag ment, my voyage and all other expenses' being paid 1 , over and above a handsome salary. . ' . . Australians aYe fortunate in the possession of certainly tha finest company now existing— that managed by Messrs Brough and Boucicault." I met Emile Laz<*rn and Charles Dalton last week. They had just returned from their Maoriland tour. The former filled in Eastar week at Larmour's Aquarium, Coogee, 'aloug with Miss Minna Phillips, (in " The Prodigal Son," Maoriland '95), Mons. Hyman, Henry Hawkins, the M'Dougall Sisters, and Lyla Thompson (through Maoriland with Hamilton and Edward's Vaudeville Company in '94). Of " Trilby" a Melbourne writer has the following :— " Looking at 'Trilby ' after the first week's run it is pleasing to be able to record full confumation of the favourable impressions received on the first night. That the public have taken enthu* Biastically to the play and players Is evidenced fe9

the crowded state of the Princess's Theatre enoh [ evening. The popularity of thisfrosh and delightfill romance of art stic life will certainly not be misplaced. It is a~play which has the unusual distinction nowadays of apprising more to the imagination than to line's exi'eHosice of actual life. It makes no laige liemand on thy intelligence or thinking faculties. It is a_ fantastic fairy tale, happily blending the charming atmospheiit of an artiftic camaraderie with the sempiternal fascination of diablei ie. For no one can deny that Svengali faacinatt-s, liotwilhstanding his knavish and hypnotic tricks and devilish cunning. As a figure, repellent on the human side and fascinating on the dr»roatic be will take rank with Mephistopbj-lesand the Pied Piper of Hainflin, and itisto Mr Reuben Fax's credit that he so effectively portrays this • Jewish raven, who prey" on th« wpal< willed innocence of the dovelike Trilby. RIUs E-Ut'-. Crane has achieved popularity as much foi her per- - sotial charms as for her intelligent and unaffected Tendering of the light-hearted modeLthe Parisian ' primrose by the gutter's brim. But popular ■ as both these players are by reason of the ! prominence with which they loom on the spectator's vWon, there are other members of Ihe American company in the background of the play just as popular with the audiences in proportion to the size of their p-rts. Too much cannot be said in praise of Mr Trarter'R delicate etching of the animated F.ench Zouave Zou Zou. It is own brothor to Mr Boucicault'a Grival in ' The Amazons,' with perhaps a lighter touch, and indeed the American actor 9eems to be cast" much In the same mould as the actor-manager who has just taken his leave ot us, so far »s one cat? judge him in this amusing little sketch. Then the many txcellent qualities of Mr Monipon'a Gecko cannot be too hiehjy appraised. Perhaps of all the characters this one most nearly app oximate^ to the novelist's original conception, and the credit of this is due to Mr Morrison, who handles the •light material at his disposal delicately and with prtißtic reetaint. Nothing better, too, could bo •wished than the pleasant coucieige of Miss Jennie Beiffarth, her broktn English being excellently managed On Saturday night the (Mat was linprowd by placing Dodor in the handsof Mr Harry Hill, whilst he and Mr Keightley shared the dialogue that had previously belonged to the part of Lorimer. now needs only a moie intelligent &nd less melodramatic Little. Billee to make the ca-<t in all respects thoroughly satisfactory." A certain actress, who was through Maoriland not so very long ago, and who lately was playing at a certain- suburb not 100" miles from Sydnty city, and who w>s married about a month ago, lias left hubby and cleared out with a member of the company. The wsvivl of "Hands Across the Se«" at Sy«'uey Her Majesty's rtminds jnu that Pat and EIU Murphy, two of the cleverest'' delineators of Irlnh characters that have appeared on the colonial vaudeville stage (through Maortland with Kickards, '89), used to sing a patriotic son; M Hand 8 across the sea," which was dedicated to Charles Warner, Esq/' The revival qf "H^iiuan Merivale's E-glish veiviou of 'Fertma" by the Brough-Boucicault Company at Sydney Criterion, 18th, carries the minds of playgoers back to the work of previously seen Fedoras— to the incomparable Bernhanit, to Signora Majeroni, Miss Janet Achurch, Mrs Bernard Beei-e, Miss Laura Villter*. and Mrs Jeffreys Lewis. The greatest English exponent of the part, says the Kef eree, is considered to be Mrs Bernard Beete, but judging by their work in Sjdnry we cannot rate it .any higher than that of Miss Janet * church. Both did admirably. So, too. does Mrs Biough. Speaking 'of noyeltie*. reminds us that we are told we shall ,see in London shortly a famous variety company that will be one of the sensations of the year. This is the Perman Family, who have never before been in England. Australia has btnt us her cricketer*, her rowers, her boxers, and her kargarobs, and now we are to see the best thing they have in the way of musichall artists. The Permans Stand at the head of Ihe profession in Australia. As singe s, dan< erej acrobats, and Comedians they are reputed to be something of a revelation. The family consists of two brothers and one sister, and Mrs Willie Perniaa (Miss Isabel Webstar), a vocalist who Cftme over to England for tuition a few years ago, and took high honours at . the Royal Academy of Mut-ic, where she gained the commendation of Madame Antoinette Sterling. One of the Permans's novelties is a moving living picture; the enactment of a ballet in a picture frame. — London Evening News. Mr H B. Harwood, now appearing in "Trilby'/ at Melbourne Princess made his first Maoriland uppeai anceaboutlO years ago with Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove's'oririnal "Private Secretary" > Company. Mr Frank Thornton (the Rev. Robert Bpalding) playrd this piece th ough Maoriland in 1895. As the two casts will bo inte, eating to ' readers of this column I givt them :— "The Private Original Coy. Secretary." 1895 Coy. Frank Thornton Rev. Robert Frank Thornton Spaldiog H. R. Harwood Mr OtWmole E. W Thomas Hans Phillips' Douglas Carter- A. E. Matthews m»le B. C. Calvert Mr Mara'and Harry Hill H. Cbichester Harry Maryland Percy Brough H*rry Taylor Sydney Gibson F. W Leonard U. Thompson John Clem Wakefield Jwues Irving Knox R. Johnson — Robertson Gardner W. Roberts . Miss Ada Lee Edith Harg'and Miss A. Knights Miss N. Mortyae Eva Webster Miss D. Frrderic Miss A. Taylor Miss Aehford MrsW. Kill MissF.Xinesley Mrs Stead Miss Ada Lee Of the original company Mr W* Hughes was ' Rgent. Bet-ides Mr Httrwood, six other members made their first Maoriland appearance with this company— Miss Ada Lee (who was aUo in the oast of *95), Miss Annie Taylor; Miss F. Kingaley. Mr Frank Thornton, Mr Han* Phillips, atid Mr Harry - Taylor. Miss Ada Lee (sister of Jennie) was through Maoriland with Miss Jennie ( ' Jo ") Lee's .'company in '89, with Fr»nk Thornton the same year, and with Charles Arnold and Frank Thornton in '94. Mi»f Annie Taylor was through with the Royal Comedy Company in '89, and again with Holt in '93. playing Dame Barbara in ... " A Sailora's Knot '■ MrsWicklow ... v „, " The Trumpet 7all " Nancy Lee ... n "A Million of Money.' 1 The veteran, H. R. Harwood, at last findß his Jnnnory "going back on him." The Walh-aia Brothers (last through Maoriland frith \\ irth Brothers' Circus in '90) are still in j Bouth Africa with Fillis's Circus. i Miss Colbourne Buber takes a benefit at Sydney town Hall, May ft.- j Mr Clement Wakefield, who went your way | recentl> with the Green wood Family, was through Maoriland with <3eo 0. MUn'6 company in '90, playing Octavtus Cseear „.^ in "Julius Caesar' FiratPlayer „. « ' "Hamlet' 1 Francois' h ... ... "Richelieu Paris „. .... m " Romeo and Juliet Mr Owen Hajrris, atone time with Brough end Boucicault, is now assistant manager at London Avenue. Miss Elizabeth Watson, through Maoriland with Bland Holt's company '95-6, is the " People Prominent" in this week's Referee. During her career Miss Watson has played tbe following parts :— Willie Carlyle ... in "Ea«tLynne'| LuravLee ... v ... "Romany Rye' Nellie Denver „ "TheSaverKii.g'; Esther Eccles ... v M . ... - ... "Caste" Heuriette ... n ... "Tbe Two Orphans" Mercy Merrick: "The New Magdalen" JULina-Lipton ... ii '..." Little Lord Fauntleroy " Ethel Arden ... it ... " The Union Jack " Kate Heath cote ii ... " The Span of Life " Rote Woodmere v ..."The Prodigal . Daughter " Nora Han lon ... « ... "A Life of Pleasure" Alary Lous'lale.^. « "A Woman's Revenge" . Nancy Ellington " .. ''Saved fr-m the Sea" " The most humourous event in my career," says Miss Jenny Wajbt Tanner to a M«lbourue Punch ' interviewer, "happened at Sydney Royal when I was playing Virginie with Charles Warner in • • Drink. 1 In the laundry quarrel scene I hnd to throw s bucket of water at my rival. When we came to this I noticed that some heavy-swell Johnnies were leaning out of the stage box in the , line of fire. I motioned them to co back, but one ef them mistook my sign and leaned moza to ward. Just then I flung out my buoket of watof

and to my horror it splashed full on the shirtfront of the excited masher. Naturally he drew back in a Hurry, and Gracie Warner and I went off the etagu simply suffocating with suppressed laughter. — Youra truly, Poverty Point, April 25. ' Bis".