AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2203, 21 May 1896, Page 39

AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

(Specially Written for the Otago Witness.)

Dear Hasquin,— It was up north. He is .a well-known manager, and " wanted something to play with." The two ladies were members of his company, and he used to take them down to a well-known seaside resort on Sunday afternoon in open carriage. One evening on his return to his hotel from the drive he found his wife, who had suddenly come from Sydney, waiting in hiu room for him. Tableau I His wife smashed everything in the room she could lay her hands on over hubby's head. Bill from hotelkteper, £60, which hubby had to pay. George Leopold (through Maoriland with Jenny Lee) is back from South Africa on business, so it is said, in connection with Pollard's Opeia Company, who will probably visit South Africa under his auspices. The Cunard Family are at Melbourne Waxworks. Mesmerist Kennedy, at the conclusion of his season at Melbourne Athenseum H*ll, intends returning to tbe States. "The Passion Play" was given "for the first time in New South Wales " last Sunday at L'oegee Aquarium, Miss Hilda Temple being the lectur«3s. j Jake Friedman ("Little Fritz") has joined hands with C>ra Bailey. Not one of the "Trilby" Company is married, and only one, Madame R^iffarth, has bceu. One of the Levy sisters (the more clever of the [ pair -Kva) has, through consumption, been compelled to retire from the boards. The other sister (Phcebe) was through Muoriland with the Australian Merrymakers in '95. Charle3 Godfrey made his Sydney debut at the Tivoli May 9. Melbourne Royal, at 3s, 2i, and Is, holds about .£2OO ; the Opera House, at 2s, Is, and 63, £110. Mr C. B. Westrnacott has a yearly income of .£I7OO. | Scot Inglif) made his first professional appearI anc: with Maurice Kemp's "New Chutu " Company at Geelong FiXhibition Theatre 1890. The seasou (one \yeek) was a " perish." Although K>-mp paid a deposit on all the theatrc3 as far as Warracknabeal, he took his company back to Melbourne, where they disbanded. Adelaide Harmonic Society intend to produce " Nell Gwyon " in Juljr. Miss Given Davies is singiDg at the Cremorne Gardens in Perth, where the Brothers Gardner are running a variety show on refined lines. Ernest Mofntt managed the Melbourne season of the Court Singers. Will Crackles, the ninth instalment* of Harry Rickards' new English artist?, made his first Aus- j tralian appearance at Melbourne Opera House 7. The Royal Comic Opera Company gave the first Melbourne representation of Miss Decinia "at the Princess 16. • . Delohery, Craydon, and Holland, the Australian team (through Maorilaud with Moore and Ashton's Mammoth Minstrels '87), intend taking a variety crowd through Maoriland at the conclusion of their present Queensland tour. Addie Barton (through Maoriland with St. John '95) was last weak married to Craydon, of the Australian team. One of the members of a variety company engaged fot Maoriland had arranged a nice little plan. But it reached his wife's ears, the result being that he was arrested for wife dejertion shortly before the steamer left. Someone went bfiil far him, co .he was just able to catch the

boat, and perhaps his intended American trip with " tbe other one " may come off. Mr George 0. Miln (through Maoriland in '89), whose best character during his Sydney season was generally considered to be "Richard HI," has just staged " Julius Csesar" at the Broad *raj Theatre, New York. Mr Miln chose the part ot Hark Antony, with Mr H. R. Jewett as his righthand man. Frau Marguarete yon Vahsel and Hejrr Smalfeld (recently through Maoriland) made their Melbourne debut April 30. Willie Clf mow, at one-time with Pollards and late of "The Land of the Moa" company, is out of shop. Mrs Brown-Potter and Kyrlo Bellew are to open their Australian season at Sydney Lyceum 30th. Hudson's Surprioo Party, bick from India, ope* at Adelaide Bijou June 4. Miss Linda Raymond (ia Maoriland with Charles Holloway '93) has been engaged by the Finn for the Potter Bellow season. "Sons of Erin," a five-act military drama, wns given its first Australian production by Westmacott's Company at Melbourne Royal. 2nd. The Rev. Charles CUrk, "the first .and. Bert" of the celebrities— Proctor. Forbes, Sala, Stanley, Max O'Rell, Talmage, Annie Biisant, Mark Twain, and others who have entartained Australian audiences during the la*t 20 years" (wMeadvt.)- commenced the Melbourne season of his' farewell Austialian tour with "St. Paul's: the Dome of th« (i olden Cro.<»," illustrated by recitals from Shakespeare and 'Tennyson, at tho Town Hall, 9fch. The annual theatrical carnival in aid of the theatrical charities will take place at Melbourne Exhibition BuiMirig, 23rd and ,25th. ' Marie Litton, Rhoda Rhodes, Mrs W. Ryan, Blanche Rehan, little Elsie Swanwick, Professor Fred. Ireland, Charley Carrington, Frank Litton, Cyril fredule, Charles Mayue are giving Saturday night entertainments at Melbourne Temperance Hall. Miss Eloise Juno is appearing at Hobart as Nellie Denver, with Mr F. Appleton at the Silver King. A departure from routine interpretation has bean made by allotting the part of Henry Corkett, the cockney clerk, to a lady — Miss Marian Norman. " Leah " and " Rob Roy " and " Haniler," with F. O. Appleton in tbe title role, have ulso been staged. Myn Kemble receives a complimentary benefit at Sydn-y Lyceum. Miss Kemble has uuany claims on 'the Australian public One of the m st accomplished, of our native-born actresses, she has also been known for qualities which should speak with still gr liter fotce in hor behalf in connaction with such an occasion" as the present, bhe was ever ready to assist a sister or brother in distress. Now she herself is iv sore need of holp. She is suffering from an attack of paralysis, -by which she is wholly disabled on the left side from the hip downward. The programme announced for i tho banefit is^unusually xtrong, and includes charac eristic performances by representatives of all the theatres in Sydney. It should of itself attract a big crowd to the Lyceum. A fact which should he remembered to Mias Kern -lea credit at a time like this is that it was she who four years ago goi up the benefit in the Town Hall for the destitute women and children. " In tho Queen's Name," a four-act drama by Frederick Elliott, closed a six-night run at Her Majesty's, 8. This was the original Australian production (May 2). •** Fiank Cates retires from the stage after 17 yearn 1 work in Australasia. Before his departure for London he ia to receive a benefit at Melbourne. Harry Power, well and favourably known • throughout Australasia, is now leading comedian with tha ( 'owper-Calvert Gompiny touring in the north of England. Olga Nethorsole's biggest .hit during her late extraord : nary successful visit to Vfmkee'aud was in a dramatised version of "Carmen," at Chicago. Maggie Moore, who will not go to America, will open a season at Melbourne Royal August 1. F. C. Applston's youngest daughter, Miss Ethel Blair, is with Dan Biny's Company at Melbourne Alexandra. ' c Fritz Rimma (Hoffman in " In Town "), Leedman Biuto. k (Sir Lewis Gray in "A Gaiety Girl"), and Mra Edmund Phelps (Lady Appleby in "The Shop Girl"), out in Australia with the Gaiety Company, arc engaged for a new play, " Paris by- Night," at Loudon Vaudeville. The ghost continues to walk at Melbourne Alexandra, where Dan Barry and Company are playiug. " First Class " (produced in Maoriland by George DarreU's Company '89) closed a five nights' run Bth. I give the two casts :— "First Class." Darrell's Co. '89. Dan Barry's Co. '96. George Darrell JackStroud Augustus Glover Frank StephenBon Lewis Montford Collet. Dobson Robert Vernon Dan Dan Barry Alf Rolfe Philip Roscoe J. F. Jackson F. Berkley No.sey Edward Camp» bell J. J. Kennedy Howard Wilson Forber . Franklin E. D, Haygarth Mr Buckley Roe. Rede Cha°. Hill Policeman H. Selwyn Harry Diver Sta'ionmaster Mr Richard Mr James Porter Geo. Barkley Christine Peggy Eugenic Duggan Darrell Mabel Tracy Mildred Ada Coventry Jessie Howard Florence Frank- Ethel Blair lin Maggie Oiliver Mrs Stroud Jennie Bryca The Newbury-Sp»da Operatic and Concert Comtuny—Madame Emily Spada, Philip Newbury, Kitty Grindlay, Mr H. J. Hobbs, .and Madame Herberts— in conjunction with Misu'lda Osborne, Miss Maggie Sterling, Mr Ernest I?itta,~Herr Louis Hatt^nbach, and W. J. Turner, give two concerts at Melbourne Exhibition Building, 9 and 16. Charles Cogill (of Cogill Bros.' Minstrels) I* specially engaged by Fitzgerald Bros, to lead the) clowns duriftg their Sydney season, which commenced 7. Additional attractions in the mena< gerie are the baby lion cub Clyde, two month* old, and two tiger cubs a year old, all born uft Maoriland.

"Djin Djin" closes Ha Sydney sea»on!B. "Thoroughbred" was given its first Sydney production by the Bn.ugh-Boucicault Comedy Company at tha Criterion 2. Ralph Lumley's three-act farcical comedy was originally produced In Austra'ia, also by theß. and B Company, at Melbonruo Princess July 13, 1895 For the original Australian production Mr William Elton was . specially engaged for the part of John Rimple, in which character he made his fir<st appearance with the Brough-Boucicault Company. I give tha two casts :— "Thoroughbred." Melbourne Princesu, .Sydney Criterion, July 13. 1895. May 21, 1893. W. E. Elton . John Rimple Mr Brough Mr Titheradge A. 81. Decker G. S. Titheradge Mr Boucicault Hon. Blenkiu- Mr Bouricault sopp Carlingham Mr Compton Lord Sanda.cre Mr Daly Mr Carey Jeb Tosh ' Mr Carey MrDorrington Claude Nizrel Mr Dorrington Mr Hards Jennings Mr Harda JMiwter Wokeham Master Gardiner Gardiner Miss Faber Hon Wilhelmina Misa Faber Carlingham Mist Temple Miss Pallington Miss Temple Jennie Watt- Mrs Rimplo Miss W&tt-Tan-Tanner „ ne'r Miss Noble Delia Rimple Katberine i Hardy The incidental music and d*nce3 in the Criterion production were composed byTVtrDiedericiißen. In the second act Miss Catherine Hardy sang "Go , by -bye," and Misses Faber, Temple, and K. Hardy j and Mr Boucicault joined in "a fantastic dance, I arranged by Madame Filippini (by permission of Messre Williamson and Musgrovt). In the third ac.t' Mr Brough sang " Oh ! my gentle mother 1 dear," and Mesirs Brough, Boucicault. and Carey > gave an imitation of a nigger song and breakdown . in "She played upon the Yemper." JRowley'B Waxwojks Show, through Maoriland last year, is now at Sydney Music Hall, and is doing good biz —Yours truly, • Bl& Poveity Point., May 9.