AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2239, 28 January 1897, Page 43

AUSTRALIAN STAGE GOSSIP.

' (Specially Waitten for the Otaoo Witness.) Dear- Pasquin, --Charley Wilmot, who died recently in London, began his theatrical career in Melbourne as a super, and years after was well known as manager of the Dunedin Princess and . as lessee of Wilmot' s Hotel at the corner of the j Dunediu Arcade. Thence he migrated to.Lon- ; don, where he built the Grand Theatre, Islington, and bought Sadler's Wells Theatre.' His great hit as actor and manager was with the original "New Babylon" ia partnership with Clarence Holt. "The Strange Adventures of Misa Brown" at Melbourne Princess is funny enough to drive the blues out of a bag of indigo. The farcical comedy j is built on very much the same lines as other j pieces of its kind, but at> a mirth-ptovoker it is a very long way above the average, and in fairly entitled to take rank in this respect with " Charity's Aunt." Mr Thornton played the part of Captain Court onay, alias Miss Brown, and it ia needless to lay that be made the most of tho humourous opportunities and situations which, the character afforded. It is on a par with his rendering of " Charley* Aunt." lie was ably supported by Miss Noney Seabrooke, who made a highly successful debut, winning her way to public favour at onco by har pleasant appearance and pleasant, unforced style of -acting. Mils Elsie Caret* also made a successful fir»t appttirance in Australia, and showed the possession of distinct talent. The Miss Schwartz, the forward pupil, of Miss Bessie Rignold, Was excellent , Mr Fred Shepherd, who made his ftrnt bow to au Australian audience, played the Major in good style, and Mr Terry is likewise a great acquisition to the colonial stage. , Bob Baxter and' Walter Keen ("The only Keen"), who were formerly partners in Australia, have again joined hands, this time in Loadon, after a 10 years' separation. They have a new act entitled "The International Toff.," in which they introduce single and double character singine and a ventriloquial novelty. Greek George, the wrestler, through tho colonies some time back, iB now in London. Miss Louise Beaudot is at Johannesburg. "The Mikado's" grand celebration of its 1000 th performance at London Savoy was held recently, on the occasion of ita 1035 th representation. An appropriate souvenir of the memorable night was a dainty Gilbert and Sullivan birthday book presented to each one of the audience. From "The Telephone Girl" : Farmer Pilchard (Mr Frank Mannings, when told he must not smoke, answers, " I ain't smoking." " But you've got your pipe in your mouth. To which ho rejoins, " I'v<) got roy feet in my bcots but I ain't walking ! " W. 11. Vernon is playing Colonel Sapt in "Tho Prisoner of Zenda," Anthony Hopes four-act play, at St. Jamea'u Theatre, London. In the present revival Charles Glenney'st part, Gilbert, 13 now played by H. H .Vincent ;, Miss V»y Davis, an American actress, replaces Miss Ellis Jeffreys in the part originally played by Miss Lily Hanbury, Antoinette Ue Mauban ; and Misi Julu Neilson succeeds Atifs Evelyn Mi Hard as ibe Princess Flavia. Maud Lewis, now at Melbourne Opera House, is a sister of Alice Leamar. . Charles Godfrey is said to bo drawing £100 a werk(at Sydney TivoJi. , , , % * Harmston's Circus is |n Calcutta. . Fanny Liddiard is bock from thu States. . " I axed her how her mother stood the heat. How ' was I to know herl mother ww» dead I"— Charles F. M'Carthy, iv " Lady Blarney." Mr Edgar GranVille, Harry Ilickarde's latest importation at Melbourne Opera House, visited , the colonies soma 20 years ago with Holland's Minstrels. Mis* Lottie Moore, in her negro song and danco at Sydney Palace, calls to mind Mi' 8 May Livingstone, tho original Bella in " Fun on the Bristol." with John F. Sheridan's company which visited Maoriland in 18?5. Miss Hilda" Spoi»g has replaced Miss Geraldine OlliHe (retired- through ill-health) in "The Two Little Vagabonds " at London Princess. Brought and Boucicault close their present sea* son at Sydney Criterion on February 5. Miss Jennie Smith, one of the prettiest girls in tho Royal Comic Opera Company, w»8 married last week to Mr Herman H. Sharpleoß, a.wellknown gentleman in Sydney. Miss Millie Young was the bridesmaid. Beanie Gellately, Daisy Holly, Marie Gellatelr, aud the two sitters Hooper, five of the beat ballet dancers in Australia, are in " Sinbad the Sailor" at Sydney Her Majesty's. I Mr H. Lewis Scott, who dramatised "The Silence of Dean Maitland," also wrote amongst i other pantomimes " Robinson Cru6oe," produced at the old Queen's Theatre, Sydney, under John Bennett's management in 1870, and " The Forty Thieves," played at Sydney Theatre Royal in 1892. Sydney's first theatre was built in 1796. , Harry Rickards pays a visit to London ia May. , Frank Fearn, artist and humorist, who died from cancer at Bendipo last week, aged 61, cams to Australia when 17 years of age, and was associated with John Hennings as scene painter at the old Melbourne Princess. He was a horn artist and a thorough Bohemian.' v ' George Darrell talks of going to London. ■ Miss Laura Roberts is playing in " Skipped by the Light of the Moon" with the Gourlay Company'through the Victorian provincial towns. "Jack" Leeke, manager for Harry Rickards, was married last week to Miss Nita Clarke, a soprano singer at Sydney Tivoli. The first comedy part Mrs Brough ever played was in "Crutch and Toothpick," with the Hem* ming and Walton Company, when visiting Liver, pool several years ago. On her joining another company Miss Elsie Cameron (Mrs J. R. Cowell) was engaged for the part. Curiously enough tfta two ladies never met until a few weeks aeo, and

did not know of the circumstance until chatting one day at a farewell luncheon Mr aud Mrs Cowell were giving at their home at Toorak (Melb.) to Mr and Mrs Brough. It turned out that after both artists had drifted into burlesque and operatic work, Mrs Cowell again followed Mm Brough when playing the leading part in the "Cruel Carman" Company. Once again an ipciden* of a somewhat similar kind happened, this time in Melbourne, when Mrs Cowell played the Fairy Queen in lolanthe, first created here by Mrs Brough.— Table Talk. " The Temptations of a Nursegirl," a three-net sensational dr&ma, was produced in Melbourne for the first time at Her Majesty's (late Alexandra), 0, with the following cast :— Sir Johu Halesmere ... Mr Chas. W. Taylor Captain Horace Westley ... Mr W. Vincent Lieutenant Jrcott ...- .„ Mr Victor Neville Richard Warner Mr Wilfrid Shine Johnny "The Mug" „, Mr Augustus Glovsr Bon Raine ... ,„ *.. Mr W. Roaevear Apple-jack ... „, ... Mr John F. Forde Joe Shakes ... M , Mr Heffernan Jim Small , ... ... ...Mr Dayton Constable Lamb ... ... Mr E. Fanning SlimevJim ... ... Mr D. F. Cronin Kate Warner ».. Miss Maria Wilton Lady Halesmere ... ... Miss Maud Henley Jane „ ... Miss Katie Towers Fanchette Miss Wthel Yelverton Mrs Jumble ... Mis 3 Olive Lesley Mary Miss Grace Turner Lily Octavia, Maud Coshan, Clare sisters, Muriel Harbrnwy Arthur Gitland, Young Testi-o, Bob Milbi rj, Shirwinand Watkinp, John Jlatlock, are at Melbourne Temperance Hall. Overheard on -the Block:— "We saw you At 1 Mats* ' last night, Nelly." " Yes, Jack took us : everybody was there." "How did you like it?" "Oh l I thought it was simply loveiy." "So did I ; we're all going again Saturday." " How nice ; I'm'simply dying to see it again." J< Jack liked it e,ven better the second time." , ' Sydney show 6, January 16, 1837: "True Irish Hearts, at Lyceum; "Tommy Atkins." at the Boyal; "Sinbad the Sailor," at Her Majesty's; " A Woman of No Importance," at the Criterion ; Goatcber'B Variety Company, at the Palace ; and Rickaids's Variety Company at the Tivoli. Melbourne shows, January 17, 1897: " Wiitsa," at the Princess: "For Kngland," at the Royal; "Adventures of Miss Brown," at the Bijou; Eickards's Variety Company at the Opera House. —Yours truly, Poverty Point, January 17. Bis.