THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2274, 30 September 1897, Page 39

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquin.

Tuesday, September 28. * . • On Saturday night the Albert Lucas Company produced Byron's comedy " Not Such a Fool As He Looks." Tha company fiuished its present season on Wednesday t veiling, on which occasion the brilliant comedy "Nob Such a Fool as He Lcoks " will ba presented for the last time. The company' will tour the Southland districts for a few weeks, reopening at tha City Hall with fresh faces and nsw pieces towards the end of October.

* . • Hudson's Surprise Party will visit Dunedin in a couple of months' time. They are now aii Adelaide and doing good business.

■ . • Fitzgerald's Circus is about to have added to it a number of attractions. Mr Dan Fitzgerald announces the purchase of two of Herr Carl Hagenbeck's troups of performing animal*, including elephants, lions, monkeys, ponies, dog?, &c. Les Blondes, famous riders from Hengler's Circus, and the Lebons, acrobats, have also been engaged. The enterprising colonials, also intend, to bring oub Hagtnbeck's wonderful animal show and circus from Hamburg. The show will consist of a huge deri 42ft; round, thß usual size of a circus ring, in which lions ride horses and tigers iide elephants, and.,two tigers in harneFS draw a chariot driven by lions. The troup are to commence their colonial tour at Albany, and will ultimately make their way to Maoril.*nd. • . * " Crotchet," in the Tasmauian Mail, says that Madame Amy Sherwin's forthcoming concert tour in the Australian colonies is to be run on real high-toned lines. The " Tasmanian Nightingale" has grown both physically and artistically since Australia last saw her, but her voice retains its pure birdlike freshness, and she is as cba^ming a*j ever, not only as a great artiste, bub as tbe kindest of women. Her house at West Hampstead is famous for its hospitality, and at the frequenb parties there one meets invariably a goodly number of Australians.

• . • Mr Arthur Deane, a young Sydney baritone, who has been studying in Eugland for the pact two years, and who has been playing one of the monks in "La Poupee " during its eittire run, has been engaged by Madame Amy Sherwin for her concert tour in Australia and the East. Mr Deane is now said in London to be the finest baritone singer that Australia has produced and to be sure to win splendid success during the run of this important engagement. • . • John F. Sheridan is sill faithful to his old love in " Fun on the Bristol," and was appearing lately in it at the Brixton Metropole. • . • The M'Adoo Minstrel Company are cow touring Soutii Africa An Australian tour follows. Loudeu, the Fisk Jubi/ee basso who used to go so loir in "A_ hundred fathoms deep," is now said to be ia tbe boot manufacturing business in one of the southern States.

• . • " Crotchet," in the Tasmanian Mail, id reepoßsible for the assertion that the Payne Family, weU known in the*e colouiee, are said to be knocking enfc a good Jiving by performing on the sands at Brighton, England. *. " George Mu"»grove, the Australian manager, recently went up to Rochdale to look ever a rhca mill there and to order all the tights for next year's pantomime to be imde of rhea, which is better than spun silk, and ever jo much cheaper. "When nexb we decorate either of our theatres in Australia," said he, " tho whole of our plmhes for covering tbe seats and curtains I shall order to ba made of rhea. The saving will be enormous." • . • Sir Henry Irving and Miss Terry have again under consideration an Australian tour, and will, if they can come to terms with Mr Musgrore, visit the leading cities of Australia — but not New Zealand — next autumn.

• , • Madame Melba will be away from London until October, when she returns for a touc of the English provinces. The distinguished rtiva is thinking of making her home in London ins-tead of Paris, which has been her headquarters since her first stage appearance at Brussels nine years ago.

- . * Sarah Bsrnhardt denies that she is going to Berlin. The actress, speakiog to a uew=paper correspondent, said :—": — " It is false. Not that I do not npureciate the Germans ; in America they always give me admirable receptions. But, you see, lam French— l am' chauvine ; and, much as I should like to go to Germany as an artiste, if a false note ,were to get mixed up in my reception, if anything, went wrong,- 1 fhould hardly know mjs^lf and should only remember tbafc ' they <nee defeated us. My temperament would get the better of, me."

• . * New operas of the first clas», like new great tenors and new fashionable sopranos, are not cultivated like trees. They are rare plants indeed. They do not grow once in a dozen yearp, and their discovery more or less is a matter of chance. — Tiutb.

•.* "Last Call" sends me tbe following American and English notes by the 'Frisco mail : —

Sir Heory Irving has eDgaged Ethel Barrymore, recently appearing in the London production of Gtllettts's " Secret Service." On dit tint Miss Birrymore is also engaged to be married to the novelist, Anthony Hope. At the closure of the Lyceum Irving made public some of his future intention?. He has arranged' for two new plays next season — one written by his son Laurence, on the subject of Peter tha • Jreat, the other a comedy-drama by H. D. 'Trail!, of the London Daily Telegraph, and R, S. H:chens, the author of " The Green Carnation" and "Flames." During the actormanager's absence the Lyceum w-ill be tenanted by Forbes - Robertson. Irving also said he might visit Australia with Ellen Terry in about tvso years' time.

Weedon Grosstnith has secured the Lyric for a production of Joseph Hatton's new version of "Jack Sheppprd," which will be performed at that theatre when Wilson Barrett goas to Australia next year.

Beerbohm Tree is to appear as Citizen Robespierre in a new play by actor Charles Cartwright and author H. J. W. Davis, writer of " The Shop Girl."

Blanche Walsh, who made a most favourable impression in London as leading woman in " Secret Service," will appear next season as Katherine ia "The Taming of the Shrew" at a New York theatre.

Madame Emma Eames, who sang recently at Osborne , House, has been decorated by the \Jueen with a souvenir medal. Charles Danby is in New York. Isabelle Urquhatt it to appear in * new

sketch, "Miss Hart of Hartford," in New York. Emilie Melville is to play at the Olympic and Haymarket, Chicago. Maurice Grau has been engaged to direct grand opera at Covent Garden, London, for four veara. Marie dv Mauricr, daughter of the late George dv Maurier, of Trilby fame, was married last month in London. Olga Nsthersole has settled her suit against the Frohnians for failing to keep their contract to play her in London. Marcus "Mayer is to manage her next American tour. Vesta Tilley, the London music hall star, has been engaged by cable to anpear at Weber and Field's Broadway Music Hall. Her last visit to tbe Btate3 was a big success. Reuben Fax, for many seasons a prominent member of A. M. Palmer's stock company, and who payed Svengali during the Australian tour of " Trilby," is appearing in a sketch treating of the doings of tbree pugilists who have retired from the ring lo become labourers. Robert Grau, who recently failed in New York, has paid his creditors in full.