THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 39

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Be Pasquin.

Tuesday, December 28. • .' There was a very large attendance at the Princess Theatre on Christmas Night, when Mr Caleb Porter gave an iatroductory lecture to-Mr Wilson Barrett's play "The Sign of the Cross." The.lecturer stated, in the course of his remark?, that the play had been performed something like 5000 limes; that the number of people who had witnessed it, if pUced in a line, would reach, it was (s'.imated, from this colony to the old country; and that about ouethird of those who had seen it had never been inside a theatre' be r ore. The lectme, which was frequently ap[ lauded, was i lustrattd by a number of very fine limelight views representing scenes in tbe play. Several vocal selections and recitations ware also contributed during the evening by members of "The Sign cf th&Cross" Company, all of whom succeeded in gaining the Hearty approval of the audience. A nominal charge was made for admission to the theatre, and the whole of the proceeds of the entertainment-, amounting to £16 4s, are to be handed ever \o the mayor foe charitable purposes. i The drama itself was presented on Monday hightr for the first time "in this colony at the Dunedin Princess before -an oveiflowing and "* enthusiastic ' audience... The caution with which Dunedin audiences arc credited in the reception, pjTnew pieces 'was entirely absent on this occasion, the performance being received with a degree of warmth,, a* remarkable as it is udususl on first nightufin this quatter-of tbe globe. A lengthy critique of the pliy appears below, co that I need not enter into details of the performance ; suffice ib to say that there is every evidence of its having a lengthy and eucceEsful run before .the necessity arises for replacing it with one of the other attractions which "Tbe Firm" is introducing to this colony. Country readers should not allow the opportunity of seeing such a remarkable play as "The Sign of the Cross" slip away without* taking advantage of it, and it ie fortuuate that the cheap fares ruling during the holiday season will enable them to do this at a minimum of expense. •. • Owing to the severe and 6udden indisposition of Mrs Barrie Marschel, the picca *' Hunoarire Taniwha" could not ba played at the Agricultural Hall on Mouday night. It will be played on New Year's Night. '.'" The Shaughraun " was produced at the City Hall on Monday night by tho Lucas Dramatic Company to a crowded house. Mr Lucas in the title role was most amusiog. Miss Thornton played flloya Doolan with commendable care, and achieved success iv no measured degree. •. * Miss Aunie Wyniard (Mrs Brandon Cremer) took a benefit at the City Hall on the j night of the 2lst, a vety capable and eijoyable I production of Byron's comedy of "Oui" Boys" ';being^presected. -Mr Albert Lucas took- the; part ot Talbot Champnejs, Miss Idrene Thornton that of Mary Melrose, aod Mr Charlas I\. -Hill the old butterman, Perkyn Middlewick. '. ' Mr John Tait drops me a line from Auckland to say that b.3 has completed acrange- ■ xnents with Miss Eileea O'Moore (Bissia " Doyle) for a tour of Maoriland and intends giving us a night or two on Jacu&ry 27 aud 23. Miss O'Moore can only give 30 concerts during the tour, so that her stay in any town will be brief, as she leaves early in the New Year to fulfil an engagement in London for tho June season. She recently made a successful tour through Europe, receiving at Weitbaden the " distinctive honour of beiDg specially engaged to appear in concert with the three great masters ot" the violin —Herr Professor Joseph Joachim. Herr Willy Burmesler, Herr Professor Eugen Ysaye. Miss O'Moore also appeared at the celebrated Leipzig Gewandhaus, the fcach-Verein (Heidelberg), the Cur-Saul (Wtisbaden), and the Leherhaus (Vienua), ■where she received the much-coveted laurel wreaths presented by the Schubert-Bund and the Wunir Lehrer Veiein. It will b3 seen from all this that Miss O'Moore returns to the colonies with an enchanced reputation and the highest distinctions which can be conferred by the great musical institutions of Europe. *. • The Rignold tour came to a sudden conclusion a few nights ago in Newcastle, when the company was disbanded. The bad luck that has so-jrersistsntly cluug to Mr Rigucli of lite followed him to Newcastle and brought matters .to a crisis." Poor George ! •.•The once "celebrated " Billy " vß*rlow,vß*rlow, the "Blue-tailed Fly," is an ii,imte of the Gjmpie Hospi'al. He is suffering from an attack of rheumatic gout. • . • Mis* Pattie Brown leaves for Australia after the run of "The White 11-ather" atDrury . LaDe, in which' Miss Bivwne is i laying a prim iIpal parVLady Molly Fscnsbaw. •. • Mils Ada Ferrar, interviewed by "D. T." of the Brisbane Street, said: —" I have been surprised to find, not only how admirably plays are staged and theatres managed in Australia, but also how very talented many of your Australian players are. It is inexplicable to me. With actors of sterling merit at hand, mesb inadequately recognised. English artists are

imported and 'starred' — artists, very frequently, of a quite inferior order. 1 don'fc understand it." •' Human nature," said I. "Yon know, 'A prophet is nofc without'honotfr, save in his own country.'" "Ah ! I suppose that's it. But it's a great pity, anyhow." *.• Poor Nellie FarreD, broken down in health, mined in pocket, and with little 1-eft of her old vivacity, has so moved the great heart of the London theatrical world that the Gaiety people ate arranging a benefit. She is now over 60, with a heart full of sad memories and nothing to look forward to. A section of the Australians in London talk of giving bxr a money testimonial. -. • Miss Jul^a Arthur, with whom Mr Soob loglis is touciug America in "A" Lady of Quality," met with a tevere misfortune in October, due to the destruction shortly after the opening night of the Detroit Opera „ffouse, together with all scenery, costumes, ar ? fl many of the personal belongings of the company. It ha 3 been recaUed that only once before ha 3 fato been so unkind to s. new star. In the eirly eighties Mrs Langtry and her manager, Mr Henry E. Abbey, stood in the window of a Broadway hotel and watched the burning of tfee Pnrk Theatre, in which that very night Mrs Laogtry was to- have made her American debut. i • . •Mr Robert Tabqr, who has bsea engaged by Sic Henry Ir?i»g for an important pait in "Pefcar the Great," is an American actor who has had a wide experience in the poetical drama, starring with bis wife, Miss Julia ! Marlowe, the accepted American representative of Juliefc, as well as the less robust ShakeS{.eareftn heroines. In appearance and method Mr Taber strongly recalls the Hcrinanu Vezin of earlier yea?s, though cast physically in a larger mould. •.'"You would hardly believe," said a trim - looking programme seller afc a London theatre to the writtr some time ag' l , "how heartily weary we grow of the piece after we have heard it- every night for a few weehs: By that time every line is as well'kriown to us as it is to the pi rfbtmers on the stage. We cannot very well escape heating the pieco nig'drafter Tiight, as we are'always supposed to h& in. attendance long after the' sale of prcgrammes is oyer r and if the acting manager should catch us away from .pur post thers would be a kqene. So we have .to endure the play, night sfEer night sometimes for a whole year. Bahind tbe scenes they like ' long run*,? but we girls are simply delighted when new pieces are put on. Unless you have had tbe expedience yourself, you could never guess how tiring it is to bear exactly the same thing every uight and twice on Saturdays and Wednesdays." • . • The death is announced of Mis? Marie de • G.ey, the strikingly handsome woman and chatmiog actress who visited the colonies some dczjn je'ra ago. She played old Engl-sh comedy with rare brightness and talent.