THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 39

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquin.

Tuesday, April 12. Mr • Durward Lely, the celebrated tenor and teller of Scottish stories, is announced to give his firsfc-cerfornaaiioe at tbe Garrison Hall on Monday, 18th inst. . Lachlan M'Gowar,, one of the oldest colonial actors, and formerly & leading member of Walter Bentiey's'Company, is lyitig at Charters Towers (Q.) Hospital, where, when the last mail left, he was about to undergo an operation which the doctors feared must prove fatal. Si£Mr George Grossmith and his son were travelling to a provincial town one night when there was a breakdown on the railway. They did not reach their destination until 20 minutes after 8, althongb. the performance was advertised to begin promptly at 8. They decided to dress in ths cab ou their way from the station to the theatre. Seeing a building lighted up, and a large crowd coming oufc, the elder GroEsmith supposed it was the theatre, and, pntthig bis bead cub of the window, he waved hia arms frantically, and shouted, in great exc;terneut: "Go back — go back! It's all right! Grosßinith i» here ! It's all right ! " " Unfortunately," says the younger Gsorge, who tells the story, " it wasn't our audience, but a congregation leaving a methodist chape)." Theatricals are so prevalent in London v society that the newspapers are suggesting (hg formation of a theatre, with the ballel-, dancing Earl of Roßslya a» 'manager, City 11 Craven as scene painter, and laa Malcolm as dra'matisb, declaring that such a theatre would pay by the attendance of Americans and colonials alone. ; A Cleveland Special to the New York Herald s*ye : — "Mr Nat C. Goodwin and Miss Maxine Elliott were to be married at Hollonden, in Cleveland (Ohio), on February 20. George Appleton, Goodwin's manager, paid a visit to the Probate Ccutt tbe previous aftetucon and procured the necessary Jicense. He swore the clerks to * secrecy in tha matter, and tbe license was taken from the back part of the book. When Goodwin was in Chicago tbree weeks ago b« received notice that Judge Pryor, of the Supreme Court of New York, had rendered a decree ii\ the divorca case of Nella R. Goodwin against Nat Goodwin, by wbioh she was restored to hsr maiden name and given the privilege of remarrying. He, however, was especially prohibited from marrying during the life of his former wife. This decres, however: is only legally operative in New York. Goodwin was averse to being married in Chicago. aDd as he played in Buffrtln, New York, the previous week he could not be married there. Mr G. S. Titheradge has after all determined to leave Australia. The plan oi bringing out whole companies to play a short sea,son in Australia Las made it impossible for a resident artist to maintain his place unless he is prepared to descend to the poorest of dramatic work. Mr Titheradge, his clever ycung daughter, and other members* of his family will shortly sail for London. The Brouglis, 1 am delighted to hear, says Melbourne Punch, have bad a royal time in. India. On leaving Calcutta — against entering .which ■ they -wero solemnly warned by any number of insolvent actors — they had a splendid demonstration. Mr Brough was the recipient of an illuminated address contained in a case of crimson morocco, with his monogram in raised letters of gold. Mrs Brough was presented ,with a lovely diamond ring, and Lieutenant-colonel Ranking, in making tiie presentation, did so in an effective little speech. He said : " The diamond is, as you know, an emblem of pride — a pride which you, madame, may ju&tly feel, and which your fellow men and women cannot help but feel in your splendid endowments as the exponent of a sublime art. In presenting you .with this ring, we hope that your life may ever be bright as its gems, and your success like its circlet imending." To which all artloving Australians re-echo a fervent ''Hear, hear ! " Madame Melba opened in grand opera at the Metropolitan Opera House, N.Y., before a most brilliant aiidience. The house is the lai gest in America, and was packed from floor to ceiling, the admission being 4s, Bs, 10s, and 16s. Fancy 120 private boxes ; each held ix and eight, and tlie display of dress and diamonds was dazzling, 'xne 400 turned out in great foree — th« Goulds, "Vanderbilts, and Astors. If the diamonds worn by the women in the above-mentioned boxes were put together they would make a fair-sized chandelier. Melba sang wonderfully well, and after her first aria the women stood up and ■threw flowers at her. She got no less than 16 recalls. - Mrs Clara "Fisher Maeder is probably the only living actress who has been patted on the head by the Prince Regent and nursed by Sheridan. Two years before our Queen ,wa"3 born, this ' remarkable old lady. whose declining years are being peacefully spent in America, the land of her adoption, was acting at Drury Lane Theatre in " Lilliput," a play associated with the" memory, of Garrick. 'Although at this time only a child of six, she f;ave evidence of the rare talent which in ater years made her "name a household word si< the two continents. During the next 10 •years she playod with marked success in varipus parts of England, acting in such masculine roles as Sbylock, Sir Potor Teazle, and Dr Panglobs. Speaking of tlitjso early yearrf. M*a Maeder recalls" one meiaorablQ evening

v/ben she joined the stage choir in singing " God save the King," whilst the Regent,

j whom- she describes as a singularly handI feome, courtly man, bowed his acknowledgeJ ments from the Royal box.' Her father, who j for many years -was a 'librarian at Brighton, j had- a rar,e fund of memories of tbe great men 1 whom the Eegent brought in his train to that [ resort of fashion. ISeou Brummcl, the j famous fop, was a reg.zlar visitor to the n- , brary. His conversation showed not only a i great interest in literature, but also a rare discrimination ; and proved that he was as skilful in bis selection of a book as in the arrangement of a necktie. At the age of 16, Clara Fisher, as she, was then, w.ent to America, ; where for many years she shone as the bright- , est star on the transatlantic stage. In the i words of a contemporary writer, " nothing f could exceed the enthusiasm with which ,- tins most amiable creature was re- [ eeived everywhere." It became the ■ fashion to associate everything new with. ( her name, from a ship to a racei horse, and from a " candy " to a baby, i Although her popularity waned with advancj ing years, she stuck manfully to the stage until her seventy -ninth year, when she wisely \ determined to rest from her labours. She is , now living with one of her daughters in New I York, and a large circle of admirers 1 with her numerous stories of 72 years before j the footlights.