THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 39

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasquin.

TansvAY, Jnne 7. ! Cowan's Dramatic Company will open afc the "Frinceas Theaire on Saturday eveniDg, the piece selected being " The Battle of Life." The company has just concluded a very successful season in Tasmania. Most of tbe members of -the company are strangers to Danedia, bab there are two wbo are sure to receive a warm welcome from .old'playgoers. Miss Jennie Nya { •was for years a popular favourite here when a ; member of the slock company at the Princess Theatre. As & burlesque actress and graceful dancer she wag seen at her best in those day* of lang syne. She now appears in old women's , parts. Mr Ned Holloway is also well and favourably known here. The Issuing lady in BSiis Maud Gwynne, who is said to ba a clever ttE'd versatile actress, Mr W. H. Covran is good as a comedian, and the other members of the company are, well spoken of by the Tasmanian'prefg. The Greenwoods intend starting for a tour round tbe goldfietda early next week, and a very successful trip is anticipated. In npifce of the recent bad weather the company lias everywhere met • with -very good business. Afc the Bluff .especially -two crowded houses assembled to hear them, although only one night was &t first advertised. At Invtrcargiil the Southland Times apoke in eulogistic terms of the company as public entertainers, and voted theirs one of the best 'musical' performances recently presented in Invercargill. The many D'nnedin friends of Miss Georgia Snai.tbson will be pleased to hear that she is doing weU, being at present on tcur in Queensland, with George Rignold's company. .The Queensland papers speak in appreciative terms of Miss Smithson'a work, and the local Sportsman prints a biographical sketch and & portrait . of the fair Georgie. Ffom this I learn that she was bom in Naples (Italy) of Eoglish parents, bat, received her w education in Edinburgh, and was practically brought np to all intents and purposes as a " Scotch lassie." She c&me "oufc ' to the colonies in 1882, under engagement to Messrs Coppin, Grenville, and Hennings, and was the first to depict the woes of Charles Dickens's "Jo" in the colonies. Her favonritecharaoters are Mr,Jarvis in "Lights o'London '" and Mother Shipton in " Romany Rye.", j "Call Boy," in the Star, gives some interesting particulars of the Pollard Com- : pany, from which I glean the following: — " This month witnesses the seventh anniversary of the formation of the Pollard Com.' pany. Miss and Mr A. Stephens, Miss Metcalf c , the Beatty sisters, Mr Percy, Mr Quealy, Miss Rede, and Miss Eoorde have been associated with the shew during the whole of that period, which speaks volumes for Mr Pollard's managerial control. The repertoire now comprises 30 odd operas, and as the company when on tour carry the whole of ' their wardrobe, , scenery, &c, any opera can be staged at" 24 hours' notice. ' The Gondoliers,', which it was only decided to produce in Duuedin on an extension of the season for a couple of nights being determined on, is a case in point. 'Paul Jones' has been tho company's Mascotte. it never having failed •to draw large audiences. Last week, however, broke all records. On Friday night nearly 1800 people paid for admission, the lower parts of the house accommodating upwards of 1400 ; and Saturday was about the same. Two" successive houses totalling nearly ' '£340 at 3s, 2s, and Is is enough to make the mouth of any manager water. Who will say after these figures, ; which are taken from Mr O'Sullivan's returns, that Dunedin is not a good show town, as is too frequently asserted by touring companies. I have already spoken of * Paul Jones ' as the company's trump card. Many instances could be cited in support of the statement, but one fact will suffice. The Pollards — they had been juveniles up to this time, and were known as such — had always failed to make salt in Dunedin, and though dates had been booked for the Princess's in May, 1896, for a short season, the management were apprehensive of the - results. Accordingly they wired to their advance agent here to sell the nine nights' takings, if possible, for £50 per night. The offer was made to several speculators without leading to business ; and how' fortunate this was for the Pollards may be estimated from the fact "that the first four performances otf ' Paul Jones ' realised more than the amount for which the whole season's takings could have been purchased. That was the turn of the tide, for from thence onwards not a single unprofitable night's business has been known in this city It cost upwards of £1000 to stage * DjinDjin.' An equally strong attraction is promised on the occasion of the return visit to this city, in November, as the Auckland Christmas production is to be then staged. " Fatinitza ' is now in rehearsal, and as most of the dresses are tq be made here it means a - considerable expenditure locally ' Manola ' is also to be put in hand immediately " In all probability tho announcement that Mr G. S. " Titheradge was to reappear on .Saturday evening at the Theatre Royal, after jtdsasi absence from t&9 Melbourne st&2& was

' j (remarks tho Argus) responsible Io a large ex- | tent for the immenso audience that filled t every seat in the theatre before the curtain i went up. The " Two Little Vagabonds," 1 which was revived under the management of Messrs Holloway and Anderson, by arrangement with Messrs Williamson and Musgrove. is familiar to regular playgoers, who had an opportunity of seeing the production afc the Princess's Theatre a little over a year ago. . { la such a part as that ,of George Thornton, I the husband who is driven to believe his wife i unfaithful when she attempts to screen _hi 3 erring sister, Mr Titheradge had a part which, while it cannot stand beside creations by which he will be best; remembered in Mel1 bourne, nevertheless gives him an opportunity for displaying tbe intense force which is one of the many artistic capacities which he possesses. From the lackadaisical insouciance of i a Captain Hawtery to the profound emotion of a Wilfred Denver, no note in the gamut of the passions is unknown to Mr Titheradge, ■ and on Saturday night there were many welcome gleams of the old fire. The overmastering gust of pass-ion with which he grasped the indignant wife, and literally thrust her from the room, while he went to -wreck vengeance : on the child whom he believed to be the off- \ spring of an unknown lover, was quite in Mr i Titheradge's most effective manner.