STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 47

STAGE GOSSIP.

SproiA.Li.x Written fok the Otagc. Witness

I Dear Pasqain, — Dante the Great, after his one hundred and first performance at Sydney Palace Theatre, went to Melbourne, where the season opened April 15, and returns to "good old Maoriland " next summer. The clever conjurer, Mdlle Edmunda, and Mr L. J. Lohr send kindest remembrances to all tbeir Maoriland friends. It is just over 12 months since Mr Clement Scott publicly apologised to the dramatic profession. Mr Edmond Montgomery (another " little monty "), the well-known tenor vocalist and proprietor of the Triple Alliance Company (now in the Wellington district) is a brother of W. H. Montgomery, for 11 years principal baritone with D'Oyley Carte's (Provincial) Opera Company. This well-known English operatic artist was trained for a tenor, but the talented Braham told him he was making a mistake, that he had a light baritone voice and not a tenor. W. H. Montgomery was well known in London amateur circles, where he received 3gs a night. One critic told him ho was " the possessor of a tenor-baritone voice." 'Twas then Brßham told W. H. what he really was, and he received his first engagement with Arthur Rousby's well-known English Opera Company. Mr Edmond Montgomery, now up north with his'Tripk Alliance Company, hails from Middlesex, and came out in J. 887, since when ho has been continuously and succssfully .travelling the colonies with his various organisations. '■ Jack Point." — The only production of Storace's comic opera '' No Song, No Supper," in this colony that " Bis " knows of was by the Ohingaiti Amateur Operatic Company on Friday, September 29, 1893. Child-violinist Celia Dampier (" She's more than seven ") is still " scraping " through the country towns of this colony. Although it is a -while back since that benefit tour started, yet this pupil of Musin gets no nearer Londing than Masterton (April 13). Had Miss Dampier been in the hands of the Australian musical public she would have reached the Smoke long before now, and without having to battle in the back blocks. They manage these things better "on the other side." Closing their Wellington season, Pollard's Opera Company will play Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill in that order. Tasmania follows. '•• r Clever little Dora Mostyn is still in this colony, at latest somewhere about Jerusalem or Miki Miki. Whoever compiled that " Stray Leaves " bill foi " the young and brilliant comedy actiess, society entertainer, and operatic songstress " deserves a medal. , I received by a recent mail " with the compliments of Charles Arnold and Herbert Sleath " a souvenir of the 250 th performance at London Strand Theatre oi George H. Broadhurst's farce " What Happened to Jones." Neatly fastened with red ribbon, the souveniT bears on its corner a gilded horse shoe. There are -some dozen pages of engravings ot the members of the Strand Theatre cast, singly and in groups, "including those of Mr Herbert Sleath (with autograph), Mr Crarles Miss Dolores Drmrunorid (who played' Desdemona with G. V. Brooke in Australia, and was settled in Dunedin for some years in the early sixties), Mr Fred 'Stanley (with autograph), business manager at the Strand, and two of Little Miss Edna Arnold in "An Enipiy Stocking." This interesting memento of a very successful farce also contains two casts, which for the benefit of 'gram collectors 1 give herewith : — "What Happened to Jones." Original Tast-, Present Cast, Ju'.y 12, 1898. February 4, 1899 Charles Arn r ld Jones Chsvr'e* Arnold Jas Welch Kb Goodly E. M. Robson Edward Sass Dr Goodly Edward Sass Hcrbert.S'eath...'Rich. H-atherly... Herbert Sleath Alfred Webb Thomas Holder f'rei Grove F. W Lconar.) Wm. Bigtce F. W. Leonard W Parker Henry Fuller.... E. Ma : nwarinjr Emma Gw\nne Mrs.Goodly Emma Gwyune MaryAUestree Miiri<prie.~. Mnry All stree Beatrice Mcrvyn MiiiM-va Evelyn Weeden Dot Freder c Cissy Dot Frederic Mrs H. Leigh.. .Ah inn Starlight Do'ores DrummoHd Miss Ada Lee Helma Miss Ada Lee The Cannam-Anderßon Comedy Company, at latest at the Theatre Royal, Perth. W.A.* nre cast a.s follows in Byron's three-act comedy " Oue Girls." Captain Gingah Tom Cannam Dr Fleming .. M .. F. Burlington Fred Fanshaw .. »». „ Tom Howard Arthur Medwyn .- .. .. . . R. Beck Tipkins .. .. .« „ George Anderson Helen Gaythorne .. „ Madge Dennison Lilian Guythoruo ... Nina Bickford Mrs Guna Ethel Cranstone Jane Edith Sawden They are nlro plaj-ing, as a curtain raiser, , Sydney Grundy's one-act play, " In Honouk Bound." Sir George Carlyon .. .. Tom Cannam Phillip Graham .. „ . . F. Burlington Lady Carlyon .. „ Madge Denuison Hose Dalrymple.. .. .. Edith Sawd«n Mr F. Burlington, who plays the juvenile part in 'the. curtain raiser, is billed "from the Royalty Theatre, London." Bis would like to know what parts Mr F. Burlington played nt the Royalty Theatre, London. Johnny Collins, " The Irish Ambassador," is back at Sydney Tivoli, after an übsence of four years, nnd gets a big reception nightly. Marshall's Dramatic Compnny put up " Current Cash " at Sydney Royal Standard under the title "Death or Glory." W. S. Marshall plays the part of the hero Mark Melton.

Hoaea Euslon, one of the finest banjo playerß that ever came to the colonies, was given a benefit in Sydney the other week.

Madame Emily is leaving Sydney for Europe shortly.

Frank M. Jones is doing a leap of 25 guns with fixed bayonets with Fitugerald's Circus in Sydney. This act cost Fred Stirling his life, in South Africa, with Fillis.

Sydney Deane, the well-known Sydney baritone, has gone to S'Africa.

Florence Seymour is down in Tasmania with her own company.

Pianist Harry Milburn, who came through with Roboext Henry's Dramatic Company some months back, is now teaching in Foxton.

From a very interesting article in Sydney Mail, by " Sylvan," headed " The Construction of a Mammoth Circus," I lake the following concerning Fitzgerald Bros.' great show: — " The circus and menagerie arrived by the Oonah on Thursday night at 10 o'clock, and was perfectly ready for the public long before thß doors opened on Saturday evening. Had it been necessary, the work could have been done in 12 hours, but the performance, as it stands, is great enough when the extent 01 the work is taken into account. Twelve lorries awaited the movable property at the wharf on tho morning after arrival, and while they were dexterously packed, animals were swung over the sides, cages unshipped, and, in fact, the whole phow was going at once. At the same time the ground was being surveyed and planned out, and the site wa» ready when the canvas arrived. Mr David Hardie, who makes the tents, and is the canvas feuperintendeut, had 30 men on the big performing tent, which is 170 ft long, 120Jt wido and 41ft in the centre

elevation. Then there were 20 men on ttFe menagerie tent, 170 ft by 110 ft. There "was no shouting of orders, and no extravagant use o'. the Australian or any other adjective. As sooit as the centre pieces of the tents were hauled up the interior seemed to fill with men, who dropped into then places and went straight, ahead with a hundred jobs at once. The magic ring, which now claims the attention of thousands of eyes each night, was being hollowed out, walled with planks, and prepared for the heavy hammering of hoofs it is to have during Fitzgerald Bros.' long season in Sydney. Sand will not bind in a ring, and a lot of clavhad to be wheeled in and placed here. I found Mr George Harmston, the equestrian directo-.-and wonderful horseman, raking soil and directing operations, assisted by Mr Charles* Burshall and other picked performers. Horses were required to trample the earth in so :• went down to the stables in Wattle street where the finest lot of performing horses ant/ pomes as yet got together in the world wort' undergoing a refreshing toilet. Mr Herbert; was in charge here. He has under him Mv John Coffey, stud groom, and 14 other groonm' Circus horses develop vtry captious and delicate appetites, and have to be most assiduous]'' tonded. The robust, musculai condition and beautiful polish on the equine performers art) the result of strict attention to dietetic rules^ A veterinary surgeon is always with the circus, and the farriery is carried out by permanently-i employed smiths. Tho horses are purchased personally by the Fitzgerald Bros., assisted W that most versatile performer, Mr F. M. Jonet":. The firm owns some 300 horse 3, about 150 ci which are in work. The equestrian ranks ar.J recruited casually, Mr Jones buying whenever he sees the sort he likes. At the stablesi,. Ll2 ■ zie's toilet was finished, and she was giving he.; chum Kitty a few finishing touches with tho I brush. The animals are always stabled in the best quarters that can be obtained, and lAI feed is selected by Mr' F. M. Jones. They are taken up daily foi rehearsals, matinees, and' j evening performances, and there arc often aomo unset scenes at the railway corner when t!i& traffic is lively. Returning to the tents oa Saturday morniug, I saw Mr Dan Fitzgerald's eight broncho horses waiting their turn for rehearsal, and had a too brief chat with Mr Jones about their breeding. Inside, Mr George I Harmston, in singlet and loose pants, was i«> hearsing his tumbling on horseback act. Othce ' turns ' were in progress, and between t>: -nx hcrßes were ridden on the surface of i,he rri-» torbreHk H into 'holding' form. Mr Nichoi\ son, Herr Zaph's assistant, and four men wt-ri ! fixing the great iron cage in which Herr Zapli performs with lion and elephant and tiger and; horse. Signer Lassien, in charge of the roeuaJ R«?Tio st^iff of eight men, was running in and clearing out the cages. They found pl«oty of willing volunteers in the boys, who werealloweif to come in and lend a hand. Away at tha ' stnge ' pnd of the performing tent grooms were getting harness and other gear ready, and tho dressing tents were going up undo* * , tho direction of Signor Bartolo and six aegistants. In the male performers' tent each had his own kit cleverly rigged so as to allow *pi changes, and with ' make-up ' boxes at haric'. Tho ladies had several tents for wardrobe and di easing purposes. It was Saturday "afternoon; and the long art muslin streamers were being run up—- 250 chairs, owned by the proprietary, were being placed, and the "finishing toucheswere becoming perceptible when I loft. The quietest man m the great space was Herr Yon. Der Mehden, general manager, yet he evidently knew, every detail of what was going forward. Vr'hen the last item was seen to he left, to Te. appear on the band platform that evening conducting an orchestra of 16 performers. Thus! the groat circus was put together, and many ot my readers know how perfectly the huge con-, cern runs every evening. Perhaps it is beca.iatf every person employed is well treated thai Fitzgerald Bros, accomplish such wonderful feats in moving and placing their enoruioaa show. First-class hotel accommodation is ia readiness for everyone, and other arrangements ' ahead ' are perfected by Messrs J. Morris and Frank Jones, principal agents, assisted by quite a bevy of helpers; and every opportunity for recuperation and rest is made the best i:se of for the benefit of the people who have to do the work." ' " Eoxind the World in 80 Days," a five-act dramatisation of Julch Verne's story, is being ployed at Sydney Opera House with the following cast: — Passepartout .. .. Mr Charles Maurica Phineas Fogg .. .. Mr W. J. Montgomery Thomas Flanagan .. .. Mr George Hcrrou John Sullivan .. .. Mr John K. Duucsrn Andrew Stewart .. .. Mr George Charles FLx (a detective) .. .. Mr Mark Macdenuott Archibald Coreican .. .. Mr K. Garton Mustapha Pasha, . . . . Mr Edtiiund Duggan Cromarty Mr G. Smith Tho Magistrate .. .Mr Ernest Archer The High Priest .. ..Mr Edward Sutton Abdul Akbar Mt Walter Vincent Aouda (a widow of an Indinn raiali} v Mdlle Lidiana Miska Nemea (Aoudn s sister) . . Miss Minna Phillip3 Margaret (a laundry maid) .. Miss May Ronno Nakahira (a slave) . . . . Miss Alice Colhver Vnlanda (a Malay girl) .. Mis 3 Clara Simmons Mrs Pitt '. Miss Katherine Scott This piece was last done in Sydney at tho Lyceum in February '94, when^Phineas Fogg was played by Charles Wheatleigh, who played the sump character at the old Queen's Theatre, Svttney. in the seventies. Wheatleigh died irj New York, February 14, 1895. Mr Harry Hall, " the comedian of the Wai* rarapa," and now with Montgomery's Triple Alliance Company, hails from Eketahuna. At the Wellington exhibition of two years back young Hnll secured a couplp of medals — one in the elocutionary contest and one in the comic singing. Then he joined the professional ranks, and has been going ever since, nightly securing double and treble encores — a fact which accounts foi his services always being io managers' demnnds. One night at Dreyerton, in tho WriraTana, Mr Hall was singing " His funeral's to-morrow," and ten minutes later ho was on his way to the hospital with a broken nose, which wns given him in the dnrk in mistake ior someone else. He has blown the name bugle — no, sung the same song — 3ince. " It's another colour now." — Yours truly, - BIS.

NEW MUSIC.— W. H. Paling and Co., limited. Sydney, send us a copy of Jones's " Second Barn Dance." Mi Jones is the composer of the original Barn Dance noticed in this column some time ago, and which has had so successshil a run in New Zealand. The second danci will be welcome to alternate with the original one, and being bright and sparkling, it is sure tc meet with a favourable reception throughout the colonies.

Laet week 7566 tons of coal were shipped from Westport, of which the Westport Coal Company sent away 6758 tons, and the Cardiff Company 808 tons. The approaching election of directors o! the A.M.P. Society is again exciting interest, among those who arc addressing the member! through our advertising columns being Mr F. E. Winchrombe. senior partner in the wellknown Sydney firm of Winchcombe, Carson, and Co., and Mi B. Short. The A.M.P is dealing more largely recently in advances on good pastoral holdings, and in this claw of business Mr Winchcombe's large experience in connection with such securities should be valuable Mr Short is already well known to New Zealand members ot the A.M.P., among whom he is regarded with guecial favour ~