STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2370, 3 August 1899, Page 47

STAGE GOSSIP.

(Spicia"li.t Written for thx Otago Witness.)

T)ear Pasquin,— At a small town in the J "wild and woolly went" of the States a pianist constitutes the entire orchestra. He -wa3 in gaol for theft recently when a dramatic company happened along, but the sheriff, being a man of deep artistic sensibilities, kindly allowed the orchestra to play under the close surveillance of a constable. Dante-the Great, interviewed at Perth : My first performance was given when I was quite a child, with a lounge for a stage and a shawl for a curtain. At that time there was a spiritualistic craze, and I ÜBed to get manifestations when I was tied with ropes, so that some people thought that I was a genuine medium, but I wasn't. I took to appearing as an amateur at benefits, and >then "managers began to make me offers, and I was finally persuaded by my brother-in-law, who was a theatrical manager, to take up conjuring as a, profession. The beginning of my professional career, which has lasted only four or five years, ■was the exposure of a spiritualist. My friends laird a wager that I would do all that he did, and I won the wager for them. For three years I travelled all over America and then the war •with Spain broke out, and it was partly this -which led -to my coming to this country. I •was appearing at Seattle, in the Klondyke region, when the news of -Dewey'B victory ariiv»a. All the seats had been sold foi that night, "but the people wouldn't come to the theatre. They were out in the streets, celebrating "tie victory with bonnres and brass bands. The money '-was in <the 'house, but not the audience. , 3?hiß "didn't -suit me; so I visited Canada, and .played in Victoria, Vancouver, and . then I .sailed for Australasia.' For some time I had been..anxibus' to Bee -these iparts, because I hate travelling always in the same country. I am ambitious to see the world. Wellington (N-.Z.) was the first Australasian 4own I reached, but as the weather 'had been xough, and .some' of the members of the company were mot ignite up to ihe mark, I went on to Christchurch, ! and afterwards toured the whole 'D'f New .Zea- . land. It is one of the greatest show countries on eattih. You have heard ahout my record, season of 101 nights at the Palace Theatre, ' Sydney— a -very nice house, out one -winch hafi I aev«l JQftld and I was iaid that I had. mada a

mistake in going there. Sixty-eight -nights in Melbourne followed. Victoria Coffee Palace, Sydney, 17/7/99. Dear Bis, — Just a line or two to let you know that I still exist. Arrived safe and sound, although not too grand coming over. We had a fair -wind; the poor old Wakatipu was battling along in a gale bound for Wellington. We — the passengers on the Monowai — were jolly glad we were not going the same way. Theatrically, things are not too "bright in Sydney. M'Adoo's new combination played a threeweeks' season at the Palace Theatre, but did not catch on. 1 saw the last performance at the theatre, and thought it " nothing grand." An unfunny coloured gerrtleman tries i;o force jokes on the audience — jokes that were dispensed when- we were babes. The cake walk so much talked about is anything, but interesting. A cake is given to the couple gaining most applause from the audience. The M.C., who is a good dancer, advances, and, with a few grotesque movements, bids each couple try— rather quaint, but when about 12 couples ! dance, each one being almost an imitation of the other, it becomes tedious. Needless to say, the comedian gains the verdict with the assistance of his "yaller girl." Curtis's Afro-American Cake-walkers are at the Criterion Theatre, and it is a toss-up which is the better. One of M'Adoo's people is -a wonder, called the " Human Frog," and I might say he is marvellous. Curtis has a comedian -named Edward Hogan — and a comedian of the first .-water, quaint, original, and his patter beautiful. lam rather -bard, but I laughed, at Hogan till the tears roHed t>ff the end of my nose. He is a treat! Harry Conor's new production has been a successful failure at Her Majesty's ; hence " A Trip to Chinatown " has been revived, Rickards's Tivoli show booming; Harry j leaves for Europe, via America, shortly to se- ) cure ti<w talent. j Charlie Holloway, doing fair "business at the Lyceum, has been laid up for the last week. Saw and had a chat to Walter Bentley last -week. He goes to Melbourne to-night under engagement to Williamson and Musgrove, and opens at the Princess Theatre as "Wilfred Den--y'er in " The Silver King " for a fortnight, then I back to Sydney to play in " The King's MuskeI teers." I believe that Richelieu contemplates a tour of Moaland again. What <do you say? [Certainly. Let 'em all come. — Bis.] The Opera House people close to-night, and give a benefit to Mr Josephson their manager. Phil Newbury (Ye gods! "successor to Sims Reeves!") is mixing it by running "bob" Pops and teaching singing at £1 a time. -Oh ! Sims! Alfred, the Great Woods, and two members ] of his company were fined £14 for assaulting a dramatic critic at the Towers because he wrote rather a strong article on the acting 'capabilities of the members. Hot! George Rignold is playing in Brisbane, and doing good business in " Othello," " Three Muaketeors," and other pieces. j Old Jimmy West has cried peccavi at the i Royal Standard. Last " Commonwealth divi- ! dends" in the suburbs: North Shore., Is 6d; j Waverley, 1 s 6d ; other places equally -as good. ! No wondei Jimmy got tired enough to make I ■ a man walk lame. "* Frank Garrett (of Wellington) has not quite recovered from the '■shock he received on seeing Sydney, and thinks the' place " wonderful " after Oriental Eay, Kaiwarra, and the Esplanade. He is quite at home, and stopping with Host ' Smith at the Arcadia. I may go through to Srnellbourne on Tuesday. Regards to " the only Mick " and the Witness Tohoa. — Yours truly, G. X. S. Perhaps the first daring attempt to put a journalistic Bohemia into a play was that of Robertson in " Society," where Tom Stylus and his good felloes were happy together over the projected " Morning Earthquake." Mr Sydney Grundy did much the same thing in " An Old J«w," "but it wa-s a_bitter satire he levelled at the press in the ill-thinking and ill-living scrib- ■ biers of his Moonlight Club. Journalists, however, have rarely been made to cut an heroic I figure in plays, one of the few exceptions being that of Allan Villiers, in "The Red Lamp." Recently a drama- called " Tho War Correspon- , dent" gave Londoners another opportunity of ! seeing a pressman in a conspicuous place, the play boiag founded on the novel of Mrs George Coibett. " The Physician," Henry Arthur Jones's . four-act play, received it 3 first Australian production at Sydney Royal, Saturday, July 15. The full cast : — " THE PHYSICIAX."" Dr Lewin Carey Mr Joseph Came Walter Amphiel Mr W. T. Lovell Rev. Peregrine Hindo Mi Brough Dr Brooker „ . Mr Reginald Dartrey Stephen Gurdon Mr Mario Majeroni James Hebbings Mr Leslie Victor John Dibley Mr Hards Viccars Mr M'lntyre Eduna Hinde , Miss Temple Mrs Bowclen „. Miss Ada Rochefort Mrs Dibley Miss Laura Hanley Louisa Pack Miss Evelyn Martheze Marah Gnrdon (a child) „ Miss Edie Massey Saunders (Valerie's maid) Miss Beatrice Moppett Lizzie (Vicarage servant) Miss Winifred Austin Lady Valeric Camville Mrs Brough From the Newcastle (K.S.W.) Herald, July 17:— VICTORIA THEATRE. HENRY DRAMATIC SEASON". LOST PROPERTY.— A large number of Articles of Wearing AppaTel LOST IK THE CRUSH on Saturday Night may be obtained by the owners supplying correct descriptions to the Caretaker. A capital likeness of Mr Edwin Auburn Geach appears in a recent issue of Brisbane Sportsman, accompanied by the following note : — '' Mr Edwin Geach, who is now in this city in the capacity of business manager <of the FJying Jordans Vaudeville Company, is well known and highly popular throughout Australasia anafhe East, and has built up a name as a smart and up-to-date theatrical pilot second to none in Australia. For many years he was • Daddy ' Lohr's first lieutenant, and in that connection came to be known as ' the second whitest man in front,' his urT»ane chief j-nst beating him by a short neck in the race for popularity and esteem, and thus securing the distinction of being the ' whitest man. 1 Latterly Mi Geach has struck out for himself, and has piloted Carl Hertz and the Jordans on long tours through Asia with honour to himself and success to the shows. Mr Geach is very popular with newspaper men and all others wno 'have business relations -with him, -and is a model of what a theatrical ' advance ' man should be. Here's to him." . * > Dear Bis,— : The statement stall goes round that" Edwin Auburn Geach, "one of the two' ■ whitest men in front," -returns to the East in September. But the attraction .he takes there is not mentioned. Why not Dante the 'Great'? ' — Yours truly, ■GIBLET &TJLLIVAN, Esq. It is very evident that the popularity .of Robert Henry' b Dramatic Company with the Australian playing public is mot diminishing. The company .opened its return tour at the Victoria Theatre, Kewcastle (5T.5.W.), and played a 'most successful. Reason. Of the .final performance, the local Herald. says: — " Iv the hisjtou of the Victoria Theatre there has not beep

1 such a vast audience and such a scene of wild - I excitement as on Saturday evening at our playhouse. Shortly after 6 o'clock Perkin street was crowded from the theatre to Hunter street by people who made sure to get a seat by ' coming early,' and in order to relieve the rapidly 1 growing pressure, and prevent the possibility of injury to life or limb, the doors were opened , about 20 minutes before the advertised time. The management made every endeavour to admit the vast throng, but this was only partially ' attained, and not without much discomfort. Before 7.30 the building was densely packed by nearly 2000 persons, several hundreds having to stand throughout the evening. Literally, there was not an inch of standing room in the i whole building. All the passages were I thronged; among the seatless being many lai dies. "Long before the curtain rose on the first act the- great crowd seeking admission ' had to be blocked at the main entrances by the police, and nearly a thousand persons had~to be turned away disappointed. The bill for tlie final performance was "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN." Uncle Tom .. Robert Henry ' George Harris .. .. J. R. Goodall Simon Legree W. J. Coulter Yon Tromp .. .. .. .. Andrew Hodge Mr St. Clair 3 „ H. N. Douglas Marks »„ Charlie South Sambo .. „. .. .. .. „ .. J. D. Stoyle i Aunt Chloe .. E. Humphries Eva .. .. „ „ ». ... .„ Ruth Newing Aunt Ophelia .. *. „ ... .. Laura Keene Bn^ Harris J. _ Kathleen Raleigh Mrs 'Shelby „„ .. .. Dora Mostyn Topsy Billy Howarde Miss Elizabeth Watson; Bland Tlolt's leading lady, after' a three years' Australian tour,' returns Home early in August. Miss Henrietta Watson (sister of Elizabeth) is thus pictured by Adelaide Critic : — " Distinctly a woman of culture, with a refined bearing, a graceful well-set figure, and an intellec- - tual head prettily poised on a parr of shoulderß the beauty of which the bedchamber scene in ' The King's Musketeer ' renders generally visible. Her face is brightly animated as she speaks, and displays strength of character and the necessary mobility of features. ' Harry Rickards's Tivoli artists now work eight performances in six days— Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Ida Holbein, at Sydney Tivoli, has mastered the mandolin since her last visit to Moaland. Harry Barrington, Jim Moonev, Hamilton Hill, Violet Bishop, Fred Duncan Charley Cogill, Harry Shine, all well known this way, are aJso at the Tivoli. Herr Florack (through-- Moaland I forget how I long ago) was musical diiector for F. J. Josephson's Comedy Company during their late season at Sydney Opera House. The love tragedy of Mr and Mrs Othello, as told by Bill Shakespeare, and illustrated on the stage by the George Rignold Company, did not awaken much interest in Brisbane, and that : serious drama is not to the taste of the majoj rity of our playgoers was evidenced by the re- ; grefctably small audiences whirh witnessed | "Othello" during its six-nights' run at the ! Opera House. The people -who patronise plays I in this city evidently much prefer the good old " thud-and-Jjlunder " melodrama. They like to have the horrors thick, The heroine pursued, A comic man who is a brick, A Hebrew, and a dude. They like a tank, a mimic flood, A -railway smash or two, ■ A murder, fire, and lots of blood, A pair of lovers true. They like a villain steeped in crime, A woman with a "past," A hardened convict doing " time," A girl who's rather "fast." They like sensation hot and strong, ' A hero bound in chains, I A heroine who can't do wrong, I But draw the line at brains. | Baby Harry Cowan, well known in Moaland, ! is now resident at Ipswich (Q.). j During xv recent entertainment given by ! Dante the Great in one of the Melbourne su!>- | urbs, he bad occasion to borrow several articles i from the audience, one among them being a j bank note. Coming down to his audience, he • . asked: " Will anybody lend me a£s note?" A , I Jewish gentleman, who had been watching the J performance -with great eagerness, auddeniy jumped up and exclaimed: "I vill — vhat on?'' J. B. Watson, who came tc Australia under engagement to Williamson and Mnsgrovp to pro- > i duce " The Gay Parisienne " and " The French i Maid," returned with Mrs W»t3on 1o London last week in R.M.S. Oruba. Also Ada Ferrar. Most likely J. B. Watson will return to Australia, at an early date with new pieces for \V. and M. ' " Our Native Home," a five-act sensational play by Charles Wliitlock and James Sargent, received its first Australian production by . ■ Charles Holloway's company at Sydney Lyceum en Saturday, July 22. j. I T. 11. Rainford, the veteran .basso of the • Lyster Opera Company, is singing at Phil Newbury's Pops at Sydney Town Sail. The Greenwood Family, with Maribel as JuI liet, gave a performance of Romeo and Juliet I for the "benefit of Sydney Hospital at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday, July 25.— "Sours truly, I ' bis: i