STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 51

STAGE GOSSIP.

(Specially Written for the utago Witness.)

Mr Charles Arnold seems to have the fortune, good or otherwise, to strike South Africa in times of trouble and distress. During his last visit there, while he was fulfilling a successful engagement in Pretoria, the Jameson raid took place, and no one can say that his present tour of the Cape, which commenced on July 4 last, has not been attended with all sorts of- troubles and risks and dangers. The company opened at Johannesburg six months back, with that very successful play, "What Happened to Jones," and after a most successful season of 11 weeks Mr Charles Arnold and his clever company went on to Pretoria, where Broadhurst's farce caught on tremendously, even though the people were greatly unsettled, and commandeering was progressing briskly. At Port Elizabeth the company put up a record in theatrical visits, playing continuously for three and a-half weeks. Bis endeavoured to follow them on the regular show route, and in the ordinary course of events Queensjown should have been their next town, but uuring the latter end of their Port Elizabeth season war broke out, and they found themselves unable to proceed farther than Alicedale, as the Boers had destroyed the line a little beyond that place. Nothing daunted, Mr Arnold returned with his company to Grahamstown, and set out for Queenstown in mule waggons. Such pluck and enterprise was, as it deserved to be, entirely successful, and the company received big patronage at_ both Queenstown and East London. When the last mail left the company were playing to very large audiences at Scott's Theatre, Pietermaritzburg. Natal, where a lengthy repeitoire included G. H. Broadhurst's farce, " What Happened to Jones," Pinero's " The Amazons," a good adaptation of Dickens's "David Coppeifield," entitled "Little Em'ly," a, new comedy-drama, "Yesterday," "Captain Fritz," and '"Hans the Boatman." By the way, Natal prices are 6s, ss, 3s, and 2s, and 3gs for a piivate box. Mr (G. P. Hausmann) Yerto, a conjurer well known in Moaland (he received a gold medallion from Lord Glasgow for a Government House performanc3), had rather a thrilling experience t'other side recently. When the ±>roken Hill express vas about two miles fiom Mannahill, at about 1-2.40 a.m., a fire broke out in the smoking carnage which was occupied _by seven or eight men, and a lady with a child. The first alarm was given by a sleeping passenger, who suddenly found that hi 1 ; hand was being scorched. In a moment the greatest coniusion prevailed in the car, and the alarm was immediately communicated to the car behind, in which there weie 14 ladies and four or five men. Efioits weie made to secure the water bag at the rear of the car, but that was found impossible, as no one possessed -a. knife. Pannikins of water from the bag wote tin-own on the lire, which was gradually extending along the floor of the car. Mr Percy Vcito, of the Veito Vaudeville Company, and his troupe weie passengers *by the tram, and Mr Yeito climbed, at gieat risk, along the outside of the c.us to give the alarm to the guard, vho was altogether ignorant cf the affair. Mr Yeito had to tiavel along ■-even cars, and ths risk which he ian may be imagined when it is understood that on the outside of the sleemng car theie were no harrlKiils, and that he was compelled to hang on by the mouldings. He succeeded in. leaching the guaid, whom he found on the alert, md the brakes, were immediately applied and the train brought to a standstill. The and Mr Verto then, relumed to the car and assisted

■to put tlie fire out. Ait lough a, J ole a few feef square only ha been burnt m t 1 ? car, the appearance of the fire was alarming, and it is doubtful wild 1 the result •oulcl have been 1 if Mr Yerto had not given th«j warning to the guard. The ladies li- the car behind were terrified, and attempts were made by some of them to throw themselves out of the train. Ihe men had to thiow themseb" i in the doorways and use force to drive the fi antic women biek. During the confusion three or four of the ladies fainted. The particulars of the incident were explained to {lie General Traffic Superintendent at Adelaide, who greatly praised ilr Verto foi his coolness. Grenge Wilson leads the band with Macmahon's Lyceum Dramatic Company out West. Pel th is about the only capital in the Australias which will support ( wo vaudeville shows and allow a fairly. good dramatic company to starve. — Aigonaut. , Bis thanks Mr John J. Hodge ("One of theJays"), in advance of the W. J. Payne Family of -tsellrmgers, for a continuous supply of exphanges, bills of the play, 'grams, etc., during their 12 months' tour of the colonies and S' Africa just ended. Now that they have once more returned to Australia, I trust thai the Jay's interesting letters to "the Old Reliable" will still come as regular as of yore. 'They; are always welcomed. In reply to "Jones" : George H. Broadhurst, the author of the successful farce "What Hap- , loeiied to Jones," also wrote the three-act farce "Why Smith Left Home" (originally acted at Adrian, Mich., U.S.A., August 17, 1S38), an<3 the new American play "The Last Chapter." (2) Ihe last Bis heard of Adelaide Herrmann, widow of the famous magician, Herrmann the Gieat, was playing in New Yor,k City at the beginning of lt ; 90, when she w?3 appearing in a new and original act entitled " A Night in Japan," in which, according to the . New York Recorder, ''she made a pronounced success as a prestidigitatrice." Too much credit, wrote the New York Clipper, cannot be given this plucky little woman, thiough whose energy and skill tha art of magic has been kept up to the highest standard obtained for the mystic art by her late husband. To Adelaide Herrmann is dud the credit of placing before the public Leon Herrmann, on whose shouldeis the mantle has so gracefully fallen. Herbert Lindon, a Wellington (M. L.) boy (byname Levoi), is playing Count Paul in "Hands Across the Sea" with Maud Williamson ami' Alfred Woods, who are touring South Australia. Mr William Anderson bosses the show, and, calls "Salary!" A son of dramatic critic Clement Scott is" at the front m S' Africa, where also aie two Bulletin bards, "The Breaker" Morant ancT "Banjo" Paterson. Mr Walter Dalgleish became a happy father last Boxing Day. Mrs Dalgleish (nee Miss Dolan.,well known Tassy way) is now resident in Auckland. According to a writer in the Sunday Times Mr Edwin Geach, the well-known Australian manager (who is now in the north with Dante), on behalf of a Melbourne syndicate, cabled to Mr Winston Churchill, who has been so conspicuous during the present South African campaign, offering him d£2oo a week for a lecturmg tour through Australia. Mr Churchill, however, replied that home duties and Imperial prospects prevented his acceptance. Harry Trevorah, at one time well known with the .Koyal Comic's, recently played Dick Dead-> eyo m "H.M.S. Pinafore' with the Albert Fairbairn Operatic Society at Adelaide Royal. Echvard Reeves, elocutionist, teaching in Adelaide, carries a private secretary. Hugh Wilson, last in Moaland with AlfrecJ, Woods, was at latest stage managing Macmahon's Sydney Lyceum Dramatic Company, at Freemantle, W.A. Among the performers were Mrs Harrie Marshall, Misses Daisy Strathmore and Alice May, Messrs Leo de Chateau, P. Y. Scully, C. M. Keegan, Bert Bailey, and E. Mi. Bcres'ford, all well known on this side. Krao, the missing link, half woman and half monkey, and the "United Chinese Twins, "the only two similar human beings on the face of the earth,' are amongst the attractions at the ! Royal Aquaiium, London. Rose Dearing, out here with Carl Hertz and the Fairy Four, is starring at the London Halls. Perth Argonaut inquires if Tom Pollard's Opera Company ever intend visiting Wo-tralia. Perhaps Manager Fred Duval will reply. The Era says that "Eva Clements is the 1 Nellie Farren of Australia," which remark i 3 very absurd; so Perth Argonaut asks "Who is Eva Clements?" What has Eva. done tq deserve this? J. F. Petherick, the well-known agent, madei his first appearance on the Wellington (M.L.) stage as the Queen's Counsel in the farce "A Judge for a Day" with Fuller's Waxworks Vaudeville Company at the Choral Hall last week. As prosecuting attorney, "Jimmy" was such a huge success that starring engagements poured in, but he was compelled to decline, being booked for the next century. Alexandra, the Australian Blondin, is giving" exhibitions in Wellington, assisted by La Sure, trapezist. ' Harry Hooper (the only one, of "See that my grave's kept green" fame) continues battling with a huge smile with his Colossophone Vaudeville Company. The "Colosso" is the fines* 'phone that ever reached the back blocks, yet it doesn't draw its freight charges^ E. F. Gallaugher, through Moaland with. Wybert Reeve's Cinematograph, and Alfred Woods, is assistant business manager for Weiif and Ancelon at Sydney Criterion, where Joa Sturgeon is assistant mechanist, and the company includes Johnson Weir, Harry Diver, "Jack" Sweeney, E. B. Russell, Fanny Wiseman, and May Melville. Harry Crawford, " the limber legged coon," ia an inmate of the Wellington Hospital, suffering from rapid consumption. Charles Fanning seems to be making a do of it with his Vaudeville show at Sydney Opera House, where the artists are Walter Reed in. the centre, Johnny Cowan, Ted Sutton, Harry C'arlton, and Charles Fanning on the corners, Lillie Linton, Hetty Patey, Mabel Lynne, Sisters Gallardy, Georgie Devoe, Millar Fraser, and Arthur Crane. " The two X's — Kingsley and Kerr — do their old-time bicycle act of '89, and Charles Fanning, gives an amusing burlesque on the world's juggler and balancer, entilled " Paul Kruger Smk-in-the-Valley." " Thespian ' • The la,l Bis heard of T. V, Twinning was at Honolulu in June last, when he was toui ing Sydney H. Morse, " the Orient teroi," and Mis Blanche Boyer. Norn Rickards has joined the Vaudeville ranks, and ir tikes a hit at oydney Criterion with th-> patriotic specialty, "So-iebody has -to go to the front," while " Australia's Greatest, etc., etc., etc., ptc, (Pa) wrestles with " The Absentminded Beggar. ' In Rickards's Tivoli Company (now at Sydney Criterion) there are 33 performers, one third beuig imported artista. Rickards hopes to open his new Tivoli Theatre Saturday, April 14. Mat Northcole's merry little paity — Nita Bcresford, Amy Vaughan, Harry Baxter, and Jnmes Driscoll, are having a short rest in Wellington, awaiting the cleaiance, per s.s. louie, o£ the latent Tiansvaal war pictures. Mr Harry Abbott, the evei-smiling advance of this httla money spinner, 13 having a sore time with the after effects of influenza, also the other members of the company. So the short week's rest will do these busy bees no harm. — Yours tiuly.

Influenza cured by taking a few dose. Tusbicura ; write for testimonials ; it will do all that ia clainipd for iU