STAGE GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 51

STAGE GOSSIP.

(Specially Written tob the Otago Wit-

H. M. Imano, here with the Royal Comics, is playing the halls at Home.

In a Moaland city last week there arrived a mummer with a thirst and — threepence. Apprc aching a trio of acquaintances he said, producing a threepenny bit, " This is all I have ; will you shout me a drink?" "If you go down pa your knees and beg for it," replied one jokingly, " I'll shoiit for you.'' And the mummer got down Dn his knees, and secured a butcher. . Wright — Edie and Sid Doody signed with John Fuller and Sons for six weeks, but remained for six months.

" THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STAGE !" Only a murmur as the actor died - From parted lips, yet ripe with laughter, crept. He wept not for the fading past, nor sigh'd To leave the present : as we watched he slept. The old sad smile, softer than any song, Came back for one short moment, as the cage Of life was closing; then he spoke: "They're wrong ! The wioiig side of the stage!" Old dying friend, were you then wandering Back to the busy scenes of industry ? Was it some melody you tried to sing? Or happy memory was passing by? Did you desire, haif-dreaming, to prolong The fancies of a lifetime, and enjoy, Once more in recollection, moaning, " Wrong ! The wiong side of the stage!"

Or was it — yes, it must have been — old friend, Bright golden mirrors you were looking through ? When ail cte&ire of life was at an end,

Visions of happiness appeared to you, And as your tired thoughts were borne along, From merry childhood to advancing age, You thought of those you left, and said, "They're wrong! The wion'g side of the stage!"

Reply to '" Tom Noddy " : You have mixed two peGple of the same surname — Thomas Hallanj and William Hallam. Bis doubts if Thomas Hallam ever acted in America. At any rate I can find no record of his ever being there. Another thing, Thomas Hallam died on May 10, 1735. Charles Mackhn and Thos. Hallam were playing m a farce entitled " Trick for Trick '" at Druiy Lane Theatre. In the scene room they quarrelled about Ihe possession of a wig. Halfam gave ixp the wig to Macklin, "but continued to grumble at him; Macklin, m a passion, thrust a stick he was holding through his eye, and the unfortunate Hallam died within 24 hours. Macklin was acquitted of the charge of murder, and was soon afterwards received at Drury Lane " with affectionate applause" when he reappeared as Ramilie, in Fielding's " Miser." Now to the question at issue. — The first English actor to visit America was William Hallam. He and his band ol players set tip their stage in Wilhamsburgh, Va., in 1752, 17 years after Thomas Hrllam's death. Their first presentation, and the first play acted in America, was " The Merchant of Venice." It was some considerable time after that "the great" George Frederick Cooke appeared. Cooke died under the Stars and Stripes, and his remains repose m St. Paul's Churchyard, New York, the place of interment being marked by a monument " erected by his devoted friend, Edmund Kean."

Latest London song hits : '' The lion wags his tail," " Hands across the blue," '" Band of ihe Rum Pum Pahs," " The absent-minded bounder," " Oh, what a night to get your hair cut," " I'd like to have a share in that," " How did he know that I was going to bump?"

In an eight months' tour of the British Isles til's big Barnum and Bailey -show turned over piofit of £37,428 (vide recent interim report). And yet the directors of Barnum and Bailey, Limited, view this result as " short of "their anticipations." From the company's cash account, issued November 11, I note that they have a balance of £60,762. Independent of this £25,777 was distributed in a dividend on October 9. Notwithstanding the fact that the receipts have fallen in excess of the directors' anticipations the " greatest on earth " goes on a two years' continental tour, for which a sum of £2469 has already been expended in printing.

G-irly Earl(y) Yarmouth recently set New York society buzzing over a snub given him by the Duke of Manchester. The Earl sent a card to the Duke while the latter was rehearsing in a play in which he was to appear with some other amateurs. On receiving Lord Yarmouth's card, the Duke said to the messenger : " I don't care to see him. He has no right here; he is a professional."

THE AMATEUR'S MOTTO—" ON THE NIGHT !" Air — "I've got a little list!" — "Mikado." I like those clever amateurs' who, when re- . hearsing, say, " We'll do it on the night ! We'll do it on the night!" Who answer when they're told again to turn the other way, " Oh, we shall be all right ; yes we shall be all right!" Who make mistakes persistently, and make them by the score, Who will their little " biisiness " and their byplay quite ignore, Who come m at wiong entrances, just as they did before, And try to make an exit through a firmly-but-toned door! And tell their wretched manager, " We know it wasn't right, But — watch us on the night! Just see us on the night I" And then the gifted gentleman who never, knows his part, Bui will do it on the night; he'll know it on the night! Who says he likes to read it thro' to get it off by 1 heart! Oh, you can tiust him quite! Yes, you may trust him quite! And then that awful nuisance who " just wishes to suggest," Who argues with his manager, and thinks he knows what's best, Who's had so much experience that he can

teach the rest, And carries friendly critiques in the pocket of his vest ; Oh! he's a perfect paragon, and so be easy quite, He'll " knock 'em "on the night! He'll '• knock 'em" on. tha night L

And then the girl that gabbles so that no onff ■ understands, You'll hear her on the night! She'll speak up cm the night! The girl who has no pocket?, and so cannot hide her hands, She'll u«e them both all right! She's sura to be all right! And then the lady horror, who conies half ancl

hour late, Who's " really very sorry, but she quite forgot the date!" Or else it's some appointment, and " she feara she cannot wait, For if she did not go they'd be in such a dread-

iul state!" But one rehearsal more or less is unimportant, quite ! She'll tiinll them on the night! Surprise them on the night!

An attraction around London is Casselo, " the hi.man gasometer," who blows 6ft flames from his mouth.

Hate Howarde— here in the seventies — is in, Westralia, playing " Current Cash," under the title " Soldiers of the Queen." Should Bentley come to Moalind his repertoire will include " David Garrick," " The Bells," " The Silver King," " A Wife's Peril," " His Life for Mine," and " Hamlet." John J. Kitson, whs was in advance oE Hogan's Minstrels for seven months, has returned home and intends teaching step-dancing and running a stock vaudeville show during the winter in the Empire City. Anyone knowing the whereabout of Verto, the conjurer, will oblige by informing, — Youra truly,

BIS. LP&nnanent address: G-.P.0., Wellington. 3ST. Z.]

New Music— "Boys, rally round the Union Jack" is the title of a lively patriotic song prompted by the 'enrolment of the New Zealand contingents for the Transvaal. The words are by Mr O. De 0. Williams, and the music by Mr Percy Kehoe, musical director of the Bland Holt Company. Music and words are printed on card, and these are now <on sale at Braithwaite's Book Arcade.