A MELBOURNE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2426, 12 September 1900, Page 54

A MELBOURNE LETTER.

Arrivals.

(By Onlooker.) MELBOURNE, August 27.

Dear Pasquin, — We have had such a season ot theatrical dissipation in Melbourne since I wrote you last, on 18th inst., that I don't know how I'm going to get space in your columns to tell you about all the grand anel delightful pieces I have had the pleasure of seeing dm ing the past week. Quick changes have supplied theatre-goers with all sorts and conditions of tragedy, comedy, anel drama, andi I must say, if I were a married man with iti family, my wife or children would not have seen me at home at night after 7.30 p.m., throughoiit the, week just gone; so, perhaps, it's as well I am single, otherwise I might have missed a little of the very digestible dissipa-~ tion. lhey say Melbourne theatre patrons are the hardest people in Australasia to cater for; but, by jingo, if they have not one and all been; catered for lately, to each's own taste, then, all I can say they never deserve to see another; play here. The fact is, theatrical caterers have spoilt the public in Marvellous Melbourne, anel' gjivei! them too many good things all in a rush, and they'll find that it's a mistake, and! doesn't pay in the long run. Of course, opposition is at the root of it all, for the proprietors of the conjuanies glaring at Hsr 2J&>

jesty's, the Princess's, and the Eoyal Theatres have been i turning changes of bill for rll ihej're worth; but it is nothing to tha competition there will be between J. C. Williamson and George Musgrove when the lattei opens at the Princess Theatre in about six weeks' time. New Zealand theatre patron?, who have not been outside any of their own cities, to places like Melbourne or Sydney, and have been accusiomed to having only one theatre m each city, and that not always m use, will hardly realise what it is to have four big shows running all the year as we have here — Kance O'Neil, Brough Company, Anderson Dramatic Company, and Eickards' Variety Company at the Bijou Theatre. By the way, I had the pleasure of escorting to some of our Big theatres a week or so ago, three of four of your returned wounded soldiers. They included Lance-corporal Wilson (Timaru), Trooper Fahey (Invercargill), and Trooper Shand (Christchurch), who all seem delighted ■with the shows they saw, and they had a very large variety, I can tell you.

Well, I had better get to work, and give you a graphic account of what I've seen between the 18th and 25th inst. To begin with: On Monday, 20th, I went once more to see the lovely American tragedienne (Nance O'Keil) in *' Tess of the D'Urbervilles,' and I was more impressed than, before with the fact that it is a glorious play, and is the next best in her repertoire of plays to " Camille." Miss O'Keil as Te3s is simply chaxming, and the moral ineu -can _learn fioin eucli a piece would, 1 think, do them as much good as 50 sermons.

Oai Wednesday and Thursday, 22nd and 23rd insfc., we had two revival performances of Sudeiman's great play ' Magda," with the same xesiilt as before, i^acked houses, vccidei'ul e.pplause, and the success which attended Miss O'Neil's efforts in the pievious productioii3 of the tragedy. On 2-lth inst. I witnessed Ibsen's famous " Hedd&'Gpbler," put on for one performance only. This was the play lhat brought in the J&00 odd, which Miss O'Keil so generously donated to the Melbourne Hospital. Again, as Hedda Gabler, the talented actress scored a triumphant success, but give me " Camille - or " Tess." I am quite satisfied with Nance O'Noil in either of these works, and I consider her a born artiste of the first water.

On Saturday evening last Maria Lovoll's fheact play " Ingomar ' was staged for three nights and one matinee periornuuice, lntrocUicing Miss O'Neil as Partnenia. I hope to have the pleasure of seeing it to-night, and will report my ideas on it anon. Wednesday evening next (29th) is, I legrei to say, the last night of her x^resent season at Her Majesty's, when a specially grand programme will bo put forward of four acts from tiifferent plays, they being " The Jewess, ' m -which Nance O'Neil will take Lgah; "Oliver Twist," in which we shall see her as Nancy Sykes ; " Guy Mannering, when she will play Me Merrilees, and last, one act from " Ingoinar," Miss O'Keil playing Paithema. Consequently on Miss ON oil's farewell performance we shall be able to see her mtcipxcUilion of four characters. Admirers oE the young artzess will greatly miss her, but it is almost ceitain' we sliall have her back at no distant date under J. C. W. Her Majesty's will be closed for two this week,' and on Saturday ncxt_l\ir Williameoi is staging the -great rage " 'inlby " lot- <\ short season with his dramatic i-ompany. Mi&s ISdith Crane will play Trilby, Mr Tyrore Power SveTigali, and Mr Cecil Waid Zon Zou. Melbourne folk will give " Trilby ' another grand welcome, and piobably go us mad as diey< diJ on its first pioduction. 1 '-Trilby " ire-ill be followed by "Secret Service/ and other popular pieces. ' Brough Comedy Company.— Mr Brough with his usual geneiopily has spared no expense in giving us "some ox the very best nnd moss modern comedies, and it is to the disci edit of Melbournitcs that he has not met with the support and succe.-.s he so fully descives. . for instance, during last week the Brcugh Cornpan]/ gave us ' The Buxtozi Burglary."! -The Liars," "' Niobe,' "'Dandy Dick," iird | on Saturday evening I saw them in A Village Priest, ' which I consider is one of Mr Brcugh's best productions put forwaid this season. Mr Brough' s portrayal of I/Abbe Bu- j Lois was a glorious piece of work, and I never | saw him to bettei advantage. Mis Biough j (who, I am sorry to say, is not looking her old j dear self, but very thin and anx.ous-lcokiug; | took ,the part the Countess to perfection. Thp company's seasoj. m Melbourne concludes tonight' with a performance oi "The j Tyianny of Tears." They then lea-.-e j for Ballarat, and play , a few nights there. ; Then on to "Western Australia i'or a sho.t season, leaving immediately after it for a tour thicugh China and India. In Mr Allan Hamilton's absence I saw Mr E. B. Manning, Mr Brcugh's very genial acting manager, this morning, and he tells me the company will he back in Australia in 12 months' time. I am sure they have Pp squill's, as well as Onlocker's be&t wishes for a big season, and Tin certain many New Zealand admirers wish Mr and Mrs Brough every success, and will ■welcome them right royally to dear old Maoriland next year, for Mr and Mrs B. are veiy fond of your colony and its fine people who svpport them in a real genuine manner.

Anderson Dramatic Company. — Mr Anderso;i is still doing " big biz " at the Royal, and met with tremendous suppoit with '" The Orphan Heiress, which, after a run of three weeks, gave place on Saturday night to the military drama, "' Serving the Queen, ' which has every promise of being as popular as any of the previous plays put forwaicl by Mr Anderson, who says he has abandoned the idea of sending a company to New Zealand till about March next, owing to dates not being available till then. Holloway lost a good man in William Anderson, who, as I 3aid in a previous letter, will come up on top m the sweet lay-and-bye as a theatrical caterer. Mr Johnnie Sheridan will probably be back in Melbourne for a brief season after " Serving the Queen " has been taken oft".

Much speculation has gone on lately as to ■what Mi George Musgrove is going to open with at the Princess's in six weeks' time. It lias been kept very quiet as to what is to be played,, but there is no doubt comic opera i< the lion and " Faust " the opera chosen to open with. The Princess Theatre will be closed for six weeks after. the Broughs leave vs to undergo elaborate and extensive alterations. For Christmas the great " George " is going to give us " pantomime " with the evergreen and popular Nellie Stuart on the Mellourne boards again. What a welcome she will get! The boys will, I'm sure go ba'my, and our, Collins street johnnies arc such " Angoras " •when they get ratty over an actress that they'll stop at nothing.

I don't think there is a more popular and obliging manager in New Zealand or Australia than Mr George Talks, J. C. Williamson's Melbourne business manager. Mr Tallis is eveiy inch of him n gentleman tc both the public and piofes&ional, and it is always a treat to have a confab with h mi , but he's such a busy man about his mastei's interests that one gets him seldom disengaged to have a good talk with him. He admits that Mr Williamson's season so far at Her Majesty's lias been all they could desire. I saw Joe St. Clair one day last week at Her Majesty's looking as fat ancl fair as ever. He is evidently sticking to J. C. W. I legict" to leai n to-dpy that Mr William Andersonj of the Anderson Dramatic Couipaii^j

is seriously indisposed, having met with a nasty accident in getting oft" one of our tram cais, and he has as well a very heavy colel to add to his troable. He is such p bright light abcait the " Royal," and is quite missed.

On Sattuday evening last (25th m&t.) at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Mr J. C. Williamson celehipted another birthday, but his age I fo.get, yet he is good enough for another long lease of life. He entertained the " Rose of Peisia " company on Satuiday evening to a bi-j supper, and m the course of his lemarks said he would be visiting London and New York next year m search of new blood for the Australian stage. G oocl luck to him, I say '

Just as I am iiisUmg off to the boat with my budget, two New Zealand invalided soldiers have called on me who returned fiom South Africa by the s.s. Wilcania, which airived yesterday. They are Troopei E. Bennett (second contingent), Ashburton ; and Trooper De Lorey. They arc going to visit the Brough or Nance O'Neil Company with me to-night, and leave for Sjdney to-morrow, en loufe for New Zealand. Kindly send word x\r> the coast about their return, and say they are both looking Al at Lloyd's.