MELBOURNE NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 55

MELBOURNE NOTES.

By Onlooker. Dear Pasqum, — AYe are having in Melbourne at the piesent time what this scribe can truthfully term a surfeit or picnic of shows, and it speaks well for the theatre-going public's state of riches when showmen can flock into Melbourne and run about a dozen different peiformances at the same time. Competition certainly seems the "life of trade" 111 the theatrical world. For , instance, we have the Musgrove Grand Opera Company at the Princess, "Florodora" at Her Majesty's, Bland Holt with "In Sight of St. Paul's," Rickards's Tivoh Company at the Bijou, J. C. W.s BioTableau at the Athenaeum Hall, which is a very exceUent entertainment, the latest pictures comprising scenes fiom "Florodora" and the Sydney Commonwealth festivities , but the magnificent films of our late Queen's funeral ceitamly force one to admit they arc the best, and make him feel as if he really saw the sad spectacle. Dick Stewart, jun , who made himself so popular in Maonl n nd when managing the Crane-Power Company, is manager of the BioTableau, whilst an old Dunedimte 111 Mr George Matheson is treasuier. Dick Stewart promises to be one of the biggest "jiggers" in helping us to start our "Pakeha Association" in Melbourne successfully. Dick has granted us the use of the hall the show is in for any afternoon to call meetmg3 of Maonlanders together. He has a great liking for New Zealanders, and was one of tne first members oi the Mother Lodge (New Zealand Imps), joining it at Christchurch m 187S, formed solely for the entertainment of the travelling professionals, and (added Dick feelingly) it was a dastardly shame such a society was allowed to die off. So say I, but I hope and trust our Pakeha Club will not terminate so. Then a-gam Rodnej r , with Fred Dawson as manager, is doing Al biz, but, unfortunately, ho was suffering for four or five nights with, a bad throat, and could not show. His suburban tour starts this week. The Grand Opera Company at the Princess is as lovely m its work as before, and as I gave you an account of the work done 111 the operas last year, it is unnecessary to mention anything about the reproduction performance of "Carmen," "Bohemian Girl," "Lohengnn.' and '"II Trovatore." So fai I have only been abV to go and see ' xne Bohemian Girl" and "II TlOvatore," and the treat I experienced is beyond description. "Florodora" and "In Sight of St. Paul's" still draw in the "dibs" at Her Majesty's and the Royal respectively. The l"st 11 nights of "Floiodora" are announced, which will give it a lecord inn for a pla" in Melbourne. Bland's next piece will probably be "In London Town." I met charming Mrs Holt in a book shop only this morning, purchasing the latest book 9. She was as pleasing and entertaining as ever, and to show what a shop assistant thought of hei, I may quote his words, which vere tittered after she had Jjpne out with her purchase "AVliat a thcTOife^. lady she is, why, it's a treat to serve such a customer. Re the Do Rougemont •fta=co 011 his opening night with Rickards at the Bijou last Satmday _ The "gods" would not stand him at am price — they hissed and hooted h.tn for all they vere worth, and made such remarks as "Ananias," "AVhere's your dog Bruno'" "Get to the Waxworks," etc , until "Rougie,' as the lowdy croivd teimed him, was beckoned fiom the wings to leave the «tage, which he did It is evident many had read his "fames" m the Wide World Magazine, and bad iiT>de up then minds what to do with a champ.on of hi° art. It is stated tha-t when Mi Rickards fust advertised the engagement of Louis de Rougemont a Melbourne wag wired to Mr Musgrove in Sydney — "De Rougemont appeals Bijou Theatre Saturday. Better postpone opeia." Mr Muserove wired back "Cannot postpone opera, but sorry did not have ' Lohengun,' with De Rougemont's turtlp instead of swan." An old New Zealand friend of mine who ha=i been 111 almost every theatre 111 Austialasia writing from London, says "There is not a single theatre that I have been into in Biitnin that can hold a candle to the Prince's, Melbourne All the London theatres, like the Adelphi, Stiand. Alhambia, and others, aie fusty-wustv, like the Melbourne Royal. Ditto Oxford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen so the lessee of your Princess still holds the biscuit." Bert Gilbert, in writing to me from London some months ago, went one better, and said "For stage accommodation and arrangement he had not seen anvthmg to equal the Prmce3s m all his travels." In my last letter to you I mentioned that on the day of writing I saw Miss Bertha Bird and Mrs Howie off by the Runic. I was soirv not to have had the chance of a good chat with the famous Maonland songstress, as I only hoard lust as the boat was leaving tlmt she was on boaiJ However, she was faiewellcd by a number of friends, amongst them being Mi R S Smvthe Miss Poitia Geach, sister of Al Edwin Geach, has painted sn excellent picture of Donald Macdonald, which has created very favourable comment from both pi ess and public. Harry Rickards has unearthed a lovely silvery tenor in Mr Jas. Wallace, a young ATictorian, who possesses a beautiful instrument,

and uses it to immense advantage, rendering j las items with intense feeling md passion 1 He made his debut with Rickaids pt the Bijou last Saturday, aid has since met with a fa\otuable reception. Richard Stewart, sen , has left J. C Williamson, and taken up the treasury ship at the Prince's with George Musgro\e Snazelle writes to pay that he did good business at Ballarat, and opened at Adelaide last Saturday. Professor Peterson, Marshall liall & successor to the Ormond Chair of Music, has had a tremendous reception in Victoria, by Victorian musical people Mr George Clarke, late of Wilkie ana. Co., in Dunedin, and now of the Melbourne film of Freeman and Clarke, lithographers, has, owing to the Victorian climate not suiting his wife's health, decided to return to and settle m NewZealand again, leaving heie per Monowai next Wednesday, the 27th. Mr Clarke was one of the bsst lithographic aitfsts m Melbourne, and turned out some really tip-top vvoik for Melbourne thpatrical people, the "Barabbas" poster which was mentioned in ray notes m your columns some time back being one of Ins best efforts. Feel sine Maonlanders will be pleased to have such an artist amongst them ag»m. Onlooker wishes him kia-ora every time. Maggie Moore is now with 1vr m. Andeison'a company, touring the country. Send \ou latest programme to date. Well, I've told you all I can think of, =0 hs'l better "ring off," or you'll ring me off Goodbye and kia-ora again.