MELBOURNE THEATRICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2579, 19 August 1903, Page 61

MELBOURNE THEATRICAL NOTES.

August 3, 1903. Deal Pasquin —At the Princess the tuneful comic opera. "The Serenade," is still drawing big houses, and the lieavty fun of tlis piece never fails to send the audiences home in a good humour. The last five nights are announced, and on Saturday night "The Serenade" gives place to Donizetti's famous comic opera "The Daughter of the Regiment."

"The Messenger Boy" lias been enjoying a good run at Her Majesty's, and on Saturday Light there was a bumper house. It has also entered on its last week, and is being withdrawn in favour of "The Runaway Girl," which opens on Saturday night next. The cast is the same as last week, with the exception that Miss Aggie Kelton has resumed her part of Mrs Bangs. There was not a vacant seat in the house which greeted Bland Holt' 3 company at the Theatre Royal on S:«turd&y, when "Going the Pare" was produced. The piece lips greatly improved since its initial production on Saturday week, all the lighter parts having been subjtcted 1o a good deal of c'sssification and bii!;htci.c-d up considerably.

As I mentioned last week, Madame Marzella opened at the Opera House on Saturday night with her troup of trailed and educated birds. It i« a Ion? time since a Melbourne audience i as b .-11 presented with such a no^el and interesting turn as that witnessed on Saturday right by the ciowds which thionged to that place of amu=ement. As most of the "stars" were compatriots, being the ordinary white cockatoo, Australian audience \v,.s quite ci thusiastir over tho peri'orraancrs of its l.alivp bhds. Madame Marzolla also lias in Lor collection South American "inac'iws, rosellas, galahs, picconn, and crows. They are all performers. The cockatoos are exceedingly v.ell train"d, wheel and file a small piece of aiti'lery, killing an enemy, and giving him r military funeia! , turn somersaults, do triple horizontal bar acts, and "no end of i'ltoreatin™ and pmiuing acts. Madame Marzella vaim'y applauded at the close of her unique pr.foimanee.

Mi Fied. Ilti'leii and Hiss Fuller are as amusing as ever in their tuin, "His Wife's Hero," and are quickly mnkiiig names for themselves m Austia'ia. as hif?h-clfss comcd'^iis. Mr Crawley, Mr E. Sullivan, and Miss Bishop provide the other chief items in an interesting programm". The Gaiety Entertainers are still attracting

large audiences. The show runs on during the week at the "popular" prices — Is, Gd, and 3d. The Westminster Abbey Singers concluded their Melbourne season on Saturday, when they entertained two immense audiences, crowds not being able to get inside the Town Hall at the evening concert. All the party contributed in their high-class manner to the success of the concerts. — lours sincerely, PROMPT.