MELBOURNE NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2600, 13 January 1904, Page 57

MELBOURNE NOTES.

December 24, ISO 3

Dear Pasquin, — Although both the Pimcess ancll Her Majesty's Theatres have been closed for some time, the management and the staffs have not been.. idle — rather the reverse, — as elaborate preparations have, been carried out for the opening .of the all-important Christmas season.

At tho Princess they are, .all leady for the arrival of ths great Shakespearian Company, which opens on Boxing night with "A Mideummer Night's Dream," and a prettier or more dainty Christmas attraction could not be put on. Shakesp-eaie served up in such a gorgeous, and spectacular manner could not be otherwise than attractive to the average playgoer, and I am certain Mr Musgrove's choice of Christmas attractions will please the public, and be a financial success. The season will only be a limited one, but it is likely that another of Shakespeare's comedies will be given — possibly "Twelfth Night" or "What You Will."

Her Majesty's is also ready for the reception of Mr J. C. Williamson's Royal Cornio Opera Company, which will reopen the theatre on Boxing Night with "A Country Girl." The piece has had a magnificent run in Sydney, andi is still going strongly at Daly's in the "Old World," and is expected to rival such recordbreakers "Florodora," Toreador," "Runaway Girl," etc. It is months now since Florence Young, George Lauri, and co. sang to us, and they have been sadly missed, and there is not the slightest doubt they will get a magnificent welcome back.

Tho season of Bland Holt's latest success, ''The Great Millionaire, ' finishes to-night, and on Saturday night (Boxing Night) the company will appear in the new piece, "A Desperate Game, which has been undergoing such careful rehearsal. A.3 roost of the scenes in the piece are laid in Western Australia; Mr Holt is giving the public here something new, and is doing his b?st to give faithful representations of the West. That the public will be satisfied with the spectacular part of the show goes without saying, as we all know whst Mr Holt's "best" is. The full strength of the company will be included in the cast, and all in suitable parts.

Mi Harry Rickards's vaudeville show will be very strong indeed — in fact, two of the stiojngest show artists will be exhibiting their powers in the same performance. Both Vulcana and Atlas have caught on here, and their turn is greatly appreciated, being quite out of the common in athletic ar.d weightlifting turns. The other artists include Miss Ray Jones, Robert Needham, Irving Sayles, Frank Yorke, Daisy Sylvester, Alberto, Ella Wellington, Maggie Praser, Collier Sisters, Jas. Harvey, Florrie Ranger, and Lai Logan. Ihiring the time the Gaietj Entertainers have been preparing so earnestly for their Christmas panto., their show at the Gaiety Theatre has not fallen off one jot, and their popularity is just es great ks ever, business someti'iie3 being turned away. "" The panto. "Little Red Riding Hood," although starting on such small lines, has improved into a firstrate attraction, and won't lose by comparison with previous Melbourne pantomimes. The Permans, who are at the head of affairs, have had great experience, and are using what they have picked up for this production. The scenery is new, and on an elaborate scale, an-d the costumes rank among the finest ever made in the colonies. Both afternoon and evening performances of "Little Red Riding Hood" will be given, thus enabling young children to see the ytagmg of the old-time tale.

Wirlh Bros, have now taken up their abode on the St. Kilda roacT, just over Princes Bridge, and thtir new green tents look very pictuiesque nestling under the hills of the domain surrounding Government House. Wntn Bios, have a veiy large and attractive show with them, all the o'd fnvouiiies being billed, and many new turns ar-3 included. As tho wcndeiful Howard B'. - os., Herr P?gel, Men 6 iiagcul, the Fiyi^g i'lngcnes, and the Cartons, aic returning to Kurope ?hoit'y, this will hp the last oppoitunity the Melbourne public will have of ialres r ing these vvondeiful artist?. Among the newcomers aie included Mis.-. Mayazid, a flcxiV.e rer.rve', who peifouns on d she?t of gflass in m.d-aiv, Mor>siciu - 3?aulo Pontel, a vvikll animrl tamer, vho perfoims with a happy family, consishrg of a ho;i, hyena, pony, dog, and iamb. The incus will oiily lemain m Melbourne about a loitnight, and will give two peiformances every day.

On Christinas Night the Theatre Rcval will bs occupied by a concert compary. composed of Melbourne's leading amateurs. Chustrnas

curols, illustrated sacred songs, ducts, quartets iceitatie: I^. rtc, will he icinercd by Jl.s-, Lilian Reid, Ida Cox, Mssrgie M'CaMi. Maiu-Toi'-cnoc, and Mf S i= Lighffoot, Wjntt. Pall"U, Fope, end Fn'ey. Of course, tno ' .Terii^'iiem Cyclorama" v. ill ■=ho\v as re? l tn fasten lull, end will conic m for a gient deal 01 attention duriiig the '.chdoys. '!hr Waxworks aie a]-o on tl'cw in Bourk; ''-reel, and aiwivs iiimicge to diavv gic^t ciow els. Tho Jlv=-:j!O'-o Ccmij Ofeia Con^^r, pv, after ni'JsMn- tl:»u- season m Sydney or S^tuid-av, v her:* Xhc; gnt a iTig.-pPet-nt scrd-off, ainvcel 111 Me bourne en Monf'y, and the compary -..ill now jjO^iMy d ■sb r.ci, although nothing .3 real'y drHniteiy kr.c \ll vet Mr Mnsgiovc, having f-otf -ot thrcujh his law experience, has ai last isai'cd on his torr through the State", raid loft by the s s. Sonoma from Sydney last Monday. Miss Ada Cro==.!ey hud a gieat reception here at her three faiovvcli conceits, when the Town HpII was packed on each occasion. Mis: C.-os^ley wore some 01 the mementoes presented to her in New Zealand. The great contralto ha.s now letiuued to* hei birthplace, and is spending a few days in South Gippslar.d. She has been feted there, and no mistake, people coming hundreds of miles to greet her and hoar her lovely voice. She was driven abcut 111 a beautifully-decorated bullock dray, dravn by the patient animals. Miss Crossley gives a popular concert at the Exhibition BvildingT befoie her departure, the charges being 2s and Is, and I am afraid the Exhibition will not be large ■encug'h for the crowd thttt will want to get* in. Mits Ciossley sings ill "Th« Messiah" on Chustmas KigHt, vhen the Philharmonic Society will render the glorious oratorio. Mr George Matheson left for the West lost Wedi'psday to prepare for Miss Crossley's season there, and then take? Miss Croailey a-nri her talented com-pany through South Africa.

The Daniel Frawley Company, which arnveci from New Zealand on Saturday last, leave Ly the s.s. Suevic for South Africa tomorrow (Christmas Day). Mr Galwey Herbert, who accompanied Mr Frank Thornton on his recent tour, will go with the company, daying light comedy parts. It is announced that Miss Blanch Wallace, late of J. C. Williamson's Musical Comedy Company, is engaged to a rich American, who runs a steal trust, or something of the sort, and will ieturn with him to the States as soon as tho all-important knot has been tied. December 31, 1003.

Last .'Saturday (Boxing Day) .proved 'one of the hott?st days we have had this summer, p,ncl nearly all Melbourne people stayed indoors till the cool of the evening, when they fairly l-i shed the theaires It was a re-opening all round, vvitb special attractions everywhere, and in every case the managers were amply repaid for their enterprise Starting with the Piincess, where "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was prootuced by Mr George Musgrove's Shakespearian Company, Hie building was packed Ironi fiooi to ceiling. "The Dream" has been made even more attractive than it was 011 its last presentation here — ail the (new features evoking bursts of ap plaice from the vell-satisficd crowd. The cast is practically the same, with perhaps one notable exception — that Miss Marguerite Celher played the pa.ft of Herinier in Miss 'Cynthia Brooke's stead. All the principals m Miss Maud Milton, Miss Nora Kerin, Miss Dora Rignold, and Mis 3 Connie Hamilton, together with Messrs Thomas Holding .and Norman Partridge, do exceedingly well. "The Dream" will only be staged until to-morrow evening, and '"Twelfth Night" substituted. Particular pains have been taken for the production of this piece, which will be -quite up to i»he standUrd of the preceding productions by this company.

Her Majesty's, too, was literally jammed full on the night of the first produotion in Melbourne of "The Country Girl," as presented by Mr J. C. Williamson's Rcyal Comic Opera Company. Having come here with such a reputation, great things were expected of this musical comedy, and, truth to tell, it more than surpassed the most exacting expectniions. Rarely has a musical comedy been served up in bblter form than "The Country Girl" was on the first night of its production, and the audience were simply delighted with it all through, encoring everything that could possibly be repeated. All the o'd members of tho company got a great welcome, antil the new ones were enthusiastically received. "The Country Girl" runs till fuither orders.

Bland Holt's new attraction, "A Desperate Game," got a great reception, and should have a most successful run. The scenery is simply marvellous, and thoroughly realistic, and, being of local colour, is easily understood, as it takes in station life, bush towns, go.dfields, and city life from our eastern province to Western Australia. The members of the favourite dramatic company of Australia are all exceedingly well placed, and to all appearances the piece might Lave been lunmng for months., so smoothly did it all go. "A. Despeiate Game" is also on indefinitely. The patrons of Mr Rickarcte's Opera House also had a gala time, enjoying the gocd things presented to thj'n on Boxing Night. Yulcana and Atlas still continue to be the chief diavv, but will have to look to their laurels, or they will have them snatched away by the clever pair of comedy and epecialty artists in Mr Clark and Miss Hamilton, who both had a most snthusiastic reception, and installed themselves prime favourites the first time they appeared. They are both clever artists, md give exceedingly sm.m musical and mirthrrovoking turns. The lest of the company all eta well in their lespective turns.

Perhaps the show which, came \n for the rocst generous support and appieciation was the pantomime at the Bij-ou Theatre, the building being all too smoll to accommodate the ciowds of people who strove to gain admittance. "Little Red Riding Hood" has been wonderfully well staged., and made thoroughly up to da.te, numerous liberties, being taken with the staging, i\,r.d exceedingly enjoyable features introduced. The cast is a strong one, and tbe artists being thoroughly conversant with their parts, make the piece go with a well-finished swing. Numerous matinees will be given, thus enabling the young folk to see the olcbtime tale.

Wirth Bros, also opened on Boxing Day in their capacious green tents on their old site across Princes Budge. Both the matinee and evening performances were well attended, the Xaations getting their full moneys worth and a little to snare. The principal features of a wonderfully good show were the turns clone by Hcrr Pagel, Moiis. Ragoul, Howard Bros., Cherokee Kid, Mr Philip Wirth.. Miss Phyllis Wirth, and many otheis. The season is so Lrnited that two poiformance=. are being given every day.

The Pcimi'i', wi.o, ere mmiing the pantomime at the Bijou, v.tend sending out a vaudeville company 011 a touring c-xpediion early next veai

AVoici has ccine thiough that Mr D B. O'Connor, well kro-.vn in your part with Polk.rd's Opera Company, ha 3 left tho aforesaid compa ly, a"d has gone. 011 the vaudeville sis^e in Capetpwn.

Mr Henry I l ■■'•'. aiv, who was through New ZpaLaiid wi.th Mu: grove's Opeia Company, and las vife (!Vli3i3 Josephine Stanton) have taken a houss at St. Kilda, vvheio they intend etay-

ing for "^ix months, to er.joy a quiet rest ot tho "CfiSide. }fr V." R SlirJey, yls" of t : ie s.uno con.pai.y, ;af.ed fo England b" ihe H.'M.S. Victo*ir, 3a-?t cck . while iiuj-'s Bess'c White, rVnsio Mont.iijiie, Daisy Jcnring<=, and Aggie Tlioin, plpo oi the same ccnpaiT. are playing la tlu Will: 'mso.i Pantomime in Sydney, v.l. ere Miss May Bcatty is plr.ymg leading boy. PEOMPT.