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Observer, Volume 2, Issue 49, 20 August 1881, Page 562

— Marshall's Jeames will indleed be a treat. Roll up, all of you ! —"Our Boys" was produced too late for criticism in this issue. — Mr Edmund Marshall makes his first appearance in Auckland in " Jeames." ' — The Dunedin folks are flattering themselves they will see Marshall after he leaves here. Don't they wish they may get him. — Marshall's favourite (and many think liis best) part ia the title roU of the Deal' Boatman. — Mr G. E.. Sims has received £3000 for his new and successful comedy, "The Member for Slocum." — Look out for Quilp next Friday or Saturday. — It is quite on the cards that Baker and Farron may turn up by either the incoming or the September mail steamer. Thej are done to death in America, and they know they can always- draw here. — Mr Marshall wanted to open in " Jeames," but Mr DeLias insisted on some familiar piece beingselected, bo " Blow for Blow " was chosonv — Why will Miss Jenny Watt Tamaer always wear white stockings no matter what colour her dress happens to be. It looks so odd. — How many "stars" are there modest enough to open in a part like Charley Spraggs who is found on the stage when the curtain rises, and consequently cannot by any chance get a reception. — Luscombe Searrel Avrites to his friends on the Bulletin that his groat work, the " Fakiirof Travancoro" was a success and not a failure. Anyhow, it ran 23 nights, which is pretty good for San Francisco. — During the phenomenal run of " Our Boys" at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, Mr Fred Marshall played Perkyn Middlewick for 50 nights with complete success. This was during the- absence-, on a holiday, of the creator of the part David James. — Mr O'Brien is one of the best if not the best representative of walking gentlemen parts in DeLias' company, and ought to get a chance occasionally. Of late he has only been cast for the most insignificant characters. — That smart young man, Mr Smith, who was here with the Froliques and subsequently acted as agent for Simonuen, has eloped with and married the impressario'e youngest daughter, Fanny. Details of the business will be found further down in "Puck's" telegram. — Mr Fred Marshall opens the Princess Theatre for a season on his return to Melbourne. He has engaged the famous George Gordon as scene painter, and a select comedy company. There will be a funnypantomime at Christmas, called " Little Bopeop," with real trained sheep walking about. — Mr D'Oyley Carte will, on September 29tli vacate the Opera* Comique Theatre in London, and enter upon the manngement of his new theatre in Savoy, where he will probably continue the run of " Patience," or produce Messrs Gilbert and Sullivan's new work, said to be " The Princess." — Carden's statement that he consulted DeLias about leaving and asked to be let off playing on the Thursday and Friday nights is incorrect. Not only did he never breathe a word on the subject, but he took the greatest pains to deceive his manager and load him to believe he was going to stay. — Harry Simmons, who was a member of the Theatre Royal Company when Reynolds first came over in May 1880, has been smacking F. Belfield's mouth, at Grafton, N.S.W., and getting, fined for it. Tilly Horan, who left here with so many clothes on, after Lingard's season, was mixed up in the affair, which altogether appears to have been a very pretty piece of business. — We understand that, the engagements of tiny Amy Brooks and the graceful and dainty Julia Simmons with the Pollards are nearly up. Their secession will in all probability be followed by that of the clever little Sallingers, whose parents have been wanting; them at home for some time past. When these children go the company will be somewhat crippled, — It would almost have been as well if Mr Pollard had adhered to the plan he told us of on Wednes* day week, and gone down South yesterday. The sparsely attended houses which have patronised the cleverly acted " Cloches de Cornoville" during the past week cannot, by any possibility, have paid expenses ; indeed we doubt whether even "Pinafore," with dear little Amy Brooks as the Admiral, will draw against Marshall in " Jeames." — Mr J. B. Steele, says last week's Bulletin, takes his benefit to-night (Thursday), the bill consisting of "Leah," and "His Last Legs." "We don't know which character Mr Steele plays, Leah or O'Callaghan ; i but we frankly admit that we should like to see him ia Leah best. Anyhow, we hope he will have a good house. We considor that he plays Claude Melnotte in a manner which casts Irving into the shade, and would cause Barry Sullivan to shed tears of envy. If that's not enough for him, why — bless our cats !" — No, Mr Sydney Bulletin man, you blunder lamentably when you say Fred Marshall apologised to that estimable creature Bayless for calling him a thief. He simply denied having made use of such an opprobrious epithet about the f ellow,and you may be sitre he wouldn't even have done this if letting the case go to trial hadn't meant breaking his contract with DeLias in Auckland. As for Bayless handing back the apology — gammon and spinach ! You know he didn't — We hear that Mr DeLias did not cause a writ upon the Cordons for their breach of agreement in

leaving before the termination of their engagement, but for an'enrlier breach, which occ.irred when the Cardens overstayed their time at Christchurch, and subjected Mr Do Lias to considerable pecninary loss at Wellington. The amount claimed under the writ is £50, and it is believed that Carden will allow judgment to go by default. The reason that the writ was not based on the breach of agreement in Auckland was that no service could take place until the damage had actually occurred. — The daily papers write so glowingly about every "stick" who appears on the local stage that when a genuine actor like Marshall does turn up, they have nothing left to say. The houses at the Royal during the past week have been a disgrace to Auckland. Here wo have a world-renowned low comedian who, rather than break his, word, leaves a Melbourne Theatre which he was cramming nightly to suffocation and comes over here to see us, and yet we have not the grace to welcome .''.mi properly. True, the piece was a bad one, and things will, doubtless, be very different when the " star" plays in a genuine " ytar" part. For the honour of New Zealand we hope it may be so. If we are unable to appreciate an actor about whom the cultured Melbourne folks and the fastidious Sydney cits rave, we must indeed be Philistines. — The most miserable performance of that absurdly over-rated piece, " East Lynne," that it has ever been our lot to witness, took plnce at the Theatre Royal on Friday night last, when Miss Jenny WattTanner essayed the part of Lady Isabel. Miss Tanner is a clever actress, and in the earlier scenes of the play was moderately successful. Her appearance later on, however, when disguised as Madame Vine and also when lying on that absurdly short and nnrrow bed was painfully grotesque. We were in an agony lest she should fall out, and this thought together with the unnatural and inflated language of the piece made us giggle consumcdly. Mr Sefton was a passable Archibald Carlyle, but Mr West's Levison proved an entire mis-reading. Instead of a polished and fascinating scoundrel he made him an unmitigated cad, and his get-tip was a monstrosity. Mrs McGowan evidently thought she wns going to play the Widow Twankey, and had dressed for the part. — Some people never learn. Mr Pollard's business has been injured and the run of Lea Cloches <le CorneviUc curtailed by letters, articles and paragraphs in various local jovirnals, and yet that estimable sigent of his goes about blathering that the -paper* can do the Pinafore troupe ■no 7iarm. — who cares for the papers ? Of course the organ directly referred to is the Observer, and all because, forsooth, we ventured to express an opinion about Mr Pollard's association with Mr Vaughan, which waa not quite palatable to the former gentleman. But 'twas erer so. There is a certain class of theatrical people who will swallow any amount of flattery no matter bow fulsome, but once let the newspaper scribe change his mind, and administer a little gentle corrective, and no names nre too bad for the once " capital paper." Our acquaintance with one or two elder members of the " Pinafore " troupe and honest liking for the children (many of whom are really very nice) has deterred us up to the present from making public and commenting upon many matters which should not have been passed over in silence. Now, however, that Mr Pollard's agent has taken to abusing us like a pick -pocket, we consider ourselves absolved of any ties of acquaintanceship, and shall henceforth criticise severely whatever we think calls for severe criticism. — My usual Aveekly telegram from "Puck," of the Ihmedin Witness, is as follows: — The "Pirates of Pcnzance " continue to do a splendid business at the Queen's Theatre. Last week came quite up to £500. On Friday there was a splendid circle, and on Saturday the largest downstairs attendance I have seen within the theatre's walls for some time. That night Carey had a severe cold. Wentworth took his place, and Barry O'Neill played the Major-General ; but the operetta suffered little by the change. This week's business will naturally show a falling oil, but still the houses are payable. Carey will fill up his time here with "Pinafore" and " Les Cloches de Corneville." Leake and Company were glad to get out of Dnnedin, -where they have done wretched business. On Friday Leake took a benefit, playing "My Partner" and a farce, but the bill failed to draw more than a moderate house. Next night Hamilton and Wallis had a benefit when there was a ■ somewhat larger attendance, a good many tickets having been sold outside. The company have since gone to Timaru for a couple of nights, playing "My Partner" and " The Danites." Thence they go to Christchnrch, where they will appear till the Pomeroys' arrival. The latter opens in " Cymbaline ;" and the management announce that she is bringing down all new scenery by Hemmings. Private letters to hand give particulars ■ of John Smith's marriage with Fanny Simonsen at Hobart Town on July 16th. She failed to appear as Lisa in " Lucia di Lammermoor," causing no end of excitement and no performance. It subsequently transpired sne had eloped with and married Smith. Interest is already being felt here at the prospect of a visit from Marshall. Bandmann had a good season at Timaru, and was so well received and admired that he played there a second night. He givc3 readings in the Garrison Hall to school children, and announces that he leaves for Hobart on Thursday (yesterday,).