AMUSEMENTS

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 53, 17 September 1881, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

The version of Sardou's " Nos Tntimes" produced at the Theatre Royal on Monday evening last is not the play which, under the* name of " Peril " had such a run at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London. Both " Friends " and " Peril " are derived from the same source, but " Peril " is a far better piece. There is too much " talkee-talkee " in " Friends," or, in other words, too many long disquisitions on the duties and privileges of friendship, and although these were admirably delivered by Mr O'Brien and excited considerable applause, we could easily have done with less of them. Setting aside Mr Marshall's Markham, which does not differ materially from Mr Lingard's, the success of the representation was Mr O'Brien's Dr. Thompson. This part is One of the longest in the. comedy, and being (as we have indicated) full of didactic speeches on various subjects would infallibly become a bore in bad hands. Mr O'Brien played it admirably. Despite having had only three rehearsals lie was letterperfect, and instead of allowing Dr. Thompson to develop into a sort of snobbish "providence junior " with (as Markham would say) "a lucky aptitude for turning up at the right moment," he made him a clever, courteous, and agreeable man of the world, who feels it incumbent on him to interfere with Maurice for his friends' own sake and because of the kindness he has received at Dawson's hands. Since we saw Mr W. H. Kendal in the part we have not seen anyone so good as Mr O'Brien, and if lie gets a chance of playing similar characters in- Melbourne we shall not have him in Auckland again, save as leading " light comedian "or " star." Mr West's Dawson was very poor. The character is supposed to be a self-contained, quiet man of the John Mihlmay type, not the hysterical maniac Mr West pourtrayed in the third act. Mr Welsh as Meant// and Mrs McGowan as' Mrs Meanly were passable ; and Mr Elliott would have been a good Maurice if his love-making had been less ardent and more sympathetic. Miss Watt-Tanner as Cecile had to contend against memories of Mrs Lingard's charming performance of the same part, but pulled through very creditably indeed. She is thoroughly painstaking and always looks nice. The performance, as a whole, was not up to the one given by the Lingard company.

Kow that Mr Edward Marshall lias gone, and it can do no harm to mention the matter, we may as well confess that he was not the big success everyone anticipated. Why he did not " take " it seems impossible to say. the weather was bswl certainly, but experience has amply proved that weather will not keep people away from the Theatre when they feel inclined to go. As for the " star " himself, nobody can say he was overrated. During the engagement "he played an unusually large repertoire of the most Various description, commencing (as Charley Spraggs) with exceptionally refined low comedy and ending (as Quilp) in what was almost tragedy! His worst detractors must admit he never acted one of the many parts ho undertook even weakly. They were all clearly-drawn pictures, admirably filled out and adorned with subtle touches of nature, . abundantly proving the strength of the actor's art. We are disposed to think that if any serious blunder was made it was in opening in " Blow for Blow " and following that piece up with "Our Boys" and "Jeames." In a place like Auckland where there arc only a limited number of regular theatregoers, a " star," to achieve an exceptional success, should play his strongest part first. Had " Quilp " been produced early instead of late in the engagement it would have brought out all the casual theatregoers who only visit the Theatre when there is something exceptionally good on, and having enjoyed "'Quilp" they would have gone to see whatever else Mr Marshall played, as a matter of course. We know this by what occurred with the Juvenile Pmafore Troupe. The first week of their engagement the houses were comparatively slack, only the regular habitues being present, then the goodness of the performance got bruited about, and during the second and third weeks the houses -were crammed Avith people, many of whom one never saw in a Theatre before.

— The Sinionscn Company have disbanded. — Carden in tlie capacity of " star," is a failure in Melbourne. — FredMaccabe opened in Sydney the other day and is an immense success. — Dampier is appearing at the Gaiety Theatre Sydney, in Simms's " The Mother-in-law." .': —Walter Eeynolds having abandoned the " Tambour-Major " scheme, is going to play a season nt the Queen's Theatre, Sydney, insome of lßwnKes* — On dit that J. 0. Williamson, H R HarM^boZ d eßoS GarUer "• *° beCOme the — The Bulletin thus announced the arrival of Walter Reynolds in Sydney : " Let trumpets Wore and banners ways !"

— Emily Melville is organising a company to play "Patience," through America, commencing 1 at the Bush-streefc Theatre, San Francisco. — Mr DeLias offers through the Melbourne papers engagements for a six months' tour to dramatic and burlesque people, ahd also wants a first-class scenic and pantomimic artist. -De Lias can't have lost much over Marshall's visit, for he has engaged him for three months, commencing May next, to make a tour in New Zealand, the remuneration being a large certainty. — An American reporter thus describes a Miss Claire Elliston, an actress who has been playing with Emily Soldene — "The Elliston is a dimpled little beauty whose skin-tight jersey emphasises the kinship* she bears to a butter-ball." — The Marshall* left for the South per To Anau. They can't say anything bad enough of Auckland, but then this is natural. It happens to be the only town in Australasia where Mr Marshall hasn't packed the theatre to excess. — The "Lyons Tourist Party" opened last night too late for notice in this issue. They drew good houses in Napier and Gisborne, but were not very enthusiastically greeted down South. Legs are said to be the strong point. —On Tuesday evening Mr O'Brien played Dick Talbot in "Betsy," which is the part he opens in at the Melbourne Princess. It would hardly be fair to review hypercritically the crude result of a couple of rehearsals, but we have no hesitation in saying the performance will be a firstrate one bv-and-bye, and serve to prove O'Brien's abilities to the Victorians most unmistakably. — Carder and his wife have been engaged as leading man and leading lady at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, for a term of no les3 than two years. Misguided mannger and luckless Melbourne theatregoers, we pity you both. Three weeks of the Hardens was bad enough, but tu;o years — oh lor ! ! — A rumour (which we give for what it is worth) hns been current in town during the week to the eflect that DeLins, disgusted with his recent ill-luck, means to let the Theatre as a store, and do np and reopen the old house now known as Tonks's Mart. As an inducement to this it is said the hotelkeepers in the vicinity have guaranteed him|£B a-week. — Carrie G-odfrey, the contralto of Simonsen's company, made a great success at Kowalski's Exhibition concert, in Melbourne. She sang "Alas, those Chimes," and, in response to tin encore, gave " Turnham Toll." In the second part, her allotted number was " Let me Dream Again," and for this she was euthusistically recalled, when she sang "II Segrstto." This, by-the-way, is the lady whom the discriminating critics of the daily press in Auckland never would mention. —The performance of " Betsy " on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings was inferior all-round to the one given by the Lingards. The majority of the dresscirclers said they preferred William Horace's Mountebank Dawson to Mr Marshall's quieter and more natural one, and Maggie Knight, with all her vivacity, is not Mrs Lingard, nor is Elliott Charlie Craig. O'Brien in the part of Dolly's friend, Dick Talbot, was good, and Mr Sefton made a pretty bad McMauus ; but Mr Edmund Mnrshall as the newspaper-reading papa lost many points and did not seem ot home. — Mr 11. P. Lyons, the popular theatrical agent and manager, has commenced n short season nt the Theatre Royal with a troupe of artistes organised for a tour through New Zealand India, and other countries. They are travelling under the title of "Lyons's Tourists," and include Miss Auiy Horton, Miss Jenny Leon, Miss Annie Lyons, Miss Nina Tulloch, and Miss Emily Fox (the two latter late of the M' Lean's Troubadors), the Wyburd Brothers (champion roller skater.-), and Masters JV S. Parlato, Sammy M'Lean, and young Farron (late of the IT Lean's Troubadours). Mr Bartlett is the musical director, and Mr Buchan Hepburn the agent in advance. — Cole's Circus encountered a local whirlwind in Tombstone, A. T., which caught the immense tent of the circus proper, lifted it from the ground and deposited it again in one mass of canvas, seats, poles, &c, on the ground. One of the employees, who was in the tent, was severely stunned, though it is thought his injuries will not prove serious. One of the centre poles and a large number of the seats were broken, and the circus parnphernalin. badly mixed m>. Had the accident occurred an hour sooner a large number of people would undoubtedly have been killed or injured. The final exhibition was given in the open air. An immense crowd was present, there having been 5000 tickets sold. — An anecdote concerning the late James A. Hooper is told by the Maderton Star. " A few years ago Hooper was playing with Mr Dampicr, at the Princess, Dmiedin. The piece was 'Faust,' and at the termination of the play Mr Hooper, in the title role, was, of course, consigned to the infernal regions by Mephistophiles (Dnmpier). He tried to descend through the ghost-trap, but his figure was too robust, and he became fast round his waist. In vain Faust wriggled, while Mephistophiles became exasperated, and threw his tail about wildly. Peals of laughter from the pit put the ' star ' aut of patience, and pressing his knee on the broad shoulders of poor ' Johmi3%' he fairly forced him down, and the curtain fell amidst screams of merriment.

— " Puck " writes from Duneclin : "Miss Pomeroy's season bids fair to be the greatest success we have known hero, Her Rosalind cannot compare with that of Mrs Scott-Siddons, but she has the compensating advantage of being admirably supported by Hoskins, who, as Touchstone, treated us to the finest bit of acting seen here. Down to Audrey there is not a character but is well filled, and all the company seemed imbued with the desire to give the 'star' the best possible assistance. .The result was a most enjoyable performance throughout. On Friday, in East Lynne, Miss Pomery drew the largest audience that piny has ever had in Dunedhi. Antony and Cleopatra was a palpable hit on Saturday, and drew the largest audience seen in Dunedin for many a long day. A quarter of an hour before the hour appointed for commencing sitting room was unobtainable in the circle and chairs were requisitioned. Miss Pouieroy's Cleopatra is a fine all-around performance lacking, however, the quality of regal dignity. Of the men, Mr Hollo way obtained great praise from the critics and unlimited applause from the audience. The piece is magnificently mounted, and the scenery, which is Hennings' best, is superb. On Monday night, though it blew and snowed as it only can in Dunedin, there was a packed house, and had it been tolerably fine I am sure I should have had to. record another unprecedented attendance. The management have wisely decided to run the piece two additional nights. In proof of the success of the season so far I may mention that £600 was taken during the first six nights and £140 on Saturday.