FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 87, 13 May 1882, Page 133

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

— Grattan Riggs is in Melbourne disengaged. — At latest dates Maccabe -was at Ballarat. — G-eorge Darrell shortly returns to .Australia. — W. H. Leake and Ada Ward are appearing at the Gaiety, Sydney, in " The Galley Slave." — Lieutenant Herman is travelling with. Kohler's Waxworks. — Sain. Poole (an old Auckland favourite) is leading comedian at the Gaiety, Sydney. — Hoskins is engaged at the Princess, Melbourne. — Clara Stephenson is travelling the small towns of New South Wales with a company of her own. — Johnny Hall is appearing at the Brisbane Theatre in " Across the Continent " to big houses. —Stirling Whyte is supporting Fred. Marshall at the Opera House, Sydney. — Dewhurst, the tragedian, is playing at Sandhurst, Victoria. _ t — Jennie Watt-Tanner has made a big hit m " The World " at the Royal, Sydney. — The Wilkinson-John's Comedy and Burlesque Company when last heard of were at Napier. — Mrs Langtry has been offered 66 per cent, of the gross receipts by an English provincial manager. — The " Colonel" still continues to draw large houses at the Opera House, Melbourne. — The Harts are visiting the West Coast with fairly successful results. — Bob Love is advance agent for Woodyear's Circus. — Mr J. Hesford (an old favourite) is playing at the Gaiety, Sydney. ' — " Our Boys " was performed in Italian at the Teatro Valle in Eome last year. — The well-known Harry Eastwood is now Zulu Thompson's agent. — Wentworth has joined the Montagu-Turner Opera Company in Melbourne. — Miss Pomeroy will shortly proceed to Brisbane to fulfil an engagement. — Harry Power has broken up his iEsthetic Party, and is resting in Christchurch. — J. P. Hydes is playing the quaker farmer with the ¥ncle* Tom's Cabin Troupe. — Miss Eloise Juno (well known in Auckland) is playing in Ballarat. — "The Colonel" is an immense success in Melbourne. — The celebrated Maccabe will open in Invercargill early this month. — The Montagu-Turner Opera Company are playing to magnificent biz at the Bijou, Melbourne. — Miss Maggie Knight is engaged to support Miss Lee at the Pri«cess Thearte, Melbourne. — Miss Ethel Adele has won golden opinions from the Melbourne press by her recent performances in " Jearnes." — Independence is to be the name of Gilbert and Sullivan's new opera. — It is said that Barnum's circus will visit New Zealand next December. If they come they will bring the celebrated Quimbo with them. — Bland Holt has purchased fche s.ole right to produce Conquest and Petite' s latest drama '•Mankind" in the colonies. — It is said that there is a great probability of the celebrated Italian actor Eossi visiting the colonies at the end of the present year. — Barry O'Neil's combination are drawing moderately good houses at the Duke of Edinburgh, Hokitika. — A project is on foot in Wellington to erect a new theatre. Already half the capital has been subscribed. — Charley Weightman, the man-fish, is piloting the Comedy and Burlesque Company on the East Coast. They opened in " Caste " at Napier. — The largest house at the Theatre Royal since its erection was on the occasion of Mrs Lingard's benefit. The receipts were £171. — Judge Pi'ing, of Brisbane, has dissolved the injunction restraining Carden from appearing in that city elsewhere than at the Theatre Eoyal. — The Wilkinson Comedy Company lately played a Pantomime at Wanganui. The Man-fish was the Policeman. — The celebrated American actress, Miss Lou Davenport, has announced her intention of visiting the colonies. — Rumour hath it that there will be great "cutting" between DoLias and the proprietor of the new Opera House, and that Auckland, instead of being dangerous ground for actors, will become their Paradise. —Among the degrees conferred at the recent University commemoration was that of Bachelor of Arts on Mr Fred. Appleton, the well-known and popular actor of the Theatre Eoyal, Melbourne. — A disease, which rumour says, was contracted by the use of anti-fat perparations is killing Nellie Croizette, who is as plump as Bernhardt is thin. Wo respectfully direct Mr .Arthur Elliot's attention to this par. — The Melbourne correspondent of the Canterbury Times says : "It is generally understood in theatrical circles that Mr D. H. Harkins will shortly lead Miss Maggie Knight, the fascinating comedienne, to the hymeneal altar." — Fred. Marshall lately tendered a benefit to his agent (Mr F. Pollock) at the Princess' Theatre, Melbourne. The house was crowded, and during one of the intervals the beneficiare was .presented by Mr and Mrs Fred. Marshall with a costly and handsome locket containing their portraits. — The Sydney papers teem with glowing accounts of the "Olde Englishe Fayres" now being held in that city, in the cause of charity. The ladies, we are told, have come forward en masse, and their efforts have already been crowned with unexpected success. It is '■ said that at the Garden Palace Fayre fifteen hundred I pounds was taken at the gates, and twelve hundred from the stalls and side shows in one day. The two fayres are described as "Magnificent pageants," the most noticeable of which are the Elizabethan streets, with their numerous shops, etc., each presided over by a dame and six or more mistresses, who are represented by Lady Stephen, Mrs Lord, Mrs Horace Montefiore, Mrs Manning, Mrs Sydney Want, Mrs Moriarty, and numerous other leaders of the Sydney fashionable world. Why cannot we have something of the kind here ? It has already been successfully attempted in Dunedin. Are we Aucklanders ever to be in the rear ? Where are our ladies ? They are the proper ones to start it. Were they to come forward, the gentlemen would soon follow ; and the result would be in a few weeks — "An Olde Englishe Fayre," enjoyable to themselves, to the public, and a boon to our local charities.

— The large audience which, assembled in spite of the inclemency of the weather last Monday evening on the occasion of Mr Elliot's benefit, must have been" a convincing proof to him of his popularity in Auckland. The performance consisted of Eobertson's Comedy " Society," which, if inferior to his other productions such as " Caste " or " School," is decidedly well constructed, witty, and original. Mr Elliot in Tom Sylus had one of those parts he loves to play. His make-up was appropriate, and his impersonation of the character was exceedingly amusing, his scene in the ball-room with Lady Plarmagant being provocative of much laughter. Messrs Welsh, and F. Gerald adequately rendered Chodd sen. and jun.. Mr Dillon played Sydney Daryle in a careful and conscientious manner. Miss Blanche Yaughan effectively sustained the role of the aristocratic Lady Plarmagant, and Miss Hill made a graceful and pretty Maude. A number of amateurs supplied the minor roles, conspicuous among whom was Mr-Barnett, who deserves considerable credit for his clever make-up, and the quiet natural manner in which he depicted the sleeping old peer. Mr Elliot leaves Auckland in a. few days. We wish him health and prosperity.,..andtrust that he^wiU revisit us at., no Very distant date.