THE LORCNETTE

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 796, 31 March 1894, Page 8

THE LORCNETTE

It is getting difficult to find an attractive setting for variety bnßinesE. The ' circle ' of more or less beautiful and scantily-clad young ladies, flanked by clowns with blackened faces playing ' tambo ' and c bones,' and a gorgeous individual in the centre with a dazzling display of shirtfront and a cheap diamond or two stuck about him, is getting just a trifle stale. Sheridan struok a new line in * Fun on the Bristol,' but even that is played out now.

The pantomime affords a welcome change, and certainly the St. John Company, now showing at the Opera House, is not half a bad one of its kind.

The girls are younger, more shapely and better looking than any we have had here, of the sort, for a long time. Priacilla Verne ('Sinbad') is looking better and singing better than she was when here before, Florrie St. Clair. Bertha Fanning, Ada Lempriere, Edith Ward, Bessie Ponsonby, and Josephine Howard are all good, while Tudor, Parlatto, Callaghan, Cowan and Friedman work hard to make things gee. Tudor is really funny as c Tinbad the Tailor ' and both siners and dances remarkably well. Parlatto doesn't get much of a show, but makes the most of it.

The Connor Brothers are probably as good a trio of acrobats and tumblers as we have ever had in Auckland. Their ' turn ' is one of the hits of the show. The ballet ' Shoes and Stockings ' and ' The Butterfly Dance ' are also most attractive features. And ' Provo's ' juggling is another. The scenery, all things considered, is very good, and altogether I can recommend the show to all who don't know how to get rid of a spare evening. Go and see the pantomime and take the children with you.

The children seemed to thoroughly enjoy the show on Easter Monday. ' Sinbad ' is an old-fashioned pantomime with an oldfashioned harlequinade, a clown of the good old sort who steals sausages and knocks people down and trips people up in the way he used to do at Drury Lane before harlequinades were abolished. I prefer the old style pantomime myself.

The Lynch Family concluded their short and highly- successful season at the Opera House on Saturday. One of the principal attractions of the show was undoubtedly the ' glassophone,' which, under the skilled manipulation of the Messrs Lynch, yields exquisitely beautiful music. The familyhave gone to Melbourne en route for South Africa and England.

The first of the series of winter popular concerts at City Hall, inaugurated by Mr A. H. Gee, eventuated on Wednesday evening last. The audience was large and most appreciative. Mr Gee was accorded an enthusiastic reception. He was in fine voice and sang the descriptive song ' The Raft ' (encored) and ' The Arab's Farewell to his Steed,' and took part in the the duet 'Excelsior' with Mr A. L. Edwards This -vas a very fine performance. Mrs Kilgour, Miss Brabazon, Miss Reeve, Herr Zimmermann and others rendered the most valuable assistance. The sacred concert on Good Friday was greatly enjoyed by the large audience. Mr Gee was suffering from a severe cold and compelled on that account to decline both his encores. But. thanks to the admirable singing of Mrs Kilgour, Miss Reeve and Mr Edwards, the violin solo by Herr Francik, and the pianoforte playing of Miss Brabazon, the concert was an unqualified success.

Bessie Doyle's concert at Choral Hall on Good Friday fnrnished one of the most enjoyable musical evenings given in Auckland for a long time. The talented young violinist met with an extraordinarily cordial reception, while her delicious playing roused the house to enthusiasm. Miss Doyle's mastery over the most difficult of all instruments is simply marvellous. The pity of it is her stay in Auckland should be so brief. She was ably assisted by several -talented artistes, but her own contributions to the programme proved the attractions of the evening.

Dan Barry's Dramatic Company, which has been packing Melbourne Alexandra for many weeks, is likely to put in an appearance in Auckland ere long. * After Dark,' one of the most successful of the late Dion Boucicauit's productions, went on the other Saturday night and — but see what Melbourne Standard has to say about it : ' The question which agitated them was where all the people came from, and how they all managed to secure seats. Saturday night's gathering at the Alexandra Theatre was the record of the season —at 8 o'clock every part of the theatre, even the circle, was filled far beyond its seating capacity.' Our old friend F. C. Appleton is with the show, and the company comprises, in all, between twenty and thirty artistes, all more or less known to fame.

Our Sydney correspondent writes: — Caiecedo returns to England. Capt. Fritz is doing well at the Criterion. Speaking to Chaß. Arnold about his N.Z. tour he told me that all the dates were pencilJed. Thornton has promised The Private Secretary on his return. Edith Blande is &ga,m in Sydney, having returned with Bland Holt from his New Zealand and Tasmanian tonr. Bland Holt will play short seasons at Ballarat and Bendigo, prior to opening at Melbourne Princess. Clara Stephenson opens her show at Moss Vale to-night. Frank Torke is on the wallaby again with a company of his own.

Emma Wangenheim and a remnant of Ed. Farley's company are touring opera ' Les Cloches ;' Henry Hawkins being musical conductor. Pillis' circus is now in Newcastle having arrived by s.s. Waihora. The Taylor- Carringtons are now at Thursday Island, having had a good season of ' My. Sweetheart ' at Normanston. Jim South, whose eyes have recovered, passed through Sydney last week, and is now on the road with E. Duggan and Harry Stoneham, who has just left Bentley.

Harry H. Gribben, who was connected with Mrs Brown Potter's and the Gaiety Coy's: has retired from the boards and settled here as a stage dancing instructor.

The Lyceum is now occupied by Jennie Lee, supported by Edward Sass, George Ireland, A. G. Poulson, W. B. Watson, Jennie Watt Tanner, Henrietta Watson, Polly Emry and Emma Gwynne (Mrs Sass). 'Jo ' and ' The Grasshopper ' are to be staged in succession for this farewell season, at the close of which Jennie Lee goes to England via W. Australia. The Brough and Boucicauit Coy. will then commence a three months season at this theatre, appearing with revivals of ' The Amazons,' 'Niobe,' and 'Dandy Dick.' During their season the following new plays will be staged : ' The Second Mrs Tanqueray,' ' Sowing the Wind,' ' Lady Windermere'sFan,' ' The Other Fellow ' (an adaptation from the French), ' A Woman of no Importance,' and 'The Bauble Shop.' The company which toured Maoriland will be strengthened by the addition of Mr Eenout (a strong leading man), Mr Frankly n (juvenile), and Miss Edith Ward for ingenue parts. Mr L. J. Lohr, who has just returned from piloting B. and B. through N.Z., has been engaged as advance agent by Messrs Thornton and Arnold. ' Capt. Fritz ' has been running well.

W. J. Wilson, who was connected in management with the late Sig. Majeroni, reopen 3 the Gaiety Theatre under the new name of Bijou. Frank Thornton and his ' Charley's Aunt ' Coy. leave for Adelaide. Sims Reeves, according to the London Stage, intends an Australian tour. ' The King o£ Crime ' is to be the next novelty at Rignold's, Her Majesty's. I was almost omitting to mention Bob Courtneidge's benefit. The Lyceum was well filled on that occasion. 'On 'Change,' an amusing comedy, last played here by B. and 8., served to introduce to us Bob, for the first time in comedy. Bartho and Caiecedo made their last Sydney appearance on the same night. The former is off to America, the latter to London. Charles Ryloy's engagement with W. andM. has been renewed, so that his anticipated American trip is ' off.' Miss Rosina Yokes (Mra Cecil Clay),' who was to have made her appearance at the Sydney Lyceum this month, and news of whose death reached us by last mail, leaves her sister Victoria the last of the famous ' Yokes quartette.' Her greatest success was achieved in ' A Pantomine Rehearsal,' Messrs Brandon Thomas, and Weedon Grossmith being in the same company. The next Potter-Bellew Australian season will extend over May, June, and July. Alex. Anderson, who managed for B. and B. last season, is now out of shop, but I should fancy not for long.

"From Melbourne theatrical reports are good. The Comic Opera Company have been received exceedingly well. Bob Courtneidge plays Itocoo in 'La Masootte.' Maggie Moore's season at the Theatre Royal must be very pleaeingr to thatf lady. An injunction to restrain her from playing ' Struck Oil ' w»a refused J. C. Williamson by the

•Vie. Court. Dampier has been in Sydney. He takes a company up to Bathurst for Easter. Clara Stephenson has been playing at Mossdale. Geo. Walton reports goodbiz. from Queensland. The Gondolier Comic Opera Company are gradually working north. Pillis' Circus opens here at Easter.

Johnny Gourlay, the comedian who was recently showing in Auckland in ' Skipped by the Light of the Moon,' is in Melbonrne. His ex-partner Walton is touring Queensland with a show.

Lachlan McGowan has been engaged by Arnold and Thornton for the part of ' Tank Thursby ' in ' Hans the Boatman ' playing or about to be played at the Sydney Criterion.

Georgie Smithson, her Meloourne pantomime honors thick uponher, proposes to ' farewell ' through New Zealand prior to leaving for England 'in search of novelties.' Georgie is a bit of a novelty herself.

*' Pony ' Moore, of the famous Moore and Burgess Minstrels, has severed his connection with those burnt-cork celebrities, after 34 years' association with the show. ' Pony ' made his pile long ago. His daughter married Mitchell, the pugilist. Moore has gone home to his native Yankeeland, bnt talks of ' doing ' the Australasian Colonies with a minstrel show.