THE LORGNETTE.

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1017, 25 June 1898, Page 16

THE LORGNETTE.

By.Pendehnis.

There Is something worse than a dearth of amusements in Auckland just now. The Opera Honse is closed, and this too at a time when good business ought to be done, and there is no prospect of anything of any consequence -coming along, immediately. The * Florence Hazlewood dramatic company has hooked for the first week in next month, and the McMabon dramatic company for the latter part of the same month. The Ada Juneen company is . expected in Dnnedin, and. a somewhat indifferent Williamson Comic Opera Company is on the way. The Auckland Banjo, Guitar and Mandolin Club announce their first grand quarterly concert season, 1898-1899 to take place at the Opera House on Monday next. Their last concert of the previous season in March proved an undoubted success, and with such names as the Misses ' Maud Donovan, Mabel Maxwell, and .Lily Thompson, and Messrs Ernest Shatz, Wilfred Manning, George Rowe, A. Wynyard - Joss, J. F. Montague, W. Lewis and J. Worrall, together with vocal quartettes, instrumental quintettes, and the excellent items by the full strength of the club, the programme should excel any previous ones. The booking-office was > opened en Monday laßt, and already showß heavy booking, and no doubt they will have their usual bumper house. . Mr Arthur Toi/sey will conduct, as usual. The Auckland Society ., Amateurs have taken the Opera House for Friday and Saturday, July Ist and 2nd, and intend producing ' Uncle Tom's Cabin.' The Ancklahd Orchestral Union announces its first concert of the ninth season for this (Thursday) evening. . The Fitzgeralds have struck gold again -with their big circus show. Tom Fitzffcger&ld cables me that they have opened at Cooktown, whither the show went from . Auckland, via Sydney, to a £370 house. Quite good enough.

The Greenwood family is touring the Otago goldfielda. Heller's Mahatmas lias been giving the Christ church people a turn. Nellie Stewart continues to draw a royalty on the song ' I Was Dreaming. 1 Florence Young is about to return - to Australia, and will take part in ' The Geisha.' Wilson Barrett opened at the Adelaide Koyal in ' Othello ' to a packed and enthusiastic audience. Grattaa Biggs is touring with a company of his own in Tasmania. He proposes to visit New Zealand shortly. The Pollards are at Invercargill. They play a season at Wellington Opera House from the' Ist to 20th August. - Frank Thornton is doing a tour, of the Victorian provinces, after which he departs homewards. We can spare him. Miss Eegina Nagel, who sang ' Ben Bolt ' in Trilby, has safely reached Paris, and had her first lesson from Marches!. John Fuller is making his popular concerts pay in Christchurch, with the assistance of his clever family and Howard Chambers. ~ Cowan's Dramatic Company are due at Wellington on the 13th July. The company includes W. H. Cowan, a good comedian, Mr Fred HolToway, Miss Maud Gwynne and another old friend, Miss Jenny Nye. Peggy Pryde is the new feature at the Sydney Tivoli. The damsel, a low comedy patter artiste, says middling things well. Print them, or let another say them, ancl Where's the fnn? But when Peggy . 'Bays them yon can count the false teeth m the house. • Laurie Dunbar. has made considerable studies in his profession, and is now playing leading roles. with McMahon's Dramatic Company in the Sydney Xiyoenm. The plays are of a sensational character. The company may, be through New Zealand this winter. ■