THE Lorgnette

Observer, Volume XXI, Issue 1180, 10 August 1901, Page 8

THE Lorgnette

By Pkndennis.

MUSGROVE'S Opera Company brought a most successful and profitable season of twenty nights to a close on Tuesday evening with Balfe's tuneful work, " The Bohemian Girl." There was, as usual, a crowded attendance. It may be gathered what a successful season it has been from the fact that the takings have averaged very close upon £240 a night, aggregating something like £4800 for the season, which is considerably in advance of Mr Musgrove's most sanguine expectations. This success exemplifies to a striking extent the advantages of a lirst-class orchestra to a grand opera company, for without its magnificent orchestra the company would have sunk to the dead level of mediocrity. Stars it lias none. 'The principals arc people of ordinary talent and capability. They do their best, which is good. That orchestra docs the rest. ••• ••• ••• The next company billed for the Opera House is .lohn F. Sheridan's, which opens on Wednesday of next week. Sheridan is known to memory dear as the Widow O'Brien. The company is expected from Sydney on Monday. The piece announced for the opening is " When the Lamps are Lighted,'' a musical comedy drama, by George R. Sims, and specially written for Sheridan. The play is of very high merit, both dramatically and musically, and has been winning high opinions wherever produced. The company is powerful and sterling, and the orchestra is complete and well trained. The season, therefore, should be one of crowded houses, as happened on Sheridan's last visit. ••• ••• ••• Tho<c very clever people, the Haytors, close their season on Saturday, which fact, coupled with a splendid bill of fare and two new artists, accounts, perhaps for the well-lilled state of the City Hall all this week. These artists have three nights t6 go, and the chance .should not be luissed of seeing them. Their, act takes up, say, a quarter of an hour, and in that time they exhibit some clever acting, indulge in the smartest, of dialogue, perpetrate some singing, < get off some original and very comical business, amaze you with acrobatic work, and keep you laughing all the time. Miss Lily and Mr Herbert Roberts, a soprano and tenor respectively, who appeared for the lirst time on Monday, are vocalists of much ability. Both are possessors of well-trained and sympathetic voices, and they sing with much expression. ••• ••• ••• Frank Yorke, the favourite end man, is fresh and vigorous, voiceful and humorous ; and if the buttons on his coat were as bright as his work, how different they would look. In first and second parts he raises the laugh that raises the roof, and is penalised with encores. Miss Mollie Bentley. in contralto voice and with placid face, balladises ever so nicely, and every time wins plaudits. The sisters Worrall, in new songs and new steps, sing and dance pleasingly and gracefully, as does Miss Annetta Bodin. "Jim" Marion gives a good account of himself, and in his place in the corner, or in subsequent sketches, he is equally at home, and fetches the whqje house. George Dean, in his music-hall items, shows he. is a good comedian as well as- good singer, and .with Miss Worrall gives a clever little sketch in the second part. Miss Ethel 'Gwyn no Is a 'pronounced success each night, while Johnny Collins and Karl. Browne also do capable work.

As usual, the Liedertaf el had a very large audience at their concert on Friday, ; and gave ; - an ' excellent two hours entertainment. All the items were carefully, rendered, Messrs Percy S. Lee, W. Agpinall and Trenwith, and Misses Laing and Violet Mount giving a solo each in the' first and second parts with very good effect, while Dr Thomas gave a selection on the organ in finished style, and Mr P. I West was pleasing on the cornet. The programme was interspersed with items by the club, all given with Hue precision. .*. .«. .«. In America lately an actor sued tlie proprietor of the theatre at which lie had been performing because a member of the audience tired a revolver at him. The case was dismissed. Obviously, the judge had visited the theatre and seen that actor act. ,-' ••• ••• ••• The Taylor-Carrington Company will commence a twelve months' tour of Australia and New Zealand at Adelaide on August 10 with Arthur Shirley's " Is She Guiltless?" The Company will include, in addition to the prinepals, .Miss Nita Steele. Miss Minnie Brandon, Miss Winifred Davis, Mrs. •Johnson Weir. Mr. ("has. 11. Daniels, Mr Sequin, Mr. C. .1. 11. Nccdhani, Mr. 1). Murray. .•■ . 5 . .«. .Report has ii l.i.u Walter l.en'tley will appear in New York next season. Of late, Walter has been starring in the States with a company- -well, to express it gently — not lirst-class. ••• ••• .o. Dix promises an innovation shortly, when sixteen real ballet girls, imported from Australia, are to take up an interchangeable position at the four theatres of the Maoriland vaudeville entrepreneur. These ladies are to occupy the places now Tilled by what the Thespian cognoscenti designates as " seat-warmers," this latter part of the entertainment being elevated to a high and glorious position on swings, or somewhere else that will allow the tinsel wonder of their garments and beauteous symmetry of their limbs to still remain part of the vhuw.--Specta-tor. ••• ••• ••• Rudyard Kipling has dramatised his '.Jungle Hook.' The lirst performance will be given early in December at the London Garrick. Arrangements are also now being made for a simultaneous series of performances in New York. ••• ••• ••• At Sydney Tivoli the Dartos, who are shortly to appear with Dixs Gaiety, arc now the principal attraction. Notwithstanding the recent long run of "Cinderella," in which they appeared with the Nellie Stewart Company, these truly wonderful dancers are quite as popular now, and their audience not a whit less enthusiastic. ••• ••• ••• Madame Melba's reappearance in London is in Puccinni's " La Boheuio," now being played for the first time in Australia. ••• ••• ••• Miss Flora An stead, who toured the colony, about a quarter of a century ago, as leading lady in a big dramatic company, and who was a great favourite, has just died in the Kew (Australia) Asylum, at the age of (i(j. Miss Anstead was long financially bled by a worthless husband, and when his death was reported she married the late Jerry Dodge, who had no sooner died than the wastrel bobbed up again. ••• ••• ••• Adelaide Critic is responsible for the following story of the late Fred liiscocks : — " Seven or eight years ago, he was a victim to influenza. He was then living in Hunter-street, Sydney. Several theatrical and newspaper men staying in the same house advised the whisky cure. Bowden's Hotel was nearly opposite. The last journey to and from the hotel was made about 2 a. in., when poor Fred collapsed. The other men then 'laid him out' on the drawing - room floor, planting candles around him, a la La Tosca and Scarpia, and 'waking' him with maudlin songs, until they felt that lied was the safest place. When, in tho early morning, lliscocks woke up and saw the lights and accessories around liim, lie received, such a fright th.it he had to lie abed for a couple of days. But the -'il'ii. was cured. / .

L. J. Lohr has returned from Westralia, where Mr Charles (Arnold's company has done splendid business. The company opened at the Melbourne Princess Theatre last Saturday in " Why / Smitli left Home."* ••. .». .«. The De Wynne Brothers, hand balancers and acrobats, who have been starring in Australia for the past twelve months, leave Sydney in a fortnight under engagement to Mr P. It. Dix. Upon conclusion of their engagement with Mr Dix, they will do a starring season at the Orpheuin, San Francisco, where they are due at the end of present year. ••• ••• ... The Lynch Family Bellringers' new entertainment will comprise a special attraction in the "Musical Gongs" ordered by Harry Lynch whilst in London early last year, and quite a musical novelty. ••• ••■ .». Priscilla Verne, who showed with the Hugo Minstrels years ago at the Opera House, is now with a vaudeville company at Manilla, Phillippine Islands. In the company are also the Linwood Sisters (late of Dixs Gaiety) ami Professor Davis, the well-known ventriloquist. The show is called the 'Australian Vaudeville Company.' ••• .«. .«. 1 <^uite a host of new artists will join Mr Dixs forces at the City Hall, Auckland, next week. They will include that popular comedian, Mill arry Shine. Miss Violet Klliott (a contralto with a beautiful voice), " The Redheads," a couple of pantomimic acrobats, Baby Capel. a wonderfully clever juvenile dancer, and Alberto, the deceptionist. They are all due by the next boat from Sydney. .»• .»• .«. Alice Layton, the popular soprano, round here with Dix, but subsequently with Ferry, the Human Frog, and his talented company, has severed her connection with the last-named show, and was in Christchurch the other -lay. ••• .«. .«. When Yvette Guilhert last appeared in London she could have hidden behind her umbrella, there was so little of her ; now she is married and more expansive, but, says the writer, she is still piquantc, and, after her own way, she is unique.' ••• ••• .«. Mascagni. the comparatively youthful composer of " Cavalleria Rusticana." is a Chevalier of the Order of the Crown of Italy, an honour which was not accorded to Verdi until he reached middle age. He was formerly a bumble music master at the local college in an obscure little town on tbe Adriatic ••• .». .«. May Abbott, the Georgia Magnet, a little lady who 'bristles with some unknown magnetic power, is now attracting good houses in West Australia. •«. ■•• .«. Miss Lucy Cobb, so well known in Australia and New Zealand in connection with Williamson's Comic Opera Company, had a very serious illness a few months ago, and for some time afterwards things went very badly with her. Recently, Miss ('dbb received news of a very handsome legacybeing left to her, and she and her sisters are going to Kiighunl to enjoy it. -