Dramatic Gossip.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7061, 13 January 1891, Page 3

Dramatic Gossip.

Some interesting facts relating to the early life of Mr W. S. Gilbert, are given in the new issue of " Men and Women of the Day." Part of his education, we learn, was received at a private school at Ealing, where he remained till he was sixteen years of age. There he not only took all the chief prizes for English, Greek, and Latin verse, but wrote plays which were represented by his school-fellows; Among these, we are told, was a thrilling melodrama on the subject of Guy Fawlces, for which piece he painted the Bcenes and arranged the accessories, besides enacting the title part. The theatrical instinct will "out," and so, years afterwards, Mr Gilbert began his literary career by writing an extravaganza for Miss Herbert. A London paper tells the following story of how one, who is now a leading singer in England, was discovered : — Mr Leslie Crofcty, the most popular baritone in the Carl Rosa Opera Company, owes his position to what is generally termed "god fortune." He had, a3 a young man, no idea whatever of bping a professional. But one day, after a Turkish bath, he was lying in the cooling-room, and commenced (rather sotto vocc) to sing "The Heart Bowed Down " the song which is now so associated with his name. A Catholic clergyman lying near was greatly struck with the v onderful mellow tone and richness of voice displayed by Mr Crotty. The clergyman complimented him, and suggested that with proper training a great future awaited the possessor of so good a voice. Mr Crotty took his counsel to heart, and the result must have been highly gratifying to the kindly cleric. Alexander Dumas (writes Eugene Field in the "Chicago News"), has been playing a cruel practical joke on the theatre managers of Paris. He has sent to one of their number an original play, written out in a copy hand and signed with a fictitious name. He has announced in the public press that he has done this, and he says that he will give the play to the manager who is able to detect what merit it may possess from among the scores of other manuscripts similarly presented for acceptance. As the discovery of the piece means to its possessor a large competency, there is a terrible rummaging among the pigeonholes of the managerial desks in Paris. "I shall not divulge its identity until a month after its production," Bays Dumas, " for I am determined to see how far my ability is dependent on merit or on the name I bear." Who but a Frenchman would hit upon a bit of humour like that?