AUSTRALIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4715, 5 August 1893, Page 2

AUSTRALIA.

Seldom (says a Melbourne paper) has Mr Bland Holt played to better honses thaa during the present run of A' Million of Money, and that is saying a great deal, for the bland one's shows, are always sufficiently attractive to draw well. The following items. ,are from the " Sydney Bulletin", of July 22 :— Williamson and Bracey both pre diet a big operatic future tor; May J?oll_srd, who haß immensely improved latterly.' Besides, May fetches 'em in tights. : '• '■' Sundry minstrel shows continue much as usual in various parts of Sydney. Harry Rickards* business, at the Tivoli, maintains the usual high- water mark of prosperity— Kickards is one of the few Sydney men now making money — and the Alhambra, Gaiety and Opera House still move around and save burial expanses. There is, or Was, a "singing ohamberwaid " at Brisbane Opera Honse Hotel with _. wonderful contralto voice and a fine presence. Offerß and inducements to take to the stage have been made to her and consistently refused.; Besides having a voice worth training, she has 'a Wonderful ear and .memory/ and, would be a catch to any. enterprising hjanager, ' ;'*'.*■ •"..."•.... „.', The good: impression which Mr Edward Terry, of London, made it Sydney. Lyceum in . Sweet Lavender was pretty effectively dissipated on Saturday night when He broke out in Liberty Hall. In that dismal play he went back to. his old character —a character whioh seems to be distinctively bis own, while others are merely artificial — as a dreadfully low-spirited and apologetic old man. There is universal sympathy for Alfred Dampier in hia insolvency, even among hia creditors. He took Melbourne Alexandra wher. its looked hopeless, and pulled it out of the mire, conducting a prosperous business for long. Perhaps tho old managerial family trouble aooounts for much. The successful manager is a Williamson, fettered with no ties, able to change his front from a Vicar of Bray to an Earner.olda, and from that to A Million of Money. f "William Hayes, circus proprietor, now in Maoriland, was engaged with his partner, ! Benhamo (the clown), for an Australian tour by Burton. Thinking Australia like England, waß full of large towns at short distances, they were furious when dragged away into the bueh with a waggon show. They broke their oontraot, a law suit ensued, and in the evidence it waa shown that Hayes limit of endurance was reached one evening when the chow was belated on the road, and Burton gave him the order to |' jump down off his waggon and go ahead and look for the town with bottlelights."