AUSTRALIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5256, 11 May 1895, Page 6

AUSTRALIA.

Miss Beryl Faber, one of the recent additions to the Brough and Boucioaultl Company, Is the daughter of a Brighton (England) doctor. • y**^ ' Mrs R. Stewart— mother of Nellie,., of comio opera fame, and Biohard Stewart* of the Msggie Moore oompairy— oelebrateji her eightieth birthday on Good Friday. ■'• , When the " Firm's " Opera Compan|fi» reorganised it will include, a number of, new faces, gaps left ny the disappearance of old favourites . being-filled by imported artists. '• .r

Misb Violet Varley (Mrs Tapley) bab entered into a new engagement with ttie Williamson and Musgrove , Comio Opera Company, and is to make he**ra-app*Barance in a new opera in June. During . the Melbourne season Brough-Boucioault. ; Company will p-r-oqooe Haddon Chambers's John-a'Dreams. Tha company will commence a five-weexa' season at Adelaide on August 27, leaving, on its conclusion, for another tour through New Zealand.

Bland Holt opened tin Melbourne .on April 18, in The Span of Life, to an oretr flowing house. It is nor too much to.eay (remarks the "Argus*" crHJo) that itis one of the best piooes of its kind thathaa been presented in this oity. The4tttere*t never flags, and it contains such] a throng ot exciting incidents and so many dramatio situations that we should infer its author to be young in his craft, and therefore lees frugal than a more experienced playwrights would be when drawing on the resonroM ot his imagination. For there is really material enough in Tho Span of Life for a couple of effeotive melodramas. The Gaiety Girl Company had a socoeaafnl opening at the Melbourne Princeis'son April 13, and dealing with the performance a critio says :— lf cheers, flowers, call**, and recalls constitute a dramatio success, then A Gaiety Girl may be said to have embarked upon the full tide bf popular favour. Seldom has a Princess's audience stamped any new production with suoh unmistakable signs of approval. Indeed, the reception of Saturday night recalled tha glories of the first Gaiety Company, and although the present combination includes no stars of such magnitude as Mr Leslie or Miss Nellie Farren^it may be said at onoe, that in the all-round talent of its members and the perfection of its ensemble it is superior to even that notable organisation. From the rise of the curtain on Mr Gordon's pretty set of Windsor Castle to its fall on the carnival scene, the performance was a triumph.thorooghjy earned aad thoroughly deserved. After "such a first night, the management may test assured that the Gaiety Girl Company has more than justified, the claims which were put forward in its favour, v ■ The foUowing items are -taken from ihe Sydney "Bulletin" s-**-Debima Moore and Beryl Faber, of the Brongh and Boueicault company went to Bchool together, and hadn't met since they were thirteen till they shook hands in Sydney the other day.- •*•- Bland Holt introduces a bullock-team on the Melbourne boards. This was Joa Brown's dream, with his great original drama, for which he-required extra props— under the stage. The brilliant Kowalski hits a piano as hard perhaps aa any man on earth— and harder than any other man who haa been heard playing at this end of the earth. Kowalski iB the. John L. Sullivan of the piano-stool.

Olga Nethersole was governess for eighteen month* to Mrs Arthur Daore's (Miss Amy Rosette's) children before she went on the stage in England. Miss Nethersole owes a lot to Mrs Daore's enoouragement and recognition of her talents at that time.

Charles Ryley had an operation performed upon him in America, and was carried cn board the steamer when leaving 'Frisco. The voyage pulled him together again, but Melbourne notes sadly that he has aged more thau his brief absenoe should justify. Charles Wheatleigh, Thespian veteran, died in New York a few weeks ago. Being a friend of Boucicault, he had the privilege of bringing the Colleen Bawn to Australia, thirty-four years back, and, many years later, he brought The Shavghravm. Of lata he had replaced Gilbert in Augustin Daly's troupe. Monkhouße, aud other old hands of the now Gaiety crowd, confessed themselves puzzled by Harry Rickards' variety show at Melbourne Opera House. They looked at the names on the programme, considered the scale of admission obaxges (from sixpence to a florin), asked for friend 'Arry's reassurance tbat the programme was faithfully carried out, and then shrugged their shoulders. They didn't see how he could possibly do it at the prioe, there and in Sydney. Nevertheless, Rickards does it, and prospers.