STAGE IN THE ’SEVENTIES

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17502, 8 September 1928, Page 13 (Supplement)

STAGE IN THE ’SEVENTIES

A PLAYGOER’S REMINISCENCES. Y US3 (By J.S-B.) The recent exit from life’s stage of two of the brightest stars in English drama —differing from one another in glory but each supreme in her own sphere—awakens stirring memories in those able to recall the scenes of their earlier triumphs. Athwart the shadowy background of an earlier day fency depicts a vivid parade of the brilliant company who won the plaudits of English playgoers in the early ’seventies. A review of the playbills of that prolific period is highly interesting. Some few of those who contributed so signally to the dramatic history of the last two generations had already \von fame; a number of others had crossed its threshold. Ellen Terry achieved a notable success as Portia at the Prince of AValcs Theatre in ’/■ i, and —with Bancrofts at the Princess —as Pauline in the “Lady of Lyons,” in the following year. Later on she joined Irving at the Lyceum, where she w-as associated with him for many notably successful years. Lottie A'enne, after a very successful performance as Zada in “The Happy Land,” at the Royal Court Theatre, achieved a long succession of triumphs at the Strand. Evoked Extraordinary Enthusiasm. Marion Terry appeared in “Money” at the Olympic in ’73 and in “Weak AYomcn” at the Strand the following year. The Bancrofts were at the Prince of Wales, where Marie Wilton (Mrs Kendal) had the part of Lady Gay Spanker in London Assurance in ' 1 2. In Hie same year Mrs ScottSiddons appeared at Queen’s in “Ordeal by Touch.” In that year, too, the reappearance, after a very long retirement, of the famous Madame Celeste evoked extraordinary enthusiasm among veteran playgoers. She appeared in’ her -old part of Miami, the Indian huntress in “Green Bushes,” at the Adelphi, with all her old-time brilliancy. The Standard put on the impressive ‘Rebecca’ adapted from Ivanhoc. At Drury Lane Salvin’s Othello was a memorable performance. The inimitable O'Toole in “Aii Baba” was the big attraction at the Gaiety. Irving was going strong in “The Belle.” Among the successes of ’73 were Farnie’s mirth-provoking “Nemesis,” with Harry Paulton and Nellie Farren, at the Strand; “The New Magdaline,” with Ada Cavendish in the leading role, at the Olympic; “Black Crook” at tho Alhambra. At the Opera Comiquc “Kissi Kissi” made a great hit. llcnri Corri’s impersonation of the Shah of Persia, who had recently visited England, was irresistibly comic. “Leah the Jewish Maiden," with Charlotte Bateman in the title role, had a long run at the Lyceum. At the Gaiety George Conquest, the celebrated animal actor from the Grecian, gave an impressive performance in “Snaefcll.” In ’7 i the spectacular “Babil and Bijou,” with J. S. Toole in the cast, had a long run at Covent Garden. The Adelphi put on “Led Astray” and “The Wandering Jew”; the Olympic “The Two Orphans”; the Criterion "The American Lady.” Among other notable performances were the gorgeously mounted “Lady of the Lake” at Drury Lane; “Nana Sahib” at the Alhambra; “Jane Shore” at the Princess; “The Bohemian G’yuri" at the Opera Comique; the Vaughan sisters in “The Forty Thieves”; Charles Warner and Helen Faucit at Drury Lane; the Kendals at the Haymarket.; “Our Boys" at the Vaudeville, which-ran for 13C2 nights in all. The elder Boucicauit appeared in “Colleen Bawn" and "The Shaugraun.”

In Grand Opera. In grand opera the outstanding performance for spectacular effect was “II Talismano” at Drury Lane in ’74, with delightful Christine Xilsen as Edith PJantagenet. Patti was at llic zenith of her fame; Albani at Hie threshold of her brilliant career at Covent Garden. Patey, Norman Neruda (Lady Hally), Trebilii-Bettiore, Carnpanini and Campobclio made up the cast of Trovatorc, Traviata and the rest of the classic operas so popular at the period under review. Londoners were well catered for in the matter of entertainment in the promoving picture days. Besides a score or so of high-class theatres, the Oxford and the Cambridge music halls and several others of less importance drove a thriving trade, and exerted no little influence on the politics of the day. Topics of stale furnished the motif of many popular songs. The imperialist movement was largely fostered in the music halls, and the most clamant section of its promoters derived the cognomen from one of the most popular songs of Hie period, “We don’t want to tight hut by jingo if we do, we’ve got the ships, we’ve got the men, we’ve got the money too.” On tho concert stage Sims Reeves and Charles Sanlley were the most prominent of a brilliant band. The annual concert of Henry Leslie’s choir, in which some of the leading English singers participated, was one of the events of the year. Instrumental music of a high order was always with us. Foremost -among social entertainers were the German Reeds and Corney Grain. The Yokes family and "the inimitable McCabe” gave attractive entertainments. Dr. Lynn, the pioneer of modern conjuring—the man who

“showed how it was done" —filled tho Egyptian Hall nightly for years. Hermann, of one of the best of Ihc old school -of legerdemain, also did good business. Maskeiyno and Cook drew great -houses with Psyche and Zoe and spiritualistic stunts. Burgess and "Moore’s Christy Minstrels were perennial favourites. One could always be sure of a good evening’s entertainment at the Polytechnic, where popular semi-scientiflc lectures were a feature. Then there were “Lancashire Bellringers," lecturers, elocutionists, acrobatic and dancing troops in profusion. There may -be truth in Froissart’s jibe that Englishmen of his day took their pleasures sadly, but Victorian Londoners, at least, took theirs lightheartedly enough.