THE DRAMA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 16 June 1900, Page 1138

THE DRAMA.

•t withstanding the magnificent reception arc »rd* d to their opening piece, ■‘The Silver King.” the Ancelon Dramatic Company could nut rely on the same prosperity attending them throughout their season, for the “Silver King” appeals to the popular taste as scarcely any other melodrama does. But the success of “David Carrick” on Thursday last, of “Othello” on Friday, and “Dr. Bill” on Saturday showed that the Company was able to win and keep the public patronage in high tragedy and comedy. Mr Bentley took the title role in the first piece with great success. Again on Saturday he led ti e fast and furious frolic as Dr. Bill, a piece that provoked applause from beginning to eml. Ju “Othello.” the Company, as a whole, did not show to such advantage as in the lighter pieces, but there was some very creditable acting among the rank and file, while Mr Bcnthy’s lago. Miss Woodhull's Desdemona, and Mr Aneelon’s Othello were strong impersonations. O.i Monday “ The Silver King” was reviwu. and yesterday (Tuesday) evening Hamlet was stag d. Mr Alex. A-nderx)j.. of Mr Aneelon’s Company, ha> accepted the management of Mr Percy Dix's Wellington wntiire. which is on the same lines as the marvellously popular Auckland ''how. Mr Harry Rickards has signed a 50 vears’ 1 asc of the Melbourne Opera House. A r.un.iM-r of ~nd pressmen and others met Mr Bentley at supper in the Central Hotel, Auckland, last Saturday evening in response to Mr Douglas Ancelou’s invitation. Toasts were proposed by Mr Bentley, Mr Baume. and others. In the course of hi* r< marks Mr Bentley said that he held the Government should take the theatre in hand, and institute schools and college* to train actors and actresse*. - • -

Mr and Mrs 11. A. Williams, Shakespernu. reciters. are now appearing' in Wellington. Air Wiegand, organist to the City of Sydney, whose manipulation of the great organ in the Town Hall will be remembered by all visitors to the New South Wales capital, has terminated his engagement with the municipality, and leaves shortly for Europe. The Brough Comedy Company, having concluded their Sydney season, is now opening in Brisbane. From that town the Company make for Melbourne. where they will give a short season, and afterwards Perth will be taken ou the way to Singapore. Rangoon. and Calcutta. The Broughs are due at the latter city in December next. They do not expect to lie absent from Australia much moif? than a year. The Auckland Amateurs are putting in active rehearsal Gilbert and Sullivan's "Yeoman of the Guard,"’ for production later on. Mr. Kennerley Rumford, the eminent tenor, it was recently stated, had for some reason or other—probably the plague —postponed his visit to Australia. It, however, trarw-pires that the reason is his approaching marriage to Miss Clara Butt, the famous English contralto. It is therefore certain that Australia will have the pleasure of hearing both artists in the near future. Writing of the happy pair, the London “Morning Leader" says: The two artists have appeared often on the same platform, and it was. indeed, on the concert platform that the acquaintance, which has ripened into something more than friendship, was first made. Mr. Rumford is the only son of the late Mr. W. Kennerley Rumford, of Woodeote Lodge, Epsom, while Miss Clara Butt is the eldest daughter of Captain Butt, of Bristol, so that both singers, curiously enough, appear in public under their own names. Although Miss Clara Butt is a native of Sussex, she has practically spent her life in Bristol, as her parents took tip their residence there when she was but 6 or 7 years of age. As a consequence there is quite a flutter of excitement in the western city as to her approaching marriage. A “Leader" representative called at her father's residence, and was favoured by the famous vocalist with a brief interview. "Yes." said she, “it Is true that I am to be married, and he,” indicating Mr. Kennerley Rumford, who was present, “is to be my husband at rhe latter end of June. As to our future plans, lair.don will be our headquarters. We shall be going on a tour through America and Australia directly we are married, but we shall be back by the autumn, when we shall be singing together." Further conversation elicited the fact that Miss Butt still has ideas of appearing in opera, but that wiil not he for some time yet. The rumour that the popular contralto intends relinquishing her professional career was emphatically denied. “I shall certainly continue my profession." said Miss Butt, “and, as I have told you. we hope to sing together at concerts when we return from our tour, which will be entirely a honeymoon trip." Miss Jennie Opie joins one of Mr. J. C. Williamson's companies at ibe conclusion of her engagement with Mr. Bollard a few weeks hence. It was erroneously stated in last week's issue that the concert given to Mr Wynyard-Joss in Auckland was a benefit given by the Mandolin and Guitar Glub. As a fact, the entertainment was arranged by .Messrs Hipkins and Coutts. This evening (Wednesday) Mr and Mrs Hamilton Hodges, assisted by Mons. E. J. de Willimoff. ibe violinist, Mr George Newsome, a elever elocutionist. Mr A. L. Edwards, and Mrs E. H. Qtteree will give a song recital in the Choral Hall. This will be the first of a series of three similar recitals. Miss Ada Crossley has been engaged to sing at five great musical festivals at Home this year, including the Royal National Eisteddfod. The supply of juvenile prodigies in the Old Country is apparently by no minus e xhausted. Recently at the Steinway Hull, London, two pianistes, the Misses Christiana and Jose Fantozzi-Nolan. aged respectively 8 and 6 years, born in London, their father being English and their mother Italian, came before the public. The elder of the two young instrumentalists played a serenade by Leybach, an etude by Goria, and Beyer's “Wenn die Schalben,” and Miss Jose essayed Handel's “Harmonious Blacksmith." The young ladies also gave a couple of duets. In all these

the players showed much promise, and displayed ability in advance of their years. Mr J. Williamson declares that the first week's business with “H.M.S. Pinafore’" at Her Majesty’s, Melbourne. far exceeded anything ever done with the old piece during the last twenty years. The Pollards attain their ninth birthday this month. Mis my Castles has been specially honotued by the visit of a very distinguished churchman, Tlis Excellency the Papal Nuncio at Paris, Monseigneur Lorenzelli. Hearing of her great success in Australia, he called upon her at the Convent du Bottle, and expressed the hope that her future might be as bright as her friends anticipated.