THE DRAMA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue II, 13 July 1901, Page 81

THE DRAMA.

Everyone in Auckland is looking forward with great expectation to the opening of Musgrove’s opera season here on Monday next; and with good reason too. The x company is without, question the finest and most fully equipped organisation that has visited the colonies. Indeed, although it may sound excessive praise to say so, the combination, in many important respects, is superior ,to some of the leading opera companies ■of Europe. The staging of “11 Trovatore," for instance, the opera with which the present season is inaugurated, is described by one familiar with such productions all the world over as surpassingly magnificent. “I have seen Tl Trovatore,’ ” said he, ‘•produced in Paris, Vienna, Milan and half-a-dozen other places, and I never saw such scenery and dresses connected with it as Mr. Musgrove gives us.” The company is really a double one. This is necessitated by the fact, that none of the artists under their engagement can be required to sing more than three times a week. The advantages to the public from this arrangement are obvious; and not the least will be that theatre-goers will have the chance of hearing the same opera played by two entirely different companies of artists. As regards the programme for the season, the operas to be produced have already been mentioned. Changes will be very frequent, a fresh opera being staged every night during the first part of the season at any rate. Later on the operas will be repeated. “Faust” will follow “11 ‘•Trovatore” on Tuesday. “Carmen” on Wednesday, “Lohengrin” on Thursday. “Il Trovatore” on Friday, and “Faust" on Saturday. The box plan will be open to-day (Wednesday) at Wildman & Lyell’s. Mr. Wilson Barrett’s great piece, With which he means to capture colonial audiences during his forthcoming tour, is called “The Christian and deals with a very early period of English history. The drama, it is said, affords special opportunities for magnificent mounting. Mr. Barrett commences his Aus-

tralian season in Melbourne on August 4th with a revival of “The Manxman.”

It is reported that Nance O'Neil’s tour has so far netted something like £15,000 profit, and that the tregedienne has invested most of it in diamonds, which, having risen 25 per cent, in value, are regarded as a “star” investment.

Mr Chas. Garry, the comedy and character actor, who has recently signed an engagement with Mr Brough, is well known in the Old Country. When with Beerbohm Tree at the London Haymarket he created the part of Brother James in “Hypatia.” He has also made a name for himself when with Sir Henry Irving for four separate engagements, and was stage manager for Mr Forbes Robertson.

It is rather an interesting speculation to figure how the Bland Holtian stars are to be distributed throughout the theatrical firmament when the man-ager-actor retires, which, I believe, is "to be shortly, says the Sydney "Newsletter,” and where—oh! where! shall we find that man of tactful intelligence — Chris. Simonsen next ? Simonsen was always noted for a faithful and almost canine affection for the interests of his principal; and, on one occasion in Auckland, when a rather more truthful criticism than usual had been passed by a local paper on one of the productions, he rushed to that newspaper office, and being refused the head of the critic on a salver, countermanded an extensive advertising order. The paper still exists.

I would again remind Auckland theatre lovers of the long list of attractions the forthcoming months have in store for them. Starting with the Musgrove’s Grand Opera Company on Monday next, the following are the companies which have booked dates:—Auckland amateurs in “lolanthe,” September 1; Arthur Pollard’s Liliputian Opera Company, September 14; Pollard's Opera Company, November 1; Brough Comedy Company, December 26; Hawtrey’s Folly Company, January 23; and Williamson’s Italian Opera Company, February 5.

George Musgrove began life selling shilling tickets in the pit box, at the Melbourne Opera House, under Lyster. Musgrove's father sold the two shilling tickets, for the upper circle. George also had the monopoly of the opera books. His first start in management was when he took Lyster’s Opera Company to Maoriland.

Does Shakespeare spell ruin? Not always. Mr Dampier’s Shakespearian nights in Melbourne are a success, and large audiences on Friday nights are the rule, from which it may be deduced, a Melbourne paper points out, that the old superstition about Shakespeare spelling ruin has been happily exploded. Mr Brough’s Sydney season, which commenced last week, opened with Captan Robert Marshall's four-act comedy “The Second in Command.” The piece has had a great success at the Haymarket, London, where it is still running. The Sultan of Morocco has been amazing his subjects by procuring a magnificent set of bagpipes, with a complete Highland costume. The dress, we learn, creates unmingled amazement (as well it might), but the simple children of the desert are positively enraptured with the music.

Miss Marie Lloyd, who is playing in Sydney under engagement to Mr Harry Rickards, has no claims to be considered a singer, says an Australian contemporary, hut her vocal powers are pleasantly sufficient for the development of her character sketches. The latter are new. bright and clever. Her mimicry and general acting are admirable, and the humour of her “lines" piquant and meritorious. But perhaps it was as a coster that her talents as an impersonator were best seen. She was “ ’Arriet" not alone in dress—though that, was a faithful reproduction in paisley and violet of the genuine article—but in voice and action, a®d apparently in thought and temperament. •

Enacted playwrights all over England availed tlyjmseives of Mr. George Alexander’s offer, made at the annual dinner of the Playgoers’ flub, that, if the club would form a read-

ing committee and invite British writers to submit plays, he would produce the play they considered best at a matinee at the St. James'. Hundreds of plays were received. They were of all kinds—from blank verse tragedies and poetical dramas downwards—and so are the authors. They range from eminent novelists ta cooks. The most prolific lady novelist of the day sent in. and a novelist whose novels are competed for by the publishers, but whose plays are given no chance.

Recently a peripatetic opera company, in the course of its travels, gave a performance at a town near to which was camped a party of natives. The troupe, visiting the camp, was given an exhibition of boomerang throwing, winding up with a corroboree. In return they were invited to hear “Les Cloches de Corneville." They came; and when the show was over one of the gins asked the manager for money.

“Gib it chillin," said she. “Gib all of it chillin; buy baccy an’ sugar." “Good gracious!" exclamed the astonished manager, “do you mean to say that you’re not satisfied, even after being allowed to see the whole performance free, gratis, for nothing?”

“All a same, boss, you gib it chillin.” replied the gin. “We bin cobon good along a you. Sitten all night listen to fool yabber-yabber, an’ never say one word. Gib it ehillin."