Music, Drama.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 201, 31 May 1894, Page 2

Music, Drama.

By the

Prompter.

The Montague-Turner people talk of revisiting New Zealand at an early date. Miss Belcher, daughter of the Rev. H. Belcher, the head of the Dunedin Boys’ High School, who was here with Bland Holt last visit, is engaged to be married to Mr H. Cosgrove, a promising young Australian actor. Things have not prospered with Kennedy and Oily Deering. They had a meeting of their creditors at Dunedin, and the statement of accounts showed liabilities, ns6d; assets, £is. In his private estate Mr Kennedy’s figures were, liabilities, £"]&) 19s; assets, nil. The meeting decided to recommend the bankrupts for immediate discharge. It did not take the coroner’s jury long to decide that May Brooklyn (Mrs Walter Bentley) committed suicide at San Francisco by means of carbolic acid. The evidence of members of the company with which the deceased had been associated was that she had been quite despondent, melancholy, and dissatisfied, particularly since she had learned of the death of a dear friend named Lovecraft, who had committed suicide by taking carbolic acid and shooting himself. The Spirit of the Times tells of the death of James Owen O’Connor as a man who posed in England “ and this country as a tragic actor, and finally had to play behind a wire curtain to protect him from the missiles thrown by his audiences. He died in the Asylum for the Insane at Morris Plains, New Jersey, on the 31st of March. He was born in New York in 1849, educated at the Jesuit College, Georgetown, became a Baptist preacher during a visit to England, studied law in Brooklyn, and made his professional debut at the Star Theatre, in 1888, as Hamlet. The audience howled at him, and the critics declared that his insanity was not assumed. But there was a method in his madness. When he discovered that people would pay more to guy him than to see him try to act he fooled them to the top of their bent, and coined their denunciation into dollars. At last his lunacy took such a form that, in 1892, his relatives deemed it wise to send him to an asylum.”

Charley’s Aunt has taken on splendidly at Dunedin, and a successful New Zealand tour is a certainty.

One of the strongest programmes yet presented by Mr A. H. Gee was given at last night’s popular concert. He had the assistance of Miss Warren, Miss Heywood, and Messrs Archdale Tayler, Martin, Brett, Montague and Herr Zimmermann, and every number was well chosen and most creditably rendered. Mr Archdale Tayler was a strong support to Mr Gee, and both gentlemen’s singing gave the greatest pleasure. The attendance was in keeping with the programme, which may take rank with the best presented by Mr Gee. These concerts have taken a strong hold of the public, and while Mr Gee caters for them in the splendid manner which has marked his work up to the present he need have no fear of the continued popularity of the ■series.

Hardly had he returned (writes “ Call Boy”) to Melbourne from his New Zealand tour than Frank M. Clark, of the Alhambra Company, was”called upon to appear in the Carlton Police Court to show cause why he should not support the child of Hilda Catherine Briscoe. The complainant, who was not devoid of attractions, stated that she arrived in Victoria about two years ago and became a member of the Variety Company at the Gaiety Theatre, Melbourne, which was then being run by Mr Clark: A close intimacy between them sprung up, and they lived together at Hastings as man and wife. The child was born in December, 1892, and though she had on two previous occasions taken out summonses against him she had been persuaded not to go into court. The -defendant denied the parentage of the child. He admitted being kind and attentive to Miss Briscoe, “as he was to others who required his help.” Intimacy with the complainant was not denied. The Bench made an order for the payment of ios 6d per week.