WELLINGTON JOTTINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 201, 31 May 1894, Page 3

WELLINGTON JOTTINGS.

| By

Proteus.]

Things musical and dramatic present a thriving appearance here, all the theatres and halls being engaged at the date of this memo.

The performance given by Bessie Doyle and Co. at the Theatre Royal is unique and immensely popular. The Opera House is run by some amateurs under the designation of “ Dramatic Students,” and their delineation of Masks and Faces, and especially Nan the Good for Nothing, effectually suited the title of the piece, as their conception of Tom Taylor’s comedy was not of the best. The secretary, who is an impressionable person as regards height (nothing else) very discourteously refused to “ Proteus ” admittance as press representative, and he being more than seven I naturally wondered at his demeanour, but consoled myself with the reflection — “ Where ignorance is bliss,” etc. When he is acquainted with the fact that a person unconnected with any newspaper in the colony reserved two seats ten minutes before the performance and partook of refreshments provided on the stage (all for “ nix”) he will visit the opticians for

glasses. The Prince of Wales’ Minstrels, another amateur organisation, occupy the Princess Theatre with good biz. Donald Dinnie’s Champion Step Dancing Co. have the Criterion Theatre, and the attendance nightly is fair. Speaking to Mr Levi, the energetic secretary of the Wellington Operatic Society, he assured me the amateurs were having excellent rehearsals of Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera The Mikado, which is to be played about August.