THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 431, 27 October 1898, Page 8

THE STAGE

LBy

Orpheus.]

“ Orpheus " will be glad to hear from those managers of theatrical companies touring New Zealand who desire that the public shall know the movements of the companies. Any information as to dates, etc., will be acknowledged in these columns, as well as any other items of interest to the theatrical world. AU letters should be addressed —•* Orpheus,” Sporting and Dramatic Review, Vulcan Lane, Auckland.

Opera House. —Henry’s Dramatic Company gave its first change of programme last Thursday evening. The piece presented was “ The Shamrock and Thistle,” by Messrs R. Henry and W. J. Coulter. It is of the sensational drama order, and it is good of its kind. The scene is laid in Ireland, and the plot is briefly as follows : —Lord Fitzgerald, some twenty years before the time depicted in the opening scenes of this play, has had an amour with a girl named Dora Dillon. To satisfy her he goes through a form of marriage, be lieving that the ceremany is quite invalid. The person who performs the marriage ceremony is an ex-priest named Walsh. Fitzgerald deserts Dora; she sends her child to him and then disappears. Fitzgerald brings the boy up, but tells him nothing of his real relationship to him, and the only person in the secret is Lindsay, a faithful old Scotch servant. Lindsay urges Fitzgerald to acknowledge his son, but Robert Outcliffe, Lord Fitzgerald’s younger brother, manages to prevent this, he being anxious that the title and estates should devolve upon his own son. In order to further his schemes he bribes the ex-priest, Walsh, to hold his tongue about the validity of the marriage. Suddenly Dora Dillon, who has not been heard of for twenty years and is supposed to be dead, comes on the scene and discloses her identity to Lindsay. Her statement is overheard by an attorney named Quinlan. Cutcliffe and Quinlan see that if their plan is to succeed Dora must be got rid of, and they determind to burn her in her own cottage. The plot is frustrated by Walsh, who then proves the validity of the marriage. Lord Fitzgerald acknowledges his wife and son, and the drama ends in the orthodox fashion with the reward of goodness and virtue and the confounding of wickedness and vice. One of the authors, Mr R. Henry, played the part of Lindsay with great success. His makeup and Scotch accent were very good. Mr W. J. Coulter, bis collaborateur, impersonated Lord Fitzgerald, an elderly aristocrat who would willingly forget that he “ sowed his wild oats ” in his youth. The part of Dora Dillon was well played by Miss Kathleen Raleigh. Miss Billie Howarde gave a capital rendering of the part of Lady Elsie, Lord Fitzgerald’s niece. Mr H. N. Douglas played Walsh; Mr Humphries, Quinlan ; Mr Oremar, Cutcliffe; and Mr Goodall, Lord Fitzgerald’s son. The Greenwoods are touring the country districts. They shortly appear at the Opera House for a week. The Auckland Liedebtaeel will give the last concert of the season in the Choral Hall on November 4. By the special request of many subscribers, Paliard’s “Sea Fight ” will. be included in the programme. This splendid piece was first produced by the society at its second concert this season. The society closes the season with a smoke concert, to be held in the Masonic Hall, Princess Street, on Friday, November 11. Dante has “ caught on ” in Sydney, where he occupi. s the Palace. His Australian tour is under the management of Mr J. L. Lohr. He will probably return to Auckland about the end of January.

Me Charles Arnold, who played “Hans the Boatman ” and “ Captain Fritz ” here, has “ struck oil” with “ What Happened to Jones,” at the Strand Theatre, London. Owing to the success of this piece, Mr Arnold has had to postpone his South African and Australasian tour, which is to be piloted by Mr J. L. Lohr. It is Mr Arnold’s opinion that “ What Happened to Jones ” is a better farcical comedy than “ Charley’s Aunt” or “The Private Secretary.”

The Payne Family have been performing to good houses in the suburbs. On Tuesday and Wednesday last they appeared in St. Benedict’s Hall, Newton, on Thursday in thePonsonby Hall, and on Friday in the Devonport Hall.

Alfred Dampier has returned from London with a repertoire of new plays, and opened a season at the Sydney Criterion last Saturday, October 22, the first piece being “ Everyday London.”

Walter Bentley is giving a series of lectures in Brisbane on “ Elocution and the Art of Oratory.” The lectures are under the auspices of the Queensland University Extension Committee, and are very highly spoken of. It is probable that they will be delivered in Sydney also.

It is not improbable that the Knight-Ferrar Company will return to New Zealand during the summer with “ Under the Red Robe ” and other novelties.

Pollard"? Opera Company, after playing in Christchurch at the beginning of November, go to Dunedin, then Invercargill, Oamaru, and Nelson, opening in Auckland lor a four weeks’ season on Boxing Night.

Harry Riokards is having more than his share of bad luck in connection with his dramatic companies. In Sydney the Cartwright season was upset owing to an accident to Miss Edith Morley. Lesly Thomson, the Scotchman who was specially imported to play the title role in “ The Little Minister,” was never able to appear, and now to crown all, Pattie Brown is laid up, and her part in “ The Little Minister ” has to be taken by Miss Noni Rickards. Owing to Pattie Brown’s continued indisposition, “ The Dove-Cote ” could not be put on at the time announced. It is to be hoped that Fortune has something in store for Harry Rickards to make amends for all these hard knocks.

Mr John Fuller continues to draw large crowds to the Agricultural Hall on Mondays and Wednesdays. Last Monday the views depicted “ Marvellous Melbourne at Cup Time,” and were much admired. A new name on the programme was that of Mr Will Watkins, the well-known Melbourne comedian. He was very well received, and all the rest of the company were eminently successful.

By the Waihora on Monday last Mr Ben Fuller and Mr R. H. Beattie, R.A.0.8., sailed for Sydney and Melbourne on behalf of the Auckland Amusement, Waxwork, and World’s Fair Syndicate. Their intention is to secure and bring back many novelties, for which the abovenamed syndicate, of which Mr John Fuller is the head, has been in negotiation for some time. The Agricultural Hall has been secured and renovated, and with a bright, interesting performance, will no doubt be taxed to its utmost to accommodate the hundreds of visitors and amusement seekers in Auckland during the Exhibition period. The Waxworks Exhibition, which closes in Sydney for the summer months, will be the great attraction, whilst the chrystal maze, illusions, chromaph, the latest novelty in color photography, the spider’s web, and a bright variety entertainment at a popular price, and opening early in December, should be an attraction in itself for the visitors.

The forthcoming productions of the favorite operas, “Mikado” and “Gondoliers,” which eventuate at the Opera House in December next, should be attended with dis'inct success. The

cast of characters is unusually strong, the chorusconsists of some forty picked voices, and under the able coaching of the stage-manager, [Mr Stoyle, both principals and chorus will no doubt give an excellent account of themselves. The following is the cast of characters for “ The Mikado” : —Ko-Ko, Mr Archdale Tayler; Nanki Poo, Mr A. L. Edwards ; The Mikado, Mr Eml. Keesing; Pooh Bah, Mr Tracey Hall; Pish _ Tush, Mr Theo. Queree ; Yum Yum, Mrs Hopkins; Pitti Sing, Miss Lily Thompson ; Peep 800, Miss E. L. Boulton; Katisha, Miss Emily Reeve. The cast for “ The Gondoliers ” is as follows : — The Grand Inquisitor, Mr Archdale Tayler ; the Duke of Plaza-Toro, Mr Eml. Keesing; Luiz, Mr Robin Hay; Marco, Mr A. L. Edwards; Guiseppe, Mr G. Tracey Hall ; Antonio, Mr A. G. Murphy ; Duchess of PlazaToro, Miss Emily Reeve; Casilda, Mrs R. H, Hop sins ; Gianetta, Miss C. Knight; Tessa, Miss Lily Thomson ; Fiametta, Miss Ethel Boulton ; Inez, Miss Minnie Lye.

Miss Laura Power, with a compact and capable concert and burlesque company, is touring the Goldfields and Waikato districts. A two nights season at Te Aroha, on the 20th and 21st inst., proved a genuine artistic success, but owing to the bad weather the attendance was only moderate, The audiences, however, made up for numbers by enthusiasm, encores being plentiful as blackberries. Miss Bride Packer displays wi nderful improvement in the management of a really fine soprano voice, and her charming appearance and modest demeanour won all hearts. Miss Laura Power, although handicapped by a cold, won imperative encores for excellent singing. In Mr Morton Prior the combination boasts of a clever artist, with infinite versatility as singer of serios and comic songs (capital tenor voice), dancer, and actor. Mr Harold Middy is a brilliant whistler, clear as a blackbird and faultless in intonation. His rendering of “The Washington Post ” is inimitable. Miss Joy Ahersten is a brilliant pianiste. Hampered as she was by a more than indifferent instrument, this brilliant young lady did wonders, capping all by playing a brilliant morceau blindfold and with a sheet spread over the keys. Loander is a marvellous contortionist and equilibrist, and a reciter of side® splitting Hibernian gems. The entire programme is an admirable melange of vocal, terpsichorean, and histrionic art. The company also gives excellent sacred concerts. Performances were to be given at Huntley on Saturday and Sunday evenings, after which the combination probably returns to Auckland.