GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 453, 30 March 1899, Page 9

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

[By

Agnotos.]

Madame Albani opened early last month Capetown, supported by Miss Sarah Berry. Madame Melba will appear in grand opera in London at the conclusion of her American engagement. Mr Philip Newbury has been very successful with his “pops” in Sydney, and has determined to made them a permanent institution. It is stated that Miss Olga E. Baker, wife of Mr W. E. Baker (Bland Holt’s popular leading man), intends returning to the boards. I am pleased to note that Madame Melba, Australia’s great singer, has fully recovered from the effects of her recent accident. The cricket match between “The Sign of the Cross” Company and the Licensed Victuallers is mentioned in the “ Trade Topics” column. John F. Sheridan (of “ Fun on the Bristol”) and Graeie Whiteford are touring the English provinces with “When the Lamps are Lighted.” Mr Tommy Hudson opens at Adelaide on Easter Monday. He states that his season at Calcutta ran for one hundred consecutive nights. Mr Frank Marlow and wife (Miss Virginia Arragon), who were both here with the Flying Jordans, are with the Globe Trotters’ Company, which opens at Capetown next month. At the Paris Olympia they are putting on a new ballet production, entitled “ The Seven Deadly Sins.” It should be very interesting. I wonder if it was designed by Emil Zola.

Harmston’s Circus will not go right through to Brisbane from Auckland, as was originally intended. On the contrary, they will play a season at Newcastle (N.S.W.) before going up the line. Pollard’s Opera Company opened at Palmerston North on Monday. It is stated that the company intend undertaking an extended Australian tour, leaving New Zealand in June. I am satisfied that poor Bob Love is in hard luck. Harmston’s Circus gave us one of the best shows of its character ever seen here when he was last in Auckland, and now, on his farewell visit of two nights, he meets with bad weather again. “ Ain’t it sickenin’.” The Gaiety Specialty and Comedy Company inaugurate their season at the City Hall on Saturday evening next. Chief amongst the many attractions of this strong combination are the Lucifer Familyr—William, Louise, and Little Emmie-—whose performances include heavy weight lifting, high kicking, contortions, high jumping, and grotesqueries of a varied a d amusing character. Mr William Lucifer is one of the strongest men of the century, his heavyweight lifting, the breaking of a pack of cards, etc., being certainly wonderful feats, and the Lucifers have been truly called “The physiological marvels of the century.” The c< mpany also comprises a number of serio-comic and dancing artiste, and of these Miss Daisy Chard is perhaps the most widely known, her wh st ling song being a rich treat in itself. Mr Prince Godfrey is a young English comique and descriptive vocalist, direct from the English theatre-. Miss Louise Althea (skipping-rope dancer), Miss Edie Wright (serio comic and daneeuse). Mr Tom Edwards (acrobatic song and dance), Mr Sid. Doody (frequently called Coleman the Second), and Mr E. Stowe (knock-about comedian) are also in the company. I predict a big boom and an auspicious opening on Saturday night.

The “Sign of the Cross” Company have finished their season in Auckland and left for Sydney on Monday evening. The three last productions, which were not handled in our last issue, were “The Lady of Lyons,” “ The White Stocking,” and “ Pygmalion and Galatea.” The first-named was staged on Friday evening last to. a full.house, and was very warmly received. Bulwer Lytton’s drama is too well-known to the theatre-going public to render a description of the plot necessary. As a classic it certainly ranks high, as the language is of the best, and will bear repetition without the accompaniment of costume and the environment of an excellent mise en scene. Modern plays depend too largely on stage effect and too little on beauty of diction, but Lytton’s drama gives pleasure in the reading as well as in the seeing and hearing. Mr / Julius Knight, clever actor though he may be, is not the Claude Melnotte of tradition. As the lover his acting seemed forced, but as the triumphant Colonel, returning with his laurels thick upon him, he was in his element. There was a lack of softness in his wooing—an absence of fervour that was noticeable, perhaps only to the hypercritical, but still it was discernable. Miss Harrie Ireland’s Widow Melnotte was the stock interpretation, and although I cannot particularly praise it, neither will I find fault in any particular. As Pauline, Miss Ferrar was certainly not at her best. The character affords a wonderful scope, and has been impersonated by so many great artists, that I feel diffident in according her either praise or blame. She certainly falls far short of Madame Modjeska, and yet I like her better than Janet Achurch. By contrast, her interpretation is mediocre, but, taken by itself, the performance was a good one.

Mr Cecil Ward was an excellent Beauseant; he thoroughly comprehended the role, and never missed scoring a point; in fact, I think he played the part truer to life than any of the others in the cast. Mr Hawtrey was well suited with the part of the bluff soldier, Colonel Damas, and the minor parts were ably filled. On Saturday evening, as a finale, the double bill of “ The White Stocking” and “ Pygmalion and Galatea” was staged. “ The White Stocking” (a charming little lever de ride.au) is by Edward Ferris and Arthur Stewart, and the plot is laid in the last century. There are onlv four characters, and the story deals with a sporting rector of the old days; a reckless young captain of cavalry, who is in love with the rector’s daughter, and who, to win a wager, enacts the part of highwayman and robs his innamorata’s father; the charming daughter herself, and an old retainer. The rector finds out who has robbed him by his servant’s description of the captain’s horse, and is about to turn the young “ blade” out of his house, when explanations are made, the money restored, and everything ends happily. Mr E. W. Hawtrey gives an excellent representation of the Rev. John Stapleton, the hard-riding, old fashioned Church of England clergyman of the last century, and Mr Knight is quite at home as Captain Faversham, the harum ecarum scion of a good old family. Harrie Ireland was well suited in the part of Miss I ydia Stapleton (the r<ctor’s daughter), and Mr A Lissant made the most of the part of Peter (the old servant). “ Pygmalion and Galatea” was, of course, the piece de. rt sistence of the evening, and I must compliment the management on the excellent staging and costuming. W. 8. Gilbert’s comedy is to.) well known to require any description of the plot, so I will simply refer to the different characters and those who sustained them. Mr Julius Knight is a clever actor, but I fear I cannot pay him the compliment of saying that he is a versatile one. His Marcus Superbus, Gil de Berault, and Napoleon were really splendid

impersonations, but the other characters in which he has appeared, with perhaps the exception of the dual role in “ The Prisoner of Zenda,” either do not seem to suit him, or he does not throw himself into their interpretation with the same ardour. His Pygmalion was undoubtedly a finished performance, and a difficult one to find fault with, but there was something lacking. Gesture, business, and intonation were perfect, but he partook more of the insensate coldness of the marble than the eager warmth and life of the sculptor. The auditor never lost sight of Julius Knight in the characterisation of Pygmalion. The part of Galatea suits Miss Ferrar perfectly. The sudden wakening to a new life, amidst thoroughly strange and non-understandable environments ; the naivete of her criticisms; the innocent love and admiration for her creator; and her misconception of customs, are all ably portrayed, but, to my mind, one of the best conceptions in the production was that of Miss Marie d’Alton as Cynesca. She looked and acted the jealous woman whose passionate love for Pygmalion had induced her to forsake her position as Priestess of the Virgin Goddess, Artemis, but who took her hueband with the stipulation that if either proved unfaithful to the other in “ thought, word, or deed,” the injured one could call down the vengeance of the goddess in the shape of blindness on the offender. Her invocation to Artemis was a fine bit of acting, and throughout the production her work was artistic and worthy of commendation. Mr Oily Deering was, as a matter of course, an excellent interpreter of the role of Chrysos, and was ably assisted by Miss Julia Merton as Daphne. Miss Terries made an effective and fascinating Myrine, and Mr Ojril Keightly was well placed as Leucippe. The Moore-Roberts Dramatic Company opened at the Opera House dn Monday evening with “ Struck Oil” to a well-filled house. The play is familiar to theatre-goers throughout Australasia, and notwithstanding the number of times it has been produced, it seems always popular whenever it is staged. It was one of the big hits that Miss Maggie Moore made when she first came to the colonies, and may be said to have laid the foundation of the universal popularity that sbe now enjoys. The piece is a combination of drama and comedy, giving the principals every opportunity for a display of real humor, that undefinable quantity that when properly represented comprises an artistic blending of laughter and tears, pathos and merriment. As the acti .n of the play goes on, just when one is about to surreptitously wipe away a tear some situation eventuates that provokes a hearty burst of laughter, and almost before the merriment has subsided a pathetic touch brings the choke up in the throat again. It would be superfluous to say that Miss Moore plays the part of Lizzie Stofel well, because she is Lizzie Stofel. That interesting young fraulein owes her popularity and actual existence to Miss Moore, and if she exists anywhere in space as an entity she owes a debt of gratitude to Miss Moore for giving her life and presenting her in so interesting a form to the public. Played by a poor company “ Struck Oil” would certainly fall flat; it requires able interpreters to give a point to its quaint humor and purely American colloquial situations. In Miss Moore and Mr Roberts these interpreters are found, with the consequence that the result is distinctly pleasurable. The interpolated songs are given with excellent effect, and were on both Monday and Tuesday night invariably encored. Mr Roberts is a bit of a surprise to us in Auckland. We had heard good reports of his ability, but hardly expected that he would justify them to the extent he has. Mr Roberts is comparatively a young man, but he certainly has proved in no small degree his adaptability for the profession he has chosen. His John Stofel waf a very ilble impersonation and reflects credit upon him, but I am anxious to see him in a part that will give him more dramatic, scope, and I think in the “ Silence of Dean Maitland/’ which was specially dramatised for him, he will give Auckland theatre-goers an exhibition of his versatility and all round excellence. Miss • Ada Woodhill appeared as Susan Stofel, and her acting gave general satisfaction. The Deacon Skinner of Mr J. J. Ennis was evidently conscientiously performed, but it was hardly up to impersonations of that chararter that I have seen bsfore. It would be hardly right for me to be hypercritical, however, as the excellent interpretations of the two leading characters might lead one to be over particular' in referring to the others. As a whole the production was harmoniously staged, and redounds to the credit ofthe management. To-night the “ Silence of Dean Maitland ” will be produced, and on Friday evening a sacred concert will be given. On Monday the “ Trilby Burlesque ” will be put on. Two operatic artists, well known in New Zealand, were (according to the latest advises) playing with the National Grand Opera Company, under the management of Mr Robert Oonningham, in Cork, Ireland. I refer to Mr William Walshe and Miss Cicely Staunton. On Saturday night last the Pollards brought their six nights’ Napier season to a close. At first the company had intended to give but four performances, but the liberal patronage bestowed induced the management to extend the season. The productions staged were—“ The Gaiety Girl,” “In Town,” ‘ The French Maid,” “La Mascotte,” “ The Gay Parisienne,” and “ Paul Jones.” The company left for Palmerston North on Monday morning. After the conclusion of the Moore—Roberts season here, the company will play a further season in New Zealand before leaving for America.

Miss Ruth Wallace, formerly known as a Pollard Lilliputian, and especially as a delightful Gobo, made her initial appearance before a London audience recently at a matinee performance at the Koyal Music Hall, Holborn. Her turn, which comprised a patriotic martial song “ The Old Flag,” in a colonial uniform, followed by a larrikin character impersonation, was most enthusiastically received. More will be heard of Miss Wallace before long from the West End.J