GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 459, 11 May 1899, Page 9

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

[By

Paul Pry.]

Mr G. W. Auson is at present playing in “ The Man in the Iron Mask” at the London Adelphi*/ Sydney papers speak highly of Mr Gewge Rignold’s impersonatijn of Sir John FalstaW in “ The Merry Wives of Windsor ” f The Henry Dramatic Company was in Wanganui last week. They are due at the Opera House here on Saturday, the 20th. Miss Pattie Browne’s benefit at the Melbourne Bijou was a big affair and a great success. The “ little soubrette” is now on her way to the Old Country.

Ruben Fax, who played Svengali here three years ago, broke his kneecap whilst coming down from his dressing-room, at the Bijou 1 heatre, New York.

. The farcical musical comedy, “ The Two Scamps,” now running at Sydney Opera Hous.-, has caught on, and has filled the house night after night The Royal Comic Opera Company has left Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, and deparied for Brisbane, where “ The Geisha” and “ La Poup e” will be given.

“ The Belle of New York” finished her Melbourne season last Wednesday. The company left the same day for Sydney, and opened there on Saturday night. The Heller Mahatma. Company were doing very good business at the Victoria Theatre, Newcastle, when Manager Callender last sent word of the company’s progress. '■■■ -- ■ / - ■■< Sydney exchanges regret the absence of Mr. Charles Faning already. Surely they do not grudge New Zealanders a short season of a really attractive variety comedian P The Broughs, who, by the way, are doing exceptionally well with Sidney Carton’s “ Lord and Lady Algy,” have booked the Grand National week for their Christchurch dates.

The David Garrick of Mr H. R. Roberts pleased the Wanganui folk greatly. The Moore-Roberts Company played in the West Coast River town last week, and return for a three-night season on the 23rd inst. . A benefit/ concert is to be tendered to Mr J. Ryan, at the Foresters’ Hall, Newton, on Friday, May 26 /Mr Ryan is desirous of returning home to Sydney, and his many friends are going to give him a good send-off. Thy Pollards have been doing excellently well wit h/he evergreen “ French Maid,” “ The Gay Parisienne,” and ‘ A Gaiety Girl” at Ohrist-chip-ch. The local papers praise all the artists, aria, I am glad to see, give Miss Marie Metcalfe a/good word for her Lady Virginia Forest in “ A Gaiety Girl.”

Harmston’s Circus is at present at Brisbane. Very goocj business is being done. Mr Bob Love shortly/leaves Australia for a tour in India, and Japan.

yMr Roy Cushing, who lately retired from Holt’s Company, has been engaged by Miss Midge Bay for heavy lead in “The Dangers of London,” which is being played at the new Imperial Theat e, adjoining the Royal Aquarium, London.

Messrs Williamson and Musgrove notify me that. Mr Bert Royle has been appointed their representative in New Zealand. Mr Royle will in future act for The Firm here, transacting all business relating to copyrights, grant licenses, and receive all royalties. Mr Royle’s address is Box 395, G.P.O , Wellington. A Sydney paper is responsible for the statement that Miss Maggie Moore and Mr Harry Roberts have indefinitely postponed their visit to America and England, and have commenced a further six months tour of New Zealand. When the company was in Auckland, Mr Roberts was not in any d.ubt about his trip to the Old Country. I hear that Rawei, the Maori orator, has been lecturing to crowded houses during his tour on the west coast tf the South Island. Very good business was done at Greymouth, Hokitika, and Westport, also at Nelson and Blenheim. Rawei will visit Auckland about August next.

Last Saturday theHope’s comedy, “ The Adventures of Lady Ursula,” at RqyaL.: The whole of the costumeg-for tlie cbatfl.eters-.were made by Messrs L. , .. ’Mr L. J. Lohr writes "to nie frbni" MelboiH.’ne? that “ Dante has knocked them very hard here, and is doing.a wonderful business* Hbp'e-to beat Sydney record of one hundred and one performances here. Dante plays a return and farewell tour of; New Zealand next summer.” Both . Argus and iTAe Age. have been very enthusiastic over the young American’s performances, and in the cuttings Mr Lohr sends me the critics Waxed very warm in their praise of the conj urer. It is not very often that the “ low comedians” act the tramp in reality ; they generally manage to get 1 heir cue to shift in time to save their feet. However, quite recently, during the tour of the Henry Dramatic Company in the Rangitikei district, the two low comedians of the company (Messrs Humphries and South) lost the'train at Feilding—through having a prolonged discussion on the Japanese war question—-and, like the sundowner, had to foot the journey, arriving just before the rise of the curtain- —weary, worn, and, oh, how thirty ! They had nothing but a wood hen and a pint of whey (whew !) from a wayside factory. Loo Humphries is a brother to Miss Llewelyn—who was lately married to Mr W. J. Winton in Napier—and his friend in distress (“ Laddy” South) is the son of the well-known and clever actress, Miss Fanny Wiseman Mr Andrew S. Hodge, the advance agent of the Henry Dramatic Company, arrived in Auckland yesterday. In the courss of a brief chat, Mr Hodge told me that the company- had had a most successful season right through the colony, putting up record attendances at several of the larger towns. On Saturday week the company makes a first appearance in Auckland in their trump card, “The Shamrock and Thistle.” During the following week the dramas “ Under Two Flags,” “ Blind Justice,” and one of the latest London sensations, entitled “ True Metal,” will be staged. The company is much stronger than when it was here last October, when it will be remembered the Henry Company played to full houses throughout the season. During the whole of the present tour of the colony the company has only lost eleven nights, including travelling from port to port. The box plan is now onview at Wildman and Lyell’s. The City Hall-ha s been well attended every night since our last issue, the public evidently appreciating the varied amusement provided by the Gaiety Specialty and Comedy Company. On Saturday night there were several new, items. Miss Georgie Devoe and Mr Charles Faning made a great hit in “The Two Humpty Dumpties,” in which they successfully introduced their comical parody “On the Benches in the Park ” Mr Faning also scored with “ It Will Take a Bit of Wearing Out” and “ Settled,” a couple of songs which afford the humorous artist plenty of scope. Mr Tom Edwards introduced himself as “ The Hottentot” and also as “ Zobetta,” a quaint fourlegged creature who sings and dances much to the edification of the audience. On Monday night the Sisters Howard made a very successful first appearance. They sang “In Town” and “ Daisy Mclntyre,” amusing songs with very clever dances. The Howards were recalled time after time until they must have been completely exhausted by their efforts. The public could not have too much of the high-kicking and graceful dancing. Miss R. 0 Duvalli played a mandolin solo and also gave a Polish Bell Dance, receiving warm applause for both her items. Miss Daisy Chard sang “ My Onliest One” and “ All of Us,” and was loudly encored until she complied with the demands for “ The Whistling Coon.” Mr Walter Rivers, who is now a very great favorite at the City Hall, gained tremendous applause for his admirable rendition of “ The Tar’s Farewell” and “ Sons of the Sea.” There was another change of programme last night, and on Saturday there will be several new items for the delectation of the people.

At a meeting of playgoers at the Hotel Cecil, London, recently, presided over by O Koto San, “ a beautiful geisha from Tokyo,” Mr Edwards complained that no English dramatist had ever taken the Japanese subject seriously, and, as an instance of “ the blind leading the blind,” he quoted Mr Gilbertj.whose “Mikado,” he averred, was simply Chinese with the pigtail cut off. “The Geisha,” said Mr Edwards, was a more faithful pourtrayal in„ respect of color, custom, and surroundings, but even that was a lampoon, for while all London laughed, an eminent Japanese editor, then resident in London, wept. The geisha, he said, was in reality a nice young lady