GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 461, 25 May 1899, Page 9

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

[By

Paul Pry.]

According to present arrangements the Broughs will be in New Zealand some time next September.

Mr Tom Pollard has secured the New Zealand rights of “ The Belle of New York ” from Messrs Williamson and Musgrove. Fuller’s Myriorama Company opened in Christchurch last week, after a record season all along the west coast of the South Island

Mr Seymour Hicks’ play, “ The Seven Ages,” which should have been produced at London Daly’s, is spoken highly of. The piece is now touring in the provinces.

Miss Minnie Madden Fiske is the name of a young actress who has made her mark as the heroine in the adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s “ Tess of the D’Urbervilles.”

“ The Moonlight Blossom” is the title of a new play in which Mrs Patrick Cambell has the part of the heroine. The play is Japanesey, and has some extremely pretty stage effects. The Auckland Choral Society, on Tuesday evening last, gave a performance of Hoffmann’s “Melusina.” Ihe soloists were Madame Chambers, Miss Minnie Lye, and Messrs G. Reid and W. Musker.

The Pollards are due to open at the Opera House on Saturday, Jure 3. Mr Fred Duval arrived in town on Wednesday. With “The Geisha” in rehearsal we may expect that this will be one of the opening pieces. I regret to chronicle the death of Miss Georgie Smithson, the well known actress. It is reported that just as Miss Smithson was preparing to make her appearance before the footlights at Maitland, N.S.W., she was suddenly Seized with a fit, and, despite all immediate medical skill, expired soon afterwards.j

Bara Bernhardt’s Hamlet is said to be a wonderful achievement. A Paris cablegram says that her conception of the character made the Prince of Denmark a frail mystic.

John Fuller’s Waxworks and Variety Company has been doing exceptionally well at Dunedin, so well that Ben Fuller informs me that he has booked the Alhambra Theatre for another three months. He also tells me that he is off to Melbourne very shortly in search of new artists and wax figure novelties. The tableaux of the Gatton murder are now on the way to Dunedin. The Moore —Roberts Company brought their three nights’ season at Hastings to a close on Saturday night, when they played “ Struck Oil” to a good audience. “ The Prodigal Father” was the bill for the opening night, “ David Garrick” and “ The Chinese Question” being produced on Friday. Fair average houses were the rule during their stay at Hastings. On Sunday evening Miss Moore sang Signor Luzzi’s “Ave Maria” at the Catholic Church. —Napier correspondent. The Jubilee Singers, after a very successful season through New Zealand, will soon be returning to Auckland for a short season prior to their departure to Australia. The success of this company throughout New Zealand has been phenomenal, and, notwithstanding the recent disagree able weather, crowds had to be turned away nightly in such places as Dunedin, Invercargill, Gore, Ashburton, and nearly all the towns they have visited. The general request is that the McAdoo’s come again. The company is now on its way to the West Coast, returning early in June.

The late Mrs Keeley was the oldest English actress, and her death provoked enquiry as to who was the oldest living actor. He is Mr James Doel, who on March 14th celebrated his 95th birthday. Mr Doel acted with Kean, Macready, Phelps, G. V. Brooke, Fanny Kemble, and many other celebrities. When I last saw him—about four years ago—he was hale and hearty, brimful of humor, and never tired of telling of the glories of the past. Mr Doel’s last appearance was on November 22, 1895, at the London Lyceum, the occasion being the late Mrs Keeley’s farewell. That day was Mrs Keeley’s 90th birthday. At the City Hall, on Monday night, there was another change of programme. Two new artists made their appearance, consequently there was a big house to welcome the newcomers. Messrs Carleton and Sutton, who only arrived from Sydney by the Tarawera, proved a great attraction and their first item (a song called “ Irene,” with which they gave a very neat dance) was greatly pleasing to the audience. I ater on, Messrs Carleton and Sutton proved their versatility and amused the spectators with some very clever knock-about business. These latest additions to Mr Dix’s company are bound to become popular. Mr Charles Eaning, a p >pular favorite now, caused any amount of fun with his comical sayings and doings, and, in company with Mis? Devoe in “ Scraps,” caused roars of laughter all the time he was on the stage Miss Nellie Finley and Mr Charles Hill also proved very entertaining in their character sketch, while the Howard Sisters have danced themselves into the hearts of Aucklanders. The Gaiety Minstrels, with Messrs Faning, Edwards, Sutton, and Carleton as end-

men, give very much amusement to the audience, though some of their jokes are not as fresh as th© milk that comes in the morning. Last night there was another change of programme, and a specially attractive bill was put before the holiday folk. On Thursday night the Ernest Toy Concert Company gave the farewell concert prior to their departure for Gisborne and Napier. A larger house than before showed that there were some music-lovers in Auckland at any rate; Throughout the evening the audience testified their approval in a hearty manner, and almost every item on the programme was encored. Whether all the enthusiasm arose from pure appreciation, or whether it was coupled with a desire to get as much as possible for the money, I am not prepared to say, but I prefer to think that the plaudits which greeted Miss Renee Lees, Miss Dalrymple, and Mr Ernest Toy were spontaneous expressions of delight. Miss Renee Lees played Liszt’s arrangement of Mendelssohn’s “ Wedding March,” Moskowski’s “ Valse, E Major,” and, with Mr Toy, Beethoven’s “ Sonata, No. 1.” The young lady was at her best, and charmed the audience with her graceful playing. Mr Ernest Toy had a great reception for his playing of “ Souvenir de Moscow,” and this was renewed, after his admirable playing of Vieuxtemps’ “ Reverie” and “ Faust” by Gounod—Sarasate. Miss Maud Dalrymple sang “ Out on the Rocks,” “The "Lost Chord,” and “Crossing the Bar,” * giving as encores “ The Masquerade” and “ Husheen.” The contralto was in splendid voice, and charmed everyone with her tasteful delivery. Miss Alice Simmons was heard to great advantage in “ Poor Wandering One,” “ Houpla Carina,” and “ Sing, Sweet Bird.” The company departed for Gisborne on Saturday, where performances were given on Monday and Tuesday. Last night the company was at Napier, where they give another concert to-night. At the Opera House, on Tuesday in last week, the Auckland Banjo, Guitar, and Mandolin Club gave Mr Arthur Towsey a complimentary benefit. A big attendance assembled to do honor to a gentleman who has rendered the club much good service, and had the pleasure of listening to a generally attractive programme. Miss Beatrice Esmond was the star of the evening. She first sang “Look in Mine Eyes” (by Dr. de Olive Lowe). The song is of the ultra-sentimental order and not very melodious, though the singer invested it with a certain amount of artistic merit. As an encore Miss Esmond gave a very finished rendering of Lord Edward Somerset’s “Bush Me, Oh Sorrow.” Mr Hamilton Hodge’s sang Chadwick’s “ Bedouin Love Song,” and, being recalled, gave a most expressive and artistic interpretation of Florence Aylward’s “ Beloved, It Is

Morn.” Miss Ethel Mclntyre sang very nicely “ Sweet and Low” and Blumenthal’s “Sunshine and Rain,” and Miss May Towsey met with a good reception for her singing ot Moir’s “We Must Not Part” and Humbert's “ O Bitt Euch Liebe Vogelein.” The club played fuur hems—- “ Top Notch,” a gallop by Leavitt; “ Fortuna,” a waltz by Armstrong; Vernet’s “ Martaneaux” ; and Armstrong’s patrol, “The Yellow Kids.” The playing was of high quality, the time and intonation being admirable all through. Mr/J. Lawrence made his first appearance as a banjo soloist, and was warmly welcomed. Other artists who assisted during the evening were Messrs Arthur Ford, Wynyard Joss, A. and G. Howe, Dr. de Clive Lowe, C. McFarlane, and A. L. Edwards, who gained quite an ovation for his singing of “ Once.” At the Opera House, on Saturday night, the Henry Dramatic Company commenced a seven-

night season before their departure for Australia The opening play was the romantic drama, “ Shamrock and Thistle,” which has met with very great success during the Southern tour. The drama has a plot full of sensational incident —just the sort of thing to attract good houses. Lord Fitzgerald (a wealthy Irish peer), in his young days, bad an “ affair” with a peasant girl, whom he afterwards cast aside. A son- from this union (Justin Dillon) is living on the estate knowing nothing of his parentage. He and the lord’s niece (Lady Elsie) are firm friends, and their amicble relations provoke the enmity of Lord Fitzgerald’s brother and nephew, who are scheming to get the rightful heir put on one side, so that the title and estate may fall into their avaricious hands. In their efforts they are aided by a bibulous priest and a rascally attorney. Happily, Lord Fitzgerald has a trusty servant in his butler (Lindsay), a shrewd Scotsman. Justin’s mother, who is supposed to be dead, returns, and eventually things are righted and virtue meets with its due reward. This does not come about until the villains have made strong efforts to do away with Dora Dillon and until Patrick Walsh, overcome by remorse, acknowledges his share in the marriage ceremony between Lord Fitzgerald and Dora Dillon. Miss Billie Howarde, as Lady Elsie, acted with much vivacity in the lighter portions of the play, and in the more serious situations played with a becoming airof protection. Miss Kathleen Raleigh interpreted the part of Dora Dillon very effectively, her acting in the churchyard scene with Justin and Lindsay being especially good. Mr Robert Henry-. »coved a great success as Lindsay, the faithful servant whose caustic tongue never lets the conscience of Lord Fitzgerald rest. His Scotch scent was excellent, and altogether his conception of the part was a splendid piece of character acting. Mr J. R. Goodall was effective as the injured hero (Justin), and Mr H. N. Douglas gave an admirable delineation of Patrick Walsh, from whom drink has not driven all the instincts of a gentleman. The villains of the piece—Robert Cutcliffe, sen., Robert Cutcliffe, jun., and Quinlan, the attorney —-were ably represent d by Messrs F. Birkett, A. S. Hodge, and E. Humphries On Monday night “ Shamrock and 1 histle” was repeated, and on Tuesday an adaptation of Ouida’s romantic story, “ Under Two Flags,” was played. Last night the company staged “ Biind Justice,” which will be again produced this evening. For the concluding nights of the season (to-morrow and Saturday) the company will play “ True Metal,” a realistic drama depicting modern London life.