GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 475, 31 August 1899, Page 9

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

[By

Paul Pry.]

It is said that Miss Amy Castles has earned the sum of £4032 by her concerts in Australia. The Brough comedy season, which closes shortly, has proved the best Mr Brough has ever experienced in Sydney. Mr Walter Bentley is meeting with much success with The Firm. He will probably visit Auckland some time in November.

Mr Robert Brough’s revival of “ The Adventure of Lady Ursula” at the Sydney Royal has been attended with all the success of its first presentation. Mrs Langtry, or rather Mrs de Bathe now, will not take the London Haymarket on her own. Mr Charles Frohman is the lessee of the theatre, and he will run the Jersey Lily for a six-week season.

The much-talked-of comedy by Mr Pinero, “ The Gay Lord Quex,” was produced by Mr Brough at the Sydney Royal last Saturday. I shall expect to hear ihat the play pleased immensely. Ohausson, the French composer, met with his end, on June 11th, in a bicjcle accident. His machine got away down a steep declivity and violently collided with a wall at the bottom. He left unfinished an opera, which he had named “ King Arthur.”

Mr M. B. Curtis’ Afro-American Minstrels brought their Auckland season to a close on Monday night. The comicalities of Mr Ernest Hogan, Mr Percy Denton, and the singing of the “ Bronze Patti,” were favorably received all through last week, while the clever little contortionist, Sirene, came in for a big share of the applause. Truly her feafs were astonishing. The Lyceum Dramatic Company, according to the Brisbane Courier, had a very successful season at the Theatre Royal. The paper mentiofied speaks very highly of Olando Daly, Mrs Harrie Marshall, Miss Alice May, Vincent Seally, and Fred. Patey. The Courier goes on to say:— “ The Messrs Macmahon have staged ‘ My Jack’ with great liberality. Every scene is new, and some of them are admirably managed Those which specially call for mention are the scene on the deck of the gunboat Seagull, and that of the Egyptian desert in the fourth act. On the deck of the Seagull, where one of the most dramatic incidents of the drama occurs, a detachment of the Naval Brigade appears and tbe men are put through cutless exercises. The desert scene is admirably done and, though the idea is not new, its utilisation is on novel lines. In this Mr Daly and Mr Patey have some very heavy work, but it is capably managed ; indeed, it may be fairly described as the culminating point in the play.” On Thursday evening last a very enjoyable and successful concert was held in the Eamaki West

School-room in aid of the school four s. Pations from the city and from surrounding districts crowded the school-room. JL'he programme Was a very fair one. Misses McNab (violin duet) and Misses Chapman and Bond (pianoforte duet) opened the two parts of the programme respectively. Songs were rendered oy Mi-ses McNab, Messrs Double, Leslie, Gelling, N. Somerfield (“ Sons of the Sea,” encored), (J. McKinney (“I Did It,” encored), while Miss Zoe Bartley delighted the audience with her two recitations — “ How My Uncle Podger Hangs a Picture” and “ The Inventor’s Wife”—for both of which she received a well-merited encore. Mr Dormer was recalled for his excellent manipulation of the dulcet. “ Templemore March” and another selection were charmingly executed by Messrs A. Wynyard-Joss (mandolin), Whitley (guitar), Morley (banjo), and Dacre (piano), members of the Huia Club.

I should say there must have been a record attendance at the City Hall on Saturday night Long before the curtain went up the place was packed, and at 8 o’clock there was not a seat to be had fcr love or money. Late comers had to stand or defer their visit until another occasion. The first part of the programme caused plenty of amusement and interest. Miss Miriam Lewis sang “ Dreaming,” and being encored gave a nice rendering of “ Killarney.” Mr Shepherd’s voice was affected by the damp weather, but still bis songs went well and he got through his jodelling to the extreme satisfaction of tbe audience. Mr Will Leslie, Mr Johnny Collins, and Mr Karl Browne provided their quota of the fun hand-

somely. In the second part of the entertainment interest was mainly centred on the Keziah Sisters and Mr Emanuel Woodson (“ the .silver streak of perpetual motion”). Mr Woodson’s wonderful and extremely graceful evolutions met with storms of applause, and he was recalled there times,The dexterity and nimbleness of the KeziahA were greatly admired, and certainly these silverladder artistes are extremely clever, and they are equally graceful in their balancing efforts. The Leslie Brothers gave their excellent sketchy “ Waiting for the Train,” in response to many requests, and the turn was much appreciated.. Mr Dix is to be complimented on the general excellence of his show.

On Tuesday night a very big audience assembled at the Opera House to witness the initial performance of Miss Annie Abbott, the original “Georgia Magnet.” The weather was not at all favourable, but there was a packed house when the proceedings commenced. Mr R. N. Abbey, Miss Abbott’s manager, spoke a few words to the audience, telling what Miss Abbott would do, and disclaiming for her the possession of marvellous physical strength, magnetic force, or hypnotic power. The following gentlemen were on the stage, and acted as a committee during the evening : —Canon Nelson, Rev. Dr. Egan, Mr James Russell, Mr John Chambers, Dr Haines, Dr Bayntun, Dr A. Osborne Knight, Dr Walker, Dr Dawson, Mr B. Kent, Mr Arthur H Nathan; Mr Gerhard Mueller, Mr D. Ross, Mr Charles Ranson, Mr Charles E. Purchas, Mr W. E. Arey, Mr H. T. Gorrie, Mr S. Gilbert, Mr G. H. Powley, Professor Talbert Tubbs, Mr A. Iles, Mr Isidore Alexander, and “ Paul Pry.” They, on behalf of the audience, watched the proceedings, and, as they signed a testimonial after the performance, they must have been perfectly satisfied that there was absolutely no trickery in the astounding feats accomplished by Miss Abbott. Miss Abbott’s first test was a thorough one. Mr B. Kent was the first member of the committee to hold a chair firmly, and when requested by the “Magnet” not to allow himself to be moved, all his efforts were unavailing, as were those of several other members of the committee, including the stalwart Master of the Pakuranga Hounds. One and all were pulled and pushed about at the will of Miss Abbott, who with one hand proved herself more than a match for them. Three gentlemen then tried to hold the chair, but the three were as powerless as one to resist Miss Abbott’s force. With a cue-shaped wooden rod Miss Abbott was quite as successful. The biggest and strongest members of the committee could not force the rod downwards while the little lady had her unclosed hands upon it. Then five gentlemen tried to force the rod down, but they were utterly unbale to do so. Standing on one foot, Miss Abbott resisted the efforts of the committee singly and in unison to push her backwards while holding the rod in her unclasped hands. When!

it came to lifting the “Georgia Magnet” the gentlemen were easily able to do it beforeMiss Abbott had a flesh contact with them. Then it was absolutely impossible to move her. The majority of the committee tried their level best to raise the little lady from the floor, but their strongest endeavors were absolutely futile. Miss Abbott stood upon the hands of two gentlemen while others tried to lift her. The lifterswere unsuccessful, and the gentlemen on whose • hands the “Magnet” stood upon felt no diminution of the pressure upon their hands. Miss Abbott showed that she could transfer her wonderful force to children. A little girl in the orchestrastalls could not be lifted by a gentleman. The “ Magnet” never left the stage—she merely urged the little girl not to let the gentleman lift her, and, try as he would, he could not raise the little one’s feet from the floor. Nine men could not push the lady against the wall of the theatre, though the force used pushed Mr Charles Purchase, who had his hands on Miss Abbott’s shoulders, several feet up in the air. Miss Abbott s last test was a wonderful one. Some gentlemen placed their hands on the top of the wooden rod, and Mr H. T. Gorrie sat on their hands. Then several others held on to the pole and tried to prevent the “ Magnet” from lifting it with one hand. The weight and strength were absolutely powerless, for Miss Abbott raised the rod with ease. Throughout the evening MissAbbott’s feats met with great applause. They were » onderlul, and mystified the committee as . well as the audience. How it is done nobody can tell—doctors and scientists are alike puzzled. At the conclusion of the performance the committee signed the following testimonialTo Miss Annie May Abbott: Having acted upon your committee of investigation to-night at the Opera House, and thoroughly tested your marvellous powers —putting you through all the wonderful tests that are claimed for you—we must, as a simple act of juStics, admit that we are most agreeably surprised, and that you possess some power or force other than those making up the ordinary phenomena of nature, any unprejudiced man must admit. Just what your power is, we, like thousands of others, are at a loss to determine. Enough that it is marvellously wonderful, entertaining, and refined, presenting all the incredible feats advertised, and much more, and in such a manner as to preclude the possibility of trickery. To witness one of your entertainments is a treat to be enjoyed but once in a lifetime.” Miss Abbott will exhibit her marvellous power to-night (Thursday) and to morrow, and the season will be brought to a close with a matinee performance on Saturday. Nothing on, or likely to be on yet awhile, at the show places in Christchurch. The Pollards left on Tuesday. I had a chat with a prominent member ere they left, and learned that several changes in the personnel of the show are imminent. Also, that Tom Pollard thinks “ Djin Djin,” “The French Maid,” and “Gay Parisienne” have had their day, and has sent them and their belongings back to Melbourne. Pollard will put on “ The Belle of New York” at Dunedin, and has “ The Forty Thieves” in active rehearsal by now, I suppose. I hear confirmation of the engagement of Harry Queally to Miss May Beatty. —Christchurch correspondent.