GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 504, 22 March 1900, Page 9

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

[By

Paul Pry.]

A modernised version of “Youth” has been running at Sydney Her Majesty’s to big business The relief of Kimberley forms one of the chief sensations. . Miss juottie Lome, who was recently delighting the Auckland City Hall audiences, is now at Ye Olde Englyshe Haire, Perth, where she is naturally one of the chief attractions. Marie Tempest was recently offered £lOO a week by Mr Charles Morton to sing at the London Palace. The lady estimated her value at £2OO per week, consequently business did not result. The Sydney Comedy Club gave a performance recently in aid of the Civil Ambulance and Transport Brigade. The play chosen for the occasion was “ Pink Dominoes,” and the Palace Theatre was very well filled by an appreciative audience. The Bland Holt’s are due to open a six-week season in Brisbane at Easter. Thence they travel to Sydney, and it is whispered that after the season in Sydney Bland Holt journeys to London in search of future novelties to put before his Australasian admirers. A Wellington telegram states that the Misses Perry, Mr Pauli, and Mr Albert Whelan have left the Pollards and i eturned to Sydney. The young ladies—who have delighted New Zealanders —are returning to England, while Mr Whelan goes over to Australia to cp - plete his three years engagement with Mr J. CL Williamson. The Pollard Opera Company performed in the Theatre Royal, New Plymouth, on March 16, 17, and 19 to good business. The pieces staged were “ The ueisha,” V Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” and La Poupee.” Needless to say the performances were up to the usual excellent standard, a fact which the auditors admitted by frequent and hearty applause. , v, • 1 .; . ; - 4 . • . . ' ' Our good friend Colonel Hicks, of Harmston’s Circus, writing from Bombay, under date 13th February, says:—“ I regret to tell yoa that Frank Mack of the Globe Trottars, died in Calcutta yesterday; He was the husband of Virginia Aragon (the wire-walker), and was formerly a partner with Jordan. Business is all right with us and, also, with the Ada Delroy Co.” Mrs W. G. Scott and Mrs Brown, assisted by some young ladies from Onehunga, entertained the members of the Fifth Contingent now in camp at Epsom—on Friday evening. A firstclass programme was gone through, -songs- being given by Miss .Dudding, Miss Allen; Messrs A. and H Kent, Tilson Smith, Higgins, and Harrison. The Garrison Band, under the direction of Mr Hunter, played several selections at the close of the concert. The members of the contingent, and their friends adjourned, to the large tent which was tastefully decorated with flowers and red, white, and blue ribbons —and were regaled

with refreshments ad lib. An impromptu dance was indulged in by a number of couples to the strains of the Garrison Band. At the close, Lieutenant Bosworth called on the troopers to give three cheers for the Onehunga ladies, which the men heartily responded to, and three cheers for “ our boys” by the visitors brought a most pleasant and enjoyable evening to a close. Our Christchurch dramatic correspondent writes —“The Absent-minded Beggar” proved Bland Holt’s trump-card in a full hand here. It ran for several nights and was the last piece put on. Business was tremendous. On the first night it was produced a-gentleman seated just below me, in the d.c., grew so wildly excited that he had to stand on his chair and whoop to relieve his feelings. Imagine the delight of the young lady with him, and who was seated next to him. When the English women and children were surrounded by the cut-throat-looking Boers, and all seemed to be over with them, the excitable person before referred to stood, up and yelled —“ Never say die 1 ’Old on arf a minute, the harmoured train’s coming!” And an excited circle turned round for a second or two to gaze upon the speaker. His young lady went the color of a ripe tomato, and plucked at his arm repeatedly. It was all in vain, and up to the time when his companions at last succeeded in getting him away from the theatre - he kept shouting to the performers on the stage. I was sorry for the poor girl. How she blushed for him ! Bland Holt’s popularity is as great as ever, and he seems as popular off the stage as on it Chris Simonsens, too, B.H.’s general manager, is generally voted a brick and a real white man. So he is. * * * Ben Fuller’s all right again and as lively as half-a-dozen crickets. * * * Fitzgeralds’ Circus did stupendous biz here, and with Bland Holt as a counter attraction 1 The Fitzs’ show bad the misfortune to lose its fine performing dogs in Christchurch —a Russian boarhound and a bloodhound. Both had been cleverly trained to perform with the wild beasts, and the boarhound was worth his weight in shillings. He was specially imported from Paris. Appears that the dogs escaped during the nighc from one of the circuA hands and got into Hagley Park. Early next morning a park ranger noticed that sundry sherp had been worried, and seeing three dogs in the enclosure shot them all ■ Two of" them were Fitzgeralds’ valuable* performing bow-wows ! * * * Notified ihat Walter Bentley opens here April 16th at the Royal. ’lis years since last we. met. At that time Walter modestly announced that he was “ the greatest living actor.” Wonder what he is now ? The latest London Daily Mail says:—The paragraph in the “ Greenroom Gossip” of yesterday, in reference to the Criterion Theatre and Mr Arthur Bourchier, has received a speedy confirm-' ation. , The theatre remains under the lesseeship of Mr Charles Wyndham, but for the future it will be under the direc ion of him and Mr Arthur Bourchier, Mr Charles Frohman giving up his share in the control of it. Messrs Wyndham and

Bourchier will revive—by arrangement with Messrs Chudleigh and Boueicault—early next month, Captain Marshall’s clever play, “ His Excellency the Governor,” which was withdrawn from the Court Theatre in the height of its success owing to prior arrangements. Miss Irene Vanbrugh will play her original part until she has to rejoin Mr Hare’s company on tour. Mr Bourchier will play the name part, and Mr Dion Boueicault will resume the character he enacted at the Court. Mr Bourchier will also appear in “ 1 r. Johnson.” Miss Edna May returned to New York with a grievance. Certain statements (says the JEra) which have appeared in New i ork papers to the effect that she was once a chorus girl, earning the modest salary of 12dols. a week, have caused the Salvation Army lassie’s lip to curl, and her brow to furrow. Miss May held an audience composed of newspaper men after her arrival, and denied these statements with emphasis. She told the reporters that she went from a small partin “The Contented Woman” company to the part she played in “ The Belle.” She denied that her gestures and movements on the stage had to be written out minutely in the score, or she had to be trained “like a performing seal.” “Asto my future plans,” she said, “ i signed a contract with Messrs Kerker and McLellan on January 4, before I left London. I shall have no contract or understanding of any kind with Mr Lederer after April 14, when my present contract with him expires. Immediately after that I shall return to London, where I shall play the leading part in the new musical play by Mr Kerker and Mr McLellan.” Mr Alec Anderson, the representative for Mr Walter Bentley’s Dramatic Company, has arrived at Dunedin to make arrangements for the forthcoming season at the Princess’ Theatre, which begins on the 2nd April with that ever-popular drama “ The Silver King.” Other plays billed for a six-night season are “ Garrick,” “ Hamlet,” “A House of Mystery,” and “The Lady of Lyons.” The Press speak highly of Mr Bentley’s company, which is said to be drawing record houses in Tasmania. Miss Ada Woodhill, Miss Ethel Hunt, Miss M. Brandon, Mr Johnson Weir, Mr Douglas Ancelon, Mr Orlando Daley, and a number of other well-known artists are included in the combination. I am very sorry to read of the death of poor Nat Douglas in Dunedin, ihe last time I saw him was when he left Auckland for Sydney with the Henry Dramatic Company some time back. He had then just come out of the hospital and appeared very weak, but his pluck was as strong as ever, and his last words were “ I’ll outlast sOine of the young ones yet, old man.” H. N. Douglas, or “ Nat” as his old friends always called him, was in his time a really clever and versatile actor, and had run the range .from cpmedy to tragedy. In 1886 he was under engagement to Will iamson, Garner, and Musgrove in Sydney, and made himself very popular at the old Royal. He had many friends and admirers in Australia, who will deeply regret his demise. Harry Conor is in Sydney still, taking a short rest there.

Dix’s Gaiety Company still bobs up serenisly with the premier record in New Zealand for a long run. Last week was the fifty first week, , and business was as good as ever. Auckland people are very fond of getting the full worth of their money, and the fact that the City Hall has ?. been so generously patronised for so long a period ‘ is proof positive that the entertainment provided has been varied and of the best type procurable. At the very start the management made arrahge- - ments for a steady influx of new artists from Australia, and this idea has been carried out with the result that Auckland audiences have been treated to the best talent that could be imported. Last week’s programme was an excellent one, and received the appreciation it deserved.- The opening of the first part, entitled “ A Day in Japan,” presents a very pretty set, and the different turns are all up-to-date. Johnny Collins is, as usual, ; quite up to the mark in his comic singing, and Miss Annetta Bodin has made herself a favorite as a serio-comic. The Lennon Brothers score heavily in their song and dance specialty, and the Williams sisters retain their popularity. Frank Yorke seems to own the house when he comes to the front, and is always sure of an unlimited number of vociferous encores, while Mr Scott i eighton—who, by-the way, leaves shortly for. Sydney—always receives a hearty welcome. On Monday evening last Mr Walter Dalgleish recited “ The Charge of the Light Brigade” in a stirring " style. At the present time selections of this type are always sure of an appreciative reception, and Mr Dalgleish met with well-merited applause. The different turns in the second part all went smoothly, special praise being due to Lennon, . Hyman, and Lennon for their original act, “Fun on the Quiet.” These artists apparently are composed of indiarubber instead of bone and muscle, - and seem able to turn themselves inside out with the greatest ease and facility. The club-swinging and cycling turn of the Williams Sisters is as interesting as ever, and the concluding sketch, “ You’ll Find Out” rounds off a most entertaining evening’s enjoyment. Mr Pacie, the tenor of the “ Ch natown” company, has settled in Sydney, and intends taking up concert work. Most of the other members of the Hoyt—McKee company have returned to America. z On the tour through South Africa and New Zealand last year of the Payne Family of Bellringers, they were accompanied by a contralto vocalist of no mean order. ' Miss Hettie Lorraine Tansley, at every town in which she appeared, created a fine impression with her beautiful voice. The Press and public everywhere were emphatic as to her abilities as a singer, and Miss Tansley was one of the main successes of the tour. She has been unfortunate enough to meet with a severe illness since her return, and her medical man is of opinion that it will be some weeks before she can again get about.—“ Peter Quince” in Melbourne Punch. Some Australian writers regret that HarryRickards allowed the McCoy Sisters to return to America, for they would have been a splendid draw in conjunction with his Tivoli company.