AN ALLEGED MORAL STORY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 708, 1 October 1903, Page 20

AN ALLEGED MORAL STORY.

Young ladies who desire to go upon the stage —and Heaven knows there are many of them —would do well to read a few particulars 'of the case of Margaret Howard which dropped up in London a couple of months back. In 1871 Miss Margaret Howard (Mrs John Wylesone) was the directress of an English theatre, and was billed ay “ the favourite tragedienne from the Princess Theatre, London.” Her husband was acting-manager for her, and also principal tragedian. “ Nature,” said a critic of that time, “ has endowed Miss Margaret Howard with a commanding figure, a rich, clear voice and a pair of dark, brilliant and expressive eyes. In tragedy and comedy she is equally at home. She is no unworthy follower in the footsteps of that queen of living tragediennes, Miss Helen Faucit.” We are also told that the manly, noble and splendid physique of Mr Wylesone recalls to the mind’s eye the famous G. V. Brooke. After a varied career Mr and Mrs Wylesone sank out of the public gaze to appear before it again this year. They were admitted to the receiving house of the Strand Workhouse absolutely destitute. The following account is from the Charing Cross “ Hospital Gazette ” of last June :—“ She (Margaret Howard) was dressed in rags, and her hair was tangled and unkempt. She had played with Irving as second lead, and performed at Windsor Castle and before the Queen at 1 Holyrood. ;Here at the age of severity-six she was homeless and scavenging the streets for food,, like a town rat in a drain. Her hair , was white, : her cheeks were sunken with hunger, and her frail, ill-clothed frame tottered with weakness'. She had injured her* shoulder, and when this was set right she went out into the night still mumbling a phrase from ‘ Macbeth ’ that had before come a score of times from her lips.” The report does not say what that phrase from Cl Macbeth ” was, but pitying fancy can supply it—- ’ - “ Out, out, brief candle .. 1 Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor plaver "'y That struts and frets his hpur upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing ! ” Thus a writer, quoted by “ Melbourne Puhfeh,” but such a fate as that related is not necessarily connected with the stage. People in other walks of life goto the bad occasionallv.

The design of Messrs Mackenzie and Wilson, local architests, has been accepted for the new theatre at Invercargill. The cost is not to exceed £15,000.

An amusing account of a tour through the States of Australia is given by Miss Mabel Hardinge Malty, the young English actress, who returned to Sydney with the W’illoughby-Geach Company. The customs of the country hotels, the curious meals, the strange modes of travelling, and the primitive theatres all struck the traveller as novel and interesting, but her amazement knew no . bounds when, at the first small town the company struck, she saw the tiny stage On which she was to perform a dance —between the furniture and the footlights, her position was a perilous one, but nothing serious happened. After this the stage became smaller and smaller, so she accustomed hersell to gyrating gracefully on a fewyards of boarding. She now feels quite sure that she could do the most complicated. skirt dances on a threepenny bit.

A lady prominent in melodramatic parts (says the “ Newsletter ”) looks very much on the wine when it is red. Perhaps some friend might intervene and apply the gold cure.

Mr Alf. Dampier’s son will play Warrigal in the forthcoming “ Robbery Under Arms ” production at the Criterion, Sydney. * * * * Mrs Brown-Potter, who is playing “For Church or Stage,” received an invitation from the Wesleyans in the Isle of Man, through Mr Hall Caine, to open their bazaar with the Vicar of Gorleston, the author of the drama. This combination of high Anglican, Nonconformity and the etage will be interesting.

The scene on the lawn at Flemington, in the production of “ Mrs Dooley,” is a particularly fine one. Of Miss Mary Van Buren, leading lady of the Daniel Frawley Company, a Sydney critic writes : “ Lovely as a poet’s dream, her every attitude, action, gesture and inflection casts its spell over the audience. ‘ From grave to gay, from lively to severe,’ she changes like a landscape under a cloud-flecked sky, but is always admirable and natural. That’s her strong hand in all her parts. She never gives the impression of repeat : ng a part from memory, and her audience laughs at her and with her, and loves her all the time.” * * # * According to a late English paper Miss Olga Nethersole, who has been salmon fishing at Braemar till August 1, resumes her tour of “ Sapho,” starting from the Aquarium, Yarmouth. She instantly got mussed up with the rights of her version, which was written for her by Clyde b itch, and the one that Mr Bernard Epinasse has adapted. The result was that Mr Justice Farewell decided for Miss Nethersole, and an order to prevent Mr Epinasse’s version being used wax made. * * * •> John F. Sheridan will stage “ Cinderella ” at Dunedin Princess on Boxing Night. Miss Nellie Mortyne, the well-known A_ustralian actress, appears to have been particularly fortunate since her return to England, as immediately on her arrival from Australia Mr Edward Terry secured her services for his South African tour, and now, on her return from that country, she has received a remunerative London opening, and makes her first appearance in that city on September 5. ¥ m * * The need of an up-to-date theatre for Gisborne was emphasised the other night by Mr Hawtrey, who apologised to the audience for any deficiencies' there might be in staging the play as compared with other towns, owing to the need of a better stage. He pointed to a number of towns of lesser importance than Gisborne, which had far superior theatrical accommodation, and he recommended the people to turn their attention to the subject .of erecting a municipal theatre. The speaker’s remarks were warmly endorsed by the audience. Miss Rose Pendennis, of the new Jef-fries-Knight Company, was here with Wilson Barrett and his players during that actor’s first Australian tour, and was, though only playing small parts, the subiect of great attention from our playdoing public on account of her fine figure and good looks. Since her return to London Miss Pendennis has played in many companies, and has made great strides in her art.