THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 834, 1 March 1906, Page 18

THE STAGE

(By

“Footlight.”)

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE-

“BILL ADAMS.” Mr. George Stephenson’s English Musica' Comedy Company opened at His Majesty’s Theatre on Monday evening with what is very aptly described as the musical extravaganza “Bill Adams, the ’Ero of Waterloo.” A large audience assembled in honour of the occasion. A trifle critical at first, laughter soon enveloped all parts of the house, the mirth-provok-ing incidents of the play affecting the occupants of the family circle, Jhe stalls and dress circle alike. It was Bill Adams’ night out —the first of many such nights, we should imagine, for there is a piquancy and zest about this play without a plot, and almost without a theme, which has its irresistible side for the multitude, and since a good laugh is a better tonic than the average medical prescription, and “Bill Adams” abounds in laughter-pro-voking incidents, the comedy should have a healthy run and delight Auckland audiences for some time to come, unless, indeed, the management withdraw it in favour of some of the other items of their repertoire. It matters not that the play is ridiculous to a degree, that the story will not bear even the most cursory inspection, or that the incidents are as mythical as the stories of a Rougemont. The absurdities of the extravaganza are almost too funny for words ; the situations with which it abounds are so alluringly enticing that even the old-time undertaker’s mute would be impelled to laugh were he paid to keep a still, sad and tearful countenance. The bright, sparkling music, the pretty dresses and costumes, the brilliant uniforms the graceful posings and swift movements of the ballerinas, the merry and, in some instances, eccentric dances, the varied limelight effects, adding to the many colour schemes, and the rich solo and chorus singing, all delight and entrance the eye and ear alike, and complete the evening’s enjoyment.

There is a freshness and vivacity about Miss May Beatty’s impersonations which make her a favourite wherever she goes, and her re-appearance on the Auckland stage was marked by an outburst of applause which sufficiently attested her popularity. As Margot she was the life of the play, -acting spiritedly, singing well and dancing to perfection. She was heard to advantage in “Irish Molly” and “The Pretty Troubadour,” and in the comical situations in which she was called upon to lead or second Bill Adams’ (Mr. Edward I.auri) in amusing the audience she was particularly successful, the love scene being not the least delightful of these. Miss May Garstang made a good impression as Minette, dancing well and scoring one of the successes of the evening in her song, Moon.” As Lady Bingo Barr, a : eccentric elderly female who fancies that all the men have succumbed to her charms, Miss Ronald Watts-Phillips was also very successful, acting cleverly and with a sense of healthy contagious humour, which sent ripple after ripple of laughter through the house. Miss Alice Pollard, too, sang well and sweetly, and as Marguerite was distinctly popular, her the greatest misanthrope in Auckland had graceful acting and charming moods being enough to dispel the melancholy of he chanced to be present. Mr. Lauri, of course, although ably seconded by Mr. Charles McNaughton and others, was easily first amongst the male members of the company in his efforts to amuse the audience. The sublimely impudent character of the mythical Waterloo “ ’Ero” could hardly have found an abler exponent. He was intensely funny in his impersonation of the elderly female exchanging confidences—and scandal—with Lady Bingo Barr, over something stronger than the afternoon cup of tea, and in the mirthful interlude in which he took the part of the shopman he was also good. The troubles of Major Brussels Sprouts gave Mr. Charles McNaughton a particularly favourable opportunity of getting on good terms with his audience, and this he succeeded in doing admirably, his eccentric dancing adding greatly to his popularity. The character was responsible for many ludicrous scenes which simply convulsed the house. Mr. Harold Reeves, as the Duke of Brighton, filled one of the minor

parts of the play so far as mere acting was concerned, but his really capital baritone solos, and especially his “Dream of Love” won for him the enthusiastic approval of his hearers. Mr. Charles Bovis as O’Malley, Mr. Arthur Lissant as General Sir Bingo Barr, Mr. W. Bovis as the Rajah of Poonah Bey and Lightning, and Mr. Charles Albert as the Farrier, all performed well, and added greatly to the success of the play. The solo and chorus singing were alike excellent, the music, indeed, being of a bright, sparkling character, admirably adapted to the play and yet in a sense far removed from its absurdities. In combination, however, the music and the absurdities proved as the very champagne of life, exhilarating and refreshing. The musical director, Mr Alfred Hill, is to be congratulated upon the excellence of his orchestra. Excellently staged and well mounted, he would be a captious critic indeed who looked for better things in an extravaganza of the “Bill Adams” variety.

HOLLOWAY DRAMATIC COMPANY

The Holloway Dramatic Company concluded a most successful season at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night, when the “Two Little Vagabonds”- was

revived as a complimentary testimonial to Miss Beatrice Holloway. The piece was followed with keen interest by the large audience, the touching and dramatic .incidents of the story being faithfully portrayed and calling for frequent and unstinted applause. Mis Beatrice Holloway, who took the part of Dick, played most naturally, and completely won over her audience. The company left by the s.s. Rarawa on. Sunday for a tour through the South.

OPERA HOUSE.

FULLER’S ENT E RT AIN ERS

It was quite like old times to find the genial John Fuller and his popular entertainers back once more at the Opera House. The tour of the Rickards’ company proved a great success, and Mr Fuller has returned from the trip South intent on making the Opera House progi amines even better than heretofore. Extensive arrangements are already being made for the steady importation of the best talent to be obtained from abroad, and the new year promises to be full of good things for patrons of this popular place of amusement. Saturday night’s house was a bumper one, and Monday night proved very little behind it in point of audience. Mr. Frank Crowther presided as of old over the orchestra, and the curtain was raised with a lively overture on the company, who gave a rousing open-

ing chorus. A dainty serio and dance item, “My Lulu,” was then given by Miss Ivy Goodwill, who made a first appearance in Auckland. She was followed by Mr. Lal Logie, who had already distinguished himself in the opening chorus, and who gave a good comic song entitled, “Pulling ’Em Out.” A vociferous demand for more brought him to the front in an A.B.C. song, and he was called forward twice again before the audience would let him go. Miss Nellie Power next gave a bright serio item, “A Picnic for Two,” which evoked an encore. She has one fault in her singing, which is that the words are rather indistinct, a failing that somewhat spoilt an otherwise good turn. Mr. Will Stevens then took the boards in a capital budget of songs, gags and parodies that caused much hilarity and applause. He was followed by Miss Dorothy L. Estrange, whose fine soprano voice was heard to considerable advantage in “Queen of the Night.” Her rendering of “Cornin’ Thro’ the Rye, ’’ which song she gave as an encore, was very good indeed, and evoked long and hearty applause. Miss Elsie Brown, whose coon songs were such a feature of the evening’s entertainment when she last appeared in Auckland, sang “From Egypt to the Zululand,” and in demand to a vociferous encore gave

“Keep a Cosy Corner in Your Heart for Me,” the latter song being sung most convincingly. The Driscolls fairly brought down the house with their clever double song and dance ‘“Back to Baltimore,” their dancing being specially good. Recalled, they footed it at a furious pace, and the curtain dropped on an excellent firstpart programme.

Part two commenced with an illustrated song by Mr. Chas. Howard, who received an encore. The pictures illustrating the songs were very clear, and Mr. Howard’s voice was heard to good advantage. Maste * Charles Hayes, a very diminutive contortionist, performed most adeptly, tying himself up into most impossible positions with apparent ease. Miss Florrie Ranger, who next appeared, sang three songs, “It’s the Business,” “Men” and “Oh! Father.”

She has a good voice, and her turn was loudly applauded. Mr. Fred Rivenhall, whose appearance was the signal for a burst of applause, went through a lengthy budget of songs that fa ; ’-'” caught on with the audience. The versatile Fred, who leaves for America shortly, will b greatly missed by Opera House patrons. In addition to his comical make-up, Fred can sing a really good song and act it to the letter too. We join with his manv friends and admirers in wishing him the best of luck in his venture, and hope before long to be able to record his complete success in America. Miss Stella Ranger, who is the possessor of a singularly clear voice, sang “Espanita” very

charmingly. As an encore she gave “The Old-fashioned Cottage,” both songs being loudly applauded. Miss Gertrude Emery, who next appeared, did some very clever work on the trapeze, and came in for considerable applause. She was followed by Miss Viola Price, whose Highland dancing was much appreciated, her sword dance being excellent. The evening’s entertainment concluded with a clever sketch by the Driscolls that made an excellent finish to a first-class programme.

Mr. Frank Grist and his newly-formed dramatic company of Australian artists will shortly tour the Northern Wairoa, afterwards visiting Auckland. Mr. R. J. Oswald has been engaged to pilot the com= pany through New Zealand.

Kubelik leaves America in March for a r? weeks’ concert tour in Australia.

Madame Melba is taking a long holiday in Spain. She returns to London in April.

Miss Marie Narelle, of Sydney, who has been in America since the St. Louis Exhibition, returns to England early in March, and on the 17th of that month will make her reappearance in London a! the St. Patrick’s Day concert, for which she has been specially engaged. * * -x xMr. Victor Kelly, the clever eccentric dancer who was here with the Rickards’ Company under the direction of Mr. John Fuller, considers that the life of a theatrical artist in Australia is much easier than in England or America. He fears, however, that the customs prevailing in those countries will ultimately be introduced into the colonies. He considers America the best country to work in from a financial standpoint, although one has to hustle for it there. Mr. Kelly intends visiting America again at the conclusion of the Australian tour. His wife, who is a native of Sydney, accompanies him to the land of the Stars and Stripes.

My Christchurch correspondent writes: The MacMahon dramatic —or, rather, melodramatic —season is proving a giltecged success. The opening attraction (February 17th) was “Saturday Night in London,” and there was a very big house. The night of the next performance was pouring wet. The rain descended by the bucketful. And yet the attendance was bigger than ever —so big, in fact, that the city authorities stopped the sale of tickets long before the demand for same was satisfied. And it has been the same story nightly ever since. A large section of play-goers here prefer melodrama to any other form of theatrical entertainment, and prefer it “neat,” and the Messrs. MacMahon serve up their pieces “all hot,” and as said pieces are mostly new and are thoroughly well staged and really well played, they naturally enough “catch on.” “Saturday Night in London” is full of spectacular effects and thrilling situations. It shows us life in the West End and life in the East End and the set scenes include “The Thames Embankment” at midnight and the exterior of a church (apparently) of solid granite, and which, being brilliantly illuminated for evening service (while the snow is falling fast and thick), presents a really very striking appearance. Then there is a scene showing a corner of Covent Garden Market, with a crowd of costers, street arabs, salesmen (and women), buyers of fruit, etc., and loungers. Also a policeman in full uniform. And there is a scene, also, showing Drury Lane on Saturday night, with a young coster and his donah, who perform a coster dance together so well that the audience insists on “more.” The story is of the good oldcrusted melodramatic kind, in which vice and virtue, comedy and tragedy, smiles and tears, are delightfully blended to produce “the mixture as before.” Abraham Shabner, a villainous Jew money-lender, was very capably played by Mr. Harry Douglas; Jack Derringcourt, a “pavement artist,” provided Mr. J Lambert with a capital character part to which the aforesaid J. Lambert did “ample justice,” to employ a new and original phrase. The persecuted hero was played by our old and esteemed friend C has. Blake, and this scribe has never seen him to better advantage. Miss Ma ; e Nelson, as the long-suffering heroine, was not the least bit “stagey,” and played the part most sympathetically, and Miss Granville, as the daughter of that wicked, but interesting, Jew (Shabrer), made quite a large-sized hit. The coster and donah were enacted by Mr. Peter Saviere and Miss May Renno, and these two contributed not a little to the success of the show. I must not omit to mention that a "prize-fight” forms one of the attractions of this very attractive production, and that a couple of well-known amateurs fought to a finish, to the breathless delight of a packed pit. “Saturday Night” was followed by “The Kelly Gang,” which latter is still going strong, the very realistic “effects” introduced including the sticking-up of a real coach and horses; in fact, there are eight horses on the stage in this scene at once, and the banging away of guns and revolvers is tremendous. Chas. Blake makes an ideal Ned Kelly, and Mr. Milton Power is excellent as Steve Hart; while Miss Granville is equally good as Kate Kelly. But I have no space left in which to tell you

any more just now about this production, which is doing really splendid business. ‘On Active Service” goes on next, and will be followed by “The Painted Woman.” I congratulate the MacMahons heartily on their success here, and feel sure they will repeat it when they go North. Here’s to them ! . . . One

of our next attractions will be “Living London,” which will open shortly at the Royal, under the auspices of Messrs. J. H. and Nevin Tait. This show is described as “the most famous moving picture ever taken, depicting London and its wonderful living masses, its old-world institutions, its slums, its mansions, street life, etc., etc.” Sounds interesting, doesn’t it. . . . John Fuller, “the

silveryvoiced tenor,” has gone North again, after delighting Opera House frequenters with his singing of all the old favourites—the songs which have become identified in New Zealand with John Fuller. Meantime the management of the popular variety theatre is putting in a very strong bill, and the packed houses it i- drawing bear eloquent testimony to the appreciation of the public.

The “Era” says that Fred Sinclair and Grade Whiteford have been offered a 40 weeks’ tour in America this year or next Lj Mr. W. B. Leavitt. They are, however, unable to accept owing to their being so well booked up in England with their comedy duologue “Getting Even.”

Mr. W. F. Grant, for long a member of Mr. J. C. Williamson’s dramatic companies, and subsequently on his arrival in England engaged to play the lead in Wilson Barrett’s last work, “Lucky Durham,” is now a member of Mr. William Gieet’s. “Sign of the Cross” Company, touring the English provinces.

An Australian visitor to the London Coliseum at a recent matinee created some excitement. It was a white cockatoo belonging to a lady in the stalls, who had brought her pet with her. The bird’s strident screams led to its summary ejectment in the company of its mistress.

Miss Florence Esdaile met with a serious accident recently in London when returning from the Broadway, New Cross, where she is playing Princess Ivy in “Puss in Boots.” The horse in her brougham bolted, and the vehicle collided with a tram. Miss Esdaile was badly cut and bruised about the face, her little girl Stella, who is playing Sioux, luckily escaping with a few bruises.

At a musical comedy in London, from his seat in the stalls, Clyde Fitch noticed a young man in one of the boxes laughing uproariously. His companion was a critic, and Mr. Fitch said to him: “I think he ought to have better taste than to laugh so loud.” “Oh,” said the critic, “he is the author, but he never heard these jokes before. They were put in by the comedian.”—“Argonaut,” San Francisco. * * * * A query recently cropped up as to the holding capacity of the Paris theatres in comparison with that of the London houses. In connection with this the following particulars from a London paper o* the Taris theatres are interesting:— The Grand Opera House seats 2200 spec-

tators, the Comedie Francaise 1400, the Opera-Comique 1300, and the Odeon 1460. Then, after the four subventioned houses named, the Chatelet heads the list with 3000 seats, the Gaite coming next with 2000. The Sarah Bernhardt Theatre holds 1600 persons, the Ambigu 1800, the Porte-St.-Martin 1700, the Vaudeville 1300, the Varieties 1250, the Renaissance 1200, the Bouffes-Parisiens 1100, the Gymnase 1070, the Cluny 1100, and the Nouveautes 1000. The houses holding fewer than 1000 persons are the Antoine, the Palais-Royal, the Athenes, and the Dejazet.

The strike, which occurred during the production of “Faust” at New York Opera House, left the play absolutely without a chorus. The strikers were mostly imported singers, who demanded that their salaries should be increased to £5 weekly, maintaining that the £2 offered was insufficient as a living wage in New York. The manager offered £lOOO to any professional strike-breaker who could fill the

vacancies, but without success, though the chorus was replaced, after several incomplete performances, by recruits secured from church choirs.

One of the most interesting biograph films which Mr. R. G. Knowles has brought to Australia with him is called “The King as a Man” (writes Mr. Geo. Tallis), and (he way in which it was secured reminds one of the stories of “working a beat” told of American journalists. When King Edward was last at Dublin Castle he held a reception of photographers—for business purposes only—and all the principal camera men in the city took advantage of the permission to add another to their pictures of the King and Queen. Among those who found their way into the Castle was ar enterprising young gentleman who, in place of a camera, carried a biograph apparatus. During the preliminary arrangements, while the King was quietly smoking and chatting to the Queen, the cinematograph was all the time quietly reeling off an excellent reproduction of his movements. The operator was entirely successful in getting in and out of the Castle undetected by anybody, but when the film was shown there was a great todo. Every effort was made to suppress it, and these partially succeeded. But the negative remained unsuppressed, and Mrs R. G, Knowles, who looks upon it as one of his most valuable properties, secured it from the original owner with the object of using it on his present tour. * * « •

An interesting test of public opinion on the respective merits of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas has just been made in Tasmania. The seasons at Launceston and Hobart of Mr. J. C. Williamson’s company being restricted to a few nights only, he determined to leave the choice L- the play-goers themselves. Voting papers in thousands were distributed round and about both towns, and play-goers were asked to mark on them the half-dozen operas they preferred to see out of the eleven in the repertoire. The choice fell on “The Gondoliers,” “Utopia Limited,” “Mikado,” “Yeoman of the Guard,” “Princess Ida,” and “lolanthe,” and those operas will accordingly be the ones that the company will perform. Mr. Williamson was so gratified at the success of the plebiscite that he has resolved to repeat it in Bendigo, Ballarat and Newcastle, and possibly in some of the New Zealand towns also during the forthcoming tour of that colony. The remarkable popularity of “The Mikado” is worthy of notice in this connection. It is the best known of all the operas, but despite this it is still practically second favourite, for

as “Utopia Limited” is still quite new to Australia it cannot be taken into account in a question of public favour. It was, moreover, most appreciatively received during the last two nights of the company’s season in Melbourne, and so convinced is Mr. . Williamson of its vitality that he has entirely new scenery and costumes prepared for the present tour.

“Comedy and Tragedy” and “David Garrick” will be the double bill with which the Knight-Jeffries Company will open their farewell season of three weeks at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, this evening (February 24th). Neither piece has yet been done by the company in that city, and as in both of them they appear to very conspicuous advantage a cordial reception may be confidently anticipated. After the Sydney season the company go to Brisbane, Newcastle and Adelaide, breaking up in the latter city. * * * *

No matter where one goes in Sydney at the present time some one or other of Mr. R. G. Knowles’ stories are to be heard — proof positive of the popularity with which his monologue entertainment has been received. He has, in fact, had a most successful fortnight’s season at the Palace Theatre there, and leaves in a day or two for New Zealand. Commencing at Invercargill in the South, he will work northward steadily through both islands until he reaches Auckland on May 12th. After appearing there he returns to Australia, Melbourne, in all probability, being the first city he will visit. *

Miss Florence Young gave a most enjoyable harbour picnic to the ladies of the Royal Comic Opera Company in Sydney week or two ago. The original intention was to make it one entirely for the fair sex, but no power on earth could either keep the rendezvous secret or prevent so many attractive personalities from exercising their magnetism, and in consequence some fortunate men did find their way to the function. Miss Margaret Thomas was the heroine of the day, for in a fishing contest she revealed an aptitude for catching fish little short of amazing. They hooked themselves to her line in a most reckless fashion, and if they could not swallow the bait they attached themselves by the tail or the fins. There was a full round of amusements going all day,, and no one fell into the harbour —an incident which is usually the invariable accompaniment to a water show. r * * * *

At the end of last month “A Royal Divorce,” which has been an attraction for years in Australia under Mr. J. C. Williamson’s direction, was once more revived at the Scala Theatre, London, and Mr. W W. Kelly, who owns the English rights cf Mr. Wills’ play, gave the Press some interesting particulars of the hardy peren-

nial. His principal company has now played it continuously throughout the United Kingdom for nearly 15 years, including matinees. “A Royal Divorce” has been performed 8000 times to the ten million people in Great Britain, Australia and South Africa, 70 per cent, of whom were women.

Miss Tittell Brune added another to her long list of triumphs at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, last Saturday (February 17th), when she appeared for the first time in Australia as La Tosca. Her interpretation of Sardou’s heroine was marked by her usual intensity of feeling, full appreciation of the dramatic and emotional possibilities of the part, and the high sympathy and intelligence she invariably brings to her work. Her effort met with ; the most cordial approval from a crowded and enthusiastic house, and the encouragement of applause was extended to Mr. Roy Redgrave as Baron Scarpia and to Mr. Douglas Gerrard as Mario, and, indeed, to all the members of the cast.

Mr. Charles Kenningham, principal tenor of the J. C. Williamson’s Repertoire Opera Company, was quietly married the other day to Miss Vera Buttel, of the same company. * * * *

Mr. Frank Curzon, the well-known London manager, commences an invasion of America this month with the two English successes, “Mr Hopkinson” and “Pub lie Opinion.” If this experiment in dramatic retaliation is successful, Mr Curzon, in association with Mr. Hackett, a wellknown American manager, will produce in the States in direct succession other English plays.

It is 25 years since the first American tour of Sarah Bernhardt. She was then 36. She is now 61 and the critics say she looks younger than she did a quarter of a century ago.

It is stated that Miss Annie Russell, the American actress, will tour Australia next year under the management of Mr. J Williamson in Mr. G. B. Shaw’s play, ' Major Barbara,” which is described as a “discussion in three acts.”

Mr. John H. Tait has arranged for a visit to New Zealand of the new biograph, “Living London.” This comprises about 300 different views of the varied scenes to b. met with in the great metropolis. The show will start in Dunedin about the end of the month.

Messrs. Meynell and Gunn have acquired the Australian rights of Stanley Weyman’s “A Gentleman of France,” in which Mr. Kyrle Bellew starred so long in the Unite 1 States.

A German firm is building a miniature fireproof theatre of armoured concerte, which is specialy intended for fire tests, and is to become a model theatre where any safety devices which have so far been suggested against the danger of fire, as well as any preventions that might be proposed in future,, will be demonstrated.

According to the “Lyttelton Times” the City Inspector had again to step in the other night and stop the sale of tickets downstairs at the Theatre Royal, when the MasMahon Dramatic Company produced “Saturday Night in London” for the second time. This was all the more remarkable as the night was anything but an attractive one from the point of view of the average theatre-goer. The play went brightly and smartly from curtain to curtain, and the effective scenes of the drama were well brought out. The whole company worked hard, and the production was even better than upon the opening night of the season. “The Kelly Gang” was billed to follow. The company will shortly make a welcome re-appearance in Auckland again.

There seem ssome chance of Australia having secured at last a possible leading lady with voice, looks and ability, who is actually tall (says a writer in the “Bulletin”). Miss Olive Goodwin is a Williamsonian investment and a local product. She has recently stepped into Dolly Castles* shoes as the Princess in “Utopia Limited,” and she does the work so nicely as to justify that expectation. We have a whole drove of fairly clever little ladies for light opera and burlesque, but a tallish girl who can sing sweetly, talk intelligently, and look as if she were really concerned with the matter in hand, is quite a new development so far as the present generation of playgoers is concerned. Miss Olive’s Princess is a much more cheerful, dignified and Gilbertian Princess than Miss Dolly’s was. It is the latter’s misfortune that she is too dolly. Some kindly veteran ought to tell her how to make-up to tone down her too marked resemblance to a waken cherub—that is if all the kindly veteran isn’t monopolised by another little lady.

Caleb Porter, who will be remembered as playing Nero to the life with the Knight-Ferrar combination in “The Sign of the Cross” on its first production here, is playing in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Adelphi.

Mr. Oscar Asche, writing in “London Opinion” under the heading “Does It Pay to Play Shakespeare?” says: —“London audiences do not care about tragedies. Tragedy is rather heavy fare for people who have to work at high pressure for their living ; but there is no more delightful form of mental relaxation than to witness a really good comedy. I think at the present moment the public are not only just as capable as they ever were of appreciating a good play, but prefer it to the purely frivolous sort of entertainment classified under the head of musical comedy.”

Mr. Harry Rickards leaves for England at Easter to arrange for a visit to Austialia of such well-known and popular variety artists as Vesta Tilly, Marie Lloyd, George Robey and Arthur Roberts.

Another ancient theatrical landmark is to be swept from London—the Covent Garden Opera House, the scene of so many hilarious balls in the off season (says a Melbourne paper). The Covent Garden and the recently-demolished Lyceum stood only a couple of hundred yards apart in the same thoroughfare—a narrow, sordid street scarcely wider or more respectable-looking than Little Bourke-street. Bow-street Police Court stands directly opposite the front entrance to the Opera House, and behind and -around it is the market itself, filled with costers and vegetable matter. The presence of so many leading London theatres in back streets is due to the laws of the Puritans, under which no playhouse was permitted to exist in position where it might shock the susceptibilities of the unco guid. But, as the long leases of the old places are falling in, the new theatres taking their places are occupying blocks worthy of their importance. The opera, it is suggested, will in future have its home in the Colisseum, a new place of amusement with acoustic properties superior to those of any other in London.

London’s dramatic habits come under severe censure in the New York “Dramatic Mirror,” where Miss Kate Masterton complains bitterly that imagination is not featured in the English life, and an American misses at the theatre that delicious rustle, the mental whoopla, the perfumed thrill that is part of the fashionable audience in New York. London, she says, despite the delightful plays it continues to send to America, has nothing to compare with the actual theatre in the States, and its importance as a phase of American social life. The reason for this, according to Miss Masterton is the late and great English dinner. Long ago, she says, managers gave up the idea of getting the London public to forsake their dinners until long after eight, and so the curtainraisers drone along dully to empty seats, interrupted constantly by arriving parties. By this time the true Britisher, man and woman, has accomplished four meals, and is looking forward to the fifth—not greedily nor anxiously, but surely, seriously, placidly, with a serenity bred of many sturdy generations of five-meal ancestors. Another subject for this fair American critic’s condemnation is the absence of the discipline and clean-cut stage management of the American theatre. Thq English actor-manager, she points out, surrounds himself with his wife, his own and his wife’s relatives, and there is a sort of familiar tea-and-muffin esprit between the people on the stage that robs the occasion of its glamour.

The practice of giving command performances, such as those which have taken place at Windsor, dates from a remote period. In the early days of the system the players were apt to view the honour of thus privately appearing before their sovereign anything but favourably, since the privy purse was not always inclined to meet their claims for remuneration with promptitude or liberality. The scale of payment, when George I. sat on the throne, was fixed at the

modest rate of for the entire company. When Charles Kean played before the late Queen Victoria, at Windsor, the amounts allowed were as follows : Leading lady or gentleman, second lead, £5 ; and utility, Nowadays considerably more satisfactory arrangements are in force.

You get “ out of sorts,” and you put it down to the weather. You feel depressed and nervous, and blame the influenza for that. You soon get tired and languid, and fancy your work is too much for you. You know very well that you are *• run down”—nerves unstrung, appetite poor. Where is the sense in going on like that? How fit are you to ward off the scores of diseases that are waiting to attack weakened men and women? Now don’t shilly-shally anotner day. You want a Restorative —here’s a real one.