AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1074, 6 October 1910, Page 18

AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS.

(From our Sydney and Melbourne Correspondents.) Mr. Harcourt Beatty, of the Miss Nellie Stewart Dramatic Co., has a good story to tell about old-time stage properties. When a youngster he was playing Armand in “Camille.” In those days they did not carry realism to the extent they do now. Molasses and water were used for wine, and South Sea cotton represented ice cream. He and Camille were seated at a table when a servant entered carrying a lighted candelabrum. As she placed it on the table between the lovers, who were busily engaged in conversation, one of the candles toppled over and set fire to the ice cream, which shot forth a red flame And tragedy forthwith gave way to comedy. • * • •

The Aldwych, London, which was regarded as the white elephant of the West End theatres, has been invaded by melodrama for some months now, and has proved a bonanza to the latest occupants. Three matinees weekly are given, and the present Queen and other members of the Royal family have attended the melodramatic production. “The Bad Girl of the Family,” which is to be seen in New Zealand next year, is said to be the lucky turning-point that has spelt such great success. Fred. Melville, the author, has three companies touring the English provinces with this success, while it is said these and the Aldwych venture have alone netted him a fortune.

“ The Whip,” which at Drury Lane has established the longest run of all Drury Lane dramas, is attracting packed audiences to Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne- The big sporting piece is full of sensational incident, and possesses no less than sixteen distinct, and, in many instances, ■beautiful scenes. The hunt breakfast in the palatial hall at Falconhurst, is one of the outstanding features of the production, and amongst the sensational incidents, the railway smash and the great race for the two thousand guineas, stand out as remarkably realistic effects. The company have one and all proved worthy of their selection in London, and the whole production merits a long and prosperous run on this side of the world as it has done in the Old Country.

“ Nick Carter” is one of the latest of the George Marlow purchases, and

will be produced in New Zealand next year. This great detective story is said to be productive of numerous thriling escapades, of which the detective stories have already acquainted most people. There is a pony in the drama on which Carter makes one of his thrilling escapes. This is an animal specially trained, and, by the way, is a New Zealand-bred horse.

The race scene in “ The Winning Ticket,” now being performed in Melbourne, introduces several well-known bookmakers on their initial appearance behind the footlights/ For realistic staging Wiliiam Anderson is famed, but in this piece he has excelled himself, having spared neither trouble or expense in obtaining the realism which is so essential to a successful production. Owing to the heavy nature of the production the curtain did not fall on “ The Winning Ticket” till 11-45 on the opening night. In spite of this scarcely any persons in that vast audience moved, so entranced were they with the new play that they risked missing last trains and trams.

“ The remarkable bedroom drama” is what the “ London Daily Mirror” described “ The Bad Girl of the Family.” The phrase was prompted by the fact that one of the big scenes in the drama is where the heroine and the bad girl are seen making their toilet preparations before retiring for the night, while there is a prayer offered up by the heroine, in which the bad girl is induced to join. In another scene the villain imagines he is marrying the girl of his heart, but is frustrated by the bad girl, who is a dressmaker, donning a bridal costume, the exact replica of that of the intended wife, and the bad girl enters the church and is married to the vilain, before the girl, whom it was intended the villain should really marry, makes her appearance at the church door. The climax is strikingly effective-

William Anderson has in preparation a new sensational drama founded on the Crippen case. It will see the light when “ The Winning Ticket” concludes its run at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, which is not likely to happen for some time yet-

The success of the new sporting play, “ The Winning Ticket,” is tremendous. Every night before 7-30 the King’s Theatre has been crowded, hundreds of people being unable to obtain admittance. It has secured the record attendance since The

King’s opened, close on 14,000 having paid for admission during the first six nights, eclipsing even the first week of “ The Squatter’s Daughter.”

Mr. Julius Knight on Saturday entered upon the last week of his career in Australia. As Marcus Superbus, the Roman prefect in “ The Sign of the Gross,” the popular artist is bidding farewell to the country he has provided with high-class dramatic fare for so many years. Since he first appeared in costume plays out here, Mr- Knight has established himself high in popular favour, and although, in the earlier stages of his career, he was so identified with romantic plays and more particularly with “ The Sign of the Cross,” he has —to use his own expression—“ lived Marcus down and proved to his public that he can more than hold his own in modern productions like “ The Third Degree” and “ The Lion and the Mouse.” During his sojourn out here Mr- Knight has indeed played many parts—Ri/dolph in “ The Prisoner of Zenda,” Napoleon in “ A Royal Divorce,” Mr- Brown in “An Englishman’s Home,” and so on —a multiplicity of characters all excellently portrayed—proof positive of the remarkable histrionic ability and versatility of the departing artist who stands so high in the estimation of the Australian playgoing public.

“ Our Miss Gibbs,” produced at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, for the first time in Australia by J- C. Williamson, Ltd., on Saturday, seems likely to duplicate out there the success it has achieved in London. A crowded house assembled to welcome the new production, and the enthu-' siasm which was displayed throughout the performance augurs well for the popularity of the piece. The music, by Messrs- Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton, is specially melodious and attractive, and the piece itself is bright and sparkling, and goes with a dash and verve that helps in no small measure towards the success of an attraction of this class. Mary Gibbs, or “ Our Miss Gibbs,” as she is known in “ Garrod’s Store,” where she is employed as a shop girl, is the most attractive of an exceptionally attractive bevy of girls, and amongst her most ardent admirers is the young Lord Eynsford, who wins her love in the guise of a simple bank clerk. The mother of the youthful aristocrat has strenuous: objections to raise, but these are finally over-ruled, and all ends happily- Of gaiety and fun there is a full store, and the piece is excellently presented by the members

of the Royal Comic Opera Company, the title role being in the care of Miss Blanche Browne, the young English star who came out specially for the part, and who justified the warmth of her reception on Saturday last.

“ Carados,” of the London “ Referee,” noted among the audience of “ Our Miss Gibbs” several times lately, Mr. J. M- Barrie, also a certain dramatic critic who was ready, he believed, to shed his last drop of ink in defence of the British drama, had been to the same place over a dozen times. “It is an affectation with a certain class of playgoers,” he added, “ to pretend not to be able to stand the musical play. Yet quite numbers of playgoers who are not altogether destitute of intelligence find amusement in this form of entertainment. The gifted lady known to the public as John Oliver Hobbes was, to my knowledge, “ quite an enthusiastic lover of it.”

Miss Violet Canty, a prominent member of the Bland Holt company, and Miss Adele Kelly, formerly of the Williamson dramatic organisations, have joined Mr. George Marlow. They and other new people will be seen in New Zealand next year.

Mr- Julius Knight is to be tendered a complimentary matinee by the firm of J. C. Williamson, Ltd-, prior to his departure from Australia. The matinee is fixed for to-day, October 6, when that clever actress, Miss Maud Jeffries (Mrs. Jas. Osborne) has kindly consented to appear with Mr. Julius Knight in a performance of Gilbert’s clever comedy, “ Pygmalion and Galatea,” with a specially selected supporting cast.

William Anderson’s Dramatic Company opened at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, on Saturday, with “ The Chance of a Lifetime.” It is an extremely powerful company, and includes the Misses Harrie Ireland, Florence Richter, Lillian Wiseman, Messrs- Frank Gould, Conway Wingfield, C. R. Stafford, Harry Sweeney, Sterling Whyte, Walter Dalgleish, Harry Douglas, Crosbie Ward, and Gus- Banks. A one week’s season only will be played, but the company will return to Sydney in December after Newcastle, Brisbane and Toowoomba have been visited.

The death of Arthur Edwards, as the result of a boating fatality in Sydney Harbour, came as a shock to the

clever young dancer’s many friends and admirers. The deceased young artist came to Australia with “The Arcadians ’ Co., and quickly became a favourite. His dancing was novel, his stage methods fresh and vivacious, and although engaged specially as a dancer, he was also a really capable actor. He had only been in the profession for some five years, and, prior to his advent into musical comedy, was earning a high reputation as a character sketch artist at the music halls.

Messrs. Hamilton, Plimmer and Denniston have (says Sydney “Fair Play’) had a very successful fortnight at the Royal with “Lovers’ Lane,” and the pity is that circumstances compel them to take the pretty production off.