THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 3542, 30 June 1874, Page 2

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

Again have I allowed my correspondence md files to accumulate, so that I now am obliged to divide this article into three parts, and then leave untouched a good deal of interesting matter. • *

xealing first with our own Provinces, I have to notice that Air Towers’s company, with his clever little daughter as its chief support, is now in Christchurch, having done extremely well at Dunedin and Timaru'en route. The Goufiays are also in “ the city of the plains,” giving their drawing-room entertainment, but Mr G. has, it seems, broken up his exhibition. Big Ben and his fellows have been secured by Dr Haast for the Canterbury Museum, and the remaining curiosities, including the waxworks "figures, were recently sold by auction. A few of the South Sea spears, See., were sold,i)ut the mummy of the New Guinea chief only induced a bid of 12s fid, which was not accepted, while ho one could be found to offer more than 10s a head for the wax figures, from Qttecn Victoria to the-sleeping-Beauty, By the last northern mail I got the following chatty note from Air G. \V. Qpddes, of the Japanese and Circus troupes

Our trip overland from Dunedin was a treat bar two days—beautiful weather right through —even the great Waitaki favored us, it being lower when we crossed than it had been for years. Our buggy crossed, containing three ladies and Xing. They were rather frightened at the first stream, for the horses made a dead stop in the centre. . . The last left in the boat happened to be one l ot the youngsters. The boat made a move down stream, upbn discovering which Jap.,, jun., set up such an unearthly yell and looked so comical that we all roared with laughter. We did splendid business, but the expenses were something

frightful. In some of the towns the accommodation was something disgraceful, At Geraltune we were refused accommodation at-each'of the hotels, nor would they give ns even a night's lodgings, so we had to pack up and travel all night. This was the worst part of our journey; along a dreary plain at night, with a long range of mountains about a quat-ter-of-a-mile away covered with snow, and the wind (not a warin one, you may be sure) blow-

ing off them ‘ and that was the kind of trailing we had to do for thirty-five ilea. No one will dispute the writer’s assertion that the life of travelling show people ’? is not an enviable one. During their first week’s stay in Christchurch, Geddes and king’s troupes did excellently; but subsequent bad Weather pulled down the profits. They reached Wellington on June 19, and were received with one of those gales for which the Eihpire City is ’famous, which prevented their putting up their large marquee, and caiised an alteration of their programme. The circus went straight on'to '•eison, and the Siamese opened in the Odd* fellows’ Had, where they played till the 27th, when they left for Auckland. The opera Company appear to have carried .all before them at Wellington. The season'was “ financed ” by a number of local men, who willhave .no cause’tb regret having risked their moffey. At the first the venture did not look' promising, but the weather had been bud. With fine wbather, and the viceregal patronage, the attendances almost doubled ; aud full houses' became the tful* and not the exception. ' Miss Mhy appears to have charmed all affd sundry, which, after all, is not very surprising. Hers was something like a benefit, as this short extract will snow i

i. course of a very successful season fittingly culminated off Jun6 in a highly flattribute To the m'efits aiid the popularity °v May. The Theatre r ßoyal was crammed, a statemsat the meaning of which

Vrhen it is mentioned that -the' doers were opened and clesed long before the usual hour for so great was the desire to testify the appreciation in which MisS May is held by the people of Wellington. The “ Daughter of the Regiment and a barren trifle of Offenbach s, brought the performance to a close, and after the National' Anthem and the departure of the Governor, the largest audience ever brought together in Wellington left the Theatre.

Fancy anyone being disgusted with the “ Rose of Avergne,” and with Miss May as Fleu rette. Wellington has been favored with more novelties than Dunedin : “Cinderella” Freyschufa” having been produced in addition~to those given in Dunedin And then the leave-taking and the substantial memento of the visit ! Such triumphs ought to encourage more frequent visits of opera troupes. En passant, I believe I am justified in sayiug that there is some truth in the rumor that it is not unlikely the company will visit Dunedin again before returning to Austra ia. Miss Ste-phenson’s-company, not being able to cope with superior attractions in Auckland, has taken a short run down to Wellington, and is now performing in the interior of that Province. Napier has been supporting a “ Prince of Wales Star Company,” which includes some old acquaintances. A Miss Vivian, a tolerable “ walking lady ” and a good dancer is supported by Mr Hooper and Mr Clinton. At Napier. 1 observe A. Drake and his assistant (Collins) not having derived any pecuniary benefit from the sports they got up for the amusement of the townspeople, and at which Drake himself was beaten by a local amateur, • received a complimentary benefit at the bands of “the local theatricals in return for their liberality in providing prizes, “and” (still quoting from a pewspaper report) “ with a result which recouped them for their losses in connection Fith the sports,” Prompter.