THEATRICALS IN ENGLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 3673, 30 November 1874, Page 3

THEATRICALS IN ENGLAND.

The Charing Cross Theatre was opened in September, and among many pleasant characteristics in connection therewith was the appearance of no less than four gentlemen who have been intimately connected with Australia. First of all, the manager, Mr Alexander Henderson, graduated in his profession on the goldfields ; Mr Alfred Nelson derived his first knowledge from the same source. Two other artists have been even more intimately connected with the Colonies. Mr John Morris—known - to the Dunedin stage as Morris Stapeltou—who has, at a bound, become the sensation of the day, is a native of Sydney, and was for nearly a dozen years a pupil of Mr John L,' Hall, and an apt pnpil he has proved himself. He goes through all the metamporhoses of other “single-handed” performers without once leaving the stage. His changes are made in full view of the audience, not one of whom, however, can tell “how its done.” Mr Morris achieved a perfect success, and already he has received offers of engagements from every part of the country. Other Australians are well to the fore in various directions. Mr James Carden has established himself as first favorite at the Britannia. Mr J. L Allen has been playing a round of Shakespearian characters at the Marylebone. He took a benefit a few evenings ago, and it was a bumper. Mr John L. Hall will make hia appearance, after a long engagement at Liverpool, at the St. James’s on an early date. Mr Richard Younge is with his company playing “Clancarty” in the north of I ngland. It is not improbable that Mr Ireland, who is now playing at Manchester, will join Mr Younge’s company in a few weeks. Mrs Mary Gladstane has got a capital company together, and opens at Birmingham on an early date. Julia Matthews opens at the Philharmonic in a few days. Carrie and Sara Nelson are both in the country and doing well. The same report may be given of Barry Sullivan, Clarence Holt, Charles Dillon, and several others known to people in the Colonies. On August 13 there died at Philadelphia, after a long and painful ilness, John Collins, the well-known Irish comedian and vocalist, who visited Australia in 1865, In early life he was cook in his father’s hotel at Lucan, near Dublin. One day some members of an opera troupe performing in Dublin drove out tp this hotel for a dinner, and while it was being prepared they heard a tenor of great sweetness and purity of tone. Upon inquiry who vtfas the possessor of that wonderful organ, they were informed that it was the ' cook. They immediately sent a request for Jiim to come to them. John Collins entered the

room clad in a white cap and apron and santr before them. On their recommendation he was sent to London to study music, and after a course of study ma le his debut at the Haymarket as first tenor, achieving a decided success as Captain Macheath in the Beggar’s Open <' fter a few seasons he became tired of the lyric stage, and appeared upon the dramatic playing eccentric Irish parts. In America he was considered a worthy succe sor of Tyrone Power ; and in the later years of his life he made a speciality of “The Widow Macbree,” in his singing of which he was probably never surpassed. He died at the ripe age of seventy. On .September II the veteran comedian, Buckstone, took his final leave of Scotland at Glasgow, before an audience which tested the holding capacity of the theatre there to utmost. And of his farewell it is said that “ the brave old veteran, as he concluded his addre s to the audience, received a shower of bouquets and one laurel wreath. This he placed upon his head, and marched from the stage, with the mingled dignity of a Homan General and a King of Comedy who had achieved his final, but by no means the least gloiious of his triumphs He disappeared amid universal applause. While we cannot dispute the wisdom of Mr Buckatone’s determination to retire from active professional duty, the intimation of the fact cannot be received with other than feelings of regret. Few actors have had a longer, or more honorable and brilliant career. ” Southern, after an absence from England of fully three years, was to appear at the Haymarket, London, on October 10, in “Our American Cousin.”—Audiences in the Provinces do extraordinary things sometimes. Take for instance what happened at Nottingham, in con ection with a balloon ascent by Capt. Metcalf, at Sanger’s Circus there. The supply of gas being bad, it was nearly dark before the baloon was inflated, and the reronaut, seeing there was r.o chance of ascending that evening, commenced to let out the gas. This was a signal for a regular rio% and the mob, yelling and hooting, tried to set the balloon on fire, but the public prevented them. Ultimately, however, the crowd got hold of it and tore it to pieces, carrying off the fragments And at the Theatre Royal, Cambridge, on the 11th August, the performances wound up with the tragedy of “ Maria Martin ; or, the Murder at the Red Barn. ’ The curtain fell after W.iCorder, the murderer, had been brought to tho scaffold, and with the rope dangling above his Lead “improved the occasion.” The audience refused to leave, and when the orche tra played the National Anthem, it was received with hisses and clamor, and the audience remained in their places. At length Mr Frederick Hughes, the manager, presented himself, and apologised for bang unable to gratify his patrons by actually hanging the actor—Mr Concannen who represented the murderer, William Corder, unless with his own consent, which ho was hardly likely to give. The “gods ” shouted furiously, “Bring him out with the rope round his neck,” Of course the demand was not complied with, and after more demonstrations of their desire to see the representative of the Suffold murderer actually hanged, the crowded audieuc’ slowly, and with manifest reluctance, left the house Mr M rcabe has crossed the Atlantic, and is by this time astonishing our American cousins by his versatility. From America he proceeds to Australia. -Mr Barry Sullivan also contemplates an American tour, he having been engaged by Messrs Jarreit and Palmer, of New York, for a season commencing in August of next year, and extending over 150 nights at L6O per night, with L3O additional for each matinee at which he appears.—J. L. Toole appears to have bit the Yankee taste completely. He made his fi;-rt appearance at Mblos, on August 17, in “Wife and Gown” and “The Weavers.” This is what was said of the event :—“ A pleasanter scene of welcome was never witnessed in a theatre, and Mr Toole must have felt that he had indeed come to a land of friends, and not of strangers. The same public good will accompanied him throughout the evening. Laughter and applause were frequent. The comedian was called four times before the curtain, and between the plays was asked for a speech, which he gave in the shape of a few words marked by aptness of phrase and deep and sincere feeling. Some of his friends in front sent to him across the footlights a large and handsome sbip, made of mnny kinds of beautiful natural flowers, and floating upon a floral sea. The assemblage that greeted him was, for this time of the season, uncommonly brilliant. The drawback was that tho plays in wh ch Mr Toole acted are exceedingly dull, and proved heavier than even the most friendly patience could bear.” But a fortnights afterwards, in the evergreen -‘Paul Pry,” Mr Toole firmly established himself.