THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 3690, 19 December 1874, Page 1 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

Miss Howard and her company, who are under engagement to M. de Leas, of the Prince of Wales Theatre, Auckland, and under the management of G. W. Collier, have opened in G-. F. Rowe’s “Geneva Cross,” and despite the _ counter attractions of Goddard, and a “ miscellaneous ” importation per Cyphrenes, appear to be doing well. The company is a. good one and includes a number of names new to New Zealand. Miss Lizzie Ihisl, e, Sam Poole, and H. N. Douglas, of course we have seen before, and they need no commendation ; but we have yet to make the acquaintance of Patty Holt, Mrs Charles Jones, Messrs Eveling, C. Holloway, Saville, Sweeney, and Starke, as we shall do in the course of a month or two. Ajwpos of this company, Frank Weston, in the * Sunday Newsman,’ says : “ Some of them left in such a liiutv that they forgot to give notice to either their landladies or the management. The chief lessee was down on the wharf cursing the recusants by bell and book. Oily Deering, who was in the bill at the Queen’s, recollected an invite to take a drink, given him in Auckland years ago. Salaries riz fifty per cent, in an hour, and anv man who could say ‘My lord, the banquet waits,’ without a mistake, asked 20 guineas a week and his washing. This lasted till noon, when quotations ''©coded, and walking gents could bo purchased for a glass of beer. * * Our advice to the young not to marry must have bad a partial effect on a 3 r oiiTi£ gent'emaii member of the dramatic company who left on Tuesday for New Zealand.' The day previous to departure he entered he entered into the holy (or rather unholy) bonds of matrimony with a young lady who, rumor says, is gifted with many natural charms ; and immediately after the ceremony returned his new and blushing bride to the shelter of the parental roof. Our advice, and dread thoughts of the future, must compelled him to make so great a sacrifice.’ At Wellington the Stephenson-Burford i roupe, after a miserably poor season, has had to vacate the Royal, which will be opened on Boxing Night by the Bates-Howavd Combination. At Christchurch the Opera Company * s . l^ a .yi n o its farewell season, and next week will be m route for Dunedin, giving a performance at I imam for the benefit of the local resident. to whose enterprise Tirnaru was indebted fora six-nights’ season, but with the receipts of which Miss May’s unfortunate illness played much mischief and giving one performance at Oamaru on the 22nd inst. My friend Crotchet m the Globe,’ in noticing the Christchurch season, is very complimentary to Mr Templeton of whom he says that “up to the present the secession of Mr Rainford, so far from being a mind been a decided gain as Mr Templeton, who has taken up his roles, does so with a far more pleasing voice, and greater histrionic ability. in-om Melbourne I read of the unabated popularity of the Williamsons at the Roval where, on the 16th ult., Mr Williamson took his benefit, producing “ Our American Cousin” for the occasion, when there was such an assemblage as has not been seen within the walls •i R( 'V al or yaws. Many critics considcr Ins Asa Trcnchard equal to Jefferson's —■ At the Prince of Wales, when “ La Fille de Madame Angot ” was withdrawn, “ Rob Roy,” with particular attention to musical particulars, took its place, but it ran a week only, and it was not distinguished by remarkable success. 1 he production in Melbourne of Miss Benbows melodrama, “For LG0.000,” which was so_ favorably received at Sandhurst, was a fai ure ; and the difference of treatment is not accounted for. Miss Carey, who has long been a leading favorite at the Royal, has left that theatre, and has been engaged by Mr Lyster and i Wl * appliar shortly as the heroine in Led Astray.” The usual preparations are being made at both houses for the Christmas p ’ eces - the Royal is being adapted bv Mr Lville and Mr Carrington, and that fot M Pnnce of Wales has been written by Mr Garnett Walch. The concerts at Ballarat, given by Mdlle. Clause, Signora Mfigx, Signor and Signora Baldassaii, and bignor Zelman, were not a financial success pany, the Hibernicon, the Hindoo Box Comply, Mr and Mrs Case, and some other travelhng entertainments, are variously doiim the Provinces. Mr Lazar, of the Adelaide theatre, is in Mel bourn , and said to be organising a company, also for travelling purposes. By°no means least there is Blondin, who successfully gives performances to large crowds of spectators, and ought to take away from Melbourne veiy substantial evidence of his success in the Victorian metropolis. The balancing on a c “ ai . r » " ae most wonderful and sensational or his feats, is thus characterised in the description given in the ‘ Argusßlomlin’s performance with a chair on the rope is a marvellous exhibition of skill in preserving a balance Lach movement seems as if he were tryiim to get away from the sustaining power of equilibrium, and yet he cannot or will not fall. On any level floor M. Blondin’s chair might behave itself in a decent and homely manner so as not to draw attention, bnt above the heads of the people, on M. Blondin’s rope, its conduct is eccentric, not to say perplexing. It stands squaiely it stands diagon lly, it stand on two tegs, it stands on one, and while the chair assumes these positions, M. lilondin stands on the rung of it, leans entirely over the side of it stands on the seat of it, sits on the back of it and at last steps over it entirely when it stops his way; but he never loses hold of it, and takes it away as he brought it with him, as if in the part of the world he came from it was quite customary for every one to carry a chair along a rope about that hour of the afternoon.”—And lastly! have to note the arrival in Melbourne per the JSorthumberland, of John Edwin and his wife, 1 illy Earl. The latter, always a great favorite vith the Melbournites, was at once engaged for the pantomime at the Royal. t xf pews from the other Colonies is various. In Brisbane vMr Tavares has been steadily working out his endeavors with varvino- - Mr Fairclough has been the attraction—as far as he can be an attraction at the Queen’s, and the Girards have done tlieu- muscular evolutions for some weeks ?t i x Cll .° o lTr of Arts -~And again I am indebted to hj. Weston for these Sydney items : —• Hoskins and Co. worked out the legitimate drama business here in a week, and are now giving really good stirring pieces that go. It is on y novelties uow-a-days that draw the public. Towers goes to Newcastle, amongst the coalies, for Christmas. Rose is out to nurse meanwhile. Miss Lydia Howard is engaged heie for the pantomime. She is smart and sings well, and ought to draw. Lascclles, the wideawake, is in the bill too, ami the Navaros, and lots of clever people who sing and dance and are generally amusing. Madame Anna Bishop is still to the fore in the singing business. Ob she is spry yet, is Anna ! The Guv’nor and his good lady went on Friday, with Singin and Roebuck and other swel s, and liked her TVL C M y ’i an ‘ l So J h( 7 did naughty Giorza, and Mi Morly rrom Italy, and Robin Ruff ” liie announcement of the intention of Adelaide Riston Marchioness del Grillo to visit these Colonies with an Italian dramatic company, will (as has been remarked by the * Post) take most people by surprise. The experiment is a bold one, hut it will give the colonists an opportunity of seeing the acknowledged Queen of Tragedy. Porn in 1821, the daughter of a poor player, she had to struggle hard until 1855, when, obtaining a Parisian engagement, she

sought the furor of her audience as an exponent of the tragic muse a-i a rival of the famous Rachel. . The experiment was a bold one, and the French play goers were more disposed to criticise than applaud,' until her undoubted genius won her a triumph, since which her position has remained unassailed. In England, bpain, Holland, Russia, Turkey, and America she has maintained her reputation as the greatest tragic actress of the age. William of Prussia in 1862. conferred on her the medal in sciences and arts. Amongst her most famous ch.ir ictors are Medea, Lad.\ Macbeth, Fagio, Pineda, Deborah, Judith, Francesco da Riviera, and Camilla. Her husband, the Marquis del Giillo, died in 1861. ilistori is a native of Frin li. Prompter.