THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 3715, 19 January 1875, Page 2

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

“Prompter” sends us a few items of theatrical gossip At Auckland Miss Amy Stone, who has taken Miss Howard’s place iu leading business at the Prince of Wak s did good business, ishe opened as Fanchon, in “The Cricket.” At the date of my la-t advices she was playing “Cigarette,” and executing broadsword combats and cornet and drum solos iu a way that moved the Aucklanders to unusual admiration. Miss Christian, at the Choral Hall, was holding her own. George Collier has seceded from the Prince of Wales, and opens the Royal in Christchurch in a few days, for a two months’ season, with May Howard as star. Mr and Mrs F. W. Baker have left the Hibemicon, and are now at Napier on their own account. Baker himself is said to be one of the best tenors that has ever visited the Colony, and his wife is a charming ballad singer. At Wellington the Bates* H >ward company is enjoying a continuance of full houses, and Val Vose has pitched his show there. Our old friend Rainford took a benefit at Christchurch last week, and was rewarded with a capital attendance, and it could not be otherwise, seeing that he had the assistance of Rosina Carandini, Madame and Miss Winter, Mrs Oigby, and plenty of other local talent. —The American circus is about to shift its tent into the interior of the Province. ' At a benefit taken by the management a gold watch was offered for the best conundrum, and the following took the prize “ Why is this Circus like America before her Independence ?-Because it has a King for its master, a Bird as one of its emblems, and oue of its principal characteristics is Blow.” I wonder no mention beyond your telegram has been made of the extraordinary unrehearsed scene, which was tho feature of Madame Zelinda’s first appearance in Christchurch. It appears that the firm quarrelled as to which partner Lad the right to handle the money taken, and one, not having his way, determined to expose “the box mystery.” This is what happened in consequence, as told by the ‘ Lyttelton Times “ Instead of Zelinda. there issued from the wings a young man of very ‘ seedy ’ appearance, whom nobody would accuse of an extravagant use of shoe-blacking. Coming to the footlights, he intimated that as a person had threatened to expose the box mystery, it would not be proceeded with that eveniug, and that therefore any of the audience who so desired.might get back their money on application at the box ollico. While this announcement was being npade, there was seen scrambling on to the stage from the orchestra an individual of more than ordinary dimensions, who, getting on his logs, exclaimed— ‘ Ladies and gentlemen, this box is mine, and I mean to show you how it’s done.’ No sooner had he said this, than another member of the company made his appearance from the wing, and pointing to the man of portly dimensions, ejaculated in a sneering contemptuous manner—‘Ladies and gentlemen, this man, this thing, is mean enough to do anything; he is mean enough to take a woman’s living away.’ So saying, he seized the portly gentleman and ran him fairly off the stage, the lady whose living was announced to be at stake assisting in the operation.” But the portly gentleman, though rather roughly bandied, was not yet cowed. A second tinpe he appeared on the stage, which had the effect d£ bringing on the scene another member of the company, in |:he person of the goldeu-shoe dancer, who, fac* blacked, and fantastically attired, emerged from the wings, and attempted to run the obnoxious party off the stage Finding himself over-matched, however, he had recourse to certain means which were no less unique than effectual. Taking advantage of his opponent’s corpulency, he converted his head into a kind of buffer, and in this manner succeeded in buffeting him into one of the recesses of the stage. The box mystery was then proceeded with, but tho next day the lessees of the Royal, thinking that the public might have too much of a good thing, cut off tb,g gas, and the “greatest array of talent ever m Zealand” sought a more congenial place to shc’.y iji.