THE LATE PRINCESS’S THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3891, 13 August 1875, Page 2

THE LATE PRINCESS’S THEATRE.

Pakt lE. The year 1865 opened very tamely, the reengagement of Miss Aitkon being the only noticeable fact until on Janu ry 23 the Lyster pera troupe gave a farewell season on their way back to Melbourne. They gave- their last performance at the Princess’s on February 17, winding up with a grand concert in the Exhibition bunding next day. On the 25-h a new season was inaugurated, Miss Rosa Cooper taking the labors of directress upon herself, as Mr J. M. Wolfe was seriously ill. Mr Wolfe unfortunately died on the 27th of the sam--month. A benefit was got up for his widow

and family on March 10, at which Misses Joey 1 Jougenheim, Marian Dunn, and Aitkea gavt their services, and this slightly relieved the monotony that had prevailed for somo time. At last a spurt was made, on the 27th, when Mr and Mrs Charles Dilion appear in “Virginias,” Air George Fawcett again joining the company. ome excellent performances were given during this engagement, which lasted till April 21, and matters began to look healthy again, although the Dillons did not draw more than average houses. On the following evening a great change was made in the character of the entartaimnents, Mrs Wolfe, who retained the lesseeship after her husband’s death, engaging Miss Gougenheim as directress and bringing out the ballet - dancers Frauleu. Fannie and the Brothers Leopold, and the brothers Wieland (trapeaists). This troup piayed, during their stay, “The Forest 0 f Bondy ; or, ihe Dog of Montargis, ’ in which their trained dog Leo appeared ; but this sagacious animal’i performances were treated with ridicule, and the melodrama was soon wuh drawn. [After a spell of several months, the Theatre Royal was re-opened on May 13 by Professor Bushell] On May 20, the Dillons and George Fawcett again joined the ranks at Ihe Princess’s, the prices of admission being reduced, and a notice added that “ bonnets will not be permitted to be worn in the first row of the dress-circle.” On the 21st of June a bri.liant performance was given in aid of the funo for the relief of the families of those di owned m the ill-fated steamer th ■ City of Dunedin, dis Mumford (Miss Julia Matthews) aud Miss iougenheim (who had shortly before retired from the direction of the theatre) gave their services, and so many people were unable to ,aia admittance that the performance was repeated next nuiht. A number of the le idiuu citizens tendered a farewell benefit t>- Mr and Mrs Dillon and Mr Fawcett on July 14, and oeuefits all round followed. «hi th oeuasi-n ui Mr 0. G. Smith’s, on the 19' hj, grear amusement was cau-ed by Mr John Barnes doing the rope-tying trick—and most successfully, too, fur he cleared himself in less thau ten sec >n fom the chair m which he was tied. On the •list of the mouth a new effort was made to i) e sh the Dunedin public, Me«srs Mumfor.: .nd Donne taking a lease of the Princess’s, aim om-niug wth a strong company in ‘The Daughter of the Regiment” and “ The Pilgrim jf Loye.” Mrs Mumford’s was of course the mo t prominent name among the list, with Marian Dunn, Dolly Green, La petit* Laura (Wiseman), Messrs J. Dunn, J. L. Hih, ft u Dale, T, bawcett. and others—not forgetting

Charley Wilmot, F. Howe, and Herbert. [ » August 23 Messrs Creasy and Vyers’s Panorama of American scenes opened at the Royal.] Tilings went on swimmingly, Mrs Mmnford herself being sufficient to draw good houses, and on August 28 another burlesque by Mr Farjeon—“ Faust ” —was produced, which wafairly successful, and was followed by “ Aladdin,” which made a great hit. This successful se.-.sou terminated on November 8, and so satisfactory had everything proved that the same company commenced a new lease on the 13th -Mr Donne however seceding and taking the rival house. [ The Royal was opened by Mr Donne on the 9th with Mr and Mrs Alexander’s (Miss Edith Palmerston) entertainment.] In a tew days the company left on a trip north, while the Californian Circus took their place. The proprietor of the troupe wre Herr Greenberg, and Co., the manager W. H. Foley, and among the performers’ names were Madame Tournear, Signor Raphael, Professor Klaer, and Air Ford. This company introduced the inimitable Barlow, of “ Blue-tailed Fly ” celebrity, to us on December 13, and he nightly Weighted his audiences for the very short

period nine days—over which his engagement extended. Barlow afterwards appeared at the “Corinthian Hall.” the scene of Thatcher’s triumphs. [Professor Jacobs, the conjuror, appeared at the Royal on December 23 ] The Julia Matthews’ dramatic company then returned from the North, and re-opened with the addition of Mr R. Roberts, Miss Polly Lo ke, and Miss Shepparde, 'J hese three popular artists appeared for the first time in Dunedin on the 26th in “The Victims’’—taking the parts of Herbert Fuzherbert, Satchel and Mrs Fiizherbert respectively, and all three meeting with a gooa reception. The commencement of the year 1866 was signalised by a perfect flood of entertainments, but the Princess’s company held its ground against all comers. [Mr and Mrs George Case (Grace hgerton) came out at St. George’s Hall on January 17.] On the 27th January Mrs Mumford retired from the stage for a time, Laity Don having anived and appearing on the 29 .hj in Ihe Child of the Regiment,” m eting with a most flattering reception Among her great successes her * perhaps Lady Dons Lari of Leicester, in the historical t»ur * K- uilworth,” was the most legitimate, [ihe combined Le.iton and Nathan troupes opened at the Royal on February 13, and ou ' larch 1 the Stevens company of gymnasts and acrobats took their place.] For lime mouths Lady I ion, who assumed tbe management of the P incess’s, did good business there an 1 she gave her final p rfo. mance in April 29* Mr >tuart u Brian then (• k command, hut had to fall back on the old stock compau [Air

Heme (the bliad ”ioliniat) and Aln Heine took the Royal for a short season, commencing on M »y I'J Mrs Char’es Poele made her d&ut on June 8 as Peg Woffington, in ‘'Masks and Faces, and continued playing for some time, Mrs Mumfonl re-appearing for a fortnight, ana raking her really '‘last” farewell on August 11. Things then grew dull again. [Mr Tannett s panorama was sh -wn at the Royal on Aug mt 20.] Pablo Fanqne, the tivht-rope walker, t roved « uoveltvon August 30, but the public supported Mr < I’Bnen’s eflorts so badly that on September 15 the house had to be closed. On th t day week, however, it was reopened, with Dolly Green as directress, and a lingering existence was spun out even after Mr Sam Howard leased the Royal (on October 27). [Miss Adelaide Bo wring first charmed a Dunedin audience on that evening, appearing in “ East Lynne,” with Mr J. B. Steele as Mr arlyle Of the latter the ‘ Times ’of the 29th said ‘ ‘ he cenainlv hha a good voice and a good appearance.” Mrs Sam Howard, Miss Jenny Nye, Messrs C. Searle, and F. Varley also made their first appearance in Dunedin on the same occasion.] Miss Floise Juno, after a long absence, now returned to Dunedin and appeared on November 24 in “ The Flowers of the Forest” nd “• he Bonnie Fishwife.” The programme was repeated next night, on which occasion Madame Owleste was among the audience—she being on her way to Melbourne from San Francisco. The excitement consequent upon the trying tmk of playing Cynthia in the presence of toe actress who “made” the part, and the effect uj» i Miss Juno (Mrs Frank Butler) wdl be remembeied by m my. Barlow was th* n engaged and assisted tin- company for so ne weeks. Miss Juno re-appearing on December 18 Mias Joey Guugenheim turned up again in time for the Christmas holidays, and the year ended merrily, both theatres being in ull swing. On January 15,1867. both houses closed, but the Prince-8 a re-opened on the 19th, taking Miss Vdelaide Bowring and Mr Steele' over from the Royal. • 'I he latter house never was ■he seme of another performance, for at about twenty minutes to eleven o’clock on the night >f the Ist of Vprii a fire broke nut in Wilson the ireunion er’sshop, near the Octagon, which swept away the while block from the Octagon o the t'riteiion Hotel, devouring in its course lie ill-fa ed and never vety successful Theatre Royal. [Cook ■, Zoya- a and Co. 's circus rimed in High street the same evening, and Woodroffeji Bohemian Glas-biowers at th# Polytechnic (now a coachbuilder’s shop) on June 3 ] At the end of June Mr and Mrs Steele retired fora time, and Dolly Green again ' ook the management, with Mr Wilmot ns stage manager. I’he Bteele-> were re-engaged on July 27 for a farewell six nights, and on August 19 the C*r» idini family returned to Dunedin and sang at the Prim ess’s. h>s was the first appearance here ■ f Uosina and Fannie Carandici, hut their mother and Mr Slierwin were old favorites So great were the attracinns of this talented little company that they performed without intermission until September 14, [Mr and Mrs Sam Howard and Frank Varl'-y opened at the Polytechnic on the 14th in a miscellaneous entertainment.] The theatre wad then again clo ed, save for an ama eur performance of “Black Sheep” and "The Irish i'ntnr” on the 2oth. In the latter pi oe Mr llenry was very racy and successful as Terry O’lioorke. Ihe old original company re opened on the, 28th, and < m October 4 Jo#y Gougenheim made her rcntric in ‘ ‘ An Unequal Matchbeing followed by Miss Harriett Gordon and MrJ. P. Hydes on November 3, who played a tairly mooes.- ful burlesque season. •in December 6, Mdme. and Herr rfimonsen, Miss R. Jones, and Mr Artot—vocalists and instrumentalists—were added to the company, and peiformanoes half dramatic and half musical became the order of the day. [I he Polytechnic wasTe-opened on December 9 by Signor and Signora Fernandes, “Thei Lion Kng and Queen,” with their menagerie.] The first mention of the familiar name of Mr 1. F. Keogh occurs in the cast for “ La Sunnambula ” ns given by this joint company on the 16th—he taking the part of Count Rodolpho. The Simonson’s concluded their engag. rn«nt on the 19 oh, and the house was closed till, Boxing-uight, when the pantomime, “ Harlequin Jack Horner” was produced, with Harriet Gordon as Retrogressa. Mr Hyde seems to have disappear' d,as we cannot find his name in the bills, but the company was not a weak one, cont' ining as it did the names of Misses Jenny Nye, Polly Leake, and Dolly Green ; Messrs R. Roberts. C. Wilmot, KeOgh (clown), and others, with Mr Willis as scenic artist VVo wete unable to discover the date of Mr •-v illis’a first connection with the Princess’s, but in looking over the newspapeis of the time have frequently come across flattering notices of his works.

( >'o be continued )