AN UNREHEARSED SCENE.

Evening Star, Issue 4127, 19 May 1876, Page 3

AN UNREHEARSED SCENE.

On the termination of the second act of “ La Perichole,” at Christchurch the other evening, Madame Simonsen, in response to a recall, appeared in front of the curtain with two newspapers in her band, and addressing the audience, spoke as follows : Ladies and Gentlemen,—lf you allow me, I appear before you in a new character. I am pretty well endowed with a great deal of patience, but there is a limit to all things ; and, therefore, when I am attacked in the manner I have been, I have a tongue to defend myself against those who attack me without any reason.—(Applause.) This morning, in the paper—at least, I was told so to-night, because I don’t pay much attention to the newspapers myself—but I was told that in this morning’s paper I was considerably put down, A few things that are said are rather hard, but of course we cannot expect better things from those who wrote them. (Applause and laughter). There is only one little thing which I will read to you, as follows ;—“We consider it not only as debasing high art, but as exceedingly derogatory to the position of an artist, to be expected to sing such a song as is allotted to La Perichole— ‘ I’m tight, boys ! ’ ” I don’t think it is derogatory to the position of any artiste to sing any song of the author’s as long as it is in accordance with the character, and as long as the artiste, can do it pretty well. (Loud applause.) Worse than that, in this evening’s paper remarks are made that are perfectly ridiculous. It says; —“We are sorry that the management have been compelled, by the poverty of their i epertoire, to fall back upon such a wretched abortion as ‘ La Perichole,’ which we are justified in saying would be hissed off the stage of the uuclassic ‘ Pavilion ’ in Whitechapel, or the ‘ Elephant ’ in Newington.” I don t think onr repertoire is so bad after all. (Applause.) (A Voice; What paper, please?) The‘Globe.’ (Applause and laughter.) As to its being “hissed off the stage of the uuclassic ‘Pavilion’ in Whitechapel, or the ‘Elephant’ in Newington,” I don’t happen to be acquainted with these two places—(laughter)—and therefore I cannot speak about them. Allow me to tell you that “Perichole,” when produced in Paris, in 1868, ran for 200 nights at the Variety Theatre ; at the Philharmonic in London for sixty or seventy nights, and when a French company went over and performed it in London, it ran for forty nights more, making over a hundred nights in all at the Gaiety, Surely, therefore, it ought to run for a few nights iu Christchurch. (Applause.) Now, let me say something explanatory of the motive of such writing. I happen to know who wrote this. The a—a a—gentleman—who wrote this wag in Dunedin while we were there, and being very noisy for a couple of nights in the stalls, he was refused admission, Re declared at the time that he would

make it hot for the Simonsens when they came to Christchurch, and he is trying to do so now. I am very sorry for him; it is very poor revenge.— {Hear, hear, and applause.) I think the managers of the paper ought to look twice before they put such a disgusting little thing as that in it.—(Applause.) If they do so another time it will do them no good. Madamo Simonsen then retired amid loud applause, and she was recalled with a still greater demonstration from the audiencCi