THEATRICAL CRITICISM.

Evening Star, Issue 4226, 12 September 1876, Page 4

THEATRICAL CRITICISM.

To the Editor,

respect to the articles lately appearing In the * Guardian ’ and 1 Evening Slews,' oeneoming the performance of the (Msnpany at the (Queen's, allow me a short r«e to explain some circumstances whioh think are not fully before the public. With regard to the printing, I may state feat the canvasser for the above papers has m several occasions interviewed both myself and other members of the company wife a view to obtaining, at least, a share •I ear printing. This, owing to the billetUker refusing to post bills printed at these •fioee, we were unable to give. Last Friday fortnight this gentleman met »e near the theatre, and renewed the fefbjeot. 1 then told him it could not, be, and although I had wished to let them bare thetr share; yet, now In face of the nn adverse criticism lately appearing, I had changed my opinion. He remarked feet e newepaper' was purely a commercial •peculation, and unless we gave taem a turn we eould not expect good notices, and that la future they would simply state what piece We had played the night previous and whateur performance of that night would be. I observed, then, in that case pajing them UK 9s a-week for advertising was money thrown away, and might as well be saved, in which case he said the paper would ignore as. This was the case, and we were ignored. The advertisement was withdrawn on the

Saturday. The gentleman then playing a tierring engagement with us said, “They will j Sky te oome in and slate everything yon e.? Whether this was simply his opinion, M from information received, 1 knew not; but at any rate he was afraid they would •riMeise him unfavorably, and he put in an advertisement at his own expense. I leave . fee public to judge if this is not coercion. With respect to Mr Hoskins being black . mailed, lam informed by two gentlemen of position that the business manager of the ■ Princess’s stated to them that Mr Lingard refused to prolong his engagement on account of the notices in the ‘Guardian,’ wirioh he knew was owing to the jobbing work being done at the ‘Times.’ The printing was removed, and the articles in fee. * Guardian,’by a strange o (incidence, changed tone. If this is not black.mail I know not what is. Referring to the ‘ln ews ’ ef last Friday—a* to the cries to Mr Keogh •f “Off, off,’* culminating in a shower of hisses, I must say that, being in the front cf the house daring the act referred to, 1 heard noiUog of the sort. I have asked •everal unprejudiced people, who were, in various parts, and they heard nothing; so I must presume that the reporter must either keve dreamt it or let “ the wish be father to ■ fee thought.” One more remark and I have done. For a paper that could and did publish fulsome notices of a burlesque actress not now in New Zealand, and then to aoonse Miss Nell Cf vulgarity, seems to me sublimely ridiculous. “There is something in this more than nature, If philosophy ooold find it Cat.’*

< Ths ‘Bvoning News’ is at any rate conpatent with its motto—for it is evidently published— Wot the future And the good that we can do (ourselves]. l am, &c., Habby Saviue. Donedin, September 10.