ENTERTAINMENTS, &c.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 108, 5 October 1874, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS, &c.

“ All the world’s a stage.” —As you like it. The past week has been a somewhat lively one as regards our local theatricals. Managerial speeches from the stage, and lively paragraphs and articles in reply, have furnished our playgoers with more genuine amusement than the greater portion of the pieces provided for them. I am not going to enter into the.whole subject, as it has been discussed till it is almost threadbare, but I must say that I am quite in accord with those who think that the gestures accompanying the song which has caused all this dispute are indecent. Last week I called attention to it, expressing my opinion that it was illadvised to put such a song in the programme, and I am surprised that the management should after Saturday night keep it still there. As a song it has not the slightest pretensions to merit either in music or words, both of which are decidedly commonplace, therefore I fail to see that the game

was worth the candle. The same song was sung by Mr Sefton in connection with 'the Smith Combination Troupe in Melbourne, but only once. Mr Smith told me that he peremptorily forbade Mr Sefton singing it again. There can be no doubt of the fact that the action accompanying the song is indecent, and that in the highest degree, and that portion of the local press which has had the courage to stand forth and denounce it, deserves the thanks of the respectable portion of our playgoers. Were it not that the press exercies a salutary check over the stage—l am now speaking generally—our theatres would perforce remain closed to decent families, as is instanced by the late trial for libel against the Herald , of Melbourne. As regards the free admission portion of the question, if this little disagreement is the means of sweeping away a custom which more than anything tends to place a journalist who endeavours to do his duty fairly, in a false position, it will prove to be a great benefit. At present the threat of exclusion is held in terrorem over the head of any one who writes plainly and outspoken of any entertainment and managers, aye, and even hangers ou to the skirts of a company, have it in their power to publicly threaten such a course. Is this a position which should be occupied by a public journal to whom the public looks for an independentjcomment on the performances ? I, for one, say no most emphatically, and were my brethren of the pen of the same opinion as myself, they would refuse to allow themselves to be placed in what I call a degrading position, and one and all say to managers, “We will pay our money as the public do, and be under no obligation to you.” This, I think, would be the proper stand to take. Of the. week I may say that the farces and comediettas, which I last spoke of here, preceded the Loyals, who have now started en route for Otago. Our old friend John Smith is still in full career of prosperity at Dunedin, where he recently took a benefit. His speech on the occasion—by the way we didn’t get one here —was very funny, containing as it did any quantity of “ Old times Kocks,” in the shape of remiscences of the Dunedin of yore which seems to have mightily pleased our Southern friends. His clever and urbane agent, Mr Kirby, takes his benefit this evening, and makes his first appearance on the stage, Mr Smith telling his audience that, like Artemus Ward’s kangaroo, Mr Kirby was an “amoozing little cuss.” I believe they leave Dunedin this week for a tour in Oamaru, Timaru, thence to Southland. I know I am speaking the wish of a number of playgoers when I express a hope that this clever troupe may be induced to extend their visit to us.

In Wellington the English Opera Company are doing well, the houses being crowded every night. I see that “ Faust ” is considered by the Northern papers as one of the successes of the company. After a short trip to Wanganui they come on here for the races, &c. Miss Aitken (Mrs. J. L. Bunten) has, after a rather lengthened tour on the West Coast, arrived in Wellington. The New Zealand Times says :—“ It is now some time since this talented lady visited Wellington, and we believe it is not her intention now to prolong her stay, her arrangements being to proceed to Napier, and subsequently to visit Christchurch, but in the interval she will, no doubt, be persuaded to renew her acquaintance with Wellington audiences, and to delight them as she has done before. It is stated that, very shortly, Mr and Mrs Bunten purpose leaving the Colony for England,” In Auckland, I notice that Mr and Mrs Stoneham and Mr Charles Yerner have arrived from Sydney, and opened in a drawing room entertainment which is is well spoken of by the local journals. The *< Arabian box mystery ” which is one of the features, is thus described by the New Zealand Berald “ The young lady stands on the stage with a sack hanging over her arm, while beside her stands the magic box —locked, sealed, elaborately corded, and covered with a canvas wrapper made to fit it. An extinguisher is then placed over the fair performer, and at the, expiration of two or three minutes, on the removal of the extinguisher, the magicienne has disappeared. The box is then unwrapped from its canvas casing, the cords removed, the seals broken, and when unlocked and opened is found to contain theyoung lady securely tied up in the sack. This trick has been shown for many weeks- in Sydney and Melbourne to crowded houses, but we understand that no one has succeeded in suggesting even a reasonable hypothesis of the way it is managed. Many playgoers will have read with regret the death of Miss Hattie Shepparde, under very sad circumstances. She had achieved a very high reputation on the, Melbourne stage, and was on the eve of returning to New Zealand with a high-class dramatic company. Mr Hallam’s bereavement is the more sad as he had only been married a short time, added to which his health is far from being good. Outside the colony I notice that the Williamsons are still enjoying a career of unabated success at the Theatre Eoyal, Melbourne, “ Struck Oil ” having given place to other novelties. The Opera Bouffe Company have returned to Melbourne after their upcountry tour, and have produced the last sensation at home —“ La fille de Madame An got.”

From Sydney comes inteligence of one or two old friends, in the persons of Miss Tilly Andrews and Mr G. W, Collier. They are now playing at the Victoria, supporting Miss Milly Howard of “Geneva Cross” notoriety. Speaking of their performance, the Sydney Horning Herald says :—Miss Tilly Andrews made a good impression as Frisette; Mr G. W. Collier reappeared here as Riel Du Bourg, and evinced that he is quite capable of forming an intelligent appreciation of a leading part, but he should repress his tendency to declaim and “ take the stage” upon every pretext. In the first and second acts, where he was supposed to represent a highspirited young gentleman assuming a lowly station, his manner was a combination of '< The Stranger” and the “ melancholy Dane” very effective with the gallery portion of the audience, but hardly’in keeping with the part.” The Japanese who were performing here, opened in Sydney recently, very successfully, there being over 1500 present. Blondin is doing well at 5s and 2s 6d, eight thousand persons being present at bis opening show. PROPS.