THE STAGE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 864, 2 April 1877, Page 3

THE STAGE.

Bailey and Cooper, with their allied shows, are to leave Hobart Town for New Zealand in the Claude Hamilton, on April 7th. They have ordered from a Melbourne tentmaker the largest tent ever made in the colonies, to cover the whole of tneir show during their travels in South America. The size of the main tent will be 170 ft by 12urt, while two small tents will use up 6000 yards of canvas. Poor Sam Woolfe, writes the Melbourne correspondent of the Dunedin Star, succumbed to the insidious disease consumption on Friday last, and died in the arms of Miss Ada Ward (of the Danichefi troupe). All honor to her: she nursed and attended on him as if he had been her brother, or some other dear relative. I am told that his last words to her were God bless you : you are a true woman.” I am not committing a breach of confidence in saying that she oidered the undertaker to send his bill in to her, and wanted to settle it herself. The professionals demurred to this ; but Mr W. Lyster put an end to all argument on the subject by stating that he intended to bear all the funeral expenses. I shall be very much mistaken if Miss Ward is allowed to leave the colony without some strong expression of the regard of her brother and sister artists for her kindness towards one of their members, who was a perfect stranger to her. The friends of poor Woolfe in Mew Zealand will be glad to hear that in his last moments his every wish received attention. In all i robabiiity New Zealand will not see Miss Ward, as she plays at the Royal for one month, opening on Easter Monday in “ The Wonun in Red,” follows as Miss Gwilt in “ Armidale,” and then returns to England, the Victorian climate not suiting her health. At Adelaide on March 10th, there was a real quarrel scene in “ Madame Angot,” Miss Lewis, the prima donna, had a “ difference " with Miss Lambert, in consequence of which the scene had to be brought to a sudden termination. The opera had proceeded so far as the quarrel scene—just on the eve of its proper conclusion —in which Miss Lewis and Miss Lambert took the respective parts, when the audience were greatly puzzled to observe the curtain quickly descending. To such an extent were they bewildered that at first a dead silence tell upon them. Suddenly tiowever, they gave vent to their feelings in loud and continued hisses. Meantime the voices of two or three of the principal performers in altercation were unmistakably distinguishable behind the curtain. Whai co rid it mean ? The groans and hisses wer. sept up, and a great proportion of the audience commenced to rise from their seats viih a view of leaving the theatre. Just athe excitement became the most intense, Mi Allison, the director of the theatre, in response to loud calls, came to the footlights and

apologised for the sudden termination of the opera. Mies Lewis, he said, had been ■ taken suddenly, all at once’ —a statement hat was received amid mingled yells, hisses, aid cheers, and the audience then quietly dispersed. It is a pity that those who attend he opera should have been compelled t< vita, ess such unpleasant exhibitions of feeding as that which occurred on Friday evening, and it is to be hoped the altercation will not be repeated. The cause of I,he contretemps was owing to Miss Lambert having unintentionally taken some of the ousiness out of the hands of the prirna doona, when the latter rushed off the stage, thus necessitating the descent of the curtain. It appears, however, that matters were soon set right, and Miss Lewis apologises to the public in the following advertisement :—“ To the ladies and gentlemen who attended the theatre last evening. In a moment of temporary annoyance I left the stage to get the better of my feelings. I was coming back when the curtain was rung down. I apologise to you all for doing so. Catherine Lewis.”