DRAMATIC NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6491, 16 December 1881, Page 6

DRAMATIC NEWS.

I Our latest advices from Sydney are doted i Nov. 88. Tht Pirate* of Pentane* concluded another excellent run at the Theatre Royal, ( No * on the following I night Patience was produced. "Swing that the Mthetio ere## has not y«t retched the Colonies, it was pretty generally thought (says 1 Jhe tiemtd) that the retire of the work would j not be understood j but this idea was comI pletety dispelled by the audience which asI rembled to witness it* first production on the { Australian stage, for sreiy point in the "roasummalely utter” and "Intensely precious dialogue was echoed by a burst of laughter from before the curtain, and the music was so much enjoyed that not only had several number* to bt repeated, but two had to be re-repeated. Rarely hae any work, dramatic or musical, been so well given on the occasion of its first performance as this was, and, Indeed, wo do not remember the first production of anything of the kind in Sydney which would bear Comparison with it. The principals acted and song their parte as if they had been engaged at them for weeks, the choruses were—ae choruses rarely are—faultless, and the stage management wee very complete. The consequence wa* that people were able to enjoy to the utmost the peculiar vein of keen satire which the dialogue of the opera embodies, end to appreciate the skill with which this dialogue has been wedded to harmonious music. It is superfluous now to speak of the dialogue, tor almost everybody who care* for satirical humour has by this time beard of or read it, and of the tnusio it is sufficient to say that it is of the light, tuneful, masterly character so well exemplified in the previous operas written and composed by Gilbert and Sullivan, and that in some respects it show* an advance on the composers' previous effort#. And to it is, after all, only natural that, as Patience— itself a clever work—was well performed, and was mounted with liberality and good taste which have never been exceeded here, the first performance should have been a success which more than realised expectation." Tho cast boa already been published in these columns. Patience is likely to have a long run.—Mr Dam pier is varying bis programme almost nightly at the Gaiety, and doing a good business.—After a good run, Mazeppa has iiveu place at the Queen's to the Irith hteeiice, with Mr Grattan filgge in the leading business. Wilson'* Circus continues to draw splendid houses.—Mdlle Alice Ohubonnet gave a concert at the Masonic Hall, on Nov. SI, to a fair attendance.—A Sydney paper, dated Nov. 26, says; "A number of connoisseur* assembled, by invitation, on Tuesday evening last, at Mr A. Hue&erbeiu’e music salon, Georgo-street, to enjoy a first hearing of Signor Giovanni Yittorini, a young Australian vocalist, recently returned to his native land after pursuing hie musical studies at Milan. Signor V ittorini undertook altogether six numbers of those on the programme, selecting, with the exception of one English ballad, piece* of the Italian school. Signor Yittorini ha# a voice of considerable range, and, in the lower register, treat power. The culture which It has received has not been-in vain, and the reception accorded him wae very flattering. Ac on addition to the number of our leading singers Signor Yittorini will be extremely welcome."

Mr Dswhurafc concluded his Brisbane season on Nor. 15, after which the Xheotro Royal ni dosed for repairs and other improvements. The company from the Boya), headed by Mr Dewhurst, were to enter upon a country tour on the following Monday, commencing at Ipswich.—Pollard’s Juvenile Opera Company ore playing to big hoosee at the Theatre Royal, Hobartl—Mr Harkins is continuing his successful career at Adelaide. —Wheeler's Comedy Company are playing at the Academy of Musio, Adelaide, with every promise of a profitable season.—Herr Bandmann did not break up hie company in Adelaide without incurring considerable trouble and unpleasantness. A local paper, dated Not. 26, records two instances, as follows:—“Herr fiandmann was sued to-day by Caroline Meyer for neglecting to fulfil his contract to supply her with clothes and pocket money, it seemed that the plaintiff was a failure as an actress, and the defendant gare her £1 to pay her board and her passage to Melbourne. She gare a receipt in fall of all demands, but afterwards returned the money. An order was made for £4, without costs. Herr Bandmann waa also sued by Joseph Stark for neglecting to fold! hie contract to pay him £4 a week. Herr Bandmann produced a receipt in full of all demand*, and the case waa dismissed."—Mite Ada Ward was to commence her season at the Theatre Boyd, Adelaide, on Saturday lost.— The old exhibition building at Geelong is being converted into a theatre to seat 1300 persons. Mr Stuart O'Brien is mentioned a* the probable lessee and manager.—Mr Duncan Maocullam haa succeeded to the management of the Brisbane Theatre, and is getting a now company together.—The sisters Duvalli are engaged for the pantomime at the Princes*' Theatre, Melbourne.—The sisters Coutts are engaged for the pantomime at the Royal, Melbourne, and Mr Coutts at the Queen'* Theatre, Sydney.—Professor Miller has returned from Sydney to Melbourne.— Kennedy and M'Oarthy’s “ Happy Hours" company have sustained some injury to their reputation atQueenbeyan,the landlady where (bey were staying at the time charged Mrs Kennedy with appropriating some articles not included in toe company's wardrobe.— The Lynch Company of Bellringers are reC>rt«d at the Town Hall, Brisbane. Their test noTolty is of the canine order that plays cards and works multiplication sums. They complete the show with a fortune-telling pig.— Professor Pepper is at Rockhampton, doing well.—The Ostracised company hare broken up. The drama did not hit the public taste outside Melbourne.—Raphael's Opera company have been doing well in Tasmania.

For some unexplained reason our usual letter from Melbourne did not reach us by the lost mail. From exchange files we glean the following items. The latest date being Nor. 30Miss Alice Holland took a benefit at the Athenaeum Hall on Nov. 24, when there was a large attendance. Among those who sang on the occasion were Miss Resina and Miss Marie Oarandini.—New Babylon closed its very successful run at the Royal on Nov. 25, and on the following night Mr George Ooppin commenced his farewell series of performances, Pygmalion amt Oalatea and The Artful Dodger being the attractions. Mr Ooppin appeared as Chrysoa and Demosthenes Dodge, Ksq., with characteristic success. There was a crowded house.— Tambour Major was played for the SOOth time in Australia at the Opera House, on Nov. 26. It is shortly to be withdrawn in favour of Lee Me de Cor** vide,— Mr Fred. Marshall, aa expected, is doing splendidly at the Princess Theatre.— After a successful run Betty gave place to The Qm'mr on Nov. 20, and the new venture was well received by a large audience.—Hudson’s Surprise Party are attracting fairly good houses.—Mr Maceabe continues to crowd fit George’# Hall nightly .—The Australian Oomio Party are appearing at the Apollo Hall.—On Deo. I, 18. Amery, late of the D.B, and Mammoth Minstrels, was to take, a benefit at Hookins' rooms. —Mr Benjamin Clark, a tenor vocalist recently arrived from America, J>*on engaged to play Grenioheux in de Corneville at the Opera House. —Mr Wybert Reeve is running Stolen Kism £ fair business at the Bijou theatre.-Tbe Old Colonists’ Association engaged the whole of the dress circle for Mr Ooppin's perform* anoe on Dee. 1.

FomWOK Qobbip. Mr Sims Beeyee is bound, under penalties, to slngno more in oratorios in London.—The Faris Figaro M gives a list of plays adapted ((omlljj French by Mr Bouoicault and Mr among which occur ThtMidehn Hand, Vitlord Copse, A nny JSlaitt (in which the intelligent reader may perhaps recognise Bfo*s) and Ute Up, —A new adjective has been added to the French language. A person of uu-DaniehLambert'like proportions is said to be dVme MafrreMr larahbernMard. esjee.—On Oct 8, Mr Irving and Miss Terry closed their Wverpool season, when the bill comprised The SOU, and the love scene between Modus and Helen in TktHemdAaci. •—Mr H. J. Byron wiil shortly deliver a laoture at the Leadon Institute on “ The

Border-line between farce and comedy.”— Mr Sima Beeves* Birmingham farewell eon* earta watt anuouncad for Oct. St and Nor. 3. Ila wi expected to sing in Lucia, at Liver* Kh on llov, 31, hi* ana. Mr Herbert taa, appaarinc as Arturo. Madam* PaUI baa left England on an American tour. Ntaolini will b# her tenor. She will probably fire eight operetta performance* in New Fori on bar own account.— Mia Ch**(*r, a play by Mia* Florence Maryat, the novelist, kaa been produced at Baldwin** Theatre, flan Franekeo, and reetlvtd with favour.—A musical maaa for the rape*# of Offenbach’s tool was aung at the Madelaio*, Paris, on the anoi vereary of hia daath.—Madame Setnbrieh undertook the tnnaiml direction of the funeral ceremony held at Dresden in honour of President Garfield.—Mr (horn Nlteold haa been retained to play Mr Wilton Barrett’* part in Th« Dightt tr London at the Friooaae during the latter gentleman’# absence in Leeda, superintending the production of the pantomime at the Grand Iheatre in that town.—The WaUaek Company hare atarled on their first tour of the United Stale*.Anna Dickenson will toon appear ae Hamlet throughout the State*.—Arrange, menla are in progress where.y M. Ambroise Themaa' new opera Francrtea da Rimini will be one of the principal novelties at the Hoyal Italian Opera next season.—M. Victorian Harden haa written a now comedy, entitled Odtllt, which will ««s the light cam In 1882,—Katharine Bogera will alar in Slew York thia aaaaon in a new play, Claries, written by the wife of Stephen Fiska,—lt u announced that Uodjsaka will play in New York during the winter, supported by Forbes Bobertson.—Augustus Harris ia to be married to Mias Handle, daughter of the late letaee of the Imperial Theatre,—Madame Sarah Bern, hardt’a French provincial tour closed at Troyes. Thirty-eight pertorr aneee were given in all, and the receipts are said to havesxceeded £l4,ooo.—Mr Bancroft baa gone for a trip up the Mediterranean.—Mr Augustus Ham* ha* definitely abandoned his intention of remov* ing FoafA to Co vent Garden on the production of the Drury Lane pantomime.—ltalian papers state that Donizetti's posthumous opera, The Duke of Alba, baa been found completed at Bergamo, and will shortly be produced.—Ur B. J. Sargent haa arranged for Mdile. Bhea, who appeared so tuoemf ally a* Beatrice at the Gaiety some few months ago, to accompany him to New York.—The production of Mr Sima* new comedy, The Half- Way House, at the Vaudeville, London, waa fixed for Oct. I,—Madame Alban! has been engaged for eight night# at Monaco, it is stated, at 8000 franc*.—At Glasgow Mr Sims Beeves gives two farewell ooncerte and a farewell operatic performance, Ouy Mattering and The Waterman, the admission foe being one guinea.— The Abbd Liszt, the composer and pianist, is seriously ill at Weimar. Cooper’s novel "The Spy” has been dramatised under the title of Le Patriate, and produced at the Gat'd, Paris.—Mr* Booth, widow of the great tragedian, is still living at Long Branch, New York. She is 80 year* 01d.— 3. K. Emmett is still on the sober tack.—J. 0. Williamson has purchased the Australian right of the American play H.zel Kirke. — Blanche Corelli is living at Boston apart from her husband. —The World has passed its 300th night in Now York. —Mr and Mrs Florence have produced their new play A Million. It does net aeem to have “ caught on” like the Mighty Dollar, by the ease author.