DRAMATIC NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6493, 19 December 1881, Page 3

DRAMATIC NEWS.

Wo understand that Miss Murielle (late of The Piratee of Penzance Company), Mr John Grain (English tenor), and others, contemplate forming a Commonwealth for the Christmas season.

Kohler’s Waxworks and Concert Combination have been appearing at Amberley, Oxford and Rangiora to good business. They are now at Kaiapoi. Mr Hepburn, agent for Lyons’ Tourists has arrived in Christchurch to arrange for a season at the Gaiety Theatre, commencing on Saturday next. Mr Harry Power and Miss De Glorian left for Sydney by the Wakatipu on Monday last. Harry Power his had an engagement offered to him at the Gaiety Theatre in that city, and will most probably accept it. Miss Lydia Hownrdo will it is said accept an engagement in opera bonfTe at Melbourne if a suit able one oilers, and for a time at least cease travelling on her own account. When the Pomeroy Company return to Christchurch Mr W. H. Leake will play the leading parts in lieu of Mr Holi- way, and Miss Bessie Vivian, Miss Lizzie Lawrence, Messrs it. W. Bede and Herbert©, will also be members of the company during the coming season. Some other changes are also spoken of. The Hart Family proceeded to Wellington by the Penguin on Sunday last. They purpose taking a rest till Christmas Eve, when they open at Wanganni for a short season. Mr Hart intends to make a professional trip to Melbourne, and with the members of his Company will play at the principal towns in the Middle island e» route. At Miss Montague’s benefit at the Boy [ on Wednesday, one could not repress a smile when, at the end of the last act, the cnrtatn was raised and the prima donna ae Marguerite came forward to re eive the floral offerings, while at the back of the stage might be seen the tableau of Marguerite’s soul being wafted to heaven by the angels. An attentive stage manager would surely have prevented such an “ unrehearsed effect.”

The Montague-Turner Opera Company open in Auckland this evening. As the races are sure to attract a large number of visitors to the pretty northern city, it is to be hoped that our operatic friends will there receive the reward of merit which was denied them in Chri-tchurch. After visiting Auckland they will play a season ia Wellington, and expect to return to Christchurch about the beginning of March. The Peninsular Dramatic Club have been playing Ten Nights in « Barroom at sever*! schoolhonses in the district with, under the circumstances, a reasonable amount of success. The scenic difficulties were by no means slight, as will be gathered from the following paragraph in the “ Akaroa Mail”:—“ The barroom scene was well arranged, bat in Act 4, where the curtain is supposed to rise and disclose a country lane, the ingenuity of the scenia artist was evidently baffled, and the audience must have been credited with a large amount of imaginativeness, for three large tussocks placed at the footlights a yard apart, and the removal of the bottles of grog was the only transformation from the barroom scene. Nevertheless the audience were delighted with an amusing little scene between Sample Switched and Harvey Green (bushranger), which went very well.” Mdlle. Murielle appeared at another concert in Auckland on December 3, and was again very successful.—Lyons’ Tourists are in the Taranaki district. —The Pomeroy Company opened to a large bouse at Wanganui on Dec. 5, in East Lynne. The selection was not a happy one, and on the following night, when The Lady of Lyons was produced, there was not so good an attendance. The Hunchback was to have been produced on the third night, bat as Mr W. Hoskins hod not arrived from Wellington Camille had to be substituted. —Bent and Bachelder’s Minstrels had a very successful season in Nelson. They opened at the Public Hall, Greymouth, on Dec. 9, and up to latest advices had drawn good houses,—Mr Cary’s Pirates Company opened at Gmmoath on Dec. 6 to a moderate house. Miss Murielle being no longer connected with the company, Miss Amy Johns now plays Germaine iu Les Cloches des Carneville and Both in The Pirates. With this change, and the absence of Mr Cary and Mrßenham, the performances of the company most have suffered much. At Greymouth Mr J. S. Porter played the Pirate King, and Mr Mack Alexander the Sergeant of Police. Of Mr Porter the “Argus” remarks: “Mr J. S. Porter, as the Pirate King, was very pleasing. He has a grand baritone of good timbre and considerable compass, and hu acting is natural.” Mr Mack Alexander is also praised for his rendering of the part of the Sergeant.—Mr De Lias’ Specialty Company have continued to draw only moderate houses at the Theatre Boyal, Wellington. The pieces played have been My Partner, The Galley Slave, Kerry Goto, and It's Never Too Late to Mend. Mr Leake leaves Mr De Lias in a few days to join the Pomeroy Company for their return trip through this Island. Mr Leake’s place as star, wul be taken by Mr D. E. Harkins, who will probably open in Hamlet. The Wilhelmj Concert Company open at the Athensoum Hall, Wellington, on Dec. 23. Mr Carey’s Juvenile Pirates Company open at the Princess Theatre, Wellington, on Monday. Mr Cary endeavoured to obtain the Theatre Royal from Mr De Lias, but failed. —The Wilhelmj Concerts at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, were well patronised throughout.—The Georgia Minstrels (Billy Wilson, Hosea Easton, and Co.) closed their season in Dunedin on Saturday last. After the break up of the Lydia Howarde Company, Miss Jenny Nye, Messrs Fisher and Herbert proceeded to Wairoa, in the Hawke’s Bay Province, to | give entertainments on their own account. — ' From a telegram we learn that the Pomeroy Company opened at Nelson on Monday last to a good house. The Hunchback was produced, with Mr W. Hoskins in his old part of Master Walter. Miss Pomeroy, Mr W. Hoskins, and Mr Flemming made a most favourable impression on the audience.— Herr Carl Schmidt has opened a singing class in Auckland for Germans.

Wo have four daft* new* from Sydney, the latest date being Deo. 3. Patience is drawing magnificent houses at the Theatre fioyal, and will certainly have a long r\m.—-Hamlet, with Dam tier in the title rote, Mr W. G. Carey at the Ghost, and Miss Marion Melrose as Ophelia, ran for several night* to capital business at the Gaiety All for Oold is now the attraction.— Th* Irish Selective it still running at the Queen’*.— The Carden* are playing at t'-e Opoia House, but are not at* traotiog wry payable house*.—Wilson’s Circus is as liberally patronised as ever. From Adelaide we learn that Mr Harkins has produced The Colonel at the Theatre Royal, this being its first performance in Australia. It proved a great success, and promised well for a long run. Fobbiox Goasir. Miss Genevieve Ward has re-appeared as Stephanie in ForgelMe'Not, at the Union Square Theatre, New York.—Mies Julia Seaman has been specially engaged to appear at the Alhambra, in December, m her original part of Aik a in The Slack Crook. —A discovery has just been made in Berlin of the original manuscript of Mozart’s Requiem. —A slight riot occurred in Now York on the evening of President Garfield’s funeral, owing to Mr Augustin Daly's persistence in opening his theatre. The moo rolled tar* barrel* up to the house, and for a time the theatre ran serious risks of being burnt.—Mr D'Aroy Stanfield, grandson of the great 8.A., after being with Hr Tools for twelve months at the Folly, and previously three years in the provinces, *has left England for Melbourne, where ho has an excellent engagement for one year at the Theatre Soyal. A New York prima donna. Mis* Emma Abbott, has sacrificed engagements and broken contracts rather than play La Tra • data till the libretto has been purified. This ha# been done, and the title changed to Cecilia's Love. —Louis James I*wrenoe, Barrett’s leading man, will star the United States next season.—The “San Francisco Chronicle” ha* discovered a marked similarity between the characters of Colonel Sellar* in All for OoU, and Meereraft m Ben Jonson’e The Letil U an Jto.-Miu Jennie

J Winston and Mr A. K. Ball, both of A Ultraban operatic celebrity, have been engaged by Mevons and Murtha> for the im« American opera The Jolty Bachelor».~h. j» stated that the opening play at Lester Wailack’e new theatre will be Youth.— Baker -u.d Fmon are playing in Montreal.—Alter doim* a large business in Toronto, John M't'ullongh refuses to appear in Indianapolis henceforth, for the reason that ho thinks he is not appreciated.—Rossi follows (£ i »in Booth in New York, Mr* K-n-Mil (Madge Robertson) will not visi. the United States this season.—Alice Dunning Lmg.ird is engaged at Bildwia’s Theatre, S.;, Francisco. A project to honour Edwin Forrest, with a statue is under consideration in York.— Padtnce will shortly be pmou-ed aft the Standard Theatre, New York. Ihon Bondcault is starring in The Colleen IS twn at the Standard Theatre, London. M. ounod says ( hat if ho were to live his i.f- . ivr, he would not Ve a musician, hut would o v .ji« himself ( to philosophy and literature V:- J. H. Maplcson has just returned to Loodoa from Berlin, having travelled through Franco, t Italy, and Germany, for of securing recruits for his km-.r\ t ruupe.-* ilerr Richard Wagner has ag e i to c riduct \ the first performance of Ntbelunge.n Ring at , Her Majesty’s Theatre, London, i ext su: i- | rner.—lt is announced that Boucieault tsgoi> g back to America for another fare * ell tour.- - , John McCullough’s New York engagement . will open with *Virjniun. The cheer! il , motif of a new play by Salvint Morse, the Passion play fiend, is a physician's oi-covery J of his wife’s dead body on a dissecting i table. The Lhjhts o’ Tendon will j probably bo produced at 'tie Union Square Theatre next season. Mia Lydta Thompson made her re-appear• | ance in London on Oct. 17. after an absence of three years, as Mrs Stniiio in A*<«e Points of the Luc, at the Kojal'y T- 1 catre. —Mr Boucieault is said to be writing a new play ’ under the title of Muni. —Th- pm tomime this year at Covent Garden will bo Little Boy Blue ; that at Drury Lane Robinson Crusoe. A narrative of Sarah Bor hard'’* tour in America, writen by one of her com; anions, has j ust been published at Pari . n English version of Balte’s opera Pittore e Due i, under the title of The Painter <f Anttcerp } is announced for production Kssl-md next season.—Miss Bateman’s lav -ucc—s is e.- * titled Hie Wife. —Mrs Keeler cmtnbutes an article to the “ Era ” Almanac of S'2. The * lady is just- 80 years of age.—M-d-toe Rachel appears in London this seaso.. ; she is now 58 years of age.—Amy Scdg»ick announces her farewell at the Olympic. Herbert Standing, of the Criterion, is said to be the ' most handsome man on the stage. The Last 6 Days of Pompeii, with Irving a- Arbaces, " and Ellen Terry as Nydia, will be one of ’ Irving’s ventures after Christmas —.VTaddison ’ Morton, the author of Box and Cox, and n nearly a hundred roaring farces, is in his 90th 0 year.—Jefferson will appear in New York in ft a new piece called Too Cierer by Half. — ® Madau.e Franzini, the lady bicyclist, is now . in Antwerp.—One of the oldc-t theatres in 1 Europe has been destroyed by fire, th - Theatre 8 Royal, Stockholm, formerly know, es the old 0 Opera House. It was here in 171-2 that J Gustavos 111. was shot dead at a masked ball r* by Count Ankarstrom, an incident which was , utilised by Anber as the crown ir g episode of £ his popular opera, La Balia in Maschera. The autograph of the air wrpfen by Meyerbeer for Tichatschek, when ! - v -rtist con--5 sented to take the part of D.rv*;owi‘z, in L'Etoile du Hard, has beer, rrc-, r;tei by a 0 daughter of the vocalist to the t .nor. Welter, l * of Vienna. n VAttommoir has been revived at the Amhigu, Paris. The bread, wine, soup, sanf sages, cheese, and hard-Soiled e; ;# c asamed 6 at the marriage of Coupeau and (jervaiss, are 'j provided on the most naturalistic scale, and j cost 18f each evening. As the pieee has been played 278 times in Paris and 212 times in the *T provinces, 9360 f have gone to this item of the “ exposes alone. f The distinguished prima donna. Miss j' Minnie Hauck, has recently become the wife j of the Chevalior Ern.t von Hes e-Wartcgg, a “ well-known Viennese journalist, who has acted as Mia Hauck’s German agent for many years. Mr J. H. Mapleson sailed for New York , to open the Academy of Music on Oct. 1 17. Madame Hauck-Warte?g will, during 10 the season, sing for the first time the part of . e Katherine in the opera entitled, in the Italian Cateriaa e Pefruccio (better known as Goti’ Taming of the Shrew). She will also „ sing Senta, in The Flying Dutchman , Mignon, Carmen, and Sehka. a After a recent performance of Mankind at r _ the Surrey, Messrs George Conquest and Paul [p Meritt, the authors and managers, hod a a . narrow escape from serious injuries, the pole of an omnibus dashing through the window a of their brougham just as they were crossing , e the Fusion-road on they way home, re The requirements of the “ city and trade of •y Liverpool ” hare brought about the closing of [r the Theatre Royal there, and r ecce a sale was :o necessary recently for the purpose of clearing ■n ont the scenery, properties, and other portions » of the stock-in-trade which are necessary for I, the p’ace as a “going concern.” A daily ie journal in the city says that the “ old theatre so where Miss Farren (Countess of Derby) made _ her debut; where George Frederick told the n hissing spectators there was not a brick in n- their town that was not cemented with 10 African blood; where Siddons, Kemble, the J. Keans, Macready, Vandenhcff have in turn mi moved crowds of people, and persons are still d alive who remember them ; where the y cultivated Young wss long a m -mber of the ■r stock company and stage manner; where the _ elder Mathews received his carious impres[a lions of Liverpool, and also received the news e t that his son, the late Charles Jan-es Matbews, d was born ; where Palmer met w;■ h his sudden a death, and where a splendid * benefit’ was _ given for the tragedian’s family; where Barry y Sullivan made his first appearance in Liver* it pool as Sir Edmund Mortimer; where Tag* > lioni danced and poor Malibran sang, and >f where Grimaldi exerted his laughter-provoking j, powers, and where this famous clown had one it of bis very biggest benefits—where all these _ celebrities appeared is now a melancholy ia spectacle indeed, dismantled of theatrical appurtenances in preparation for its 10ng,3 pending fata in the interests of town improvem ments.” The Corporation have acquired the d land and building for £23,00 '. h Claude Duval, at the C. ie 1 ! o itre, '• London, bids fair to enjoy t : • s .ceeu. 11 Its popularity increases nipl v. ■• ! 'core J | than once Mr Selby, the act" m u-.... •, has w had to turn money away at t:i - ;lo.*rs. All, whoso memories can take iiu-m back 0 some 18 or 80 years, will be a ole to recall to mind the celebrated gymnast, Leotard, whose 8 daring leaps at the Alhambra, sent all London crowding to the house. His death has been * duly recorded. What, however, is not so 0 generally known is that, from a onion which “ had not been blessed by the Church, a eon ■* had been born to hint, for whom, owing to the ban under which he was born, according to the French law, the father was unable adequately to ptovide. The father of Lyotard, * however, is still living, and only a few days a ago fulfilled the dying bequest of his son by 0 transmitting to the boy the fortune the law ! did not allow him to bequeath. He speedily “ announced the good news to the young man, who, at the early age of 19, has taken unto 0 himself a wife, and, in a magnificent chateau near Toulouse, the youthful couple will bo * able to enjoy the income, amounting to up- * wards of £4OOO.