By Footlight. PARTNERSHIP NOTICE.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 89, 15 March 1902, Page 17

By Footlight.

PARTNERSHIP NOTICE.

THK Sign ot tlie ( loss " with its authoi m the leading part lan to splendid business at the Opera House on Saturda\ , Monday , and Tuesday nights, with a matinee added on Saturday afternoon It was a great success from all points ot ■view. The play was mounted in a style that was faultless, and the \diiOU& tableaux weie a splendid manifestation of stagecraft * * * Mr. Wilson Barrett's impersonation ot Maicus Superbus, Prefect of Rome lacked nothing to give the charactei its requisite dignity and picturesqueness. It was a, powerful and well-balanced histrionic stuch Yer\ strong situations indeed were those in which Maicus drives forth his licentious levelleas and attempts to inflame Meicia with his own passion, and the subsequent one in w hich, after vainly pleading foi her life he spurns the suit of Berenis, and declares his undying love for the Christian maiden The appeal to Csesar was, a masterful display and held the audience in rapt attention The final scene of aJI was realh affecting ♦ • ♦ Miss Lillah McCarthy's Mercia is very much on the same lines as Miss Ferrai's in manner of speech and action Miss Nellie Bonsei as the Rmpiess Poppaea and Miss Dais\ Belmore as Darcia. sustained their parts with good effect and Miss Echth Latimer a& Beienis, looked the chaiactei, and played it acceptabh . The Stephanus of Miss Gertrude Boswell was cJear cut, and altogethei excellent In the whole lange of parts, Mi. Ambrose Manning's Glabno stood next to Mr Barrett's Marcus m point of ment. It was capitally done Mr. Atholwood's J^ero was aJso a po'rtrajtujie of great merit and Mr Carter-Edwaids, as Tlgellinufe and Mr Geo. Majeroni, as Licamus, eertainh did themsehes full justice. OthelJo " on Wednesday night, drew a. crowded house, and was a peiformance ot rare excellence. I venture to sa^ it ha/5 ne\ ci been so superbiy staged and costumed m Wellington before, and a, stronger exposition of the Moor of \ emce lias never been given m this colony In fact it is the finest artistic sfuch and the most powerful impersonation that Mr. Wilson Barrett has yet presented He spoke the famous Apology" with giaceful elocution, and has actaon throughout the first two acts was inaikecl by noble dignity towards his associates, and hy winning tenderness tow aids his wife The third act was invested with gieat force of actang Very subtle and skilful wa»s the piocess by which lago instilled the poison of jealousy into the frank and open natuic of Othello And the stages by which that poison woiked until it overmastered aJI loving faith blenv love to the winds and wrought him to purposes of desperate vengeance were depicted with a vividness and a strength which lifted the audience out of themselves and held them spellbound Several departures were made f i om customary readings of the / part but the^ were all in strict conformity with the text and preserved the even development of the plot There were calls before the curtain at the end of every act for the principals- - Mr. Carter -Ed wards and Miss Dais a Belmore sharing in the honoui moie than onee — and at the end of the third fourth, and fifth acts the house lesound ed with loud cheers, which gave convincing testimom of the enthusiasm ot the audience and the impressive powei of the performance Miss Lillah McCarthy's Desclemona was sweet and tender, graceful and touching And she sang those snatches of rhyme in the last act verj effertiveh Mr. Carter-Edwards is entitled to warm praise for a very able portraiture of that malignant schemer lago. It was a fit companion-picture to Mr. Bairett's Othello Miss Daisy Belmore' 1 ; Emilia was a decided "hit," Mr M Majeroni's Ca&sio was good, and all the other parts were creditably sustained The pity of it is that a performance m> •striking was not repeated * * * "The Silver King" was to go up last night (Thursday), and will hold the boards till Monday, when ''Quo Vadu." takes its place. The season end^ on Friday next.

Mr Haiold Ashton leaver to-moiiow (Saturda\ ) toi BiT-h.mc in oidei to make all tlic necessaix picpaiations foi the opening their of the \\ ilmmi Banett Coinpan\ on hasten Satin <la\ At Dixs Gaiet\ , the piesent spaiklmg bill is filling the liou>« to o\ei flowing With the incentne of ciowded houses, the performers aie doing their best work, and tlieie is au unneisa 1 ' mile distributed among audience, peifoimeis, and management that gne^ lelish to the memmeiit ,\n<\ satisfaction to (>u'nbodj When the Ci.U'.s' en pet peeps from undei the ( in tain the audience cianes its neck and settles itself down with the full intention of picking holes m that peifoiinancr But when that astonishing famiK have nut m the most reinaikable aciobitic wik that New Zealand lias '•een it is unite satisfied that there is nothing, left toi it but to piaise with a loud \ oire and clap to its heart's content * * + The \oungei Ciagg whose wOl k is absolutely perfect leceives an en ation each evening that shakes the roof. The Ciaggs will form a page in the GaaetA lw-t'iM tint l 1l 1 - now beiiv' written m letteis of go.ld Don't imagine that when the Ciages aie gone Dixs bill fal's flat The Gaiet-s has something up its sleeve \ct Miss F'orne Ra>ror is a lewc omei with a sweet c'eai sopiano voice Pa.int\ in appeal a nee and aitistic m st% le she has at a bohnd leaped into public favour She can be induced with applause, to bring on a mandolin which under her clever hneeis, she> makes as musical as herself Miss Stella. Rangei of the twinkling e^es a>nd the pretty clothes, a new is just the sort of medicine t6 be recommended for that tired feeling " Smartness, without vulgarity, is Miss Stella's line and it is highh successful Mdlle. Lucietia is an uncommon dancci whose freedom of limb ajid grace of action, aie exceptional Hei business is quite ongmal A fine peisonalrt\ coupled with a giaceful agiht\ pr\es> hei a nglit to the place she has gained ir tlie favoui of the audience The Coleman Sisteis Alt Law ton and Aithui Albeit aie all doing new and excellent w ork The new Dixian idea to lepieseut the stage as a reeheiehe dnn\ing-ioom with the artists all looking lemaikabh comfortable is a good one Simoiii and Sihini whose tuin" is ii(>xt in merit to that of the Ciaggs aie still going strong. The boneless grotesque and c]e\cr fhst -named is a levelation in the lucheious- His business 111 1 - inimitable The Lennon, H\man and I en n on combination is announced foi Saturday night and Miss Mae Mai low of whom such nice things have been said, conies to light simultaneously Athas and Collins the great London entertainers fiesh from then triumphs 131 Australia also make then debut on Saturday ♦ * * Mr Tom Mann had an ovei -flowing house at the Opera House on Sunda\ night and told his storj about The Democracies of Europe" m a cleai-cnt. lntorestang st^ le He cleaih defecribed the leading demociatic parties in France and showed his marked pieference toi the Allemamsts He pointed out what a hold the Socialists had obtained in Geimdin - -fulh one-eighth of the members of the Reichhtag are Socialists- -and explained how rapidh they are organiMiig 111 Belgium Holla,nd and Scanchna\ 1a The Dane is Mi Mann's white-haned bo-\ Theie are no hnei men on this planet than the men of Denmaik " was his- omphatie assertion And bailing climate, theie was no cit\ 111 which he would isooner live than Copenhagen Altogether, it was a very interesting lectuie amd the Cjuestions asked at the close were very chippih answered * * * Mrs Tom Mann contnbuted a coii])l - of songs — 'Tlie Promise of Life" and The Hoh City" — in yen engaging style Hei \ oice eiasuh filled the Opei a House, her enunciation was cleai, her expression tasteful and she sang pei fcetlv 111 tune There is no doubt that Mrs Majin is an acciiusition to oui musical resources The Pirates of Penzance," which is now in actn c rehearsal bv the amateuis, for production at the Empire Bazaar during; Easter promises to be a gieat success Miss Sheen will be an admirable Mabel while Miss White as Ruth is aJso &ure to make a 'hit '' The othei leading ladies are Misses Hyde and Lawless and Mrs Nowlan Mr. Cionm who has had experience in comic oi^era in other parts of New Zealand is cast foi the Pirate King and the part of the Maior-General is 111 the hands of Mr E D. DuniK who has a good bantone voice Mr Philip Palmei is expected to do remarkably well as Eredenc He is said to ha\e sun or successively the tenor roles in "Pinafore " •Patience." "The Gondoliers " and "La Cigale" while resident in Australia as a prominent member of the Auburn Musical Union The role of Sergeant of Police will be sustained by Mr. Nowlan who possesses- a fine basso cantante

His right-hand man will be Mr. C. Zachariah, whose drilling, etc., will, no doubt prove to be the envy of the local police, department. (Coiitutuid on paije lh.)

The Victona College Students' Association are to give a representation ot that quanit and clever extravaganza Horace at the Universal of Athene," in the Sychve\ -street Schoolroom on Wednesday evening next. The students are- saad to be well up in their work, and a reaJ tieiat is anticipated. The tickets airo two shillings each Mr David Milkgan, of Kelburae Buildings, ■!•), Lambton Quay, has issued a very artistic little album of latest styles* in gentlemen's dress. He lias ]iist received his winter stock of English 2;oods. and it is worthy of notice that he make^ a point of importing no more than tv\ o suit-lengths of any one design. Mr. Milligan holds many prizes from various, parts of tihe world for liis skill as a merchant, tailoi and certaanlv his work justifies the encomiums which have been showered on him His recent importations of material for the wintea veas-OM include all the choicest goods.

George Musgrove is bringing a number of artists to Australia for ' The Thirty Thieves," and they are due earlj in May. At Sydney Tivoh, West on and Yost, recently imported Amoncan pattei oomedians, are smging a ver\ »o^>'. aaid somewhat vulgai, paiodv on The Holy City." The Lundgreeus George and May, do a clever comed \ act on .t revolving ladder, winch whirls round like an enormous windmill with onlj two fans. * * * Mr. Harry Plinnner of tins cm now touring Am'enea in the com so ot a letter just received bv his brother Haicus gives the following candid ci lticaisin on Mi Henn Imna «"id Miss Ellen Terry, whom he chanced to see m The Merchant of Venice" at Kansas Cits in January I ««iw Hem\ Irving and Ellen Tern pla\ a matmoo ■performance ot -Merchant" the lesult intense and heart-breaking disappointment For years I have cherished an ambition to see these great ( ?) artists Miss Ellen Terry is very matronly and very tired she seemed to be always looking for something to sit on She reminded me of Kate Bishop at her worst. She is world-famous in the part, and yet I assure you she was bad in the pait — not even decent. She was imperfect fidgety, nervous, and the reverse of charming Mis« Tenv is done There is no trace left of past greatness. She is retiring after this tour. * *■ - '•Irving's case was not so bad His personality is fascinating, and in the first act I liked him very much though he was \eiy melodramatic A great "make-up " no man evei looked the part bettei. marked mannoiisms. — but that. I went prepared foi — awkward gait, and ungraceful gestures vet there Sieemed a halo round him. In the trial scene he was a distinct failuie. There were no moments " I only echo the feelings of the jammed hou«e. You could gather that the audience respected him, but they did not like his performance. The company was gieat scenery and dresses wonderfully good, nothing glittering, everything solid and good, and above all natmal The best thing in the show was the admirably sustained atmosphere — it was wonderful Lawrence Irving was very good as Antonio He ha<- a winning melancholy ail that fitted the part and is a good actor.'"

Ada Crosaley's parents oelebiated their diamond jubilee the other day The old people still reside in Gippsland, Victoria, where the famous contralto was born. As a girl they say Ada v> as small, stouti, freckled, and red-haired No one who knew the law country girl in those days, would recognise the modest amateur singer in the superb goldenhaired contralto of European fame. + * « Bland Holt farewelled his Melbourne patrons the other day in a neat set of verses vi the daily papers, the la^t stanza lunaing "And if your children, m the veais To come with teeth conSplain Just whisper in their little eais ■Bland Holt will come again'"' Evidently, the Bland Holt soothing syrup tor young colonials is going to take the place of Mother Siegol's.

Charles Arnold and his wife and daughter, now rusticating m Auckland distinct, leave for Sail Frnaoisco by the Moana on the 24th instant • • • The most taking number in tliat latent musical comedy, '"The Runaway Girl," us said to be Follow the Man from Cook's," which is passing into cuirent gag at Melbourne. Miss Ma> Beatty, by tlie way, has made a hit" with her part of Gaimemta. * # * Mdlle. Antoma Dolores (.bettei know n to us as Antoinette Trebelli) was in Wellington recently, and spent Saturda\ and Sunday week with her friends, Mi and Mrs. Pro use, of Clifton Terrace. In consequence of an engagement, made in October last, she started her Ne">\ Zealand tour at New Plymouth, and is following the route thence \ia Wanganui

to Napier. Mr. James Tait, the representative of the gifted cantatrice, was in town last week on his way south. Tiie Christchurch season opens m Easter week, and, after a visit to Dunedin, Wellington follows on the Bth May. In this tour, Mdlle. Dolores undertakes the whole song recital herself, being assisted only by a pianist from America, Mr. Clarence Newell. For her Wellington i(*citals, however, she will have the assistance of Mr. John Prouse, tflie favourite baritone It is quite on the oards that w e might hear the songstress in oratorio— that is, if the local talent con offer sufficient inducement. *■ * * Mr. Williamson seems likely to diop some money over "Ben Hur." He has just been saying that unless it runs for ten weeks in Sydney he will lose on the venture. That seems likely enough, too, for business took a sudden drop m the first week, and wag just recovering when the health authorities stepped in on the second Saturday and closed the theatre for the purpose of fumigation ♦ * * A propos of this, the ''Critic" rather unkindly sa.ys — "Some people are not over sorry for Mr. Williamson. One is more pesteied in his theatres than in any of the Commonwealth by lads who want you to hire 'oprer-glasses' or buy 'lollus and chok-lits' in the dress-circle and stalls, or to consume 'lemingsquorsh, happels, and pea^-nuts' in tihe lower-price seats " If this is a bore, then it is the appetite of the great Austialian public for "ohok-lits, pea-nuts, and lemmg-squorsh" that needs to be eh anged

WE, the undeisigned, ha\e this day enteied into Partneiship under the style of " Hammond, Redstone, and Price," and ha\e acquued the stock and premises of Messrs Umfreville and Dodd, Oil and Colour Meiehants, Yictoiia-street. We intend to cany on the same business of Oil and Colour Merchants, &c, which has been so successfully maintained by Messrs. Umfieville and Dodd foi the past eight yeais. H. HAMMOND E W REDSTONE. B. H. PRICE. Wellington, '24th Febiuaiy, 1902.

month as possible. The lilies piovide for the meeting being held m March, and generally the executne take full advantage of the lule Mr. R. I). Isaacs, wbo is at picsent a resident ot Wellington, is lionoured with v, special paragraph in the annual report of the Otago Rugb\ Union, regretting the loss, of his, services on its inanagenient committee, on which body, it is stated, he has done invaluable woik The Palmerston North Club have decided to throw in their lot with the Rangitakea sub-union, a*s advocated bv me m this column a couple of weeks back. I congratulate the footballers of Palmeistoii on then decision, and trust that the^ may have a, pleasant time duimg tho incoming season Genei al legiet was expressed when the new s was spread round that Billy Wallace the well-known Poneke footballer bad gone to the Hospital suffering from an attack of typhoid fevei I am pleased to be able to state that the attack wa& onh a slight one, and "the colt" is now a long v?a\ on the high road to recovery Charley Bush 1 etui us to Wellington on SundaA next fioin Ins. sojourn in the South During the short period he has been awai — not more than eighteen months — he has represented both Canterbury and Southland at football, and the latter province at cricket. The Oriental Football Club are lejoicmg because he is coming back, for the gap made bv Edgar Wylie's departure for Palmerston, as captain of the club, cannot be better filled than by the "Bush" boy. Bush has severed his connection with the firm of Bins, Harris ,and Co and returns to Wellington to take an appointment in the warehouse of Sargood Son and Ewen I read somewheae the other day that Mr. A M De Costa, the present secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union, ls going Home to the Old Counti\ a>s the accredited representatn c of the New Zealand Rugby Union, to discuss matters of moment on the rules of Rugb^ football, and how the game should be played, with the authorities of the English Rugby Union Surely this is not so? Tf it is I would like to know when the appointment was made and who made it 5 Mr De Costa fills the bill of secretary of the New Zealand Union as far as the clerical duties are concerned ver\ ably, but I am not aware that he is an authority on the rules of the game and the latest rulings thereon. If so, how could he indicate wherein they might be improved m ordei to make the game a better exposition of skill and moie interesting from the points, of playei and referee, aft w r ell as public 0 If it is a necessity that someone should h n sent from New Zealand to bring the English Union into touch with the manner in which mam of us in this colony think the game could be improved, let it be one who is in close contact with the plavmg of the game and the interpietation of the rules, and not one who views the matches from the grandstand, and meielv knows the rule 5 - as printed in the annuals