Mixed Verse.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 286, 23 December 1905, Page 16

Mixed Verse.

Marzella, the lady with the marvellous parrots, is at London Hippodrome, making her birds do clever things. Miss Nellie Stewart has been appearing constantly in "The Bishop's Carriage." Of course, she alights at the Princess Theatre. • • * According to the ultra conservative London "Spectator," the late Henry Irving was not worthy of burial in Westminster Abbey. As for Sir Henry, he doesn't worry. • * Unconscious humourism by an Australian writer . "The song was sung by Miss } a child performer, who has been well and favourably known for very many years." • • • May Beatty has put off the terrible date of her departure for the Old Country. George Stevenson has prevailed on her to stay a little longer with his musical company. « • • Sutro, of "Walls of Jericho" fame, has built another play, "The Perfect Lover." which is claimed to be as good goods as the "Walls." Lewis Waller has produced it in London. • • • Rumour often lies, but 'tis said that Madame Sara Bernhardt will shortly do the shortest possible season m Australia. Perhaps, the great actress will deign to look on this humble nodule of turf. « • • Mr. William Anderson is going ahead. William has found 1 it necessary to build a 6tore for his "props" and scenery at Market-street, South Melbourne. Building cost £1600, and includes a printery. • » • The soft eyes of Benno Seherek may look through his goid-rimmed glasses on our interesting country once more next year. J Tis said l he has accepted an engagement with the Entertainment Emperor of Australia. George Darrell's "Battle and) the Breeze" is fitted with a cyclone, a mutiny, a rescue, a aide to death, a brought to bay, a forlorn hope, and a heap of other thrilling things. My word, George will use up some limelight 1 • • • William Czerny, a conjurer of wiae repute, hits this town at Christmas. The magic business is going to boom here. There are others besides Czerny looming on the New Zealand horizon— Thurston, Le Boy, Talma, and Bosco, besides hander chief man Stilwell, who is with Thurston. • • • The show to have been held in Melbourne for the Distressed Actors' Fund, has been postponed until January, and the Royal Comic Opera Company will be along by then. Mr. Lauri is said to have been weeping ever sincei he heard of it, because he. was threatening to play "Hamlet." -• • • Mr. Ernest Fitts created a furore as ■fche usher in "Trial by Jury/ by the Gilbert and Sullivan people, mi Sydney. Talking about "furore," few roar like Brnestj and! fewer still with better effect. He has lungs of brass, and a voice as tuneful as a rippling brook. He is fatter than ever. • ♦ • A recent photo of Madame Melba shows her arm-in-arm with, hear little boy. Young Armstrong towers above his great ma about a. foot and a-nalf , and is very English and straw-hatted and white-trousered indeed. Madame, who is wearing ai white motor-cap, looks at least twenty-five. Outside nearly all the Wesi>end theatres in London) are posted notices urging visitors to refrain fromi purchasing programmes sold outsat the house, which playbills are variously described as "unauthorised," "inaccurate," and ''worthless." The music -"pirates" are evidently attacking the theatres. • • • Actors in Cleveland, U.S.A., must wear fire-proof whiskers. City Inspector Dunn, of the Fire Brigade, while watching a Russian play in which the actors were much bewhiskeredi, was perturbed to see ono of the characters lighting a cigar. He insisted that all whiskers must be fireproofedl before the next performance, which was done. • • • People we conceive to be "great" in New Zealand, mostly because a certain enterprising theatrical gentleman says so very loudly for weeks ahead, arn't "great" in their own home. Cuyler Hastings, Daniel Frawley, and Miss Van Buren are all "resting" in Noo Yark. Even/ the excellent Titteill Brune was hardly noticeable until she struck the colonies, and the illustrated papers, and the inter viewers, and 1 Australian society squatterdom, andi the gentleman aforesaid.