THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2285, 14 July 1880, Page 2

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

Clara Stephens has recovered from her late accident, and has left Auckland for Wellington to fill a starring engagement with a Comedy Company. She had a dispute with the lessee of the Royal about arrears of salary and threatened law, but found its process too slow and uncertain. Her salary was £l3 a week. The Caraudinis, now on their farewell tour of the colony will appear at the Queen’s Hall on Thursday evening. Mr C. Bourk, the amateur scenic artist of Ashburton ; took a well deserved benefit in the Town Hall of that place on Friday night last when ‘•'The Last Shi])” a nautical drama, was produced. The dub was fortunate in again securing the assistance of Mrs Thompson on old “pro.” The affair was a decided success. Thompson’s American War Diorama is still appearing in Dunedin and is as big a “ draw” as ever. One of the latest ideas of the management is to issue as prizes orders on the leading Dunedin tailor for a suit of clothes gml is. The Balmoral Minstrels have been appearing at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin lately, but do not seem to find buisiness particularly lively ; probably on account of the rival attraction at the Queen’s. The froliques have been performing in Wcllingtfn and .Nelson since my last, The troupe I hear is about to disband, and its members will, with two exceptions, return to America very shortly. The Mnricllc Operatic Troupe is doing fairly well in Invercargill. The Lynch family were about to visit the West Coast of this Island, when I last heard of them.

The Gem Variety Company is still appearing at the Christchurch Academy of music.

BachcldcFs Pantoscope opened at Sloan’s, Invercargill, on Saturday night. The Variety Combination, now strengthened by the addition of Mr John Coghlan, an frisk piper, is still at the Theatre Boval.

Adelaide Ncilsou is expected in Melbourne from San Francisco.

gjTlie “New Babylon ” at the Melbourne Royal, bids fair to boas popular as it was in London. Pieces with a suspicion of naughtiness in them will draw anywhere. The Juvenile Pinafore Company has met with a success in Melbourne almost unprecedented. Mrs G. B. AV . Lewis is talking of an extended provincial. tour for her lillipulian troupe, but the idea meets with some opposition from the parents of the youngsters.

Hudson's Suprisc Parly has wound up a good season at the Melbourne Ft. George’s Hall, and has now left for Adelaide.

Mr 0. F. Scarlo (lately on the staff of (ho Christchurch “Press”) lias just opened the Apollo Hall, Melbourne, with a scratch company. J. C. Williamson’s “Pinafore" company, lately ro-organised, is now doing Fouth Australia with (be over-popular Riccardi as “ .Fir Joseph Porter X.C.B. D'Ursay Ogden and Miss Beatrice (Mrs Ogden) have organised a dramatic sompany, audgvero at Warrmunbool at latest dates.

Havcrly’s Mastodon Minstrels, a company of GO performers, visit England short I v.

,J. Jv. 'Emmett (Fritz) lias, in colonial parlance " made his pile.” Kc is non(he fortunate possessor of a magnificent residence on the Hudson river, which is sumptuously furnished and replete with every luxury that money can buy or fancy devise. The footlights have not, however, lost (heir attraction, for the eccentric comedian, who is rarely out of harness long. Who says that acting doesn’t pay? Mr Toarle a young English actor, who lias a fair provincial reputation, but who is unknown in London, has been engaged fur MLdlack's Theatre, Xew York, for a. season of eight months at a salary of e I .OCA

Tilly Andrews is still in San Francisco where she was appearing at tire Baldwin Theatre at latest dates.

Stephen Massctt, the veteran entertainer, is still louring through South Africa.

Aria Ward has been making a successful tour of the Knglish provinces lately.

“ The Great Vance ” is still appearing in some half-dozen different London music halls nightly. His songs do not seem to become more rclincd as 1 sec that the proprietor of a very popular hall (the London Pavilion) advertises that lie was obliged to terminate his engagement with the “great” one “on

account of the nature of his songs.” Macdermott (“ The Scamp ”) is also in London. G. ML Hunt, the author of must of the popular Music Hall songs, is now manager of the lloyal Cambridge Music Hall, London. Arthur Lloyd is singing at the London Pavilion. Harry iiieliards is in South Modes. And so the Lake's Theatre in Jlolborn is burnt down ! There is something curious in the had hick that has followed this house for years. It has changed its name several times within my recollection, and not a few theatrical speculators have burnt their lingers over it. Messrs Holt and Wiimot (both of them old colonials) were the last lessees, and during their reign the tide certainly turned. “Xew Babylon” was a big success, and the engagement of Baker and I’limm, the colonial favorites, must have also meant money. On the night of July h, however, the theatre was hurt to the ground. Truly an unlucky house!

The very latest I-umlon sensation is an automaton f-’lomlin. which threatens toeelip.se the gon-n-ine article, as the Yankee would sav. This new mechanical wonder is appearing - at the Royal Polytechnic, and walks the tight rope (the entire length of the great Hall) nightly. The proprietors say that in some respects the wax EJondin is superior to the original tor he is not particular about salary, and his head is never turned hv applause ! MASK.

X.B. —Correspondents are requested to address all communications on theatrical matters to "Mask,' 1 South Ca.\tkki;ui!V Times ” Oflice. Timarn.