AMONGST THE STARS.

South Canterbury Times, 15 November 1880, Page 4

AMONGST THE STARS.

bTmask. Astronomical readers and admirers of Mr Proctor will please understand that this article does not deal with astronomy. The “ stars ” under present consideration, are the luminaries not of the skies but of the footlights—the footlights of the music halls to wit—and the only point of resemblance they possess in common is that they both shine by night. And so, without further preface, we will, if ' you please, hail this empty Hansom and be off on our star-gazing expedition. “ The Hoxford ; right you are, sir,” says cabby, as we climb in, and in the twinkling of a bed post we are whirling away westward. You see we have got no time to lose, for we want to see a great deal to-night, it being our intention, if time will permit, to mix with both big and little stars, and after gazing our till at the brilliant ones at the “ Oxford,” to take a peep at the smaller luminaries to be found in some less favored locality. Here we are. This brilliantly lighted building,with the crowd about? the doors, is the place we are in quest bf. So handing cabby his fare we pass thfbugh the pretty entrance hull, in which some really tine statuary is standing, alternated with “ sandwich ” boards, bearing bills gorgeous with many-colored type, and crammed with the names of music hall celebrities. In professional parlance this is a “ Big Ben ” night, and the profession js likely to be well represented. Cousin Tom, who hails from the agricultural districts, opens his eyes when he gets inside. He remarked confidentially in the cab coming along that he did not expect the place to be larger than the school-house at Mudborough, or at most the new Corn Exchange ; he finds it big enough to hold both, with something to spare. “Is smoking allowed ? ” he innocently and quite needlessly enquires, as he stares in astonishment at the number of people about us who are “ blowing a cloud.” I reply by lighting a cigar myself and handing him my case as a hint to follow suit, which he docs without saying a word. The fellow has never been in London before ; has never been in a theatre or music hall in his life until now, so. to borrow a sporting phrase, he is rather “ knocked out of tim.,-.” His reverie is abruptly disturbed by a blackcoated white dickered waiter who comes bustling up to ascertain what we are going to “ ’ave,” and who having taken

his orders, disappears like a Hash of lightning to execute them. Meantime

we will take our seats at one of these little marble-topped tables that are scattered about, and have a look around us. It is a line hall, the music hall, par crcrlloirc in fact of the metropolis, and undoubtedly the most fashionably situated place of amusement of its class to be found in London. The audience is a very mixed one, ranging from thorough working man in the pit to the young aristocrat in the stalls or boxes. Ladies are conspicuous by their absence, but of women—women whose dress and demeanor too plainly indicates the unhappy class to which they belong—there are a considerable number. Not that these are the only women present for many of the working men have brought their wives and families with them for an evening’s enjoyment. They prefer the music hall to the theatre for many reasons. They can look in here at any time, and find something to hear or see ; they are free to come and go when they please, and. better than all, they can smoke their pipes and sip their beer while, they listen to the songs or watch the ballet, and thus economise time by compressing as much enjoyment into the hours at their disposal as possible. But there goes the chairman’s hammer which is folioweil bv the announcement that

" the Bangum Brothers will appear next, gentlemen, in their world-renowned acrobatic entertainment.” “ Hear, hears” and thumpings of sticks greet the intelligence, away goes the band, and in another second the brothers, two wellbuilt athletes attired in pink fleshings and with unexceptionable black moustaches, make their bow, smile, kiss their linger-tips, and before you can say

" knife ” have clambered on to twin trapezes and are hanging heads downwards. Now their heads bend back until they almost touch their toes with them, and in a twinkling they are seated on the crossbars again, smilingly regarding the audience, as much, as to say “ that’s the easiest thing in the world to do—when you only know how.” Three minutes more, and the brothers have smiled their adieux and disappeared. The announcement that “The (Ireat (Jadd will appear next, gentlemen,” provokes a perfect storm of ap plause. The band strikes up the familiar strains of the “ Belle of the Ball.” and the “ Great Cadd,” comes tripping on to the stage looking as if he had just stepped out of a bandbox. Ills dress suit is of faultless cut, his shirtfront and cuffs of dazzling whiteness, his patent leather shoes shine like mirrors. His hair is parted down the center in the most artistic way, his moustache and whiskers are undeniable. It really seems surprising that these fellows make by singing rapid and meaningless songs, miscalled ** comic,” incomes of which man}- professional men might well be envious. But so it is. This man has got his private brougham awaiting him at the door now, ready to bear him away to the scene of fresh triumphs. He is evidently a great favorite with the audience. See how thoroughly at home he is with it and the nonchalant manner in which he draws off one immaculate white kid glove as he commences his song. He is encored, he always is. He sings the orthodox three songs and in response to yet another encore “ hopes that the audience w ill excuse him, but he has to sing at several other halls to-night and he really” Ac. But who are these lovely creatures wdio are crow ding out the stage ? This is the ballet of “Fairyland”and these are the fairies, some of them rather elderly ones, as Tom remarks, but the}discreetly occupy the rear ranks and their plain looks serve but as a fall for the beauty of the really pretty girls in front. “ Yes its very pretty” says Tom, as he watches the dance —“ but I-say haven’t they rather short dresses on?” “ They are supposed to be fairies, and fairies, Tom are not supposed to, —but come along, we’ll have another liquor and be off.”