THE CRITIC.

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 77, 4 March 1882, Page 388

THE CRITIC.

— Ada Ward, the actress, is coining to Auckland soon.

—The Victoria Loftus Blondes are still in existence, and purpose revisiting the colonies. —Mr J". B. Steele is playing Anthony at the Boyal, Sydney. J

— Lingard has been a rank failure in America, and is said to have lost £600 in twelve weeks. — The Yankee critics have been scalpine George Darrell. r **

— Emma Wangenheim appeared as Stella in, Melbourne. People say she was a success.

— Mrs Langtry was coached by Mrs Henry Labouchere, (Miss Henrietta Hodson). * — The Satan Fire King is the name of a performer who is creating some sensation in America.

— Patti's three co.icerts at Chicago netted 30,00 dollars.

— G-rattan Riggs is playing Con in the " Shaughraun" at Melbourne to crowded houses.

— Paddy Doran's Minstrels performed to a good house at Dargaville, on Saturday night.

—Johnny Hall recently took a benefit at the Opera House, Sydney, and played the Bufcterman in " Our Boys."

— Mrs Langtry has been cabled for by manager George K\ Goodwin, who offers her large terms for a season of thirty weeks in America. John Stetson is aaid to be Goodwin's partner in the offer.

— Frank Clements, now -with G-enevieve Ward, will probably join Modjealra in her tour to the United States next season, and accompany her subsequently to Australia as leading-man and stage-manager.

— Joseph Emmet goes to church now, and herein sets a good example to others in the theatrical profession. It is said of him that he has been known to attend divine service twice a day.

— A woman of London, of the sesthetic persuasion, makes this reference to a tragedian's limbs : "Mr Irving' s legs are limp and utter ; both are delicately intellectual, but the left one is a poem."

— At Cincinnati, the sale of tickets for the " Messiah," in which Patti took part, realised an average premium of two dollars. The gross receipts for a" concert were £4000.

— Mr Gt. Melville was playing the chief character in " The Duke's Motto " at Bristol, and Ms first Hue had to be, "Ah, I see you remember me !" One of the ''gods " roared out " Bather ! " This, of course, provoked a general roar both of laughter and applause. • — 'Miss Louise Porneroy, who has arrived in Sydney, travels or gran d seigneur — or rather en grande dame — and has an entrepreneur, Mr Josh. Pickersgill, an agent, Mr Frank "Weston, and a private Secretary, Mr Herbert Fleming. — At the Melbourne Bijou, a young couple misconducted themselves in one of the boxes. They refused to leave, whereupon Mr Lewis and one of the employes took the male offender up in their arms, and bore him oil. — William Horace Lingard has bought from T. Henry French "Mankind," " The Money-spinner," and " Divorcon's." He has closed his tour with his " Stolen Kisses " Combination and gone to San Francisco, Cal., where he will join Ms wife, Alice Dunning Lingard, and produce " Divorcons." — The Victorian Government are playing into the hands of Walker, the spiritualist lecturer, by prohibiting his lectures in the Melbourne Opera House on Sundays. Walker now considers he has been well advertised all over the colonies. The affair is a Victorian edition of the Proctor imbroglio. — The Jff.T. Clipper thus criticises a performance of "Hanilet": — "Hamlet is a melancholy sort of young man, if we have read the book correctly, and at times seems to be a trifle unsound in his mind. Sig. Bacussini, however, does not take this view of the part, but, on the contrary, months and howls around the stage like a soap-fat man in the pursuit of hickory ashes. — Mr Julian Thomas, the "Vagabond," has been immortalised in the adaptation of "Michael Strogoff," by Jules Verne, which is now bein^ played in Sydney. The author has made the " Special correspondent of the Melbourne Argus," Dr. Julian (Thomas). Mr Emmet has been studying the "Vagabond" for many weeks, obtaining his present style of hair r»«L beard. — Gus Harris offered to pl&y " The Lights-o'-London" if tho manager (Sims) could arrange for the introduction of some wild beasts. He thought the Eegent's Park sceue would afford a fine opportunity ; and that the whole of tho Zoo collection might be turned loose either by accident or by the machinations of the villain of the story. He added that if a few of the actors and a good many of the supers got eaten up, he would not be disposed io share the responsibility. — During the performance of Richard 111. at the Theatre Royal, Cambridge, the audience had a chance of seeing it from a shower-bath. As two men were taking their places in the gallery the flooring gave t way, and the feet of the men came in contact with the waterpipe that supplies the gallery hose with water, and it broke. Immediately a stream of water rose in the form of a fountain several feet high, and drenched to the skin the majority of the "gods." The water at length found its way to the dress-circle and pit, causing quite a stampede among the occupants. IT WAS THE HAT. I sat behind her at the play (They said it was Othello) ; But who appeared, or how 'twas done — "VWell, ask some other fellow. I know an overture was played (The same they played last season) ; And, later, people cried " Encore ! " (I did not know the reason). I heard a sweet, entreating voice, A stifled shriek,, a groan — a Short silence that, I take it. marked The death of " Dosdemona." But this was all — I simply write These lines as a reminder To see one, that I lost the play Because I sat behind her. — Acting to Crystal Palace audiences must be up-hill work, says a London journal, "(jnd must be especially trying to those who have been accustomed to get a cordial reception. Some time ago J. L. Tole was talking to me on this subject, and among other things he said that he never knew, until he played at the Crystal Palace, what it was to come on the stage and not receive what he called half-a-dozen hands. ' When I went on at the Palace, however,' continued the popular comedian, there was just one smack. I couldn't understand it; I thought that one of my braces had broken ! " — At the Melbourne Opera House Prince Michael Constautine, of the Russian man-of-war Plastoun threw to Miss Nellie Stewart an expensive tribute in the shape of a magnificent bouquet, consisting of a cross of forget-me-nots dividing the bouquet into quarters, the quarters being filled by tube-roses, white roses, and jessamine. The bouquet holder was of Vienna manufacture, and attached to it was a broad silk ribbon, on which were embroidered the Eussian flag and cross of St. Nicholas, the whole costing £15., This will make a lot of young men, who admire Nellie but ai-en't princes, feel very ill indeed. — Mr Harry Power has got his new entertainment for New Zealand. The piece is entitled " Bounce and Bustle," and though madly farcical, is aesthetic in the general treatment. The author is a Sydney writer, . and moat of the music has been composed by Professor * Hughes. Mr Power is very sanguine about his new piece, and has written as follows to the author of it :— " I have much pleasure in thanking you for the great pains you have taken with my entertainment. From a. first perusal I consider it very amusing, consistent, and likely to be a great success on production." We hope it will, Harry can^t go very far wrong in New Zealand any way. TJnder any circumstances he is bound to be a Power in tbe state, j r ,-■ i

— The "Slave's Revenge," produced by the Mastodon Minstrels at the Theatre Royal during the' week, has been well attended, despite the bad weather on the opening night. The drama is of the high-spiced sensational type, and abounds in thrilling and pathetic situations. It ought to be a feast for the " gods." The piece is excellently mounted, judiciously cast, and well sustained. Mr W. H. Leake does ample justice to the villain of the piece, Tom Gordon, and Mr R. B. Lewis makes tlie avenger Dored sufiScieutly -prominent. The drama will be repeated this evening as per advertisement in another column, with all the sensational scenes and incidents, and on to-morrow afternoon there will be a mid-day performance of " Uncle Tom's Cabin. On Saturday evening the Mastodons will give their final performance for the benefit of Mr Lewis, when lhe Octoroon" will be produced with Mr Leake as balein Scudder.

— " Puck" wires from Duneclin on Thursday : — Williamson's Opera Company opened on Tuesday night in "Patience" to the largest audience ever assembled in the Princess for many a day. Every seat in the circle was secured beforehand, and people were glad to get chairs wherever they could be put. The stalls had been nicely refurnished and given a separate entrance from High-street, which will ensure that, part of the house being better patronised in future. The opera was a swimming success throughout. The chief honours were carried off by Audrie Navara and Yernon, whose duet received a triple encore. Several other members were encored. Eees created a favourable impression as Patience. Tenmouth and Verdi were not heard to their usual advantage, but Riccardi had a cordial reception in "We are but fifteen rapturous maidens." The piece is splendidly dressed and mounted, but I question if it will have a fortnight's run. — Mrs Turner had a splendid house on Friday night when the first act of "Faust" and "Mignon" were performed for her benefit. She gave a sacred concert on Sunday, the Queen's being filled in all parts. The company went to Christchurch to-day.— Williamson's Dramatic Company go to Wellington to-morrow.