THE CRITIC.

Observer, Volume IV, Issue 84, 22 April 1882, Page 84

THE CRITIC.

— J. P. West has joined the " Uncle Tom's Cabin" troupe. — Ouida has written a new play, dealing with Roman society, — Zulu Thompson, with his war diorama, will probably appear in Auckland some time in June. — Louise Pomeroy is playing to moderate business at the Eoyal in Sydney. — J. J. Welsh lately completed his 30th year on the stage. — Chas. Burford is playing with a scratch company at the Victoria Hall, Sydney. — Abbott's new theatre will open on the 15th May with "Williamson's "Patience" Company. — Maggie Jlnight and Ethel Adele are called in Sydney " the Siamesian charmers." — Monty Browne, formerly on the New Zealand Press, is ag-ent to Bland Holt, iii Sydney. — Haselmayer's troupe has been doing a splendid business at Charters Towers. — Tommy Hudson with his surprise party is at the Queen's, Sydney. — Bent and Bachelder's Minstrels closed their season at the Opera House, Sydney, on the 9th. — Sims Reeves, who is sixty, still sings with his old vigour and power of declamation. — There is a movement in England to establish a great national musical college. — Billy Emmerson is running a minstrel troupe in San Francisco. — Theo Hamilton left Sydney the other day for England, by the Gladstone. — Gil Perez (formerly one of the finest comedians on the French stage) lately died in a lunatn asylum. — J. H. South and his opera bouffe company are playing to large and enthusiastic audiences in Gympie. — A now operetta, "Le Jour et la Nuit," by Lecocq, has been performed at the Strand, London. It is described as stupid, and full of impossibilities. — The Prince of Wales gave a dinner at Marlborough House to the leading members of the dramatic profession. Covers were laid for thirty. — Bent and Bachelder's Minstrels and the Lytton Dramatic Club, Sydney, gave performances in I aid of the Bulletin libel fund. — Jenny Watt-Tanner, Vincent, and Holloway, appeared at the Theatre Eoyal, Sydney, on the Bfch, in "The World." — Mr W. Gr. Carey, who was in Auckland I many years ago, has been playing in " The Black Flag" i at the Gaiety, Sydney. — The Pollards opened at the Graiety on the 31st March, but were to transfer themselves to the Opera House on the 10th inst. — At latest dates Hen* Bandmann and Miss Beaudet, supported by a local company, were playing to good business in Calcutta. — Ada Ward is giving readings in the principal suburbs of Sydney. She contemplates visiting New Zealand shortly. — Jennie Watt-Tanner is engaged by Bland Holt to sustain the leading feminine roles in "The "World" and the " New Babylon" at the Theatre Eoyal, Sydney. — Mrs Walter Hill lately re-appeared at the Eoyal in Melbourne after an absence of twelve years. She laboured under the dual disadvantage of a sore throat and a thankless part. — Harkins, supported by Mrs Stammers, Miss Annie Mayor, "Wybert Eeeve and a strong company, will appear during the present month at the Opera House, Melbourne, in "The Colonel." — J. L. Toole was lately presented with a valuable scarf pin set in onyx and diamonds by the Prince of "Wales, as a souvenir of the recent performances given at Sandringham. — A comedy company, consisting of Misses Lawrence, Amy Johns, Jennie Nye, Messrs Jewell, Eede, Wilkinson and others, are playing the West Coast towns with a fair amount of success. — Miss Jessie Raymond is in Brisbane. She recently attempted the character of Lady Isabel in East Lynue, but, according to the local critics, unsuccessfully. — Bland Holt opens in Dunedin in July with his " World" and " New Babylon" Company. They will probably make their first appearance in Auckland about the middle of September. — Mr Fred Yokes, so well known to lovers of English Pantomime, has taken out his first naturalization papers, with the view of becoming an American citizen. — Mr J. B. Steele was not a success as Leontes in "A Winter's Tale" at the .Royal, Sydney. The Bulletin accuses him of' a lack of warmth in kissing Louise. — Jennie Lee (the celebrated Poor Joe in the drama written from "Bleak House"), is in Sydney. Among other pieces she claims the right to perform " The Colonel," which Harkins says is solely vested in him. More work for the lawyers. . — Dion Boucicault says, epistolarily, that he "has known Oscar Wilde since he was a child, that there is no sham in him, that lie is thoroughly in earnest in all he does, that he has a true, loveable nature, and that he will vouch for him in every particular." — Doran's Minstrels reappeared last Saturday evening at the Albert Hall to a moderate house. The entertainment was of a very satisfactory character, the singing of Messrs Marshall, Campbell, and Margetts being justly deserving of commendation. We should however, advise the corner men to try and procuro a few new jokes for their next performance. The troupe opened last night with a series of performances for four nights. — Arthur Vivian has returned to Sydney after a ten months' absence in America. He comes as avant courier to Mr W. E. Sheridan, a tragedian of some repute in the States, who will, in all probability, arrive by

the next 'Frisco mail steamer. In addition to the usual legitimate pieces, Mr Sheridan will bring with him an entirely new and original melodrama, entitled, "The Curse of Cain." — In the old country theatres there is a set of men whose business it is to catch the harlequins, clowns, policemon, and others who do the flying leaps through windows, brickwalls, or what not ; and, according to the London Figaro, these persons demand black mail under the euphonious name of "Catch -money," to ensure their being at their posts and catch the performers. Of course, the clowns and and others who do not look before they leap depend upon the " Catchers," and must pay the money or take their choice, at the risk of their necks. — "Puck" wires from Duneclm : — The Minstrels bring the season to a close on Wednesday with the benefit of Lewis, when the "Octoroon" will be played. They proceed to Christcburch for five weeks, when they will return to Dtinedin. The Mendelssohn Quintette . Club is performing to poor houses at the Temperance Hall, but the audiences are enthusiastic to a degree, and the critics give them highly laudatory notices. Gesiscoll's playing is simply superb. They shift to the Princess's for two weeks when the Minstrels vacate. McCabe is due here next month iinder the pilotage of Liddy. The Fancy Fayre coutinues till Thursday, and will clear about £1500. — Our Melbourne correspondent -writes : '"The Prof essor " is now in the fifth week ;.' Marshall is reported to have already made £1200 with the piece. "Youth," with Georgo Eignold, at the Koyal, is not universally approved of. The Montague-Turner Company, at the Bijou, are doing splendid business. Wybert Eeeve, with " Money-spinner," at the Opera House, is doing wretched biz. Grattan Riggs has returned to Melbourne, after a very prosperous tour up country. Hoskins is in town, looking ten years younger than when I last saw him. Marie Wilton, whom you will remember in Auckland, has been delivered of % a bouncing baby ; Jack Steele is much interested in this domestic event. Ben Brown, of Brown and Newlands, is coming to the colonies again. Marshall opens in Sydney on April 29fch. Jimmy O'Brien has been re-engaged by Marshall for six months, and is playing the character of a sentimental young fellow in " The Professor." He is said to have made fearful inroads on the hearts of the girls, and receives daily basketsful of billet doux. He is said to be already engaged to a heiress at Brighton. — Miss Carrie Godfrey's benefit took place on Friday, April 14th, at the Theatre Eoyal. There was a bumper house, the dress circle being unusually well patronised. The performance commenced with a sparkling little comedy entitled, " Perfection, or the Lady of Minister," in which the benefieiaire successfully sustained the character of Kate O'Brien. Mr Elliott made a dashing and spirited Charles Paragon ; Mr Welsh a capital Sir Laurence ; while Miss Major as Susan, and Mr Frank Gerald as Sam, appropriately supplied the low comedy element. At the conclusion of the piece, Mr Welsh presented Miss Godfrey with a basket of choice flowers, on behnlf of the American Consul. The second part of the programme consisted of a concert, in which Miss Godfrey sang, "Alas! those chimes" and i "Out on the rocks" with great effect. Miss Samson, I Messrs Gordon Gooch, Percy Dufaur and Ednriston also contributed by their singing to the evening's amusement. Mr Thompson executed two cornet solos, " The Favourite" and " Sweet Spirit Hear my Prayer ;" and Mr Angelo Forrest performed a pianoforte selection in brilliant style. The entertainment concluded with the pretty little operetta, " Cups and Saucers," in which Miss Godfrey and Mr Eclmiston appeared, and caused much amusement, especially by their unrehearsed business with the music stool. — " Maritana " in concert form, by Mr Grooch and his pupils, proved an unqualified financial success on Monday night. The Choral Hall was actually besieged with applicants for admission long before the hour for commencing, and the " crush " that set in from that time forward almost drove the ushers and promoter frantic. It is safe to say that the latter never anticipated such an assembly. The concert itself was only a comparative success. None of the voices were of more than average quality, and the choir, notwithstanding its long training, was far from perfect. Still the experiment was a bold one, and Mr Gooch is entitled to great praise for the manner in which, with the means at his disposal, ho acquitted himself. Miss Hargrove and Mr D. Eussell were certainly the most successful amateurs, and their contributions take rank, after those of Miss Godfrey and Mr Gooch, as the gems of the concert. The want of a good tenor was noticeable, and it was doubtless owing to this lack that one of the most tuneful numbers in the opera— viz., the trio " Turn on, Old Time" — was omitted. The breakdown in the scena, " The alcade and the soldier," need not be dwelt upon. Suffice it to say that Mr Forrest was not wholly responsible for it, as the repetition plainly showed. In conclusion, Mr Gooch has had great difficulties to encounter in training a small choir up to the execution of such an operatic feat as the performance of " Mnritana " undoubtedly is, and the fact that he has come off so well speaks volumes for his skill and perseverance. The concert is to be repeated on Thursday next. — The Lome-street Hall was crowded to suffocation on Saturday, on the occasion of the final boxing competition for the trophies presented by Jem Mace, pugilistic champion of the world. The sparring throughout was very lively, some of the young colts displaying a good deal more spirit than science. A set-to between two "friends" was characterised by some severe slogging, clinching, and fibbing, which roused the spectators to enthusiasm. The affair possessed all the realistic excitement of a fight, without its more serious consequences, though not devoid of mild bloodshed. Donovan exhibited some really clever science and wonderful spryness in the competition with Murphy for the lightweight gold medal, which was awarded to him, the silver medal going to Murphy. The match between Keesing and Kirby for the champion amateurs' silver cup was also a very exciting and well-contested affair. Keesing' s superior condition and determined rushes proved irresistible, though more than once he caught it " hot" from Kirby before he drove that doughty antagonist into the wings. After a spirited contest, Keesing was adjudged by Mace the winner of the cup, while Kirby received the second prize, a silver medal. Jem Mace then had it pretty much his own way in a sot -to with. Donovan, and finished up with a fine display of science with Keesing. The best thing in the programme was a capital contest between Davis and another veteran, in which the former displayed extraordinary quickness, I coolness, and science, his opponent being little inferior to him in these qualities. In the course of the evening, Mr Mace exhibited his champion belts, and atmouneed that Miller would shortly accompany him on a tour through the colonies.