BEFORE AND BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS. 227 



It would be impossible bere to enumerate one- 

 half the plays I have seen produced in the Colonies. 

 There has, however, been a uniform excellence 

 noticeable throughout. 



Mrs. Robert Brough compares favourably with the 

 best actresses we have had in Australia. She is a re- 

 fined graceful actress, has a melodious voice, and an ad- 

 mirable stage presence. The rapidity with which she 

 has come to the front is remarkable. She has under- 

 taken an enormous amount of work, and it can be said 

 of her, with perfect fairness, she is equally good in 

 light comedy as in more serious plays of the Tanqueray 

 type. She plays Lady Betty Noel in the "Amazons '^ 

 as well as Beatrice in " Much Ado About Nothing." 

 Her Beatrice is a very fine performance, and this and 

 Paula in " The Second Mrs. Tanqueray " are certainly 

 two of her best characters. As Niobe in the scream- 

 ing farcical comedy of that name, she is also at her 

 best. There is no more popular actress on the 

 Australian stage than Mrs. Robert Brough. 



Mr. George Carey tells a story about the Brough 

 and Boucicault Company in New Zealand. They were 

 playing in Auckland. Mr. Carey went into a well- 

 known tobacconist's for some of the fragrant weed. 



" Ever go to the theatre? '' asks Carey. 



'^ Not often ; but I'm going this week/' said the 

 cigar merchant. 



'' Oh ! '' said Carey, " What night ? " 



