"A TRIP TO CHINATOWN."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11241, 9 December 1899, Page 5

"A TRIP TO CHINATOWN."

Tub manifold ways in which Mr. Harry Conor and Messrs. Hoyt and McKee's Company have been heralded, combined with the knowledge that their performances have been highly successful in the Australian cities, have created great interest amongst theatreueors in the season which they inaugurate at the Opera House on Monday evening with the musical comedy, " A Trip to Chinatown. This light, amusing, and piquant play, written by Mr. Charles H. Hoyt, is typical of American comedies generally, and may be regarded as one of the most attractive, having had a uniquely successful run, and, perhaps, best test of all, been revived time and again without losing any of its popularity. On its first production at the Madison Squaie Theatre, New York, it ran continuously for considerably over a year, and was subsequently played in the other principal centres in the States, and finally in London, where it received the hallmark of approval from English audiences, Mr. Harry Conor appearin" in his original character of Wetland Strong throughout. Its success when brought to Australia three years ago, and swain this year by Messrs. YVillainson and Musgrove, is a matter of common knowledge to those who keep themselves posted in theatrical events. The musical portion appertaining to " A Trip to Chinatown" forms one of its most prominent features. In addition to the arduous part he has in the dialogue and the "business" of the piece, Mr. Conor sings a very catchy song, entitled "The Bowery," descriptive of the troubles accruing to a stranger in that well-known New York quarter, and also appears in an amusing Quaker duet, "Reuben and Cynthia," with Miss Allene Crater, in which opportunity is taken of introducing several topical verses. Miss Crater, the principal soubrette, has several songs, including "Pretty Little Maid," and "Crisp Young Chaperone," whilst Miss Edith Hoyt has also a coon ditty called "Melons," and a smart Parisian song, "Mdlle. Pom Pom." Mr. Arthur Pacie, the tenor, has two solos to render, and Mr. Wallace Brownlow sings the pretty ballad, " Doreen," and his magnificent baritone is also heard to great advantage in "The Soldiers of the Queen," which has been introduced by this American company, as a signal of the sympathy existing at the present time between the United States and the Mother Country. Miss Marie Adams, the soprano, has also some vocal items, and joins with Messrs. Pacie and Brownlow in a clever burlesque of Italian opera. Amongst what may be regarded as the specialties in the performance, are the remarkable double-note whistling solos of Mr. Tom Browne, who also gives some most accurate imitations of musical instruments, and the clever dancing turns of the Misses Nellie and Lizzie McCoy and Mr. Sam Marion. "A Trip to Chinatown" will be presented for a few nights only, as it is intended to succeed it with " A Stranger in vr.„. V-.1. »