LAWTON'S NOVELTY COMPANY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 106, 7 May 1896, Page 2

LAWTON'S NOVELTY COMPANY.

There was a moderate and very appreciative audience at the Opera House last evening, despite the very inclement state of the weather, to witness the first change of programme presented by Alf. Lawton's Novelty Company. The programme was a distinct improvident on tho one* previously given, and the interest of the audience was kept at the highest pitch throughout. In the first parb Messrs Norris and Williams gave a very clever exhibition of trick skating;. The Grey Sisters wero enthusiastically encored for their song and dance entitled "Two Little Hearts Made One." Mr Harry Fitzmaurice sang "My Lad" in the first half of tho programme, and later "The Bandit's Life," and in reply to the inevitable encores, he gave " Our Brave Old Army " and " I Fear No Foe." The Mahers' song and dance items were very clever. Miss Violet Bishop and Miaß Stella Tudor added a number of acceptable songs to the first part of the programme. " The Boosere' Band," a very pretty balleb arranged by Stella Tudor, opened the second part of the programme. Little Florrie Ranger was one of the greatest successes of tho evening. She was enthusiastically encored for '• I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard," bhe song which is so highly spoken of in the pantomime "Djin Djin," now running in Sydney. Later she gave a coster song entitled " No More Up At Covent Garden Market " very cleverly and as an encore "G'arne Away." Mr Alf. Lawton, for the ten minutes he was on the stage, kept the audience in roars of laughter, and Miss Ida Holbein was well received in her songs " Her Eyes Don't Shine Like Diamonds " and "Sligo." The boxing kangaroo's exhibition was loudly applauded, and the exhibition of Ouda was one of the best acts of the sort we have yob seen here. A first class variety entertainment was completed by a laughable comedy entitled "Sam Kee's Laundry" by James Mooney, Gus Franks and Mike Maher. The same programme will be repeated to-night.