JOSEPHINE STANTON COMPANY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 126, 29 May 1901, Page 4

JOSEPHINE STANTON COMPANY.

'WANG.-'

A large audience greeted the opening performance of the Josephine Stanton Opera Company at the Opera ! House last evening. Among those ! present were Admiral Remey and the I officers of the American warship 'Brooklyn, and Mr. Dillingham, AtneriI can Consul, all of whom attended at ■the invitation of Mr. J. H. Withe, ford, M.H.R. As Mr. Witheford had also booked a hundred seats down, stairs for the Brookhn sailors, the I American element was nearly as predominant in the house as it was on i the stage. ! In "Wang." the comic opera with jwhich the company opened last evening, the audience we,e treated to | something distinctly novel. It is essentially an American production, and is played by a company of I Americans, which in itself is a novel, ty for local playgoers. It is a question whether the latter are sufficiently acquainted with American "slpng" to understand all the points at *.jhe performance, but last night's audi- S euce appeared to enter thoroughly I into the spirit of the piece, and were f most generous in their applause. 1 The story hinges on the efforts of a Wang, the Regent of Siam, to obtain ■' the treasure left by the late King. The latter, when he - died, had | thoughtfully placed his jewels out of •■ his brother Wang's reach, and, as that worthy remarked, had "left the royal coffers a howling vacuum." The consequence was that when Wang came to the throne as Regent, he found that ,he couldn't close in on enough of the gilt to pay his bills. "I haven't, been able to reign at all," he says, mournfully. "I've only sprinkled." Among his exiravagancel is a sacred elephant, and as the king he bought it from has the audacity to "dun"' him for the money, Watyg is constantly compelled to do whrit he calls "the sneak act." At last he hears that one Dame Frimousse, a buxom widow, has charge ' of a chest which contains the late king's treasures, and Which she is to deliver to the Crown Prince, Matayo, when the latter is crowned King. To get hold of that chest Wang makes love to the widow, in amusing fashion, and eventually marries her. His first concern is for the chest, but when this is opened it is found to be empty, and when the Crown Prince discovers the jewels sewn up in the ; royal robes, poor Wang's misfortune ire complete. Mataya, however, is in love with the widow's step-, daughter Marie, and to gain her he abdicates in favour of Wang, and everyone is satisfied. Miss Josephine Stanton took 'the : part of the Crown Prince, and made a most pleasing impression. She ln\s an attractive appearance and manner, and sings remarkably well. Her voice is full and sweet, and gives cvi- i dence of being well trained, while ; her acting is full of vivacity. She scored a decided success last evening;. Her best song was "A Pretty Girl, a Summer Night,"' which was loudly encored, and the duet with Marij}, "Where Are You Going to. My Pretty* Maid," was also a popular item. The most humorous part is that of Wang", which is played very effectively by Mr. George Kunkel. He acts with a good deal of dry humour,, and has a decided facility for "patter" songs. He also was very well received, and generally contrived to keep the audience laughing while he was on the stage. Miss Bertha Neilson, as Marie, sang very sweetly, while the singing of Mr. George Lyding, as Jean, was one of the features of the "A performance. Good work was done j !by Miss Clara "Wisdom atf the Widow./< Mr. Jean de Lacy as the old French \| | Colonel, and Mr. Clarence, Harvey as ' Pepat, keeper of the elephant, and Mr. F. Ken-worthy as the dumb Cambodian. The choruses would have ;• been the better for more voices, biit there were several 'good concerted numbers, notably the trio, "You Must , Ask of the Man in the Moon," sung by Miss Stanton and Messrs. Kunkel and De Lacy. "Wang"' will be repeated this evening.