"OUR MISS GIBBS."

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 217, 12 September 1911, Page 6

"OUR MISS GIBBS."

A BRIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

The difficulty of estimating what will appeal to a sufficiently wide public to ensure a run commensurate with, the expense of production must afford maaa- , gers a problem in the solution of which past experience, if not actually decep- , tive, is at 'best an unreliable guide. With : every desire to view in the most favour- ; able light its numerous good points,it is , extremely difficult to see why "Our Miss i Gibbs" should have achieved an unusual ■ measure o£ success. Of course practically ] all the productions of the Loudon Gaiety Theatre since the commencement of the Edwardes regime have main- i tained a degree of popularity sufii- ; cient to return to the fortu- : nate shareholders a comfortable 20 per cent per annum; but ''Our Miss Gibbs" not only did rather better than ! the average in London, but has been establishing records in Australia which will probably remain for some time unchal- < lenged. And yet so far as we are able to ' judge it is but a further chapter in the glorification of "girl" to which, the Gaiety has been devoted for more than a decade. '"Girl" dominates the piece even to the worsting of the comedians; she is there in modish or fancy costume, sometimes ample, more often scant, but always an attractive draping of dainty or handsome figures, and a good setting; for pretty faces. If put to it to find an explanation why Miss Gibbs has brought more devotees to the shrine than earlier members of the family to which she belongs, we would say that the kingdom of girl is by her even more alluringly presented than customary, and that the light tinkling Tnusieal setting is more tuneful, if not more original, tlia.n usual. Williamsons 3 too, have done justice to the play; the scenery both of Garrod's stores, and later of the White City at Shepherd's Bush, is beyond cavil; and the dressing, as earlier indicated, is quite exceptionally sumptuous; while the caste, with nuuor exception, is suited to the piece. There is no plot that is discoverable, unless we are to elevate to that dignity the circumstance that Miss Gihb, formerly of Yorkshire, but at the time of introduction the idol of Garrod's stores—captures an Earl's son under the belief that he is a bank clerk, and later subdues his stern papa. Incidentally there is Mary's cousin from "Yorkshire, the yonng ladv who the Earl had in view for his son, and the sprig of aristocracy who, wishing to emulate Bill Sykos, has "t.ol. n the Ascot gold cup, and in whom the young lady sees the hero of her youthful fancy. If you can manufacture a pi ofc out of this you are welcome to it; but you will find that in any case is all runs along pleasantly and smoothly. Miss Blanche Browne is sufficiently yonthful and winsome to make the author's decision that all the men shall run after her more than plausible, She makes a very dainty and charming heroine. While not possessed of any considerable voice she sings the various numbers of the part with considerable expression. In "Mary" and "Moonstruck," and with Mr Holland in "Not That Sort of Person," and Mr Wright in "Country Cousins " and "'Our Farm," Miss Browue appears in the moat popular items of t-he comedy. A special word of praise is due to the stage management and clever presentation of "Moonstruck," with its chorus of pierrots in light blue. It is one of the prettiest things seen here for qnite a long while. Miss Browne made the most of it, as, indeed, within limitations, she did of all her numbers. She further did not commit the error of attempting a Yorkshire accent that she could only imperfectly maintain. Miss Connie Milne as Lady Elizabeth Thanet, the reluctant fiancee of Lord Eynsford, is not wry happily cast, and has been seen here to better advantage. She sang robustly and ofTectvely, "Arms and the Man." Miss Nellie Wilson as Madame .Jeanne, modiste, at Garrod's, has little scope either in lier, part, or the song, "Hats." Mass Nellie Calvin, as "•Mrs! Farqubar," is an imposing, impecunious woman of fashion, and Miss Fitzmauriee Gill, a sufficiently formidable "Duchess of Minster." Mr. Andrew Higginson is congenially placed as the dashing lover of Mary, and sings with some acceptance the first of the solos, "tMy Yorkshire Lassie." Mr. 1 Bantock is" a trifle out of his element as the serious, if .benevolent "Earl of St. Ives." The "comedy is largely confined to Mr. Bertie Wright's Timothy Gibbs. Mr. Leslie Holland's Hon Hughie Pierrepont, and Mr. .Fred Leslie's Slithers. The first-named is an extremely diverting and quaint figure, and no one could fail to be amused with his presentation of a bucolic Yorkshireman up to see the ■ sights of London. His humour is withi .nut offence, and he never fails to get ■ his laugh. Especially good ris his acting . in "Coun trjjCousins" with Miss Browne. ! Mr. Leslie Holland's amateur crook is a very different, but occasionally ' equally amusing sketch in the George Grossmith, jtuL, manner. To him falls the singing of "Hughie," and that number, which, through the attentions of the barrel organ and itinerant bands, has achieved am unenviable notoriety—"Yip , I-Addy-I-Ay." It will be enough to say : that the latter, as sung by Mr. Holland, • irt the assistance of a chorus, it is—well, different from its open-air renderings. Mr. Leslie's light-fingered party is not without hirmour. A dance, announced as specially arranged by him, and danced ■with the co-operation of Miss Ivy Schilling attracts some attention. It is distinctly of the athletic order—a sort of modified Apache dance —but is relieved from coarseness by the grace of Miss Schilling and the activity of her partner. The concerted work is distinctly above the average, and a good word is earned by an admirable orchestra. "Our Miss Gibbs" is to be seen at the theatre nightly.