ANOTHER SUCCESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1937, Page 9

ANOTHER SUCCESS.

"RUDDIGORE" PLEASES GILBERT AND SULLIVAN. i DELIGHTFUL MELODRAMA. Those who saw and heard the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera "Ruddigore" at His Majesty's Theatre last evening will be asking that it be repeated on future visits of the J. C- Williamson company to the city. In fact, it is surprising that it is not more frequently played. In character, of course, it is not as rich as. for instance, "The Mikado" (with its well-remembered personalities), but it is delightful comedy, parodying the melodrama of the nineteenth century, with dialogue and music o* excellent G. and S. standard. Robin Oakapple and his interfering ancestors, Sir Despard and Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, and Mad Margaret will be added in pleasant memory to the Savoyard gallery already so well known and loved in this city. As the young farmer, Robin Oakapple. who became overnight the "bold, bad bart-," Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, Ivan Menziea had excellent scope for hie funning, and his songs, "My Boy, You May Take it From Me,' "I Once was as Meek as a New Born Lamb," were splendidly presented. There is no doubt, however, that the most fruitful role of "Ruddigore" is that of Mad Margaret, and in that Eileen Kelly was most impressive. Her mad scene, "Cheerily Carols the Lark," was a fine piece of work, and as usual her mezzo-soprano was most pleasing. As a contrast there was rich comedy in her duet with Sir Despard (Richard Watson), "I Once Was a Very Abandoned Person." Richard Watson, too, was responsible for his usual polished performance as the heavy villain with the heart of gold, and his "Why Am I Moody and Sad?" was delightful. The most _ striking scene of the opera which, incidentally, deals with the struggles of the Bad Baronets of Ruddigore against the curse laid upon them to commit a crime a day and its reactions on the inhabitants of the village of Rederring, comes when the ancestors of Sir Ruthven step down from their frames in the picture gallery. It is then that Sir Roderic (Bernard Manning) delivers himself of "When the Night Wind Howls," his fine basso and splendid diction providing one of the most delightful episodes of the opera. For such a depressing lot of gentlemen one ' agreed with Sir Despard that the best thing to do was to present them to the nation for an art gallery where no one would | ever look at then} again. Godfrey Stirling as the man-o'-warsman, Richard Dauntless, who always followed the dictates of his heart, was another of the outstanding personalities, his tenor being heard to advantage in the rollicking "I Shipped, D'ye See, in a Revenue Sloop." Evelyn Hall, as Dame Hannah, had expression in "Sir Rupert Murgatroyd" and with Ivan Menzies in "There Grew a Little Flower," and her melodramatic scene was splendidly done- The choral work was of a very high standard. The company will this evening and twice to-morrow depart from Gilbert and Sullivan to present the rollicking French comic opera, "Paul Jones," with libretto in English by H. B. Farnie. Lyrics are 'by Planquette, who composed "Les Cloches de Corneville." Only twice before played in New Zealand, by the Pollard Opera Company (Maud Beatty,

star) and by a J. C. Williamson company (Marion Burton, star), the play is redolent of old world charm, grace "and courtesies, with flowing melodies and gentle humour. It is acknowledged to be one of the stage's finest costume plays outside of drama. A recent revival by the company now in Auckland caused must interest in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.