AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20499, 18 March 1932, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SEASON. "THE MIKADO" TO-NIGHT. This evening at 8 o'clock J. C. Williamson's Gilbert and Sullivan Company will present by request, a special production of the deliciously tuneful and very entertaining comic opera, "The Mikado," which, to date, has proved the most successful of the operas staged during the present season. So great was the demand for seats last week that over a thousand people failed to obtain admission during the three performances already staged. Ivan Mezios achieved a sonsational success as Ko Ko, and ho certainly is at his very best in this part. From the moment he makes his entrance as tho Lord High Executioner ho gets right over the foollights, and his initial number "I've Got' Thom on tho List" invariably has to be repeated several times. His number, "The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring,'' creates much laughter, and it has always to be repeated over and over again. Ilia singing of "Tit Willow" is thoroughly artistic, and altogether his performance is of the finest. John Ralston has never given a better characterisation than that of Pooh Bah, and Bernard Manning's Mikado of Japan is the best interpretation of ths Emperor that New Zealanders have ever enjoyed. The three little Maids—Mario Bremner, Mary Hotham, and Nancy Horne—are delightful, and Miss Evelyn Gardiner as Katisha proves herself a singer and actress of outstanding capacity. Leo. Ettrnton's delightful tenor voice is heard to advantage in "A Wandering Minstrel" and other numbers attached to tho part of Nanki Po, and Gregory fc'troud is fine as Pish Tush. The chorus work is one of the features of "The Mikado." "H.M.S. PINAFORE" AND "COX AND BOX." To-morrow afternoon at 2 o'clock, and in tho evening at 8, the J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., Gilbert and Sullivan Company will present two productions of the evergreen comic opera, "H.M.S. Pinafore," which will be preceded by the delightfully tuneful and whimsical musical farce "Cox and Box," which was produced in Australia under the direction of Ivan Menzies. It> is over fifty years since "Pinafore" was first produced, yet, despite this fact, its recent revival in Wellington was received with great enthusiasm by reoord audiences, and it proved ono of the most popular of the operas staged there. It is full of delightful musical numbers. No fewer than six encores were demanded for the trio "Never Mind the Why or the Wherefore," which is sung and danced by Ivan Menzies, Maisie Ramsay, and Gregory Stroud. It is said that Mr Menzies is at his very best in the role of Sir Joseph Porter, and that Gregory Stroud makes an ideal captain. Miss Ramsay has some good musical numbers allocated to the part of Josephine, and Leo Darnton's tenor voice is also heard at its best in the roje of Ralph Rackstraw. Miss Evelyn Gardiner has achieved one of her best successes as Little Buttercup, and Mr Bernard Manning will repeat his former success as Dick Deadeye. John Ralston as Bill Bobstay ftas the big singing number to render, entitled "For He is an Englishman." The chorus has some fine music to sing. On Monday afternoon and evening "Patience" will be produced, and on Tuesday the season will be brought' to a close with a special farewell gala performance of "The Gondoliers."