ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 95, 15 January 1908, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

... . MUSICAL COMEDY SEASON. . , :' "THREE LITTLE.'MAIDS." 1 ; " Tho Three Littlo Maids;" the last of the. series of musical plays to be produced by the Williamson Company, at'present playing at the Opera House, and staged for tho first tjino in New Zealand last .evoning, suffers by comparison with-its predecessor. After the musical worlc ' and strong comedy .fibro of " Tho. Littlo Michus,"' -Paul ■ A.' Reuben's Three Littlp Maids" strikes tho observer as being a somewhat autemic product, oven in its owii class. Tho music lacks colour and swing,, tho subject matter is tissuo thin, and if: tho peoplo behind the footlights do manage to instil some show of superficial bright,ness it is; more, to. their credit „ than to', the the play. ' It is saved from absolute mediocritythough a stronger word migh't'easily bo used—by ono'part, tho delightful " Johnny," Lord Cheyne, whose [cheerful'-inanities , aro pourtrayed by that' Capable comedian, Mr. Mylos. Clifton,* in ,a : mapnor that lifts tho play: above its intrinsic worth.'- The part, which wis created in London,; by, that inimitable actor, Mr. G.. P. Huntley, is - a;' prototype of' •' Private Smith, -,; in ."Lady ,-Madcap," but '.not nearly so rich in comedy as that p[ai't,. [whilst the., idioms, arid mannerisms ar'e[ /precisely similar. , The " Three. Little Maids "' deals with the ,adventures- of the Rev.. .Theodore,; Branscombe's ..trio, 'of girls,-, who, in order' to roliero.., their, ,reverend parent's .attenuated purse,, and incidentally, tp. pet'some fun," nccopt Lady St. Mallory'V invitation to become tea-gii-ls. in that lady's London establishmorit.. ; Before leaving Market Mallory for town- tho,-' Vicar's three daughters fall in ~vvith Lord; Cheyno, -Brian: Molyneaux, de ,I'Orme on the golf links, knd lose, no time in petting into an ■ interesting state of familiarity. '.It-is onlyi to -bo'expected .that th.eso' gontlcmeft . meet tho country girls at the tea-rooms, and quite forsake the . city, ladies'for the fresh | little' dears from the. [country, and _ it-.is. equally inevitable that the " three ' little maids " should' nchicve a. -reasonable prospect of rice and old shoes by.the' time the curtain is rung down.--• ! Mf. Myles Clifton did not.show .to special advantago in the somewhat tanie first act, /but. he struck form with his; richer opportunities in 'the second- act—a tea-room—■ af.tpr, the Dutch, and thereafter his excellent : fooling; induced plenty [of hearty laughter.- His song. "Algy " was very well managed, and, in its 'way, was quite a .ridipulous gem. . The little maids were played by Misses Daisie Wallace, Amy, Murphy, and Aliria' Barber, who looked, as dainty a trio as ,on<) coidd Jiope to' meet, down a country ljne. Miss Wallace was as "spry" as ever, and-/sang/her: songs "My Gal Sal.'" and '! Mali," cleverly._ .MjsS; Murphy, looked as sweet as. an English rose;' sang the uninteresting music interestingly, and. would havri "got into the' picture" but for a self-conscious- ! noss that ,prevents ber ; gripping tho part.. 'Vocally she. was in top-rioto'form; and when sho learns to thiuk less of what peoplo aro'thinking of her, she will be quite successful in "this and ' other parts. , Experience^'is tho factor [that (will effect that ' : end. Miss Alma Barber, palo,' pretty; and petite, was ver/ acceptable, and sang tbo song "She Was a \Miller's Daughter," charmingly. Miss Celia Ghilorii mado a handsomo Lady Mallory,-; and wore a number of beautiful frocks artistically; Mr., Reginald Kenneth was. a.colourloss Molyneaux. > [He should not persist in commencing every sentence with an "Oh," ; littered- in ,the well-defined vibrato that ohara'ctorises his dialogue[gonerally., Mr. Harry Sweeney was'again in-his element as M.. do l'Ornie,[a veritable Frenchman whoso life consists of a long lovo-chase. ; His singing, portion.-; larly ■in • the chanson". "La la-la-la ! " was weak but clever.: Mr. Victor Gouriet had a, part , iii Cupid .(a oaVWie), hut got, .i ,'.;oi)d deal out) of his om?'; sing,, " Looking 'for,'# .Kh'dle in a'Haystack." - Miss .lwsi«i TjfiMie[,'saivs'/' t ''Who? Who?- Who?" nicely i>3' tho part'iif yehet-i;'-. Grafton, ivhosi; fricildi; .Lady [Ilbiiomai-y :■ and,': -:Ai'dy . -Marjory wers 'ifflpffrsgnated ><;sp6ctively .by Miss Ada 1 ;-'agp[ ' and Miss' Ruby.. 'Armfield.' Mr, ;Arthur',Lissant lent some unction to tho Vicar, arid .'Miss [Farey, as the manageress of-tho' tea-rooms, was well oast.. Misses Hetty Patey and Dulcie Murphy appeared in minor roles. '.[ : , The'prettiest set of scenery was the tea-, room, tho quaintness of which,was.enhanced by the Dutch dresses of the tea-girls, worked out in willoiy-pattern tones. Tho orchestra, under Mr. Moillton,' was satisfactory' [ " Tho 1 Three Littlo Maids " will bo played again this evening. ' , r,[ ' : THEATRE ROYAL. i Fuller's had tho usual large patronage at tlie Thoatre Royal last overling, and their vavied vaudeville fare was entliusiastically' received. The programme will be repeated this evening. . 1 . ' • WONDERLAND. i . To-morrow Wonderland will be opened in (ho afternoon and evening, and on the latter occasion a. display of 'fireworks will be given,, undor tho direction of 'Mr ; Bic'.lser'ton ; - [No extra charge' is,to bo made for. admission'. Special trams 'are', advertised 'to run irom Courtenay Placo; and a largo attendance, is. ex'pectcd. .' POLLARD'S JUVENILE OPERA CO.. ; Tho Pollard Juvenile Opera Company : will produco another riew. musical cor.iedy. in this city, for the first time in Australasia. The hew piece is entitled "The Isle of iiong Bong.'/ i Tho . wardrobe, is being specially made-here, and the scenery , and effects also' will bo produced on.tho spot. ■ Tho two pieces which precede this opera will be:"His■■Highness tho Bey" and " Bluebell in Fairyland," the former • being the opening piece . for Saturday night. One can look at tho organisation as literally "New Zealand's own combination," and, judging from Press reports throughout Hio Dominion, tho company is worthily sustaining its reputation. Tho box-plan for tho new Wellington season opens at 9 a.m.- to-day at the Dresden. , THE ROYAL PICTURES. At His Majosty's Thoatro next Monday .an Australian' picture syndicate will commenco what is intended to bo n-permanent biogra'ph entertainment. A lcaso of tho theatre has boon secured from the Fuller Proprietary, and it is the syndicate's intention to cater [for tho large picture-loving public. ' Tho "priccs have been fixed on a popular scale, and tho public will bo ablo to occupy any of tho ground floor soats at sixponco, while' in tho dross circlo ono shilling will bo charged. With a judicious selection of tho latest in cinematograph art and a complete chango of pictures weekly, large attendances should bo attracted to His, Majesty's; ' .