THE KING OF CADONIA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 729, 31 January 1910, Page 6

THE KING OF CADONIA.

WILLIAMSON'S NEW COMIC OPERA COMPANY. _ . "The King of Cadonia," a musical comedy by Sidney Jones. Lyrics .by Adrian Ross. Cast:— ' ', Alexis (King of Cadonia) ■■" •■■ • ■ r ', ' Mr. Herbert' Clayton. Captain Laski ..Mr. Frank Greene.' General Bonski Mr. Chas.. Beetham. Lieut. Jules Mr. Eoland Hogue. .Lieut. Saloff Mr. p. Bracy. ? anil , .-Mr. Arthur Lissant. Laborde ...; .....;....'..Mr. P. Bathurst. iSPV';-"-........... v ....Mr. Victor Prince. The Duko of Alasia. Mr. Bert Gilbert.' Mahtza j.Jtiss Lottie Sargent.. Duchess of Alasia :..Miss Ada Stirling. Stephanie .... ;....Miss Ivy Scott. , . Pttahne Miss Helen. Mosoley. Fridohne Miss Ivy Freshman. ■ Princess Marie .....Miss Dorothy Court. "The .King of Cadonia," produced by J. C. Williamson's iNew Comic Opera Company at the Opera House.on Saturday, to a crowded 'house, 'is: musical comedy of ■ the, brilliantly ■ spectacular order. Indeed, it ia difficult to imagine and impossible to recall any similar production which has been mounted and costumed so lavishly,'and yet its'eyerchanging colour schemes, and the dazzling kaleideseopical effects they' 1 produce, always keep.well within the artistic framework. That is the first, and truth to tell, the chief attribute : 0f... "The" :■ King of Cadonia"—everything is. a'secondary consideration to' its spectacular charm.'■ As for the soul of the play—the Sidney Jones's:score is just .a trifle:disappointing, even'to admirers in: general of his compositions:' It would appear to one who-takes more than a .passing interest in musical comedy that. Mr. -Jones has essayed to,do something a little better—to get away from the pretty jingles and eirliaunting melodies of' "The Geisha" and "The Gaiety Girl"—and while doing so has not quite succeeded in investing his score with, that purer musical quality which distinguishes the works, say, of Andre Hassager or the ..Viennese Lehar. Still,.-a musician of Mr. Jones's calibre and experience : could hot 'diverge far from the track, and'.here and. there "peep , out delightful -bits ■■ of •:■' orchestration,: and numbers that go.far. towards redeeming the play .from,.musical, mediocrity. . Convention has: taught us, that, few care a snap, of the fingers about the,.plot in a musical, comedy. ; They do not. need to worry much about the story, of "The King of Cadonia.". Cadonia and . Alasia. are imaginative States, :,so> convenient for romantic plays" and novels. The King of the former. country has been ..immured within his own palace, ever since his . accession ' to' the throne, owing to the strongly, anarchistic, tendencies of: : his subjects, .who are mostly members of the Anti-King League. '■ Under such conditions the status of the State is. suffering among .the nations. Something'must: be done to give life and, additional interests to Cadonia, so it is arranged, by "the King's military'' advisers,- ■ headed by 'General Bonski (a•'.'■' mild .'■ edition of- Sapt',. in "Zenda"),, that the King must marry Marie, the daughter of the Duke' of Alasia; who is also heir presumptive to the "throne of Cadonia. Young, handsome; and: spirited, ..the King: does, : not take kindly to the idea of: wedding a girl he,has.never,seen, so,..wheh escorted to Alasia, he arranges, with the. assistance of an. officer, friend, to shave .his. beard' off : and' escape ' for a ' few days from;

military, tutelage. , The plot succeeds, the officer friend, Capt. Laski, giving it; out • that the King had ben carried' off by.a party .of ..Anti-Kingites,. who 'had. been employed by the Duke of Alasia as gardeners. Whilst, masquerading as .. quite ' an .ordinary person, ■ -Alexis (the- King) .chances .upon. the: Princess Marie,"in en- ; .tire ignorance' of her identity.'.. Theyloqk ..eyes','and find their .\ mutual/affinities:' While dreadfully, in love, -Marie still holds to - her must ,marry .the; ;King—a quaint situa-' tion, which so amuses. Alexis that he re-, solves to keep it, up;,until he has\won the, 'hearts of his people. So while the ecceh-' trie. ;Duke;' of Alasia becomes Eegent. of .Cadonia,. in the''distressing absence of the King, -.the Hatter; becomes a member of the. Anti-Kingites; takes credit for.hav-. ing removed the King, !■ and 'makes 'himself, a: jolly /good.'fellow. with ; 'his., i pic-: ' turesque countrymen. ... He ■ is, - however, i :heard;.,to : boast,of being, .the perspniwho removed the King,- is arrested,,'and 'is, about to'be held responsible for his supposed crime,', when'he"-wriggles free by to restore the King at a certain hour. Meanwhile the is so sure of ihis people.that he'instructs Laborde (the leader of the revolutionaries) to shoot down the King as he enters the throne- : room if he does hot deem him (a desirable person to, wear- the, crown. .„ Princess 'Marie :is;.olso". in .'the-'.scene'.'. awaiting ;the -King that' is. to rbV/her -of her lover. Thus: every interest culminates , in the brilliant coronation, scene at the .termination of,, the play.; ..-To/ a : flambuoyant fanfare of trumpets .the smartly/ ' .'dressed' .officers, of the Cadonian:... Army make, their_entrances down the .crimsoncarpeted stairway at : the /rear /of the marble-pillared; throne-room. They are followed,by twenty or thirty ladies'.of the. court, superbly "dressed,; wearing' long and elaborately-emblazoned'trains, which: lend t)iem a grace and hauteur-in keeping with : the '■' regal pomp ; and circumstance of.; the picture:: Princess' Marie enters; her erminertdged train born ■' by./ pages, ■ and, finally, to a crash - of 'military, music, ' the noble figure, of Alexis descends .the, stairs. . Laborde feels, for /his' revolver,' makes, a rush for - his victim',. and staggers, back as/he recognises, .his 'friend. The court, who. only knew Alexis' as" a ;bearded king, are equally-astonished; while- the.Princess Marie, blushes in her , joyous, amazement. to find, the King and ;.her lover one and the/same ..On ~ this,'. scene of theatrical unsurpassed in. the history .of.the local stage—the'curtain'falls. ,■•./'" ~ . . ~,,;. The cast is a capable one,.and its members in .more .than -'one /instance deserve better-drawn parts. ; Mr. Bert Gilbert, as -. the Duke' of Alasia, gave evidence "of being a. capable''; comedian', who faithfully represents a very gay and. simple old chap, made petulant i'by the worries of. State., His .patter is/ remarkably smart and fresh, and:, is.: redolent of. up-to-date r'gags' -(which"-.is musical comedy license), but'the partes :,a ! hard-working'one, as the author' has created no funny, situations for the Duke, and on.Saturday Mr. Gilbert had to talk hisway into favour, which he unquestionably did. He was quite good in his two, songs: "Do Not Hesitate, to' Shoot,": and "Things I Know I Could.Do," and, with Miss Lottie Sargent, exhibited a command of " broad comedy in the "duet "Disguises." This concluded with, the "Danso. des Apaches," said.to have.had its genesis in. the -low criminal; resorts:- of Paris. The dance, a. subtle edition of the'-waltz, suggests ■ love, passion, hate, brutality, with a sharp.edge on each emotion. It is repulsive yet fascinating, and as . the Apache.dismisses his lady love from the stage with, a half-arm jolt, one could not but. admit that the "eternal dance is a highly-sensitised plate, ever-ready to take an impression of the'character of a people ■ or class..' Mr.. Gilbert" and Miss . bargent , were .excellent, in this" dar-lngby-original dance. Mr." Herbert Uayton cut a handsome figure as' Kinu Alexis.- He is, tall, ■ youthful, and' cleancut in feature and figure, and acts with spirit...Mr. Clayton, possesses, a service-' able baritone voice that is slightly handifapped by a vibrato. With Miss Court he sang "The Lady in the Castle in-the Air (a very pretty number), and "The Woman and the Man, and scored'a success in the fine patriotic song, "There's a King in the Land To-day." Mr. Prank Greene made Capatin Laski a bold, handsome fellow, who'"dashes" as long as the part permits.. As' Bran, . Mr. Victor Prince, was distinctly humorous, and his little scenes with Malitza were among the brightest moments in the play. Mr Chas. Beetham was colourless as General Bonslri; Mr. A. Lissant'drew an amusing sketch, as Panix, the, Duke's dolorous secretary and ."depressor," and Mr. P; Bathurst made Laborde quite a picturesque party. '-..'.-. Miss Dorothy Court is individualistic in style, and as the' Princess ■ Marie was quite unlike the conventional leading lady in musical comedy. Instead of being a florid, theatrically-picturesque person she is quite the • reverse—she is slim,- neat, and severely simple in her methods; nover posing or trying to and'yet gracing her every scene with a quiet, unobtrusive charm that is'refreshing. Miss .Court possesses a lyrical soprano voice of good, quality,. and. a command over it that induced tivo vocal shading. "Prince Charming" (specially written by Madame Liza Lelimann) was very prettily'sung, and the pretty "Portrait" number was delicately treated by Miss Court. In "The Voice of the ; Wind," a more florid number, the singer's. enunciation left .something to bo desired, as did the warmth of her act-.-iiw in tie love icenea. jThe. Malitza-of,

Miss Lottie Sargent was a worldly-wise little woman. She combined pertness and a sly. humour in her two songs, "She Had Lots of Things when She Came Back" and "Situations," both well ' received. Miss Ada Stirling had tho correct presence for the: domineering Duchess of Alasia. Misses.lvy Scott,.lvy Freshman, and. Helen Moseley appeared in minor roles. The Czardas Ballet was the. only one of importance. It is Slavonic 'in character, with tinkling, bells and fiat-foot beats to emphasise the tempo—which changes in the middle to an.exhilarating mazurka—danced in a sprightly, manner by a number of young girls characterised on the • programme as "flappers." The ballet music was particularly good. Mr. Fritz Hart handles a good orchestra with, skill,' and Mr.; Coleman's scenery is good'to look upon. "The King of CadoniaV will be played .for tho next eight nights. The next piece, "Havana," will be staged on Wednesday, February 9.