CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16. PANTOMIME DAYS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 18 (Supplement)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16. PANTOMIME DAYS

names as Arthur Stigaut; Phil. Smith, Barry Lupino, Jack Cannot, Fanny Dango, Maud Fane, Carrie Moore, Violet Loraine, William Cromwell, Edwin Brett, among others who have brightened the pantomime stage in this country. Of the real old style Drury Lane pantomime perhaps the best was the Meynell and Guun performance of “Cinderella,” the lavish appointments and beautiful costuming of which opened our eyes to the possibilities of the spectacular pantomime. But in the history of pantomimes—not that this discursive article pretends to be anything of the kind— must be . included mention of those two pantomimes written and wholly conceived by the late Mr. Bert Boyle, for so Ipng’n resident of Wellington, It, can be stated with truth that.,the pant&inime. “I)jin Djin.’’ a Japanese theme with an ‘earthquake sensation,' not only., broke ,new. ground, but it phayed-nn important part in the .theatrical historyicf Australia;and New Zealand. The,reference is to the occasion-';, when the late J; C. Williamson, in Hie late ’9o’s, was hard up against it,-'and at the dress rehearsal in Mel- . bourne, assembled the whole of the company to inform them pretty plainly that .unless “Djin Djin” “clicked,” he must go under. It clicked all right! It was a mighty success, and ran for months, putting Williamson on his feet iigain., and making possible the cont’huation of the theatrical organisation that still bears his name. Mr. Boyle followed up that success with “Matsa,”, with the rising of the Nile sensation, and again the public responded. Such great pantomimes as these may never be produced again in this country—they were done under Bollard management—lint the memory of their daring originality and scenic splendour can never be eradicated from the sensitive theatrical memory