" THE CINGALEE."

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 61, 9 September 1905, Page 13

" THE CINGALEE."

The opening of "The Oingalee," which is now being played by Williamson's Comic Opera Company in Melbourne, is reminiscent of "Floradora" (says the Sydney Morning Herald), only that the flower-girls are tea-girls, inasmuch as ,the 'heroine, Nanoya, is really heiress of the plantation on which she works, the English owner, Harry Vereker (who is her lover, as in the earlier piece), Having innocently purchased it from her guardian, the .slippery Charabuddy Ram. This distant resemblance need not trouble any one, (however, as the stage setting i's novel. Mr. W. R. Coleman's first tableau is a dream of tropical loveliness. Between red-roofed bungalows and the broad, low verandahs of the outbuildings, the hands from tho distant fields troop in to chatteT and danco in the compound, the glowing light on which gives gleaming depth of colour to the scarlet hibiscus blossom, shows gaily the paler oleander flower, and justifies the foreign aspect of padm trees and bamboo clumps. In the second act there is a superb architectural effect of Oriental domes, minarets, and temples on the margin of a lake. Suddenly, at the New Year celebrations, every stained-glass window is jewelled with light, and a firo bums even on -the topmost peak of the high mountain that hems in the lake on the furthor side. This illumination only formed part of a gorgeous decorative, scheme in which trie richest costumes of flowered satins and silks begemmed wctb employed. Boobhamba, a noble of Randy, who embodies the mag. nifioence of an entire Lord Mayor's show in his own person, is the^loTd of this stately abode. He had 'been betrothed to Nanoya twelvo years before, wnen tho girl was a toddling child, and hia firesent complaint before Sir Peter Loims High Commissioner of Ceylon) is that Rani has not only 'hidden his bride, but has also mads away with the Great Black Pearl forming part of her dowry. After a delightfully farcical -al fresco trial, Sir Peter orders Ram to find the girl and the jewel within one hour, under penalties severe. Naaoya is desperately loved by Harry Vereker, who wishes to marry her, and the pearl has been hestowed upon Peggy Sabine, an English lady who is inclined to marry Ram because she credits his statement that ho 5i3 a prince. Ultimately Nanoya is seized by Boobhamba, and is only rescued by the united energies of Harry, disguised as a .turbaned rickshaw man, and of his cousin, >the fascinating Lady Patricia Vereker. In the end tho attention, of the great Boobhamba is successfully distracted from Nanoya by one of the many ladies of his harem, and all ends happily. This musical comedy will in courso of time reach New Zealand, Mrs. GasVrell— "l wish I knew of something that would improve my husband's appetite." Mrs. Upmore— "l believe jiu-jitsu would help him." Mrs. Gaswell — "That's something I never * heard of. How do you cook it?"