ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1907, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

♦ ■ ■ . • THE BROUGH-FI/EMMING COM;. '•r<.li, WAKE'S PATIENT." ' '£. comedy, breezy but not blustering, "bright and not flashy,, solid "but not heavy, pathetic but not maudlin— that is "Dr. Wake'-s Pntient»" presented to WelHagtca. at the Opera Houbo -last evening ,'ey the Brough-Flemming Comedy Company. The authors, Messrs, W. Gayer Mackay and Robert Old, have a story worth tolling — a fact which is rare enough in tire dramatic world to deserve inontKA with much emphasis — and they tpU^-rt with equally rare rgood humour, \vhich is sometimes subtle, but not too fino to slip unnoticed through the meshes of tho average intellect. Iho characters provoke laughtor not loud but deep, tho sort of laughter that reminds man that Jie has ribs, though ho cloak them over with ever so much clothing. And it is not merriment for ono class alone. It often happens that one man m>y fill tho house with guffaws at a .'Sally from the stage while his neighbour's lip curls with scorn at tho thought that a bit of coarseness should be so heUrtily appreciated, and this man may have his framo thrilled by a delicate jest while his neighbour sits openinouthed wondoring where tho point is. But last night the" fun, which was' clean and wholesome, appealed to all strongly, though in varying degrees, pf course. It wa6 very agreeablo medicine for the' man or woman worried by the day's car ps. " 'fhis is tho story. Lady Gerania, daughter of aristocrats, is thrown while out riding, and ia injured slightly. She is carried into Faiyner Wake's house, and, by a lucky chance, Mr. Wake junior, an eminent London physician, is home for a holiday. That starts «tho love interest. The heart of each is sorely smitten, but the lovers arc parted before they discover each other's identity. That comes about in good time in Dr. Wake's consulting rooms at London, but then a fresh problom arises. The lord agrees "to Gerania's marriage with the hero, but just when the nuptials arc in sight the doctor's parents come upon the scene, and their honest homeliness cf1 frights the Earl and Countess of St. Olbyn. Dr. Wake goes home with his parents, and Gerania flees from her mansion. She finds the farmhouse, but her lover unselfishly persuaßes her to return to her pcoplo. At this moment the agitated Earl arrives, and Farmer Woke has noble colloquy with him. Tho yeoman promises that he and his wife will vanish from their son's world if the Earl will only allow the young people to bo happy. The aristocrat is touched, and yielde, without accepting the farmer's sacrifice. Miss Beatrice Day was a canny Lady Gerania. In movement ql face and limb, in voice, she was a girl to. capture a theatregoer's heart and hold "it firm. Once especially she was sublime ; it was when Vv. Wake was teliing his love story. Her lips end cyco sparkled in a way that has through the age excited tho poet to sing. As Dr. Wake Mr. Carter Pickford bore himself in manly manner. He was- just a littje "theatrical" now and then, but he was hearty. Mr. Herbert Flcmming made a very admirable Tarmcr Wake ; he was a yeoman that ono could picture as stepping all alive from many a well-told story. Miss Bessie Major, in the role of Mrs. Wake, was a "lovablo body." They were invited doting parents, and the naturalfies? of their devotion to their son was .something to carry the spectators away. • Mrs. Brough, who was warmly g-reetcd when she first appear-ed, has all her old charm. As the Countess of St. Olbyn she web expected to be an aristocratic lady cf pervva ar.d conventions, caustic, selfish, a' little peevish, end sho was all that easily, delightfully. Mr. Grcgan ■M'Mahon, as Duff Wynterden, nephew of the Ear), had tho part of a "Johnny," whoso heart is better than his clothes. This kind of rolo is^sp often badly over- ■ done that it wss a* relief to see a man " Vho could go through cleverly. Mr. John F. Forjle,, as the Bishop of Sclby, did come bcautifal gesturing and posing. Mi.is Gordon Lee was a likable Harriet Bronfcon. Indeed, the company all round gave a very even performance. "Dr. Wakes' Patient" will reappear tonight, and should prove a popular visitor to the cily. MADAME ARRAL'S CONCERT. It is a fact not easily accounted for—especially when the support accorded in Wellington to other groat artists is remembered — that a singer with the great reputation and extraordinary gifts of Madame Arral should sipg not once only, but repeatedly to a small and select audience and a discouraging vista of vacant seats. It is not as if there was any coldness or lack of enthusiasm on the part of those who attended. Last night's house even surpassod both the others in warm and spontaneous appreciation, many of the audience rising from their seat. 1 ? in the ■ expression of their applause. The\ leading vocal items were "Adieu mon beau Rivage" from Meyerbeer's "Hugenots," tho "Shadow Song" from the same composer's/'Dinorah," Maillarct's "Hermit's Boll," and Thomaa's "Mignon." Other items, including oncores, in which Madame Arral is unusually generous, were a "Polocca," "See How it Sparkles" (Lecocq), "Valso de Venzano," "Sing Me to Sleep," the quaint "Bolero Espagnole," Warney's "Bird Song," ' and Tosti's "Good-bye" — a choice and varied selection, sympathetically and brilliantly rendered. Tho instrumental portions of the programme — the fine solos on the violin by Herr Paans, and on the harp by Signor Torzillo — were alone of sufficient merit to attract lovers of high-class music artistically performed. L>ast night's was. announced as a farewell performance; but it has been decided to hold one move, to-morrow ovening, which no lover of music should miss. The prices have been fixcdl at two shillings and on,e shilling for this occasion, and Madame Arral should receive what she has fully deserved at her previous entertainments — a packed bouse. FULLER'S ENTERTAINERS. The new 'programme which is being produced by the Fuller Company at the Theatre Royal this week has been made ' still more attractive by the addition of the Bicknells, a pair 6f clever dancers, and Miss Annie Cavcndar, an attractive seriocomic linger. The ttkelch work of the Rollos is woll above the average, and Mr. Will StevcßG never fails to TaJse a laugh with his comic contributions. Tho other members of the company acquit themselves with crodit. The piogramme will be repeated this evening. THE BESSES O' TH' BARN BAND. The world famous Besses o' th' Barn Band numbered amongst their numerous triumphs in America an appearance at the Hippodromp, New York. The Hippodrome, it might be explained, is the .Mecca of all musical or theatrical organisations, and an appearance there is the hnU-mork of excellence. , Just as happened in "Chicago, the band J was overwhelmed with enthusiasm. The programme consisted of eight printed items, But the people were so insistent that the performance consisted of no lop than twenty-three numbers ; encore after oncora having to be given. The Bessps astonished tho audienco by their selections from Wagner's "Die Wiekure," X "M&&2S>nnsWP> ' as**. ■"Tpn.nhauyer':

Overtures, but what impressed them by W^iV ot contrast possibly more thap any- * 'thing clsb, was their remarkable performance of the simple hymn tunes. After the rendering *of "Lead, Kindly Light" there is said to have been a clamorous demonstration on the part of the people. The Besses are to inaugurnto their Wellington season at the Town Hr.ll noxt Monday evening. Tho box plans open tomorrow morning at nine o'clock at tho Dresden.