HUMPTY DUMPTY

Evening Star, Issue 17710, 11 July 1921, Page 2

HUMPTY DUMPTY

DISTINCTLY PICTORIAL.

REMINISCENT OF THE OLD EXTRAVAGANZAS.

“Is it a good ’show?’’ Yes; • one of tho best of the modern, pantomimes. That seems to be the general aiiswer of Saturday night’s audience, and it is an answer that is well justified. If the singing is relatively inconspicuous, that is the only defect, and for it there is p'entiful compensation in every other ingredient. Special praise * must be given to tho company for tho way everybody-speaks up. Nothing that is said or sung need bo missed by those who have errs to hear, except, of course, the words:of the choruses —they never have been, and, seemingly, never will be, audible in any pantomime until the drum is sent back to tho circus. And bo it sot down to the credit of all concerned that this clear enunciation, which may rank as the first point of commendation, is achieved.'not only as the result of thoughtfulness on the part of the actors, but because there is a firm general understanding with the orchestra, which reserves its dominance for tho choruses that audiences have ceased to t:i,ke any interest in.

A very strong point about *Humpty Dumpty’ is the dancing. There is plenty of it, and it is all good. Mr Alec M'Pherson is particularly light and lithe, and has variety; Mr Ray M‘Lean .specialises in' eccentric dunces; Miss Lucy. Sullivan is nimble and can impersonate; Miss Josie Melville is ns airy as a fairy, and brings to date a- lot of knowledge about her art. There are possibilities ahead of this young dancer if she goes on with her study, and keeps in practice. It is quite uncommon to find four solo dancers of rank in a pantomime company, and as the Williamson management has gone to such expense it stands to reason that they are given plenty of business. Patrons w'l also be charmed with the doings of 1’ supporting ballet corps. Pretty well the company seem to be able to use t! ■ feet, but this general competency docs • cloud tho specially good dancing of ab

twenty girls, whoso group performat are a perfect delight. They arc of ago when to dance gracefully is nature and by training they have reached the perfection of elasticity, and move in a body with metronomic precision. The construction of this pantomime is another matter for congratulation. The peepings-in of the story, the gorgeous tableaux, the comedy acta, the vaudeville specialties, and the dances are so well related as to provide continuous variety on Saturday for the space of over three hours, though there was no spinning out with encores, such demands being mostly ignored; and as the varied doings are of good quality—some quite first-class—the audience was kept closely attentive the whole time. For a first night this continuity of interest was such as to cal! for remark. A company must be well drilled and loyal to be able to walk on so soon after travelling and go through a heavy task of kaleidoscope variety without delay or hitch. It was conclusive evidence as to the work put in by Mr Charles A. Wonman, tho producer, and Mr J. 0. Whitfield, the stage manager. Probably the stage manager was vexed with the frequent mistiming of the sounds supposed to be made by falls and blows; but that was tho only irregularity noted by tho audience.

’ Humpty Damply ’ may , further be said to excel in stage appointments. The scenery is all pretty, much of it uncommonly rich, as, for example, the view of Poppyland, and several of the stage changes are made on the principle of the transformations that used to please our grandfathers, though, of couso, modern resources enable such things to be done now much quieter and much wealthier as to color and lighting. The dresses, too, are exceptionally effective. Long or short, fitting or flowing, concealing or revealing, they are all clean, smart, and artistic, obviously designed by experts who have faultless taste and understand color harmonies and contrasts.

The company includes several highlyqualified principals. Miss Beatrice Allen, who comes from England, has the proper • physique for the leading “ boy,” and sho sings acceptably, always taking pains to make meanings clear, whilst her eagerness and unfailing joyousness, unspoiled by tomboyish ways, constitute a rare asset in her resources. Miss Marie Fanchonetti, to whom the most' important singing is has a pleasing voice that' she uses intelligently, without forcing. A nice apprehension of the part of the ingenue and good costumes that become her are aids to this young lady’s success. Sho is certainly not made up young for the occasion. Miss Emmeline Orford impressed the audien-o on her first appearance, as tho mother, and later on, as the giddy Mrs lloofem-Flufem, gave a taste of her quality as a comedienne, this latter impersonation being quite smart and yet not overdone. _ Incidentally it may be remarked that in the nursery scene Miss Orford was | handicapped by having imposed on her‘“a, child ” much too largo and experienced, in ' whose mouth the baby utterances sounded ridiculous. Mr Albert Le Fro, " the dame” of the cast, was an instantaneous i success. Overflowing with fun, he makes j his chief points by putting in the cork at ‘ the moment of effervescence. In other | words, he reverses tho common procedure of spilling out all that he might say, and scores heavily by restraint at the exact point when the imagination of the audience | can carry on. Three or four times during ! tho evening ho had tho stage quite to him- | sc'f for quite a while, and, so abundant . was his variety, that tho audience liked him the more tho more they heard from him. If there has ever been a better ■“dame” it must bo someone who has not come to Dunedin. Mr Edwin Brett is another tower of strength to the cast. He is c versatile actor of rank in low’ comedy Like Mr Lo Fro, he is never so hard u for matter as to be driven to vulgarity, lie represents the best typo of tho English low comedian. His unfailing “business” could, if required, set a shaky show on its ! legs; but this is not a shaky show, and Mr Brett seemed to be playing entirely at his ease. _ .Mr Hector St. Clair, who is making his first appearance here, has a . hard part—that of the idiot comedian. It is difficult to sustain the pitch in such a role. Let it therefore stand to Mr St. Clair’s credit that the audience was laughing at him to tho very end. Others in the cast who deserve mention are Miss May Harris, who gave prettily the song of the shepherdess in the Wedgwood rotunda scene; Miss Ycra Savage, who looked well as the Sorceress; Mr Les Stirling, who impersonated the Chamberlain ; and little Nellie Barnes, a real child who is a born ( comique. The great specialty turn is supplied by j the Lecardo Brothers, who come on as lazy bakers, with very little gear, and do j some amazing acrobatic feats, many of which seem to bo risky. Tho point about these performances is their transparent genuineness Very little of what they do can bo a cheating of the eyes. It is downright clever work. Tho musical director, Mr Robert Kcers, controlled an efficient orchestra that got its best results in tho lighter playing. ‘Humpty-Dumpty’ is to be repeated this evening.