“KATINKA”

Evening Star, Issue 18035, 1 August 1922, Page 5

“KATINKA”

GREAT SHOW FOR DRESSES. PLENTY OF GOOD MUSIC. Our people remember 1 Katinkn,’ and were glad of the opportunity afforded last night of seeing it again. There was a large attendance,, both upstairs and down. So far as one's memory _nmy. bo trusted, , . the current production is quite' comparable to that of April, 1918. in the same house-superior, perhaps, in regard to the ladies’ frocks, the Williamson Mode* having on this occasion excelled themselves jy making a distinctive uuqn.iv ate oosturaes in art designs and new tints, i That the pr6sentatson v now before us does 1 )car a relationship to that of 1918 is quite .‘easonable, seeing that two or three of the alder company are in the later one. Mr Alfred Andrew, who played the cafe manager on the previous visit, is now the itago manager. Air Harry Ralclifte, the Petrov of 1918, is now Arif Bey. Mr Harold Reeves keeps his part of the Por•pr. Otherwise the current cast is fresh. present the two for the purpose of refreshing the memory ; 1918. 1922. Hopper P. Smith W. S. Percy Ivan It. Roberts...... L. Sherras Rons •). Ralston R. Chisholm Petrov H. Ratdiffe... J. Fordo Knopf A. Andrew L. Holland Arif Bey 0. Peacock H. Ratcliff , Abdul S. Odgers G. Conyngham Pierre H. .Reeves Jt. Reeves Auatole G. Brown M. May . Katinka G. MoncriefT... S. Gale Tatiana A Leimavd.... If. Stewart Olga E. Webber R. Dolby . Varenka V. Yorke F. Lusk Airs Hopper...,F. Yduug ,M- Stewart Dancers. K. Downes and J. Sherwood C. Richard a ml T. Moore

As between one cast and the other the patrons may find plenty of matter for .comparison and differentiation. M 9 arc content with the .observation that the first cast was competent and that the second is also competent. Wo miss 'Florence Young, of course, hut that need not be made the occasion of disparaging Miss Mione Stewart, who, by the way, pleased the audience last night by designing the part nf Helen Hopper on quite new lines, thereby evading comparisons and incidentally originating a neat little success. , Miss Stewart has a light touch that got homo at once, and her singing is not merely agreeable, but full of piquancy. Mr Percy, essaying the role of the American millionaire, might have been excused for any shortcomings, since lie was playing it for the first time, and it is a little out of las line; but as a matter of fact lie surprised the audience with his characterisation, tor, though his Thaddeus Hopper is perhaps on the larky side, he was careful to get int as much of the serious business as is necessary for contrasting purposes, and, doing Ins duty in that respect, the audience forgave him the occasional excursions into the broad comedy that is his’ metier—in fact, they much appreciated it, and the duet in the third act between Hopper ami Knopf was singled out for uncounted encores. Mr Percy is so firmly in the good graces of the Dunedin public that he cannot do anything to offend them. If any other comedian so consistently faced the people instead of looking towards the persons immediately addressed on the stage he would bo told about it. Mr Percy can do it and feel quite safe from reproach. It is/die or his many winning ways. This is another way of stating that „ he is by all-round merit secure in the affections of theatregoers. Mr Shcrras played the part of Ivan very quietly—rather diffidently, but that is better than pushing the character too much to the front. The author has created it merely as a counterfoil. Mr Chisholm got the portrait of Boris in all its grimness and with the required pictorial effect, and that was all that he could do except to give,a firm foundation for the concerted music. Mr Holland, from whom a character sketch is always expected, made a hit as the manager of the cafe. He was delightfully flippant and unfailingly comical, and the audience tried to catch every word that he uttered. Mr Ratcliffe’s study of the harem keeper was appropriately brutal and cringing in turn. Miss Gale scored freely as Katinka. The part suits her. She looked very pretty, she with splendid confidence, making a specialty of the pigeon song, and in every way fulfilling expectations. Miss Hazel Stewart, as Tatiana, helped the dramatic action in a small way. Miss Mione Stewf art’s portrayal of Mrs Hopper stands out as one of the features of the acting, and : her singing was full of point. Acknow- ' ■ [edgments are due to the chorus for their Knowledge, their grace, their effectiveness hi singing, and especially their dancing, 1 Dancing is a. prominent constituent of ' ‘ Katinkaand it was made a special study. Miss Sherwood and Air Moore, in their solo dancing, had two great oppor- ’ tunities, and made the most of them. Wo Jikcd the orchestral music very, much when doing legitimate orchestral 'work, in 1 Imht accompanying or in interlude; but when the orchestra was supposed to be i helping the full chorus it often drowned them, drums and cymbals absolutely pre- I' venting a word being distinguishable. We pray for a little easing down to-night ( . when the opera is to be repeated for ihe ; last time.