Dramatic And Musical

Free Lance, Volume VIII, Issue 397, 8 February 1908, Page 11

Dramatic And Musical

By Footlight.

MR. J. C. Williamsons newest oomedy, "Brewster's Millions/ was presented to the Wellington public far the first tune, on Thursday evening, at the Opera House. In its construction, "Brewster's Millions" is refreshingly new an, the realm of brisk oomedy. Its humour is not involved m the usual series of ludicrous situations and extravagant misunderstandings, but based upon, ani improbable enough though simple idea the author lhas built up perfectly humorous situations which are sequential o<n has premises. The whole piece is surcharged with pure and wholesome fun. • • • Montgomery Brewster, Having inherited a handsome fortune from his grandfather, is enjoying life to the full on the stremgth of it, when he learns that an eccentric uncle has left him a 000 l two millions on ooindition that by a given date he shall ha-ve rid himself of his original inheritance and presented himself in London ptaMMless. Montf ornery is to take no on© into his ooindence, and a stringent condition is that he must keep himself free from matrimonial entanglements. • • • Enrolling several triends as his "staff," Montgomery opens an office f rom which to carry on a mysterious business, and sets tx> work to dispose of his fortune. It is necessary for him to spend at the rai^e of £700 a day, but Brewster finds this much more difficult thaai at seemed. Wild-cat speculations into which he throws himself turn out rich money-makers, "dead stiff " horses on. which he puts money win races at heavy odds, tottering banis in which he makes deposits refuse to burst, and various other ex-

pedients all piove disastiously successful. * » • As a last resource, he charters a coal-consuming steam yacht (he should have puichased a battleship of the 'Poweiful" class), and takes his staff and friends, on a cruise in. the Mediterranean. By this time, he has won a imputation as a lunatLc in- piodigaJaty, besides which the restrictions with regaid to matii'mo'iiy threaten to play havoc with a love episode which promised happily up to the time when he received the news of his big fortune. On the Italian coast the staff and fi iends mutiny, to save him from the consequences of his extiava.gance, but a timely storm causes the breakdown of the steamer, and her rescue bv another \ essel absorbs in salvage claims the last instalment of his means. • • • Finally, Montgomery Brewster gets to London with all the qualifications requisite for the claiming of the two millions, but then the unexpected and unprecedented return of a loan puts him to the necessity of disposing of £10,000 within two minutes However, Monty finds a way out, and a delightfully hilarious play finds a humorous and happy ending The famous yacht scene, with its lealistic picture of a storm at sea, referred to in our notes last week, is enough of itself to insuie the greatest success for the piece. • • • Apart from the thiee principal parts in the cast, the other characters serve merely as a background for the work. Monity Brewster is, of course, the focussing point of attraction, and in this character Mr. Thomas Kingston gives a very fine performance. His prodigality with his cash is glorious to contemplate. There is no touch of eccentricity in his attempts to rid himself of his great wealth, but a level-headed and eager application to the task. But the developments of success where he had courted failure bring about the most comical effects. • • • Miss Nellie Calvin (Peggy Gray, the sweetheart of Brewster) is both natural and effectively pretty in her representation of the part, whilst Mrs. Robert Brough, as the society leader, Mrs Dan De Mille, who chaperon es the- Brewster parties, is excellent i.n her work Mr. Gegan McMahoni is very clever amongst those of Monty's staff who' endeavour to save Brewster from himself by thwarting his extrava-

gajit undertakings, and the various other parts are capably sustained. "Brewster's Millions" will be continued until Thursday evening next. The booking is at the Dresden. » • • The Pollard Juvenile Opera Company concluded a highly successful season in Wellington on Saturday evening last, when "The Isle of Bong Bong" nas presented at the Opera Bouse. The whole performance was well up to the best standard set here by this sterling juvenile company. • • • The present is practically a farewell week around at Fullers' Theatre Royal, so many of their artists are on foir their last nights in. Wellington,. And they are giving joist their very best, which means a big lot. The loleens. those clever wire-walkers and sharp-shooters, who defy every known rule of carriage and deportment, to say nothing of gravitation., etc., amaze the spectators with their dexterity and skill. The twin sisters, Lucas, after a most appreciative run, are up to their final performances, and m their pretty dancing song, "Bike and Basket Chair," they are going out in a veritable triumph of applause. • • • A. L. Cropp, the Dominion' basso, still holds the fort. There is no talk of his going away. Wellington won't hear of it. Meanwhile, he opens his little account o' nights with "Down in the Deep," which puts the crowd up in. the clouds with sneer delight of appreciation. Then comes a couple of encores, and Bob Lloyd, who never gives more than six encores on principle. He does the six ojl the score of interest, and the crowd make a nightly run on Lloyd's bank of comic songs. • • • Madame Blanche Carelli is as gOod is ever. Her song, "To-night," is a very excellent one, and the crowd just jubilate when this fine soprano is on, the boards. Salmon and Chester are on again, with "The Lighthouse- Keeper's Daughter," and they get their accustomed good hearing. AMan Shaw, the com manipulator, is doing well, and we shall regret his going?. Never mind, Tod Calloway isn't thinking of moving on just yet, and he's a host of amusement in himself. NeHae Power, the dainty serio, is collecting her hats though, to move on, and the Wellington Fullers' audience weep about it, especiaJly because she's taking "The Big Black Hat." Watts and Lucas con-

elude a splendid bill with their Irish comedy, canto ritcxn, and dancing acts. • • . Herr Max Hoppe announces in another column that his classes for instruction in the violin, are to be resumed forthwith. The splendid assistance given to musical advancement oai Wellington, together with his own great skidH as a violinist, make Herr Hoppe' an ideal and popular teacher, ajiid new pupils are coming forward in numbers for his class thdsi year. He will be in attendance at his rooms to enirol pupils on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, and on Saturday morning.

We beg to acknowledge receipt from the compiler, Mr. Francis Harrison, of "The New Zealand Law List and Legal Directory," for 1908. The work is a compendium of a most useful nature to tie legal fraternity, and the get-up of the book is creditable alike to the editorial and publishing Hiitihorities.