Dramatic And Musical

Free Lance, Volume X, Issue 477, 21 August 1909, Page 8

Dramatic And Musical

By Footlight.

IN the good odd royal days when Geoige 111 reigned 1 it over England, wh«J2 'daughter was a pretty thuig," or even His Most Gnraoious Majesty was assisted to whatevei constituted a legal padded coOH, the 51st Regiment of tie King's Own were quartered at that fashionable English spa, Bath. They had for tlheir guests that histoirical Irish Brigade, the 6tfo (Innuskillings) Bifgianeiit of Dragoons. With the flatter was a Mistress Kitty BelJaiis. Kitty was a young widow, and the daughter of the former coiione] of tlhe InmskiMings. Abo, Kitty was bewitching, and in every way one of the best, truest, most lovable of hear sex. She soon made a conquest of Bath. And all her drings, the dangers into which she ran, and the huimo<rous situations she got into wene admirably presented to the Weflimngiton pmbGic by the Nellie Stewait Company foi the first time at the Opera House last Saturdax evening Tihe house was filled to its utmost, and the crowd sat out the performance in sbeei delight and pleasuiie. That point might even be emphasised, for if there is one diefect in "Sweet Kitty Bellams" it 1s 1 its inordinate "length It commenced at 7.45, and didn't conclude until about 11.20. Thus is unreasonable The pioflogue might very profitably have been excised 'Some .of the dialogue could also be pruned without affecting the merits of the pioce and the imtervalis between tlie acts .might be shoTrten'ed. These features are certainly capable of inipt ovement. Miss Nellie Stewart lias come back to us as piquant and veisatile as ever The pant of Mistress Kitty is one that mak<s tiemendous demands upon the actress It combines the elements of botJi oomedy and tragedy. Furtlheirmore, the changes are so rapid, and require so much, art for their piesentation, that only a skillied and finnshedl artist like Miss Stewart could "hope to make a success of the' role. That she does make a thorough success of it is undoubted. Heir great versatiil!irf;.y, hei vivacity, tenderness, emotional power, and delightful grace are seen at their very best. • • • In two instances Miss Stewart nees to great dramatic heights . The one case is the scene in Verney's chambers, and the other is in the bait-room. When, by means of a taradiddle and of iset purpose, she causes Veraey to cast her off, although sihe blfehte he;r Me's hopes by doing so. All through the play Miss Stewa.it's acting is spfendid, and Mistiess Kitty must be added to the long 'list of Tier artdstic tnumphß. 'Miss Rossiyn Vane filfled the pa,rt of the Inguibr.ous Lady Standish with credit to hu'self. In the latter part of the play, too, her omotionafl! acting w&s of a high standard 1 . Miss Madeleine Meaedojtih. made a moderately successful' Lady Bab Fl'yte. Her acting lacked intensjity, and oainied no conviction with it Tlue other fetminme parts were aiil minor ones. The company is strong on the maJle side. Mr. Langhoinje Burton, one of Mi. J. C. Williamsons latest importations, gave a .reality fine study of the part of Lord Verney. Especially in the more dramatic scenes he showed 'himself to be a fkusiued actor. As Suit Jasper Standash, Mr. Clyde King, oniOtibeT new auivoJ, was aibundantly successful The thurd new artist was 'Mr. Frederick Moyes, who was a pronounced success as Coikmel ViEhers, a typical l Bratish officer of the Georgian period. • • • Messis. Harry Aj&hfoird and Consway Wingfield, as Colonel McFiontan and Captain O'Eara, were thoroughly at home in their parts, but Mr. Tempfer Powell was on the stiff side in the role of Captain Splnoer. The minor roles were adequately fUied 1 . The sstagimig was very fine, particulairly the ballroom scene, and tihe dresses were a source of endless delight to the ladies in the audience. "Sweet Kitty Bel3&irs" is to hake room on Saturday night next for "Sweet Nelll of Old 3>ruTy." * * IT Bengough, the Canadian entertainer, is to open his New Zealand tour at the Wellington Town Hall on Wednesday,

25th August. Bengough lias out same ioe in. Australia of Jlaite, where lie commenced a tour at Sydney,, and met with lnisfciantaneouis success. Seldom has a visiituig artist leceaved such universal piaise from the press as was a/ccoirded His brilliant Oainad^an. Speaking of his enteitaanment, the "Sydney Martnimg Herald" says "crayon, and' comedy" on a Bengough programme miviariablj signify the application of art to the whimisacail. Fnona all reports Bengough is essentially a man.' to be seen Amongst tile haghly-entertainijig pictures si i own on the now pirogi laanane at Fullers' Theatre Royal this week are those of tlhe Internaiti'Oinjal B 3,H'ioio<n Contest pictures, a remaikably and very instructive series BaAlloir>ns a lip seen rising from the ground rand sailing thiough the air. Fiom one, London is seen ■spreadina; far beneath The gjreat "sihips of thie air" cm olio for a time round Trafalgar Squaie and 1 the Strand, and at last doscomd giacefuJly Another fine fi*lm depicts Chinose pastimes, inaPuding + he marvellous bailr anem'g and spinning feats of the CoHestials. • • m Fun and frolic are provided m that film "The Cohens at Oonov Tsland," and the "Puawhestown Stee-pleohase, 1909." "Loggmg in Canada, m Wiaiter" is a splcmd.id fiJm, instructive and entertaining. The scenic aspect of this picture alone is welt worth "^©eirig;. The n&w ciWphone selections inrfude "FatheT O'Plynm." "The Taxicab." amd "A Little Boy en!" a Taps." The FuleT proigramme this week is w-eMI worth a>n evening's visit • • • "The Flag Lieutenant,") wliich mJI bo along as soon as Sydney is pieparod to._ let it go is bright wath deJiiglntfu 1 ! middies, capital sailor men jolly marines, a dgnified but affa.bJie admnia.]), and a- gathering of chi mmg women The oast includes Mr. Thomas Kungstan as the heao, Mr. Cyril Macbay as his friend Mi. G S Tmtheradge ai the admiral and Mi<-k Ethel Waawick and M>ss Doiothv Gnmstnn (specially brought fiom Em gland fen the production). The bevy of briight, winsome girls who are such a feature iaii "Havana" (the newest thing out from "Home"), and who aze known as ' the Flappers," invariably aoinounrie tiioir entramces with the words "Hello, Girls!" though. they are not supposed to be eimpL ivees of phto TeJleph/oaie Exohange, but young ladies whe- have won beauty oompetittone from the newspapers and are touring the wotM as tho result of being possessed of special physical charms They float about m the musical comedy •with a diainty grace, and charm their hearers with their sw^et young voioes. They have cbia/rm*4 London, they nay© charm'P.d New York 'amd now ifbey *pc charming Melbouirn©. A New York paper refeirs to them thus • "Hello, People , HeMo! It's an octet of lissomre, sw<^t- voiced girfis that

sings that to you in Havana.;' and itt'e ■one erf a collection of songs that for sweet music imd catchy swing are faffbetter than anytihimg ,tibat Broadhray has had to offer thorn season. Although not so weffl attended as it doseivrd to be, the unemployed conceit in tie Town Hall on Monday evening raided a sum o± £30. It was m bruth an exceptionally fine concert, and Mr. Win McLiughki is to be congratulated upon its excellence. He put in a vory oonsuderablie amount of time in preparing his orchestra of forty-six perfonmens and tine ir work on Monday evening uas a great musical! treat. • ♦ * Among the vocalists, Muss Olive Mooie scored heavily for her charaning songs, and 'Muss Ruby Burke, from Dunediin, also won much applause. Other notatiJe lteans were Mr. John Pajkor's comet golo, songs by Messrs. E Paike.s Hanortd Widdop R. T. Robeitson, and Masiter GeoiTg© Wynm, a duet by Mesars-. Bobman and F. Hen-di-y, a whistling solo by Mr. B. Gaa--dme-i, jiikl a harp solo by Signor Vitetta. • * • The Wellttngtan. Garrison Band and tlioNeiw ZeaJand Shopkeepers' Association have unidlaciDtedily got together a veiy i.ntpirestiiiig and attractive r>rogi arrume for their combined' concert, to be hdbd m the Town Hall next Tuesday. Apart from tho merit of the Garrison Band the vocal items shonld diaw an cxcellevtr and appreciative aiidience