DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

Free Lance, Volume XIV, Issue 692, 4 October 1913, Page 12

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.

By Footlight.

JC. WILLIAMSON, Ltd's, Royal •"■■■. Comic • Opeca Company opened its . .Wellington season at the Opera' House last Monday evening with "The Quaker Girl" to an overflowing, audience. And that is the sort~of business it- has been doing - ever since. Wonderful'•' how attractive a, demure-little Quakeress can- be I This young lady certainly possesses much charm, and from, a sordid box office point of view should not regret having paused '- a while hereabouts just to show us exactly why she escaped .from the strict Quaker fold and what a good time she - spent in; Gay Paree. .✓ It is a bit of a 'hurdle from a> goody-goody Quaker home to naughty : Paris, but they surmount little obstacles like that in comic opera without the use of step'ladders or a leg-up or such other super? fluities. ;<• Prudence, the front name of this adventurous young' does not belie >her name. She is a discreet young woman, despite the attentions of a princeling and a Minister of : State, both of whom —on hearsay evidence only - —have appalling reputations, though 'you wouldn't believe it. But the strain must have been too much for Prudence,, for she falls into the .arms of the first, chap who happens along-lib pop the question. .'•■ " •■'.'•'- '■'. ..'■•* .■-■• -*•-•*--#■" ■» These promising ingredients are welded into what is for modern comic opera a passingly good story; embellished by • some— r-nai too many—melodies, while 'the- chorus casually looked ij now and least three or four *imes—and- ■; ■ luted- up its united voice. • Altogether, the proportion of song, story, and the usual tomfoolery is fairly evenly divided: . And so the lion comique and the leading lady have much the same chances. Just as "The Merry Widow" has her famous waltz song and "The Chocolate Soldier" his "My Hero" tune "The Quaker Girl" 'has her "Come to the Ball,""a refrain guaranteed to keep everybody whistling it for days afterwards. Other musical numbers also bidding for popularity in. the score are "O Time, Time," "A Qua- v - ker Girl," "The Bad Boy and the Bad Girl;'' "Thereabouts " and "The Dancing Lesson," with its "Take a Step. Take" a - Step'''ragtime syncopation. "The Quaker Girl" is spread over three acts. The first "is set in the Sabbath calm of an English Quaker village, next is the jump to Paris, where you are plumped down in the vepy midst of Madame Blum's fashionable dressmaking salon. This is a well-carried-out scene, the array of models and' display of millinery all contributing- to a costumier's realistic showroom,where all sorts of unbusinesslike things were continually happening, but nobody wonders and no one minds. Another admirable scene was the Wine Gardens scene just outside Paris, in the third act, where there are more frivols. » ♦"».»' The present company is-well up to the Koyal Comics' standard, except that the ladies completely overshadow the male talent. With Misses Grace Palotta, Olive Godwin, Blanche Brown," Jessie Lonnen, Billie Barlow, etc., all in 7 the one cast, the company is ' particularly strong. The most able of the other sex are Messrs. Jack Cannot and. .Leslie Holland. The outstanding performance of all is Miss Grace Palotta s Madame Blum. Miss Palotta is the life and soul of the piece, and she lifts her part of the jolly but excitable French costumier right out of the ruck, and makes it both. N a living and the leading character. Miss Palotta makes full use of her foreign accent, even going so far as to employ it to introduce some clever by-play. She, . as usual, looked charming—ner least difficult effort —and laughed her way through the. three ..acts without tiring. When the .vocal items were being handed round by the composers, Madame Blum must have been measuring a fashionable Parisian demoiseSs for a new tailor-made, for she has been com-s, pletely overlooked. Still, it matters little, for Miss Palotta has stronger points than reaching for top notes. » * * * As Prudence, the coy Quaker girl, Miss Blanche Brown was also nicely cast. She simulated the demure little Quakeress very daintily and shyly, and though she has no very pretentious voice, she trilled her vocal numbers very sweetly, and. moreover, in her solo dance in the . third act showed she can trip the light fantastic very gracefully. For this she scored the encore of the evening, even taking the sparkle out of the muchboomed champagne dance by Miss

Vera Pearce and Mr. Leslie Holland. Another popular. favourite, Miss Olive Godwin, also was very pleasing as Princess Mathilde, and carried off principal musical honours. In fact, 6he is the only song-bird in "The Quaker Girl" of any special "note." Miss'Billie Barlow is so completely lost and subdued as {Rachael Pym that it takes a search warrant to place her. She gets her share of the limelight later on.' Miss. Jessie Lon- . nen showed up well as the candid Phoebe, the pretty maid who unaccountably sweethearted with the inconstant' Jeremiah. ' ■ ' .-* * » ' • ♦ Of- the men, Jack Cannot was very successful as* Jeremiah, the flirting, backsliding Quaker. He was the fun-pro-vider-in-chief,and mostly had the houserocking with ' laughter. Leslie ' Holland scored as Tony Chute, the easy winner of the fascinating little. Quaker girl. He also contributed a share to the fun. The Prince Carlo, who, presumably, was supposed to be.a species of Boyal fc-nut, of Mr. Edmund Sherras was a very anaemic sort of a fellow. He should *put more ginger into it. His voice was but a mediocre baritone, and he scarcely made the most of the > vocal items that fell to his little lot. Mr. - Frederick -Reade, as Captain Charteris, acted with more spirit, Jmt his singing voice seem- . Ed to stick in his Adanrs apple. Alfred Andrew made the most of Monsieur Larose—"the man with the limp." And the unusually large list of subsidiary, roles were all more or less adequately represented. - # " » * »';.'■ The-big Gaiety production. "The Sunshine' Girn"xWill replace "The Quaker ■ Girl" on Monday night next, and.renorts state that it is',one .'of-the very brightest and merriest musical plays in the Royal Comio a Opera . Co.'s repertoire. It is brimming over with catchy .music, clever comedy, and the dresses and scenery are a special feature of the representation. -».'*■•'■»' * "Miss Hook of Holland," which is to be staged here by J. G. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company on Thurs- , day and Friday next week, is packed with delightful musical gems, including the famous "Bottle" chorus. The fun of the piece is provided by Leslie Holland in his inimitable interpretation of Mr. Hook, which.he portrayed with success in the original London production, and Mr. Jack Cannot, who is said to be screamingly funny as Slink. Miss Olive Godwin is at her best as Sally Hook, and the other favourites are ako seen to advantage. ;"'*.•■.-;*/._* * Of educated quadrupeds we Have seen a-many; but surely never has there beeo gathered together before such a,,coheo-~ tion of highly trained animals as is now to be seen at His Majesty's. Take one ./trick alone. Herr Schepp writes figures on a board, which, though the dog does not see, he barks a corresponding number of times. In the same way he does small additions, such as two and four make six barks. The ponies perform graceful evolutions with monkeys as their riders, and one of answers various questions by nodding or shaking his head or by stamping his feet as arranged. A sensational act is that of Jenny the monkey, who climbs up a rope fixed to the top of the auditorium, and from there jumps to the stage, to bt caught in the arms of her clever trainer. Truly, the whole thing is a marvellous exhibition of animal intelligence- * « * " * Esmeralda, another new comer, is possibly the finest xylophonist ever heard here. Her operatic selections were a revelation of harmonious music, which only* extreme dexterity makes possible. Esmeralda meets with a great reception nightly, being recalled three and four times to play popular ragtime and oldtime melodies. Neil Cant, the Scottish . comedian, is a braw Hielant laddie, who carries the tartan well, has a fine voice, and a good choice of the songs that Harry Lauder v has made so popular. His impersonations'of different male and female vocalists are also very fine. Zif, the lightning caricaturist, keeps the iaudience laughing, all the time they_ are not applauding, with clever drawings, and his joking comments: on same. Jessie Wilton, an English comedienn&, has completely captured the Wellington audiences with her "Sing me a song o' Scotland," and her vocal assurance that "all the girls are lovely at the seaside." Doris TyndaU, another English importation, is a clever male imersonator, with a remarkable baritone voice. *»»*'-■ James Marcel, of Marcel and Bell, a new star turn for His Majesty's next Monday, is, one of the few living men, if not the only man, who cannot call his body his own. His thoughts, his soul, his pleasures, and his pains—and his salary—are his, but his body belongs to another, not only while he is living, but after he is dead. He has sold it —sold it outright, just as he would sell his watch. A medical college in New York has signed a contract to pay Marcel £1000 a year for ten years, or, if he dies before that time, to pay what is unpaid of the £10,000 to his nearest relative. » » » » Before Marcel may move from one city to another, he must notify the college of

the transfer of its property. . When, he dies the property is to be taken to the medical college. This agreement was entered into shortly after the "wonderful Frenchman went to America, and while he was creatinga sensation at.the famous New York JELippodrome as "the anatbmical enigma." "Some say I am triplejointed," he says, "and others,reckon that I haye no bones. . Some-say my bones are very elastic or very soft like the—what you call it?—the gelatine." -"» * - * » The Empress Theatre this week has been living well up to its reputation as . a popular provider of the latest-and best . in picturedom, with a programme of movies that was bound to please. With a keen eye to the fitness of things, "The Wreck of the Veronese" was. included. There was no fake about this pictureit was all too true—and what with the Devon and Tyrone, piling up their bones tin our rugged coast but recently, it-was very seasonable. The film showed clear views of the big vessel lying helpless at the mercy of the waves, and the rescue of the passengers and crew per the lifeline. , ■ . - » »■' * * Among the ever-popular photo-plays screened was "From out" the Pastj an Aquilla drama in two chapters, telling of a young man who sold some State papers for filthy lucre. Years after he threatens to expose in the interest some swindle in which a former accomplice is concerned. He redeems himself by carrying out his threat even at the risk of exposing himself. Elaborate dressing made the picture doubly interesting for the feminine eye. "Indian's. Appreciation" was an exciting Lubin drama, remarkable for some clever horsemanship. "I Was Meant.- for You," an intense. A.B. drama, "Three to One," a ticklish spasm featuring a couple of Vitagrapb" heavy-weights of even greater proportions than the inimitable John Bunny, "Come Leben Leben," 'a negro comedy, and "A Ramble through Sicily," a Pathe cinemacolour, completed the bill. - * * * * The special feature for the week-end programme at the Empress Theatre is a clever Edison drama, entitled "When Shore and Water Meet," containing a plot that grips and holds you to the last flicker. Supporting it is the usual generous offering of-choice subjects, including "The 'Girl from Cabaret/' featuring a clever child actress. * * *-*•''■' Mr. Frederic Shipman has earned the gratitude of the people in "the Colonies" by introducing Lillian Nordica, one of the World's Queens of Song. Of course, she is not exactly in her youthful prime, for 26 years have now elapsed since the young cantatrice from Maine, U.S.A., made her first appearance in London. But the American diva's silvery voice wears well, and her technique is still as admirable as ever it was. The three concerts given in the Town Hall on Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday, were altogether delightful, and, I am pleased to be able to add. were well patronised. . * * ' * * •"' Madame Nordica has a charming personality, and. has preserved her ngure - much better than most prima donnas, whose tendency is to put on flesh. She was strikingly costumed, and gems flashed brilliantly from torso, head and neck. Some people don't like her stage manner; they say it lacks repose. So it does, but I confess to liking the drama-, tic action she puts into her songs. It reveals the lyric actress, and shows that the singer is merging herself in the sentiments to which she is giving artistic expression. * ».■».» Nordica's voice is of great range; like a silver bell in its clearness, rich in quality, and remarkably full and round in the high register. Its power ..was . shown in the high fortissimo note, with; which the romance from "Madame Butterfly" .was closed on Thursday night, and more convincingly still in Brunnhilde's "Battle Cry." Her technique came out to great advantage in the song "When Cherries Bloomed," full of tender nuances and ending -with _a lovely pianissimo shake -, for which the diva received a storm of applause. There were passages, however, in other num-i bers when the singer was not quite in tune and when the artiste was not at her best. But they were transientspots, 6hall I say, on the sun? The gen- ' eral effect N was excellent. Besides the I have mentioned, Madame Nordica sang Schubert's "Erl King" in a highly dramatic manner, and joined with that SDlendid French Canadian tenor, M. Paul Dufault. in Bemberg's impressive "Ballad of the Desperate." - * * * * On Saturday night" Madame Nordica opened with a. triolet of lyrics, daintily sung, and finished with descriptive songs by Jensen ("By Manzanares") and Schumann ("WaldesgeßTjrach'O.which broueht into display her dramatic powers. The gem number, however, was the striking aria, "I am at Last Alone,'* from "The Queen of Sheba." It was beautifully - sung, and in response to the inevitable encore we had "The Sweetest Flower that Blows." The duet by Madame Nordica and M. Dufault was by Hildacuv

"Now Thou art Mine," a piece of no — special, merit. It would nave pleased - the audience infinitely better to havahad an operatic piece from the vast - store-house of masters of music. Haw x is it that professional concert-singers booften choose the haveheard reasons assigned for it. . >. ••--.*' - * .*'- *; ■■'■•■*.. Paul' Dufault.is one of the most accomplished concert tenors we hare ever - had in New Zealand. His manner is re- - fined, his voice is a tenor'of • very sweet quality, capable of the" softest nuances-. as well as of strong and passionate declamation. The variety of his-expres- v sion, and the clearness with which he - enunciates his words, proclaim the finished artist. His French songs are gems-. ' of purest ray serene. His English' soncsare nearly as fine. M.Dufault was a heavycontributor to the programme, for, like JNordica, all his songs were encored. The " - aria from.Massanet's "ad," the song from '-'Mignon," and Harriet - Wares "Boat Song," cannot easily heforgotten. On Saturday Jiight his bestefforts were "Answer," by, Robyn, "TheSecret," by Scott, and. "Le Sais Tu"" (Massenet). .. : . ! Besides its two notable singers. theconcert company comprises a highly accomplished \young violinist in Mr. • Franklyn. Holding, whose every number was encored, and a very sympathetic accompanist m Mr. Romayne Simmons. The violinist's execution of Wahelmi'*setting of the "Prize Song," from"Die ■'■ Meistersinger," was a " great treat on Saturday night: As for. the accompan— ; . " ist, he is-really a tip-topper.' ..'.;* #. -■« •*'...' Tuesday night's concert fittingly closed the series. It will Bfe- remembered • for the song from "Tristan and Isolde " sung by Nordica, and for "Celeste Aida ,r " and ,"Au Pays" by M. Dufault. ."*'.* *■ ■ *■' *• Madame Butt and Mr. Rumford be- ■'■•'' fore leaving Melbourne, entertained" themembers of the Quinlan Grand OperaCompany to a supper party at the Savoy Cafe. It was said that the evening costthe Butt-Rumfords £250. • • *--■*"■•• *■..■»•■.■-'•;_.... Miss Mina Caldow, Wellington's very;own contralto,. who has been with much success in England for some- - time past, is now on her way out, and_ ls expected to arrive, in a couple ' of weeks time She has been engaged assploist for the-Royal .Wellington Choral - Society's "Messiah" concert. in December. . . * * - * * ■•"-.''. A rousing patriotic note, guaranteed. to set all true Britishers singing "RuleBritannia," etc. ; is 6truck at the KingV Theatre this week with a first-rate film ' entitled "Our King's Navy." It is a: grand review of Britain y s floating ironmongery at Portsmouth, from super- "• Dreadnoughts to the mosquito fleet of submarines, torpedo destroyers, etc. Especially" up-to-date and interesting were -the views of the hydroplanes, shown aßthey took wing from the deck of the battleships and afterwards as they hover menacingly overhead. The supporting: pictures were also well worth seeing, including views of the-wreck wrought by that big earthquake at the very appro-priately-named town of Tirnova, Pathc and New Zealand topical gazettes, some' • pretty scenes in_ picturesque Yokohama, : •a fine Napoleonic ' drama, entitled "His Life for his Emperor," and a couple of very funny comedies. *■ .* * * * . . Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerley Rumford open their Wellington season at the' Town Hall on Thursday even-, ing next, October 9th, and concerts vnll also take place on the 11th and 14th. This company includes William Murdoch, the brilliant young Australian pianist, Mr. Mowat Carter, the Sydney violinist,, who has been studying in Brussels, and Mr. Harold Craxton, accompanist. * —* * * One thing that has been remarked about the brilliant contralto, Madame Clara .Butt, is the perfection of her ac- . cent. -Madame Butt, however, is not only an exceptional singer of her -own tongue, but renders both French and German with a very good accent. It is said that an old German baroness. go : ng up to the contralto, whispered," "You must be German, my dear.- You sine German so beautifully." Well,. we shall hear what Mr. Focke has to say about ✓ it in.a few days now; also Mr.'Wollerman.

Mr. Charles Archer's • company c Uramatic Students,' ;.at present doine ~grand tourof tne suburbs, gave a credil ..,- able.peffornlance of 'George'Sloane's xc '- : '< l ™^';2S^/P^V-^araii-tl»e.-?Gipay.' '.:'.• at ./the- Parish Mall, . Johnsonvihe, las week, to af ml house. Miss Maisie Clay ■'". *° n ». as Zarah, and Mr. Archer, as Phili; , •Urmiston, gave convincihg proof of thei ♦ histrionic ability, and they were wel supported by tne rest/of the students ' In© scenery also came in for its^.ful ; measure of appreciation, : especially th< -moonlight •"■ view of .Waterloo Bridg< '-■■•.- and London, by night. '•■■ ''"'';•'. : ■■'*:' i %"•.: ■'"*''.'■*-. '• ; ' ■»>r^ ie x €ata * n Australia is reported, a i ;: i lUc^,L^ a &Qst favourite ai -,-.J>. JHulera iheatre Royat vaudeville shon a year ago. i- * *.»'»'. tit a Prospectus of the newly-formec Melbourne Xteylight Pictures Company. .:'. it is.stated that the profit made by th< ; combine in-Australia out'of the "Que ... * Vadis?" film was £20,000. . *■'"• '"*''"'' " :: '"' .-■'.•'■"» "; * ••"■.'•■»,: .••■-..' '•' "■ : 'v>i & 'PpMy Castles (sister of Miss Am\ '~, -Castles) became most popular -in "Th€ ; .Sunshine Girl" in "America, and has now r i .gone into vaudeville in New York. "'"{ ','■-'•' ■'■': .''••■:'•■"*'' "*:""' ' •'*' '.■'.'*'--•;■■" • ''- " •/■'- "Joseph and His"Brethren';'' the play u 1 wnicn Miss Maxine iiuiott recently ■ . refused to be earned ott the * stage by real negroes, and burnt-cork white act--ors were substituted, is to be produced in Australia, by J. u. Williamson, Ltd. .0 , It will be staged on a lavish scale. . .'*. •, '"'*'■■'■ .'*'■■-: ;■* " '■■ , One of tne. latest dramas io be re- ' iiashed -in. cinematograph form is Hall ~; ; s Gaine's "Tne Christian," , wnich, how- ; ever, never was a yery delectable play. ' ine part of Glory Quayle was taken by r i ' Miss Viola. . The name of the impersonator of the all-too-human John. Storm -, is not given. - , , "■'.. >. . . j ' A good violin is supposed to live for a .;.. century or two at least, but according to a violinist who has been appearine in i vaudeville in Australia, its life is a very '-{ finort and merry "one if the popular rag- : , time is played upon it. This is not sur^ i ; prisin^-—ragtime, would . wear anything j ; put. This artist a year ago was present^ ',{':■ ;'.- a costly violin by the San-Fran- .!'..-:■'< Cisco. Musicians' Union as a prize for playing the most notes in one sweep of . the.jbow in. a ragtime competition; Tc£ ;. day, it is a physical .wreck through the action of the bow strking the body of ; ■ ~ the instrument. As for strings, he has ; to buy them by the ton. • , . !■•-.. •.■';;'.•" ■;■;•'■ ;■'.»■.''■■.■•*■•'.-.'■».■ '-.■# •;'•■■'.'•';. 1 1 .----.. ... They.-■ have-' an interesting invention , in London called the Kinoplastikon. By this new., arrangement figures not only talk without a semblance of the graimv phone whirr noticeable in the Kaneto- - phone, but by some means' they- 1 are . given BtereoecopioreUef, and attain an appearance of tangibilit|y. Furthermore, they are'biograpbedin JSonemacolour, and the person who' sees' them is ready . to swear that he is looking upon real ,'... flesh and blood. • Becently a scene from the popular revue, "Everybody's It," was tried, and the,critics.who wit- . nessed it owned that they had never considered anything like it. But that they knew-that the characters were mere phantoms of light and colour,. they would have gone ,up and shaken hands .and congratulated them upon the performance. ■ <- • "Dan, the Drunken Dog." who earned ; a big reputation on th© Fuller circuit a while ago by his quaint impersonation of a beer soaker, has a rival in "Carlo,?' who is appearing at present in Australia. Carlo ia one of the best performers in - Menan's company of dog actora. al- . though he plays only a small part in the piece they produce—"A Spout Honey- ' moon." In this the dogs tell a simple story of domestic tragedy, 'wherein the lover of a newly-married bride is shot dead by the husband. Carlo provides most of the comedy relief by his antics when he gets inebriated. The clever animals go through the whole of the per- - ••■... formance without a single human being ♦appearing on the stage. ..■•». ■*'■ ■•" » "Willie Percy is appearing in Sydney as Simplicitas in a revival of "The Ar'cadians" by the Williamson New Comic Opera Company. Percy's Simplikatas , should not lose by comparison with that of; William "Cromwell, the originator of. the part in Australia. The Quinlan Grand Opera Company closes its Melbourne season next Thursday. Sydney is anticipating her torn of . the feast of grand opera by rushing the • box office. '•.-■-.■-.. "..;..•.■■•••»•■■»■.'».» . m Owing to arrangements -• for future tours, which were concluded by - cable received in Melbourne by Mr. ~ Thomas Quinlan a few days ago, it will be,.impossible, for the Quinlan Opera Company to re-visit Australia before 1915. v

Mimd Alkn; the young dancer in the left-off clothing,business, wh6 got a hie ; ad. on the cheap through India's cabled press criticism of her' tour of the East, is on a world's tour, and will presumably " mclude New Zealand in her itinerary, stated that the saiary which has induo- ;« f^ r to visit this part of the world is or the usual fabulous proportions. ' ;••' •;._ While_3jtelbourne is enjoying the big 'L' _T* -Williamson pantomune of "The Thieves" at Christmas, Sydney audiences will be witnessing the first revue presented in' Australia. This is entitled "Come Oyer Here," and will be transferred from the London Opera ilouse.. It is crowded with spectacular •features, and will include a number of attractions. introduced to make it of topical interest to .Australians. Bv its wide range of features and incidents toits gorgeous costuming, 'scenic splendours, and magnificent stagine and mounting generally, "Come Over" e r ?i "calculated to please playgoers or all tastes. . • ■ "''.'■'•* ■ » ■ *' »■' " Something went wrong the other nigfit with the water, installation which- works -toe realistic rainstorm in "The Fortune Hunter" at-the Theatre Royal, S&i! ■PPJJ™«v « did not rain, but it'poured* - and the torrent of water refused-to stbp7 lhe result was that the water 'overflow--ed under the stage, and streamed over ' the men> working the -gas tahksj-which supply the.limehghtsr and fairly-deluged them. They, had ■to remain at their posts, so Waterproofs were requisitionedi' anc] in the drenching;-• downpour -'they continued; 'Meanwhile, -the scene-shifters,' "property,- menf; and - Others - v engaged on-the stage, :put on their' over- s coats,; and cleared, the while' 1 the ' mechanical ; ,sta£F, ehvelopeT in'■ oilskins ' borrowed fronf; the fife brigade; complex ed repairs which enabled the water to -/ be turneol'bff.' : : :■;■ ' '<. ; -