DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 799, 22 October 1915, Page 10

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

By Footlight.

" Damon and Pythias." THIS fine feature film, now being screened in Wellington at the People's Picture Palace for the first time in New. Zealand, is the second string to Frederic Shipman's how. The firsts "Neptune'.s_ Daughter," established a New Zealand record for length.of season, and "Damon" is now going strong, and bids fair to enjoy a most successful run. The picture-story of "Damon and Pythias," taken from the days when the Greeks were decidedly closer in their friendships than they are proving to-day is such that, after having seen it, one feels much better for the experience. Indeed, it is most interesting to review this ennobling story of the friendship of Damon and Pythias (or, rather, Pluntias, "to give him his proper name), in the light of more up-to-date events. 'Tis a pity Bang Constantine, the figure-head of our Greek contemporaries, is riot sustaining the best traditions of his race to-day. * • # • * * "Damon and Pythias" is by the same producers as the Annette Kellerman film—the Universal Company. It is a sumptuous photo-stoi-y» - reproduced on a most extensive scale. Hundreds of people take "part in it. Amongst the bigger scenes are the attack and the repulse of the Carthagenians and the crowded amphitheatre at which are assembled the multitude to witness the chariot races, etc. The > acting is excellent, even to the real big tears that Calanthe sheds when Pythias leaves her to keep a pressing appointment with Damocles—he of the sword and the executioner's block.? It only remains to state that the photography is first-class and the pictures particularly clear, completing a tip-top performance.. The film is running continuously night and dav at the P.P.P. until further orders. Be sure and see it —and take the youngsters with you —"before it is withdrawn. A moderate tariff prevails. * * * * the Girl in the Taxi.'' It puzzles most people to discover the reason for the title of the Williamson English Musical Comedy Company's opening production, "The Girl in the Taxi," but the important point for Opera House patrons is that the production has a very acceptable snap and "go." The principals know their busi- : ness so well that the ancient kind of plot—rwhich. has nothing to do with, a taxi—surprises and amuses like a joke just out of the box. The story "centres around the adventures of a Parisian family and their friends. One of the characters gives his o;;i;:":bn that there are two classes of upper-tun —the "upper" class and the "supper" class. The comedy has to do with the "supper" class, who live a decorous life while the sun is up, but enjoy lively limes incognito when really decorous people are asleep. As they all do it without each other's knowledge, and eventually frequent the same resort simultaneously, the experienced sampler of farce will understand how complications pile up to a mild climax in Act 11. The third act is devoted to clearing up the mischief, and her© we have some fresh and clever work. * * * * Suzanne, the wife of Mons. Pomarel, a provincial scent manufacturer, wins a virtue prize, but also manages to shine among the "supper'' class. Miss Dorothy Brunton played Suzanne delightfully, with vivacity and abandon. Some - tuneful' and catchy vocal numbers suited her light soprano voice, and she made a very pleasing impression. Wellington patrons became acquainted for the first time with a very finished artist, Mr. C. H. Workman, who proved in less than five minutes his capacity for first-class comedy. He is the doting hubby of the virtuous Suzanne, "like a child in plain clothes, but a tiger when in uniform." Mr. Workman contributed, by his clever characterisation, in no small measure to the success of the piece. "The Happy Marriage," a duet with Miss Brunton. was one of his best vocal efforts. * ' * * * Plenty of scope for mirth-making is found in the part of Baron Dauvray, a member of the Academy, in ordinary life a tiresomely proper person, but after 11 p.m. "an old dog." Mr. W. H. Rawlins hit off the fraud in the hapmest sort of style. "Hugh Huntley did good comedy work as a son of the Baron, who, during the wild .' (evening's , a/d ventures {whifch make up the story, takes his first plunge into

the gay vortex. The part required careful acting, and was convincingly played. Mr. Paul Plunkett, a tenor, in, the role of a gay lieutenant, was another capable contributor to the musical enjoyment, and Field Fisher and Chris Wren did good low comedy business as waiters. Miss Cecil Bradley, as a daughter of the Baron, sang sweetly. The bright musical features did more than .anything else to sustain interest in the thin plot. The company includes some clever dancers, and as the principals are all up to a good standard in comedy and vocalism, the succeedingitems in the season's programme should continue to draw large well-pleased au- ; diences. * * * * "High Jinks," which takes up the running, this (Friday) evening in place of "The Girl in the Taxi," is claimed to be one of the best musical comedies staged hereabouts for many a day. It is said to abound in musical numbers of no ordinary quality. What is described as one of the best and most* popular is the duet, "Not now, but later," sung by Dorothy Brunton and Paul Plunkett. "High Jinks" runs for four nights, and for the last two nights of the season "The Girl on the Film" will flicker across the stage. * * * * Vaudeville Herbert Brooks, the star attraction at His Majesty's lihis week, has Wellington completely baffled with his 20,000 dollar trunk mystery and his card tricks. Even the knowing ones have no solution to offer to the general query, "How is it done?" In his trunk, trick this "wizard" is more thorough and mystifying than the general run of his predecessors. His trunk is a solid steel affair, and he himself, in full view of the audience, is packed inside it, like a sardine in a tin. The trunk is then enveloped in a stout canvas bag, laoed and knotted and finally roped by volunteers from the stalls. Notwithstanding all this tying up, he effects his escape inside two minutes— but this time not in full view of those in front. His best card trick is the one in which he halves a pack of cards, placing each half in each of his trouser pockets, and, at the request of the audience, he produces any card. Some wag asked for the twelve of diamonds, and it was at once produced. Marvellous ! * * * * Amongst innumerable other performers bn the bill, the Do-Re-Mi Trio, just returned after a few years' absence, deserve the applause they regularly receive for their diverting musical comedy turn. Altogether, a bright and entertaining programme. * # * * " Sons of Satan." The best goods are in the window at the Kind's this week. "Sons of Satan,''the leading line, is an .exciting detective story from the practised pen of the English novelist, William Le Queux. It is a departure from conventional lines, in the fact that the desperate criminal who has to be hunted down is a famous detective, and that the chief agent in his exposure is a stage manager who turns detective for the purpose. _ It is_ an exciting enterprise, for the villain is wonderfully clever in disguising himself, and his office is full of hidden trans, secret lifts, shifting walls, and other mechanical devices for snaring the unwary and affording sudden escape to the owner. Burglary, blackmail and abduction are bis favourite operations, but the theft of the Earl of Littleborough's family jewels, and the attempt to fasten the crime upon the young actress to whom the Earl's

son is betrothed proves the scoundrel's undoing, and the long arm of justice grips him at last. The story passes through many sensational episodes, and the audience gets sufficiently thrilled before the climax is reached. Pathe'.s European Gazette is exceptionally interesting this week. The Czar is seen at close hand inspecting his guards, the Russian destroyers are shown at work in the Baltic, and French and British military views are also given. California's thermal wonders at Yellowstone Park form the scenic, and remind one of Rotorua's geysers. The humorous element is amply furnished by "John Bull's Sketch-Book" -and "Beppo, the Barber." For next week the top-liner i s a powerful society drama, called "When It Strikes Home," and "A Trip on the River Clyde" is a scenic that is bound to prove highly attractive. * * * # " Elijah." Everything points to a most successful performance of Mendelssohn's great oratorio by the Wellington Royal Choral Society on Thursday next week in the Town Hall. The soloists include some of the best talent that the Dominion can offer. Mrs.- Gower Burns, of Christchurch, and Miss Lankshear, of Wellington, are- the soprano soloists, Miss Mina Caldow is the contralto, Mr. Martin Duff, of Dunedin, tenor, and Mr. John Prouse, baritone. Master Rodney Pankhurst will sing the youth's part. __ The grand, organ will also lend its voice to the performance, assisted by the full strength of the orchestra. This will be the first production of the society conducted by Mr. Bernard Page. # # * * . The Wellington Liedertafel has determined, in common with similar bodies in Australia and New Zealand, to no longer use a made-ih-Germany title. It has changed its'name, to the "Wellington Male Voice Choir" until a shorter British appellation can be found, and as the Male Voice. Choir it invites the public to join with it in celebrating the christening by attending the second concert of the season' on Tuesday next. A choice programme has been prepared for the occasion. By special request Dudley Buck's melodious cantata, "The Nun of Nidaros," is to be repeated, and another feature of interest will be the patriotic song "New Zealand,'' for which Mr. G. A. Troup wrote the words and. Mr. Dave Kenny composed the music. Among the soloists will be Messrs. Searle and Farmer (tenors) and C. Clarkson and F. V. Waters (baritones).

Baxter Buckley s Farewell Concert. "IMr. Baxter Buckley's farewell pianoforte recital —prior to departure H.omv for a course of study under virtuosi like Busoni and Sapellnikoff—came off in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Friday night last. I was glad to not© that the friends of good music had rallied round this popular and yet unobtrusive artist, and rewarded him with a ! bumper house. In truth, the programme and the performance were right worthy of it. # * * * -•-! The programme was a parure of gems. As for the manner in which those gems were displayed—well, little Baxter Buckley was in tip-top form. He is surcharged with temperament, and it rippled out of his fingers and spread all owr the keyboard. Besides temperament, he has the solid knowledge derived from close study and diligent loving -practice. Unite all these things, and you have the musician that feels and satisfies, and can thrill you with his own enthusiasm. *** - * Well, Mr. Buckley had his audience quite en rapport with him on Friday night. He gave them pieces by old and modern masters —Handel, Beethoven, Scarlatti, Couperin, Schumann, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, MacDowell, Paul Pabst, Palmgren (a Finn) and Gliere (a Russian), and every time he appeared he was encored, and for every encore he paid like a Briton with an extra performance. In my estimation the Beethoven fantasia (op. 77), Schumann's delightful "PapiHons" ("Butterflies"), the Chopin scherzo, the Grieve ditto, and the polonaise by MacDowell were the most lustrous gems of all. Still there wasn't a dull item in the collection. Buckley certainly made it a concert to be remembered. •■ * . * * * Mrs. J. F. Woodward and Mr. Frank Charlton assisted with vocal items, to which Mrs. Queree and Miss Phyllis Hariify respectively played the accompaniments. Mrs. Woodward has not appeared on the platform often since she entered, the wedded state, but her voice and style have gone on developing. She sang her pieces tastefully and well, and I hope we shall hear her more frequently in future. # Mr. Frank Charlton was in good voice, but why didn't he seize the opportunity to give us something inspiring and patriotic instead of "Le Basire" (sung in French). It takes a Frenchman to do justice to a French song, and surely the range or English songs is wide enough for New Zealand artists? * * * * Captain Herbert Flemming. has been ;killed at the front. He is a son of Herbert Flemming, actor, who was associated with Robert Brought in one of the ■last enterprises the latter staged. * * ■* * ' ■ The J. C. Williamson Ltd. production of 'Potash and Perlmutter," now meeting with success in Australia, in due course will be despatched to New Zealand. Other J. C. Williamson attractions for the Dominion will be the Royal Comic Opera Company, with a repertoire of musical plays, and- the Muriel Starr Company, with some new productions. . , * # * # A novelty in connection with the production of the farce-comedy, "Stop Thief,"' at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, is that the scene used in the play is mostly built of solid wood instead .of canvas, an important essential,., seeing that several of the characters are constantly dashing in and out. The movement of canvas doors and walls under these circumstances would detract from the effect. Mr. George Barnum, the producer, realised this at rehearsal, with the result, that the wooden-built scene was introduceu. * * # * Harry Lauder volunteered his services for the front, = and the Red Cross made all arrangements for him to go out and cheer the men.. up. He explained: "I am going out in my kilt simply as Harry Lauder, and- do hot propose to sing any character songs. I shall sing 'I Love a Lassie,' 'Roamin' in the Gloamin'.' and such like songs, and have a chorus the soldiers can join in." *#. * - * . Jack Cannot has been relating to Australians since his return from this side of the Tasman of a sensational rescue he made while the f ivoli Follies were in Christchurch. Various members of the company, including himself, went out canoeing on the Avon. While skylarking, the canoe containing Isabelle D'Armond, the "red-headed queen," capsized, and she started to kick and scream for help. Cannot was into the water like a shot, and the next second he was sorry for it, as he found that it was only a little past_ his knees. Still, iiJ was enough to wet him all over before he reached the lady in distress and helped her to her feet. He says the next time he participates in any more rescues he is going to make sure that the victim is in danger by counting the times she goes out of sight.