DRA MATIC AND MUSICAL

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 956, 7 November 1918, Page 7

DRA MATIC AND MUSICAL

By Footlights

THE Wellington Amateurs have been showered with bouquets for their production of "The Gondoliers" at the local Grand Opera House. For a first-night amateur production the performance last Saturday evening was , certainly a very creditable one. In ' fact, these amateurs almost deserved all the superlatives which our daily press have heaped upon them. For a premiere the performance ran remarkably smoothly and evenly. It only lacked snap with a consequent loss in sparkle. The prompter was in evidence only once, namely, when the Grand Inquisitor had a slight lapse of memory. The principals were all very fair, indeed almost uniformly good, ana ' were suited to their respective roles with a nicety that does credit to those responsible for the cast.

The chorus, some tliree score strong, was representative of the youth and beauty of this healthy and breezy city, and' it lifted its combined voice with a freshness and danced with an abandon and revealed an ankle that would do credit to a picked chorus of ' Hoyal Comics. The mounting and colouring were quite a feature of the show— there's nothing shoddy about the local Amateurs —and the orchestral accompaniments by the Trentham Camp Band gave a rich, full tone to the choruses, etc. It only remains to add that Mr. Tom Pollard was stage manager, and his experienced hand was evident all through, and to him is due a bounteous meed of praise.

To individualise is rather superfluous when there were no duffers and all were pretty fair. But a special note or two is called for. Of the ladies, a conspicuous success was scored by Miss Dorothy Cameron as Casilda. I don't know whether she has had previous stage experience, but she acted the part with an artistry as if to the manner born. She has a high-pitched operatic soprano, which blended well with l/uiz's mellow baritone in their two duets. In private life Miss Dorothy Cameron is Mrs. Walter Fuller, and since she has come to Wellington. she has surely been hiding hex light under a bushel.

Mrs. D. Stuart-Dallas was also admirably suited as the tall and stately Duchess. She has a pure, velvety contralto and her solo, "On the Day that I was "Wedded" was one of the. gems of the performance. Miss Helen Gard'ner (Gianetta) is a graceful artiste and sweet singer, and has ever justified the Society in borrowing her from Dunedin. She was particularly: appealing in her song, "Kind, Sir, You Cannot Have the Heart." Miss Howie-Stuart gave a very fair account of herself as Tessa and warbled sweetly. As a recruiting ground for future soloists one looks to the chorus. Miss Hennie McLennan displayed a voice that is developing and showed much promise in the few solo notes that she had to sing.

On the male side Mr. Trevor Forrest, from a histrionic point of view, scored heavily as the Grand Inquisitor. Whispered that he is a well-known military Brass Hat from Trentham. Mr. Zante Wood made a dapper and dignified Duke of Plaza-Toro. Messrs. Herbert F. Wood and Fred Twiss were an excellent pair of gondoliers as Marco and Guiseppe respectively. _ The former makes a great hit with his solo "Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes." The latter is making bis debut on the operatic stage; onei would'.scarcely believe it. In song and action these gondoliers are very good indeed. Mr. Charles Moore sang delightfully as Luiz, but remained rather cold to the tender little attentions and by-play that Casilda paid him.

The piece-de-resistance of the whole performance, however, was the Cachucha, danced with great spirit and grace by the whole company. They almost set the crowded audiences dancing also. This is the Society's initial excursion into Gilbert and Sullivan opera, and "The Gondoliers" is still going strong to excellent business. It is to hoped that this will encourage'the Society to go on with their experiment. How about "The Mikado" for next production?

A war picture which is surprisingly absorbing, ciuite apart from the war interest, will be the star attraction of

the new programme commencing at the King's next Saturday. It is entitled "The Belgian" and is a U.S. Exhibitor's' release, with Walker Whiteside and Valentine Grant respectively as the hero and heroine. There is a beautiful lovestory woven through it, while the background is made up of a series of war incidents which deal chiefly with the spy system. Incidentally, it reveals some of the ingenious devices which spies resort to. The settings are very fine and the supports convincing.

Taylor Holmes is the star of the Essanay drama, ' 'Efficiency Edgar's Courtship," the feature of next Saturday's new programme at the Empress. It is an unusual story and tells of a young man who had made a- success of business by means of efficiency and he applies the same methods to making love. The situations arising from this are very humorous, especially as he has a rival who believes in adopting the cavalier method of winning, the young lady's affections. The action is rapid and interest is kept at full pitch from first to last. As the heroine is a charming young lady and as the hero is ap. equally likeabie young man it is only right that the story should end happily.

The theme of the Select feature, "The Knife" (to be screened at Everybody's, commencing Saturday), is a most unusual one. Apart from this tlie picture has considerable interest, owing to the fact that it is the first production made by Alice Brady with, her own company. " The story is that of a young and wealthy girl who, visiting her fiance in New York, goes to consult a fortune-teller. The fortune-teller is in reality a White Slave Trader and the girl gets abducted. Her lover contrives to trace her. The situations provided are tlius very dramatic. The dresses worn by Alice Brady are dreams of beauty.

The new double-feature programme to be screened at the Artcraft Theatre on Saturday is one not to be missed. Two top-hole attractions are offered for the one price of admission, namely, Sessue Hayakawa in "The White Man's I/aw," his very latest release, and Enid Bennett in "Naughty, Naughty." The setting of "Thq White Man's Law" is on the African Gold Coast, and the story is a most dramatic one giving the clever Japanese actor every scope. In "Naughty, Naughty" Enid Bennett has a very captivating role to play, that of Roberta, a daring dancing girl, who upsets all the rules of decorum of her native village' when she returns from gay New York.

The outstanding item of Fullers' vaudeville bill at His Majesty's this week is that rendered by the Gilfain Trio (two ladies and a gent.), who sing, dance, and play various musical instruments all equally well. Theirs is a genuine star act and the audience recognise it by clamorous recals. The rest of the programme is of average merit, contributed by a long list of performers, whose facesi are becoming quite familiar. Look out for Monday's new programme.

Miss Esther Fisher, who made such a brilliant debut as a pianiste at the Wellington Town Hall several months ago, is to give a Chopin recital in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Thursday evening next, 14th inst. The programme is very choice, •comprising as it does the lovely Sonata in B Minor (Op. 58), the Impromptu in F sharp major (Op. 36), the Fantaisie in F minor (Op: 49), the Ballade in F major (Op. 38), and the Polonaise in A flat major (Op. 53) as well as a bouquet of smaller pieces. See advt. elsewhere.

The Paramount Theatre's big doublefeature programmes are drawing like unto the proverbial mustard plaster. At Saturday's change of bill the dual attraction will be Sessue Hayakawa in "The White Man's Law," and Enid Bennett in "Naughty, Naughty." The former is an exciting romance played in the wilderness of Sierra Leone, West Africa. The popular Sessue has a strong role to play. In "Naughty, Naughty," Enid Bennett takes the part of a gay damsel, who shocks the Killjoys of Lilyville with her high-kieking habits, etc. These two pictures should fetch the population in their thousands.

Fred Stone is almost through with his third and last Artcraft picture Tinder Donald Crisp. "Winifred Greenwood is leading woman in "The Goat," with Rhea Mitchell cast for a fine part.

"The' Littlest Scrub Lady" is the present title of Vivian Martin's newest picture for Paramount, on which she is now engaged under the direction of William D. De Mille. The stoiy is filled with comedy of the most delectable character, it is said, and Miss Martin has one of the those quaint nondescript roles that have proved her forte in previous offerings.

Work has begun under Walter Edwards on "The Gypsy Trail," starring Bryant Washburn, with beautiful Wanda Hawley as leading woman. There is every reason to believe, say the producers, that this will prove a remarkably effective vehicle for Mr. Washburn's Paramount debut. He will first be seen, however, in C. B. De Mille's Artcraft special, "Till I Come Back to You," wherein he plays the lead.

Dorothy Gisli is working faithfully on her first Paramount picture, "Battling Jane," which, is described as one of the most appealing patriotic stories of the period. In this she plays the role of a girl who wanders into a small town/A homeless baby which she adopts plays an important part in the development of the plot.

The Wellington Choral Union achieved another success in its presentation ■{in chamber form) of Gounod's "Faust" on the night of Wednesday last. De u spite the rainy weather the Town Hall was comfortably filled, and the enthusiasm shown by the large audience was signal proof of their appreciation of the efforts of Mr. Robert Parker (conductor and the vocalists and instrumentalists under his baton. On the whole the soloists were well chosen, and full .justice was done by them, to their several parts. Madame Elsie Davies (from Melbourne) filled Marguerite's part .and was warmly applauded after each of her solo numbers. She, alone, of the soloists, sang the Italian words, the others singing in English. Why she didn't also use her mother tongue is left to conjecture. Madame Davies retains in full vigour the range and power of a fine soprano voice, and her execution, of course, is artistic. But there was something lacking in expression, for she left you cold and unmoved. Perhaps if slio had chosen to sing in English this fault might have been less apparent. Madame Davies' voice harmonised well with Mr. Drake's tenor in the lovely duet passages.

Mr. Ernest Drake (from Auckland) fave a good rendering of Faust's part, is clear and mellow tenor doing full justice to the difficult solos and the concerted numbers. He scored a great hit in the cavatina, ' 'All hail 1 thou dwelling pure and lowly," and also in the trio, "Holy Angel."

Mr. Hamilton Hodges as Mephistopheles was not at his best. Whether "the reason is that the part is written for a bass voice, which Mr. Hodges does not possess, or that Mr. Hodges is losing that rich quality of voice for which in the past he has been famous, is a matter of but he certainly did not reach to the level of his previous performances in operatic music. However, he gave the requisite dramatic effect to his singing, and in the serenade ("Catarina while you play at sleeping") we had glimpses of his true form. •» »

Private Frank Charlton acquitted himself well as Valentine and was heard at his best in the expressive solo, * 'Loving Smile of Band." Mrs. F. P. Wilson did justice to the -contralto part of Siebel, singing the ■"Flower Song" sweetly; and Mr. F. W. laaycock was satisfactory as Wagmer, the student.

The chorus, though ill-balanced by reason of an extreme paucity

-of tenors and an _ overwhelming predominance of feminine voices, bore its severe handicap passring well. Of course, it would be absurd ■fco say it gave complete satisfaction, $rat at any rate there was no fiasco* It was well trained for its work and the attacks and releases were prompt and

the time was taken with good judgment.

The orchestra was, oil the whole, fairly well balanced, though here, too, the ranks were thinned by war exigencies. It was particularly noticeable in the bass section, the piano: affording a poor substitute for some of the fine horn passages in the opera. A word must be said for the wood-winds. The clarionet and flute were all that could be desired, but during the first act the oboe was anything but pleasant to listen to. Later on the player got his instrument sufficiently under control to keep in time and tone and harmonise with the rest of the orchestra.

To sum up it must be admitted that "Faust" is a very difficult opera to present in camera form, and the Conductor (Mr. Robert Parker) and the performers as a body must be highly complimented upon doing so well with it. In view of the l drawbacks they had to cope with their task was an onerous one.

Dear "Footlight,"—lt may interest you to know, in these days of records, the greatest number of songs sung by an individual soloist at a I/iedertafel or Male Voice Concert in a good city before a high-class and critical audience. Madame Johnston Topliss, whose services were secured by the Gisborne Orpheus Society at their concert last week, established a wonderful record. The concert hall was crowded and her solo work created a scene of the greatest enthusiasm and excitement. So much so that during the evening encores and recalls were so persistent and numerous that no less than ten different songs were given by this talented artiste. Mrs. Johnston Topliss, I may mention, is quite a young lady, and was born and and spent her early years at Hokitika. She has left Gisborne for Wellington, where she will be for some weeks, and I hope the public there may have the pleasure of hearing her sing. Yours, etc., Gisbokneite.

Mary Pickford is said to outshine the brilliancy of every past cinema achievement in her newest production, "Stella Maris," adapted from popular novel. In the production there are two Mary Pickf ords ; or, -to be exact, Mary Pickford in two characters of extreme contrast. In the part of Stella Maris, Mary appears as we know her best —a beautiful, lovable, half-girl, half-woman. Unity Blake, however, is a part which shows Mary as we have never seen her before. So great a production is Stella Maris that in Sydney it is being given an extended run of three weeks. It will reach New 'Zealand shortly.