ABBOTTS OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9022, 7 April 1888, Page 5

ABBOTTS OPERA HOUSE.

"DICK." Messrs. Brough and Boucicault gave their audience last night a most delightful change, when instead of "Jack Sheppard" they introduced to the public the two-act comic opera', Dick," written by Mr. Alfred Murray, and the music by Mr. Edward Jacobowski. The opera is a very much altered version of the old tale of Whittington and his Cat, new and striking situations being introduced which were never contemplated by the writer of the tale, and surrounded as the production is by bright and sparkling music, gorgeous scenery, elaborate stage effects and striking situations, together with a dialogue set in puns of a new and telling character, it is no wonder that the audience was fairly delighted, and encores were so numerous that they prolonged the performance to an extent which, so far as the performers were concorned, was beyond all warrant. The scene of the first act is laid in Highgate, old London, with Miss Skegg's boarding-school on one side, and the Gog and Magog Inn on the other, the quaint projections of the latter being, we are informed, copied from a painting of the great master, Hogarth. The scenery of the second act is laid in the palace of the Emperor of Morocco, and here the surroundings are gorgeous, the dressing and staging being quite unique and the whole of the situations admirably arranged. Any attempt in a brief compass to give a description of the opera would be futile—to use an old saying, it must bo seen to be appreciated —and we shall therefore confine ourselves to a notice of some of the leading features of the performance. It opens with a chorus of apprentices in front of the boarding-school, serenading the boarders of the " Tinkletuin, duet and chorus between the lads and lasses is very amusing, the music being light and vivacious. A very pretty number indeed is "Edith's," air "Why Should Not Sweet Seventeen Meet with Manly Twenty-one ?" and it was sung with much expression by Mies Beaudet, the chorus also giving a fine finish to the air. Alice (Miss Emma Temple) is admirably introduced in the song, " Love Without Sight," a rather difficult selection, but she displayed in it the possession of a fine and well-controlled voice, and sunjj with great expression and coquettish skill. She is an actress as well as a singer, and she displayed taste and power in both departments throughout the entire opera. Miss Fanny Robiua sustained tho leading role, that of the redoubtable ratkiller Dick Whittington, and was introduced in the song " Joyful is Dreaming." Her makeup and attire were admirably chosen, and her pure voice, combined with exquisite presence and knowledge of the lyric stage, at once enlisted the sympathy of the audience, and the applause wnich greeted her at the conclusion of the song was very pronounced. Another gem in the first act, as a solo, was the romance sung by Miss Temple, "Swift-pinioned Bird," in which she earned for herself warm applause. The duet between Miss Robiua and Miss Temple, "If You Loved Me," was, in the opinion of many, the musical gem of the evening. The air, an imitation of Tyrolean street minstrelsy, is sparkling and pretty, and the audience demanded an encore amidst enthusiastic applause. The chorus, "They Are Coming, on the entrance of the aldermen, is a fine quick movement, and is made doubly attractive by its surroundings, the chorus being in full strength; and the chorus of aldermen which is remarkable for its grotesqueness, was provocative of great laughter. A splendid patter song, " The Merry Brown" (penny), is introduced by Mr. Brough in the character of Alderman Fitzwarren, and from hit. entrance he is the life and soul of the performance, his comic humour keeping the audience in roars of laughter. He liad of course to submit to an encore, and no denial would be taken, although the effort was a difficult one. The leading features of the first act, however, are the beautiful quartette, ' 0 Cruel Blow," sung by Miss Robina, Mias Temple, Mr. Royce, and Mr. Manning, and the chorus, "Post Haste," full of life and go, and so thoroughly taking that on the fall of the curtain the audience vociferously demanded and obtained a repetition of the whole galop. The second act is quite as full of musical gems, and abounds in brilliancy of dialogue. The Harem chorus, " By the Bright and Sparkling Ocean Waves,"is beautiful in rhythm, and ita artistic surroundings render it strikingly effective. The air, "Ah ! Yes Dear Love, a bright and sparkling melody, fairly brought down the house, and as before, an encore had to be subihitted to. The trio by Messrs. Brough,Brown,and Warde.in the Dervish song and dance,/is strikingly comical. The chorus, " We Hail the Emperor," is full and harmonious, but, as in the former act, the most striking feature is the quartette between Misses Beaudet, Robina, and Messrs. Royce and Manning, " What can it be, that Ship on the Sea ?" and this had to be repeated. Aβ a comedy or farce, irrespective altogether of its claims as a musical composition, " Dick" stands out as one of the most exquisitely ludicrous performances ever exhibited in Auckland. Mr. Royce thoroughly revels in the rdle of Jack Joskins, Admiral of the Emperor of Morocco's fleet. Messrs. Brown and Warde, as Aldermen Hobbs and Bloblos, are enough to provoke the risibilities of the greatest dyspeptics, but in Mr. Brough there is an interminable fount of fun which keeps the audience in roars of laughter all the time he is on the stage. We must not omit in the score of humour to mention the great comedy powers of Miss Bessie Mayor, in the role of Miss Priscilla, Skeggs. She played with an abandon and.versatility which is delightfully refreshing. Miss Robina not only sings tho part of Dick Whittington, but playa it splendidly, and the same may be saul of Miss Temple in the part of Alice. The other parts are individually well filled, and deserving of commendation; and the audience fully testified, by their reiterated applause, their thorough gratification with the opera itself, and the manner in which it was presented. We may add that there was a full house in all its parts.