THE OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10420, 19 April 1897, Page 5

THE OPERA HOUSE.

MISS ADA DELROY. Anyone entertaining an objection to what j is known as the " variety" stage could not fail to have that objection removed, at least in great part, after spending two and a half hours at the Opera House and seeing Miss Ada Delroy and her company. On Saturday evening, when the season opened, ;here was a very large audience, and not one presont but enjoyed tho programme put forward) thoro was variety iqd enjoyment, anything suggesting vulgarity being absolutely absent. The entertainment could havo boon given in any drawingroom, and wan yet strong enough to fill a theatre and please every class of theatregoer. Miss Ada Delroy in her songs and dances at once earned success; her cobra di capello dance was one of the most effective ever seen in Auckland. Not only was it graceful but the limelight effocts were of a remarkable completeness. Portraits of Lord and Lady Glasgow, Sir Geo. Grey, the Hon. R. J. Seddon and many other well-known faces, projected en to her serpentine dance dress, came out as clearly as though it were a screen. Mr. James 801 l (who took part with Miss Delroy in a musical medley melange) also contributed very pleasurably to the evening's entertainment, notably with his Sonegambian oddities, while Miss Simmons (soprano) and Mr. T. Bergin (baritone) proved themselves possessors of good voices, their items being repeatedly re - demanded. Mr, Bert Phillips was very efficient as a pianist. Mr. Teddy Ford was a facial contortionist as well as a comedian and the audience would have liked more of him than time would allow. Madame Bell (" The White Mahatma ") gave a surprising exhibition of her powers of thought-reading. She did not claim to be able to read tho thoughts of everyone, but she certainly succeeded, in a majority of instances, in accurately describing what admittedly was passing in the minds of many picked out haphazard for those occupants of circle, stalls, and pit. A very amusing farce was also performed. The programme will be repeated this evening.