THEATRICAL FARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14109, 10 July 1909, Page 6

THEATRICAL FARE.

" ■ " '- < <* _ >: MUSICAL COMEDY OR COMIC '.' OPERA? VX XjXV-V . , ■'.:•'■■■ ' ' ' ' la the ascendant star of the modem mt* ( ; ( cal comedy set? That is the question • which is agitating the minds of theatrical entrepreneurs at the present day. Judging '■ by some of the trashy ">. productions 'ivhicli have appeared on the "boards in the Dominion lately, it is apparent that the public would heartily welcome a return to the days "of Gilbert and Sullivan, and to the comic operas which once proved so | immensely popular. In conversation with | a Herald representative yesterday, jlh Allan Hamilton, a well-known figure the theatrical world, ventured'it as M opinion that the; old-time comic opera $® coming back to public favour, and th» the present day musical comedy woul? shortly be a thing of the past. ? He «»>" however, a bold man who confidently thought he could gauge public opinieflv ■ and struck out in some new line. ' -;* _\ likely as not his theatrical barque v ' l '_ j become wrecked on the rocks of adversity. Mr. Hamilton fully endorsed .' s "; j John Fuller's remarks as to the gr**'l scarcity of clever, or even ordinary g'" e *'j vaudeville artists in Australasia atftna ij present time, and the only way of 6ervfls j up a suitable menu for public favour,-, was to import artists from England, & J expensive business, and one .'which coul | not be undertaken permanently in «'.;"! Zealand. The living picture shows, >» ' I Mr. Hamilton's opinion, were not 0 '! | eating into the vitals of "vaudeville,- W' f j such were the improvements being «»#?.• ed almost every day in the ;cineic#|| graphic,art, in the way of plays, such » j Shakespere productions and others, P. I formed by some of the world's &^f m »f] living actors, and actresses, that * long they must seriously cut into. *| ...J melodrama business.. Altogether 'the *$'$. cess of the cinematograph was H a L i with many interesting possibilities m l _ j| theatrical, firmament. , '■'•'■ ft