“ALADDIN.”

New Zealand Mail, 22 April 1887, Page 13

“ALADDIN.”

At the Theatre Royal on Saturday night the " Australian Vokes ” gave a Christy Minstrel entertainment, followed by “Aladdin ” There was a good downstairs audience. The first part of the entertainment, which consisted of the familiar “ chair business, went off capitally, Messrs Johnny Collins and Willie Vokes making first-class end men, while Miss Laura Roberts and Miss Bella Vokes contributed to the edification of the audience by their songs and dances. In “ Aladdin,” all the members of the company acquitted themselves well, and the burlesque went very well indeed. Mr John Hall as the Widow Twankey was hugely funny right through, and was simply irresistible. His make up,' to start with, was wonderful, and his “business ” showed that he had lost neither his appreciation of humor nor his ability, to express it. Miss Laura Roberta made a capital Aladdin, and sang and danced very nicely.- In the cave scene she sang " Sweet Spirit hear my Prayer ” with beautiful expression, and was deservedly encored for it. Miss Roberta is so fortunate as to be the possessor of a valuable voice, and it almost seems a pity that she Bhould wear, it out by singing songs of the class she generally affects. Of the other members of the company, Master Willie Vokes showed, the best appreciation of burlesque humor, and made a very good magician. The whole cast of characters was a strong one and full justice was done to the humor of the author. Than a burlesque, smartly written as this is and well played, there is no more enjoyable theatrical, representation, for the very absurdity of the method of the piece is humorous of itself. Some praise is due to the pianist, Mr Ward, for his contribution to the general success of the performance. Only an artist could have played the characters "on” and "off” as he did. The dressing of the piece was first class ; one or two of the scenes painted by Mr Williams were very creditable productions.