AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 896, 3 May 1889, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS.

The Theatre. The Vivian Dramatic Company have been doing good business at the Opera House since Easter Monday with ‘ Current Cash,’ * The Woman of the People,' and ‘East Lynne.’ ‘The Woman of the People’ did not have such a good run as * Current Cash,’ principally, no doubt, because it is a moral drama, and nowadays people don’t care much about ‘ moral ’ plays, though I don’t for a moment suggest that what they crave for is immoral drama. The world has got so wicked nowadays that you can see the moral drama acted in real life any time, and sometimes play the villain of the piece yourself. As to the drink business it’s as old as humanity. Act I. The first glass (colonial beer and gingerbeer). Act 11. Led Astray (injudicious mixing of old Scotch with malt essence). Ant 111. Out on the world (kicked out for chucking the barmaid under the chin). Act IV. Repentance (head like a forty shilling pot). Act V. and last. Reclaimed (hero goes to church every Sunday and knocks off smoking). However, for all that the company struggled very piuckily and ably with the piece ana did fairly well with it. Mr W, G. Carey's acting was a wee bit loud at times, but very strong all through, and ou the whole highly creditable. Mr Arthur Vivian would have made a fair Remy if he had sunk his ambition a little bit, and if, above all, he had recognised that there’s something in the part besides buffoonery. Miss Helen Vivian is a very capable and conscientious actress of whom we may expect still better things, and Miss Marie Wilton is as sweetly charming as ever, only she wears dresses that were made for somebody bigger than herself and haven’t been cut down. The latest theatrical arrivals in New Zealand are the Payne family of musicians, who are now in Otago. The Crawford-Hunfcer family are also in Otago, where they are doing well. Mr Crawford informed a Southern writer that he will go home shortly and return with a reorganised company. Mr Alf. Lawton and his ‘Last Sensation

'Company,’ are Btili clinging on to this benighted country, and at latest advices were in. Dunedin, tickling the Scotchmen with novelties. In addition to the charming Miss Spencer, Mr Lawton has got with him Mr Clarke, a baritone singer, and Mr Dickie, a ventriloquist. Mr George Miln’a takings with ‘Julius Cassar 1 at the Opera House, Melbourne, are said to be £BOO a week. He has ‘ Hamlet ’ in ■preparation. Mr Bland Holt’s company, now playing * A Hun of Luck ’ in Melbourne, is a pretty strong one, for it includes Mrs Holt, Mrs Walter Hill, Miss Kate Bishop, Miss Blanche Lewis, Messrs Norman, Howe, Holloway, Eyre, Seagrave, and Glover, and the immortal, everlasting Bland himself. Asked by a Melbourne reporter whether ha thought * The Yoeman of , the Guard ’ would be a Bucoess in Australia, Mr George Musgrove said *he really couldn’t toll; hoped so, but it was such a new departure from the familiar Gilbert-Sullivan style that he didn’t know if it would ,be the popular •success of some of its predecessors. The fact is (he said) that the story has almost a tragic interest ; there is none of the hilarious ; humour of the others in it, the satire very keen, and as to the music, it is far and away the best thing Sullivan has done.’ He thinks at reaches into the regions of grand opera, and the orchestration is very fino. Musical people will delight in it, ho' is satisfied. Apropos ot this, an exchange gives the following delightful definition of the difference between grand and' comic opera : ‘The difference,’ says one who knows, * between comic and grand opera is that at comic opera you ought to laugh but can’t, but in a grand opera you must not laugh but want to.’ ‘ Maccabe 5 will be in New Zealand in a very short time. Brough and Boucicault’s engagement of the Opera House for late this year, or early next, no doubt means that we are to have a season of fashionable and good comedy. Santley, the celebrated baritone vocalist, left for Australia on tho sth of April.