AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 914, 6 September 1889, Page 13

AMUSEMENTS.

m The Theatre. THE BUFFALO MINSTRELS. When the announcement was made that Hugo's Buffalo Minstrels would open their second season »t the Qpejra House last Friday it was a foregone conclusion fcba.t there would be a large attendance. The popular name they made for themselves in their previous visit - , coupled with the fact of several new attractions, was sufficient to draw a crowd. The performers in 1 the first 1 part of the programme were the same who' appeared on the company's last visit, with the addition of Mr Air. S&ntley, a capital singer. The Spanish .Students, g, quartet of excellent instrumentalists, who Were warmly welcomed, played several of their popiilar pieces, notably the Estudiantina waltz and quaint Negro melodies. They at' once sepured a hold on the audience, and will prove a very welcome attraction to this strong company. Mr Harry Hastings, a iLppdon comic singer, made bis first bow to a New Zealand audience, and the character of his songs prpved so attractive that he received a treble encore. The Minstrels performed agsffi on Saturday night before a large audienee, whicij filled the theatre in every part. The .various items on the programme were all well .received and encores were frequent. The (Spanish Students’ playing and dkneing wpre excellently jlone, and Mr Santley’s solo, “ Thp rustic bridge,” was very well sung indeed. Miss Priscilla Ye rap appears to be as popular as e.ver, ancl ,is worthy of tpecial notice on account of the beauty of Jsjfe,r dresses. Mr Hastings, the lion comicjue, promises fo develop into a first-class singer of the nausic Rajl type. This evening an entire change of programme will .be presented, and a new first part, ff Toe beauties,” will be presented. The fast that Hugo’s Minstrels have mf(se a good reputation in this city was seen on Monday sigbt by the crowded state of the Opera House. Wfrep the curtain rose not a vacant seat w#s sisffilp i» any part of the house. An entirely npjy programme was submitted, and judging from the rounds of applause which gr«eted the several iten?B it is evident that the vast audience was particularly delighted, Several new features were introduced in the first part. The stage was made more attractive by the addition of half a score of picturesque swinging beauties. Mia 3 Mati Arlington, a new sfoger, made her first appearance, and in a pretty ballad, “ My Nellie’s blue eyes,” scored a success. The Spanish Students, whose marvellous instrumentation has made a great hit, played a choice selection of popular Scotch melodies. b'unny farces, jingling jokes and songs (sentimental and

comic), intermingled with eccentric dances, formed about one of the most attractive bills of fare seen for a long time. Auother attractive entertainment was given attheOpera Houseon Wednesday night to a crowded house. The principal features of the new performance were the playing of the Spanish Students, the singing of Mr AIL Santley, and the variety business introduced by Miss Verne and Mr Tracey. Mr Charles Hugo wa3, as usual, exceedingly funny, and in his songs, jokes, and farcical sKetches. Mr Harry Hastings created a furore by his comic songs. “PATIENCE.” Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera of “ Patience ” commenced on Monday evening, in St Peter’s schoolroom, for a season of four nights. Mr Hautrie West is to be congratulated upon the success of the first performance, from a musical point of view. The choruses were charmingly Bung, and it was evident that the performers had been admirably drilled. Mr A. Clothier, as stage manager, deserves very great credit for the efficient manner in which he staged the piece. Considering the limited size of the stage and the difficulty of producing such an opera, which to make it really effective requires plenty of room, Mr Clothier worked wonders. Mr Connolly led a capital orchestra. The heroine of the opera (Patience) was undertaken by Miss K. Frankel, who, from her former successes on the local was warmly welcomed. Her singingand acting on Monday night were an improvement upon anything she has previously attempted. In the duet with the Xady Angela (Miss Frankel), “He was a.little boy,” she received a well-merited encore. The four ladies—Jane, Angela, Saphir, E‘la —played respectively by Mrs Carte, the Misses Frankel, Pownall and Gurr, sang and acted their parts meritoriously. The chorus of rapturous love sick maidens (the Misses Young, Brandon, , Leatham, West, Fisher, Red ward, Dempsey, Wilson, Fairchild, and H. Wes:) was very effective. The dresses were picturesque and in good taste. The idyllic poet Grosvenor was admirably pourtrayed by Mr W, R. Bock, while Buuthorne, a fleshly poet, was successfully undertaken by Mr E, F, N. Campbell, Mr R. P. Johnson made a ■ stalwart Colonel Calverley, Mr G, Munt was every inch a soldier as Major Murgatroyd, and the love-sick Duke of Dunstable was very well played by Mr A. Clothier. The .chorus of Dragoons, by Messrs Hume, Gurr, Forrest, Fisher, Russell, Hooper, Kimbell, and Gardner, was remarkably good. .Takpn altogether, the performance \yas a very creditable one. The second performance of “Patience ” was givep u* 7 the Sphoolroom on Tuesday nighf;. There was q, good attendance, apd the performance passed off very satisfactorily. Miss K, Frankel, who appears tp have made quite “a hit" in the part of Patience, ! repeated her success of the previous evening, and she was frequently applauded for her acting and Binging.

Theatre Royal. —The Theatre Royal wps well filltd last Friday night with an enthusiastic audience who witnessed the excellent performance of “The Guv’nor ” by the Amateur Dramatic Club with evident satisfaction. The comedy ran smoothly throughout ; in fact it vva3 difficult at times to realise that the players (with one exception) were merely amateurs. Mr Marshall as the deaf boatbuilder, presented a capital study of character acting. He was intensely funny, and, while giving prominence to all the “points,” did not strain after effect. His Excellency the Earl of Onslow and suite were present, and appeared to thoroughly enjoy the performance, ‘The Guv’nor’ was repeated on Saturday evening to an enthusiastic aud highlydelighted audience, in aid of the bereaved relatives of the pilot crew recently drowned at the Heiids. It'seldom falls toE the lot of theatre-goers to witness f a better amateur performance than that given on Saturday night, and the public pres'ent were 'not? slow to recognise tbb fact, The piece from beginning to end ran with a smoothness that was - rhost commefidable, and eaoh performer, whether holding a minor or leading part, worked with a skill and deterurination which could but ensure one result —Success. We are pleased to learn that the results of the two nights’ performances will be an addition' to the relief lurid of some £BO. " ' " " . “The Colleen RAyfjy.’/—Mr J. W. D. Foley is making great ’ preparations for bis production of the famous Irish drama “ The Colleen Bawn” at the Opera House tomorrow night. Mr Foley, although hitherto better known as a monologue performer, has been a member of the dramatic profession for many years, and lias played leadiug parts with Wybert'Reeves and Miss Pomeroy and other stayi? throughout the Australian colo. nies. ’ - ' * *'■' . “ .THEATRICAL NQTES. Mr Bland Holt has taken the fancy of the Dunedin people with ‘ The Union Jack.’ Tp this drama Mr Holt himself plays Peter Fiy, a efimip sailor, ‘and is pronounced quite too funny jto live. Qf the play the Daily Times says ‘ The Union Jack ’ jg a wellplanned and capitally written firama, telling a somewhat disagreeable story in a polished jvay. Without the ultra-sensationalism of up any of the plays of the present day, its situations striking and effective ; and it has p fine relish of bigli and loxy boniedy. Taking it for all ip' all, it fs jadthouj; dpqbt the best melorijrama tliat has been, produced here for a considerable time. In the njatter qf ?#3njc effects Mr Bland Holt never does thjn’gs by balyeg } he regogujsea that in the present day tfie playgoer deqaandfj thiit big eye shall be feastect>'s wel) as pip gar— it i§ not for U 3 to discuss here whether the gratis fication of that demand is not a sign of the decay of the stage, but the fact remains that scenery and accessories now occupy a pro* mintnb plaoe such as years ago they never would have been suspected of aspiring to—and ‘ The Union Jack ’ is staged with all the completeness that assisted materially in its successful production on ‘ the other side.’ The other principals in Mr Holt’s company are Mrs Holt, Misses Alice Deorwyn, Blanche Lewie, Vivian, Vivienne, aud Messrs Walter j

Howe, H. R. Roberts, St Lawrence, Normati Glover, and others. Mr John F. Sheridan ( f Fun on the Bristol ’) is in Melbourne. The Simonsen Opera company finished their Auckland season last week. Mr David Christie Murray, arithor of ‘Joseph’s Coat,’ ‘Val Strange,’ ‘The Way of the World,’ and other novels, was to begin A lecturing season in Melbourne ori the 20th August with a lecture on ‘ Novelists and How it Was Made.* What is wanted in this country is a lecture on ‘ Whisky and How it is Made. What is not wanted is ioformation on ‘Whisky and How it is Drunk.* Everybody knows that. Mr Snazelle, the London entertainer, is also in Melbourne. His programme is made up of songs and recitals, illustrated by dissolving views and assisted by musical selections. Mr Snazelle is not particular, and he invariably doe 3 something classically and religiously bong tongy. That is where he takes. People who understand classical music go to hear it, of course. Such is the cussedness of human nature that people who don’t understand also pay their four shillings or whatever the price may be. And all the while the classical thing is being ground out they are thinking how much they would prefer to hear somebody sing a good song - ' Only a Pansy Blossom,’ ‘ Only a Fly on Father’s Red Nose,’ or something of that kind. Whioh reminds us of the presence on these hospitable shotes of Charles Hugo, the large infant from Horsetralier, the funny man from Wayback, the ODly one. That is all we have to say about him. This time Mr Hugo has got some ‘ Spanish Students ’ with him. No opportunity having been afforded us of conversing with these gentlemen we pan give no particulars of their age or Weight, what they feed on, or anything else. But it is asserted without fear of pontiadiction that their mandolin playing is a musical treat. How the sweet howling of the melodious mandolin takes us back to the days of our youth—the happy days spent in sunny Italy or sweet romantic Spain! Those were the days when we ting-a ringed the light guitar beneath the window of our loved one, the while the heavy father waited for us at the corner with an afie. Alas ! it is not always May. There’s too much first of April about tfiis planet. Of f;he other new people, Mr Hastings, the comic singer, will be capable of good work he gets thei corners sandpapered down. He has a good idea of effect, sings faiflv weß, although he does rather qverdo hi"s business. Mr Dan Tracey is a clever sort of Irish comedian, but he also needs a little jack-plaining. To say f cheese it '■ to an kudienee isn’t funny - its foolish. - ' - Aulolycus.