GAIETY COMPANY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1106, 12 May 1893, Page 33

GAIETY COMPANY.

'CARMEN UP TO DATA.'

Tbo third burlesque of the Gaiety Company's series was presented on Monday to a house filled In every part. Lady Glasgow, Miss Hallowes and Captain Hunter-Blair, A.D.C., were amongst those present in the dress clrole. 'Carmen up to Data' has a great deal in common with 'Faust up to Date' and 'Miss Esmeralda.' Like them it is gorgeously mounted, the art of the scene • painter and the resources of the costumier being laid under heavy contribution. Like them, too, it brings the Amazon soldiery upon the stage to dazzle the eye by brilliant uniforms displaying the generous contour of shapely figures. Miss Lethbridge finds place in it for her graceful skirt dances, and Miss Leamar contrives to introduce further specimens of her saltatory agility and accompanying comic songs. Mr Lonnen, as before, rises superior to the dtamatio unities of time and place in order to display the-versatility of his talent in song, dance and stage business, and Mr Courtneldge of course passes through a bibulous phase or two before he reaches the finale.

But ' Carniftn up to Data' has also its points of difference. It conforms more closely than do either of the other burlesques to the episodes of the story which it is designed to travesty, and it makes a larger use of musical effects. The dialogue, though not conspicuous for the sparkle of its humour, is the joint work of Ueo. JR. Sims and Henry Pettit, and the incidental musio is by Meyer Lutz, with 'introductions ' by Robt. Martin (composer of 'Killaloe,' •Ballyhooley,' &c), E. Solomon, Sydney Smith, Albert Chevalier and Lovell Phillips, occasional passages borrowed from ' Carmen ' striking the ear aad calling up a fleeting resemblance to tbe opera. 'Miaa Esmeralda' was essentially French in style and colouring, and its successor is just as distinctly Spaaish. It is a picture of Spain presented through the glamour of burlesque. Tbe tawdrineas and squalor of real life arj absent, And in their place we have all that art oan contribute to brighten, charm and diversify the scene. The variety of ooatames is perfectly bewildering, and yet they all conform to national types, making allowance, of course, for a little occasional freedom of treatment in the uniform aud trappings of the inevitable Amazons, with whose aid fin de siecle bnrlesque and comic opera seem unable to dispense. There are four sets of scenery, all of them of a high order of merit. The first repres seats a square in Seville, with a cigarette factory in the foreground, and, as a matter of course, we have the cigarette girls in possession of the stage, off duty, and posturing gracefully, while they puff their cigarettes as if quite used to the weed. The second scene depicts by night the courtyard of a gipsy olub, whatever that may be. In the third set we have the smugglers' retreat by the seashore—a really beautiful combination of the work of the scenic artist and stage mechanician. The fourth scene presents an external view of the ' Plaza de Toros,' or theatre of bull fights. It is at this stage of the burlesque that tbe amienoe of the company in splendid costumes and appointments compels the Admiration of the audienoe. For vividness, variety and harmony of colour, for tasteful and fanciful design, and for gay and brilliant effect, it can only be matched by the speotacular triumphs the company have achieved in their previous productions. It goes without saying that Mr Lonnen'a Jose" is extremely diverting, and that he keeps the audienoe on the raok of laughter while he holds'the stage. He has a good piece of 'business' at the outset with his superior officer, Yunica, and his by-play with Carmen, in a subsequent passage that smacks strongly of 'The Regulation' duet from a well. known opera bouffe, is highly entertaining. In a wonderful get up, out-rivalling in its ridiculous variety the Scriptural Joseph's coat of many colours, he affects the fashionable masher, and sings with great gusto ' The Man who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo.' Funnier still is the doone in which Carmen hypnotises Jose. He makes frantio bounds in the attempt to jam his head into his belltopper when the mesmerio ourrent will not allow his arm to perform its office, and finally he rushes in a series of Kangaroo leaps towards the fair mesmerist. In the second act he sings 'The Bogie Man' with first-class effect, and also scores heavily in his Irish song ' The Man who Struck O'Hara.' It is almost superfluous to add that all these numbers were promptly encored. The comic tiio, •Such a Young Thing too ' (Lonnen, Courtneidge and fiaslem), likewise made a great •hit.'

Miss Addie Conyera is a most attractive, piquant and pioturesaue Carmen. Two very pretty songs of a serious cast fall to her lot, and she sings them both with nice expression and artistic effect. One is sentimental, 'Was it but Chance or was it Fate'; the other, which may be termed ' The Card Son// points a good moral, as it describes the types of character suggested by tbe Queen of Diamonds, the Knave of Clubs and the Queen of Hearts. Both songs were enoored, as vi as also a third song addressed to Joes' and entitled ' Vain Are Your Hopes.' Mr Courtneidge turns to broad comicality the part of Captain Yunica. In the first act he personifies him in various aspects, of which the vinous is the most prominent, and in the seoond aot he carries the galiant officer through a series of bizarre costumes and absurd disguises that are quite kaleidoscopic in their variety. Miss Leila Ross makes so handsome an Esoamillo that Carmen could hardly do other than transfer her affections from JoecS as soon as the irresistible toreador appears. She has a toreador's song to sing Wilis!* too)?

well with the audience. For the rest the part fitted her to perfection. Miss Alice Leamar, as Frasquita, contributed a coaple of her characteristic dances, and brought down the house with her son?, ' Su-si«au-i« oh.' Miss Lethbridge, as Mercedes, gave two of her delightful skiit dances, and also executed a Sailor's Hornpipe. Miss Laura Houey, as Michaels, certainly made a very buxom girl, and her entry with a donkey cart, drawn by a real live donkey, produced quite a mild sensation. Messrs Haslem and Feid, as D'anoairo and Remendado, were just the type of smugglers one would expect to meet In Spain, and they graciously mingled a good deal of touch-and-go jooularity with their ferocity. The production reflects great credit ou all concsrned—to tbe artists themselves, to the management, to the musical director, Mr Lovell Phillies, and to the stage manager, Mr Walter Roynham.