Shows we Have Seen, And Some we are to See.

New Zealand Mail, 3 December 1896, Page 46

Shows we Have Seen, And Some we are to See.

W e must have a 11 m ui! rica I article, .-aid 11! C‘ editor. its lie ni;i]>| ii 'i I oin 1 1 is ( hristmas number for ISiKi: and. in response in ;i rc(jiicst wliicii lie thru «i i • I:«i I<■< 1. I have jotted d;i\vn ;i few st ra v memories of plays find [avers tlmt I 1 1 : i\ i ■ soon, with ivl'oiviurs here nnd t hero to Thos|»i:m heroes mid heroines \vli<> lin\'o hot vet visit od Ilm (Minin', lm! with whoso unions nod doings most of us am t'umiliur. If. in tho course of tho r;i lid d i lm' yossip which lollows. Iho writer mav ;i]i]ionr eyol is! ioul nnd doymnl io. please remember ihn!. wdion writiny in the li j’st person. es pee ini Iv on ni n 11 1 ‘is i lion I rioul. where tastes dilVer and opinions are rarely in fall (imird. lo<t ji eyotism nnd doymaiism lit ust lie doe'll led sins lo lie i'< H'yi vo n. in that 1 1 >| h nre to some ext out unavoidable. S lion kina' yenerallv. I lie New /.on In ml pluvyoer is I’nirlv well entered for. W ith onr sen nr v populai ion. our cent ms widelv nparf nnd expensive id noeoss : with lull I ev,' t heat res posses.-imr I lie si aye aeeommodnlioii necessary lor eonipleitdy sniisf'actoi'v present men! <d pieces in which llm spectacular element is to ilm Tore, wecntiim (i v j ieei to he provide ! nil the year round with a succession of lirst-class dramatic fare. The venrlv menu, as a rule, consists of a few really choice dislms. with a multitude of mediocre nhtl.< comma' in between. II .never, ihe riaht of selection remainv.dtli Ilm plavaoer. and it he does not disci inti mate. the fault is his own.

There are three companies, howevei which are always welcome. I rider t< Messrs. Williamson and Mtisaroves Open (’oinpanv, Mr. Miami I 101 l s Dramatic Coni' pane, and Ihe Ml'oityli and Moucicaull (now alas! the I ’oticica it It ) ('omedy Com pain'. I n t heir own pa rt ieu la r lines such com panics would lie hard to beat, either in I'.na la nd or in A morion. First as lo the open eompnnv. W hat feasts of c'ond music and hones!. wholesome mirth has it not provided us with ! II ow rn pid ly the names of operas and of artistes crowd upon each ot her in our nmm>r v. How we roared over I'! It on in " l> orolliv": how we chuckled over his m ■itvma kin o' in ( iilbert and Sullivan s piece-: how he awed and eleelrilied lIS with his i neom pa ra Id • • " .lark I’otnl in " Ilm Yeomen of the (biard." Some prefer l.auri. lm: I re: 11 ai n fa :tllf it I lo I! ill \ Fll on. aI - ih mvl i iow n ids t I nd he I>r* induiei I

1 1 is j effects and cot card's-. buuri. I I hink. n as tit his fesi in " Tim < > 1 <I (liiard " how truly wonderful his mimicry in that dashiny. s|arkl:nv. t.< > a 11 i« ■ production and in "dim ( h mi. il ier-. liovvnrd Vernon < f course was t he ideal " Kobe '' and " ( i rand I no uis it < M'.' In Ids day a da\ now last n.'inimj. I tear, he was one ~t' |]:e most consist cut ly clever of all the iiierrv band. And the ladies I plead n'liihv lo a lack of valiant ry in not plaeimj them tir.-:. SI ail we in.-ily fi ryet Nellie

S(i‘\\;in. ilii' 1 iriirl 1 1 est. most \ ■i •: i! ?1 < * <• i A ii.-i i; 1 1 i: 11 i >tn rs. it t 1 1:1 1 < i«* 1 i 1 1 1 lul lit i 1 < • j>:ii l•. |hi- t little \i \:ill <• \ nnd Horry ( I i'll 111 ii 11 T r Ni' <*r i< ■ wliii rviT sn" litem in "Tin' ( i 1111 •I' Ii i ts. A'l' inst n nee. <': ir i lily f .!•-■, • r ill ■ in. Till' "] '■ t:i i'i in ijhi ii y is :1 1 J i I'i * si' 111 ili > I ill 1 11 1 1 'i I. lilll in'" Uinhl Is lii i.. In' imp 11 •It 'l . 11 ii 1 1 :i I ivs 1 1 sinri will m:nli' \ i* r v jii'iilhi 1 i!y enrly next yenr. Thi' \t ■i - \ tut tiii' i'i I’> I; 111 ' I Ill'll i'i 'i'll 11 - tunny | ili'itsn in itH'iin irii's "f iln - I ii'.;' speeT,•111:11- j.lnys In' j* i * 111 1 111 ’i ‘ s will, such !i!><f; 1 1 ii v in tin’ wny nl 111 • mill imr : pm\> !n wit il' | I i'i lX - ’ll I I 11T S Ill'll iI'TSC I'llCl'S, II"!I Si ' S (111 I i i'i *. slii 11 wri •! Ts. rnil wny :11• i• i 1 1 1 ■ 11 1 s. -ensnI m;,| si'i'tii's l.y " ll"". I mill lii'l'l." hn ve 1» mu I'l-iit tti'i's :1 1 ik i ■ ] m .lii :i I ilc In ill'' scenic : i i'i is 1 . I ],, ■ stum' r: 11'| ii ■ 111 (‘ r nnd tlm printer "I' ]ii isi i Ts. mnl linn iwini;' mnl itn '\] in 'S.-il >ly 1 1 1 • I il l l fill I'M In' " mills. Mr, Huh h;,s nlwnvs lii'im I'i 'll mini.' in liis i-liiiii'i' nf s 11) i) mhi . Wlim ,•x<i •11 < • 1 1 1 !i ■: 11 1 i n •_!' 1,1,m livvi • lii'im Mr. W.'tli'T II""C. Mr. linker. Mr. ( 'nsm'iivi'. mnl wlint n linn elinrncter ;ii*t i, i ■ ntiil iisi'l'ul low comedy iiiiin i- Xlr ( ' li;t rl i. • I If"" n. . Ilis li'inliim- Indies linve 1 K-.n e;pin Ily well chosen M i>s Kdii It I’lmnl. Miss lii • n i'i i 'll n Wnison. mnl Miss I'M ix.n 1 ><-t It Willson I'of ittsi ;i nt'i' mnl ns to minor pin In well. i In- on l'« • t’l 1 1 I iiiiin I nI w nys sees 1 1 11 ■ \ : t l'< ' iii ci mi |it 'I flit lin in Is. ( M i'i m rsi • I Inti • is n In rye sell,,nl nl' plnvmiers whose persoiinl ttisles run townrils soini'i liiny more inl el lem tin 1 in the wnv nl 1 1 rn Hint ie In re I hull thni |noviileil in m, ,<1 M r. Holt's "Mood mnl t humler." lint I not ice 1 hnl even I lie most mill ureil. super relineil people s 'em to lill 1 1 ple;isure in

atleiidinv Mr. Moll's pet forum nee-. i le prod net ions a re - > s u per bl v mm in t ed and the doctrine of realism is so la it h lit 11 y adhered to. i ha I one |" i ir -i s t I m fit st ia n ol t lie dudo-r'im in I lm dramatic stl'enu'th ol' I lie situationa nd tlm ben u l v of ilm s i am ' pid n res. Still, all tlm same. I confess 1 should iil-m to sei> a reallx ood company yive ns :i sea soil of tlm lecit i mat e. of plays which alt liono'h free from tlm s I ivjest i va ■ m ess a nd excess I,f model-nil \ which .are tlm elliet features of latter day eomedv drama.-, do n i it ma i n 1 v depend for 1 ! mi r s 11 ei •es.- upon t lie noen ii it y ot the stare carpenter or I lain lent s of I he scene painter. It is I pi it e a lonv time imn since we were hivoiired in t lm di reel ion I mean. (lone ale ilm days ol Hoskins how tlm very mum- brine's up u host, of pleasant memories mum 100 ilm later da vs of Miss i’omeroy. Miss .l:i net A ell ll 1-ell p-ave us a .-lie'll I taste of 1 lm class of plav I mean, and Messrs. W \ lici t Ifeeve. (diaries Warner. A. Dumpier, nnd Walter Mem lev have all dabbled I herein. bill we ei m Id do wi il l more, n ml i i is t I ie re I ore w i t n pleasure I ha! I hear of t he I'o rt 1 1 com i 11 •_*' v is it of Mrs. Mrown I’otter and Mr. Kyrle liellewwho will lie liel'e early ill I lie Ve.'ll', nild ol Mr. (il'lirtre Kienold. who is dm- Imre some lime in April. Mrs. Holier plays As yon like it.' and will appear in some ol liernhardt’s favourite roles : as lor Mr. (e-orve I .’ i i >■ n o I d lie has I hear mme on Mr. Holt's

lines I.r Into. Inn I hope he will revive smile of his Sluikespei inn mnl oilier leLritimnte cn -n i i, rn In the ren Im s , T eninei ly. 1 >oi h of the old school nnd 1 lie new. mot to spenk of oeens i 1111 ; 1 1 doses of f:i rein 1 comedy. Ml. nllil Mrs lironMi nnd i heir clever eondp.itor Mr. I!<iii ei en 1111 Inn e iirmlv esl nlilished t Item - Selves in popitl.ur esl eem. I ’el's, mn ily 1 look Upon Ihe vi-il et tin H roil Hi nnd Im u icien uI! ( 'oni pn nvns the e vent of tin* year. Whn t n wondrous vnriety ol line plnys hn< it not ir, nted its io. the host works of I’inero

(iritmlv. ;im < I di!i:ts. Mini how excellent the rn.<t , iiililr. 1 1 ■ >\\ 111:i: i \ t!m i 11s: ;i m-i-si if I >ri M i:i 11 1 ill<!i \! < 1 11; 1 1 w<>: •k . Mrs. lln mil;' 1 1 I shn 11 nlw;i vs lii'cl'cr in 11 1 r liyhter si•i ii . despite tin 1 I; iet I Iml ]>l; t vyoers i',-ini' i >vi ‘l* Iht l , n:il;i Tnn--111 ii ' r;i \’. In "Ni 1 1 H in "I >u tidy I)i< •k. ' iii " Tin- All hi /.I ii is " surely she wns jm > t*l‘i *< M inn. We missed ..Miss Homer tin- Ins! linn' the mnipnity wns here ,-i truly cl ui ni ii n y iil< II; 11 1 \ ’ she \\,is. I <I i 1 11 1' I cure iinieli Ini' the Ih Htul Ik's production ul' " I >ip|olmiey. The Wvliefl Peeve ( ' 11111 1 1; 111 V pl.UVed the | liece 111 licit lietler when f: > 111 1 < I New '/■•;)- 1,-mil siltin' yeurs : m_j- ■■. hut sttreh Miss llutner's Mhn |ii ise wtis fn :i 11 h-ss. Ami the nt her l;u I ies. hriyli' M is.- IJremln

BY " LORGNETTE.

(i i hst i; t _ in iw h tiiemher ul' Sir llonrv Irvine's 1 ' < >t 11 J >: 1 1 1 \ in I, uni hi. M i-- ( 1 r; ice Nuhle. .M iss lleryll I - : h ■; - Ties - life Heiresses who C,'ll] 1 1 1 > j us; .ee ; i n • i \" 1 1 in I ■ mile, how i'vet' eli'Vi'r, Mr. I > r. iinj h i> rn t i n f " I in n I n t t i 11 ies. 1m t "lint n lot lie enti iiuike out oj' n sttiull 1 1; t r t Ill's ji > I i i •( > 111; t: i in " 1 ) n 111 1 \ I ) 1 e k. for instnnee. ; i 1 11 1 . ;is for Mr. I; H leien 11 11 , I etilll'ess I I > > k 111 >• • 11 his i h'j ni ii re for Lomhui ns II It i I e n eiloniul (lisnster. Mr. T l l I tern < 1 e't' still remuilis f;i 1 1 , i fit 1 . ; i ill will nynili next venr some lime iti Mnreli. I believe ileliylit it- with his line netiny. Mis " Yillnye Priest." his "Tnn |tt -riiv." his elinrneters in "So wiie.: tie- Mi ml. nml in hnlf-.i-dozen Other I liners w here lire t he v to he excel lei I f holer' limy it hi- he fore Mr. Tilherndye pnrts e nil | in n v w it ! i Mr. nml Mrs. Ilrmiyli. Tlier ■ w n s s mm t n I k 11 u it e rerently of t lint st erl i my n et >r. Mr. ( I. \V. A n son ret it rn inn- t o the eol inies. i i join Mr. Ilroityh. The news s mis nllieist too mini I to lie true. hue of the host ehnrneter net ors we linve evel'lim! out Imre his " pee les" in "('nste" wns pet-feet. Mr. Alls ill olly'llt to he n tower of strenylh 1 I n Ii X eompHliV. nml he Would he just iii his eh-limn t with tin- I Irony I is. As We write this nl'tiele news comes of lie- n pproneh iler' visit to Mellinylon ol llmt

American company. Hoyl s h'omedians. whose performances of the lauyhable comedy, “A Trip to Chinatown." have caused such a furore duriny the past lew months in Melbourne. Sydney. Adelaide and Brisbane. As tins company is to make its appearance tit the Opera House on the 10th inst., a few details as to its composition may not be out of place. " A 1 rip to Chinatown ” is avowedly a concatenation of nonsense, a vaudeville entertainment of a superlative order. It makes no pretention to dramatic verisimilitude. It sets <>ut to amuse, and it fulfils its mission admirably. It is tin admixture of confused elements all work in*; to the one end < > f entertainin'.:'. There is in it sinyiny (comic and serious), daneiny (yracelttl and eccentric), dialogue (wit tv and nonsensical), music (attractive and catchy), specialities (novel and clever), and action (boisterous and farcical to a deyree). The company includes Mr. Harrv Conor, an American comedian, who is immensely popular all over the States, ami who is said to possess powers of facial expression which are well-niyh marvellous: Mr. Frank Lawton, the whist liny comedian; .Mr. (ieorye Beane, a character actor of yreat talent ; Mr. -I. A. Libbey. who litis a verv yond baritone voice; ami Mr. Arthur Facie, itn Knylish player who has achieved yre.it success in America, whither be lirst proceeded with Dr. Dyley ( artcs a (londoliers" Company, 1 he ladies include the Misses Sadie McDonald, (loraldine McCann, Nellie Butler. " Patrice." Amelia Stone, and Bessie Clayton, the last-named had v bciny what the French call a tin n.<rn.«- ncrn t ri'i ar, whose s;i11 at oria 1 abi 1 it ies. especia 1 ly her now famous “back kick. moved all Australian masherdom into a fren/.y of enthusiiism. The fun of the piece is said to be of a briylit and wliolesome character, the dialoyue bciny laudably free from ilnuhli' c a tr nil re. “A 'Ffi ] > to Chinatown should come as a welcome relief to many after t he mental worrv and excitement ot the clect ions. The dramatic event of the year that, is now closiny was. to my mind, tlm visit of the Trilby Company. M iss Kdilh ('nine tnav not have been exact ! \ an id**al Tfilbv. but the Svenyali ot Mr. 1' a x

will remain in my memory for many years, as I doubt not. it will in the memories of hundreds of other plavyoers. He was the incarnation of a diablerie, which was as powerful as it was yruesome it was a marvellously line piece of character aetiny. After Svenyali. Mr. Trader's Zott Zott. was a tleliyht fill liyht comedv part. wonderfullv well played, and do not let us foryet that excellent ponrtraval of Mad.ame \ inard. I wonder how many of the thousands of New Zealanders who have watched the performances of Pollard's Opera Company, know anythin” 1 of the historv of that clever band of players. Lei meyivea few details: It was in Melbourne, in June. LS'.U.that Mr. Tom Pollard waited upon Mr. .1. ('. Williamson. .and advised him to oryani/.e ;t Juvenile Operti (.'ontpaiiy. To this he consented, children were advertised for. over three

hundred ; i ] i ] 1 1 i i ■< 1. :md after selecting forty of the most promising " Williamson's Juvenile < ) j >e r: i (' mipany was tin tire > 1111 > I i s 1 1 e < | fuel. The lirsi <>lm■ r;t lvlietirseil was ■■ I he Mikado." ;i iii I the first performance took ] 1 1 j i e e tit Lalineest >n. ill July. |s<»|. New Zealand was lirsi visited in August of ilitu vi'tir. ;i in I si nee t hen t li is coin | iti ny litis visit ed us annually. end litive. during' lie- lest live veers. | de veil in this e ilony no less then one hundred end sixty weeks. lhiriny the lest live veers Mr. Pollard he- lied through his liends over fmir hundred end t wen t y you i i <_r people, and liV tt j 11 diei OI | s S V S t e 1 1 1 oi' weed inn' out tin 1 d ii 11 e nd i ne t t en t i ve. e nd yi vi i i Li' every elienee to the apt ones, ] he present company lies etteined its high standard of perfectionAfter the tirst six months of its existence' Mr. Will ie in sol i found t It tit lie lied too much to do. so lie nitide the eompenv over to Mr* Pollard. end to ttvuiil en y clashing wit li the edttlt eompenv. the nemo was changed to "Pollard's Lilliputian ()per;t ('oniptinvP The word " Lilliputian lies now Leon dropped, and the young people sieml on their own merits as a full-ldown opera comj itiny. On analysing the cause of its ereat success. 1. of course, recognise the fact that good singing and actiny yo a very yreat wav. lmt I ttlso notice that in till the productions of this company, strict attention, to detail has been the strony point. There are no

stitrs in this company. Mr. Pollard bciny Well aware of the fact that a central fiyure. however yood. will not make it picture. As slmwiny the cleverness ami marvellous versatility :if these vouny colonials. 1 may state that Mr. Pollard boasts that lie can visit any cirv or town in the world, and produce no less than thirty operas, burlesques, and dramas in that number of niyhts. without a prompt-book or a rehearsal, and it does not matter who leaves or who takes ill : there is a]wavs it competent substitute. So quick are rliev to study and yrasp the that thev can produce any opera in tour weeks from the day the score arrives. At the present time this company miyht with truth be called “The Federal Opera Cmnpanv." as there are representatives ot every col.inv embodied in it. New Zealand holds a st ron w hand in the personnel of thecompanv. and Mr. Piillard declares that lor voices, phvsique. and ill 1 - l'ott ltd cleverness, the 11 at i ves of this colony easily take the palm.

Amonyst the vouny ladies of t he company the most prominent are Misses Marion Mitchell. Maud and May Beatty. Fmilv Metcalfe. Maud Hew.-on Miss Mitchell is ;t Well i nyt on native. and has an exceptionally line voice and a yeneral aptitude for st aye work which have both been of yreat advantaye to her. She maile her debut ;it the () pera House. We 11 iny t on. as M a be] in “The Pirates" and at once “enityht on." her itiyiny of t lie well known Poor Wnmlerinys One " simply brinyiny down the house, as I lie si,aye slany has it. Since then she lias plaved principal roles in t wenty-eiyht opera* 5 and burlesques. ;ind is a pronounced favottrt e wherever she yoes. Those two remarkablv clever yi rls. Misses Maud and May Beat tv. are natives of (' hrist ch ti reh. aml come of a t heat riea 1 la mily. Miss Mil lid Beatty hits a fi lie sraye a ppeariince, ;t full resonant contralto voice, and a very clear enunciation. She has a yreat flit tire before her. for in addition t o her love of study she possesses yreat versatility. Wellinytnn plavyoers will not foryet her Paul .Jones, in everv wav an admirable bit of

work. A peculiarity in connection with tin’s vouny lady is that although she has played in some thirty different pieces she has only once been cast for a female character, that, of Munnlu in "The Princess ot I rebi/.onde. Her sister. Miss Mev Realty, is a Lrieht and sparklum little actress, with a peculiarly vivacious stvle which litis made her a yeneral favourite. Roth sisters have been under yood masters, possess theoretical as well as practical knowledge oi music, end have line futures beiore them. Miss Emily Metcalfe is a native ot Wellington. She has tin excellent voice, yood stage presence, and more than average

act ill <_;• ability. Weshal! not easily foryet her K:it isli;i. her Duchess in " The Gondoliers.” and t lie ('oimtoss in < divot to. Miss Maud Ilowson is a Idmodin yirl by liirth. Sin l lias a very lino contralto, and promises in time to become one oi tin* most useful niondiors of t he company. As to the Pollard "hoys," as they are familiarly eallod.it is awkward toyive pride of place to anv one. lint personally 1 should vote for vouny A If St opiums, who is a native of Melbourne. He has wonderful powers of facial expression, a sweet tenor voice, and its he? is a painstaking youny fellow he will yo far. As to the others. Messrs. Percy, (.>uealy . Youny. Na 1 de. and All >ert. t hev are till clever vouny fellows and can well hold their own wit h mnnv adult performers. Mr. Pollard, the proprietor of the company. is reeoynised as one ot the best stayo mamiyers in the colony. The marches yroupinys. .and lin.ales art' till candidly workt'd tip by Mr. Pollard, and some of the st aye effect s yot by this comp,any would be hard to excel.

M r. 11. T. II arrison. \ In- ci im I net >r. was with Messrs. Williamson : 111 < I )l iis'jrnvr for some ven rs. :111 < i is essein i; 111y 1 he right m;m ill | lie rill'll! ['litre, A eoln|i"Ser of Mo me.'lll merit, his own opera "I’rinre Ibilbo" eoiit ;i i net I m;i n v tuneful e i rs. Mr. Fred Ituval. the I nisiness tmi miner ol the eo m j in ! i \ is Well known nil over I lie colon v. IF- is n verv old I in ml in I lie t li m t ricn I luisiiiess. lie has worked I or s noli 11 Vegoli e e i • | e i 11 • i I i e > as tlm Into \\ i 11 ill 111 I I oskins. Johnnv llnll. Steele mid Kmiii. mid Hillin' others. lie uns tlm |iilot ol I lie original I h il Inn Is Opera Fompnnv I hrotigh the Kiist, t lie i our showini'- n |irolit of over (JS.Add. I I ii ri Hi;' lute years lie hns heen manager for John F. Sheridun. (ogill lli'ot hers, tin- Moniui'iie-Tiii'iier Company,

and lias boon four years with Mr. Pollard, for whom he is indeed theriyht hand man. 1 have chatted awav about the Pollards as at some lenyrli for the special reason that of all the companies that travel the colony they visit more of the principal country towns and are the best known, and consequently I have thouyht that a yoodly number of my readers would lie interested in what 1 miyhfc ca 11 " Pol la rd /<< vs.- >,m/ in

There seems to be a lull in tin' lecturer lint' of late. Of course I refer to professional lecturers: the amateur discourser on science, literature, Shakespere. and the musical ylasses we lutvc always with us. Mr. 1!. T. Smythe yives no siyn. althouyh there is some rumour of his luiviny enyayed Harry Purniss. formt'rly of I’nm'li , to yive a series of illustrated lectures on "The House of Commons. We owe a yood detd to Mr. Smythe. Althouyh some of his "stars” may have caused us disappointment, as lecturers, they are nearly always men of whom we have heard or read much, and whose acquaintance in t he flesh we are only too ylad to make, if only out of curiosity Some that we have heard we would fain have heard nyain. Proctor, the astronomer (dead, alas!), and the Pew Charles Clark in particular. No one could make tin' marvels of science so yenerally interestiny and comprehensible than Proctor; and oh for ('lark's lectures on Dickens', what an intellectual feast they were. Sa la never "enuyhl on" In's matter was yood, but Jiis manner of delivery was execrable. Forbes and Stanley somehow tailed to conn' up to expectations. Talmaye played the mountebank; but Max O'Pell was yenuinely humorous, althouyh his lectures were merely a recapitulation of the best "bits in his books: Yilliers had some line pictures, and when speakiny on the Kastern war interested us yreatlv. but otherwise was not much appreciated; Mark Twain we went, to see. and came away (some of us) 1 hinkiny we could have told his stories better ourselves: llaweis was jerky and unsatisfactory; but Haskett Smith was the born lecturer matter, manner, pictures, every t hiny exeel lent all rouml.

The truth is that we expect too much from the wnr correspondents, the travellers, journalists, and the authors who come out here to "‘speak their piece.” as Arlermns Ward says, and expecting too much we tire often disappointed. Hut the pleasure, the satisfaction of having- seen and heard men who have done big work in their respective lines til ways remains