“SAN TOY.”

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4806, 8 November 1902, Page 5 (Supplement)

“SAN TOY.”

The second production, of the Williamson Musical Comedy Company will be the London Gaiety success, "San Toy." This musical play has been a great success in Australia and ought to “catch on" in New Zealand. In. criticising the company's first performance of the piece, in Adelaide, the “Advertiser” says:—As San Toy, Miss Bose Musgrove was as dainty and mercurial as possible, her acting being as charming as it was spontaneous, and her singing as sweet as a bird's. For her great advances in the profession she adorns. Miss Musgrove has to thank her own artistic intelligence, and in each character she undertakes there is an increased measure of success. la each phase of San Toy, whether as the little maid masquerading in boy’s clothes, or as the young girl awakening to her new found love, she won the warmly-expressed favour of the audience, and was greeted with enthusiastic applause throughout. The brightness and vivacity with which she sang “It’s nice to bo a boy sometimes,” greatly pleased her hearers, while in the pretty song, “Somebody,” in the second act, she was exceedingly charming. Miss Musgrove and Mr Brownlow shared the honours in the duets “ABC” and "China Maid,” which were both followed with demands for more, and the young lady is to be congratulated upon a most artistic and delightful performance. Mi Kg Lillian Digges, who made her first appearance here as Dudley, Poppy's maid, won the goodwill of the audience by her fresh, irresistible gaiety, and a piquant style which is all her own. A singularly effective danseuse, she flits about the stage with a lightness of_ thistledown, while she greatly assisted, in the merrymaking with Mr Graham. Her singing of “The lady’s maid” was instinct with fun, and in the duet with “Li,” “Samee gamee,” which was followed by a most agile and laughter-provoking dance, she won loud applause, which demanded a repetition of the dance. Miss Digges was equally successful in her singing of a pretty little lilt entitled “Bhoda,” • and in the very funny humorous duet, “China, with Mr Graham, another hit was scored. Mr Fred H. Graham had a congenial part as ,Li, an astute Chinaman, who might have been a twin brother of Wun Hi, of the "Geisha Girl.” Although the author of “Sau Toy” was responsible for the family likeness, Mr Graham proved his versatility by infusing quite a different class of humour into the festive Li, and his performance was greatly enjoyed by the spectators. His initial song, "For 1 am Li,” found immediate favour, while his “La-di-da," in a costume built on Anglo-Chinese lines, was excruciatingly funny, and was warmly re-demanded. Equally humourous was Mr Graham’s singing of . “Me getteo out, quick-quick,” and throughout the evening he contrived to keep the ball of fun rolling merrily. Mr Maurice Dudley, as the white-haired and peppery British Consul, Sir Bingo Preston, was responsible for a clever little character sketch, and Mr Frank Pierce was funnily effective as the mandarin. Yen How., He was accompanied by his little and he again excited the risibilities of the audience with the song “I mean to introduce it into China.” Mr Charles Treed made the Emperor of China a very pompous and important individual, who, however, was subject to sudden attacks of mirth, which considerably shook his system, and Mr Ernest Mozar as Lieutenant Harvey Tucker acted and sang with general acceptance. Mr A. Lissant extracted a considerable amount of amusement out of the character of Sing Hi, president of the Board of Ceremonies, and the minor male parts were all satisfactorily filled. Yen How’s wives were represented by the Misses Annie Cobb, Connie „ Hamilton, Louise Perfect, Grace Bees, and E. Hillas. and they materially assisted in the scene with Yen How and in the song and chorus with Miss Musgrove, “A little bit of fun.” Miss Hetty Muret was. a handsome member of the Emperor’s Own as Ko Fan, and Miss Tilly Woodlock was recalled for a very clever and dexterous dance, which hit the taste of the spectators. The other characters were ably sustained, and “San Toy,” which was produced under the stage direction of Mr Spencer Barry, from the Gaiety Theatre. London, went with a merry swing from start to finish, and the choruses and orchestral work under the direction of Mr George Hall, were excellent throughout