ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4847, 27 December 1902, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. THE ANDERSON DRAMATIC COMPANY. There was a thronged holiday audience at the Opera liouso last night, when Mr William Anderson's Dramatic Company appeared in “The Night Birds oi London." This play, melodrama of + he most approved typo of the Adelpni school, appealed intimately to the audience which crammed the theatre, so that the hero and heroine, in their teariul progress through four acts, gained the hearty sympathy of an enthusiastic nomocracy, whilst the villains—there are more than a brace of them—earned its equally hearty denunciation. The night *- birds, from whom the play takes its title, are the denizens of the Night-birds' Club, the haunt in modern Aspasia whore the hapless pigeon is plucked over the gamingtable, or by any other convenient method which presents .itself; and it is about this process of pigeon-plucking that the plot largely concerns itself, Eric Joyce is enticed into the gambling-hell and encouraged in a career of ruin because his cousin, Robert Carlton, wishes to dispossess him of his inheritance. Carlton's scheme involves in its execution a couple of murders, a jewel robbery, and finally a big gas explosion, which wrecks a building, but fails to kill the person for whom it was intended—a precocious child as he escapes beforehand, and, helps to clear matters up in tho last act, and bring about retributive justice. Xu addition to the main catalogue of crime, there are some minor villainies contrived by tho subordinates who aro assisting Carlton; and tho audience therefore spends an exciting evening. The company gave a very creditable and even performance, and revealed itself as possessing considerable merit within, its ranks. Tho play is admirably mounted, whilst tho assistance which stage realism can give is judiciously taken advantage of. Tho interior of tho Night-birds* Club is the scene of some brisk acting; there is an excellent street scene in the falling snow outside Covent Garden Theatre, where newsboys and fiower-sel-lerg ply their trade, whore horses and cabs appear on the stage, and whore even a motor-car draws up to allow its occupants to alight at the theatre. The climax is reached in the last scene with the gas explosion. Carlton enters a room in the upper story of a dwelling to murder a sleeping boy who stands between him and the money he covets. Instead of resorting to violence, however, he decides to suffocate the child by turning on a gas jet. The little boy ©scapes; one of Carlton's accomplices, in search of some hidden jewellery, and blissfully ignorant of the fact that the gas is leaking, enters th© room with a lighted candle, and an explosion follows. Tho walls are blown out, the building is wrapped in fire and the firemen rush to the scene and play their hose ,upon the leaping flames, wb-ile the hero and heroine, in the foreground, com© into possession of a fortune and rehabilitated reputation, and the villain is marched off to a felon’s cell. The scene was skilfully managed, its realism gaining loud applause. The Wellington public renewed Acquaintance with an old friend in Mr Harry Plimmcr, who played an excellent part as Brio Joyce. There is one particularly effective scene where Joyce*, a fugitive from justice, steals to the home of his wife and child to see them, as he believes, for the last time. Ho talks to his child, and his wife—who by some wild improbability fails to recognise hirh —hands him at nis request a rose which she is wearing in her bosom. Here there was a clever piece of emotional acting on the part of Mr PJimmer. Mr H. \V. Diver also acted with great fidelity as Robert Carlton, tho chief villain. In his style Mr Diver is somewhat reminiscent of Mr Tlthoradge, and’ makes his points with a reserve force which is always effective.’ The scene in*which Carlton confronts Colonel Joyce and kills him gave an excellent proof of Mr Diver's strength in a strong situation. Mr Edmund Duggan is another valuable member of the company. His performance was capital as Sam Jacobs, the manager of the Night-birds' Club—a character of the stylo of Fagan in "Oliver Twist." Jacobs, as played by Mr Duggan, was one of the chief successes of Die piece. Mr Frank Hawthorne gave a clever'performanco as Ferrars, the exquisite who is "rooked" in th© Night-birds' Club, and has to come down to soiling baked potatoes in the street outside Covent Garden. Ferrars, who manages to hold bis evening suit and top hat through his* most desperate straits of fortune, supplies much of the comedy of the play, and Mr Hawthorne did this well. The part of Stella Carrington, the adventuress who assists materially in the machinations oi the villains, was made a groat ‘deal of by Miss Helene Burdette who displayed marked ability. Miss r Ida Gresham was somewhat uneven as the heroine, Marion Joyce; but played well in a pathetic scene between husband and wife outside Covcnt Garden. Mr Walter Dalgleisii, as Colonel Joyce, Mr C. R. Stanford, as Rupert Lee and Mr George Chalmers, as Bill Vesper, were also prominent members of a long cast. Mr Walter Rivers appeared with success as Loid Uashwood. There are- two children's parts which are conspicuous—one of these being Joyce's son, played by Miss Pattio Hughes, and the other a girl's part, played hy Miss Gladys Hughes. Both these characters were cleverly acted. "The Night-birds of London" is to be repeated until further notice. THEATRE ROYAL. "DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT." "Hundreds turnea away" was a literal fact in connection with the appearance at the Theatre Koyal last night, for the first time in New Zealand, of the panto- ; mini© production, "Dick Whittington and his Cat." Mr Djx deserves great credit for his enterprise in catering in so seasonable a manner for the wants of the community, and tne popularity of the venture was attested last night by the character of the ..attendance. Standing room was scarce when the curtain was raised, and had it not been for tho patent ventilators with which the building is fitted things would have been very uncomfortable for those in the auditorium. The piece was presented with a praiseworthy attention to detail, and considering the large amount of raw material which necessarily had to be drawn upon, was surprisingly free from blemish. Tho scenery was adequate, and the dressing lacked neither variety nor effectiveness. Some exceedingly clover turns were introduced by speciality artists, and each of the principals sang topical songs, which, while being very witty and laughable, were in the best of taste. Much of th© dialogue, too, had been given a local flavour by the versatile Toni Leonard, whose adaptations were keenly appreciated.

The nomo part was taken by Miss Sadie Casino, who scored a distinct success with both her acting and singing, besides contriving to look the part t and imparting a great deal of originality to the impersonation. As Alice, the heroine of the piece, Miss Olive Lenton was entirely satisfactory. Her extreme versatility as an actress, singer and dancer was never more agreeably displayed. The part of Idle Jack was entered into in a most spirited manner by Mr Frank M. Clark, and that performer (who is also responsible for the staging of the piece) had much to do with, the success of the production. Of course secondary only to pick Whittington—and indeed primary in the opinion of the juvenllo members of the audience-ywas the cat. This part was most heroically taken by Little Casino. It was no small test of physical stamina to prance about the stage completely enveloped in a th’dc covering on a night when the thermometer was showing 70 in the coolest part of the theatre, and Little Casino is to be congratulated upon the complete success which attended hi* f*lsno impersonation, . Mr Bme«t Fitts mode an impressive Hat King—although his else was a sever* tax upon, youthfnl oredulitv—and he tres hoard to great advantage In on* or Interpolated songs, Mr Fred Eivenhall

played the excitable and volatile Aide* man to perfection, and the Liza, Captain Seabreeze and Princess Prettypet of Messrs Joe Cowan and George Bentley and Miss Jennie Johnston respectively left nothing to be desired. Miss Ethel Clifford deserves special mention for tho enthusiastic manner in which she pervaded the performance and for her very graceful and effective dancing. _ The principal specialists were tho Sisters Smith, duettists and dancers, remarkably fine and versatile artists in their line, who had come overland specially for tho performance, and who hastened from the Manawatu train to fill their f niche in the bill. Tho statue ballet arranged.by Miss Ethel Clifford was a vc* nr acceptable novelty; and Mr Steve Adson made a hit with his original burlesque "Suud-oh the Mighty.'* The harlequinade which concluded the performance seemed to lack that hurricane dash which would have made it a clean success. "Dick Whittington" will be repeated until further notice. A matinee performance is to take place this afternoon. CHORAL ILVLL, Mr Dean's waxworks last night had their full share of support from a plea-sure-seeking public, and a house full in every crevice enjoved tho first production of “The Brook." Th© piece is of the vaudeville type, teeming with comedy, in dance and song, catchy air and rollicking chorus. All the principals were cordially received, and had to give repetitions of their songs. The wax figures and sideshows are a source of undiminished interest. ' ' The "social" at the Druids' Hall given; last night by the Wellington Operative Bootmakers' Society in aid of one of tho members was attended by over eighty couples. Several vocal items wore con-: tributed, and dancing was kept up till early in the morning. The M.C.'s weroj Messrs F. Curtice and J, H. Quin, and] Mr R. E. Vanoy acted as hon. secretary, j Rexo, an accomplished juggler, whg performed in Wellington somotwo year* ago, is now appearing at the Choral Halls