AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13586, 7 May 1906, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

THE ANDERSON DRAMATIC COMPANY. ' Tho prospect of witnessing a revival of the sensational military melodramatic play, entitled "Tho Ladder of Life; or Gordons to the Front," was sufficient to attract a very large audience to: the Princess Theatre on Saturday night, the moTo popular portions of tho building being crowded. The drama in question was produced here by ono of Mr Anderson's previous companies a few years ago.. In providing the , most exciting of theatrical fare it is little short of a- masterpiece—a heterogeneous mingling of tragedy and comedy, love and hate, misunderstanding, vengeance, and villainy, Gordon Highlanders and Afridis, kilts and turbans, powder and smoke, acrobats, steam hammers, masquerading Scotchmen, Nihilists, and other elements too numerous even lo hint at. In short, into three hours and four acts as much exciting incident as the imagination can suggest has been heaped. There is small wonder that a play of this sort should command a very wide popularity among a section of theatre-goers that is admittedly large, and constitutes an audience that likes its dramatic stimulant in generous doses, is more concerned about dramatic quantity than quality, and finds extravagance as the choicest of viands. " The Ladder of Life " is a great spectacular success, and is full of colour, animation, and resonance. The story of the rival cousins,' David and Fergus Gordon, the hero and villain respectively of the play, will'be remembered. The sulphurous second act, dealing with the tremendous exploits of tho Gordon Highlanders upsn the heights of Dargai, will be specially recalled, and is a great piece of atago representation that never fails to elicit s. responsive applause nearly as loud as its own rifle volleys. What terrible fellows the dramatist has peinted the Gordon Highlanders! His assurance that they would go through anything is not 1 needed, they go through so much. How the audience palpitated as more than one gallant tartaned figure in kilt and spnrra.n hit the' dust, and how gallantly tho corpses walked homo after the play I Then another memorable scene is provided in the third act, where the Russian refugee, Olga Sobinsky, is placed by traitorous hands beneath the descending stroke of a Nasmyth steam hammer and plucked from the jaws of death by tho three military acrobats who arc essential to the working of the ploy, and who in this particular scene break at the critical moment through the roof of tho building whore the unfortunate lndy is, and, hanging suspended in a line head downwards, snatch her from the jaws of death in tho nick of . time. The hammer mechanism, was not working too well on Sniimiy night, and when tho hammer did fall it came down in its polite manner—that is, in the way it is expected to behave to an eggshell. Also the lady was palpably not- put where she wiis in danger of being struck. But these are small things. All plays depend much j for their success ijpon the manner in which they are acted, and the performance of the members of '.he Anderson Dramatic Company in The Ladder of Life" must in general "-be very highly commended. Good acting can often make much of an otherwise poor part. Mr Ham- Diver demonstrated to the full that a man mrv sniilo and smile and be a villain, albeit looking wicked onough at times in the part of the scheming Fergus Gordon to satisfy the most inordinate demand tor realisni. As usual. Mr Divers gave a thoroughly finished and studied performance.. As the unfortunate Olga Sobinaky Miss Helen Burdette had a.n excellent part, and scteil the adventuress with tho foreign accent with an intensity that was almost roimrkablo, and msdo her appearance on tho stage always tinged with expectancy. In tlio death-hod (scene Miss Burdette made a telling appeal to the emotional susceptibilities of the audior.co. Mr Walter Dalgleirfi mado the hero the usual manly, uncomplaining victim l of circumstances, and Miss Daisy Strathmore'fi heroine, Meg Merrilces,. was as sensible and affectionate a type as could be desired. One of t'".e exceptionally good parts of the play is tliat of Sergeant M'Dougali, and Mr Frank Reis excelled himself herein, and his comedy, towards which Miss Maisie Maxwell as. Mary Jano Jolliboy, contributed not a little, kept '.lie lyidience intensely amused. Mi- Geoffrey Williams was a trifle unhappy at times as Ivan Kartehikoff, the Nihilist, hut fho Nihilist was a difficult position, and was himself obviously far from happy. Miss Ijeiglllord provided good comedy ns Mother Flint., and the Silvenis showed themselves accomplished acrobats. ,Mr Stirling Whyte and Mr Max Clifton were quite equal to the requirements of iairly important parts, and the other members in a long cost acquitted themselves quite satisfactorily. The play was most lavishly staged and was enthusiastically received. "The Ladder of Life" will | )e repeated tliis evening. THE ATiHAMBRA. There was a crowded house at the Alhambra Theatre oil Saturday night, when on entirely new mil was presented by Messrs Fullers' \ audeyille Company. The entertainment was a good one. and the audience showed its anpreciation by recalling every performer, In fact, some of the company received triple encores The first part was particularly bright, both Mr S-am "Wilson and Lai Lcxpe being in flplcndid form, lvesping flic audience ill a ripple of merriment a'l through. Enjoyablo ™ ?V!. w 2* Biven b s' Miss Eva Brady, Miss Phyllis Fay. Lai Logic, Herbeit Kelly. Violet Crawley, and the popular laughter-innker. Mr Sam Wilson, who, as usual, hod something new and original on tap, In the second part "Alma" deftly mystified the audience with some conjuring of a vei'v high order of merit. Miss Dolly Le Strange was the on'y new artiste in the company, and received a flattering reception for her meritorious vocalisation of "Annie Laurie." She has a very pleasing mezzo-soprano voice, which sho uses with considerable Skill, and she should be a big attraction throughout the week. The'Driscoll Bros, were in good form, and greatly delighted the numerous patrons. A feature of the evening was the exhibition of moving pictures. Miss Pearl Lovel] gjiined fre»h laurels for her graceful work. An exceedingly laughable farce, entitled "The Lawyer's Clerk," concluded an entertainment which well maintained Messrs Fullers' standard. The same programme will be repeated to-night. LECTURE ON' MUSICAL CURIOSITIES. To-night in the Choral Hall Mr Thomas F. Dunhill, examiner to the Associated Board of Royal Academy and Royal Col'ege of Music, will lecture on musical curiosities. Mr Dunliill promises a great number of novelties, and will personally give illustrations on the pianoforte, the vocal mid otlior instrumental items being given by local musioians. All candirlntes (successful or otherwise) in the recentlylield examinations by Mr Dunhill may obtain [ree tickets on application to Charles Begg md Co.'s warehouse.