AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13846, 8 March 1907, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. "Tnr. OncrnD." "T'no Orchid" bloomed— if the expression may be permitted—for Hie first time before a Duncdin audience at His Majesty's Theatre lost evening, when Mr J. C. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company had an enthusiastic reception from a- very large audience. Musical couiedy lias to be approached in a, proper spirit to be properly appreciated. The timo is past for reproaching it bccause it is not opera. It has a place of its own, and many votaries. It is a combination of brilliant ideas, situations, and whimsicalities, in themselves quite detached, but linked together with music and story of a kind, dressed in all tlio glory of Solomon and the whole melange given a striking title. The .title is important. .'As it is sometimes seen, the musical play suggests a ve'ty degenerate stage. As Mr Williamson produces it, it attains a different rank and certain heights ill being the best of its kind. In itself it represents a brilliantly successful attempt to cater for modem theatrical requirements of a sort that call for no mental effort 011 the part of the spectator, no gjasp of anything in particular sa.vc a sense of the ludicrous and an appreciation of the poetry of motion, grouping, and colour. It presents pictures that the most refined may iind beautiful, and are the perfection of stagecraft. It is the product of a peculiar age catering for the man who lilies his enjoyment to be light and does not object to it in snatches. It is not esteemed one of its demerits that musical comedy may be taken up and relinquished at almost any stage without any keen seuso of incompleteness. It is a continuous scries of pictures, scenes, acts, turns, pretty maids, bright music, dainty dancing, lor .laughter, and whatever you will. It is at once a curiosity and a niastorpicco in its best aspects. The talent that evolves it is best described as ingenuity combined with a senso of tlio artistic. And all this applies eminently to " The Orchid." From a spectacular standpoint this production is nothing less than magnificent, and quite up to tho best J. C. Williamson traditions. Otherwise the piece has many strong features. Tlio comedy clement is as smart and funny as doubtless much racking of brains could make it, and from# start to finish tho spectator's sense of humour has to resist or yield to a constant succession of strong appeals. Of novelty thjre is as much as any reasonable person could expect, and tho music is bright, light, and taking. It is not music to be taken away anil treasured, of course, but. it serves its purpose. The songs in musical comedy arc often quite pretty; and the words in those ihat arc humorous, are often not heard, which may be unfortunate, for they aro cflen extraordinary. Close upon 'three hours spent in watching tho unfolding of "The Orchid" posses in any case with record rapidity. The performance moves along swiftlyj and the action never lags for a. moment. A naturalist of parts has said of crcliids that they are remarkable for tho musical figure of their irregular flowers, which aro so various in form that tlioro is scarcely a common reptile ci; insect to which somo of them have not been likened. Tho story of the musical comedy under discussion—for it has an airy story for a. foundation—centres round an orchid of extraordinary value with a certainly icptile-likc proclivity for disappearance and survival. Otherwise tlie story deals with surreptitious marriages, mixed up brides and bridegrooms, wagers, duels and a host of uncommon people and events, and it the first act gains exotic bloom from tho fact that tho scene is laid in a, horticultural college for young ladies, t'lio second act gains an even mora dazzling iE more eccentric colour and dress, because tho favourito glimpso of Continental life at carnival timo is introduced. Tho company is a particularly strong one from the point of view of the demands made upon it by "The Orchid." The fact that lie provided tho greatest quota of humour in tho part of Meakin, a romantic gardener, gave Mr W. S. Percy special prominence in the cast. The reappearance of the popular comedian, after a lengthy absence from this city, was greeted with applause of almost embarrassing duration. Mr Percy quite fulfilled expectations. Ho was throughout the part tho soul of spontaneous humour and lightness, and kept the audience in a titter of merriment by his olever comedy. In the duel scene of tlie second act he was particularly comical, this hoing as a result quito one of the most laughable portions of tho production. As Lady Violet Anstruther and Josephine Zaccary, the two . young iladies ivlio make tho surreptitious .marriage bbforo iho registrar, Miss Evelyn Scott and Miss Olive Godwin had parts of considerable importance which they filled exceedingly well. Miss Scolt's most successful solo was a quaintly humorous ditty, entitled "Little Mary," which will probably make a struggle for a wider local existence, while Miss Gcdwiu. though having few opporluities to exhibit her excellent vocal powers, made the most of what sho had, and a conspicuous success of a charming duet with Mr Xcedham. Mr JI. Xeedbam and Mr Arthur Crane, cast,in the parts of the two bridegrooms, the Hon. Ciuy/iicrynigeour and Hr Fnusset, were well up to the requirements of their roles, and sang acccptably when opportunity occurred. A very excellent performance indeed was that of Miss Clara. Clifton r.s Miss Caroline Ypkins, the lady with the matrimonial turn, who replies to Meakin's advertisement lor a wife. Capital humour and acting characterised' all Miss Clifton's work, and her droll sedateness was as irresistibly humorous as it was artistic and well sustained. Miss Clifton's songs, such as "In my time" and "Fancy dress" wero well accentuated and enthusiastically received. Mr C. R. ISantock imparted a quiet humour to the part of Mr Chesterton, the Minister of ! Commerce, that well befitted it, and Miss i Nellie Wilson as Zelic Rombert, a French , adventuress, Miss Connie Milne as the Minister's secretary Thislw. and Miss Katie Potter i as Countess Anstruther were entirely satis- ! factory in their respective ro'es. Mr C. M. : Berkeley, as a duelling French count, was very happily east, and excelled in the part, ' and 111* Fred Leslie's contribution of clever i dancing in a fairly important part was by no • jneans insignificant in adding to the general i elfect. With Miss Kvelvn .Scott Mr Leslie ; took part in a clog dance and duo in dialect 1 that was a conspicuously successful item. ' 'Many other minor parts were very adequately 1 sustained. The setting of " The Orchid" is ' cn a scale o! most lavish completeness, challenging comparison with any previous productions of its kind seen here. The per- ! formance was received by the audience with ' the utmost appreciation, and recalls wero J numerous. The chorus did , its work effi- ' cientlv, and the dancing was a feature of the | production, the pas do trois of the second act deserving fpecial mention. An excellent orchestra, under the direction of Mr A. % M'Cnnn, assisted materially in what will bo found a very taking production. J "The Orchid" will Ik repeated this even--1 TAYLOR-CABRIJCGTON COMPANY. 5 "is She Guiltless?" was repealed at" Ilia 3 Alhambru. Theatre last evening to a good l house, and the performance was as favourably r received as on the previous evening. Tho r scenic effects, particularly "Paris by Xfght," t wero excellent, and the staging of the play - and character impersonations reflected credit - on the management and the members of tho '.company as a whole. "Is She .Guiltless?"

will bo repoated to-night for the last time, and. to-morrow night the company will close' tlio Duucdin senson with "Undor tlio Gaslight." FULLERS' VAUDEVILLE. After an absence of five weeks from this city, Messrs Fullers' will resume their popular vaudeville entertainments on Monday 'night with a specially selected company, headed! by such warm favourites as Mr Fred Graham and Miss JCellio Dent, Air Slade Murray, ft well-known descriptive singer ami comedian, who was recently brought to Australia from England by My Harry lfickards, will appear iov tlio first time in this city. A number of ether performers will also appear, including Jlr Ijcs ■JVarton and the Driscoll Bros.