New Zealand.

Otago Witness, Issue 1645, 2 June 1883, Page 23

New Zealand.

The Juvenile Opera Company discovered themselves in an altogether new guise on Monday last, when opera bouffe was discarded in favour of pantomine. The performance given by the youngsters of H. J. Byron's extravaganza, "Jack, the Giant-killer," shows their stage education t» be much more comprehensive than was apparent at first sight. It is not however an unmixed gratification to find that many of the children have received not only the tuition required to make them actors and vocilißts on a small scale, but have also received in a meaMire the training of professional acrobats. Nevertheless, pleasing or unpleasing, this fact adds considerably to the strength of the company as a company. It is not only a juvenile opei a troupe, but a troupe of pantomimic artists ol very creditable attainments ; for " Jack the Giant-killer," notwithstanding the age the performers, is given in a very mirth-provoking style. The usual popular comic ditties gathered from the music-halls and elsewhere are sung with the most approved burlesque accompaniments in the way ot gesticulation, &c, and the youngsters aie thoioughly perfect in all the stage business so necessary to to the success of an extravaganza. The simplicity of the music naturally assists them verj materially, and there is little of that overstraining so frequently heard in intricate | operatic numbers rendered by juveniles. The company play with greater freedom, and a good deal of the fun of the piece is extracted ■ from the comicality of the contrast between ■ the giant Gorgibuster (Mr Darby shire) and the Very small fry with whom he has to deal. Miss Graupner as Jack, Miss A. Child as Queen Bee, Miss Dolly Inman as King Arthur (ot the Round Table), and Mias A. Hodge as the Maid of the Inn, all made up and acted very gracefully. The asso ciation of ideas which connects King Arthui with this nursery fable is not at first apparent, and must be included amongst the vagaries oi pantomime. It is also " new matter" to find that the famous giant-slayer pessessed a mother ? and the giant a man of all work and a professional cook. These several roles, however, all afford an opportunity for some broadly-droll acting on the part of Maßtei Willie Driscoll, Miss Holmes, and others. The usual topical songs are not forgotten, and in the harlequinade, which concludes the programme, a number of the children develop surprising capacity in this now almost forsaken sphere of theatrical art. The management, nevertheless, are scarcely to be congratulated upon the course of instruction which has familiarised some of the younger girls with a mode of postuiing almost as objectionable ii> them as in older danseuses. The Queen's Theatre has been occupiwd dm ing the past by a Colonel Markoe, who habeeu exhibiting a series ot fairly clever conjui ing tricks to not very satisfactory houses. Tht entertainment ia scai cely one suitable to Dun edin, but the Colonel, who is somewhat amusing in style and practiced in sleight of hand, should be able to draw money tolerably well in the country districts. " The Vagabond " (Mr Julian Thomas) who i 3 at present touring the country districts ot New Zealand, ia, I think, certainly not likelj achieve any brilliant reputation as a lecturer. As a writer he is well known, and has proved fairly entertaining, and it is not a very wide sketch of fancy to assume that his present travels are undertaken with a view to collecting pabulum for subsequent journalistic efforts The lecturing scheme is probably a happj afterthought, which, if successful, might go opportunely towards defraying expenses. Herein Mr Thomas is more than likely to be disap pointed, judging by results so far. His lectui c was last delivered at Arrowtown, and notwith standing its announcement in the local papei as a "' rare treat," a very meagre audience onl> assembled to hear Mr Thomas' personal remin iajences (valuable as they no doubt are), and his remarks on the Chinese and the Salvation Army. The lecturer, after an address of Jittl. more than an hour, stated that if he ever came that way again he would be most happy u> p^new his acquaintance with his auditors, a kindly expression which does not seem to have b^en very heartily reciprocated. Mr Fred. Maccabe's impressions of New ZeaJind, given at parting, are, like the general run of his utterances, amusing. He is noi eiamoured of the climate. " If," he says, "an hour of warmth, and an hour of cold, varied by wind and wet in the course of nearly everj day, is a good climate, then New Zealand has a very good climate. My impression of New Zealand is, that it is a very splendid country, p issessing many disadvantages, and that for delicate people it is especially calculated to end t ".«ir troubles, but it is a very fine country foi the survivors." Lhe Jenny Lee company played "Tin Q -asshopper " for one week in Auckland •' The Ticket-of-L aye-Man " followed, ami tb 'ii as thecompauy were unable to leave foi Australia until the 2J)th May, it was arrange*.. to play a week's season of comedy. " Pin) Dominoes " was the first piece produced with Miss Jennie Lee in the (tor her) small part of the wickedly-inclined waiting-maid. A rather serious incident oc curred during the final performance of " Tht-Ticket-of-Leave-Man." Either a candle or a jet of gas ignited the surrounding paper. A bare arm was seen behind the wings endeavouring, without success, to extinguish the blaze. Miss Jennie Lee, who was playing the part of Sam Willoughby, noticed the blaze, and, with the greatest coolness and method, pulled off her coat and smothered the flames, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the audience. Mr S. Genese, late business manager for tht Jennie Lee company, rented the Theatre Royal, Auckland, for a few nights, and, in conjunction with Mr W. B. Warner and othei local professionals, produced a miscellaneousentertainment, the principal feature in which was one of Mr W. S. Gilbert's farcical comediss.

Miss Eloise Juno and company are at pie0 nt playing at the Theatre Royal, Wellington, with moderate success. " Jennie Deans" did pofc draw particularly well, and the next pro duction was an adaption of Wilkie Collins' novel, "Man and Wife," from the pen of Mr L. M'Gowan, who is a member of the com pany. Miss Juno has since fallen back upon tlut ever-present refuge, " East Lynno." Miss Amy Horton, despite her husband's recent rise in the social scale, does not seem to have made her farewell bow to tho footlights She has been advertised to appear in Christchurch in her " Musical Moments," and tivfarce "Turn Him Oub, J> in aid of a benefit fund, $fc Barry O'Neil is in Vfoljington, where he

has lately been performing with an amateur minstrel troupe.