PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2106, 5 July 1894, Page 36

PRINCESS THEATRE.

The Brisbane Gaiety Burlesque Company, after a short sojourn at Invercargil), opened their second season afc the Princess Theatre on Saturday night in conjunction with tha Beaumont Family, the theatre being crowded in every part, this being, no doubt, in a large measura due to the presence of the Beaumoats. Tie burlesque played by the company was *' Faust and Marguerite," and this passed eft very successfully. Miss Florrie St. Clair was cast as Marguerite, and acted vivaciously and Bang in a manner tfcat gained for her very hearty applause. She sang " Charley's Aunt " and " That's a little bit of all right, ain't it ? " both songs creating a good deal of -merriment, especially the latter. Mr W-* H. Cowan, who appeared as Mephistopheles, filled the part well, and with Mr J. S. Parlatto, as Dame Martha, evoked great laughter and applause for a duet. Mr John Tudor sang a conrc song — " Barney M Nulty, the masher " — remarkably well, and obtained a vociferous encore. Miss Lampriere and Ponsonby contributed a song and skirb dance, exhibiting great agility in the dance, which was much appreciated. Mr Jake Friedman, who took the character of Siebsl, provoked roars of laughter by his extraordinary get-up, his eccentric dancing, and his comical singing ; while Mr T. C. Ctllaghap greatly amused the audience by his comicalities. Miss Catherine Howard, as Faust, also helped in no small degree to make the burlesque a success. The Connor Brothers, ib fhould be mentioned, gave a very clever" exhibition of tumbling between the first and second acts, their feats eliciting very hearty applause. The great feature of the evening's entertainment waß,.however, the wonderful aquatic exhibition by Professor W, Beaumont and his two daughters — Misses

Alice and Lily, This remarkable family appear in a large glass tank filled with water, and perform a number of feats in the water, whioh can only fitly be described as marvellous. So impossible indeed do some of these fe*ts seem before they are seen, that many people have a suspicion that they can only be accomplished by means of trickery. When seen, however, there can be no doubt of their genuineness ; and in order to thoroughly satisfy the public that there is noresort to deception of any kind, Mr Beaumont usually gives a private exhibition at every place he visits, such as that given by him on Friday afternoon ia the presence of a number of medical men and prtss representatives. He also usually invites a committee to take their seats on the stage during his public performances. This was done on Saturday night, six gentlemen from the audience agreeing to act as a committee. The professor and his two daughters dived into the water one after the other, and tubseqnently went through a number of feats, which were witnessed with a considerable amount of interest, and were also warmly applauded. Besides smoking a cigar under the water and playing a game of cards with Miss Lily, Protestor Beaumont picked up with bis month 50 coins from the bottcm of the tank. This feat was performed while the professor had his hands tied behind his back ; and the coins, which were all retained in his mouth until he came to the surface of the water, were subsequently dropped one by one into a plate in view of the audience. Perhaps the most wonderful feat, however, was when the professor remained at the bottom of the tank, as if in a slumber, for three minutes 20 seconds, the time being taken by two or three of the audience. Misa Alice turned an incredible number of "flip-flaps," or back somersaults, in the water, and blbo performed a number of other clever feats ; while Miss Lily> besides engaging in a game of cards with her father, as has already been sta f ed, did some sewing under the water, as well as other extraordinary things. Good audiences have baen drawn each evening during the week.