DUNEDIN OPERATICS IN INVERCARGILL

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 77

DUNEDIN OPERATICS IN INVERCARGILL

By S. G. August. I’ve studied every sort of thing, Fiom music to aquatics, So let me now the praises sing Of northern operatics; And if you do not like this fling, Refrain from free emphatics. . Gay song and dance and tally-ho! From eight right to eleven, While those who seemed to run the show Were there from half-past seven! Such honest pros, oh, don’t you know, Should be packed off to heaven! The northern combination reached Invercargill one breezy Monday afternoon, incidentally the first day of the year 1912. The city raised its window blinds, and looked out, admiring the procession ; but the minor actresses, pnma donna, ballet, souhrette, debt collector, bold, bad cavaliers, and the others, had hardly time to wash their faces and taste some lemonade and a water biscuit before the curtain rose on three nights of "Dorothy” at the Municipal Theatre. Invercargill packed into the stalls, the orchestral stalls, tlie dress circle, and “the gods,” and looked on admiringly. Regarding the “gods” the Dunedin vocalists stood at gaze. Dunedin is a bigger city than this, but a packed- house in Dunedin does not show you people, hanging on the ceiling; for, gentle reader, the top tier in our gallery takes a lot of sitting in. If you have not nerves like steel wire, don't go there, for the yawning depths below seem strangely alluring. This may be Greek to you. dear, Dunedinito —that is. if you have never separated yourself from the shining shilling and hied you forth up five flights of cold atone stairways. Now, Dunedin’s operatic enthusiasts made a big impression. I attended three nights, so I ought, to know. On the first night it must be admitted, however, that the company was dog tired, this being noticeable even to one of the “fraternity.” But on the second night—tally-ho! tally-ho! Invercargill got up in its seat and hurrahed hilariously— Invercargill took its hat in its hand and made a positive ass of itself. The prima donna, Madam Rita Grothkop. came in for much, kudos; her full-ranged soprano-, with its magnificent timbre, took them all by storm. Miss C. Helen Gard’ner negotiated the tricky cadenza with such effect that the house simply roared its applause, and handed up the blushing bouquet. Then came Miss Bathie Howie-Stuart with her fascinating smile, pleasing voice, and capable stagecraft. Mrs Valentine also got a big lead, and her impersonation of Mrs Privitt was laughter-provoking to a marked degree. Other ladies—Miss Muller, for instance —had little else to do but look their ports, and this thev managed without any apparent effort. They say it is very hard to speak squarely of the people who live next door to vou; well. Dunedin isn’t Invercargill's neighbour, and it is simple to speak your mind about persons you’ve met but once, and not perhaps under the most auspicious circumstances —persons you could hardly see through grease, paint, and court wigs. But before parting with the lady vocalists, with whom we include the tuneful chorus, and before we say adieu to tho lady actresses, with whom we name the old woman's chorus, allow us to praise without reservations of an'- kind, the clever work done in tho ballet by Miss Leila .T<-fL rpd her very ant pupils, ihe Misses ML Jeffs. Mary Brent. Ivy Bond, B. Sands, and IL Ross. They exhibited quite the professional touch, and were a credit to the ballet mfstrpc,=. But what about Miss Mulholland tho bold equestrienne, who rode a “real” ermine across the stage, with a pack of real “Pdrchwood hounds” at heel? “Now, hail thee, merr' - gentlemen— Let nothing you annoy!”— not even the critics. First came Mr Percy James, S.M., M.C. But Mr James is neither a stipendiary magistrate' nor a master of ceremonies in the strict sense. He is the stage manager and master comedian. Mr James got his diploma endorsed with many an enthusiastic recall at the Municipal Theatre. Invercargill, and is certainly one of th-e- best and brightest fun-producers w <f have had in this place for many, a long day. Mr Colin Gray is your true cavalier, and cut a fine dash in his part, as ho also cut hia vocc.l notes clear as well. Mr

Wright is certainly “all right." Phil Barling—l’d bar ling for trout any day in the week—but for the acme of pomposity and bantam-like dignity, why, take your “fill 1 ”! Jack Mulholland’s a great lad entirely; he will probably one day carry his Apollo-like figure and British face, to say nothing of cheek, through many a "straight” part. Further, there were Mr Murphy, a base who is any way not 1-ase; a good-hearted manager, and genuine enthusiast; Mr Sidney Wolf, whose manner of flinging his baton seems to batten the musicians down pretty well; Mr Ford, who played the parson—or was it curate?—quite well; and goodness knows who and what else. I could say 6, good deal more, but I’ve received so many Egyptian cigarettes end Perfect© cigars from Dunedin’s vocal and Histrionic gentlemen that if I don’t set in to smoke ’em now I’ll be missing some of the finer pleasures of this mundane existence.