JOHN SHERIDAN COMPANY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9865, 6 October 1903, Page 2

JOHN SHERIDAN COMPANY.

"THE LADY SLAVEY."

"The Lady Slavey," which -will be the opening production of Mr JohnF. Sheridan's Company m Qisbonie next Monday night, is ah established' London success. The play was first produced at the Avenue Theatre mi 1893, and enjoyed a successful season of 300 nights. There are at the present time ten companies oh touT|>vit!h "The Lady Slavey" m the English, provinces. Tlie music m the play, is partiKruLarly bright and catchy, wliile thei "ballets danced by the Criterion lady dancers are described by a contemporary as being "bewitcliingly entrancing." Tlie Auckland Herald says : — 'Fun, music and the dance. These are the component parts of "The Lady Slavey," which the John F. Sheridan Company produced at Has Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night, before an. audience so large as to wellnigh fill the house. On the playbills this piece is described, aptly enough, as an up-to-dlate comic operatical comedy. In it melody and merriment have entered into a jovial conspiracy to amuse and entertain, and the partnership is a successful one. '"Eh© Lady Slavey" made an instantaneous hit, as there were many reasons why it should. Nothing dragged, and there was a vim and sparkle that engaged the interest of the audience and held it. Musical comedy, professing to do no more than entertain with light and often frivolous means to that end, is not to be judged from the high artistic standpoint. Even those who favor more substantial theatrical fare must admit that pieces of this type are the outcome of a taste shared by a very large section of the public. ' This taste learns towards amusement pure and simple preferably than towards the instructive class of production which cannot be witnessed m, the luvbhimking, careless mood. Thus, to people who want a little fun, can laugh at jokes and appreciate wit not wholly stole, and who like to listen to a catchy air, "The Lady Slavey" has many inducements to offer. On Tuesday night, the second night of the Gisborne seasoni, "A Trip to Chicago" will be staged, m which Mr Shsridanl will appear as Johanna Murphy, a voluble old Irish lady. The entirely new musical comedy, "Naughty Nancy" will conclude the season on Wednesday night. The box plan will be opened at Mr Miller's to-morrow ■morning, at ten