Sketcher.

Southern Cross, Volume 5, Issue 30, 30 October 1897, Page 5

Sketcher.

(By Rambler)

A NIGHT WITH THE CINEMATOGRAPHE.

What is a cinematographe? No, thank you. I’ve outgrown the youthful weakness of desiring to get at the heart of things that besets the small boy when he becomes the proud possessor of a musical box or a trumpet. All.l’m goiner to say about the cinematographe as such is that it is miles ahead of the good old diorama of bygone days, before whose stationary canvas the lecturer stood wand in hand, and pointing to this spot and that said— ‘ Here a great charge was made; there a noted general fell.’ We have changed all that—the pictures now are instinct with life and motion, and only sound is wanting. Mr Wybert Reeve, under whose management the latest cinematographic entertainment has been given here, opened to a good house in the Theatre Royal on Saturday evening. Mr Reeve is an old acquaintance, but he has discarded his former role of actor and holds the mirror up to nature in another fashion than of yore. He began with a pleasant little address, the effect of which was enhanced by clear and deliberate delivery reminiscent, by the way, of Sir G. Grey’s polished diction, and in closing remarked that, while their applause would be gratifying, he hoped there would be no stamping of feet or whistling. Would you believe it, the very things they were asked not to do were the very things that a section of the audience persisted in doing—on the same principle, no doubt, as that which makes forbidden fruit the sweetest. Then followed a series of charming pictures, some of which were so well liked that they had to be repeated. The effect was at first somewhat marred by the presence of a reading, lamp, but this Mr Reeve presently shifted at the suggestion of the ' audience, and on subsequent evenings, when everything had been properly adjusted, still better results were secured. The section of the programme devoted to the Jubilee pageantry was, of course, eagerly looked for, and the opening illustrations were loudly applauded. It seemed the correct thing to do, but soon people wearied of the processions of horses and carriages, and turned with relief to less magnificient but more homely subjects— the sort of feeling that makes one understand bow the crowd in a London street cheered to the echo a small boy who, seated in a candle-box, with another small boy as ‘ shafter,’ drove on behind the gay and glittering State cavalcade. Thus the views of the sea dashing on the rocks, the divers of Milan poised on the spring-board and then cleaving the air with graceful curves, and sending up a cloud of spray at their impact with the water ; a group of women burning weeds, the smoke from which eddied and whirled before the breeze, the dust that followed the pulling down of a wall; a delightfully domestic scene, ‘ baby’s dinner ; ’ the plate-spinning act of Mens Truer ; the evolutions of cavalry—these and such-like illustrations pleased the audience far more than the Jubilee scenes, brilliant though these undoubtedly were. The incidental effects were, with one exception, well managed. The recital of the poem descriptive of a Crimean episode was robbed of much of its interest by too close attention to the book —one could not help thinking that the ‘ thin red line ’ suffered more at the hands of the reader than they did at those of their Russian foes. But in the second part Mr Reeve made ample amends. As the representative of Podgers, the man who undertook to hang a picture, and who prided himself on being independent of others, and proved it by impressing every member of the family and all the servants into his service, the one to bring a ladder, another nails, and so on, Mr Reeve scored well the fussy old humbug who upset the peace of

the household, and caused his wife to threaten to take the children and go off to mother’s the next time he swore so, was hit off to the life by Mr Reeve, who seemed to enjoy the fun as much as anybody. Miss Hope Nation’s contributions vocal and instrumental—also told well. In closing Mr Reeve apologised for some of the defects incidental to a first night, and to a company just off the steamer from Melbourne, and hoped they had given satisfaction. At this an impromptu humorist, tempted by some malign influence, heaved a sigh of portentous depth and loudness. This was certainly ill-timed, but everybody was in a grateful mood, and Mr Reeve retired before a round of applause. " ,