THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13315, 18 June 1907, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

THE VAUDEVILLE COMPANY. Mr Rickards' Vaudevi'.l-j Company will make their first appearance in linia.ru ton.ight at the 'Jlieaire Royal. As all theatre-goers know .Mr Rickards lias liithereto g!rai more than value, and wlien his assumnee is given that the present combination is absolutely the be* t lie lnis ever vent through New Zealand, those attending the Theatre Royal this evening will assuredly be well satisfic 1. As lia.s been so fully pointed mil .in these, columns during the past week, Mr R'ckards. lias sent us Mich European star-s-a* Charlene. King and Benson, Fred Russell and liis friend Coster Joe, and Miss Ca-ssie Will me p any of who.a would be more than an ample attraction to ensure a crowded audience. The various acts of the-e artistshave been fully dwelt upon, and when it i.v remembered that they will b >■ supported by the very pick of the Australian vaudeville profession, a certain treat is in store for those who enjoy a litrht and bright form of entertainment. The cm tain will rise punctually at 8 o'clock. The plan is at the Dresden, where Feats can be booked for any night during -the* four nights' season. "TOM MOCRE." An antiquated ghost wax decently laid last night ni Timaru's Theatre wlien Andrew Mack duly buried the stage Irishman, rowdy, vulgar and drunken, by -i clean living pourtrayal of the average living Celt wedded to the Story of- England's pride and Ireland's glory—" Thomas. Moore." The house was crowded in its various divisions. The audience, by the sympathy continually evinced) and by the applause which never wn« silent whenever the witchery of the plot, and the spell cast, over 1h» listen:!;* ljy the barbaric melodies abated, enjoyed the programme with Hibernian ihorotighnes-s. • Tli-> plot is a simply. nue. Tom Moore, then a ! young riiknown " maker of verses" falls in, lore with pretty, "Bessie Dyke" the sole teacher, as tils Education Board has it in Dalkv School.. .Sir Percival Lovelace (an intimate of the Prince of Wales) appears on the: scene before Moore has had time ■ to woo tsuecessfully, and wishing to capture the girl's aifeeuons, honourable motives being absent, contrives by the aid of one Farrell to make Bessie believe that Moore really loves Fan-ell's sLter, a simpering vapid creature. After a quarrel both meet again in London, Moore lodging in an attic owned by -Mis Maione " wiio wants her rent," even though slihear the tong that few can withstand its charms- " Love's young dream ", and Bes.-.ie making luiway before the footlights. Moore eventually gains recognition but fails to regain the position he once occupied with the colleen. . 'J hen Lovelace causes a, ■scurrilous attack on the Prince, written by Robin Dj ke (father of Bessie) to b> published and skilfully fastens the authorship on Moore, who refutes to clear himself by denouncing the real composer. Beiisie now that her ideal is in poverty once more owing to the withdrawal of the Prince's favour, breaks through her reserve and. makes up with Moore. The Prince about the sains timu conies to (the poet's lodging and overhears sufficients to convince him of his one time favourite's innocence and the sunshine of royalty restores the singer's- fortunes. ' Mr Mack as "Moore"' the central of tho play, its lyrical exponent, and creator of the role, was a pleasure and an education to see and listen to. As an actor hi-; naturalness in the fender love scenes did nob allow the usual titter to sweep round the liou.se. A. particularly fine piece of declamation he gave when shortly after beiiif repulsed by Bessiu in London , liis feelings overcame him when ©peaking to hi?, friend. Lord Moira (Mr ; W. Townsend), and drawing himself up to liis full height (he is a man of good presence and commanding personality, with *a Dan O'Connell head as on* admirer expressed' it), he said " I'll go back to Ireland" in a voice of great power and quivering passion, which as far as one could judge communicated it elf to the that with his voice Mr Mack could claim the lead in any caste. The -exchanges tell of the cheering frantic crowds that farewelied him in the capital of the oldest of the Australian States- before lie left for New Zealand, and when he has once Deen heard as he was- last night when singing "Eveleen's Bower" to his own accompaniment, the mystic witchery of his personality is easily under-'jiood. " Love's Young Dream," the melody and words of which are wedded together as few songr; are, Mr Mack rendered with an expression and feeling that was beyond expectation. His fine tenor voice, not! robust in the highest range, is as sweet as the kirk's own song, and with its magnificent power in the greater part of it/j compass, fine phrasing and' wealth of expression, the statement that " There's notiiing half so sweet in life as Love's youngdream" was easily v subscribed to. His last rtpetition of the phrase was a gem of rev-olute ri'eclamative singing which in this, number vied for preeminence with the delicate trill on the word " Ah" before the words "How I love you." Bis* c-i-her numbers were " Schoolgames," " The Story of a Rose," and "Tommy Murphy," three contributions composed by himself specially for the play. "His St my of a -Rose" has a really striking melody, and "Tommy Murphy," written in lighter vein, caught attention immediately. He concluded his songs with " The Last Rose of Summer," Mooi-'/s b'st known song among, the 8a:-;-senachs, his interpretation of which he left to the audience as a memento of his too short visit. The pathos ton the words "Faded and gone," the grief-stricken abandon of " No flower of her kingdom," and the almost ultra delicacy of the fairylike turn on " nigh," were not mere sounds, but concrete impressions which do not easily fade. Mr Mack was .supported by a company of more than average strength, of which, after the principal, Miss Jane Keltou as Bessie Dyke occupied pride ol place, her pourtrayal of the pure-minded and whole-hearted Irish girl with innocence as her chief protection was powerful and taking. Her naive mannerisms heightened her success, and' her sense of the titness of things was apparent-. When she refused the otter of Sir Percival Lovelace to escort her from her lover, her quiet fonlempt of the latter was manifested by lier whole pose, not by the generally loud siringeni negative or the unfeminine twitch of the shoulders as it were shaking otf cold water. Mr Martin Aisop as Sir Percival, the und'esirable lover, took the character with ease and sustained the unenviable character with a good deal of skill. The part in itself it would be difficult. lo imagine could ever have existed, and being so out of the u.-ual required some heavv work to tone it down to the degree of probability of the other personages used. Mr W. Townsend as Lord Moira (Moore's friend) .'bowed the kindn-ss of a patron without the taint of patronage, and the part was cleanly and well filled : as also was that of Robin Dyke, the treasonable poet, by Mr Thomas Jackson. Mr Charles Aveling as Beau Brum-iiu-1. the usual Ha. Ha, and Mr James Howard, as Terence Farrell, an Irishman of a crawling tendency, and' Mr J. McCormack as a London publisher, also sustainvd their respective roles with credit. I lie light comedian was Mr Fiecl Cam—btivriif. who as Buster (Moore's servant) supplied endless fun by his irresponsible prank;: ;ind general lightness. In this h- wa-- assisted by Miss Annie .Mack BerIt in iMrs Maione); the want me rent land-

lady, who though bowed with the frosts of fifty winters still fell a, victim' to the [rendering of "Love's Young Dream" to such an extent as to "forego the rent. MiKendall Weston as the Prince carried the part with the air of dignity and slight air of condescension required, his making up with Moore after their separation being a work of an actor by intuition, not a labour but a.n art. Miss Mae Stevenson a:. Lady Fitzherbei't, and Miss Geraldine Benson as Winnie Farrell, -were well placed. A group -of children assisted in the school scene in the opening act, and' gave an agreeable. turn. The orchestra was a strong one, and both in the accompaniments and in the selections- showed excellent tone and finish. This company adds another to Mr Williamson's' list of successes, and the patronage given was it is pleasing to be able to say, in keeping with the enterprise shown.