THE LORGNETTE

Observer, Volume XXI, Issue 1195, 23 November 1901, Page 6

THE LORGNETTE

By Pendennis.

Oi»EjtA House Bookings. November Ist to 30th.— The Pollard Opera Company. . December 26th . to January 22nd. — Brough Comedy Company. January 23rd to February 3rd.— W. F. Hawt reys Comedy Company. February sth to 26th.— Williamson's Italian Opera Company. THK POLLARDS certainly struck a responsive chord in the taste of the Auckland people with their production of " Florodora." It is very seldom that anything in the way of comedy or comic opera runs for a fortnight in this city, but "Florodora " was a notable exception. Indeed, so strongly did the piece mid its clever performers grow in popular favour that the business on the last nights was even better than at the opening, while the final matinee saw the house packed from floor to ceiling. And very deservingly so, too, for " Florodora " is a charming little opera — if it can be so called — with tuneful, catchy music, and most delightful colouring and spectacular display. • • • "The Casino Clirl "' replaced it on Saturday night, and is running to splendid business. At the same time, it has not caught the popular faucy nearly so strongly as " Florodora." This, however, is not the fault of the Pollards, but rather of the piece itself, which is weak in plot and overburdened with dialogue. Certainly, it is splendidly mounted and staged, the costuming is wonderfully beautiful, and there are most exquisite harmonies of colouring. "The Casino Girl"' is really a combination of pantomime and spectacular effect, with ci fair proportion of moderately good music and some very artistic dancing. The dialogue is, however, considerable and and wearisome, and the humour has a large surface to cover. Without doubt, the most attractive features of the production are the hosts of bewitching girls, beautifully jittired, who make a marvellously-pleasing display in the grouping. ■ • # • Neither Miss May nor Miss Maud Beatty appear in the caste, but they are to some extent, compensated for by Miss Wilmott KarkeekjJ in the title role, and Miss Gertie Campion, who is very fascinating, saucy and piquant in the* part of Dolly Twinkle. Both young ladies contributed very satisfactory musical numbers, while the latter danced like a fairy. Miss Alice Pollard again made a decided hit, in the subordinate part of Lotta Rocks, and sang remarkably well. Mr Percy has a heavy low comedy part, as Pilsener Pasha, which is by no means as effective as his Tweedlepunch in "Florodora," and bears a strong family resemblance to the German character in " The Belle of New York." Mr Carter has only a small part as Percy etc., etc. Stuyvesant, but his interpolated song, " Only Once More," was the gem of the evening. • • • Of the other performers it is unnecessary to speak individually, because there are no other especially distinctive characters. The production is rather the work of a combined team than of brilliant individual effort. Needless to say, it is a splendid team, and works magnificently, otherwise the performance would fall Hat. That the audience are kept in a high state of merriment, and that the piece is so entertaining, is due more to the company and its talent than to any merit in the piece itself. For spectacular effects, it is simply splendid, and as a display of female loveliness, it could not be surpassed on the theatrical boards of the colony.

i As the poet Bays, " Men may come jftud won may go, brft Dix goes on for fives." Don't stop going on for ever, [Mr Dix, but, if you oan, atop the (whistling idiots in the pit going on for jever. Mr Holland sings- "Honour's iCall" with very unsatisfactory results, ■f or though it is rendered with thorough j ;artistic feeling -and true accord, the audience brooks no such music. They jare looking for the funny, and Mr ! Holland does not get the applause he ; merits. We notice that Georgie has changed her bonnet, boots, legs and all. This week she is like a bit of sky you sometimes see through a hole in a cloud. We couldn't see the sole of ■ her boots, but everything else was blue — except her face, and, we hasten to add, her songs, which were A 1. • • • It was quite nice and refreshing of little Alma to say she still loved us in the same old way — but she didn't explain which way "that was. From the dress circle, " little " Alma appeared to be about four and a-half times as tall as her boots, but she sings and dances about four and a-half times more than she looks. The De Wynnes will probably soon walk about on the lobes of their left ears. Everything else they know by heart. The programme states that the evening will finish up with a fellow that looks like me, but we couldn't see a fellow who looked even a little bit like us— he was far too funny. We mustn't forget to call attention to Mr Farming's extraordinary abilities as an orchestral conductor. He possesses two bits of wood, and beats time with one and keeps some tickets and v few hats 'hanging behind the other, and, at the end, carries off all these New Zealand products under his arm. • • • It is stated that Wilson Barrett's first appearance on the stage was in the character of general utility man at the hum hie salary of one. guinea a week. Wilson lias certainly worked his way up since then, as at the present time he must get at least mote than three times that amount • • • Mdlle. Dolores (Trebelli) is now finishing up in Sydney, and will probably arrive in this colony about the end of the present month. • • • Mdine. Belle Cole, who was satisfied with her New Zealand business, intends to give concerts in I.S. A. on her way home. • « * It is said thai Tom Pollard is about to take up his domestic furniture, family, etc., and settle in Auckland. Cliristchnrch will lose an excellent sport and citizen by the change. — Specftttor. • • • Mr Walter Bent ley sends me, all the way from Glasgow, a packet of tartan- | bordered playbills and other illustrated matter, from which I see that he was billed to open at the Royal Princess's Theatre, Glasgow, on September 16th, in a great revival of " Rob Hoy." He was to be supported by Mr and Mrs Durward Laly and Miss Amy Sherwin, the latter of whom was cast for the part of Diana Vernon, with special songs. •• • . If common report can be relied upon, there is some doubt about Mr Dix getting the lease of the new Gaiety Theatre, which is projected between Queen and Durham -streets. At the present time, the name of a gentleman well-known in comic opera circles is mentioned in connection with the matter. By-the-way, I read in a Sydney paper the other day that the price paid far the land was £lo,oijo, and that the building is to cost £15,000. • • • There is a mysterious para graph in the last Adelaide Critic saying that. owing to some personal criticisms, .several members of the Musgrove Opera Company had an excitable time at their hotel in Dunedin. There were mutual recriminations between several of the masculine stars at an early hour in the morning, razors were aflying in the air, wives fainted, and things generally grew so uncomfortably brisk that the intervention of the police had to be secured.