THE LORGNETTE

Observer, Volume XXIII, Issue 3, 4 October 1902, Page 6

THE LORGNETTE

By Pendennis.

o,l'era House Bookings. October 6 to 13— George Musgrove's Comic Opera Company. October 14— Atom Club (" Our Boys"). October 18th to December 4th. — Pollard's Opera Company. December 17th to 20th— Auckland Dramatic Society (" The Guvnor"). December 26th to January 21st— Geach and Willoughby Company. December 26th to January 25, 1904 — Pollard Opera Company. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. / December 26, 1902, to January 21, 1903— J. C Williamson. January 27 to February 14, 1903— Frank Thornton Comedy Company. OTHER SHOWS. Dixs Gaiety Co.— City Hall (permanent). THE box plan of " A Chinese Honeymoon" is now open at Wildman's, and judging by the interest centred in the approaching visit of Mr George Musgrove's Opera Company, a large booking may be confidently anticipated. The company will arrive by the Waikare on Sunday next, and inaugurate their opera season on Monday evening at Abbott's Opera House. The splendid reputation of the principals has preceded them, so that Messrs Edward Lauri, J. C. Piddock, Foster, Courteney, W. R. Shirley, Misses Josephine Stanton, Cissie Neil, Bessie White, and JNew Zealand's popular favouiite, Miss May Beatty, may look forward to an enthusiastic welcome. The gorgeous dressing and mounting of the play lias been the theme of admiration in the Australian press, and the music and choruses may be expected to be of the best, with the sixty voices of Mr Musgrove's grand opera chorus. • « • Dixs bill of fare at the City Hall exhibits no falling-oil' in the variety or quality of the viands offered to his numerous and appreciative patrons. No gaps of any size in particular have been left by the departure of the stars who immediately followed the short Rickards season. It takes something to atone for t!i ' loss of such an armful of jocularity as the loose-legged Woottwell, but the Harvey Boys have just about succeeded. They are two smart " boys,"' just shapely bundles of muscle, and could handle the gloves to some purpose if they were asked to do it, but they prefer to parody the science and the audience approves with huge delight. The comic business, and especially the patter, is remarkably clever. • • • The Smith Sisters are song arid dance artistes much above the average, and there is an artlessness about their performance that is most refreshing. The Indian club dance is a pretty novelty, graceful and finished. Mr George Bentley, in his grotesque character songs, is a worthy labourer in the field occupied by Mr Woottwell, and does his share in keeping up the reputation of the company as purveyors of mirth that is at once clean and irresistible. The other performers are showing no sign of waning popularity. Mr Dean, Mr Rivenhall, and Mr Howard exhibit bright and energetic faces and forms, Misa Alice Layton's ballads possess an unfading charm, and Miss Olive Lenton's eyes sparkle more brightly as time — remorseless to most of us — goes on. If one might dare give a hint to such a favourite, it would be in the direction of a new song or two. Nobody but Olive could hold such a long lease of a ditty like " The Pale Moonlight," and she should not strain the loyalty of her admirers. The bioscope pictures are good, and some of them extremely diverting. • • • The Fisk Jubilee Singers are doing the country districts in Victoria.

Alexander, "the Australian Blondin," who was over here some time ago, is pursuing his narrow and precario«s path in West Australia. • • • Derenda and Breen and the Jackson Family, who were here with the Rickards Company last month, proceed to America very shortly. • • • Sir Charles Wyndham, the famous actor, made a most unpromising first appearance. The character allotted to him had to begin by declaring : " I am drunk with love and enthusiasm." The young actor was horribly nervous, and could only get out "lam drunk " before some of the audience, noticing his hesitation, gave way to loud laughter, which completely deprived him of speech. • • • It is now stated that the " Sweet Nell of Old Drury" company will not visit New Zealand until next Easter, and that the season will open at Dunedin. • • • The Broughs are playing a season at Perth (W.A.) • • • Mr Julius Knight lias been engaged by Mrs Langtry for her autumn season, and will appear as Napoleon in "Millie. Mars." • • • Miss Myra Keinble, whom all playgoers will recollect in "Dr Hill'," "Jane," and other plays, is ill in a Melbourne hospital. • • ■ Mr George Musgrove states that Sir Henry Irving will undoubtedly visit Australia. Terms have been settled, but no date yet fixed. • • • Harry Rickards' London agent advises him that Bessie Bonehill, the great London serio-comic, is dying. She was booked to arrive before the year's end. • ■ • Col. G. W. Bell, who was Uncle Sam's Consul in New South Wales when the said Uncle's coat was Democratic in colour, will shortly tour the colony in the role of a lecturer. The Colonel, it seems, is known as the " Silver-tongued Orator." • • a The pantomime of " Cinderella," which was such a success when presented here by the Wirths, is to he reproduced at Wellington on the same scale. • • • The Porcelain Ballet, which will be produced for the first time in New Zealand during the forthcoming tour of Mr George Musgrove's Comic Opera Company, is said to be one or the finest spectacles ever witnessed on the Australasian stage. The Company open at the Opera House on Monday next in " A Chinese Honeymoon." The season is limited to seven nights. • • • Daisy Behnore, who has been a member of Wilson Barrett's Company from early girlhood, does not return to it, having during their stay in Melbourne married Sam Wax man, a wellknown resident of that city. • • • Charles Holloway has been producing, at Adelaide, a drama entitled " The Death or Glory Boys." • • • The dramatised version of Sir Conan Doyle's famous work, " Sherlock Holmes," which Mr J. C. Williamson's Company recently presented at Adelaide, is by the hand of Mr William Gillette. The piece contains a certain amount of melodrama, and some of the dramatic situations are very fine, particularly is this noticeable in the scene where the three ruffians intended to strap Holmes on the table, turn on the gas, and leave him to his doom ; but the great detective, ever on the alert, seizes a chair and with one effort smashes the lamp to pieces. He places his cigar in a crevice in the wall, and the criminals tracking Sherlock through the glow of the weed give the clever detector of crime his chance to slip through the door, which he fastens on his wouldbe murderers. It was a fine piece of acting, and roused the audience to a high pitch of enthusiasm.