THE LORGNETTE

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 34, 11 May 1907, Page 6

THE LORGNETTE

By Prompter,

COMING SHOWS. 25th May to 15th June— William Anderson's Dramatic Company. 24th June to 13th July — Williamson's Julius Knight Company. 15th July to 20th July — Jessie Maclachlan Concert Company. 22nd July to 10th August— Musgrove's Grand Opera Company. 12th August to 24th August— J. C Williamson. 16th September to stb October— Allan Hamilton's English Star Company. 7th October to 26th October — MacMahon Brothers' Dramatic Company. 4th November to 16th November— Willoughby-Ward-Ueach Comedy Company.

" T*OM MOORE," with which Mr JL Andrew Mack opened at His

Majesty's to most excellent business, comes as a delightfully green oasis in the monotonous desert of melodrama. It is a historical play with a plot somewhat similar to that of " Sweet Nell of Old Drury," but the merit is not in the plot so much as in the humour and pathos with which the theme is instinct, and the charming personality with which the central character, Ireland's greatest poet, is invested in the clever and versatile hands of Mr Mack. The story is old, as most love stories are, but the method of dealing with it is new. It is a story the tabric of which is skilfully embroidered with piquant repartee, sparkling wit, and those pathetic touches of nature that unquestionably make the whole world kin. There may be strong similarity between the plot of •'Tom Moore" and the plots of other plays drawn from that period, but .the treatment of it is new, and originality is displayed in every line of the dialogue and every scene of the drama.

There are also some pasaageß, simple but quaintly artistic, that fairly grip the uearts of even those most impervious to sentimental impressions. One of these occurs in the first act, when Sir Percival Lovelace, surrounded by his aristocratic associates, is painting an alluring word picture of the attractions of London in the hope of tempting Bessie Dyke away from her Irish birthplace. Seating himself at the old-fashioned musical instrument, and playing his own accompaniment, Tom Moore begins to sing a sweetly touching ballad with rare sympathetic feeling. The girl's attention wavers, and, responding to the intense but subdued passion of the musical voice, finally wanders from the tempter and becomes rivetted on the poetic lover. When the appealing song ends, the spell is broken, but the girl's resolution is formed. She will stay in her birthplace.

Again, in the second act, there is a pretty scene in Moore's attic, where an obdurate and flinty-hearted landlady is vehemently demanding her rent, which the poet is unable to pay. Light-hearted banter and serious appeals to reason alike fail to move her, and finally Tom Moore makes recourse to music. " Love's Young Dream" is the ballad chosen. The first stanza fails to touch, the second soothes her paroxysm of anger, but when the melodious conclusion of the ballad is reached, the dulcet tones of the singer's voice tonches her heart and she is conducted to the door sobbing in sympathy. Only for a moment, however. Scarcely have the echoes of the last note died away, when her strident voice is heard from the passage exclaiming, " I want my rent."

There is rio question whatever that Andrew Mack is an artiste. He possesses the artistic instinct and tern* perament thoroughly. The Irish character that he pour trays ia as different from the conventional stage type as

chalk is different from jjfeejeee. We have read of Irish charaptjjr^uch as he presents — handsome, teadpr, hearted and humorons-^j'at hitherto we have not seen it on tbe stsge. Mr Mack has set aside the cdnventipnal and wearisome stage conception of the true-hearted Irishman altogether, and from his own artistic geniw, has evolved the chivalrous, romantic, impulsive son of Erin, mentally scintillating with mother wit, wbom we have read of in the pages of semi-classical romance, bat have never seen truthfully depicted on the stage. His impersonation of Tom Mpoie was, in this respect, a histrionic revelation of some considerable edncatjve value. Moreover, it was pleasing and entertaining in the highest degree.

Mr Mack might be mucli better supported than be is. Miss Jane Kelton, who takes the part of Bessie Dyke, is a clever actress, and was most effective in some of the scenes. But she is palpably overweighted, and more particularly in those scenes that call for a display of passion or emotion. Mr Martin Alsop, as Sir Percival Lovelace, left little to be desired, while Mr W. Townsend made the most of the part of Lord Moira. Mr Kendel Wilson, as the Prince of Wales, Mr Fred Cam bourne as Buster, and Mr Thomas Jackson as Robin Dyke may all be described as having done fairly well, while Mif>s Berlein creditably filled a difficult role in the part of Miss Malone. But, taking the caste as a whole, Mr Andrew Mack stood out conspicuously as a gem of pure water in somewhat indifferent setting. The staging of the play, also, was none too good.

Business still booms in variety, and, so far as John Fuller is concerned, variety continues to be charming. The kickapoo dance is the latest attraction in terpsichorian circles. Alf Fielder is the head exponent of the art, and he has thirteen accomplices. The kickapoo is a decidedly original arrangement, and is a worthy successor to the hackneyed cake-walk. Amy Blackie has been inhaling fresh harmony since she went South, and "Only a Message From Home" is good. Lucy Lavinia is another oldestablished favourite with Opera House patrons, and her re-appearance was hailed with enthusiasm by the audience. Shaw and Gilbert, the long and the short of it, have got together a stock of fresh patter, which is grateful and comforting. Victor the Great is a gentleman of pleasing appearance, who has a knack of throwing his voice into all sorts of distant places. He can ventriloquise a song with a cigarette in bis mouth. Therefore, he is unique.

The Quealys this week are pugnacious, and indulge in pugilistic antics which are refreshing on a, cold night. Will Gilbert is a comedian whose turn is the cause of many recalls. 'Cos why ? 'Cos he's good. Bob Lloyd and George Mackie also contribute to the gaiety of the nation. Pearl Livingstone's popularity is not to be wondered at, as she has a pleasing knack of pleasing. Val Newton trolls lays in his deep baSB voice, and obliges when encores are frequent and free. Ivy Carlisle is a serio who knows her business, and the Rose Sisters are, up to the time of going to pras, still twirling whir ling ly and chanting enchantingly. The Warwick Bioscope continues to complacently project new pictures, and there is no immediate danger of superfluity. For Saturday next a reproduction is promised of Mr J. E. Ward's artistic novelty "The Robing ot the Gods."

There is another commentary on the remarkable success of " Mother Goose" in the fact that Mr J. C. Williamson has just completed arrangements for a tour of that pantomime which will be more comprehensive and extend over a longer period than any similar tour has done in Australia. It will corer the whole of the Commonwealth and New Zealand, and will last right through the year until December, liy which time the company, largely augmented, will be "in training "for the neW Eantomime which will be Mr "Wilamson's 'Xmas attraction in Melbourne.

The ' St. Patrick's Operatic Soctiety have engaged for their forthcoming production tof ' " Maritana " Miss Rosina Bucktaan for the title role, and Mr Jaimes Crabtree, of Sydney, for the part of Don Caesar. Mr Colin Murton, L.R.A.M., will lead the orchestra. Miss Buckman and Mr Crabtree will arrive in Auckland on July Ist. There is to be a full operatic chorus and orchestra. The ballet and minuet will be arranged by Miss Daphne Knight, whilst the whole production will be under the immediate supervision of the Rev. Father Farthing. The performances tuke place in the Opera House, by the courtesy of Mr John Fuller.

Miss Ada Ward, the '< converted" actress, in one of her evangelistic addresses to women in Melbourne, denounced the stage and its " pernicious influences." Probably believing that she had transferred some of her own fervour to her audience, she wound up by calling upon all those present who would agree never to go to the theatre again to stand up. But Miss Ward had miscalculated. Out of two thousand women present — and in a Wesleyan schoolroom, too — all but a dozen or two sat firm.

Miss Florence Quinn, of Auckland, who has joined J. C. Williamson's organisations, has been assigned to the new musical comedy company, which is to make its first appearance in Melbourne on 22nd June.

Madame Melba's coming visit to Victoria is declared to be entirely a private mission for the purpose of seeing her father. Nevertheless, odds are being offered in Australia that she will be heard on the concert platform.

"Carmen" is declared to be the greatest hit to date of the Musgrove Grand Opera Company, chiefly through the tragic power and vocal efficiency of Fraulein Heinze in the name part. She is pronounced to be the finest Carmen who has yet appeared in Australia, though the part has been taken by such artists as Louise Lablanche and Agnes Jansen.

Announced that J. C. Williamson will produce in Australia as soon as opportunity allows " John Gladye's Honour," Alfred Sutro's tof "Walls of Jericho " fame) latest London success.

Stated that Ernest Schatz, weK known in connection with comic opera, will have a share in the management of Tom Pollard's new juvenile opera venture.

The "Squaw Man" Company paid a brief visit to Melbourne last week on their way through to West Australia, and with a week at Adelaide on their return journey, this trip will occupy them until .the Ist of June, when they are due back at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, for a six weeks' season, on the termination of which (on sth July) th£y will disband.

Harold Wilde, the fine tenor who recently toured New Zealand ap a member of Watkin Mills's concert party, has been enlisted among "the artists in the Savoy revivals of (filbert and Sullivan operas, and is playing the tenor part in "The Gondoliers."

Mr Julius Knight appeared in " Brigadier Gerard" for the first time in Australia at the Syelney Theatre Royal on Saturday evening (27th April), and made an immediate success of Conan Doyle's romantic and stirring Napoleonic play. {The drama is full of substance, and as the period is laid at the beginning of th* nineteenth century , the rich - costumes of the French officers anijl the charming toilets of the ladies rjjsulted in some striking _ stage effects, while the interpretation of the piece reflected the greatest credit, no! ; only on the players who most adequately filled all the roles, but also up >n Mr Knight himself, to whom the success of the production was generally due.

It is hinted that R. S. Smythe, following -in the wake of Ada Ward, thinks of raising the solemn question ' ' Can a manager be a Christian P" After which he will probably start lecturing on "Temptations I Have Met."

Flora Batson, otherwise known as the Black Patti, died in December at Philadelphia. She came to Australia about seven years ago with a dark variety company brought out by McAdoo.

Reported that when Bland Holt's happy family dramatic company disbands next October some of its members will continue together and attempt to run as a co-operative concern.

Miss Nora Kerin and >Norman Partridge, who were in the Musgrove Shakespearian Company which toured Australia, were announced to assume the principal parts in a drama, <, "Her Love Against the World," the first of a series to he produced at the London Lyceum by Ernest Carpenter.

Ser Pharah, a female Buddhist, idancer, has been creating a mild 'sensation at the London Tivoli. The lady dances in a temple garden, beiore a great statue of Buddha, and finally, in a frenzy of religious abanri'oii. tears off all her clothes and jewels, and flings them at the feet of the idol.

Tenor Caruso has not suffered in professional standing by the scandal of a few months ap-o. On the contrary, he has been able to notify the director of the New York Metropolitan Opera House that he will not ronew his contract unless he is given £'600 for every performance, and guaranteed fifty appearances per season — the highest terms ever asked by a tenor in New York. At present he draws £300 per night.