THE LORGNETTE

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 9, 1 November 1919, Page 6

THE LORGNETTE

CBt Peomptuj

DE LUXE ANNIE" is an amazingly interesting play, bizarre in the extreme, uneven in spots, but ingenious—and Miss Ernelie Polini, who heads the .fine J. and N. Tait company at H.M. Theatre is unforgettable. The house was full on Saturday night and the unusualness of the fare pleased the big audience. The yarn is to the effect that a perfectly normal young married woman gets a blow on the head while a criminal is burgling her home. She loses all recollection of her former life and becomes the accomplice of this criminal in a series of "take downs." The weakness of the yarn is in holding up criminals of obviously homicidal tendencies (he lays out a detective per handcuff), as a hero, the detective having tracked him down fraternising and applauding his good, kind heart. Miss Polini is extraordinarily effective, especially in those passionate passages, in which she pleads with her partner in crime, and in the exceedingly fine scene in which she is shown in bed, recovering from the surgical operation which restores her to normality. She is able, while speaking in the faint voice of an invalid, near her death, to reach the ear of the most distant auditor. In the touches of quaint comedy with which the story is garnished, this distinguished actress is never strained. Miss Olive Wilton is to be felicitated on her splendid work as an accusative wife (with a deft humour of the criminal). It is a splendid picture af garrulous and quiet vindictiveness—one of the gems of the show, in fact, Miss Georgia Harvey, as a boardinghousekeeper of great garrulity plays a comedy part exceedingly well — in short, the ladies in the cast are wonderfully good. Mr. John Fernside plays "JSmmie Fitzpatrick," the confidence man and is consequently most on the stage with Miss Polini. Mr. Norman Pearce is the doctor who restores "De Luxe Annie," and scientifically explains the mental processes of forgetfulness induced by a crack on the sconce. Mr. Harm an Lee is quite good as an American detective, ready to either share a criminal's "takings," gaol him for seven years, or forgive him. Mr. Chas. Bertal is an un-American storekeeper, with an Uncle Sam chin, whisker, and a cracked voice. Mr. Victor Fitzherbert is quite an aristocratic butler (apparently also in the police, as most of the men seem to be). Mr. A. Kendal is particularly impressive as the husband of the unfortunate woman, and other excellent actors take minor parts, including our old friend Mr. George Chalmers, as an Afro-American railroad car attendant. The mysterious play isn't quite explained even when the final curtain falls, but it is remarkably well done and handsomely mounted. ® SB> ' 9> Chautauqua, under New Zealand auspices, has already held two most popular sessions, and audiences at the Town Hall Concert Chamber deeply appreciate the idea expressed by Miss Helen Carson, who is directing an organisation, planned to meet intellectual needs, while affording wholesome relaxation. Citizenship, science, common-sense, are served in a sugar-coated pill. Judge George G. Alden, of Boston, well represents the intellectual side of that American centre of culture, and in his penetrating talk on "The Needs of the Hour," he is able, with convincing

fluency and expressing knowledge of world sociology, to impress! his hearers, and to leave them better for having heard. Ideals of citizenship, brotherhood, international fraternity, and mutual forbearance, expressed in easily understandable terms by an earnest and accomplished lecturer, must have a good effect. The local Lyric Quartette (as good a musical combination as need be) has delighted the audiences. Their inclusion is an excellent example of the interchange idea, which is the bedrock on which Chatauqua is founded. Extraordinary interest is taken in the brilliant lecture by Dr. Arthur D. Carpenter, who interprets the stars, and in popular language and intimate illustration depicts the wonders and glories of the firmament, enriching his intensely telling talk by means of the Maeterlinck Tellurian Machine. Miss Helen Portune, a soprano vocalist of Chicago, has already won admiring friends. Her interpretation of the grand aria from "La Traviata" leaves nothing to be desired. Her shadow song from "Dinorah" is peculiarly illustrative, and satisfying in voice, quality, and appeal. The Zedeler Quintette arc from Stockholm, and are musicians to the finger tips. Their operatic items are richly played, and are all the more alluring for their familiarity. The initiation of New Zealand Chatauqua is an event that must have the nicest effect in achieving the objects for which the organisation exists. $ # * At the Princess Theatre an exceedingly nice filming of Louisa Qllcott's "Little Women" is' being flayed. The charm about this that there is no villiany in it—a simple position in beautiful pictures is natural and decent everyday life. The beautiful home selected for the playing of the picture is a most interesting' feature, and the surrounding scenery exquisite. The four girls (The Little Women) are played with great naturalness b\v actresses of much charm. A Mack Sennett farce in which there is much athleticism, gymnastic police, motor cars, fireescapes, mud, mjfcitery, smoke and villainy creates deafening laughter. There's a fine Paramount weekly. ® ® ® The Queen's Theatre has a picture of pathetic interest featuring that nice fellow, Harold Lockwood, who succumbed to influenza last year. He is seen playing in "Pals First," a splendid picture, which was selected by a board of experts as the finest thing the splendid young fellow ever did. The play gave Lockwood a chance to show the physical prowess he was so famous for, and is a good clean, whoesome yarn that does not depend on "Smut" for its effects as so many Yankee photo stories do. There is beside the excellent Lockwood picture, a Christie Comedy, and a Co-operation Weekly showing the events that were occurring in the great world before the mail left for the little one. A song recital extremely pleasing to lovers of good music was given by Miss Stella McLean in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Thursday evening, October 23rd. Miss Stella McLean, who was received with every manifestation of pleasure, gave as her opening numbers Henschel's "A Morning Hymn" and Puccini's "Un Bel di, vediemo," the first sung very nicely and with the requisite devotional quality, and the second with adequate illustrative expression and undoubted vocal power. The charming morsel, Bishop's "Lo! Here the Gentle Lark," with a flute obligato by Mr. George Poore, delighted all hearers. The romantic "Depuis le Jour" (Chafpcntier). the delicious Massenet "Elegie" (one of the daintiest small things ever written), and the imaginative and almost spectacular "Les Porles Dor" (Thome), were all given with musicianly expression. Miss McLean was generous in her contributions, for she also sang "A Muleteer Song J! "Pierrot Stands in the Garden," and " The

Lark Now Leaves Its Watery Nest," very nicely indeed. Miss Madge McLean, at the piano, played as a solo a fine Listz work. Mr. Barry Coney was in good voice, contributing the exquisite "Eleanore" of Mallinson, which he sang with fervour, and "Star of Eve" (Tannhauser), an item which entirely captivated the audience. That splendid flautist, Mr. George Poore, played Wetzger's "By the Brook." During the excellent recital there were many recalls. • « « At the Lyric Theatre on Saturday next, November Ist. Wm. S. Hart will appear, in "Shark Munroe" (skipper of "The Sea Gull.") His many admirers will find it rather difficult to imagine him as a desperate sea rover, but here he is now, the master of a sealing schooner. When "Shark Munroe" was completed and reviewed at a private screening, its originality, its strength, its noval situations, its fascinating story, so completely impressed the audience that they declared it to be a picture classic extraordinary. They called him "Shark" because he was bloodless aud cold, a human icicle, but he molted under a woman's smile. In the grip of the white slaver he found her, and then came the scorching test. @> &> ® At the Strand Theatre next Saturday Anita Stewart will be seen in Owen Johnson's novel. "Virtuous Wives." Its theme is, "What is virtue in a wife?" "Virtuous Wives" is a story of society, New York's famous Four Hundred, marriage, moral social conduct, love-a-begging, with gowns galore. It shows how American society is not an Adamless Eden. "Virtuous Wives" is the second of Anita Stewart's own pictures—the first being "The Midnight Romance," which created such a favourable impression recently at the Strand. ® ® ® Heaven knows how many thousand people put in the "end of a perfect day" at Fuller's on Labour Day evening, but the "house full" sign was up early, and disappointed amusement hunters had to go elsewhere. Walter George and his merry mummers put up "In Sunny Japan," a natty little pot pouiri of song, dance, mirth, and merriment, strung together with bits of plot insufficient to cause the slightest headache among the many musical masterpieces. Miss Hylda Shannon's "Poor Butterfly" claimed the audience, while with Mr. George she did "Why Do You Keep Laughing at Me," excellently. "Tip Tung," given by Reg. Hawthorn, and a chorus, is quaint, good stuff, well done. Miss Polly McLaren dances delightfully. Barry Lupino, the Queen of "Dames," threw himself and his bonnet into a fun burst in the second half, and the house quaked With cachinnations. His "chrysanthemum" stunt is Al. Senor and Signora Molinari, the gifted Italian singers, are heard with delight in operatic and other song items. Campbell and May have a bright mixed turn, which does not pall. Carr and Manly, the gymnasists, are a source of astonishment and envy. On Tuesday night the celebrated French clowns, The Camille Trio, appeared. $ $ # The conversion of the George Hor tel, Northampton, into a cinema palace means that one of the oldest hotels in the country ceases to exist. The George was first mentioned as an hotel in 1555. The Grand Duke of Tuscany stayed at the house in 1669, and the Northampton Corporation entertained the Duke Monmouth there, on the eve of his leading the Rebellion in the West Country. It was also the headquarters in 1768 of a Parliamentary contest in which the rival pnV

poured out £150,000 to secure the votes of a constituency which numbered 1,149 voters,