Theatre Royal.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6436, 4 January 1889, Page 4

Theatre Royal.

GAYLOED AND SILBON'S NOVELTY COMPANY. This company opened at the Theatre Eoyal yesterday evening, when they gave a performance — the first of a short season of three nights. It is to be regretted that the fact of the theatre being engaged beforehand by another company will prevent Christchurch. audiences seeing as much a3 they could wish of one of' the most talented combination companies that has visited New Zealand. The performance opens with a "Drawing-room Exercise" act on. the Eoman rings by the Silbon family, who exhibit daring, grace and I strength which render their not altogether original performance the best of the! kind yet produced in Christchurch. The two lady artistes especially called forth applause by their perfectly fearless performances. The Dale brothers gave an exceedingly cleyor acrobat " Brother act," in which they prove themselves possessed ,o£ iron 'muscles, and nerves of a like strength. -Their comic clown act, hat spinning and jugglery are something uncommon. One of the brothers from the I dress circle throws half a dozen pointed j caps to his fraternal relative on. the stage, J and they are caught on his head with unfailing accuracy. Ofciier tricks in. " hatspincing," in which, the "extinguisher" caps aforesaid are used after the manner of the " humming top " of our youth, is a piece of sleight-of-hand that must | have been difficult indeed to attain, jln their tcipla bar act, ' Messr3 I Moulton and Dashway give a performance that we remembar witnessing in a j Continental theatre soine years ago, and 1 which then struck us as a marvellous ! result of athletic training and skill. Since . ) then their • act has lost nothing of its freshness, and still stands far above similar performances. These athletes were heartily recalled on con- ! eluding their featg. Since tho Girard ? Family were last in this part of tho world, I some twelve years since, they have j traversed many parts of the globe, and i j their contortioning and grotesque dancing j is still as lithe and light as ever, while the term .^boneless" faila to convey an i idea of their ability in their wonderful , posturing acts. The triple trapeze give 3 i i the Silbon Family, another opportunity !o£ proving themselves capable of doing < almost anything which can be expected of i j performers on the trapeze, although tho j height of the Proscenium, unfortunately, not admit of their finishing with ft ', j daring double "Flying Trapeze" act, as is their.wont in larger buildings. Duringthe evening Miss Ida Victoria, a young lady with a pleasing style, recited a poem i entitled "New Year's Day,'? in, a way , which gives promise of future ability, and i as an encore she gave a serio-comic piece, ii "On the Eail." The performance last • night concluded with , a pantomine .-called • "Leß Trio Maison," to quote the play-bill, > in which the dancing, posturing, and i general fun of the piece does much to do j away with the rather indefinite, but very • comical and truly pantomimic plot. The ? Cpmpahy perform, again to-night> ■when •tliey.BKouldi dzaw a,capital . Jiouee.