HARRY RICKARDS'S VAUDEVILLE COMPANY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9254, 5 June 1908, Page 2

HARRY RICKARDS'S VAUDEVILLE COMPANY.

♦ In the theatrical world, while the drama is languishing for lack of originality, while the opera is taxed for novelty, and while a bitter struggle is going on to save the stage from deterioration, vaudeville steadily pursues an upward, path to the highest planes of popularity. Realising the tastes of the theatre-going public, Mr Rickards has sent to New Zealand the most expensive vaudeville organisation that has ever .toured New Zealand, and it will commence a brief season in the Theatre Royal on Monday night. Vaudeville is to-day the most popular of all forms of entertainment. In England its growth has been so marked that niany noted actors Tiave recently joined its ranks. As known to-day, vaudeville is a refined means of presenting talent, skill, dexterity, art, and even genius in a concentrated form. Vaudeville has no limitations. The actor works side by side with the acrobat — the singer follows the trapezist. A splendid democracy has been evolved in its growth. Vaudeville in London now includes Royalty and peerage among its patrons. In America it is the most widely-liked of all forms of amusement It must go on prospering, since it 'is the only branch of the theatre which exploits everything in art and talent, which is paid for just in like measure as it .attracts the public attention. Mr Rickards has found that it pays him best to pay big salaries and secure the world's leading acts, which he from time to time has presented to New Zealand patrons. present organisation has been sent ,«n tour under enormous expense, and includes no fewer than three of the world's "etar" turns, supported by a number of artists who have earned flattering reports and become established favourites wherever they have appeared. The. box plan is at tjie Dresden.