Music and Drama

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue VII, 17 February 1900, Page 320

Music and Drama

THE BROUGHS IN AUCKLAND. The Brough Company, to whose advent Auckland playgoers have been eagerly looking forward for some time past, opened at- the Opera House on Monday evening with “ The Liars,” The fame of " The Liars,” as a brilliantly clever and laughtert-provok-ing play, had been wafted to us from afar, and all who know the Broughs and the Company they are in the habit of selecting, eouid foresee the delightful capabilities of such a play in their hands. It is sufficient to say that the staging and acting of the comedy on Monday night did not fall short of our highest expectations. Mrs Brough, as the naughty, wilful Lady Jessica Nepean, acted with the easy grace and naturalness that always characterises her, and was, as she always is in such roles, irresistibly attractive. It is an innocent indiscretion of Lady .Jessica’s —which, she, with an ever-increasing company of reluctant confederates, seeks to hide from her husband's knowledge—that by turning half-a.-dozen honourable people into inexpert, taradiddlers, earns the play its title. Mi- Brough as Sir Christopher Deering, the upright, kind-hearted man of the world, the friend and adviser of all and sundry, had a part that he fitted to perfection. In fact, one could not help being convinced that he was Sir C hristopher as the author of the play conceived him, and he broug’ht out all his points in his share of the witty, sparkling dialogue with telling ease. As Freddie Tatton, Lady Rosamund’s husband, and the “cipher in his own house,” Mr Leslie Victor was excellent, and created an infinite amount of amusement. Mr Archibald Coke had a good exponent- in Mr Reginald Dartney, and the somewhat limited parts of Gilbert and George Nepean were made the utmost of by Messrs Joseph Carne aaid Percy Brough. Mr IV. T. Lovell, though he did not quite look the part of Edward Falkner, the British Public’s hero of the hour, and the impassioned lover of Lady Jessica, redeemed that defect by his very clever acting-. Indeed, so admirably was every role sustained that the Broughs have to be congratulated on the all-round excellence of their re-organised company, which ensures to the Auckland public for a short time to come much delightful entertainment, and a class of acting which it has not had the pleasure of witnessing since their last visit to this city.

To-night (Wednesday) will see the last performance of. “The Liars,” and on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday "The Gay Lord Quex” will hold the stage. . "The Adventures of Lady Ursula” will run for two nights, Monday and Tuesday, and on Wednesday and Thursday Sydney Grundy’s “Sowing the Wind” will be played. The arrangements for the rest of the season are not yet complete. The Belle of New York, which has been running for 21 months at the Shaftesbuijy, London, retired from the stage on the last day of 1899.

The Drury Lane Pantomime this year is "Jack and the Bean Stalk.” the "Westminster Gazette” describes the chief scene thus:—“But best of all is the 'fall of the giant.’ Represented as a fallen. Boer the mighty figure fills nearly the whole stage diagonally. Ihe monsters eyes blink uncannily, its chest heaves .in the most realistic way, while from its breast pockets come forth troops of British Tommies, and adown the kopje on which it lies comes a miniature naval brigade of little people; and in front of its mighty hobnailed boots a cavalcade of colonial lancers and mounted infantry on restive Shetland ponies (which strongly object to- Wagner) file across the stage.”

In the organisation of the cast for Mr George Kignold's farewell appearances at Her Majesty's Theatre in “Henry V.,” Mr J. C. Williamson has made a novel choice, which is certain to excite widespread interest, says the Sydney "Morning Herald.” lie has offered the part of Fluellin to Mr George Latiri, whose prompt acceptance of the character will thus show him upon the Australian stage for the first time as a Shakespearian actor. In this country Mr Lnnri's work has been almost entirely confined to comic opera, varied by the occasional pantomime appearances customary in this part of tin- world, his engagements in spoken pieces having been in such farcical comedies as "A

Hunch of Keys.” His rendering of the fiery and. loquacious Welshman will accordingly form a new departure.

Mr J. C. Williamson has obtained the Australian rights of “Rupert of Hentzau.”

Mr Chas. Wyndham has forwarded £6Oll to the war fund at Home. The money was raised in connection with the opening of his new theatre.

In a letter to the “Era,” Mr Caleb Porter, who used to play Nero, rebuts the charge, so frequently made, that to “Quo Vadis,” written by Sienkiewicz, a Polish author, Mr Wilson Barrett owed the inspiration for his “Sign of the Cress.”

Christchurch critics are unanimous in their praise of Mr Pollard’s production of “The Geisha.” Al! the members of the company seem to be well fitted in their parts.

M. Ovide Musin is reported to have settled in San Francisco as a teacher of the violin.

Mr Hannibal A. Williams’ last Shakespearean recital in Auckland last Thursday was well patronised, and his reading of the first part of “Henry IV.” much appreciated.

Mr Howard Vernon is now organising an opera company in Australia. The Masterton Amateur Operatic Society are thinking of producing “Olivette.”

Miss Flora Graupner, who has for some time past been seriously ill in a private hospital in Germany, is now sufficiently recovered to bear removal to Australia.

Mr Dave Caston, who has been playing with the Gaiety Company in Auckland, has secured an engagement with Mr Harry Rickards. This is the fourth time Mr Caston has been with Mr Rickards.

Miss Hilda Spong has scored a distinct success in New Y’ork, where she is playing the role of Mrs Blumer in Carton’s comedy “Wheels Within Wheels.” The young lady has gained great praise in other quarters.

The re-organised Royal Comic Opera Company, which, will begin work on the other side a-t Easter, has amongits pieces “The Rose of Persia,” “Flora Dora,” and “Tapu.” The latter is a Home production from the pen of Mr Arthur Adams, at one time on the Wellington “Post” staff. The scene, as the name would indicate, is laid in New Zealand.

The Waxworks at the Agricultural Hall. Auckland, commands an extensive patronage.

The Hoyt-MeKee Company, which has been playing “A Trip to Chinatown,” and “A Stranger in New York,” returns to America by the outward Frisco mail from Auckland on Monday next.

The Wellington Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Company have “The Grand Duke” on hand for production later on.

The Georgia Magnet is now in Dunedin.

Among the company which Mr Walter Bentley is bringing to New Zealand is Leahy, of Ashburton, who has decided to take up the stage as a profession. The Valdares Circus Variety Company has been doing- well in Dunedin. The success in London is announced of Miss Alice Simmons, the Melbourne singer, who visited New Zealand about a year ago.

The Chevalier de Konski, who toured these colonies some three years ago, has just died at the age of eighty two. He was the first pianist to give recites in China and Japan. Blondin, the tight rope walker, was performing in Wellington last week.