Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue VIII, 22 February 1902, Page 351

Music and Drama.

The “Sign of the Cross” and the “ Silver King” have both been produced by Mr Wilson Barrett in Auckland soince the last issue of this journal, and both have proved enormously successful. The “Sign of the Cross ” filled the house to overflowing on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and literally hundreds of persons were turned away on each occasion. The performance is unquestionably a fine one, the majority pronouncing it superior in almost every particular to that given bj the knight Ferrar Company, good as that was. Mr Barrett does not look as youthful as some might wish for the* part, but after all there is nothing inartistic or improbable in the character having passed first youth. Marcus might have been 35, just as well as 25. The superb staging of the drama aroused universal admiration, and the fate of the principal character wasfollowedwith a breathless interest by the audience. Miss Lillah McCarthy looked lovely as ever as Mercia, and her performance was an exceedingly moving one. She endowed the part with a pathos and reality which again and again reduced the more emotional of the ladies present to tears. Mr Ambrose Manning gave a splendid character study as Glabrio, and the other parts were very well filled, more especially that of Berenice. “The Silver King” drew packed houses on both Friday and Monday. Naturally, old playgoers were anxious to compare Mr Barrett in his original creation of Wilfred Denver with the impersonation of Mr Walter Bentley and others whom we have seen in the part in the colonies. It seemed to be the general impression that while Mr Bentley’s Denver was more picturesque and more strenuous Mr Barrett infused more thought, more finish, into the part. In the earlier scenes, leading up to the murder of Geoffrey Ware, he is really remarkably fine, and completely outstrips any exponent of the part we have seen here. Also in his assumption of the disguise of Deaf Bill he could not be excelled, these being the most noteworthy points in a most noteworthy performance, the like of which we are not likely to see again. Mr Ambrose Manning. Old Father Christmas, alias Elijah Coombe, gave a truly marvellous character study. The Krugerlike make-up, the oleaginous voice, the indescribable but perfectly fascinating villainous grin, were utterly incomparable to anything we have seen, and place the part above any praise we can accord it in these columns. The other parts are all admirably filled, better than we have ever seen them here before. Miss McCarthy was natural, and looked lovely as ever as Nellie Denver, and Mr Horace Hodges was excellent in the very beautiful and touching role of Jaikes. The staging i« in the main very fine,, but signa of wear and tear are not wanting in some of the less important scenes. A little retouching would do no harm. These small theatres ruin scenery more in a week or so than years would do where there are proper appliances. Music lovers will be glad to hear that Madame Antoinette Dolores—better known to most of us as Madame

Trebelli—will give a series of concerts in New Zealand shortly. She opens in New Plymouth first, and goes thence to Napier, having already made contracts for those places. From thence she goes to Auckland, where she' will appear about Easter. The Melbourne critics declare madame’s voice to be in better condition than ever, and award her recitals unstinted praise. After his New Zealand season Mr Barrett goes to Queensland, and then farewells in Sydney, prior to leaving for South Africa . They call Rickards The Astronomer in Sydney now. He is away so often looking for stars. Mdle. Lotty, now showing at Sydney Tivoli, gives a sensational turn of the poses plastique school, but with the additional charm imparted by stereopticon colouring ■ She claims to have invented this class of show while a comedienne on the Parisian stage. Variations of her act have been already given in Australia, notably by Mme. Cecile Dubois, a singularly beautiful woman, Madame Dante, and Ada Delroy. Mlle. Lotty has shown in all the principal English, American, and European cities, and her show is named, most appropriately, Dressed in Light. The house Is darkened, when she appears, heavily cloaked, against a background of black cloth. She suddenly throws this off, and seems to be clad from top to toe in fleshings only, but coloured lights are thrown on her at once from a stereopticon, which clothes her in a series of costumes, all marvellously beautiful, and which change every ten seconds or so. For one brief second only is she discernible clothed, statuelike, in the altogether, or what looks remarkably like it. The lady in face and form is all that lovers of the beautiful could desire.

It is the opinion of Mr Wilson Barrett, that despite the fillip the visits of the King and Queen to the theatre, must have given to theatre going in society, there will not be anv marked lift in the theatrical depression existing at Home for about a year yet. Until the Coronation and its attendant festivities are over by a good six months, the slump will not be raised, but after that it is likely, if the King lives, and if wars and rumours of wars exist not, that the theatrical world will be bright indeed. The King is passionately fond of the theatre, as is also the Queen, and State visits thereto and to the opera will be frequentThe Broughs are having a very successful season in Christchurch. They opened in “Lady Huntworth's Experiment.” One notes by the way, that “Niobe” is included in the Christchurch repertoire. That dismal failure—“ Sweet and Twenty”— has been wisely dropped.

“Man and His Makers ” will be produced this evening after we go to press. It is a study in heredity. Naturally nothing more can be said in this issue.

On Tuesday evening, February 4, Mrs Barrington Waters, an Australian pianiste of wonderful capability, and a new arrival in New Zealand, gave a pianoforte recital in Gisborne to a large and representative audience. Mrs Barrington Waters was a pupil of Henry Kowalski, but resembles her master very little, inasmuch as she prefers the classical to the frivolous, and is an ardent disciple of Beethoven and Chopin. Her Gisborne programme consisted of the “Paraphrase Rigoletto,” Lizst, “ Sonata in A flat. Op. 12 ” Beethoven, “Polonaise in A flat Op. 52,” Chopin; “Due Forello,” SchubertHeller; "La Campanella,” PagminiLiszt; "Intermezzo in octaves,” Leschetiszky; "Valse Caprice,” Rubinstein; and “Berceuse,” Chopin. Mrs Barrington Waters’ repertotee consists of upwards of two hundred of the w’orks of the great masters, played entirely from memory.