MUSIC AND DRAMA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 9 June 1906, Page 41

MUSIC AND DRAMA.

“THE FATAL WEDDING.” Tn Auckland, as everywhere else where it lias been produced, “The Fatal Wedding" has proved a stupendous ami almost overwhelming financial success. Sensible play-goers will have neither time nor patience for the writers who attempt to apply the ordinary canons of dramatic criticism to such plays as this. The would-be superior beings who Haunt and sneer at such productions would be capable <>f demolishing some of the “pretending" games of children by demanding the tiresome explanations in which a certain type of “grown up" revels, ami in pointing out the absurdity of converting an inverted table into a. 6000 ton steamer, or constituting the sofa a mail coach bound for London town. "The characters are untrue to life," say the sapient and superior critics, with ponderous veracity. Of course they are. As Mrs Gamp observed, “Who deniges of it, Betsy ?" but those who go to such plays know, or ought to know, that they must be prepared to leave the stale realities of life outside the theatre door. That is. in effect, what they go for. The "let’s pretend of childhood is the sole and universal "Open Sesame" by which the average human being passes from the drab eommon-places of every day To that enchanted land beyond the footlights. Surely because the form of the play alters it is no reason, we should demand absolute realism and querulously complain that such and such characters are not to be found in everyday life, and would never act in such and such a way under any circumstances whatsoever. To point out that it is highly absurd to make a loving husband divorce his charming wife on the sole evidence of a very obviously “putup” dodge on the part of a madly-jca-lous woman and a villain, doubtless shows high intellectuality, but it argues a very plentiful lack of the faculty for harmless imagination and the capacity for “pretending,” from which poor human nature, young and old. derives half the salt of life. Judged on the score of realism, "-tuff and nonsense” might he used with efr fect with regard to the conduct of Lear in dividing his kingdom as he did. and no “real life" father would leave the future of his daughter and her fortune to the accident of choice amongst three caskets. One docs not. of course, compare the degrees of improbabilities, but merely desires to maintain that even in the highest, as in the lowest, a strict attention to realism would leave us poor indeed. “The Fatal Wedding” is pure melodrama of the domestic order, and is therefore singularly free from those gruesome and hair raising incidents usually described as transpontine, from the fact that the home of J heir first production is usually the Surrey Theatre—across the bridges. The appeals to the feelings are, as usual. >f the •Hr.it an.l primitive order, wl.i.-l. keep handkerchiefs busy when pathos is to the fore, and which cau-c uproarious hilarity when the rough and reads comic element takes its place. So far “I’he Fatal Wedding’’ differs not from its fellows, excep* that it is, as already said, Ic.-s bloodthirsty and gloomy than many of its mutes. But it possesses a feature xv’ui< h is all its ow n. fhe, children’s scene is absolutely delightful and unique. The youngsters play with remarkable “vril” and go. and the whole scene goes with a vim and snap absolutely' irresistible. The main title ad in the forceful way the public like, ami Hip secret of its success is us obvious as it. is uncont cstaldo: it is what the great Hin<s of phi x goers like, and there, after all. is tin \l|>ha and Omega of the matter

It is so long since we.have had a eireua in Auckland that Messrs linstock and Wombwell’s show, which opened in Mechanic's Bay on Monday night, was sure of a most hearty welcome. There wasn't room for everybody on the first night, and the season promises to be a record one. The strange part about the show is that there are no horses, and. stranger still, one doesn’t miss them. The menagerie is a strong feature, and contains some magnificent animals from a particularly fine elephant down to a couple of cranes, which wander about the tent at will, much to the amusement .of the small spectators. The best thing in the circus is undoubtedly the Lukushima troupe of Japanese. There are six of them, five men and a woman, and they perform some truly remarkable feats of jugglery and balancing—even for Japanese. A strange act is that of M. Menier, “the Human Ostriche,” who dines quite sumptuously off a tallow candle, some coal with lighted kerosene, and sawdust as a bone bouche. He then turns himself into an animated gas burner, and emits flames from his mouth. There is a wealth of talent in the bill, and applause is never long silent. The “turns,” which go to make up a really enjoyable programme, are provided by Signor Bertahi, who balances very cleverly on ladders; Jarvis and Campbell, two neat jugglers; Gungi and Dowli, a pair of highly amusing clowns; the Pastor Brothers, who go through some attractive aerobatic performances; Will and Tim, eake-avalking tramps; Miss Mona, who dances prettily; Jackies and his wonderfully trained dogs; and last, but not least. Herr J. Hohendahl and his magnificent lions.