The Stage.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume VII, Issue 1, 1 October 1902, Page 66

The Stage.

"OPERA MOM VERBA."

By "RUSTICUS"

fHE GONDOLIERS " has recently been, staged by the New Plymouth Amateur Dramatic Club. After 17 a satiety of various vaudeville and gruesome melodrama

the theatre-goer was quite in the humour for a Gilbert and Sullivan opera, with its pleasing music and sparkling libretto. Each is distinctly " sui generis/ and the collaboration vastly superior to any

contemporary efforts in a similar vein. As to the incidental lyrics of the Gilbertian libretto, I vow one would have to hie him back to Shakespeare for anything more lightly and- daintily lyrical, though Stephen Phillip's "Ulysses" yontains not a few efforts which sound the true lyric note. The fol-

lowing is, perhaps, the best of these : — " See, see, Ulysses, weary and wise, Sing low, sing low, -with downcast eyes, For he rouses at last, And his eyes are cast , To the land where his spirit would be Over the violet sea. Alas for the arms that yearn ! Alas for the eyes that burn ! "

(Jollis-

Apart from lyric the poet, is happiest in catching the spirit of the original in the lines below : Penelope : " Cease, minstrel, cease, and sing some other song, Thy music floated up into my room, And the sweet words of it have hart my heart. Others reiorn, the oilier husbands, but Never for me that pail on the sea line,

New Plymouth

Never a sound of oars beneath the moon, Nor sudden step beside me at midnight; Never Ulysses! Either he is drowned Or his bones lie on the mainland iv the rain." To return to " The Gondoliers." Like " The # Mikado," it is an oldtime favourite, which improves on acquaintance, abounding, as it does, in pleasing stage effects and possessing a plot quite within the

comprehension of the average men-tally-endowed mortal — a combination of felicities tending to make one forget for the time the asperities of the cold, cruel world,, which, as the poet quaintly says, is not " all cakes and ale," nor yet " all beer and skittles." The sentiment, of course, is highly conventional, and the setting is " highly respectable/ strictly " virginibus puerisqiue." As staged by the Club "The Gondoliers " was a distinct success. " Of that there is no possible doubt, No possibe probable shadow of doubt, No possible doubt whatever." As the local press informed us " No pains had been spared in its production." The players were in

excellent fettle, and strode the boards with a business-like air. The orchestra, under Mr H. Cottier, aided their efforts valiantly, and thanks to Mr Stoyle's energetic stage managership, the play went without a hitch.

Messrs Rowe and Perry made a debonair and convincing pair of gondoliers, the former's vocal effort, " Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes," being specially appreciated. Mr Ryan, as the quaintly pusillanimous " anna virumque " of the play, was distinctly clever, and gave a carefully-studied interpreta-

tion of his role ; while that meddlesome gentleman, 'the Inquisitor, was excellently represented by Mr F. Ducker. The duettino and duet by Casilda and Luiz, " Ah, Well, Be loved/ and " There was a time A time for ever gone — ah, woe is me ! " were charmingly given by Mr Ernest Clarke and Miss Kate Connell. Miss Teed as Gianetta, and Miss Pawson as Tessa, were obviously at home on the boards, and their vivacious acting kept the interest of , the house in hand. Lastly, comes the Duchess of Plaza Tora, Miss Hester Burr, who played the part as to the manner born.

The Club also played to good houses in Stratford and Hawera, and cannot be too highly complimented on their success. Rumour has it that the Club intend breaking a lance in the classical realms, and staging one of Sheridan' s or Goldsmith's plays. " The School for Scandal " would, I fancy, repay their attention, and be at the same time an excellent tonic for the lesser morals of the community, on which the antiself , crusade of "Ye Messenger from Mars " made a distinct and lasting impression, '* sic itur ad astra."