MUSIC, DRAMA, ETC.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 53, 30 July 1891, Page 2

MUSIC, DRAMA, ETC.

Spe datum admissi risum teneatis amici ?

A capital house assembled on Friday evening to enjoy the opening performance of the Dobson-Kennedy Company in the Opera House. Dion Boucicault’s powerful and ingeniously constructed melodrama, “ The Shaughraun,” was staged and acted in a style which must ensure a successful season for the compact and competent company which Messrs. Collet Dobson and J. J. Kennedy have enlisted and drilled into a thoroughly efficient corps. To sketch out the plot of a play so popular would be superfluous. I will therefore confine myself to a brief analysis of the characters. To begin with the ladies. Miss Lily Hill as Claire Ffolliott not only looked charming but also' acted splendidly. The warm-hearted, highspirited Irish girl, full of noble impulses and sly humour, actually lived and breathed. In the love passages with Captain Molineux, the naive and delicate touches of feminine artful artlessness were conveyed with a spontaneity and skill which at once stamp the lady’s performances with the Hall-mark of hereditary genius. Flashes of indignation and genuine pathos gave the requisite contrasts of light and shade to an impersonation which I cannot praise too highly. Every point was made crisply and effectively, and indeed one could scarcely help envying Captain Molineux and wishing that Claire would ask, “ What is your Christian name ? ” As Moya Dolan, Conn’s sweetheart, Miss Idrene Thornton found a congenial role, in which she carried off all the sympathy of an enthusiastic audience. Her by-play and acting in the Breakfast scene displayed remarkable intelligence and lightness of touch. But undoubtedly her greatest success was in the pathetic and soul-stirring national song, “The Wearing of the Green.” Erin’s sad and despairing strain of woe received an interpretation so emotional, and with so true a ring of pathos, that the entire audience; — Hibernian and Sassenach —was visibly affected. To Miss May Vernon was assigned the comparatively colourless and small part of Arte O’Neal, in which she acquitted herself very well, depicting the character in a quiet and lady-like manner, which is the true conception. Conn’s mother, Mrs. O’Kelly, in the capable hands of Miss W. E. Jermyn, proved a decided hit, her voice especially being modulated with exquisite skill. The lachrymose whine peculiar to elderly dames of her class among “ you Irish ” was hit off to a nicety; and in the passages leading up to the wake, as well as in that scene itself was very good indeed. The two keeners, Biddy Malone and Nancy Madigan, led the quaintly weird chaunt of grotesque grief most effectively. In one of them I think I recognised a lady who is quite a favourite with Auckland audiences. Her work was of especial excellence. Three of the scenes were mounted most effectively—The Ruined Abbey, The Smugglers’ Den, and Conn’s Wake —while the music, under the direction of Mr. R. S. Airey, R.A.M., was appropriately and tastefully rendered, being judiciously subdued. Among the gentlemen of course Mr. J. J, Kennedy’s Conn stands pre-eminent. Anything more grotesquely humorous than his rendering could scarcely be imagined. In dress, brogue, facial play and action he was quite an ideal Conn, and needs no higher praise. The many witty points in Boucicault’s sparkling lines were made vrith inimitable skill. For example, when hetsays to Moya, “ If I were a flower I’d pluck myself and walk after you on my own stalk! ” And again, when he explains why his dog did not bark, “ Because his mouth was full of the sate of a man’s breeches ! ” Mr. Frank Norton as Captain Molineux, the brave but matter-of-fact English gentleman, deserves the highest praise I can give him. His rendering could scarcely be bettered. He and Miss Lily Hill played up to one another admirably, and largely contributed to the success of the piece. The way in which he pulls up his collar and grows inches after he has been “ Harried,” etc., by the im.pulsive Claire is a perfect bit of comedy acting. Mr. Collet Dobson as the escaped Fenian, Robert Ffolliott, made the most of a difficult and not very attractive role, using his commanding stage presence and fine sonorous voice with telling effect. The detestable police spy, Harvey Duff, was capitally played by Mr. Paul Creyton, whose conception and acting of the

character found great favour —or rather reprobation—with the audience. A critic objects to Mr. Creyton’s assumed infirmity, but in my *' opinion he is perfectly .right in making Harvey Duff a decrepit wreck. Seeing that Moya in a hand-to-hand tussle overcomes the hound and lays him sprawling on his back, consistency requires a certain physical impotency to account /for his inability to cope with a slight girl m a wrestling match. Mr. W. E. Jermyn gave a powerful delineation of the active villain, Corry Kinchela, and deservedly won many complimentary hisses and groans A special meed of praise must be awarded to Mr. Harry Saville s Father Dolan.’ 4 The dignity of the Irish parish priest, his scrupulous honesty, and affectionate ’ yet severe influence over his flock, with alternate flashes of humour, pathos, and righteous indignation, were rendered with all the power and correctness of a clever actor, trained on the best lines of a good old traditional school. The. presence of such an actor in any company is always an inestimable advantage to the younger members. The subordinate parts were adequately filled by Messrs. Henry, Campbell, Balfour, Silbon, Franc, Chaigrove, etc. —the get-up of the minor villains and the queer characters attending the wake being sufficiently bizarre to please the most fastidious. . Little Lord Fontleroy was capitally staged and acted on Monday night by the DobsonKennedy combination. The title role was admirably sustained by little Miss Kennedy. She quite equals, if not surpasses, her prede- . cessors in the part whom we have seen in Auckland.. Perhaps the best feature in her impersonation is the entire freedom from affectation which she displays, but another striking merit is her distinct enunciation. All the parts were well taken. Miss Idrene Thornton as • Mrs. Errol was extremely pathetic, her musical voice giving the true ring to the most touching points. She also sang most effectively Watson’s ’sweet setting to most affecting words. Miss Lily Hill showed true art in the disagreeable vulgarity with which she invested the character of the brazen-faced adventuress. Her conception is the right one, and she has the courage of her convictions. Mr. Dobson’s Earl was dignified and sufficiently peppery, but he is perhaps conciliated just a little too easily. Mr Kennedy’s Hobbs is first-rate. Miss May Vernon'as Dick, Mr. Norton as the family lawyer, Mr. Saville as Higgins, Mr. Jermyn as Wilkins the groom, and Mr. R. D. Campbell as the flunkey, were all excellent. Some of the dresses are strikingly tasteful and pretty. The company does sterling work, and deserves support. ’I am glad to announce that Little Lord Fontleroy will, by special request, be repeated next week, and would strongly urge those who have not witnessed the capital representation given by the Dobson-Kennedy combination to avail themselves of the opportunity of seeing a good play artistically performed. Little Ruby Kennedy’s charming impersonation is alone well worth the money.

On Saturday night the ingenious Amy Vaughan Company again revealed that fertility of resource for which I have on previous occasions awarded praise. The first part opened with an original scene, which must have specially gratified all readers of the Sporting Review. “Good Luck,” as the scene is appropriate!) entitled, is decidedly “ horsey.” Gigantic horse-shoes, studded with shining nails and bearing on each the legend “ Good Luck,” are arranged in a semi-circle on the stage from side, to side, the corners being still occupied by the two clever sable pairs. The rest of the company appear in equestrian garb. The ladies wear trim and well fitting habits and the gentlemen are in jockey costume. One little lady jock looked especially neat and charming, her dress fitting her like a glove, and the cap crowning her wavy tresses suiting her pretty piquant little features to perfection. The usual clever songs, dances, and farcical sketches delighted a very good house, and one novelty in the shape-of a quartette song and dance by the Misses Vaughan, May Travers and Wyniard, arrayed in football club colours, was a decided hit.

Orpheus.

A sporting barber in England is reported to have won £35,000 odd over the win of Common.