Music, Drama.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 158, 3 August 1893, Page 1

Music, Drama.

[By

"ORPHEUS"]

Sfiectatum admissi risum teneatis amici ?

The Gourlay-Walton Comedy

Company.

‘ Skipped by the Light of the Moon.’

Much in the style of ‘ Doctor Bill ’ and ‘ Jane,’ but musically stronger and funnier than either is the excellent piece of fooling to which Messrs Gourlay and Walton and their compact and clever company are introducing New Zealand playgoers. Although the plot of 1 Skipped ’ is in places somewhat loosely constructed, it is nevertheless ingenious and original, and it is not a mere peg upon which to hang variety interpolations. Ludicrous incidents succeed one another with bewildering rapidity, and so unbroken is the chain of merriment that each laugh seems to be the echo of its predecessor. Good singing, charming scenery (painted by Mr Pulford), a capable orchestra under the direction of Mr George Pack (an exceptionally accomplished musician), perfect stagemanagement, and a cast without a weak spot in it, combine to make • Skipped ’ a genuine treat to the most fastidious. ' The dressing is immense, and every detail is exact, even to the postman’s uniform. Mr John Gouri ay’s Obadiah Dingle, the giddy old rooster of a city clerk, supposed by his wife to be at the Isle of Wight with the Young Men’s Christian Association, but in reality having a good time at Brighton, is one of the most perfect bits of character acting ever seen upon an Auckland stage — gesture, facial play, tone of voice, and unexpected and original business hold the audience throughout. Such perfection means not only extraordinary gifts, but also implies that capacity for taking pains, without which genius can achieve hut little. Where a point can be made Mr Gourlay makes if, and his capital singing lends an additional charm. Mr George Walton who plays Felix Crackle, Obadiah’s fellow clerk, shines just as brightly, although handicapped with a cold which dulled the brightness of a really good voice—his singing, acting, dancing, and business quite equalled the high expectations excited by his brilliant reputation as a burlesque artist. ‘ The Shopwalker ’ simply translated his listeners into Smith and Caughey’s, while ‘ Mary Green,’ as a burlesque of the Misses Alice Lethbridge and Alice Leamar, was quite too delicious. As a dancer Mr Walton has no peer in the Australian colonies. Mr Robert Harwood made an immense hit as Mclntyre, a typical policeman, and sang ‘ The Hooligans’ with tremendous effect. As the rheumatic and choleric heavy father James Warfield, Mr George Chalmers added a large quota to the fun of ‘ Skipped,’ and his song ‘ I’m not so young as I used to be ’ was inimitable. Mr W. Cameron made the most of a rather thankless first walking gentleman part as Frank Pelham, alias Walter Raymond, but looked rather boyish, and I think should should try wearing a moustache. James Sharpleigh the detective and Thomas the oysterman, the cabman, and the postman were competently played respectively by Messrs Martin. Evans, McNally, Lewis, and Webster. Coming to the ladies, Miss Georgie Leighford’s impersonation of Mrs Dingle almost surpasses anything this clever lady has ever done. It is an exact picture of a cockney lower middle class dame. Her extraordinary race across the stage after the supposed baby thief must be seen to be appreciated. Mrs Felix Crackle in the hands of Miss Flora Hastings is a fine portrait of the

dressy and fine lady imitation which a head saleswoman of a large millinery establishment commonly is. Miss Evelyn Harte’s Sarah is one of the liveliest and neatest bits of soubrette work I have ever seen. She acts all the time, and moreover sings capitally —‘ Pretty Primroses ’ proved a popular selection. Miss Alice Holbrook looks extremely handsome as Milicent Warfield, and besides acting naturally and with grace and spirit, sang Arditi’s ‘ L’Estasi ’ with great success. I think, however, that the forced descending portamento from the high C to F rather detracts from the effect of an otherwise excellent piece of vocalisation. Space will not permit me to deal with the wealth of funny incidents crowded into the action. I will just mention as samples the ludicrous scene where Dingle and Crackle are perched upon a wall with a big bull dog on one sideband their wives on the other: the funny chase through the ingenious doors of the oyster stand, where Mclntyre pursues Dingle and Crackle ; the migrations of that wonderful baby ( by the way A squeaker might add to the vraisemblance}, which is tossed from one pair of arms to another in a series of ‘ passes ’ which would not disgrace the New Zealand football team; that marvellous knee-walk of Mr Gourlay across the stage when peremptorily summoned by his injured and offended spouse. But I must stop, with one word in praise of the good writing and telling local hits introduced passim. This company made their first change of programme on Monday, when ‘Skipped by the Light of the Moon ’ gave way to ‘Milky White’ and ‘Living Models.’ Two more dissimilar pieces could hardly have been placed before the playgoing public on the one night, and that Messrs Gourlay, Walton, and their company should have acquitted themselves so well speaks volumes for their artistic ability. ‘ Milky White ’ is one of those domestic dramas in which Mr H. T. Craven’s pen always shone. The irascible old milkman gives every scope for acting, and there are some very fine scenes for the exponent of the character. But there is a line of demarcation between pathos and bathos, and that line may be very easily overstepped. I have seen ‘ Milky White ’ played several times, and I think Charles Burford was about the best representative of the name part of all the actors I have seen. But I should nearly bracket Mr Gourlay with him. Mr Gourlay never overstepped the mark in the more pathetic portions of the piece, while in the lighter comic touches he was, as those who have seen him in ‘Skipped by the Light of the Moon ’ can imagine, thoroughly in accord with his audience. Mr Gourlay’s Milky White would give him the ‘ hall mark’ as an actor anywhere. The drama affords but little scope for the other characters, but what there was for the company to do they made the most of. Miss Evelyn Harte played the role of White’s daughter Annie very sympathetically, and the kind-hearted Mrs Saddrip, who has most to do with clearing up all ‘ Milky’s ’ disagreements with his daughter and other people, was well expounded by Miss Georgie Leighford, who seems to revel in the line of business known in the profession as old women.”

I do not know whether to call ‘ Living Models’ a farce or a farcical comedy, but whatever it may be termed it certainly is one of the funniest things seen on the Auckland stage for many a day. The antics indulged in by the two married men who go down to the artist’s studio, where their wives arrive later on, and their poses as statues, and their dances and songs, automaton figures, wound up by clockwork, have kept the house in roars of laughter.

To-night (Thursday) and to-morrow night ‘ Kindred Souls,’ a delightful piece which no one should miss will be staged. On Saturday and Monday evenings next a splendid programme will be given, consisting of ‘ The Brook, ’ Gourlay’s famous sketch ‘ The Troup,’ and the ‘ Corsican Brothers,’ burlesqued by G. R. Sims ; the ‘ Belle of the Kitchen,’ Gourlay’s ’ Alice Again,’ etc., etc. Tuesday, as I said before, is a special Scottish night, and the season will close on Wednesday evening with ‘Skipped,’ which those who have not seen it had better remember.

On Tuesday evening next a grand Scotch night will introduce ‘ The Rights of Women,’ in which Mr Gourlay plays a part rendered famous by his father—and therein rivals the paternal exploits. An exceptionally taking medley of Scottish songs, etc., will be given, and Mr Gourley will pose as the Ballarat statue of Robert Burns. I wish he could manage to introduce ‘ Dorkin’s Night’ before the season closes. His rendering of that pathetic song is said to be magnificent.

Mr. Harodd Ashton’s Wednesday Pops.

Last week’s Wednesday Pop. drew a tremendous house, and proved one of the best programmes of the series. I regret that pressure upon our space forbids me to give details. Last night Mr Ashton again provided attractive novelties, among which Miss Florence Holloway, a soprano of reputation hailing from Sydney was to make her debut. General and Mrs Mite, whom Aucklanders will remember in conjunction with Professor Canaris, were also to make their appearance. Miss Clarice Brabazon’s welcome name also re-appears in the programme.

The Saturday Nights.

Notwithstanding an inclement night and strong counter attractions, Mr Ashton’s ‘ Saturday Night’ at the City Hall was well patronised. Miss Ruby Clifford made an ideal interlocutrix, and assisted Messrs. Dave Gardner and C. Brown in effectively making some original points which told severely upon the risible faculties of the listeners. Good songs were given by Miss May Emery and Messrs. Hyland, Gardner, Brown, Benson, and Willis. The ‘Automatons’ were funny—very, very very funny ! as a finale. In the second part Miss Freido performed some wonderfully clever and graceful feats upon the high trapeze, and as a climax descended by lowering herself by means of a pulley and cord with a piece of leather attached to one end. The leather was clenched in the lady’s teeth, and sustained her entire weight, while the cord held in her hands was allowed to slip through the pulley. Lal and Bubbles, two diminutive acrobats, quite won all hearts by some clever songs, dances, and bending and contortion feats. Miss Nellie Griffiths, an accomplished and graceful danseuse, scored a big success with her fan dance. Miss Ruby Clifford danced a double-face Irish jig with twinkling feet and charming abandon. Mr Benson played his clever duets on penny whistles, and Dave Gardner was immense as ever. Mr Charles Brown's ‘Silence and Fun’ was extremely clever, but rather too protracted. ‘ Slocum’s Dog,’ a screaming farce, concluded a really excellent evening’s amusement.

After a brief closure during the Poultry Show the Columbia Rink re-opened on Monday week, and has been well patronised both by day and night. Mr Farrington’s handsome prizes for championship and handicap races attracted numerous competitors, and some keen

contests eventuated. The management continues to be excellent, and the comfort of skaters and spectators is carefully studied.

On Friday evening, at St. Sepulche’s School-room, a pleasant conversazione was held, the hall being crowded. Excellent items were given by the Ladies’ Glee Club, under Miss Rosa Brown, by Mrs H. Connell, Mrs A. Coates, and the Misses M. Purchas and D. Dudley. An instrumental quartette by the Misses Reeve, Marsden, Fenton, and J. Reeve was quite a feature in the programme. A Shakespearian selection from ‘ As You Like It,’ concluded the entertainment. The parts of Rosalind, Celia. Phoebe, Hymen, Orlando, Oliver, Silvius, and the Duke were admirably sustained by the Misses Winnie Dudley, Emmie Preece, Mildred Purchas, M. Sloman, Pierce, W. Picken, Bedlington and Picken.

To-night (Thursday) the orchestral members of the Auckland Choral Society give a concert which, judging by the programme, should afford a genuine treat to lovers of music. '

Herr Zimmermann’s Chamber Concert. On Monday evening the City Hall was well filled, especially upstairs, by an audience who thoroughly appreciated the high-class programme provided. I regret that severe pressure upon these columns compels me to give only an apercu of this artistic treat. To pick out some of the plums in the rich musical pudding, I will mention especially the Mendelssohn trio, a splendid rendering of which was given by Herr Zimmermann, Mr George Paque, and Miss Emily Reeve ; the fine renderings of Ernst’s Elegie and Mendelssohn’s Concerto by Herr Zimmermann himself; the duet for clarionet and oboe by Messrs Jackson; and several songs with obbligatos for the violin, exquisitely played by the same talented violinist. Owing to the length of the programme, numerous encores had to be declined. Messrs P. Dufaur and G. Reid, being indisposed, could not sing, but Mr A. L. Edwards filled the gap very acceptably. In every respect the concert was an artistic success, and reflects great credit on its promoters.