THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 370, 26 August 1897, Page 11

THE STAGE

[By

Orpheus.]

City Hall : Miss Gladys Leigh and the “My Sweetheart” Company.—On Thursday the above company presented a complete change of programme, which was enthusiastically received. The curtain rose on an amusing farce, entitled “ Borrowed Plumes,” in which Miss Gladys Leigh appeared as Violet Bibbins, a part that suited her to perfection. Mr John Collins, as Dick Mizzle, was exceedingly funny, and the various comical situations were cordially applauded. A short concert programme was then rendered, all the items being vociferously encored. Miss Gladys Leigh sang “ Love’s Serenade” with great acceptance, the item proving the hit of the evening. Misses Louie Aylett and Minnie Lye sang two duets, “ I Was Dreaming ” and “ in the Dusk of the Twilight,” the audience showing their appreciation in a marked manner. Miss Aylett rendered Won’t You Be My-Sweet-heart,” and was compelled to respond. “ The Old Cathedral,” by Miss Minnie Lye, also received an emphatic encore, and two quartettes, “ Sleep, My Honey,” by Misses Leigh and Aylett and Messrs Burch and Fort, and “ Shine, Shine Moon,” by Misses Lye and Aylett and Messrs

Burch and Fort, proved thorough gems. Mr Johnny Collins delighted the audience with “ The Band Played On,” and Mr Reginald Burch sang Stephen Adams’ beautiful song, “ My Life For Thee,” being deservedly recalled. He also gave a. pretty American song, “ The Night You Answered Yes.” “ The Widow’s Mistake ” then followed, and for a quarter of an hour the audience was kept in continual mirth, Miss Hettie Howarde, as the Widow, surpassing herself. A burlesque sketch,. “Trilby in Ten Minutes,” concluded an excellent performance, Miss Gladys Leigh, in the name part, looking an ideal Trilby. On Friday evening “The New Woman” was well staged and played before a moderate but enthusiastic audience. The comedy-farce, founded upon “ The Coming Woman,” has been almost entirely re-written, the farcical elements being greatly strengthened, and new songs and dances introduced. Miss Gladys Leigh’s Wolverine Griffin emphasised that clever lady’s fine stage presence in rational garments of faultless cut and fit. The role was played with striking power and fine touches of humour. Mr F. Sherbourne made a distinct hit in the doubled parts of Mrs Judge Wigfall and the Station-Mistress. Miss Louise Aylett looked handsome and played well as Victorine Wigfall, and Miss Minnie Lye scored in the character of Constable 844. Miss Hettie Howarde’s Barbara Badger again delighted everyone with her assumption of whimsical solemnity. Mr John Collins was again immense as the persecuted Thomas Carberry, his bye-play showing many touches of brilliant originality. The same may be said of Mr Edward Fort’s Wigfall, who nursed his baby and darned the socks with a grave humour that was irresistible. Among the best musical items were : “I Want

Dem Presents Back Again” (Mr J. Collins), “ We’ve Just Had a Wire to Say So ” (Miss G. Leigh and Mr J. Collins), “ Won’t You Be My Sweetheart ” (Miss Aylett), and the duet “ Honey Love Me So” (Miss Leigh and Mr Collins), all of which were vociferously encored.

Shakespeare is about to be published in French, in parts, illustrated by Robida. The translation is by Mons. Jules Lermina, who has been at work on it for ten years. Mons. Lermina is anxious that his fellow countrymen should thoroughly understand Shakespeare, and has aimed at producing an exact translation instead of an elegant equivalent, by which he says his predecessors have distorted “ Vexacte physiognomic de ce geuie?’ He continues, “ I hope that by means of my labours one may feel that one is reading Shakespeare in the English text, and that by a kind of miracle one understands a language which one has never learned.” The late Mons. Direy approached the task of translating Shakespeare’s sonnets in the same spirit, and achieved so signal a success that the work was crowned by the French Academy. That Mons. Lermina may equal the record of his brilliant predecessor will be the cordial wish of all Shakespearen worshippers.

This (Thursday) evening a good concert in honour of, and patronised by, His Excellency the Governor, will without doubt pack the City Hall.

The Auckland Banjo, Guitar, and Mandolin Club are giving a series of suburban concerts. On Tuesday night they appeared successfully at Onehunga.

Mr Dix’s Monday Pops.—The City Hall was again crammed with an enthusiastic audienceon Monday evening. Every number of a wellselected programme was well received, encores being the rule. Miss Lily Thomson played an overture to each part, and most of the accompaniments. Mr Archdale Tayler was successful in an operatic song, “ Dream My Dearest,” by Kimbel, and won an encore for “ The Japanese Maid and the Tar,” a very clever bit of character work, responding with “ Tom-Tit,” a dainty morsel of the same order. Miss Katie Fitzpatrick, being encored for Molloy’s “ Carnival,” sang a tripping little ditty, “Such Am I,” and receiving a like compliment for “ The King’s Own,” repeated a portion. Miss E. L. Featon sang Macfarren’s “ The Beating of My Own Heart ” with artistic finish, and for the encore My Schoolmate.” Pinsuti’s “ Queen of the Earth” was also rendered with taste and dramatic force, but the young lady declined an encore. Mr Thomas Curran found much favour with his descriptive songs, “ Under the City Lights,” “ Before She Fell,” “ A Night at the Play,” and “Lovers’ Lane” (two encores). He has a good baritone voice, but displays a tendency to a redundancy in enunciation, fashion and passion, for example, become fash-ee-on and pass-ee-on. Mr Cadzow was in splendid voice, ane good-natured as ever in the matter of encores. Including the latter, he contributed Pinsuti’s “Till the Breaking of the Day,” “ Tell Me, Mary, How to Woo Thee,”. “ My Sweetheart When a Boy,” “ The March of the Cameron Men,” and “ Tom Bowling,” the last especially being exquisitely sung, although perhaps the departure from the text in the concluding phrase is scarcely an improvement. The “ Home to Our Mountains”

duet' with Miss Fitzpatrick was somewhat marred by too slow a tempo. Mr Percy Blackman scored tremendously with his character comic songs,; including encores, he sang “ I Went With Him,” “ The Undertaker,” “ The Pro.” and “ Gently Does the Trick,” being compelled to repeat a portion of the last’. “De Ring-tailed Coon, one of Gatty’s plantation melodies, crisply sung by the Misses Fitzpatrick and Featon and Messrs. Archdale Tayler and P. R. Dix, wound up a capital concert. Master Bertie Lorking I. omitted to notice. He gave an excellent recitation, but the selection was somewhat too long. Mr Dix has fresh attractions for next Monday night. The inman Company.—On Saturday evening Mr Inman opens the renovated and muchimproved Opera House with “ A Yorkshire Lass, ’ now enjoying a successful run in London at the Royal Standard Theatre. Besides Mr Robert Inman himself and Miss Maude Appleton, who are well and favorably known in New Zealand, the company, a strong dramatic combination, includes Mr Overton, who proved himself a brilliant all-round actor, when recently here with Mr Geo. Rignold. In Miss Gertrude Esdaile, unless I am mistaken, we welcome an Auckland girl who, report says, has made great strides professionally. The productions will be splendidly staged and mounted, Mr J. Rickets, the scenic artist, having painted new and charming sets. Mr and Mrs Kendal were among the guests at the Queen’s,Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. It is rumored that they are about to retire from the stage, but more probably they will revisit America. It is also rumored that Mr Kendal will be the next actor to receive the honour of Knighthood.