THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 441, 5 January 1899, Page 9

THE STAGE

|_By

Orpheus.]

“ Orpheus ” will be glad to hear from those managers of theatrical companies touring New Zealand who desire that the public shall know the movements of the companies. Any information as to dates, etc., will be acknowledged in these columns, as well as any other items of interest to the theatrical world. All letters should be addressed —•• Orpheus," SPORTING AND DRAMATIC Review, Vulcan Lane, Auckland.

Pollard’s Opera Company (second notice) : Tid-bits from “ The Gay Parisienne.” — Mrs Honeycomb’s horror of the rational-costumed bicycle girls is not appeased by Ebenezer’s comment, “ What a lively bit of calving !” nor by Major Fossdyke’s Socratic defence, “Are they straight; are they shapely ?” Mr Fitts’ delightful singing of “ I Trust You Still” is enhanced by Mr Cleaver’s exquisite ’cello obbligato. Fossdyke’s martial song, “ The Battersea Butterfly Shooters,” with splendid chorus, gives Mr Quealy opportunities of which he makes brilliant use; his grand salute is immense. The march out backwards is a wonderful example of stage drill. Auguste and Julie, in the duo “ Bonjour, Messieurs ; Bonjour, Mesdames,” instantly catches on. The accompanying dance and the leap frog finale, in which Julie gives a back and Auguste flies the garter. Auguste’s sufferings from the green-eyed lobster , the simile of the beating of his own heart to a fat baby falling down, stairs —-bombasie, z bombasie, bombasie —his suspicious, “ I smell some little mices.” The sextette of principals, “And Now to Court,” with quaint dance and ingenious exit; the business between Julie and . Ebenezer, who begs her to quit fondling his hand “ because it tickles”; their tremendous duo, “ Tweedledum and Tweedledee,” with a clever finale in the Amen style ; “ Ah, she know something if she tell you that” ; the tying of Julie’s shoe, and the tableau when the pair are caught by Mrs Honeycomb; Auguste’s furious onslaught when he demolishes the innocent flowers with his cane ; the unblushing embracery of the jury, in the shape of Major Fossdyke, by Julie and Auguste; the preliminary mock trial; the cockydoodle quartette of triumph, in which each singer individualizes Chanticleer’s note in characteristic fashion, and the subsequent farm-yard dance; the eccentricities of . the slavey, Huth, whom Miss May Beatty makes a grotesquely funny character sketch, even when she falls and Ebenezer calls her a squatter. The above are only some of the plums in the first act, which ends in Ebenezer’s dramatic escape after vainly attempting to satisfy the greed of the plaintiffs. In Act 11. Mr E. Hable is great as Hans, the hotelkeeper who has constructed a mineral spring by filling his waterbutt with salt and leading a pipe therefrom into a fountain. Visitors are made to drink with disastrous effect. In two however, the tables are turned. The exquisite Algernon (MrVaughan) who “cannot taste because he is in love,” and Major Fossdyke, whose thirst is great and who demands glass after glass, to the consternation of Hans and his entire staff. The acuteness of the police in search of Auguste, who is acting as a French spy; the suspect has bought lavenderscented pomade, hence the police smell all heads. Percy Tooting’s (Mr C. Carter) dainty song, .“ Take a Charming Little Maid,” and chorus ; Julie and Ebenezer’s duo, leading to capital bur* lesques of shopping, an aristocratic valse, with profoundly intellectual conversation of the society calibre, and some excellent step and grotesque dancing by the pair; Ruth’s arrival with her luggage and her song, “ Sister Mary Jane’s Top Note” ; a remarkably pretty duet, “ Somebody,” well sung by Mr Fitts and Miss Marion Mitchell; Auguste’s (Mr Percy) dialect song, in which he imitates French, Scotch, Irish, and Cockney accents, and winds up with an effective imitation of the kinematograph, the limelight burlesque of the well-known flicker being extremely clever; the Pas-de-Quatre ballet, beautifully danced by the company’s ballerinas ; Miss Gertie Campion’s sweet coon song, “ Susie Eu,” sung with exquisite taste with lovely chorus and limelight; magnificent burlesque work by Miss May Beatty and Mr H. Quealy of a minstrel show ; a blood-curdling tragedy; a duet, “There’s a Stranger in the Candle, Mother Dear,” and an operatic duet, in which the words consist of familiar musical terms, such as piano, foite, stringendo, pizzicato, con fuoco, etc., etc., woven together with artistic and ludicrous effect. The above details strung together may give some slight idea of a performance which is “ as full of champagne as an egg’s full of meat,” but numerous hits, points, and incidents must perforce be omitted. Tremeadous houses have ruled every night, still Mr Pollard, to please the many country visitors, put on “Djin Djin” last (Wednesday) night to run four performances and to be followed on Monday night by “ The French Maid,” a formidable rival to “The Gay Parisienne.”

On Friday afternoon an organ recital by Mr David Cooke, organist of the Congregational Church in Dunedin, was listened to with marked pleasure by a select audience. Mr Cooke selected his programme with admirable judgment, passing from grave to gay, and from lively to severe items. No selection was of undue length, and the recital proved a rare treat. His organ-playing is of a high order, pedalling and manipulation of stops being masterly, while great taste was manifest in every morceau. The programme was— Handel’s overture' to the occasional oratorio ; Dudley Buck's fantasia on “ The Last Rose of Bummer,” Archer’s “ Alegretto in A,” Sullivan’s “ Royal Wedding March,” Urso’s “Andante in A Flat,” Dudley Buck’s fantasia on “ Annie Laurie,” Haydn’s “ Andante in A,” Beethoven’s “Adagio from the Septuor,” and Cooke’s “ Triumphal March.” The organ was in good tune and confirnied the high opinions of its excellence already expressed.

Exhibition Music.—Recitations on organ and piano, band performances in the rotunda, both afternoon and evening concerts, etc., etc., keep the musical ball a-rolling. On Friday evening the second orchestral concert in the Choral Hall was largely patronised and much enjoyed. The orchestra played in good style. four morceaux from Des Libes ballet music to “ Coppelia,” viz., (a) “ Entracte and Valse,” (5) “Prelude et Mazurka” (very good indeed), (c) “ Ballade et Air Varie,” and (d) “ Czardas.” Brahm’s “ Hungarian Dances” were in places rather unsteady, Rossini’s “ William Tell” overture was capitally rendered, and Mendelssohn’s “War March from Athalie” received a fine interpreta tion. Madame du Rieu and Mr John Prouße were the vocalists The former was recalled for “A Si Tu” (from “Romeo and Juliet”) and encored for Cowen’s “ Promise of Life,” substituting “ The Crystal Sea.” Mr Prouse sang “ O For a Burst of Song,” a very fine composition by AUitzen (encore, “Denza’s “May Morning”), and Molloy’s quaint “ To-Morrow will be Friday” (encore, “Mynheer Van Dunk”). Mr A. Towsey conducted and shared the accompaniments with Miss Prouse, both displaying admirable taste and precision.

To the left of the Exhibition entrance are a couple of side-shows well worthy of a visit. In “ The Cave of Mysteries” some really beautiful illusions are given. “ The Sign of the Cross ’ shows a beautiful marble cross with the gradually appearing vision of a lovely female figure clinging to it, and as gradually melting away. A lady is instantly changed to a skeleton; a block of ice into a lady and back again into ice, then, finally, into a statue of Her Majesty. Mr John Birch acts as delineator and musical illustrator with

great ability. “ Amphitrite” is the other marvel exhibited —a young lady, amphibious as a mermaid, remaining under water witho”t air for fully ten minutes.

On Friday evening a ballad concert by the Exhibition soloists filled the Choral Hall comfortably. Two wind and string morceaux were well rendered by Mons, de Willimoff, and Messrs Cox, Edger, Baxter, S. Jackson, Wright, and R. Craig. Mr J. W. Hill very successfully contributed “ Alice, Where Art Thou” and a lovely selection by Chaminade. Miss Large, in capital voice, sang “ Lucia” and Bishop’s “Should He Upbraid,” which suits her well. Madame du Rieu “ The Lost Chord” and a devotional “Ave Maria” (by Luzzi). Mr Prouse achieved his customary successes with “Prince Ivan’s Song” and Gounod’s “ Nazareth.” Mr A. Towsey and Mr William Prouse played organ obbligatos, and Miss Prouse and Mr Towsey played the pianoforte accompaniments.

Up in a Balloon, Boys.—Mr Chas. Lorraine’s balloon assent and parachute descent on Saturday fulfilled to the letter all anticipations. The splendid air-ship sailed aloft at about 4.15 pm. from the Domain Cricket Ground. Up went the plucky navigator hanging to a trapeze and performing a series of marvellous acrobatic feats as he darted skywards. From a height of about two miles he launched himself downwards with his parachute, and still hanging to the trapese and executing most daring evolutions thereon, descended rapidly, reaching terra ftrma near the Blind Institute. The balloon shot upwards many more thousands feet and was plainly seen by the crowds at Ellerslie to turn over, collapse, and fall in Victoria Avenue, Remuera. So delighted are the Caledonian Sports Committee with Captain Lorraine (a Parnell boy) that arrangements are being made with him for another exhibition.

Agricultural Hall .- Waxworks and Wonders. —“ The cry is still they come” to enjoy the great variety offered by Mr John Fuller to suit all tastes —waxworks, magic glasses, chromoscope, fortune-telling, shooting gallery, galvanic battery, lung-testing, gramaphone, etc., etc., Punch and Judy (most artistically played). The entertainments, including Will Watkins’ inimitable comic songs, Howard Chambers’ splendid baritone songs, Johnny Collins’ screaming songs and antics, Fred. Bluett’s ditto ditto, Miss Hetty Warden’s sweet soprano songs and exquisite skirt and character dancing, and Mr John Fuller’s delightful tenor ballads. The comely magnetic lady still urges on a shocking career, and, is a trap to the young man from the country, who innocently believes her to be of wax. Th a word the show is booming in popularity.

The Living Chess Exhibition, on Saturday night, crowded the Choral Hall and achieved a triumphant success. The pieces were beautifully dressed, and the evolutions and limelight effects most effective. Messrs Ashton and White directed the game, the former (who took the white men, and, of course, first move) checkmating the red king after an interesting game. Dr. de Clive Lowe’s hard work in designing the dresses and training the performers was rewarded by a brilliant success. Mr Hunter’s band played appropriate music during the game. Living Chess will doubtless be repeated.

Mrs Gus Coates’ pupils carried off the gold medals both for soprano and contralto singing in the recent competitions, the Misses Maud Howard and Ethel Mclntyre doing infinite credit to the tuition of that accomplished teacher.

Miss Gertie Campion, the talented Julie Bon-Bon in “ The Gay Parisienne,” visited Auckland with the Mafsa Company a year or two ago, being one of the Winterton Sisters, associated with the Delevine Brothers, whose mandolin playing, singing, dancing, and acrobatic feats made so great a hit.

The melodious song and ensemble in “ The Gay Parisienne” —(“ Take a Charming Little Maid”) —sweetly sung by Mr Carter, is from “Bui Bui’ ’(performed by the Pollard’s in Auckland some time ago and composed by Mr Harrison, the talented and popular conductor, who still wields the baton for the company).

Edith Blande, who will be remembered |by Auckland playgoers, seems to have met with considerable success in London. The Stage., in its criticism of her acting, says: —“The lady plays with a power, abandon, and depth of expression that impresses the audience.” Edith must have improved immensely since we saw her last, for we never noticed all these things. Harry Rickards seems to have made a great hit in Dunedin. It is ten years since he was there last, and on his first night he received an ovation from the Dunedinites.

Harmston’s Circus is still doing excellent business in Dunedin, and will remain there for a while longer.

The Greenwood Dramatic Company opens at the Gaiety Theatre, Napier, to-night (Thursday) with “ Jo.” They will play a shrrt season.

“The Sign of the Cross” seems to have caught on in Wellington during the holidays. Cecil Ward replaces Caleb Porter in the part of of Nero, and Southern critics say he does it well. Those who have known him as a light comedian of high order will probably be surprised at his being cast for such a part. That he is an excellent actor no one will deny, but. Cecil Ward as Nero and Cecil Ward as Tom Jones would seem to require a versatility seldom possessed by even the best in the world. We have seen his Tom Jones, but we have not seen his Nero, therefore criticism would not only be anticipating too much, but in a manner impertinent.

Mr Charles Holloway, who is an old New Zealand favorite, commenced a dramatic season in connection with Mr Anderson at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, on Christmas Eve.