THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 773, 29 December 1904, Page 18

THE STAGE

(By

“Comus.”)

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

“ ROSE OF THE RIVIERA.”

The opening production of Mr George Stephenson’s season of mirth and (let me hope) money-making at His Majesty’s has been modestly labelled “a musical something to laugh at,” which description, however, is not quite so modest as it seems. For it assumes that the “Rose” is musical, and that it is fitted to make us laugh, which is, after all, no less than can be claimed for the best comic opera. Yet the claim is well based. The “Rose” is not first-class comic opera, it is not even the best musical comedy, but it certainly is musical and extremely diverting. Without plot or leading motif, it may be conveniently described as glorified vaudeville, with a long series of “star turns.” The slender thread of connecting story that just suffices to hold it together has already been indicated in previous issues. A Cook’s tourist, a flower igirl, and an actress impersonating a Ducal family in order to save the reputation of a Nice hotel-keeper, and the complications that ensue, provide the occasions for numberless outrageously funny situations, a profusion of bright and melodious music, and no end of the most fascinating ballets. The chorus and ballet are without doubt among the best we have ever seen in Auckland, and everv other detail making for spectacular effect has been attended to with scrupulous care. It is a bright and lively performance from beginning to end, with hardly a pause for reflection. Mr Lauri, who is responsible for the brilliancy of the general effect, also does most of the work as Brisket the Cockney Cook’s tourist, a creation that would make the fortune of any musical comedy. It seems to combine nearly all the phases of comicality, and Mr Lauri is perfect in every phase. Mr Macnaughton and the Bovis Bros, are worthy lieutenants of the principal comedian. The singing and dancing of the firstnamed are in the first-class, while the energv and “go” of the Bovis duo are amazing. Miss May Beatty as “The Rose” is as bewitching as ever, and nightly receives a warm welcome from her host of admirers in this part of the colony. Her songs are especially pleasing, particularly “Egypt” and “My Cosey Corner Girl,” while her acting grows in winsomeness every day. Miss Garstang, Miss Page, Miss Nixon and Miss Bessie White are all mote or less admirable.. Miss Garstang’s musical numbers are extremely pleasing, and Miss Nixon’s “Little Yellow Bird” has to be repeated. But the most delightful an>d refreshing, perhaps because the most original, items in the play are the ballets of the Gibson Girls and the Rose Ballerinas. The Champagne Ballet is daintily beautiful, and the ballet of the “Four Pretty Little Maidens” (with song by Mr Macnaughton) is just ravishing. There are so many good things in the play that it is impossible to give an adequate list even of them, and a satisfactory description is out of the question. 1 advise everybody to go and see it, and to those who are not hopelessly tired of this world,, or extatically enamoured of the next, I can promise three hours of hearty and perfectly, innocent amusement.

THE SKIRT DANCER.

Mr Stephenson will replace “The Rose” with “The Skirt Dancer” on Monday, New Year’s night. This musical novelty has attained vast popularity in Australia. The music is by the famous composer “Trotere,” whose delightful compositions in “In Old Madrid,” “Asthore,” etc., are ever fresh in the recollections of all theatregoers. It is claimed for “The Skirt Dancer” that it is one of the most lavishly staged productions ever presented in the Colonies. The mounting, dresses and accessories, I am assured, cost Mr Stephenson over £3OOO. Musically speaking, “The Skirt Dancer” stands out prominently as one of the most successful of latter-day musical comedies. The principals, who have already become favourites with the Auckland audiences, are all congenially cast, and

something even more delightful than the present running musical success may be expected. The plans are now open at Wildman and Arey’s.

OPERA HOUSE.

FULLERS’ EMPIRE COMPANY. Those who fail to go to the Opera II ou.se of an evening - just now will miss something worth seeing. For the company has come back strengthened and refreshed after its brief holiday, and is now ready for anything. In the brief interval the scenic artist has been taking no rest, but grafting for all he is worth to produce what is undoubtedly one of the prettiest stage sets ever seen on the Opera House boards. It. represents a witchingly realistic glade in the woods, with a cascade of actual bona fide water at the back, and so perfect is the illusion that hundreds of John Fuller’s patrons regret the pounds they lost last week looking for a quiet spot in the country not half so good as they get at the Opera House for "the maximu.ni price of two bob. Into this fairy scene come a

——3.. J [. " - ty of picnickers, whose sole fault is that they make the audience ravenous by their evident enjoyment of real picnic fare, including lemonade and bananas. Otherwise their behaviour is quite irreproachable, and they sing and dance in a manner most agreeable. Two bluejackets drop in, and one of these, being Tommy Kadwell, of H.M.s. Penguin, shows by his marvellous manipulation of the clubs, tomahawks, sailor’s knives, and bar bell, what a good man is wasted on the Navy. Tommy gets as much applause as Will Stevens, which is saying all that is necessary. The new first-part is, altogether, a great improvement upon the old, and John Fuller was wise to make the change. But he is always making changes, and each is better than the one that went before. The second part contains a number of new names and many

capable artists, including Kelhnan, an accomplished manipulator of cards, Miss Atherton, a very pleasing soprano ; Connor Bros. and Leonard, sprighthest among - acrobats ; Scott and M allace, fine ripe Irish comedians : Miss Gertrude Emery, trapezist ; Miss Edie Burke, serio ; Master Charles Hayes, contortionist ; the bright little Bertotos, Will Stevens, and last, but not least, the rattling Stagpooles. It is a capital show, and I am glad to see that the enterprising Fullers are reaping a reward in w’ell-filled houses.

CHRISTCHURCH NOTES

My Christchurch correspondent writes: The showmen are beginning to roll up, and holiday-makers in this wind-swept and dust-choked metropolis are likely to have plenty of fun for their money m the shape of “entertainments.” Dix’s Gaiety Co. opens Xmas Eve, and as Harry Shine, Percy Denton, Howard Eros., and other bright, particular stars are in the show, it ought to catch on with the grip of an octopus when he meets a man out bathing.

The Williams’ Dramatic Co. are at the Choral Hall, where they are scr ii'g out sensational drama, piping hot, in sixpennyworths and shillingsworths. “Falsely Accused” is to be followed by “East Lynne.” * * * At the Opera House the special Xmas attraction nrovided by the Fuller’s for Boxing Night is the old favourite, “My s-weetheart,” in which the bewitching Minnie Palmer and Carry Swain have both shone. I understand the Fullers’ are going to stage the famous comedydrama in first-rate style. And on Boxino- Night Fred Rivenhall makes a welcome re-appearance here, and a host of popular favourites will assist in making thing hum. More anon anent these gay doings. We want something to liven us

up and put a little life into us as a restorative after our perpetual ruor’westers ! “ Blind Man’s Buff ; or, Her Own Way,” was written for Maxine Elliot by Clyde Fitch, and has been a great monetary success. • # ♦ • Rostand’s “ L’Aiglon,” with Miss Tittell Brune as the youthful Duke of Reichstadt, was produced at the Princess’s, Melbourne, on Christmas Eve. * * ♦ ♦ The backer who finds the money for a new theatrical enterprise is called in New York slang an “ angel.” • ♦ ♦ * Two very recent musical comedies, “ The Isle of Spice ” and “ The Royal Chef,” were unqualified failures in New York. • * « • The Edouin Musical Farce Company, which will occupy Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat, during the holiday season, includes a number of well-known vocal and dramatic artists, and has been formed

for the purpose of presenting several of the successful productions of the Strand Theatre, London, with which the name of the famous comedian, Mr Millie Edouin, is associated. The Australian rights of these pieces are vested in Mrs G. B. W. Lewis (Rose Edouin), who superintends the Ballarat performances, and also appears in the east. “ A Trip to Paris was the opening piece. The engagements include Mr Charles Rose, tenor, late of Madame Melba's concert party, Mr John L. Forde. Mr IL Scott, Miss Julia Spencer. of Colonel Mapleson’s Opera Compnnv. New York. Miss Pearl Dudley, and Miss Athena Claudius. The libretto of “ A Trip to Paris ” is by Messrs Cooper and Fdouin, and the music by Mr George E. l ewis, R.A. The season is under the business management of Mr Joseph Brown.

WIRTHS’ CIRCUS. This famous combination will be with us again shortly. The following notice, from a Sydney paper, will, therefore, be read with interest ;— The canvas amphitheatre in I hillip Park of Wirth Bros/ Circus and Zoo was thronged on Saturday evening, on the occasion of the opening for anothi r season here. The big show returns here with a programme full of thrilling and entertaining novelties. Special care and attention has been devoted to the menagerie section, and an interesting selection of wild and curious animals has been made. All the Zoo exhibits have arrived in excellent condition. On Saturday the baby elephant and the cage full of youngjaguars attracted considerable notice. As to the show in the sawdust arena, its high-class character was sufficiently attested by the plaudits o f the assemblage. The Wild West feature is among the most noteworthy. The cowboys are a direct importation from the ■ praries of America. Wild Friday proves himself a marksman with William Tell-like accuracy, and, aided by Wild Rose, described justly as “a lady of nerve,” he proves his dexterity as a dagger-thrower. With the lady standing against a boarded target, he hurtles a dozen or so javelin missiles, which stick in the boards close to her without, however, as much as disconcerting her, though, when she moves away from the board she has to do so very cautiously, so as not to come in contact with the sharp edges of the point-embqdded knives. The buck-jump-ing is a particularly stirring item, the rearing and snorting horses making the iron enclosure rattle as they at times madly plunge against it. A comical bucking pony and a bullock with similar unsettling propensities infused considerable fun into the pro codings. In connection with these, a standing offer is made to venturesome spectators to keep their backs for a stated

period. The champion jumper of the world, Tom Colquett, appears to be with indiarubber, nether limbs r . judging by the almost superhuman elasticity which he displays. As he indulged in a flight round the ring over obstacles he reminded one of a kangaroo coming dov n the side of a mountain in a hurry. Another great novelty is the aerial slack rope performance by Miss Addie Fredeiie. The serpentine act by Miss M. Wirth on horseback in the air, and on terra I rma, elicited hearty applause. The performing wild animals went through some extraordinary exhibition-. For instance, a tiger rode a tight rope, a lion, dog, goat, and horse posed in tableaux vivants, while a cantankerous can el careered round the circle, wildly trying to unseat two clowns perched in the vicinity of his hump. The boxing horses, Fitzsimmons and Corbett, engaged in a couple of exciting rounds, one fe : gning at the end to be “ knocked out.” The Cossack manoeuvre on horseback was one of the most effective things of the evening, the beautifully .costumed riders presenting a picturesque appearance as they wheeled this way and that with incredible swiftness. Equally good was the High School riding displayed by Mr Phil and George W’irth on two beautiful horses, General Roberts and Ma : or. King Edward and Emperor, two big, well-trained greys, were put through their paces by the ringmaster in fine style. The entertainment included thirty items, so that only a few of the n o<t salient ones can be mentioned. It n ay 1 e added, however, that in all departments that go to make up a capital circus show there is little that is lacking. The aerobatic and trapeze work is of a high order, the equestrianism is daring and a> times sensational, while the clowning is funny without being vulgar.

RIP VAN WINKLE ” JEFFERSON. 1 laygoers who, like myself (says “Peter Quince' in Melbourne ‘‘Punch’ ), are fallen in the sere, the yellow leaf, will remember Joseph Jefferson, who was here in thb “sixties” dying of consumption. Even then he was regarded as one of the greatest of actors, a verdict which forty years of public life has not revoked. Now, at the age of seventy-five, J oseph J efferson has definitely retired from the stage. In an interview' the veteran actor said that he had decided not to appear again professionally, although he might give his services occasionally in stitution. As a boy he was delicate, and fifty years ago he was denied an insurthe cause of charity. Mr Jefferson’s theatrical career began when he was only ten years old. But he denied that his survival of more than sixty years of stage work was due to a vigorous conance policy. But careful living was the secret of a long life. “We actors,” Mr Jefferson said, “like ‘the second round of applause’—to be patted on the back around the supper-table in a company of fellow Bohemians after the play. 'J here was poor dear Artemus Ward—he was such a delightful fellow 7 and' also such superb company ! When he came to London I said to him, ‘Browne —you know, his name was Browne—beware of the stage door and the men waiting to carry you off to supper at Evans'. It’s not so much that they’ll put you undtr the table as under ground,’ and they did. I always had a 1 cab at the door when I was playing at the Adelphi, and got in and put up the window and went home, no matter who was out after n.e." The time referred to was when Jefferson visited London after his lour of Australia. Jefferson was then thirty-live. In his interview he recalled l ow Dion Boucicault remade the old play of “Rip Van Winkle,” remarking that he himself conceived the weird second act as it is now played, and related an a musing incident of his London engagement—“ Just before ‘Rip’ was brought out at the Adelphi I went with Bbucicault to that, tin at re one 1 night to see. Ben Webster,; ; w ho was a very good actor. He was playing the part of a miner, and in th 1 thiid act he opened a safe in the wall of his house, took out some papers, examined then,

and put them back. There was a very strained moment of hushed attention through the house, but presently a small voice rang clear from the gallery : t ‘Wot’s in ’em, guv’nor?’ The house laughed, you may depend upon it, and Webster w 7 as very angry, but Boucicault said it was bad art on the part of the author to leave the small boy in the gallery in doubt as to .the contents of the papers.” Mr Jefferson intends to spend most of his time in Florida fishing, gardening and painting. His son son ’Thomas will continue to play Rip. He is the fifth of the line of acting Jeffersons from the first, who played with Garrick. In his valedictory message to the public Mr Jefferson said : —“ I’m leaving the limelight to go into the sunshine, and I leave a blessing behind me and pray for a blessing before me. It has been dear to me — that life of illuminated emotion—and it has been so magnificently repaid. If I could send an eloquent message to the world I would, but somehow words fail me when I try to say it. I have been doubly repaid by the sympathetic presence of the people when I was playing, and the affection that seems to follow me, like the sunshine streaming after a man going down the forest trail that leads over the hills to the land of morning.” ♦ * ♦ ♦ Miss Billie Barlow 7 opens a season in South Africa at an early date. Wirths’ Circus opens a New Zealand tour early in the year. • ♦ * ♦ Miss Maggie Moore, before her departure for Liverpool to start pantomime rehearsals, appeared successfully at the London Tivoli in “ The Chinese Question.” H. R. Roberts played the leading ing male role.

Abomah, the tall lady, opened a season at the Alhambra Theatre, Dunedin, on boxing Night.

Mr Alberto Randegger celebrates this year the jubilee of his life in London, where he has resided since 1854. His colleagues in the Royal Academy of Music have presented him with a congratulatorv address.

Miss Nina Osborne has been appearing with a Gaiety Company in South Africa. 'The organisation closed a fine season in Capetown on November 12. * * * * Mrs Brown Potter has entered into a partnership with Gilbert Hare to produce “opera” dramas—that is, plays on the stories of several of the Grand Operas not already taken from novels or plays—at the Savoy Theatre, London. “Pagliacci ” to be the first. English experts view the experiment with distrust. Mr Hare, who is a son of John Hare, and has made a name in “ old-man ” parts, is a clever stage manager, and, with his partner’s artistic sense, mav do much. *** " « Miss Marie Lloyd was last month divorced from her husband, Mr Percy Charles Coutenay, on a petition filed by that gentleman in which allegations of unfaithfulness were made against his wife and a well-known music hall vocalist. • • • • Miss Evangeline Florence, whose charming voice will be remembered by Melbourne concert-goers, has been seriously ill in London, but is now convalescent, and hopes to be able in a short time to resume singing • • • • By latest advices George Willoughby was completing his arrangements for ‘a return to Australia with new plays and company. Music comedy writers have had to f.all back on Offenbach to brighten up their poorly-furnished productions. “ A Little of Everything,” w’hich originated at the Moulin Rouge, in Paris, contains an “ Offenbach review " of some of the best of all the things culled from the works of that giant of light opera, played by the characters to whom the numbers are allotted.

M. Gabrielle Rejane, the famous French actress, is in private life Mme. Porel, wife of the manager of the Vaudeville. Her daughter, Germaine, is in training for the stage, and it is her mother’s great ambition that the child will one day pe able to play English roles. With that object, she is having her thoroughly taught the language.