THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1139, 8 February 1912, Page 16

THE STAGE

AUCKLAND FIXTURES.

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. February B—l8 —15 —Ethel Irving. February 16 to 24 —Brennan’s Vaudeville Company. February 2 6 —Allan Hamilton Company. February 26 —'March 2 —'Allan Hamilton Company. March 4 —Allen Doone Dramatic Co., (G'eo. Marlow). April 6 to 20 —“Everywoman” Company. June 24 to July 3 —Pantomime “Sinbad the Sailor.” July 22 to August 3 —“ The Blue Bird.” September 30 to October 12 —Oscar Asche-Lily Brayton. TOWN HALL. Newbury-Spada “Pops”—-Every Saturday night. February B—l8 —13 —Joseph Biascheck’s humorous recitals. QUEEN’S THEATRE. Pictures.

iHS MAJESTY’S.

“ALIAS JIMMY VALENTINE.” A STIRRING COMEDY-DRAMA. After the sensations and thrills of “The Speckled Band,” presented by J. C. Williamson’s London Dramatic Company, Paul Armstrong’s comedydrama “Alias Jimmy Valentine’ came as a pleasant relief. Suggested to the playwright by O. Henry in his "A Retrieved Reformation,’’ the piece is strong in human interest, the characters being drawn from life. Sing Sing Prison, New York, serves to introduce three who after serving their time, taste the sweets of liberty once more. The love of a good woman keeps one on the straight path, and his friendship for his pals similarly encourages the latter. There is the sleuth-hound detective always on their track, pitiless and malevolent, and the story is -'oven through highly emotional interludes, culminating in the detective being dissuaded from his purpose, by the noble self-sacrifice of the “crook” he had determined to down.

That fine actor, Mr William Desmond was refreshingly natural and withal forcefully convincing in his portrayal of the role of Lee Randal, alias “Jimmy,” and he had the audence as keen to work out his salvation, as he was. Dainty Miss Dorothy Dix with her charm of beauty and womanly sweetness, captured all, and easily justified “Jimmy’s” desire for regeneration. Mr J. B. Atholwood gave another brilliant characterisation as a “crook”, his every move being followed with tense interest, while another clever study was afforded by Mr Leslie Victor in that line. Mr George Bryant as the gaol warder put in some masterly work. Mr Gaston Mervale stood out conspicuously as the detective, investing the part with remarkable strength, while Mr Winter Hall as the LieutenantGovernor left nothing to be desired. Miss Susie Vaughan, Miss Georgie O’Meara, Mr Fred Cambourne, Mr Boyd Irwin did acceptable work, while Master Jack Ferguson and little Vera Spaull deserve a special word of praise. The company concluded their Auckland season last night.

MISS ETHEL IRVING.

“LADY FREDERICK” TO-NIGHT

‘Lady Frederick,” the opening production of the Ethel Irving Auckland season which is limited to seven nights commencing to-night (Thursday, February Bth), is by that brilliant dramatist, Somerset Maughan. It is described as “a play of disillusionment,” and contains one of the most

audacious scenes ever offered to comedy audiences. A youthful lord is very much in love with the heroine, a vivacious Irish widow. He wants to marry her, and his tempestuous emotion proves rather upsetting. Furthermore, his parents are against the alliance. Lady Frederick’s reckless disregard of the conventions has set the tongue of scandal wagging. She is rather attracted by her youthful lover, but realises his inexperience. So, in order to put an end to his demonstrative affection, she invites him to her dressing-room, and deliberately goes through the process of “making-up” for the day. The young man’s soul revolts at finding what he thought natural charms to be but cosmetics, and he incontinently leaves. Miss Ethel Irving will be in the title role, which she played for over 600 nights in London. “Lady Frederick” will be played for the first four nights of the season, and ‘‘The Witness for the Defence” will close the brief season with three performances. The box plans are now on view at Wildman and Arey’s.

“WITNESS FOR THE DEFENCE.”

Referring to “The Witness for the Defence” (which is to be staged on Tuesday), Miss Ethel Irving says: — “I Lave never done a bad night’s business with it. In a season in Lodo characterised by but few successes, we were exceedingly fortunate to get ,such a striking play as this. It ‘made good’ right from the start. Its author is A. E. W. Mason, whose books ‘The Four Feathers,’ ‘The Broken Road,’ Miranda of the Balcony,’ must be well-known to New Zealanders. It is a wonderful dramatic creation. The story is compelling, and the characters are real types. I play Stella Ballantyne. I call it an overwhelming part, and one of the hardest —physically and mentally—that an actress could be called upon to undertake. The night before I sailed for Australia it reached its hundredth night at the St James’s. Sir George Alexander played in it.” The story opens in the richly-con-trived interior of a spacious tent at a hill-station in Rajputana, where Stella, in misery and fear, is awaiting the arrival of a guest, Henry Thresk, who is to dine with her and her husband, Stephen Ballantyne, the latter

a dipsomaniac on the verge of delirium tremens. The first act consists largely of a loquacious monologue by the argumentative, irascible, bfiutal husband. Stella’s tears and alarm are witnessed by Thresk, in whom she silently recognises an admirer to whom she was attached in uer girlnood days seven years before There is a tendei* scene between the two; and after his final departure, as she meditates suicide with a gun in her hand, the maniac taunts her with “Why don’t you shoot yourself, and rid me of a fool?” and the beginning of a hand-to-hand struggle closes the act in the same spirit of grim and ■ sordid tragedy. Then comes an entrancing love-comedy to lighten the tragedy.

Herr Lehar is said to have already made £5O 0,0 00 out of his operas within the past decade, and the triumphant progress throughout, the world of “The Merry Widow” has brought hini no less than £300,000.

TOWN HALL,

JOSEPH BLASCHECK. “THE MAN IS A GENIUS.” Mr. Joseph Biascheck, the eminent humourist and elocutionist who opens a five nights’ season at the Town Hall to-night, gives an entertainment w’hich is quite distinctive from anything we have ever had before. Character sketches, humorous songs, stories and monologues, dramatic recitations and caricature studies follow each other in rapid succession. No performer that has ever been to this country has received such unstinted praise from the critics. Miss Wrighton, who supports him, is a charming vocalist and entertainer, and she too is an artiste of exceptional merit. “There was no fuss, no posing for effect (says an old Australian playgoer), but the two artists secured the interested attention of the audience immediately by a witty little duet touching upon some of the peculiarities of concerts and concert-goers. We were then treated to a fine character study of one of those lying old humbugs, such as W. W. Jacobs has made us familiar with in his inimitable stories. Biascheck didn’t paint his face or change his evening dress

for a greasy jersey and a sou’-wester, but all the same, we saw and heard that rusty-voiced old beer-soaker pitch, his untruthful but excruciatingly funny yarn as distinctly and as effectively, as if that individual himself had just stepped ashore from his dirty old coal barge. I commenced to realise that I was listening to no ordinary entertainer or humourist, but to a man capable of putting the spark of life intp the dry bones of words which an author has to use to faintly convey the creations of his mind. Phen like a flash the performer completely changed his identity, and we found ourselves following the fortunes of a love-sick yokel who sent us into fits of laughter by an account of remarkable versatility. It would take too 1 long to enumerate in detail the feast of good things that were put before us. The programme included, on the evening I refer to, Biascheck’s marvellous study of an old Justice of the Peace, a wonderful representation of an east-end coster, the charming story of “The Little Red Ribbon” (all written and composed by the performer himself), and the most dramatic and original rendering of Marc Anthony’s oration over the body of Julius Caesar that I have ever heard in my life. What a range of subjects. What an extraordinary exhibition of versatility! Yes, the man is a genius; there is no other word that describes him.” NEWBURY SPADA CONCERTS. FAREWELL APPEARANCES. The news that only two more con certs are to be given by those twotalented artistes, Mr. Philip Newbury and Madame Spada, will be heard with general regret. Mr. Newbury is leaving New Zealand shortly for London, via the United States, and his arrangements will only permit of a. limited season here. Patrons, however will always retain happy memories of the musical treat he has afforded them. Last Saturday the talented tenor received an ovation for his masterly rendering of “Cujus Animam,” and for a selection from “La Boheme,” while he further delighted his audience by singing, those evergreen ballads, “Annie Laurie,” and “When Other Lips.” Madame Spada sang, . “Sleep, Baby, Sleep,” most charmingly, and divided the laurels with Mr. Newbury in the duet, “A Night in Venice.” Mr. Oliver Farrow made his first appearance in these concerts, and as was to be expected had a great reception. Mr. Ernest Parkes, Mr. Harold Gregson, and Herr Raymond Pechotsch by their artistic items, also contributed materially to the general enjoyment.

QUEEN’S THEATRE.

Merit still characterises the programme presented at the Qiueen’s Theatre, and it is no wonder that “house full” is quite a regular occurrence. A study that created more than ordinary interest was that dealing with the evolution of flowers, the unfolding, growth and development of several exquisite specimens from seed to fruition being marvellously revealed. “A Miser’s Heart,” was alive with dramatic interest, and found a ready appeal amongst young and old, with its teaching of “A little child shall lead them.” The exclusive Western life drama, “The New Cowboy” left nothing to be desired in the way of excitement, and was a masterpiece in effect. Needless to say it had a good hearing. “The Vagabonds,” depicting life amongst the American nightriders, was another stirring piece, not a detail being missed in an adventurous career. A carefully selected series of humorous subjects was interspersed and provided plenty of merriment. A tuneful little orchestra played appropriate selections which were much appreciated. Visitors to town desiring half an hour’s rest from the busy turmoil should not miss this retreat in Queenstreet.