OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1289, 7 January 1915, Page 34

OPERA HOUSE.

Messrs Fuller-Brennan have found a big drawing card in Madame Schell and her lions; the turn being cf sensational interest, and capacity business' was again the order of things on Monday night. A brilliant biil was presented in support, and met with strong approval. Conspicuous amongst the newcomers were Helen,, Leach and Wallin, a trio of slack-wire experts whose performance strikes the high water mark cf thrills. With only their teeth to grip, two of the members suspended the wire, upon which No 3 went through a series of gymnastics, winding up with a dazzling exhibition cf revolutions that produced a furore of applause. The turn is further characterised with the attractive dressing and personality cf the iron jawed artistes. Mr George Melrose also made his' first appearance and made a distinctly favourable impression with his' impersonations of Australian actors; A trapeze act served to introduce Madame Rose Lorenz in some daring feats which riverted ciose attention.

Mr George Hall, the “Yankee Storyteller’’ made another b>g hit with a fresh stock of “Dooley” stories, character songs and dramatic recitals, and had to respond to an insistent encore. Wykeham and Preston gave another laughable sketch “Not in These” and had the audience well with them. That clever pair of acrobats, Keen and Waller, again made good with their most excellent work, no less for their daring than for their eccentricities. Mr. G'eo. Whitehead was well received for his baritone numbers and is well up on the popularity list. Mr Charles Bartholomew had a good hearing for his vocal numbers and had to submit to a recall. Brown and Scrlie with an interlude of gags and songs rounded off a taking holiday bill. The usual matinees will be held c n Wednesday and Saturday.

Miss Gladys Moncrieff’s beautiful voice (writes a Sydney critic commenting on “H.M.S. Pinafore”) carried her brilliantly through the apostrophe to the “Gods of Love and Reason,” which formed the big aria of the second act., where she closed on a wonderful E flat in altissimo which brought down the house.

“THE COURT CARDS.” Though the performances of the “Court Cards ’ are reminiscent of those of the Scarlet Troubadours, three of whom, in Miss Fane, Messrs. Warwick and are with the present pack, many advances upon the original style have been introduced, leading to the unanimous press verdict that the “Court Cards” raise their entertainments to a much higher plane. Miss Maude Fane, the Queen of Hearts, captivates her listeners through the very.. chic manner in which she sings and acts. The Queen of Diamonds, Miss Renee Maude, possesses a cultivated soprano voice, while Miss Winifred Mitchell, as the Queen of Clubs, produces much melody in her specialty turns. Mr. Sydney Mannering, the tenor, is already well known throughout New Zealand, a remark which applies equally to Mr. Edward Warwick, the Joker. In Mr. George Graystone, the basso, the Cards possess an exceedingly strong trump, always led at the right time. Mr. George Titchener is a merrymaker who brings voice, face and feet into action, while at the piano is Mr. Albert Keats. “The Cards” are said to excel in

humorous concerted work, in wellbalanced male quartettes, and in fine “scenas.” The box plan for the Auckland season, commencing on January 18, will be opened at Wildman and Arey’s on Wednesday, January 13.