SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1304, 22 April 1915, Page 37

SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

(Ry

“Lorgnette.”)

WELLINGTON, April 20. It was originally intended that the George Willoughby pantomime, “The Babes in the Wood,” should have opened its season on Monday evening, but in these stirring times “the best laid schemes gang aft aglee.” Owing to steamer arrangements being altered at the last} moment the company could not get away from Lyttelton until Monday night, so that the Wellington season could not possibly be opened earlier than this evening, but when the curtain rose the seating capacity of the Grand Opera House was fully occupied by an enthusiastic audience. The “Babes in the Wood” is an entertainment of a varied, amusing and attractive kind, and won for itself a popularity not less marked than that of those which have preceded it, and the number is legion. It contains a successful combination of pantomime, with its gorgeousness of spectacle, pleasing music, boisterous fun, brilliant ballets and vaudeville “star” turns.

From a plethora of attractive items in the first act the most pleasing were Daisy Jerome’s “ Don’t Care,” “I’d Like to Go Your Way Home,” and “In the Heart of the City” (which was her most successful item); Ruby Davies in “Tipperary” and “Follow Me Home,” Elsie Sloan in “Dream Boat,” Dan Thomas in “The Tin Drum” and “Naming the Day,” Nellie Fallon and Henry Marcell iri “Teach Me to Float on the Rolling Sea.” The mus.cal numbers in the second act are also very fine, especially “Roll on Missouri.” The work done by the chorus and ballet is simply first-class. Miss Daisy Jerome scores a great success as the principal girl, Maid Mar.an. Miss Ruby Davies makes an ideal Robin Hood (principal boy), smging and acting splendidly. Mr. Dan Thomas, as the Dame, was a complete success. He is a fine dancer and a real hard worker, and has already established himself a great favour.te with Wellington playgoers. It would take columns to enumerate all the good things in “The Babes in the Wood,” but special mention must be made of the acrobatic work of Hanlon, Dean and ?lanlon, the Josephine Gassman specialty, and the good allround work of Bert Le Blanc, Ted Stanley, Bert Barton, Willie Watson, Henry Marcel, Nellie Fallon and Elsie Sloan.

Two of the scenic spectacles are decidedly vivid and original, and stirred the audience to great enthusiasm. One was the great “Flag Tableau,” a striking apotheosis of patriotism, in which something like one thousand lights are used for the display of the Allies’ colours and heroes. The other is the escalator or moving staircase illusion. The Wellington season will extend until Tuesday. Two matinees will also be given. The Wellington season of the Nellie Stewart Company was brought to a close last Saturday with a performance of “Sweet Nell.” It is gratifying to be able to state that the season was a great success, not only from an artistic view, but also from a financial standpoint. The company opened in Christchurch last evening with “Du Barry.”

The Fuller-Brennan vaudeville combination continues to do good business at His Majesty’s Theatre. Mr. Harry Roberts, of the Nellie Stewart Company, had a most distressing experience last Monday and Tuesday evenings, during the performance of “Dorothy o’ th’ Hall.” Just before the r.se of the curtain he had the misfortune to burst a small bloodvessel in the nose, with the result that it bled all through the performance. It must have been very trying, besides weakening, for Mr. Roberts to continue playing under such circumstances, and he deserves to be congratulated on his pluck. The Cherniavskys opened a four n‘glits’ season in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Saturday night. There was a large audience, who thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment provided by this clever trio of musicians. The second concert will be given on Wednesday, the third on Thursday, and the farewell concert on Saturday. I am sorry to have to state that during the Wellington season of the Nell’e Stewart Company Mr. James B. Atholwood was under the doctor. This clever character actor is a martyr to asthma, and during his stay in Wellington had a rather severe attack of the complaint. Notwithstanding this serious drawback, he managed to appear every evening, and, what is

more to the point, give a finished interpretation of the character he portrayed.