OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1451, 14 February 1918, Page 32

OPERA HOUSE.

The increasing success of Mr. Philip Newbury and Miss Amy Murphy was evidenced on Monday night, when the brilliant vocalists again had a tremendous reception from a large audience. Miss Murphy’s solos were, “When the World’s a Garden Again” and “My Hero,” Mr. Newbury’s numbers being “Bianca” and “I’ll Sing Thee Songs of Araby,” whhile in the duet “Parted” their voices harmonised to telling effect. Another welcome addition to the ranks of singers has been made by the management in the engagement of Private Robert Bell, a returned New Zealand soldier, who delighted everyone with his tuneful and expressive baritone voice, a slight nervousness on his first appearance being soon overcome. Private Bell, who has brought back a limp as a souvenir of the war, had a rousing reception and delivered two numbers in cultured style. The Musical Bentleys are back again and were enthusiastically applauded for their masterly manipulation of the xylophone, their pieces including operatic

excerpts and ragtime melodies. Mr. Gus Blake and Miss Maud Granby exploited their comedy bent in a vigorous playlet entitled “The System,” a domestic argument, which evoked screams of laughter. The five dainty little Lewin maids appeared in another attractive turn combining melody and dance, the smallest of them all getting an ovation for her sweet piping song and step dance. The act is excellently dressed, and is a big feature of the bill. Mr. Arthur Croxon made top score as usual with a budget of humorous songs and an inimitable style of getting them over. Mr. Ernest Pitcher, with that confiding way of his, had everyone in ripples of merriment. Mr. Sidney Jones and Miss Agnes Raines kept things going cheerfully for a quarter of an hour or so with their clever nonsense, Mr. Jones bringing down the house with his musical melodrama. Harris and

Gold set the ball rolling with ditties and a piano, and Merton and Rydon, with their versatile powers of entertaining, closed a diverting bill.