WELLINGTON NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1473, 18 July 1918, Page 27

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(By

“Lorgnette.”)

WELLINGTON, July 15. Jack Waller and his clever company opened a season at the Grand opera House last Saturday evening with a revised edition of his revue, “Look Who’s Here.” In the programme a special feature is made of a series of sketches entitled “In the Trenches,” visualising the characters made famous by Captain Bairnsfather. Every item on the programme is absolutely new, being chosen from a library collected by Mr. Waller during his recent visit to Australia. Jack Waller still heads the list, and Fred. Dennett, Wylie Watson, Gregory Ivanoff, Howard Hall, Ada Smart, Cecilia Gold, Patsie Hill, Marjorie Simms and the three Whites all take their respective places, whilst Simms Waller continues to wield the baton at the head of the Purple Band. The Wellington season of the J. C. Williamson pantomime Dick Whittington” was in every way a record one. The Wellington Amateur Operatic Society have decided that this year’s

production will be the fine Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, “The Gondoliers.” This decision should be received with unmixed pleasure after the amount of trashy stuff we have had served up to us lately. The fact that the Amateur Operatic Society are going to produce “The Gondoliers” recalls the first performance of the comic opera in Wellington by amateurs some 18 years ago, with the following cast of characters: — Marco, Mr. E. J. Hill; Guiseppe, Mr. George Parsons; Don Alhambra, Mr. T. M. Wilford; Duke of Plaza Toro, Mr. W. D. Lyon; Duchess, Miss Ettie Maginnity; Giametta, Miss Jennie Sheen; Tessa, Miss Leila Spiller; Luiz, Mr. Horace Stebbing; Casilda, Miss Rosa Bradshaw; Antonio, Mr. H. Plimmer—a really fine cast. Mr. W. D. Lyon was splendid as the Duke, whilst Mr. T. M. Wilford did some of his best work as the Inquisitor. If the Society can produce as good a cast of principals this year they need have no fear as to the result of the coming season. Malini, the clever magician and card manipulator, opens a short season in the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Saturday evening next. The English Pierrots finished a season of eight and a-half weeks in the Town Hall Concert Chamber last Saturday evening. This clever com-

bination is one that does itself the greatest credit. Everyone is talented and a great worker, and there is a fine esprit de corps between them, which makes for that dove-tailing and complete harmony necessary to the success of any combination.