AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 156, 2 July 1907, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

JULIUS KNIGHT SEASON,

"RAFFLES." Raffles came as a sort of reaction from Sherlock Holmes. The detective whom no one could, baffle—the criminul whom no one could catch. Raffles as everybody knows -was a mighty respectable sort of thief; a man with no reason for thieving except a congenital tendency towards annexing other people's property in a spirit of errant sportiveness; a being socially admirable except for the one fatal " kink." The mere fact that it marks a reaction makes the piece refreshing. The victim is the hero, and vice is splendidly triumphant; the criminal takes pains to leave no clue instead of the detective's finding one in a toothbrush or a piece of orange peel; and it is all a very simple and naive upsetting of a train load of dramatic conventions. One must not take it all as truth, even as artistic truth, in the mqst liberal sense of the •word; we are saved from the pains of such a conclusion by the fortunate circumstance that the play is a comedy ■with only the lightest leavening of tragic interest. Raffles is a diverting and fascinating caricature, but a caricature he is, even if we are saved, as we constantly are—from the inference that he is also a grotesque. The play, shows merely the humorous aspect of a rogue magnified and placed in an elegant and costly frame. If it were a tragedy we should need more truth. Raffles would have to drink the cup of social ostracism, to go forth more of an outcast and less of a hero. But the cast-iron laws of society may, in light comedy, be relaxed or even ignored. So " Raffles " is not a study in realism, but a capital entertainment which is better seen than missed.

The play deals with the incident of Lady Melrose's jewels. Raffles, first of slow bowlers and a pre-eminent social lion is on a visit to Mitchester Abbey, where he comes for the first time in touch with a real intelligence in the person of Curti3 Bedford, a celebrated American detective, imported by Lord Amersteth to outwit the "amateur cracksman" who is the terror of every county house. Raffles' sporting instincts are

roused by the proximity of this amiable but confident expert, and he amuses himself by sailing perilously near the -wind. Presently two more pressing dangers beset him —first, the presence in the house of the "grass ■widow," Mrs. Vidal, -who has an uncomfortable degree both of persistent affection and of knowledge of his past; and secondly, a train of circumstances which finally have the effect of throwing suspicion on Harry Manders, the "Bunny" of Raffles' schooldays, and his devoted fag. Outside his weakness for other people's possessions, however, our hero has a fine array of virtues, which include an almost courtly chivalry, and a capacity to stick by his friends, even to his own undoing. He gives up his Gwendoline—or rather tries to—to Bunny, and wagers the amount of a dishonoured cheque through wQueh the latter is threatened with, disgrace that the detective will not find the neckilace by midnight. He wins in an exciting scene, which we will not detail, since surprise is the essence of this exciting sequence of episodes, and makes h"is escape, although (sole concession toS'lrtue) we are given to understand that the "Never-never Land" is to be the scene of a new life—which is highly improbable considering the life-long persistency of that " kink."

Mr. Julius Knight made a delightful Raffles—not a difficult part since its subtleties for the most part are rather with ! the author than the actor. But he used impressively his fine chance in the farewell to Gwendoline, and was throughout admirable in the gusfo with which he played the double-role of the actual thief and the least-suspected guest. As Mrs. [Vidal, Miss Elbert-Orton played a part of fine humour in the one r»nd only possessor of Raffles' secret. The frequency with which a revelation is on the tip of her tongue and her delicate comments on the amateur cracksman in the presence both of him and the detective are as diverting a* they lead to a pleasant thrill of expectation. Gwendoline J herself is quite delightfully played by Miss Marion Grey. The Curtis Bedford of Mr. Hubert Willis, is very good, but could be wider in the range of personality. Lord Amersteth (Mr. Leslie, Victor) is the supreme achievement in the humour of the play. His elaborate electric alarms, his secret safe of which everyone knows the secret, his tip-toing into and away from every mysterious development, and his ineffable air of a tranquil old gentleman who does not like to be disturbed, are finely indicated. Crawshay, the rival burglar whom an evil chance sets burgling for the necklace just when Raffles is doing the like, is cleverly played by Mr. Harry Plimmer. The remaining characters and particularly Lady Ethel (Miss Dorothy Sidney), Lord Crowley (Mr. R. Denniston). and Harry Manders (Mr. Herbert J. Bently)—were all on a high level. The solid and realistic scenery of the two interiors greatly helped the action, and there were few weaknesses in a really strong and fascinating production.

OPEKA HOUSE.

Fuller's Vaudeville and Musical Comedy Company was strengthened last night by the inclusion of several excellent turns. Most interest was probably centred in the first appearance of Professor and Miss Amy Klaer with their troupe of wonderfully trained monkeys, dogs and cats. The animals have been trained with patience and care until they are able to perform feats which are little short of marvellous. One monkey in particular is a fine performer on a rope, on which, after showing some balancing tricks, he wheeled a barrow and carried different articles across, another monkey endeavouring to upset him. This latter animal had been trained to be a disturber of arrangements in general, and very well he carried out his work, to the great 'amusement of the audience. A number of trained dogs gave an interesting exhibition of different gymnastic feats, including jumping, skipping and seesawing. The performance as a whole is one of great merit, and thoroughly deserved the applause with which it was received. As a ventriloquist Sheldon showed himself to be a clever performer, manipulating the ventriloquial figures in a manner which earned him great popularity with the audience. Keldie and Davis appeared with, success in a double song- and dance in the first paifc of tiie entertainment, _asd contiiJßutcd a second tuja Jajejr en,

with equal success. The other members of the company also appeared in their respective turns.

AUCKLAND BACH COMPAXT,

At the Beresford-street Congregational Church last evening, a recital of sacred music was given by the Auckland Bach Society. There was a good attends nee. and those present were rewarded with soma fine renderings of Bach's famous compositions. One item which met with a very welldeserved commendation, was a motet by Bach for a five-voice chorus. The programme includued the quartet. "Blessed Jesu, Fount of Mercy" (Dvorak), Miss Boult. Messrs A. Bruce," C. G. Irving, and Boult: song, "O, God. Have Mercy' (Mendelssohn;, Mr O. Farrow; quartet, "Lovely Night" (Chevatel), Messrs Bruce, Irving, Cardno, and Boult; song, "My ■Heart, Ever Faithful" (Bach), Miss P. Dean; organ fugue (Bach), Mr -T. PHooton; song (a)' "Deeper and Deeper Still," (6) "Waff Her Angels" (Handel), Mr C. G. Irving; quartet, "O, Come Every One That Thlnsteth" (Mendelssohn), Miss Bonlt, Messrs Bruce, Irving, and Boult; duet, "My Song Shall Be Alway" (Mendelssohn), Miss P. Dean and Mr Irving. The recital was under the able conductorship of Mr Arthur Boult. Miss Wyman gave every satisfaction as pianiste, and Mr T. Midgley officiated as organist.