THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[Br STLYiua.]

The World's a theatre; tho Earth a 6tage.—Hoywood, "The Bella of New York." I doubt if there is any musical comedy —or is it comic opera?—that is so generally popular, so genuinely melodious, and so exquisitely humorous (according to the American idea) as "The Belle of New York," which is to bo revived by tho Royal Comic Opera Company at the Opera House this evening. Its melodies have lived through the stress of time which has obliterated dozens of its contemporaries. Noto when a bit of tho music is played anywhere—in the the- j atre, by a brass band in tho park, in the ball-room, or the home, how everyone perks up, so to speak, and says, "That's from tho 'Belle of New York' 1" It's catchiness has a closer grip on the public mind than any light opera written since the days of Gilbert and Sullivan not even excepting "Tho Merry Widow," which lives chiefly through its alluring waltz refrain. There is 110 musical comedy of tho last decade that can "shake the stick" at it,\'and certainly none can boast 0 finale to tho first act anything like that magnificent vocal crescendo which exalts the "Belle" to the highest form of light opera. Ono feature of Kerker's work is tho definitenes3 and strength of his characterisation. We will all rejoice to see Ichabod Bronson, his wild son, tho beautiful Bello (who founds the saucy Purity Brigade), the naughty Fifi, and the crazy German who is bent on slaughtering all mankind in a spirit of affability. ' It is a far cry to the first production of "Tho Belle of New York" in Wellington, something like sixteen years ago, perhaps. On that occasion Mr. Albert Whclan (now a music-hall star, who gets Rockefeller's cramp counting his salary every Friday), was the Ichabod Bronson, Miss May Beatty was tlio Belle, Miss Gertie Campion the Fifi, Mr. Charles Carter the younger Bronson, W. S. Percy the mad German, and Mr. Ernest Fitts Doc Sniifkins, whilst the production was staged by Mr. Tom Pollard, who will bo in Wellington in a week or two to stage the "Geisha" for the local amateurs. Adequately cast, the "Belle" should make a delightful evening's bill for the last two nights of the Royal Comic Opera Company's season in Wellington.

"Tho Coisha." It is pleasing to hear that the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society is receiving such oncouragement from the general public. The secretary (Mr. E. Vance) states that tho society has now between 160 and 170 honorary members, and that the list is increasing every day. The privileges are well worth the subscription to play-goers, who may with confidence anticipate a very good performance of that jjretty Japaneso fapcy "The Geisha," which is booked for production at the Opera House on November 22. . The. chorus, which will be a particularly strong one, and composed of fresh young voices, should bo a feature of the performance, and the principals are showing excellent form at the weekly rehearsals. The clover entertainer, Mr. Alec. Newton ; should be ill his element as Wun Hi, the comic Chinese, and Dr. Hales is shaping very well as tho dignified Marquis Imari. Miss Flo Gardner, of Dunedin, is to blossom onco more as 0 Mimosa San, a rolo which she has already appeared in with success at Dunedin. Miss Coralio Stanley will he .the £ay Juliette, and Miss Eileen Drisgoll is caste for the important rolo of Molly Seamore. A host of pretty girls are to appear as tho Geisha, and the touring party of English ladies, and Miss Denhard as the stately Lady Constance Wynne, will seo that they all behavo.

MISS KATHLEEN MACK, Of the Royal Pantomime Company, which commences a season at the Opera House on Thursday next,' October 16.

"The Private Secretary." At the Town Hall Concert Chamber on Wednesday, October 15, well-known Wellington amateurs are to reintroduco playgoers to Charles F. Hawtrey's farcical comedy, "The Private Secretary," The cast includes Messrs. N. E. Aitken, C. Bentley Jtussell, P. A. Devereux, F. Eller, G. T. P. Williams, C. Pullyn. H. C. Grout, and Dr. N. Hales, and Misses Ethel Lissock, Iris Lennox, Mario Fix, and Ituby Scott, and is an exceptionally strong one, and there is every reason to believe that ail excellent performance will bo given. Mr. Charles Blake is the producer.

"The Scarlet Band." "The Scarlet Band," one of tho new plays just put on in London, is written of as a capital piece of melodrama. The bandj it appoars, is a gang of scoundrels m Now York, and tho play shows how tlioy are brought to their doom by one Margaret HoltJ who acts as a spy o« tho Scarlet Band, gains the secrets of its ruling spirit, and is forced to kill him to save her bro.thcr. One is hurried through tho second aiul third acts breathless, to arrivo panting, hut happy, at tho final curtain, which brings happiness for all except tho Scarlet Band, and handcuffs for thorn. In tho second act thero is an emotional scene, where the girl is engaged as a typist by an eccentric newspaper writer, whose hobby is tho study of crime. 110 is absorbed in a reconstruction of tho murder, intended for sorial publication in a Now York papor. Lilso Sorloclt Holnion, ho a ttxeat conteinnt for the police, and

revels in tlio notion of finding tlio murderess, for ho is convinced that a woman's hand has done the deed. How ho stumbles, partly by intuition and partly by shrewd reasoning, on one fact after another; how tlio unhappy girl is forced to take down in shorthand what is really a very faithful, if a dramatically worded, account of the scene; how she breaks down again and again, but is saved by tlio egoism of the old journalist, who purrs with satisfaction at the effect of his adjectives on the untrained intellect; how at last, by a flash of inspiration, ho realises that the woman before him is tlio murderess—tlio revelation of all this is describod as a great pieco of stagecraft. Miss Marie Doro appears as Margaret;, and amongst others in the cast are Miss Edytli Latimer, slr. J. Fisher White, and Mr. Edgar B. Payne.

"80-Peep." "80-Peop," tho pantomime that M'Kay's Royal Company is to stago at tho Opera House next Thursday, has been running for several years in the provincial towns of Australia. Tlio company lias been specially organised (says the management) to tour tho Dominion, and Mr. M'Kay lias strengthened it by the inclusion of .several artists engaged in England. Among the new people is Miss Kathleen Mack, who plays principal boy. Miss Mack has had considerable experience in pantomime, and has all the charm usually associated with "boy" parts.- In "80-Peep" she has many opportunities to display this _ and her elaborate costumes. Miss Webb, who plays 80-Peep, has had experience on tho operatic stago, and possessos a nico soprano voico which she uses to advantage in songs specially written for her. Added to this she has an engaging manner which soon makes for popularity. Miss Cora Terry, who plays Princess Dinazadiee, hails from Sydney where she played Miss Rosina Buckmann's part in "The Moorish Maid." Her voico is said to be of exceptional promise. Mr. Bruce Drysdalo plays tho Dame, and is said to be one of tho best performers in those particular parts seen in Australia. The scenery and dressing of "80-Peep" are carried out on an elaborate scale, and specialty acts by tlio Anderson Trio and thq Gresham Four are included.

Notes. A feature of tho first production in Australia of tho comedy "Officer 666,'' by tho Fred Niblo company of comedians at Adelaide Theatre Royal shortly will be tho reappearance of Miss Josephine Cohan (Mrs. Niblo), the delightful comedienne, who has been on a visit to America for some time. Miss Cohan will appear as Helen Burton, an heiress, a charming role, which should suit her to perfection. Miss Cohan was very popular as Faunio Jasper in "Wallingforii," when she played the part in Sydney and Melbourne, and is as well liked off the stage as she is on. Miss Cohan has profited much in health by her trip.

The revival of "Tile Arcadians" in Sydney has proved a success. Miss Sybil Arundale and Mr. W. S. Percy both scored in principal parts.

Many will Tegrot to learn of Mr. Richard Stewart's departure from New Zealand to take up his permanent abode in Melbourne. "Dick" Stewart has been a long time on tho road in New Zealand for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., and there is no more popular manager of tho staff. He is to take over tho management of tho new theatre that is being erected tho corner of Swanston and Exhibition Streets, Melbourne, which is to be completed for opening nextEastor. This will mean that Mr. Stewart will only he with us for a few more months. With Mr. Harold Ashton established as the representative for tho: firm in South Africa and Air. Stewart promoted to Melbourne, thero will . be new faces in the managerial office at the Opera House to tell of "the greatest show on earth."