"THE GEISHA."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1922, 3 December 1913, Page 9

"THE GEISHA."

AMATEUR OPERATIC SOCIETY. '■'Die Geisha," a. comic opera. Libretto. li.v Owen Hal!, lyrics liy ° Jltirr.v Grcenlitiiili. music hv SidnoV * Junes. Cast— ' " j 0 .Mimosa, &m Jiisa o. Helen C.arci'ner ; : Juliette Dinniaiit i\\?s Atlcl.'titl" Kvans i Saini Mi.-* Daihv Isaacs I.'idy Consta-iK-a Wynne Cam 'Donluml Misv Molly Soamoro ... Miss KilrcM hrUer.ll ! Iteptinald Fairfax .Mr. V. 11. Meredith I Uirli Ciinniti&ham Mr. V. I>. Morrii-im . Arthur Cuddy .air. w. J. Meredith ' (icorse Clrimstoitc Mr. H. F. A. WolleniKiii ' Tommy Stanley ... Jlis< Dorothy M'C'ormici; (Mptain liaUuia Mr. u. V.'. lint ten 'J'-akeaiine j)r. J). Isaacs Wtm Hi Mr. A. W. lu-wton The Jlarquis Imori Dr. X. St. C. Hales ■ Tim real life of (he newly-formed Wclliilgton Amateur Operatic Society began last evening, when jt presented for public; approval—or disapproval— Sidney Jones's sparkling ami redundantly humourous comic opera ''The Geisha," a work which retains its vitality wonderfully, though well on in its teens. As a rule it is'hist a little difficult to exactly piaco tho merits of an amateur first-night performance. , We are here, a.s a rule, spared professional tirst nights, which tiro often very queer performances, but amateurs have invariably to stand or fall by their first attempt, with everything emotionally, against them. Judged on this standard, and taking all iho tittle drawhacks necessarily inevitable from a first ' night, the new society is to bo heartily congratulated on a- very excellent performance. Indeed, there are several points in the production, of last evening in which they gavo away nothing to professionals. One of these is the chorus, which was notably well drilled and which generally sang with a freshness, enthusiasm, and strength that is usually absent in the professional show. Here and there it became oblivions of tho conductor's boat, notably in the filiate of tho second act, where, the male sections laced away from the more attentive girls—and won by half a bar—but in such choruses as "Lamentation," "Chou Kina," tho "Japaucso March," and tho finale of tho opera, tho body of sound was splendid; the balance: needed only to have been improved by tile addition of a few tenors. The costuming and colour scheme were really admirable, and Mended quite admirably with the setting. The scenery was delightful, the j second set in particular, showing the picturosquo grounds of tho Marquis Imari's palace. 'With oh! Fujiyama's white peak gloaming through, a wealth of glowing cherry blossoms, formed a feast of colour for the eye. The artist (Mr. Beck) well deserves commendation for his fine "black cloth," The opera is too well known to need a detailed introduction. It concerns tho visit of Lady Constance Wynne, and a bevy of charming English girls to Japan, where they meet a number _ of English naval officers, including Lieutenant Reggy Fairfax, who is engaged to Molly Seamore, one _«f Lady Constance's party. Boggy is oa sight mashing one of tho Geisha girls, pretty 0 -Mimosa San, and Molly, learning of this, masquerades as a Geisha herself, and happens to make her debut in a kimono just as Wim Hi's tea-house and Geisha are being sold up by tho orders of the Marquis' limiri, whom Willi Hi lias grievously offended. Lady Constanco buys 0 Mimosa San to save her from Imari, and ho in return buys Molly Scamore (disguised as Holy Poly San). Things begin to look blue for thoughtless Molly, when she finds herself retained in one of the Marquis's, palaces; but through a ruse concocted by Mimosa, iho brides are changed at tho last moment, and the' Marquis is wedded to an artful French girl (Juliette), instead of to Molly. . The latter flics io the anus of her sailor ■ lover, and little Mimosa consoles hcr- . self with Katana, a Japanese soldier. • Considering tho disabilities under ■ which amateurs are placed, tho cast was

a very good one—in places even better than that. In Miss Helen Gard'ncr, of Dunedin, who played Mimosa, we have a little lady of rare talent —one born to the business, When she enters it is as O Mimosa Ban, not as Helen Gard'ncr—winsome, sweet, and just with that nice touch of pathos that gained her tho .sympathy of the audience. Her every movement was an tinstudied picture, and her acting and attitudes were instinctively correct and always picturesque. In common with the rest of the ladies, she hardly suggested tho Japanese in make-up. Vocally, Jliss Gard'iror was a distinct and ujituia'ifiod success. She has a nicely-cultivated, musical soprano, flexible and buoyant, produced easily and naturally—a voice that is equal to better music, than Sidmw Jones writes. Sim sang "The Geisha's Life" delightfully, and was quite bewitching in her artistic interpretation of "The Jewel of

Asia." Her acting, too, in the. ' Kissing Duet" was invested with much dainty charm. Miss Eileen Driseoll surprised all her friends by tho capital performance she gavo as the rmnpish Molly St-amore. She was bright 'and cheerful throughout in her acting, and not the least bit stiff t.r stagey. Her speaking voice was hardly strong enough last evening, but that will doubtless be rectified later. Miss .Oriscoll's vocal successes were tho droll "Clion Kina," "The Toy Monkey," and the "Toy" duet (with Mr. Meredith). Miss Adelaide Evans hardly plumbed the subtlety and ii.-itivo cleverness of that imp of wickedness Juliette Daimnnte. Her "business" and manner was inclined to be too obvious and inconsequential, whereas Juliette is in deadly earnest in all her scheming to wed tho Marquis. Miss Evans was at her best in the duet with Wim Hi, in tho second act, when she danced rather neatly. Miss Cara Denhard looked and acted well as Lady Constance Wynne, but was inclined to keep her loot "on the soft pedal." All the English Indies suffered slightly from reserve—a little more abandon, and a brighter convcrsatioml tone would lighten their scenes. Misses Olivo Smith, Olivo Moyes, Marie Fix, and Ruby Jackson made a really handsome quartet of very handsomely costumed ladies. Miss Dais.y Isaacs wan petite and intelligent as Nairn.. The male cast was also good, Mr. A. W. Newtown made an extremely comical Wuu Hi. He was always in the picture, always merry and bright, and his pidgin English, and pidgin jokes wove given with plenty of point. Dr. Norman Hales made a distinct and certain hit as tho Marquis lmari, playing tho rolo of the autocratic Japanese grandeo with weight and circumstance. His gift of comedy was happily suited, and in his Glorias of rage he was splendidly dramatic. Dr. Hides is certainly tho > most versatile of our amateurs. Mr. ■■ V. R. .Alereilitli made a handsome Lieu- ' tenant Fairfax, lie acted as a naval oilicer would act, and sang bis solos, ".lack's the Boy" and "Molly Mine," will) capital effect. Ho was at odds with the orchestra in "Star of My Soul," given as an encore to "Molly Mine"— a mistake in stage tactics. Dr. Isaacs was Takeineno, Mr. F, Jlomson was Lieutenant Cnnninghniu, Mr. W. J. .Meredith figured as Arthur Cuddy, Mr. '('. \Y. tin!!.Mi as Kuiana, and .Miss Dorothy M'Cormaek made a smart little ini,ldv 'us Bobby Stanley.

A -;reat deaf of ibe credit, of the performance is due Id the excellent work of l!r. Tom I'ollanl as jiroducer. His experienced band is particularly ill evideiice in the clever business of clients and principals, and' the. many alluring pictures ho builds up with cniismnmato artistry, llf. J). A. Kenncy, as musical director, kept a firm hand on orchestra and chorus, and when a few roughnesses arc Miiootiied away will present, a. 'inml well "mill beariii'i. "The Ceishu" will ho produced at Ihe Opera House uulil uhl Tuesday ovwiimju ■•::