THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1925, 6 December 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[Br Sylvius,]

The World's a, theatre; tha Earth a stage.—-Jloywootl. Amateurs Onco Mtro. During tile week the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society has made its debut. It selected the Japanese comic opera "Tho Geisha," a tinklingly melodious work, tho airs of which have a •strong family likeness, but which all tickle tho oar with a pleasant sense of lamiliarity. "Ilio ile-isha" really wears very well. Its many choruses aro well written, notably tho "Lamentation," "Night Approaches," "Day Born of Love," and "Before Our lives." In these, choruses Sidney Jones's nico gift of harmony (as perhaps is bettor illustrated in his opera "Lady Molly") is happily apparent. The society gives us tho best chorus wo have heard for years —it is so fresh, buoyant, and hearty, Tho gradations aro well marked, and, wonder of wonders, 011 c can actually follow the words that they aro singing without an effort.

The performance is a capital one, and shows in a hundred places how wise the coinmitteo was in securing tho services of j\lr. Tom Pollard, who is a master at drilling a chorus in stage movement, and a skilled designer of stage pictures. From the "business" of tho first chorus to the fall of tho curtain, tho chorus is alive—it is a moving picture—never at odds with tho principals, never out of harmonic relation to the scene or situation, and never (or hardly ever) standing round in the old-time crescent formation, which at one time used to ho tlio set formula for chorus position. The picture during tho "Lamentation" chorus, when all the geisha and mousmcs aro kneeling in lines bowing from t the upright to the stage ivith machine-like exactitude, was very quaint, and tho "curtain" at the ond of the -finale of tho first act, with tlie chorus, in an. oblique block across tlio prompt side of the stage, waving a fluttering good-byo with their fans to the English party on tho bridge at the back was an extremely fascinating picture. The principals—l write as having seen tlicm on Wednesday evening—were probably the best-suited lot I have overseen on the amateur stage. The society was extremely lucky in securing tlie sor. vices of Miss Helen Gard'ner, of Dunedin, whose 0 Mimosa San is technically,vocally, and temperamentally, tho best amateur performance, as lar as soprano roles arc concerned, scon in Wellington for a quarter of a century, and I write so with a complete recollection of tho sopranos who have adorned the amateur operatic stago in Wellington during that time.

Looking Basluvards, Probably the best soprano 'Wellington produced in this connection was Miss Nellie I'arkes (now Mrs. Smith, a Sydney resident), who was clever, very pretty, could sing well, and left an impression difficult to eradicate. Personally, I never saw her, and therefore have no standard of comparison. After Miss I'arkes, Wellington has mostly bail to go abroad for its soprano leads, which is curious. Probably Mrs. 11. J. Miller, of Blenheim, was the best of them. She sang the lend in the locally-written ".Monarch of Utopia" (lyrics and dialogue by 11. B. B. Bridge, and music by I'\ YVynn Jones), and also twice in

"i'uddigoro." \'L'hon wo had Miss Jennie Sheen, of Palnierston North, who made a very charming Dorothy in Collier's pretty opera; Miss Ne'ilie Partes was the first Gretchcn in Planfjuctte's "Hip Van Winkle" in Wellington, and Miss Cissie Samuel (who subsequently went ou the stage) enacted tlio role '.on thy sreowl occasion, and was also the first amateur soprano lead in the "yeome.n." Miss Amy Murphy was another importation from Dunodin. She was never quite at homo on the stage—never was able to shako off that stiffness and reserve which becomes ingrained after a certain time. She was the second amateur "Dorothy," and the second Klsie Maynard in "The Yeoman of the Guard." Miss Murphy also look to the "boards," with only fair success. Still another soprano who finally adopted the slam was Miss Violet Mount, a cultured soprano, who played tlio lead in "The Grand Duke." Sho afterwards went to England, and toured Iho music-luills as "L'lncognita"-— tlio masked prima donna, or something of the kind.

Twelve years ago tlio old society became tired, and ceased operations. It ivn.s never properly wound tip, ami still lias a few jxuimis to its credit in the bank, which may as well bo handed over to its successors, especially ns there can be no doubt that tlioy infold to perpetuate the best traditions of the old body. A Theatrical Dearth, The prevalence of the strike has brought about a condition in tho theatrical business that has probablo not. occurred for a quarter of a century in this country. At present there are, apart from tho permanent vaudeville and picture entertainments, no first-class theatrical companies touring New Zealand, and few of any kind whatever -re attempting to woo patronage. No; only is this condition of things theatrical- regrettable for the play-loving publie, but it must entail a severe loss on tlio owners of those theatres which depend on touring shows for tenants. As a rule, managers requiring dates in anything like a reasonable sequence find it difficult to obtain them without booking well ahead, but that difficulty has been practically eliminated by the eifect of the strike. Three of the "Williamson companies—Royal Comic Opera Co., the Julius Knight Co., and tho tlcneo organisation—had a very unpleasant experience during tho early stages of tlio strike, their scenery and effects being; blocked, and tho uncertainty of the movements of the steamers. Tho managers in each case wore greatly re-1 licved when they were through 'with i their respective tours.

How long business in this lino is to be checked cannot bo computed, owing to the inglorious uncertainty of tho movements of tlio intercolonial steamers. At - present there arc two Williamson shows detailed for New Zealand, as from the end of the month— the Now Comic Opera Co. (to commence at Auckland on December 22, and tho "Within the Law" Dramatic Co. (to commonco • here on Boxing Night). Whether they will materialise on the dates mentioned is purely a matter for.conjecture. -Much, however, may happen between now and then, ami it is to be Imped that the usual theatrical cheer wifl not bo missing n.fc Christmas time.

"Autumn Manoeuvres." The story of "Autumn Manoeuvres," So bo played hero shortly by the Now Comic Opera Co., is of love and war (blank-cartridge war). Ambermere. tito anccstra! lionio oi' the Falconers. lias been sold, apparently to satisfy creditors, to a Mr. Eutlreil. This lias been unfortunate fur Frank Falconer, a beautiful captain in the 12th Iltissars, and for Alix Luttrell, daughter of the buyer of the ancestral licmie, for it has broken oil' their young romance, and left indelible scars upon their hearts. They part, full of resentment, but still loving each other. 'J.his is the ante-cu;-taiu position. Tiio curtain rises on a woodland scene in autumn, and thronga the branches of the frees one sees Ambermern llouso in tiio distance. Tins stage, set in tones of gold and red, 's really one of the features of tho play, alieautii'ul scenic study of autumn by Mr. Leslie Hoard. Hussars in blue, territorials in khaki, gipsies, and the. inhabitants of the great house pervade j

this forest, and amongst, thorn olio finds Captain Frank Falconer mid Miss Alix Luttrcli. Silo pleads with litm to remember tho days of old. He Refuses, and rather than accept, her invitation to stay in his old home, camps out Ivlt.ll Siis company. She declares that she will force him to enter tho house and daiice ivith her and ninko Iqtc* as in the days gone by. Ho sarcastically promises that if ho outers the houtio lie will carry out tlie rest of the programme. Captain Cuthbert Withers, 01 the 1 orritorials, a grocer, whoso grandmamma had forced him into tho army, takes Falconer's placo flt tlio h'mse. A night attack is planned, by the leader of the red foree, aiid, by moans of Withers, who dcclnws to tho hussar officers that it is a hoax- of falconer's, the blua force is Mirrou'ndcilj ift spjte of frantic messages frtnn'.Fai-. coner, who finally appears at the ball in. great excitement. Alix admits that it is her trick which has brought' him there, and 110 declares that he is ruiiiod by the night's work. To fulfil his promise to dance, he seizes her, and waltzes recklessly round, and to fulfil his promise to make love, he- proposes to Jano I'omcroy, daughter of his .General. Tho General bursts in breathing fire and full of one strange oath—lw . is. singularly unresourcefnl in his swaring," but perhaps the presence of ladies restrains him. He, places Falconer under arrest, and threatens to cashier him. Jane then dccinros that she has promised to marry Falconer. Tho curtain falls on the second net. The third act disentangles the whole thing. Jane begs J 1 alconor off, Withers confesses 1 is part in the fiasco, and .Tane. having beaten her father in regard to Falconer! hands the Captain over to Alix, while she easts herself upon tho breast of one Jjjoutonaiifc Oswald Ofdo, a gonial voni!" ass of the 12th Hussars.