"THE CLIMAX"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2409, 15 March 1915, Page 7

"THE CLIMAX"

CLEVER LITTLE PLAY AND A V©ICE s " "The Climax," a play in three acts, 11 by Edward Lock. Cast :— e Luigi Golfanti (the teachor) d „ , Claude Bantock i PietrJ Golfanti (his son) Edmund Sherras j| John Eaymond (the doctor) X Reginald Eoberts " Adelma Von Hagen (the pupil) l ~ Florence Young "The Climax," presented by Miss :, Florence Young's Musical Play Company at the Concert Chamber (Town Hall) on Saturday evening, has qualities that ensured for it a most favourable reception. The story is quite a simple one, simply told, with an arresting dramatic moment, and an unexpected denouement. Another quality that is an admitted factor where an appeal is being madeto the popular taste is a strong e love interest. The action of the play, 6 too, is pleasantly arrested by some very e charming vocal numbors, appropriate in f sentiment and better than well 6ung. e It was with particular pleasure that the '> audience welcomed Miss Florence Young, '• who has for years been associated, in a leading position, with J. C. Williamson, B Ltd.'s, Operatic and Musical Comedy o Companies, seldom offering anything but f high-class performances. Whilst she is t not ideally suited in "The Climax," she r exhibited a ripe talent for vivacious l act- '• ing, and displayed her frank, honest 0 soprano voice unimpaired by the passage e of years. Australia has produced few e sucn bracing voices as MiBS Young's. It is a big, bold, and breezy organ, and, •• withal, is tempered with the sunshine e of an exuberantly genial temperament. When Florence Young sings one sits up and takes notice. ' 1 But to the play. It all occurs in a 2 garret apartment in the Tenderloin disl trict of New York, where reside old ' Luigi Golfanti,_ a teacher of singing, 3 Pietro Golfanti, his son, and Adelina ; Von Hagen, a young and distant relar • tive of both, who is up from Azalea, Ohio, to_ perfect her voice. Old Golfanti believes it to be "the voice of the age," but is doubtful about some inex- , plainable weakness in the middle of the . register. Dr. John Raymond, a young medico, also from Azalea, and ail ad- . mitted admirer of Adelina, is informed , of the flaw, and whilst he hates the , stage and 'deprecates Adeiina's choice . in no unequivocal language, promises to get a throat specialist to attend to ( Adeiina's vocal ch'ords. An operation is the result, and Adelina, after a week's \ enforced silence, is allowed to speak, [ and then permitted to Bing. She tries. , but to the amazement and horror of everyone present the singing voice gurgles and then breaks down. This is a highly dramatic moment, and was enacted with a 'commendable sense of conviction and intensity. After she has realised that the stage is not for her, Adelina accepts Dr. Raymond's oft-pre- ' sented offer of marriage. On the wedding monling she is busy and jolly, and i has forgotten to use the throat spray ! ordered by her lover. Ih' her' high spirits ■ she bursts into song, and to the amazement of old Golfanti sings like a bird. Whilst she is singing Dr. Raymond , enters and is dumbfounded for quite another rea-son. Golfanti at once sizes up the situation, and Dr. Raymond admits that the failure of Adeiina's voice was due to mental suggestion given to her ; by himself when in an impressionable nervous condition, and reproduced every time she used the throat spray, There is a scene of gripping interest, followed by the rejected dootor's departure. Love, however, has its way. Dr. Raymond admits his error, the voice rings out dear and sweet, and if one listens carefully the chime of wedding bells may be heard ui the cloisters of the imagination. Interest'is added to the play by' Pietro Golfanti's hopeless passion for Adelina. _ Miss Young acted with superabundant vitality and aplomb throughout, and sang with muoh charm the "Isle d'Amour," "The Valley of the Moon," "The Song of a Soul," and, with Mr. Roberts, a pretty harmonised setting of "My Little Grey Home in the West." • The best acting performance was that of Mr. Claude Bantock as Luigi Golfanti. He was, a rice, fat, ; shabby Italian, full of heavy pleasantries, and dominating flashes where there was any argument on musio. The actor indicated the Latin temperament faithfully by his sudden changes of temper. Mr. Edmund Sherras as Pietro Golfanti was excellently fitted, and lent grace to the role by his ability i both vocally and ■ at the 1 piano. Mr. Reginald Roberts was a pre- ; sentable Dr. Raymond, and sang very ; sweetly, "Somewhere a Voice is Call- i ing." Miss l Amy Perrins accompanied ' sympathetically and played the entr'acte ' music, and Mr. Reginald Roberts was ] responsible for the stage management. ( "■■ ■ ■ ]