"THE SLEEPING BEAUTY"

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 232, 25 June 1920, Page 8

"THE SLEEPING BEAUTY"

LOVELIEST PANTOMIME ON RECORD "The Sleepine Beauty," a pantomime in two acts, by ffank Dix. Music by Victor Champion. Cast: Princo Peu d'Amour Winifred Uomn. Primo Minister Herbert liciah Kin? Pompos Gcorao \\ elch Beauty Dorothy Seacombe Graeo May Harris Wit Adelaide Lester Premier Danseuso Maggie Dickinson Fairy Malevolonco Margaret SutclilTe I'rincoEß licauty Ijyjin Agatha Miotic Stewart Queen Patricia Elsie Ferran Dancing Maudio Andrews Music Kdna M'Call hove Ma Tunner Premier Danseur Sidney Culver Policitor-Goneral Stanley Odecva Mrs. Spaopondyko Marriott fcacar Bill and Walter The Brotners Egbert Shows may corao and shows may go. but tho annual nantomime sent to ther.^ shores by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., remains an abulia? Joy to youne and old alike, and neelnc that it usually embodies the jralrlt of youth eternal it is well that it is so. Not. cveiy the tmoßt blaac theatre-soor could be otherwise than charmed with the manifold dclielits of 'The Slcepm" Beamty" as presented to a nacked audience last eveninc at the ■ Grand Occra JJoiiFe. This year's olTertnp easily triumphs over all its nredcces;ors in .1 ntircly artistic sen?o. Tlioro may havo been hotter individual nerformajices, Vettor specialties in other nantomlmes, nut there haß certainly been 110110 where the ensemblo ha sheen so Italeidoecomcally ontrancing: nono in which a theme has been such a riot of nerfcctly-b'ended colours and ravlshin<? dresses, probably none in which the hook is so smartly written, and certainly none in which the scenic artists have done themsolves more credit. Moreover there is <:ome attempt, at eohorence in the manimilntion of the agesold story which ha.B thrilled so many generations of children. Princess Beauty, the daughter of bibulous Kin l ; Pompos, is shown in her cradln but Malevolence, an awfully dramatic nerson. onraeed at not lieing invited to the christening, declares that at eishteen she shall die. The clouds of time roll by, and. sure enough, •lip Princess is poisoned by a spindleshaft, and is dying when tho cood fniry, to save her life, nuts overyone to step for a Hundred years. Again the clouds of time pass. Merry huntsmen disport lliemsolvefl In the irrconwoort, and Heir leader, the beauteous Prince Pen d'Amour, Hears of the lectend-. and. .led oft by fairy music flnds the sleepers, hisses Beauty, and awakens tho wholo court of other days. Malevolence and other wicked folk endeavour to part the lovers, but they win out as everyone would have them do. This sketchy story is eked out In a dazzling fashion that bewitches bv a host of clever principals, a bevy of pretty rrlrls, and - admirably trained children. Miss Winifred Homa, a beautiful girl, makes a handsome figure as the Prince, acting with a freshness tuid. vivacity that won their way at- once with the audience, and though not a singer of any pretensions, made much of the lilt, "Give. Me the Mooulirlit," in whicli she waH assisted by tiny Connio Hobbs. Misß Eye Lynn is dainty and refined ns the Princess, a sweet and cultured Binger. nnrt a surprisingly good Blflleusc, rure qualities in a principal girl. She sang, the florid song, "Invitation," with rare artistry, and in such numbers aa "Out of Your Frame," and "Tulip Time" (wiVli Miss Eoma) gave immense satisfaction. No individual performer scored more artistically than Miss Magiglc Dickinson, the nremiere danseuse, whose dancing, was a slicer delight, notably in the "Fox and Pheasant" scena-quite a little drama In Itself—the exquisitely beautiful "La"in, shade" interlude (which introduces Hi' 'Lisa Jane"), and ."Mandy's Wedding. In the happv dormitory scene lliss Lucv Sullivan scored a hit in "Happy Bays. Miss Miono Stewo.rt appeared in a minor rolo, and Miss Margaret SutclilTe was •'ramaticallv verv effective as Malevolence. But 110 pantomime .is complete without comedy, and there is an ocean of it in "Tho Sleeping Heauty." good, clcan, riotous fun that entertained the audience vastly. Mr. Marriott Edgar is sorocthlnir now in dames. His Mrs. Spoopendyko was quiot and subtle, and his .iokes had tho | saving grace of originality. King Pompos was ouacted by Mr. Geo. Welch on semibibulous lines that tickled in moderation. The chief mirth providers nre the Egbert Bros.,' *ho. as Walter and Bill, the Kiiiff's clowney nenchmen, BUpply. gusts of Elapstick" corncdy, which induced roars of laughter. Their business in tho housepapering' scene, in which they fall and slide about the stage in £. mess of alleged naste, created tornadoes of laughter. One of their merriest eitorts was .their appearance aB Eastern musicians, and others equally as funny wore the golf match and the concert rehearsal. Mr.'Sidney Culver danced with verve and gracn with Miss Dickenson, and Mr. Herbert Leigh appeared aB the Prime Minister... From a dancin" point of view the pantomime opens out new vistas. A very uncommon transformation sceno in the first act, in which the scene rolls on aB the dance progresses, gave a splendid opportunity, and there the dance of tho rabbits, pigeons, and owls waß a feature. The very line Pink Pergola scene in the second act waß the setting for a most picturesque ballet of tho flowers of the East. In which the style and variety and colouring of the dresses were superb. Another quaint ballet was the Dutch dance 111 the windmill scene, which accompanies the "Tulip Time" number The "Rose nnd "Fan" ballet were also ingeniously contrived and gorgeously appointed from a sartorial view-point. A little scene, all too Bhort, was that set in .-.a schoolroom, In which the children sit at their desks and sing "Don't You Remember Those School Days" as real faceß are substituted for grotesque ones scrawled on the big blackboard. Tlio scenery of Mr. W. B, Coleman is extraordinarily fine, and tlie electrical elaborations In the two palace sets, and the illuminated merry-go-round in the ,iaz7. gccne, on which the curtain descends were, all of a hiph order of artistic distinction. An excellent orchestra, under Mr. A. Amadio. contributed to the general cxcfillencc of the pantomime. There will bo a* matinee performance tomorrow afternoon, and also on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons of next wcelf.