HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1653, 20 January 1906, Page 3

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

KNIGHT-JEMRIES SEASON,

Mr J. 0- Williamson’s specially seI lected London Company of over sixty artists, headed by Miss Maud Jeffries and Mr Julius Knight, and which is the largest, most expensive, and most talented dramatiejorganisation he. has under his direction, will play a three nights’ season in Gisborne on Thursday, Friday and Saturday next, producing four brilliant plays, “ Monsieur Beaucaire,” “A Boyal Divorce,” and “David Garrick” and “Comedy and Tragedy.” These dramas have been selected from an extensive repertoire, as being not only four of their biggest successes, but as showing marked differences in construction and characterisation, thus allowing Miss Jeffries and Mr Knight, as well as the other artists, to be seen each evening in totally distinct impersonations. The success of “Beaucaire” in London, where it ran for over 200 nights at the Empire Theatre, and also throughout America, where it was one of the strongest attractions of last season has been repeated in all the centres of the Australian Commonwealth, and more recently in Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington, where the Company has just concluded an enormously successful season. The period in which the plot is founded, the beginning of the eighteenth century—lends itself to the most charming and picturesque dressing, and theatre-goers who are now fully aware of Mr Williamson’s unsparing and lavish methods, know that nothing will he wanting in this direc-. tion. The dresses for the London productions were made by Messrs Simla onds, the most famous firm of theatrical costumiers in that city, and the order was duplicated iu its entirety for Australia, the invoice cost being £760. AU these dresses, which make a brilliant display, will be worn in the forthcoming production, whilst the scenery and accessories will be precisely the same as in the cities. “ A Royal Divorce ” .is the great Napoleonic spectacular drama founded pn incidents in the lives of the little Emperor ’’ and.the Empress Josephine. Special features in this production will be a series of magnificent tableaux depicting “ The Retreat from Moscow,” “ The Battle of Waterloo,” and “Alone at St.. Helena.!’ The eqfjrely new version of David Garrick,” by Willinm Muskerry, will bp preceded on Saturday night by W. S. Gilbert’s charming play “ Comedy and Tragedy, ” which had a great vogue in London last year. This magnificent double bill is a fitting farewell presentation for the popular stars and company., The box plans for the season will be opened by Mr W. Miller at 10 on Monday morning at His Majesty’s Theatre.