MONCRIEFF SEASON

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 135, 24 June 1937, Page 10

MONCRIEFF SEASON

^Maid oi the Mountains*' To-night To-night at the Municipal Theatre, Hastings, j. C. Williamson Ltd. will present tlie brilliant and popular prima donna, Miss Gladys Moncrietf, together with tho popular 4'Merry Widow" company in a magnificent revival of B redericlc Lonsdale's delicious, picturesque and humorous musical comedy romance, "The Maid of the Mountains," whicli is one of the most popular comic operas the English-fepeaking stage has ever produced. "The maid of the Mountains," wrote a Melbourne critic, "gives Miss Moncrieff the opportunity of demonstrating the remarkable talents she possesses, talents wliich in a ligliter play have not the scope they demand. it was a genuine pleasure to liear again so puro and beautiful a voice whose remarkable compass found full play in several delightful numbers. Tbe ease and certainty with wliich she sang the music and tlie riug tliat came into the liigh tones delighted a record auclience. In tlie softening love passages through the .fire and passion, and during tho moments of tragic declamation, Miss Moncrieff held her audience completely, and her singing in the dramatie climax to the second act was so stirling as to excite a tornado of applause." Ocil. Kellaway has a splendid role in that of General Malona and in this

humotoua part he creates muoh genuine laughter. Ib is said that he is particulaiiy futmy in the sceiie where he tries to wheedle the angry Teresa into betraying the brigand. Of all tbe parts that. Mr. Don Nifiol has portrayed he is at his merriest best as Tonio in "The Maid of the Mountains." It is said that he has his audieilce in scl'eams of laughter the whole "time he is on tlie st'age. Fric Bush, who proved so successful as Rrince Danilo in ' 'The Merry Widow," will play the important part of Baldasarre, which he performed successfully in Australia recently. Miss Isobel Oue has a splendid charaCter in that of Vittoria to represeht, and her scenes with Tonio, it is said, ■ are highly amusing, and she shates the honoura with Dori Nicol in an excellent dance number. Arthur Glark has a good singing part in Beppo, and others in the cast are Peter Dawsoti as Crumpet, Cecil Pawley as Carlo, Gerald Connelly as Pietro, Leslie Donaghue as the Mayor of Santo and Leslie Crane as Angela. The work of tlie full operatic orchestra and chorus is a feature of the production.