Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 21, 24 November 1900, Page 12

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight.

THE strongest attraction of this season at the Opera House is unquestionably Messrs Wyld and Freedman's Biograph, which is doing splendid business, and which is far and away the best exhibition of the kind that has visited this colony. Not only are the pictures of surpassing interest, but they are large and distinct, and wholly free from the irritating flicker of the so-called kinematograph exhibitions we have seen hitherto. Needless to say, the pictures are chiefly war scenes, and they are as realistic as if the stage v. ere a real battle-field, and operations were in actual progress. No wonder the audience were again and again carried away by excitement and imagined themselves watching actual exploits by flood and field. * * • The \\ ar films were taken by an expert sent with the troops to South Africa by the British Biogvaph Company, and, needless to say, they depict very realistically some of the most stirring events of the war. For example, the pictures of the Terrible's great naval guns in action were wonderful, while the scene showing Lord Dundonald's cavalry taking possession of a kopje near Spionkop stirred the audience up to frantic excitement. Leaving the war altogether there is a fine series of moving pictures of the Queen's visit to Ireland, a march past of the Gordon Highlanders, a call on the London fire brigade, and so on. There is much of the delight of a six months' tour of the world in the two hours spent watching Wyld and Freedman's splendid biograph. • » # The artistic merit of the concerts gn en in the Opera House last week by M. Rafalewski and Miss Lili Sharp warranted better patronage than was accorded them. Miss Sharp has a musical soprano voice, of sympathetic quality, and great range, and she was heard to much advantage in several classical numbers. The " Aye Maria " was one of her best efforts. M. Rafalewski is a clever violinist and pianist, and gave several exhibition performances on both instruments, showing a mastery of technique and marvellous skill. Mr E. J. Hill contributed several ballads, and Mrs Mount and Mrs A. Levi the accompaniments. # # * James C. Bain has galvanized new life into Dixs Gaiety at the Exchange Hall. He re-appeared for the first time on Monday evening, and was warmly welcomed. His first and second songs were quite new to Wellington, and took with the audience so well that a third was demanded and then a fourth, and finally there were enthusiastic calls for " The Seaside " and " Biscuits in the Bed." With wonderful good nature, Mr Bain came forward once again. " You can get biscuits in the shop next door," he said, and everybody laughed at the joke. Then he sang " The Seaside " with the same humour and drollery as heretofore, while the audience laughed till the tears ran down their cheeks. Again there were loud recalls. ♦ * » Mr Bain came forward with a grave face. "I am very pleased to inform \ ou," he said, '• that a cable message has been received at the newspaper office saying that Lord Roberts has left Capetown for London. This being an auspicious occasion, I will ask you all to rise and sing "God Save the Queen," while the orchestra plays the accompaniment. With a dramatic gesture, Mr Bain raised his hands, the orchestra started on the first few bars of the National Antheru, and a few ultrapatriotic individuals started to their feet. But the remainder of the audience remained seated, and, gathering from Mr Bain's droll expression that it was all a joke, there was a hearty burst of laughter, and the chagrined patriotic indi\ iduals sat down heavily. • * # The programme was a good one apart from Mr Bain. The Delavales are vev\ clever in their trick cycling, the Staunton Sisters sang and danced as acceptedly as usual, Messrs Iredale and Rivers sang several capital songs, Miss Foster was \ cry good in her serio-comic turns, and Karl Browne and Johnny Collins were very entertaining comer men. But one of the best items of the programme was

the delightful and artistic singing of Miss Alice Layton, the gifted soprano, who rendered " Doreen " and " Annie Laurie " charmingly. • # » Fuller's Bijou Company pursues the even tenor of its way at the Choral Hall. Counter attractions don't appear to affect it in the least, the house being filled night after night, and the programme winning the hearty approval of the audience. The Tylers are a great draw just now, and are certainly very clever acrobats and feet and hand balancers, while Fisko (the boy juggler) is also a strong attraction. Miss Lottie Lome (the Australian Peggy Pryde) continues to delight her audiences with her droll character impersonations. Sivroni is as eccentric as ever, while Fred Bluett also does several good comedy " turns." The show is a capital one. * # * Two most successful concerts and dramatic entertainments were given last week by the pupils of St. Francis Xavier's. The performers showed much cleverness in their work, and the entertainments, besides being pleasing and meritorious, were well attended. '■>*,- The Ladies Musical Society announces the first concert of the third season for Saturday evening next when the cantata " The Musical Prince," will be presented. The soloists are Mrs Mount, Misses Salmon, M. Mcc, Burnett, Pender and Drumrnond. # » * Harry Hooper has closed down at the Federal Theatre pending the arrival of Christmas novelties, which are said to include an up-to-date pantomime. He opens at the Oddfellows' Hall, Petone, to-morrow (Friday) evening, with a capital Vaudeville Company, including the Selwyn Sisters, Millie Giddons, Kudarz, Fred Williams, and others. The programme is a first- class one, and ought to draw well. * # # Miss Nance O'Neil has fallen out with Mr MeKee Kankin's representative (Mr J. R. Love), and the upshot of it is to be a law suit, in which Mr Love will ask for i£2ooo damages for breach of agreement. # # * The farewell concert to Mrs Fanny Howie is announced for Monday evening next, in the Sydney-street hall, when the gifted vocalist will have the assistance of Mr John Prouse, Herr Max Hoppe, and Mr Maughan Barnett. The concert promises to be a successful and fashionable one. • * # " Lohengrin " is said to be the very best entertainment that Mr George Musgrove's recently imported opera company has so far given its patrons at Melbourne Princess, where such pieces as " Faust," " Carmen," etc., have been performed by the same combination.

We congratulate Mr Charles Wilson, editor of the New Zealand Mail, on the highly-creditable and artistic Christmas number issued in connection with that journal. This is the most pretentious eftort that the Times has yet made in the way of illustrated journalism, and in point of selection and arrangement of matter, in appropriateness and interesting character of illustrations, and in mechanical taste and execution, the Annual in question holds its own with anything of the kind issued this year in the colony.