DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 28, 12 January 1901, Page 12

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

By Footlight.

JUDGING by the thronged state of the Opera House every night since Thursday of last week, I should imagine a very fair proportion of the people of Wellington have been at the trouble to find out "Why Smith Left Home." There are numbers, too, whose curiosity prompted them to repeat the visit. I frankly confess that I prefer "Smith" as a play to "Jones. It is intrinsically more humorous, though less extravagant in incident, and it is smarter m its dialogue. Both pieces are by Geo. H. Broadhurst, but, to my thinking, the American playwright has put better work into "Smith." John Smith is a New York contractor, who has been six months married. Pressuie of business prevented the usual honeymoon trip, and, ever since the happy pair started housekeeping, relatives either of husband or of wife have been staying with them. When the play opens, the visitor is Smith's middleaged spinster sister. Immediately afterwards Mrs. Smith's Aunt Mary— "aunt by nature but mother-in-law by instinct—and her henpecked second husband (General Billetdoux) descend upon the household • also Brother Bob (a West Point cadet) and his newlymarried wife. Anxious to soften the blow to her husband, Mrs. Smith passes off Bob as her Italian music master, and Mrs. Bob as his sister, who cannot speak English and who dances for a living. * # * Smith himself flies off the handle when he learns that Aunt Mary is coming. But in his despair he discovers an ally. Lavinia, the new cook, besides being secretary of the Cook Ladies' Union, and queen of the Housemaids' Society, can cook the most indigestible pastry and viands, and her services are invoked to drive Aunt Mary off the premises by sheer force of execrable cooking. From this point the fun becomes quite hilarious. Smith is caught kissing the pert housemaid in mistake for Ins wife. The housemaid feels humiliated at discovering it was only by mistake she was kissed, and nothing less than 500 dollars will salve her feelings. The secretary of the Cook Ladies' Union is discharged by her mistress for "talking back" to Aunt Mary, but calls out the household helps on strike, and is reinstated with honours. The French General flirts with the housemaid, and a German Count makes demonstrative love to Mrs. Smith, under the delusion that she is Miss Smith. On her part Miss Smith, believing herself loved by the Count, jilts a choleric old Major, and Smith himself encourages the Count's suit with his wife, in the belief that it is his eldest sister who is being courted. • * * Finally, the climax is reached at a fancy dress dance, held on the premises by the domestics when they believe they hnve the house to themselves. But every member of the household is in the secret, and the dance affords Mrs. Smith the opportunity of proving the fidelity of her husband, while Aunt Mary (concealed in a domino) receives the attentions which her husband intends for the housemaid. The visitors prepare to take their leave, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith resolve to seize the opportunity to have their long-deferred honeymoon trip It takes three acts of lively farce, therefore, to explain why Smith leaves home. IT * # Mr. Geo. Willoughby plays the part of Smith to perfection. The role fits him like a glove, and his action throughout is easy, natural, and delightfully effective. His part is the pivot upon which the piece swings, and its success depends mamlv upon the strength of his impersonation. Mr. Willoughby's talents as a comedian are undoubtedly of a high order Miss Sallie Booth is excruciatingly funny as Lavinia, the cook, and Miss Dot Frederick (Mrs. Arnold) makes a A^ery palpable hit as Julia, the demure but very knowing housemaid. Mr. Chas. Arnold, as the German Count, only appears in the second and third acts, and it would be impossible to conceive a finer characterisation of his part, the eager manner, the demonstrative transports of love, and the ludicrous misuse of English words and phrases, all being done to the life. Miss Agnes Knights makes a bright and winsome Mrs. Smith, and Miss Bensusan's Aunt Mary, Miss Ada Lee's Miss Smith, Mr. Fred Lester's General. Mr. Thomas's Major Mr. Denton's Brother

Bob, Mr. Hope Mayne's Rose, and Miss Henungton's Elsie were all cleverly pourtrayed. * • • • The Professor's Love Story" was set down for production last night (Thursday), and 1 am told the company appear to very great advantage in it. It is a comedy-drama, by Mr. J. M. Barne, and is described as a lovely little story, which touches the tenderer emotions, and, at the same time, is replete with sound and healthy merriment. It tells of a professor devoted to scientific study uho, quite unconsciously, in middle-age falls over head and ears in love with his secretary, a bright young woman, whose energies are chiefly devoted to reading manuscripts and correcting proofs. Interested people try all sorts of devices to interrupt the course of true love, and amusing complications are the consequence. The piece has been very popular wherever it has been played. * * * "The Professor's Love Story" will be followed by "Captain Fritz," one of Mr. Arnold's greatest "hits," and, by the way, this was the last play performed at Pretoria prior to the war. Then "Hans the Boatman" will be revived for one night, "Jones" will re-appear for one night, and the season will be brought to a conclusion with "On and Off," a delightful farce-comedy, which is quite new to Wellington. * * * The phenomenal success of "The Babes in the Wood," at the Theatre Royal, affords convincing proof of the brightness of the entertainment and the thoroughness with which it suits the popular taste. Already sixteen performances have been given, and yet the public manifest no sign of weakening in their patronage. Be the weather wet or dry. muggy or pleasant, the Theatre Royal fills up' nightly just the same, the applause keeps up to the highest pitch or cordiality, and each and every "turn is loudly encored. * • * On Saturday night there was a pretty complete change in songs and dances, and all the new items were enthusiastically received. The stage "business" too has been improved, and the action of the piece is as smooth and the play of broad humour as constant as the most exacting critic could desire. On Wednesday night the performance was Under i he patronage of the Auckland and Wellington cricketers, and, at the end of the first act, Mr. Brown, of Willisstreet, took a flashlight photograph of the audience. A grand matinee fo children is announced for Saturday afternoon. * *• * Fuller's Bijou Company holds its own against all counter-attractions, and night by night the Choral Hall is crowded to the doors. On Saturday night the programme underwent a complete change, as usual, and new songs, dances, sketches, and funniosities kept the audience thoroughly entertained for two and a half hours. Mr. Charles Faning was at his very best in his screamingly ridiculous parody of Ugo Biondi's lightning changes, and the house roared with laughter as he caricatured the style in which various celebrated musicians wielded the baton. Mr. Ted Herberte introduced some fresh descriptive songs, Miss Lena Young gave several attractive ballads, Miss Lottie Lome sang and danced with her accustomed sprightliness, the Mahers — Mike and Alicesreceived the usual ovation for their song and dance "turn," and little Maisie Edwards sang her songs with childish sweetness and very tastefully withal. Mr. Aubrey Douglas's negro eccentricities were exceedingly droll. The programme is full of variety, and lively and entertaining from start to finish. ♦• * * Since Friday last week, Mr. W. J. Colvilie has been lecturing twice a day, at the Trocadero, on "The Science of Health and Healing." In other words, he is carrying on two courses of lectures — one for the afternoons and one for the evenings — on the same subject. I attended the first evening lecture, and was highly* pleased. The special subject of discourse was "What is Health? The Problem Solved." It was very ably handled. Mr. Colvilie is fluent of speech, his language is exact and choice, his enunciation is clear and distinct, and his argument is luminous and aptly illustrated. If he had come here preceded by a flourish of trumpets, he would most probably have carried the city by storm. But he has come amongst us very unobtrusively, and the chances are that the majoritj' of people will only realise after he has gone what a really able lecturer has been amongst them. Mr. Colvilie argued that health in mind and body vas nothing less than symmetry, and that therefore whatever tended to the production of harmony was a healing agent. Health and morals were also inseparably connected, and crime was a moral distemper, just as craziness was an intellectual distemper. A good many people suffered from chronic distemper simply because they had coddled themselves into infirmity. In this connection Mr. Colville preached the doctrine of optimism. People

should fight against their ailments, and throw them oft ; not lie down and nurse them. Health was just as infectious as disease, and if people looked more on the bright side of things, and were less prone to concentrate their attention on its dark side, they would be far happier, and, therefore, healthier. The healing power of mental suggestion was very considerable. The lecturer spoke for nearly two hours, and never once hesitated for a word or paused to glance at a note. Questions were invited, and were courteously answered. • • • At the close, Mr. Colyille explained that he would be remaining here for a fortnight, and that he would confine himself to his lecturing work. Those who sought advice, and wished for private treatment, might consult Miss Garstin, who represents the New Zealand School of Mental Science. This lady is here on a visit from Christchurch, and will remain for some weeks. * » • It is said that Cecil Ward will try London as soon as his engagement with Mr. J. C. Wiliamson expires. The costumes for Miss Nance O'Neill's production of "Macbeth," at Sydney, ran into something like £1000, so 'tis said. Clive, the new conjuror at the Sydney Bijou, has been engaged for a season by Mr. P. R. Dix. Charles Arnold has booked the Napier Theatre Royal for a four nights' season, starting on February Bth. Prior to that he will play at Palmerston North, Wanganui, and New Plymouth. Miss Portia Geach, the gifted sister of Mr. Edwin Geach, the well-known theatrical manager, has completed her five years' course of study at the Royal Academy, London, and has just opened an art studio in Melbourne.