Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 129, 20 December 1902, Page 7

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight

DLX'S Gaaety team, with Alf Sherwia in the lead, and a great many other talented people close up is filling the "Royal," that hall of light and merriment, and pure atmosphere, with eager patrons as of yore. Alf Sherwin, ac the mad musacaan, whose instruments vary from a walking stack to lumps *bf wood tanging from a gallows, would probably be able to play "God Save the King" on, a mutton oho -». Thejce is method in Alfs madness, and, when he performs on the suspended 'chunks of wood, the air is full of sweetest sounds insisted on. by the quaintestlookiag tatterdemalion who ever wore artistically battered slop clothing. * * •Besides instruments, Alf plays tricks, and he has a fully-developed sense of htunour calculated to increase his &alary as fee increases the number of his "properties," He drinks in -mellifluous juxtes out of teapots and other culinary articles, and his antics would get him *'ruK-ih" if he strayed into the vision of a policeman who was not too tired. • • * The Galairdi girls are tossing their lissome limbs to catchy music, and they explain what will happen to you "when you ain't got no money." You have a good time, apparently. It's just as well ,to linow. Mr. Ernest Fitts baritones beautifully as ever. He increases in popular favour as he increases in girth. His singing agrees with him, and the people too. • * * * • Fred Rivenihaill, of the seraphic smile, in one of his roaring moods, is a prominent feature of the canvas landscape, and for a young man who "Had only been there a week" (tLere" meaning a new place every verse), he seems to have got on fairly rapidly. His humorous query to people who were engaged m "niceymcey" and so on, "Am I in the wav?" is

a sample of the comicalities that Lave been dished up in various guises from our early youth onward. • • * The da'uiy Olive Lenton sings "A Pure White Rose" and other flowers of song with discretion, and dances with grace. She wins her way into the heiart of an audience by her mode, which is seductive. Miss Jennie Johnston, the balladist. Mr. Frank Clark, the versatile humorist, and his small confrere, Mr. Joe Cowan, ail add their several contributions to the budoret of mirth and minstrelsy. Anyway by the time the Bioscope happens along, you feel that you might have spent a couple of shillings for eoodsi of inferior quality, and you are glad that you decided not to attend that mothers' meeting after The Choral Hall, not long since, temporarily relegated to an occasional dance, or a not-often, nolitician, is making up for lost time at the command of George Dean of waxworks and vaudeville fame. George goes, to bed every night feeling that he has exhausted the possibilities of "something fresih" for the morrow, but next day he wakes up aaid thinks th?t an egg-eating competition or a "bun burying beano" would not be a. bad line, and the peoole turn up to join in, and have a "real improving time " i • « * Yqu are on speaking terms with all the waxworks by now, of course. Their friendship is of a lasting sort, especially if th& sun does not strike oft, them too violently. Anyway, they are there to stay. Mr. Dean's choice of funmakers shows him to be an entrepreneur of a choice pattern. His people, flushed with success, are pouring out their hearts in soulful melody, or throw ng out their limbs in terpeichorean ecstacy. That's the point about the show. I hate to see am artiste who looks as if he had come mi to earn money, and the sooner he dees it and gets, ''off" the better. The Dean show is characterised by heartiness. There is _ nothing over•done about it. It is nice and cnsr>, with lots of currants in. The penny-m-the-slot machines are a bit overworked, certainly. It is grand to see a "copper" having something to do. Don"t go to the Choral Hall if you dislike fun "Do^" day at tlhei Destructor would help your case better. • • » Samdow at the Opera House has been the main attraction among other unique features of a strong Rickardian show during the past fortnight, and the good the great exponent of physical cul-

ture ,has don© will live after lie has departed. Noticeable that ladies did not Hook to see the mighty muscles a« they did elsewhere, but the solid phalanx of men who rolled up showed the great interest his wondrous exhibition has stirred up. Mr. and Mrs. Drew have charmed Wellington. The talented American comedy couple have exhibited, much skill m their charming sketch comedies, and have eas^y held their place among a brilliant constellaition of "stars." Professor Maceann, the concertina kins\ has been a "strong attraction. Some interesting details of his career figure in this issue, under the heading "Enrtre Nous." Fanny Powers, the cluld mimic, damiseuse and songstress. Mark Antony. the very clever entertainer, and Miss Ray Jones and Miss Nita Leete, have helped tihe success of the combination very effectively. Then, the indispensable cinematograph has been v ewed with unusual interest, and the series of filmsi shown is one of the finest that Wellington luas recently seen.

Mr. Michael Joseph, business manager for the William. Anderson Dramatic Company, is in Wellington. The company have taken over the dates arranged for the Charles Holloway Company, and are as strong a combination ac could be - desired. Wellington's Harry Plimmer is the leading man. They play "The Ni~ht Birds of London" for a start. Them, tihey have also "Marinere of England," "The Favourite," "The Worst Woman, in London," and other clever productions. Mr. Joseph tells me that .tine company has been doing enormous business on the' "other side." {Continued on page 20.)