DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 164, 22 August 1903, Page 21

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

By Footlight.

THE John F Sheridan Company played Fun on the Bristol" long befoie mv hair turned grey, and I have watched the vaganes of the •Widow" from the front of many theatres. John F.s business as the historic female does not pall to the extent one might imagine, and the hearty greeting the dear old soul got at the beginning of the w eek short s that; she » still m the running. Substantially the widow is what she used to be, but the variety part of the show has been burnished up and many songs coon and otherwise, have been added. =/■ Miss Celia Mavis and Miss Heba Barlow, a? the widow's daughters are very excellent, and the antics or Miss Muriel Williams, as the negress servant, are genuinely humorous. -Little Gulliver the increase of whose stature by one cubit would make hash of his professional chances, is responsible tor pronounced amusement, and the w hole company dash into the theme with great animation. ■* * ■* The pantomime, 'Cinderella," deposed "Fun on the Bristol" on Wednesday night, and as a spectacle is a most creditable production It depends very largely for its laughs on the up-to-date <W' of John himself who, as Baron Bounder, has an opportunity ot •retting off many local "hits.' Very amusing was Mr. Sheridan's impersonation of the Hon. "Georgie Porgie Reid, although the audience do not quite erasp the humour of the lines. The extremely farcical element was duly present, under the auspices ot Mr Fred Wentworth, as the Baroness, and Mr. Sydney Carden and Mr Bert Hermann as her daughters. Little Gulliver has quite a lot of running about to do and were he perfectly clear as to the ps- chological moment when nis lines were required his business would quite suit his quaint personality. * * * Miss Celia Mavis, as Cinderella, is, as always, charming, and the gaLaxy ot lovely ladies who support her are ail that could be desired spectacularly. Altogether, "Cinderella" is enjoyable tor its ballet, its gorgeous dresses, and _ ts generally picturesque effects. Mr. Sheridan during the evening exhibited a placard announcing the latest Australian win of the New Zealand footballers. Someone called for three cheers for the New Zealanders and Johnny himself led the response. Many of the incidental songs are pleasing and refined, and the dances excellent * * * Dixs Gaiety Company, at the Theatre Royal like the other companies trying to be cheerful under adverse circumstances, have had the vilest weather within its experience to contend with during the past week. However, the Dixians are not drowned yet, and heroic audiences have battled forth to take their weekly fill of the good things in the bill. Mr. John Coleman lias slowed down on his celebrated "scarecrow dance, but m^iages to get work for his feet as an old Irishwoman, who is an amusing old soul. From a bird-frightr-ening standpoint, I should say Biddy would win. John's inimitable character comedy is unique in its breezy freshness. * The clever Williams! Quartette have stored their bikes again, and are this week doing one of their dainty dance specialities. Tuneful voices, any amount of dash, much prettiness, and an airy grace, have endeared these little ladies to "Royal" audiences for many weeks. They will be much missed when they depart. Mr. Ernest Hill once more detonates deeply, in a voice the volume of which canot be judged by am examination of its casket. He chooses songs of the solemnly slow and distantly diapason order, and manages to get a good deal of music *>ut of "Down in the Deep," the word "deep taking his ohm down on to his shirtfront. * * * Geolrge Dean, the cheerful actorsinger, declaims vocally about the> sufferings of a gay young spark, "All Through a Gee-Gee-Gee " and a pathetic item. "That's the "Way of the World," is as near a sermon as the music-hall artist ever gets. Tod Cal-

lov.a^ tufles uitJi the nsibilities of the house by appearing as "A Pi ©historic Man," gui rounded with evidences that ho lived long befoie the Silurian age. He o-o.es back a couple of million years and Hlustratps the antics of our ancestors. I'm glad they are dead, and that we have forgotten what they looked like. Miss Jessie Thorne, with ' Ask Yourself a Question," and Miss Flo Williams, with one of the choicest items in the programme, "The Waif," help daintily to uphold the Dix repute, the whole being topped off with an after-piece, in which a loving wife toes to cross the dark river by taking Poi&oned Milk. Fullei's Entertainers, despite desperately unfair weather, have had large crowds washed ashore at the Choral Hall during the record rain, and haive been thus able to smile at the daanp cods Fred Bluett, who has been a tow er of strength to the Hall for many weeks, takes his tiunk nence to-night During his last few nights, Mr. Bluett has tried hard to excel himself, and one evening during the week he burst out dancing to save himself from tears. One of the most comical things Fred has done apart from his illuminating songocmedy, is "Julius " in "Rum 'Lns from Rome.'" Mr. Bluett as a Roman statue, is distinctly original. His lines ot beauty are a theme for a poet or a model for a sculptor. The droll Driscolls have once more got into their stride, and their Irish "oake-walk trot" is a revelation in dancing. As coons, the Driscolls till a lot of atmosphere with song, and their trilbies tintinabulate triumphantly, to the huge delight of anyone who loves a lissome leg. Ted Tuttv is a comic songster of the good old stock part> tern, ready and walling at any time to launch his waies upon a waiting world. With such expert help as Jack Steele can afford from his corner, Ted is responsible for a good many wide smiles. Miss Annie Ellershe has gone, amid so have the Elmores. All three have become firm favourites. By the way, Jack Steele stole away last night. He w ill be missed for he is a most versatile comedian. Mr. Charies Waite, in pathetic items is very excellent, his "Living Pictures" and "The Coster Sisters," compelling the reluctant tear. The Claie sisters popped up a Thursday too late for me to see them, and Watts and Lucas, laugh specialists, come to light to-morrow (Saturday). Bob Bell, who is more leisurely, can't get heie until Monday but he is billed for Monday, and no doubt will get the skipper to hurry The invitation concert of Mr. R. Parker's Glee and Madrigal Society in the Sydney-street Schoolroom, on Monday night, was largely attended and thoroughly enjoyed. Strange, indeed, if it were otherwise, for the affair proved -to be a musical treat of a high order. A capital selection of part so>ngs and madrigals' was presented, and the pieces were executed with a balance of tone and a iustness of expression that weie truly admirable. They ranged from Morley (A.D. 1595) and Ford (1800) to G. A. Macfaorren and Dr. VillieTS Stanford so that there was plenty of opportunity for contrast and versatility. -*-<■+■ Miss Jeanne Ramsay was the most successful vocalist. She sang with nice artistic effect the "Slave's Song, ' of Teresa Dal Riego, the "Mia Piceirella" of Gomez, and "Winds m the Trees," by Goring Thomas. Mr. Ashcroft Edwards, and Mr. James Searle also sane, Miss Grace Kennedy played a violin solo, and Mr. Parker contributed a movement from a sonata by Yeracini and a gigue by Vivaldi. London "Truth" proposes that actors should be licensed by the year, the licenses to be renewable "unless complaints be lodged by indignant playgoers." Were such a scheme carried into effect there would be a great weeding out of incompetent and unpopular performers. * *- *■ "Money may be the root of all evil," said the dramatic author, as he started another problem" play, "but evil is the root of all money in this line of business." # # * Mr. Wilson Barrett's new piece, "In the Middle of June," has a motto which reads, "For love's more in tune in> the middle of June than when daffodils blow r in the spring time." And yet we are told, "In the spring a young man's fancy," etc.

Mr. R. J. Paull, proprietor of the "Waikato Times," has again enlarged that excellent paper, for the second time within ten months. The paper is a * leal live one, catering as it does for the large farming popular tion of the Waikato, and comparing most favourably with the country papers of which, on the whole, New Zealand has reason to be proud.