Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 174, 31 October 1903, Page 11

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight.

DEX'S Gaiety Company, at the Theatre Royal, basing thenmethods on past successes, aie holding on to the bright idea of a musical novelty first part "Up the River" is an operatic excuse for thei introduction of many bright features, and oatohy songs. The plot deals with a ladies' seminary, in which the said ladies hjave evidently had some grounding in that branch of education which enables tlhe students to dance and sing with seductive effect. * * * Mites Dora Taylor, a pretty and picturesque little lady, is a newly-arrived ca.ke- walker, who performs that) celebrated evolution with grace and dexterity. Many of her dances are new, and her "Bottle Pedicel" speciality must be seen to be beheved. Tod Callaway is submitting new samples of his best goods for the delectation of Gaiety patrons, and, despite his long season, still maintains a crip of the people. * * * Then, Miss Malvema Moore is rtill pTaeefully dancing and warbling. Miss Nellie Yohe is singing selected songs with her old oharm. The Delavales are not veit out of the bill, and Mr. Ohas. E. Gibbons, the flautist, blows music out of his eighteen inches of polished stick with melodious effect. The hilarious after-piece, ''Hallucinations," finishes the present bill. * * * Fuller's Entertainers, at the Choral Hall are going in for "world star" turns. The Franz Bros., who are tossing terrific weights about for the amusement of the public just now, are, perhaps, as interesting as any strong men who have exhibited muscle in Wellington to date. They are comparatively small men (eleven stone), but big all over. Altogether, thei muscular pair have twelve distinct feats, ranging from pianissimlo to fortissimo, the culminating act being one in. which a brother a la Pagel carries a mule up a ladder, or rather two ladders, one foi each foot. * * * The Diamond Duo are gems of the first water as instrumentalists, danceis, and vocalists. It is unusual to find the combination of excellent voices w ith exceptional dancing powers, but Eva and Evelyn are distinctly clever in either. Will Watkins asks you 'Do You Know McGinty?" and Mr. Haany Hart, with the "Patter of Wee Feet," touches the heart strings of his audience. Les Ward and Ted Tutty, the tamboUrinists and melody mongers, are still at the same old game, while the gaily-dressed seno ladies lilt seductive lyrics, and toss toes in the much-admir-ed old way. But, you certainly ought to see the Franz Brothers. * * # The Daniel Frawley Company, w Inch opens its season ait the Opera House tonight (Friday), comes with a great reputation made in America, and amplified in Australia. Mr. Daniel Frawley himself, as an actor, belongs to the "intense" school of players, and it is asserted he has few of the tricks of speech thait rather discount the work of Americans. We have heard much of the beauty, the art, and the dress of Miss Mary Van Buren, the American society lady, who loves her adopted profession. * * * The world knows much of "Arizona," for it has had exceptionally long runs in the great cities of the United States, and the city that makes or mars 1 a pioduotion—London. The Daniel Fraw ley Company is not a one man and w oman company . Its roster includes lady and gentlemen players of some eminence. Shortly , Wellington is led to be here that the coming of the company is a dramatic event. The play-going public of Wellington is keen on American and historical subjects Theiefoie, "Arizona," "In Missouri," and "Brother Officers" should be pretty consideiable "draws." * * * The audience which flocked to hear "Hiawatha," on Monday mght, felt rather "sold," as they meandered homeward. Chorus and orchestra at sea. a good part of the time, and performance over at half-past nine, with a teaimiutes' interval thrown in. Miss Amy Murohy and Mr. Hamilton Hodges were the redeeming features of the <show. They were first-class. With-

out them the Festival w ould have been rather flat. * *• * In "Robbeiy Under Aims," now playmg in Austialia', a flag flutters through one act, agitated by an artificial bieeze. Realism is the fashion. # » # Madame Vulcan, the female Samdow now appearing in Melbourne, has a chest expansion of fourteen inches She is able by taking a deep inspiration standing close to a "try your strength machine" to make it register four hundredweight by merely using this chest expansion to push the machine. She is single. It would be singular if she were not. ■+ * * Mrs. Sims Reeves, widow of the great tenor, is due at Sydney Tivoli shortly. Imagine the late lamented on the vaudeville stage ! "Sweet Nell" is hustling ail she knows to get to Melbourne for the- "Cup " Tees of thousands of other people are lakewise heading for the Yarra. * * * There have been ructions in the Pollard Opera Company, says "Table Talk," amd Miss Nina Osborne, who has made a decided hit over there, and become a great favourite with the public, has left their ranks. The trouble culminated at Johannesburg, where the comedian, Mr. Peircy, had p-amited up the scenery, and asked as a favour that his wife should play "Mimosa San." His request was granted, and Miss Osborne was asked to play "Tommy." After making such a hit there, this was rather too much, especially as she had played a better part for Mr. Williamson, with a superior all-round company, more especially as Miss Ramsay, who was playing "Mimosa," was promoted' from the chorus, and had only played it once in New Zealand, as under-study. • » A New Zealand night was given during the run of "Geisha," and so great a favourite was Miss Osborne, that, in spite of the fact that shie w a& no longer a member of the companj', she was invited to be present with a theatre' party, and was presented, like the principals, with a souvenir of the occasion, a small gold medallion, with on one side — "N.Z. night, Jo'burg," and on the other the initials of the recipient and "Kiaora." After the performance, they gave a supper on the stage The company left for Pietermaritzburg at the end of September.