Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 189, 13 February 1904, Page 11

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight.

WILLIAMSONS Dramatic Company, who opened at the Opera House on Thursday last week, struck oil all right with "The Admirable Cnchton." It caught on from the jump a full house every night. Some people are disappointed because it is unconventional free from sensation, and doesn t wmd up after the usual style of marryin f off the leading characters. ±n short, they take the play seriously, and miss altogether its delicate satire upon human nature of the British "Society pattern. That was the purpose J. MBame had in view, and the play he has constructed on those lines is novel, bright, and amusing. * * * The central idea is distinctly happy. A faddy old peer— the Earl of Loamruns away with the notion that he is democratic. In a patronising kind ot way he inculcates the doctrine of social equality by inviting his servants once a month to tea in the drawmg-room, and making his daughters and friends wait upon them and converse with them on pain of reciting. The entertainment of the servants after this fashion provides fun enough to keep the hist act moving. From the butler and liveried footmen down to the "tweenies ot the kitchen— whose duties are to move th crockery from the washer-up to the coo k_and the "odds and ends' of the stables and gardens, they are all on the job. The "side" put on by the ladies' maids and ih& pompous Jeameses, and the gauchenes of the stable hands, the kitchen wenches, and "the odds and ends," keep the audience in a titter of laughter. Crichton, the dignified butler alone of all the servants shows disapproval of this fantastic experiment in social equality. In the high life below stairs it is just as impossible as in the high life above staars. * * * Next act brings the absurd old earl's theorising to a practical test. His pleasure-yacht is wrecked, and himself, his three patrician daughters, an aristocratic young curate, and the Larl s feather-brained nephew, along with Crichton (the butler) and his sweetheart, one of the aforesaid "tweenies, are cast away on a desert island, with mighty little in the way of wardrobe to clothe themselves withal. Crichton at once shows himself to be the natural leader and head of this small society. Egged on by his daughters, the elderly earl— forgetful of his dilettante love for equality— finds it necessary to assert his own headship. So far, Crichton has done everything, formed a camp, built a rude shelter, obtained victuals, and is actually cooking the evening meal when the old earl, cutting a pitiable figure in his motley rags, makes his claim to authority and precedence. Crichton pooh-poohs the question— says it will settle itself— and the earl and his family thereupon, in offended hauteur, leave the camp of the butler in order to form a more select one of their own. They go westward ho, and, as the evening breeze is also westerly, Crichton knows what he is about when he uncovers the stew-pot, and lets the aroma of the cooking mess issue forth after the aristocratic malcontents. They creep back quite subdued and very hungry, and so the act ends. » * * In the third act, Crichton is revealed as the man of brains, and absolute ruler of the shipwrecked society. Nature has settled the question of equality beyond all doubt. He is waited on hand Jnd foot, and is styled "The Guv.,'' the Earl of Loam is merely "Daddy, tfte haughty Lady Mary (his eldest daughter) is Polly, whose highest ambition is to wait at table while the Guv. eats and pull a punkah to keep him fanned. "Tweeney" owns the only skirt on the island, and the Hon. Ernest Woolley is merely "Ernie," and general utility man. All the comforts they possess have been invented or procured by the skill of the ex-butler. Finally, to everyone s delight, he decides to marry Polly otherwise Lady Mary), and "Daddy" (the Earl) chuckles over the tit-bits he is sure to get as father-in-law of "the Guv. * • * Then, the dramatist suddenly reverses the conditions once again. A ship is seen off the island By pressing an electric button "the Guv." can start into life a ring of bonfires round the island. Polly begs him to let things.remain as they are. But Crichton is a man of honour, and, m spite of all

temptation, will "play the game. So the bonfires flare, and the party is rescued. The final act shows the leading characters m the Earl's drawingroom once more. He is quite cured now of his social equality views, and becomes a rabid Tory. All the aristocrats meanly cover up their life on the island. Lady Mary is the only one w ho displays any gleam of gratitude towards Cnchton, the ex-Guv. She frankly confesses—but only to him —he is 'best of them all." Crichton himself resumes his old part of butler. But, the play ends by his giving notice, and intimating his intention to marry Tweeney," and take over a lttle pub-lic-house. One feels that a superior man like Crichton is harshly dealt with by the playwright, and that, with such ingenuity and force of character, he was bound to rise far above his menial station, and ought to display loftier aspirations. However, there's the story. * * * Mr. Cuyler Hastings, played the title lole from start to finish with restrained power and delightful ease. If there was a blemish, n was only in his lovemaking, which seemed rather austere. But he was the life and soul of the play, and scored points right along the line. Miss May Chevalier was altogether charming as Lady Mary, and Miss Olga Beatty-Kingston made an attractive Lady Caroline. Mr. Edmund Gwenn was capital in make-up, action, and speech, as the Earl of Loam, and Miss Sune Vaughan as the inquisitive Lady Bucklehurst, Mr. Hamilton Stewart as the feather-brained and conceited Hon. Ernest Woolley, and Mr. Paul Scardon as the rather silly young Lord Brocklehurst, all appeared to advantage. In fact, the cast was strong all through, and the acting first-class. And the piece was mounted both realistically and handsomely * * * Williamsons Royal Comics open their New Zealand tour at Dunedin on Easter Saturday, in "The Country Girl," which will be succeeded in due course by "My Lady Molly," and Alfred Hill's opera of "Tapu." Active rehearsal is now going on for this last work. Wi Duncan, of Hawke's Bay, has sent across two Maori maidens (the Panapa sisters) to coach the ballet in the. poi dance, and burly "Wee Duncan." will follow himself later on to work up the haka. Also, Williamsons new baritone —imported from the Carl Rosa Opera Company — will be on the job.

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'•The Light that Failed" hasn't failed to keep up the record of full houses since the Opera House season opened. It was staged on Tuesday morht, and made a very good impression. mis is largely due to the fine acting of Cuyler Hastings, who, for the first time appeared in the role of the intense lover. Kipling's short story is expanded into a prologue and three acts. The prologue might just as well be dropped tor all the dramatic interest it possesses. * * * Cuvler really gets to work and the plot— such as it is— opens when the prologue is over. As Pick Heldar, an artist, he is head over heels in love with Maisie, also an artist, who is more ambitious than love-sick. .She prates about her art, while he tries to touch her heart. She meets his advances by challenging him to match her in, painting a picture of "Melancholia.' And he reckons that one of them has got to be broken before there is happiness tor either. That prediction is the key ot the story. * * * Heldar works at his picture, and produces a masterpiece under conditions which destroy his eye-sight. Mis "model," in a fit of revenge, utterly ruins the picture unknown to the artist. When he learns the news at last in his blindness, it is the finishing stroke that completely breaks him up. Meanwhile, Maisie has not won the fame she thirsted for. News of Dick's blindness awakes her stifled love, and she flies to him. and begs to be allowed to share his life. But he proudly refuses to accept any sacrifice from living man or woman. However, love conquers in the end. # The play is strongly flavoured with the Bohemianism of which Kipling like Dv Maurier, loves to write. Soldiers, war correspondents, artists, artists models and a few domestics are the persons of the drama. Mr. Hastings' impersonation of Dick Heldar is masterly, but must be very trvmg. He is 011 the stage nearly the whole time, and it is a part that calls for continuous acting of the emotional order. It is also a piece that without clever acting on the part of the leading man might easily fall flat. But the interest is kept screwed up to full concert pitch the whole time. * * * Miss May Chevalier gave a bright and highly effective portraiture of the part of Maisie, and Miss Beatty-Kingston made the "Red-haired Girl" who loved Heldar so unselfishly a very loveable personage. The pity is that the dramatist only leaves it to be inferred there may be some happiness in store for her. . Miss Florence Gleeson made a palpable "hi£" in the role of the very slangy and 'Arrietish artists' model. Mr. H. Hamilton Stewart, whose manner and speech recal the gifted Titheradge, sustained the role of Torpenhow, the war correspondent, with marked ability and Mr Edmund Gwenn was really capital as Beeton, the housekeeper of the bachelors' hall. Miss Julia Merton also scored tn - ne '" Mrs. Haynes, a charwoman. Don t miss "The Light that Failed." * * * Mr. Webb, touring manager for Dampier's Dramatic Company, has arrived, and is busy with arrangements for the advent of his principals, who open at the Opera House on Monday week. Mr. Alfred Dampier is a popular Australian actor, and Miss Lily Dampier, his daughter, is a clever and graceful actress. The repertoire embraces "The Bush King," "The Merchant of Venice," "The New East Lynne," and "Robbery Under Arms.' * * * Montgomery's Entertainers have been attracting very satisfactory audiences to the Exchange Hall with their ■excellent show. The success of a moving-picture programme, of -course, •entirely depends upon the novelty of the subjects and the absence of "hitches. Nearly all the subjects are quite new, and are shown with clearness and steadiness. A splendid series of films illustrating a seven minutes' train ride in Switzerland is a great attraction. The pictures showing Lord Kitcheners arrival and reception at Southampton, on his return from Africa, is so good one can almost see his glass eye * * • The set of films illustrating a burning building, galloping fire engines, rescues, and so on is admirable, and a young man in the front seat was only debarred from shaking the hand of a rescuing fireman by the fact that he disappeared for ever. Mr. Edmund Montgomery s illustrated ballads, as a temporary relief to the glare of the moving pictures, are welcome. The singer has a sympathetic voice, and the coloured lantern pictures used to illustrate the ballads are excellent specimens. Mr. Bob Hall's humorous sketches are a pleasant feature, and Miss Ettie Hartmod'sr soprano vocalism helps the show along. The youthful Miss Eva Brady is a young balladist with power to please.

The company exhibits some excellent comic films, and altogethei give a bright, tuneful, and novel entertainment. „. * * * The theatrical event of the coming week from an amateur's point of view, will be the Dramatic Students' performances in the Sydney-stieet Schoolroom, on Monday and Tuesday, in aid or the funds of St. Mary's Guild The opening piece will be Jerome's "Fennel, described as a romantic play with the picturesque dress of the 18th century It was very highly spoken of by all the leading critics. Coupled with this piece is "My Lord in Livery, a comedy of the farc.cal type. * * * On Tuesday the bill is "Marble Arch," The Man in the Street," and "Duchess of BayswateT." The revival of the last-named should be sufficient to pack the house on that evening, as three years ago, when the Students essayed this farce, at the Maoriland Bazaar, it was described by those who witnessed the performance as being one of the best efforts of this talented band of amateurs. The box plan is now open at the Dresden. * * * Herr Weigand, formerly organist at the Sydney Town Hall, has been engaged for the opening of the St. Louis Exhibition. * * * Irene Franklin ("Keep Dem Golden Gates Wide Open") was at U.e Orpheum Theatre, Denver, Colorado, when the mail left. * * * Adehna Patti, on her late tour in America, insured her voice for the trip for £10,000. If she could not sing at any one concert, she was to receive £1000. * * * Dora Rignold's last appearance was as Romeo in the balcony scene of Shakespeare's play. The "Critic" says . — "Miss Rignold is at least slim and well shouldered, and can swagger with something the air of a cavalier, and yet she was no more Romeo than the average plump chorus girl is masculine because she puts on tights." * * * All Sydney just now is flocking to Her Majesty's, to see Mr. Beerbohm Tree's Company in Hall Caine's "Eternal City," with musical accompaniment by Mascagni. The music — discoursed by a fine orchestra under Alf Hill — consists of a prelude, four interludes, and a serenade sung by a fisherman and his companions as the-- float down the Tiber. Its words are . — ' Oh, how long will you love me, my lady?" -1 will love thee, my lord, While the stars m the skies are above me ; For to live is to live but to love thee. My love, I will follow thee In joy, in pain, in poverty, In weal or woe, on land or sea, Through Love's Eternity."