Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 192, 5 March 1904, Page 16

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight.

ALFRED Dampier and his dramatic company are still holding the mirror up to nature at the Opera House, and, although crowds are not benifl; turned away nightly, the ghost walks at the stated times with a confident stride. On Friday last week, Alfred invited the public (per newspaper advertisement) to come along and see his "reverential production" of Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice." I take his word about the reverence' he feels for the Divme William, and feel sure had the bard been in the dress circle on Friday rught he would have invited Shylock over to the Royal Oak for a 'tween-acts reviver. In other words, Mr. Dampier gave a very effective impersonation of the Jew of Venice. * * » It bore the impiess of intelligent study, and there was no playing to the gallery about it. Shylock did not rant or seek, to tear his passion to tatters. On the contrary, he was quiet and selfrestrained, but all the same there was no mistaking the implacable spirit which inspired him. His speeches were delivered with nice appreciation, of their meaning, and with well-balanced elocution. One detail, however, m this apt impersonation seemed rather odd. Shylock was pictured as stricken with sudden blindness after receiving judgment in the court, and groped Jus totterin rr way out. It looked rather unreal. * * * Miss Lily Dampier made a very passable Portia, but pronounced the celebrated speech about the quality of mercy more after the style of the pulpit than in the manner of the bar. The resources of the company did not admit of ducal furniture or princely housings and apparel, and therefore the play did not depend for success upon the outer trimmings and a feast of colour. But the audience seemed quite satisfied, and did not stint their applause. * * * "Robbery Under Arms" kent the show moving and a fair sprinkling of, humanity in the house for four nights' — Saturday till Wednesday inclusive. It was decently mounted with appropriate scenery, and yielded much satisfaction to the spectators, who followed the progress of the drama with a gusto which suggested that every man, woman, and child had read the novel, and was on intimate terms with the characters. Mr. Alfred Dampier x gave a sood exposition of the romantic part of Captain Starlight. Alfred Dampier, jun., contrived to invest the role of Warrigal,

the young blackfeJlou , with much liveliness and frolicsome humoui, and Mi. Gus Neville (a Wellington boy), as Inspector Goiing), <md Mi John Bruce as the Chief of Police, both gave ;i capital account of themselves. * * # Troopers OHara and Magmnis weie too strongly overdrawn The colonial Robert may be dunderheaded very often, but he isn't a simpleton. "For the Term of His Natural Life" was to go up on Thursday, Mane Corelli's "Vendetta" is ,billed for Friday, and the season ends on Saturday with a detective diama. * * * Mr. Charles Holloway's dramatic company, which has been winning golden opinions and piling up golden shekels in the North, opens at the Opera House on Monday nis;ht. The season is to extend over three weeks, amd the opening piece is "The Two Little Vagabonds," in which Miss Beatrice Holloway, a young and charming actress, who is rising fast in her profession, will play the boy part of Dick. Wally, the other and consumptive little vag., will be impersonated by Miss Sophie Lashmore. Mr. Holloway brings along with him a fine repertoire of striking plays, most of them entirely new on this side of the Tasman Sea. Such are "Why Woman, Sins," "For the Sake of a Woman," "Shadows of a Great City," and "The Assassin." That evergreen favourite, "The Shaughraun," will also be nrodueed. The company is strong in acting talent, and well equipped with stage material. In its front rank, besides those already named, are Mr. and Mrs. Holloway (Miss Alice Deorwyn), Miss Ida Gresham, Miss li'by Marshall, and Messrs. Vivian Edwards, John P. O'Neil, C. R Stanford, and Frank Hawthorne. A prosperous season may be anticipated. * * ♦ Wirth's Circus, about which we have heard so much lately, is now on its way from Auckland, and Mr. G. L. Peterson, the advance repiesentative, is busy with arrangements for the opening on Monday evening next. An excellent site has been obtained at the back of the Opera House, and there the largest circus tent m the colony will stretch itself for a short season. There is* a fine menagerie connected with the show embracing a fine pair of Boer wild beasts (the Boers pronounce it vilderbeests), seven tigers, six lions, four panthers, four leopards, two gnus, three audaho, six bears, hyenas, wolves, dingoes, eagles, ourang outangs, apes, baboons, gorillas, monkeys, elephants, camels etc., etc. Many of these animals are regular performers in the circus. * * * Amongst the artistes of the ring are the Howard Bros., whose wonderful exhibition of second sight and thoughtreading has bewildered the whole of the colonies. They have been engaged by the Wirth Bros, for another twelve months' tour at an enormous salary, said to be £120 per week ; perform or not. Herr Pagel, described as the strongest man on earth, and whose challenge Sandow refused to accept, does some remarkable lifts. He enters a lion's den and catches hold of a fullgrown lion, and lifts him over his head. Pagel also climbs a ladder with a horse

weighing 10501b fastened to his girdle. Finally, he places a huge plank across Ins chest, and an elephant, weighing 2 \ tons, walks across it. * * * Mons. Ragoul does some wonderful things with three Bengal tigers, in a large iron cage. The Cherokee Kid gives a display of lassooing skill. There aie also quite a number of other slaiuinc acts, and plenty of clowns, a football clog, the elephant and camels' jungle banquet, waited on by a baboon, t tc. Altogether, the show is full of novelties, and there is not a single dull moment in its programme. Young Wellington will simply go off its head w.th joy when it sees this circus. *■ * # Mr. George Dean, who, for the last four years, has been piominently identified with vaudeville in this colony, and has spent the best part of the time in Wellington, leaves for Australia shortly, accompanied by his wife, Miss Ethel Gwynne. Their friends (whose name is legion) have determined to mark their appreciation of their able services by a complimentary performance, which will take place at the Exchange Hall on Saturday evening next. The best professional and amateur talent has offered its services, and an excellent programme may be confidently anticipated. The price of admission has been fixed at two shillings for front seats and circle, and one shilling for second seats. Tickets can be obtained at Mr. Batkin's, tobacconist, Lambton Quay. * * * The Cuyler Hastings Company opens in Sydney for Easter. * * * Madame Belle Cole has gone on the variety stage, and is now touring Great Britain on the Barresford circuit. * * * Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brough have been engaged for a South African season. What has become of their comedy company ? * • * Mps Marie Lohr, the handsome daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Lohr (Miss Kate Bishop), recently appeared successfully in the "'Water Babies," at Brighton, England. * ¥■ * Watkin Mills, perhaps now England's greatest basso, will tour the colonies m comnany with M. E. Partoritz, a Polish pianist of prominence. He is engaged at a fee of 200 guineas to sing at the Cmcmatti Fp< tiyal in May. He leaves for Austral. a in June. # * •* The Gaiety Company which J. C. Williamson is bringing out from Home opens at the Melbourne Princess on the 14th May. The opening piece will be "Three Little Maids," to be followed by "The Girl from Kays," "Kitty Grey," and, if needed, "Madame Sherry." The company numbers just sixty. * * » Beerbohm Tree is to present the famous Japanese tragedy "The Darling of the Gods," at Sydney for the first time in Australia on Easter Saturday (2nd April) Maud Jeffries and Julius Knight are in the cast. An elaborate electric light apparatus, to be used for the remarkable lighting effects of the drama, is now on Its way from England for the production.

Mrs. Patrick Campbel] is said to be at last coming to Australia, via South Africa. * * ♦ If you are dying to hear Paderewski, perhaps it may help to keep you alive if I mention that the war has caused him to abandon his tour of Japan and China, and that he will reach Australia therefore in July. Someone was remarking the other day that it wouldn't be healthy for him to go ashore in Japan, as the Japs might blow him up as a Russian. However, he would be bound to let them know that his father, as a, patriots Pole, died in fightin- the Russians. ** • ' At Home they are busy hailing Dr. Elgar as the first Englishman fitted to wear the cloak of the great masters of oratorio. His latest work, "The Apostles," has raised quite a furore, and quite eclipses his other work, "The Dream of Gerontius." It is moulded on Wagner's most advanced lines, and the orchestration is spoken of as "a feast of colour, varying from the most gorgeous to the most sombre hues, having hardly a parallel in oratorio." And the "Musical Times" declares that "The Apostles" is likely to take its r>lace as the great oratorio of the present generation.