Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 196, 2 April 1904, Page 14

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight.

THE Fuller menu, at His Majesty's, has been augmented with many new and palatable novelties, and the appetite of tL audience is assuaged from sixpence upwards. Nimbleness and catchy vocalism are arts understood by the Tra--vena Sisters, heliotrope-clad artistes of some merit and a variety of special songs ami vocal sketches. Way up among th© new-comei s ranks pretty Miriam Mascotte. a balladist of soulful tendencies and a simple litle voice that has Ken earefullv nurtured. • • • The exuberant Fred Bluett is much penalised. His cheerful rendering of current comic song* and his expressive beauty, are a lasting charm. Then, of course, the hard-faced Dick Davis hasn t gone yet, and the metallic-voiced Joe Cowan, with the restless anatomy still fills his allotted portion' of the programme. The Bertoto children and Ida Berridge are always bright and winsome, and the stately Millie Olair is gcod to look on. And theie are others. Fuller's are giving a concert on Good Friday night, illustrated with coloured pictures. The concert will be called "Japan v. Russia." • • * It is said in Sydney that a lady who recently went on the stage there paid £200 for tne opening she received. • * • Little Gulliver, who is playing with {he Sheridan Company is looking for a wife. He is twenty-eight years old, and stands 3ft Bin in his socks. • • •* The "David Harum" play has proved a great draw in America. • * ♦ The well-known Greenwood Family, originally of New Zealand, have abandcned the drama and musical comedy, and are at present touring the New South Wales townships as a concert party. One of the country critics gushes thusly: — "It is to be regretted fu- the musical fame of Australia that the Misses Greenwood did not travel aLroad for the purpose of furthering their musical education, which, under Marohesi, would almost certainly have been the means of bringing out another Melba or Crossley in one of the young New Zealanders." • * * Mr. Pete Hughes had a bumper house for his benefit at Her Majesty's, Sydney, the other day. It was a mixed programme, on© of the leading draws being the balcony scene from "Romeo and Juliet," by Miss Jeffries and Mr. Julius Knight. Mr. Hughes goes to America by the next 'Frisco boat for a cruise after health. • » • Sir Charles Wyndham, the leading English light comedian, is to come out with his company under Mr. Williamsons auspices this year. He will be accompanied by Lady Wyndham and Miss Mary Moore, who supports him in his plays. He is likely to open with

his tiump card of "David Garrick." Other new pieces in his repertoire are "Rosemaiy" and "Little Mary." * -fr * The Mus.cal Comedy Company, with winch Fred. Graham is to open at Christohurch in Easter week, will include. Misses Celia Mavis, Nellie Dent, Maud Lite, Aggie Thorne Mr. J. C. Whitfield, and a chorus of twenty-two. Mr. Slapoffski will be musical director. * * * The new Gaiety Company expect to open at the Princess, Melbourne, in May, in Paul Rubens "Three Little Maids," with Mr. Huntley as chief comedian, and Miss, Maud Hobson, Misb Polly Emery, Miss Madge Crichton and Miss Maggie May as leading ladies. * • * Montgomery's Entertainers have been doing rattling business in the country districts, and are now advanced a® far as Wanganui, on their way North. Stiatfoid, Patea, Eltham, Inglewood, and Hawera will all be visited in turn. The members of the company are Zeno the juggler, Harry Hall, E. Montgomery, Ettie Hargood, Esther Norden, Ida. Esda'e, Fred Gibson, Mascott Sisters and Lawrence Redward, with P. Brad-p in front. * * * A new theatre is being built in Gisburne, and will be ready for opening about the beginning of August. * * ""■ The Hollow ay Dramatic Company ran "The Shadows "of a Great City," at the Opera House, from Thursday till Saturday last week. Business fair to indifferont. As Biddy Roonan, the waimhearted'lrish widow, Mr. J. P. O'Neill was the life and soul of the piece. He made up into a buxom widdy with a generous amplitude of bosom, and his manner and method showed that John P. had studied the sex to some purpose. In fact, Sheridan can eive O'Neill no pmnts in that line. And his brogue too was rich and unctuous. * * * Mr. Vivian Edwards, of course, had the hero role of Tom Cooper, sailor and lover, who passes through much tribulotion before he weds the heroine, whose part was prettily played by Miss Beatrice Hollowav. Mr. Godfrey Cass was the polished villain, and Mr. C. R. Standford his gaol-bird instrument. These and a Jewish "fence" work out the plot to the orthodox happy ending. It is an American story, and Sing Sing prison and Hell's Gate or. w rought into its texture. * # * On Monday night the- company turned on strong and lurid sensation in the four-act shocker, "For the Sake of a Woman." It starts with a vicarage and a wedding, and the villain gets to w ork on the church steps by denouncing the groom. There is another "scene" just after the wedding when a woman with a past comes into action, and her Cdst-oft husband interrupts the procession to demand satisfaction from the hapny man. * * * In fact, the hap~~ man has a very unhappy time of it for several acts. His wife leaves him till he can explain things, his bank smashes and there is an abduction. The third act plays itself out in a fashionable gambling resort, run by the woman with the past in conjunction with the aristocratic scoundrel who keeps the villainy going in f ull blast. There is a murder in this dv, T"t the climax is reached in an electricf laboratory, where the author of me t of the wickedness keeps a chamber r horrors for no obvious purpose except to furnish some striking effects m blue fire, etc., for the "gods." * * • There are a lot of wildly comical policemen in this play, a humorous Hebrew

(capitally played by Mr. J. P. O'Neill) to assist in any hanky-panky business that may be going on, and a love-sick groom (Harry Hodson). From a drar matic point of view, the most effective situation was the passage' between "Lady Clare" (Miss Ida Gresham) and Sir Harry Normanton (Mr. Vivian Edwards), in, which "the woman who did," with bitter invecth c, lashes the- society morality that shuts the eye on the man's misdoings and fiercely bans the woman. This was spir tedly declaimed by Miss Gresham. The murder scene (m which Mr. Stanford aid Miss Gresham were the principals) was also strongly pourtrayed. The season closes to-night (Thursday).

A. piece of string on my finger ! Now what can that be for ? Something I have to remember To fetch to-night from the store. My wife said she'd die without it,' Her cough she could never endure ; Her cough • Now I know what she's wanting, It's Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.