Dramatic And Musical

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 217, 27 August 1904, Page 16

Dramatic And Musical

By Footlight.

MB. Wdtkm Mills made his debut at the Opera House on Wednesday night, and won the suffrages of a full audience. His performance in oratorio, singing the part of Elijah in Mendels&ohn's magnum opus, with the Wellington Musical Union (under the baton of Mr. Robt. Parker) as his coworkers, stamped him as the finest bass who has appealed in the colony since the days of Santley and Foil. It was a great achievement to land from the Sydney steamer at 6.45 p.m., and an hour and a-quarter later to be cooperating with a strange musical organisation in an artistic undertaking demanding the nicest treatment. Such conditions don't make for complete success. Mr. Mills, however, seemed perfectly at his ease. In fact, perfect ease, smoothness, and strength held in reserve ai c the first things you note about his voice production. Then, the quality is even, limpid, rich, and resonant. It is a singularly clear and flexible organ. Every syllable is enunciated with bell-like distinctness. The phrasing is that of the cultured artist, and the intonation is full, round, and sonorous. In only one point was the English basso deficient. There was lacking, or was not present in adequate force, that indefinable something — call it colour, temperament, soul, passion, what you will — that thrills you with emotion and lifts you right out of the critical mood. # # ♦ It may be that the singer was too fresh from his voyage. Bat, with all his splendid voice and artistic culture, he left you — well, not deeply touched. Perhaps there may be a different tale to tell when he adjusts his batteries, and lets himself go. His finest efforts on Wednesday — and they were certainly very fine indeed — were "Is not. His Word," "ft is Enough," and tthe impressive invocati6n "Lord God of Abraham." They were worth going a few day^' jouiney to hear. • * * Miss Phoebe Parsons was the bjest of the soloists associated with the great bass. She sang the Widow's part with excellent taste, and just expression. It was at capital performance. Miss O'Donovan (contralto) and the Rev. S. J. Handover, curate of St. Peter's, who took the tenor solos, have both sweet voices, but they aire rather on the light side. Miss O'Donovan was heard to much advantage in "O Rest in the Lord," and Mr. Handover well earned a meed of praise by his rendering of the beautiful air, "Then Shall the Righteous." • • • Mr.' Robert Parker (conductor) is to be highly complimented on the high standard of efficiency to which he has brought the Wellington Musical Union in so short a tdme. The> chorus work was remarkably good — a splendid body of tone, the attacks crisp and clear, the parts well balanced and sustained, and both time and expression well treated. The chorus embraced about 250 voices. The orchestra also acquitted itself admirably, and Mr. Leon Cohen deserves special mention for his sympathetic 'cello obligate to "It is Enough," which, however, was started a bar too soon. * * * Mr. Mills was to give concert pieces on Thursday night, and on Friday he will appear with the Musical Union in "The Messiah."^ No lover of music should miss it. * * * The slight, timid-looking Professor Parker, Handcuff King and Master of Locks, Bolts, and Bars, is Fuller's first attraction at His Majesty's just now. It would be well, if one wanted to im_ Srison Mr. Parker, to stop up the keyole. One man in the audience believed he could pinion the youth first time, and 1 handcuffed him with police darbies by putting the wriggler's left arm over bis shoulder, and 1 his right arm across the small of his back. Mr. Parker was free in less time than it took to imprison him. He doesn't look strong enough to carry 3001bs of chains, and he didn't carry them long. He wriggled out of them like a worm. It is a "dumb" show except for the gaol-like rattle of chains and manacles, "figure-eights" and locks falling in heaps around the performer.

The Swifts are doing that pleasant little playlet, "Counsel's Opinion," given heie last by the Hawtrey Company. Miss Doiothy Swift, a&> the small boy who wins the stem Sir John Bendmell back to an appreciation of his mother (Sir John's daughter), is chaimangly ingenuous, and the cameo comedy is nicely acted throughout by the trio. * * * Denis Carney, the Yorkshire humourist with the Irish name, is, perhaps, one of the best draws Fuller's have. His stilt dance and his songs, notably "BomBom Zim Zim," penalise him severely m encores. Denis has not leairnt to be funny He was born that way. Mr. Fiank King has a baritone voice of good quality. "When the Fields are White with Cotton" is an excellent effort. * « •• Then, theie is the indispensable coon song, by Miss Kitty Lenton, moie cooi, business by the McAuley Sisters, and the "Legmamaosities" of Miss May Dagmar, all sound investments warranted white throughout. Victoi is still lending his voice to several wooden people, and the large number of comic songsters are as ever treating the palpitating air to their vocal efforts. There is absolutely no farce. Did I hear a faint oheer? * * # The cake-walk boom at Dixs is dTawmg like a porous plaster. Went along on Saturday night to sample it Found the cake good. So does Les Wart on, who supplies the fun, and gets an ay with the cake a bit at a time. There were twenty amateur couplesi in the display, headed by expert Alf Fielding and the champion luveniile cakewalkeis. There is a competition between two couples each night, and the cake is taken by the couple who poll most votes. Each of the audience is given a perforated ticket, and, fus he leaves the theatre, he hands his opinion to the usher. Out of 700 tickets issued on Monday night, over 600 were handed in. at the "polling booth." You ought to slip along befoie the boom bursts. * * * "Freddy" Graham and Miss Nellie Dent still shine brightly in then charming dialogues. Fred's excellent dumb show, in which he pourtrays the actions of hope, joy, love, despair, pricked fingers, and the rose-blush complexion of a lady about to go to a party, is quite good l enough to be true. Miss. Dent is one of those rarities, a true comedienne — than which there is no greater praise to be bestowed on a vaudeville artiste. Les Warton really coon sings foir money, but gives one the impression that he's doing it for sheer love of the audience There are better coom singei s than he* is who don't please an audience half so well * * * Little Fanny Power's imitation of vaudeville stars, and in her vocail efforts, has pleased everybody for some weeks past, and Mr. Jay Winton., the ventriloquist, is still deserving of the mention I gave him last week. Mezzo Isopia,noMiss Hilda Lane's singing is one of the best things in the programme, and the comedy sketchists, Wilson and Leigh, contrive to infuse something special into that popular style of entertaining, Louie Perfect -is happily still on. the bill, and — silence, plea.se ! — there is no farce ! * ♦ * The receipt of a dainty little packet containing a piece of wedding-cake, coupled with the fact that Mr. Harold Ashtori is rushing about town with a matrimonial look on hi® ingenuous featuies, warns us that "The Marriage of Kitty" is about to eventuate at the Opera House. Since the play staited on a conquering career in Australia, Kitty has been in the habit of sending out the cake m advance of the wedding, and no wedding ever before excited such prolonged inteiest, and had so frequently to be repeated m order to satisfy popular demands. The local celebration staits at the Opera House to-morrow (Saturday) night, and promises to be one of the events of the season. Don't miss it. * » T» Amongist the prominent members of the smart company may be mentioned • Mr. Wilfred Diayoott, Miss Florence Hamer, Mr. Fred. W. Permam, Miss Florence Le Clercq, and Mr. Athol Forde, all from the principal English) theatres, whilst play-goers will also be pleased 1 to note the inclusion of MissRose Musgroye, the clever young Australian comedienne, in the cast. * * * The Imperial Biograph, at the Opera House, for the last three nights of last week, was a great success and Mr. Cooper's return will be eagerly, looked forward to. The matinee on Saturday afternoon drew the youngsters of Wellington with the power of a BritishNew Zealand football match. And, by the same token, the films illustrative of stirring episodes in the aforesaid big football match could hardly be improved upon. They were so lifeJike that anyone who had seen the match might well have imagined he was still viewing

it. The scenes, too, fiom "Uncle Tom's Cabin" weie remarkably well pouitrayed. * * ■* Mr. Sheldon, who vanes the pictorial exhibition at intervals with songs, aaid also with a display of ventriloquism, is very good botii a^ a singei and ai ventriloquist, and his contributions were received with every maik of appreciation. I understand that Mr. Coopei has ordered a set of the latest' films descriptive of the Russo-Japanese war, and expects to receive them shortly. A treat may therefoie be anticipated when he looks in this way again * * * Wellington's Rink is still the biggest kind of a success. Few people know that the constant whirling cute the floor up very considerably, and that carpenters are engaged eveiy morning in iepaai s. The whole floor has practically been relaad several times since the boom started, and at present is in better order than ever before. There are but few "incidents" now. Seemingly the whole of the people of Wellington aie 1 now expert linkers.

(Continued on page 18.)

Glad to note that the Broughs didn't leave their bones in Africa. They arrived 1 in England soundi and whole. » • * Gisborne has a new theatre, capable of seating a thousand people, and. having very fine stage accommodation. M©l. B. Spurr gave the opening entertainment last week. * • * Said that George Stephens© n spent £1200 on the production of "The Rose of the Riviera," and has made an outlay of £1050 on "The Dandy Doctor," an.] £980 on "The Skirt Dancei ." * * * Paderewski is so open-handed that he is frequently the victim of unscrupulous beggars. His people have to exercise the greatest vigilance to prevent him from impoverishing himself. * • * Stated that the late Wilson Barrett was handicapped with a manageria 1 debt of £20,000 until the phenomenal success of "The Sign of the Cross" put him finally on his financial feet It wasn't so very long ago either. * * * "The Skut Dancer," the most recent addition to George Stephenson's Musical Comedy Company's repertory, is costing tlhe young New Zealand manager something to. produce, the lowest tender for the dresses alone being £365 * » * Harry Rickards was the first in the field to give a "charity performance" for the widows and. orphans of the men " lost in the Nemesis. It happened! on the 15th, and the American Travesty "stars" hlelped the show along, and raised much cash. * * * The original little Lord Fauntleroy i«« now a newspaper reporter. He js Lionel, the eldest son of Mrs. France* Hodgson Burnett, the authoress of the famous book. A member of the staff of a Washington paper, hlei has made his appearance in the press gallery of the Senate. * * * Regret will be felt in thieatrical circles at the sudden death of Miss Julia Merton, who passed away the other day. Miss Merton made her name in Bland Holt's production of the "New Babylon," when she played the dipsomaniac, "I was- a' fine lady once." Latterly. she has beem playing with the Cuyler Hastings Company, her last part being the very stout old lodging-house keeper in "The Light That Failed." She will also be remembered as the old negresa in "Secret Service."

"Warp and' Woof," the Hon. Mis. Alfred LytteJton's anti-sweating play, has done suoh good business at the London subuiban theatre, at which it wa& originally produced, ,that it is to be put on at the Vaudeville. * * * Miss Ada Crossley ihas sent copies of "The Gentleman's Journal" to many friends in New Zealand. The numbei contains an interview, and a finie photograph, of the great singer. The same number also contains an appreciative notice and a photograph of Wellington's Mr. John Prouse. * ♦ * George Robey, the famous corned an, who is stated' to be. earning £120 a week at the music halls, was last month before the City of London Court for the non-payment of £4 — a wine bill — and was ordeied twelve days gaol, m default of payment within two months He "wouldn't be bothered with such a trifle," absented himself, and defied the court. * * * The Howard Bros., whose contract with Wirth Bros. Ciicus terminates in a few weeks, intend afterwards, to travel Australia with an entertainment of thear own, entitled "Silent Thought." The merit of the performance will be that the brother in the audience will only handle the articles, and the blindfolded Howard will describe them correctly, without any inquiries or questions. The business arrangements will be in the bands of Mr. Ersldne Scott.