DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 254, 13 May 1905, Page 14

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL

By Footlight.

PRETTY Peggy " which was staged at the Opera Bouse for the first time on Saturday night , is a picturesque play. And Mr. Geo. Musgrave, with characteristic enterprise, has spared no expense to mount it in a style that shall exhibit the spectacle to the highest advantage. But the plot, such as it us, is flimsy in texture—rather shoddy stuff, in fact— <and the dialogue doesn't make amends by its wit, point, or brilliancy. * * * The inspiration for the piece seems to have been taken from "Sweet Nell of Old Drury," with which it will not rank in quality, and it is certainly much inferior to the well-known comedy of "Masks and Faces," n which Peg Woffington is introduced with telhng effect as the leading character. Still, "Pretty Peggy" — the playful name which David Garriok applied to Peg Woffington — is by no means a dull play. The capital business it has don© this week at the Opera House sufficiently attests that. Perhaps, the lighter vein m which it is wrought out and! the opportunity at affords Muss Nellie Stewart to apnear in light comedy are the principal factors in that result. • * # The central idea is the love story of Peg Woffington and David Grarriek. It is a vi& idealised, of course, and! David ceo-taomly doesn't cant a very heroic figure in it. The lover who does engage the sympathies of the audience because of his honour and constancy is Sir Charles Hanbury, whose suit is rejected. There is plenty of life, colour, and business in the various situations. The play opens at rehearsal at a Dublin circus, and Peg appears as a lighthearted, merry Irish colleen, ridinig in upon ai donkey. In the subsequent acts she has arrived at the (height of her fame as a London actress. The last act closes with her death on the stage at Covenit Garden after breaking down in the epilogue to "As You Like It." There is no lack of historical allusion and detail, culled from Woffington's and Gf-arrick's own lives. What one misses is a coherent purposeful plot. * * * Miss Nellie Stewart is mainly leepousible for "Pretty Peggy's" success. She merges herself in the name part, and gives it all the 'force of which it is capable. It is Nell Gwynne with a, rich Irish brogue. Pec Woffington was accounted the best-dressed woman of her day and generation, and Miss Stewart does fuM justice to the fact. Her gowns and costumes have elicited miany feminine "Ohs!" and "Ahs!" pitched in every key of the scale cf surprise and admiration. In this lespeot the birthday supper scene is very interesting. Ladles and gallants, actresses and old beaux, in all the bravery of rich brocade, silks, satins, Meohhn lace, featheis, periwigs, small swords, and French red' heels enjoying a beefsteak grilled by Peg herself, and toasting her in bumpers. # * # From the purely histrionac point of view, the strongest situation is that in which Peg, in a stormy interview, breaks off her engagement with Garriok, and shows her resentment at his infidelity by smashing a candelabrum over his arm. Her passage Hat-arms with the old Earl of Chalmondoley again showed off to great advantage Miss Stewarts talents as a comedienne. ♦ * * Mr. Harcourt Beatty gave a good portraiture of David Garrick, but was certainly not as much at his ease with it as in Charles H. or Karl Heinrioh. Mm Maesmore Morris made a dashing and handsome Mrs. Bellamy, and left no point unscored. Miss Singleton's Mrs. Woffington mere was rather overdone. Miss Willard took the part of Peg's sister very nicely, and Miss Nanny Bennett was satisfying as Eva Sorrell, Peg's rival for the love of the fickle Garrick. Mr. Malcolm Dunn presented a very worthy Sir Charles HanbuTy, and sang "The Low Backed Car" with good expression. Mr. Dudley Clinton was really capital as the old but amorous Earl of Cholmondelev and Mr. Lindsay as the Earl's son, and Mr. Harry Hill as stage-mana-ger John Rich were both effective. * * * Mr. Geo. Builler has arrived in advance of Mr. Harry Riokards's All-Star

Vaudeville Company, and 1 is busy making tihe necessary preparations for the opening of the reason at the Opeira House on Momdlay next. Barry Rickards' name is a sure guarantee of something exceptionally good', andl the tii ouroe that now comes to us under his auspices is said to be of thei very best. Li tact, it is about the strongest both individually and collectively that he has yet sent on tour. * • » It is headed by that prince of Ameriran humourists, Mr. Geotrge FuJJer GoJdem,, whose unconventional style and methods took London' by storm last year when he played for twelve months at the Palace Theatre of Novelties. He as very American in appearance, gebtuies, and 1 voice. His turn is a "shop" turn, so to speak, dealing exclusively with, things theatncail , but his "shoo" appeals* to everyone, however remotely interested in. the stag**. * # * Mr. Golden is ably supported firstly by the Sisters CVMeers, two graceful and charming young performers on the aeria] wire, "Olivette," a lady mdndreader and lightning calculator, of English repute ; _ Mdlle. "Yasiho," whose songs 1 with pictorial accompaniment, are a great "hit" • Mr. Fred Millis the highly-successful ventriloouist. * * * The "Salambos," in their weard electric "business," holding arc lights 1 in their hands 1 , and passing Marconi messages visually through their bodies, are a host in themselves. Them there are the "Les Fraeettis," musicians of a very high order, whose duets, eito., on harp, 'cello, violin, and xylophones are-

highly spoken of. "Histomcus," a clever nute ot eight years, is a regular encyclopaedia ot dates and events. Comedy to supplied' by Mr. Tom Dawson, and conjuring by Mr. Emil Lazem. Needless to say the programme sparkles with variety. The box plan us now open at the Dresden. « • ■» The new Gaiety programme filled the Theatre Royal to the doors on Saturday naght, and has been drawing strongly since. Encores have beeni the order of the night, and) every "turn' has had to contribute 1 it® quota. The iipw oho, "On t!he Boullevards," is highly diverting:, and Miss Hame Alexander raises quite a tempest of applause with that fascinating son?. "A May Morning." The- Bicknells are fililuig an aching void in the public heart with their whirlwind dances, and three recals is the least penalty at which they are released for the nierht. Little Eileen Boyd is singing and dancing just as prettily as ever, and she never escape^ under a double encore. * * * Harry Shine is stiU raising shrieks laughter with his patter, his gags 1 , and local allusions, and his wonderful makes-up. "Our Empire," as ai tableau, is first-class, and strikes hard on the chord of patriotism in every colonial breast. R. Lloyd, George Warsaw, and, H. Carletou all assist as of yore to keep tihe old ark a moverin'. And, oh yes, the English biograph — you ought really to see the new films if you haven't been there already. Admiral Rozhdestvenskv (whom we take on trust') on his battleship, the attack on Port Arthur, an arrest of smugglers

on the English coast, incidents of the King's recent visit to Ireland, and a lively assortment of comic views. * * * On Thursday night tihe comedietta of "Fast Friends" was to be withdrawn, and' in its place Dante the juggler was to make his debut, and give an exhibition of sleight of hand and stage conjuring. He is a brother of Dante toe Great, who died' in Australia several years ago, and is a worthy successor to that ■remarkably clever and versatile performer. Dante is said to be worth goang a long distance to see. * * * Fuller's Entertainers are going very strong at His Majesty's, an<J Ben's face wears a perennial smile as he sees the dollars roiling in and the house quite full. As usual, you get generous value for your money — a little of something for everybody, and certainly enough fun to keep you chuckling till the middle of next week. Vantell is still swmgana; himself athwart, under, and over the horizontal bar, and showing the marvellous elasticity of the human form. OarJyon andi Marschel have sent several people into fits with their screaming sketch, "Dutch Courage." Along with several other artists of tihe present company they are doing their farewell nights, and the Diamond diuo and the Rextons take their place tomorrow (Saturday). * * * Sam La Mert has been putting up the encore lecord with his whistling exploits. Five encores each nagiit straight an end' is so regular an event that it is taken now as mere matter of course. Will Silvam is stadl boomr , ing in the reaim of comic minstrelsy. Miss Lavinia Tyson continues to make her ballads and illustrated! songs bright features of the programme, andl although she has been giving fresh gems from her repertoire, tie house in full chorus yells nightly for "Goodl-bye, Little Girl, Good-bye," in which it joins with such stunning effect that Ben Fuller keeps his eye on the roof lest it should suddenly pop off. * * # Delano is still displaying his tattooed form and showing the juggling tricks he learnt in Mexico and Wales, while Hedley, the musical moke, is making more music than ever. Miss 1 Brandon's cornet solos are very fetohinig, andl Mr. Lear is spreading himself in assorted mimicry and songs. In the volatile line of singing and dancing the Madell Sisters, as well as Misses Calcutt and Lyndon, are displaying neat ankles in graceful measures, besides lifting up their voices in serio-comrio songs. Altogether, a very filling programme. (Continued on page 18.)