AMUSEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 128, 8 September 1910, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

"THE BRASS BOTTLE." By all accounts 'The Brass Bottle/ to be presented by Mr. J. C. Williamson's ljcw Egglish Comedy Company on Monday next at the Theatre Royal' is as full of fun and variety as a panto- ( mime. It recalls in its plot and workings a chapter from "The Arabian 1 Nights Entertainment," and is every whit as sensational, while it is also full of ludicrrous situations. The fun of "The Brass Bottle" hinges on the experience of a young English architect, who releases a Djinn or genie who has been imprisoned for 3000 years. The architect, Horace Ventimore, at a sale of old curiosities buys a queer-looking brass ibottle. With the removal of the sealed stopper out steps a genie, who ' has been bottled up since the days of King Solomon. The genie is immensely grateful, and showers on his releaser benefits which prove most embarrasing. A caravan of camels stops a,t the door of the London house, and slaves bring in dozens of bales containing jewels oi fabulous size. At Horace's.- request these are removed, but the genie, not to be balked, sends the young architect to a rich client, Samuel WUckerbath, who gives him an order for a magnificent country maftsion. But this is a mere nothing to the misguided generosity which follows. Horace's simple apartment is suddenly chasged into a gorgeous Moorish, hall; and when lis sweetheart, Sylvia Futvoys, and his future father and mother-in-law come to dinner, they are served by slaves with an Oriental repast. But the climax of Horace's dismay comes with the dance of Hourig which follows the sweety meats, when the most beautiful of the dangers throws herself at hist leet, clasps his kn&es and hails hifli as her lord and master. Mr. Futvoys, who is a professor and understands Arabic, puts the worst construction en tlie Incident, and even Sylvia ¥ a « hardly believe that Horace Is Irue to her, TJie genie's generosity insults in endangering his, protege's engagement, and in giving an opportunity to another of. Sylvia's admirers, a priggish young man named Pringle. But the genie still further embarrasses the architect. He brings Wakerhath to Horace's office, Pfld Oh slight offence turns hi'm into 1 a dog atld makes him run about on all fours; and when /Professor Futvoys refuses "to restore the seal which was on the bottle, the genie foitns him into a mule. It is said to foe highly, amusing, when the scientist in the actual shape of the animal speaks with the voice of the professor, and is heard kicking the furniture of his study to pieces h his anger. Appealed to by Pringle, the genie realease Mr. Futvoys from his quadru: ped form, and flies away through the ; air, bearing Horace to his home. There the genie, terrified by the signs of progress Which he sees in London, resolves to return to his bottle. Thus when, Horace Ventimore, again in the good grace# of Svlvia ' Futvoys, makes tne of a dinner-party at the Savoy Hotel,, in the last act. he is happy in knowing that the brass bottle with the genie inside. is at the bottom of the Tharties. The company, which is an exceptionextensive one for this class of entertainment, numbers over 50 people, including a, corps of Royal Balancers. The contingent registers some of the names best known in the United Kingdom in farcical comedv productins. The box plan opens this moraine; at Collier's. ' ,