AMUSEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 244, 21 February 1911, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

"THE DOLLAR PRINCESS." "The Dollar Princess" musical play, , superbly done by a J. C. Williamson company, containing an unusual number of people of outstanding ability drew a splendid audience to the Theatre Royal. , Any excuse is good enough for a musical play, and in the delight of listening to a clever melange of catchy music, witty dialogue, and powerful and perfectly balanced choruses, the auditor for- . gets that coherence of story is not essential to success. At any Tate there is a defined purpose in the "Dollar Princess," . which is to create wholesome fun, to , send the audience away humming haunt- , 1 ing melodies and with memories of a bunch of charming and talented players.. Miss Olive Goodwin captured New Zealand several years ago, and has climbed! to her present eminence by the force of, her talent, her industry, her vocalism, ' and her charming stage presence. Last night as the "Princess" who consented to be secretary to her opulent father and who insisted on marrying an aristocratic servant in his employ, she charmed with her vivacity. Her singing numbers went' big. There was "a self-made maiden," full of piquancy, and with little musical tricks, quaintly decorating it. With Herbert Clayton she did the duet, "Inspection" with artless artistry, and infused dash and insouciance. Then again there was the delightful "Typewriting", duet, sung to the tap of the machine,' and quite enchanting in its appeal. Miss ■ Lottie Sargent is an artiste who walked • easily into the good graces of New Zealanders quite a while ago, and if one may pick and choose among so f many • charming musical numbers, one would ; like to admire "Ring-a-Roses" the most. ■ The titled groom of the multi-million-i| aire, in the hands of Frank Green, spark-. • led brightly, and Mr. Greene owns a' , voice which is most tuneful, a manner. unexceptionable, and an appearance that. ; 1 carries both with effect. Mr. Herbert; 1 Clayton sings well, looks well, and acts ] . wel'l. Bert Gilbert is still Bert Gilbert,; - and he seems funniest when he is saying least. He is an actor comedian whoj ■ knows the exact moment to loose his by- • ■ play on the public. He was a multi-j ■ millionaire who kept folk in hilarious 1 • mood. Little Willie Percy ambled on and said nothing much for a moment,! . and everybody laughed and said "Percy!" He was safe. He is odd and original, a > manufacturer of gag, a person who - makes his fellow artistes chuckle. He > can dance more deliriously than ever, 1 and his "business" simply radiates from [ his small self. Let it be known that 5 all the servants of the multi-millionaire > are persons of title, and that the builder of the musical fiat has combined a most dramatic finale to Act 111., when the aristocratic groom, who is dying to marry the Dollar Princess, sings his scorn, and save he won't, much to the inspiration of the splendid chorus, which joyously carols in support. Miss Alice Mitchell, as Olga Labinski, a Russian ' lady who poses as a countess, is really r a lion-tamer, but who is incidentally tryJ ing to tame a multi-millionaire, plays strongly, and certainly sings "Hopeless the State of Me" with fine effect. She; ' is pleasing in her stage manner, and] * there is no doubt about the allurement , of her love-making, which is a stage art not always understood. One is glad to] [see Charlies Albert again, wholly disI guised as an aristocratic footman, and 3 to note the long string of names of folks one knows to be artistes of a hijrh order. The "Dollar Princess" is rich 'in choruses, and the people of the chorus are wonderfully efficient. The ballets—--5 well, they are J.C.W. ballets—and that * is praise enough. The "Dollar Princess" * is dressed beautifully, is kaleidoscopic 3 in coloring movement, and smart from ' curtain to curtain. It will go far, but j one wishes it wouldn't go any farther * for a night or two. It is worth laughing 1 at again. \ BrOORAPH PICTURES. ' To-night at the Theatre Koyal the 1 Biograph Pictures will repeat that splen-, ' did programme which so thoroughly de-; lighted Saturday night's audience. There 1 are some sensational dramas, remarkable alike for the excellence of the plot! and acting, the splendid photography and particularly vivid reproduction on the screen. Scenic films are numerous, ' and the scenery pictured is excellent and varied. Some of the films illustrate various industries, and are quite an education. The humorous films arc genuine side-splitters. The programme, which is. ! published in extenso in another part ofl j'lhis issue, will be screened to-night and/ to-morrow night.