WILLIAMSON OPERA COMPANY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10139, 17 January 1911, Page 5

WILLIAMSON OPERA COMPANY.

"THE DOLLAR PRINC2SS,'? I ;> The great hold that comic opera has upon the pleasure-loving public of Masterton, and the exceeding popularity of the. firm which is responsible for its production, was demonstrated in a marked manner last evening, when the Town Hall was packed almost to suffocation to greet the Williamson Comic Opera Company, and to pay its respectful homage to "The Dollar Princess." To say that the greai audience was enchanted with the piece is to express in terms of moderation the effect' created by the delightful music, the vivacious acting, ,the superb scenery, the gorgeouc mountings, and the. brilliant ensemble. Words are but poor, helpless indicators of the superlatives of mirth. Adjectives fail to convey an adequate conception of the beauties of symmetry, the poetry of motion and the actualities of stage creation .which are evolved in the production of this simple, almost ludicrous skit on the foibles and fancies of the New York multi-millionaire. Briefly, the cir-. eumstances of the musical contrivance arise in New York, where a millionaire named Harry Qi., Cornier (Mr Victor Prince) engages certain' impecunious English noblemen as servants. He is a widower himself, but has a daughter Alice (Miss Olive Godwin), and a niece (Miss Lottie Sargent.) His servants all bear titles, the butler being a duke, the groom an earl, the footman a baronet, and &o on. The relations between, the master and'■ household are peculiar, to say the least. By a concatenation of circumstances, a. familiarity arises between the master, mis-tresses,;and .•■: members ■ of - the Tiousehold; which cuiminatas,/as in-, cidents.of the kind generally do, in an all-round tragedy of love. A housekeeper .of, insinuating manner is introduced in the person of a Lion Queen, who impersonates a Russian Countess, and soon succeeds •in captivating the affections of the millionaire, and sundry others of the household. A climax is eventually reached, when everybody marries everybody, in a very proper and- orthodox manner, and the combination of dollars and affection blends with a harmony which is almost unique, ""he presentation of the various incidents in the" remarkable escapade affords opportunity for graceful acting, charming musical numbers, and exquisite dancing. The acting and singing of Miss Olive Godwin, the millionaire's daughter, was graceful and refined, while that of Miss Florence Young (the Countess) was superb! ThVvivacity of Daisy -(Miss Lottie Sargent) was genuinely appredated, and her dancing was divine. Among the many charming songs, duets and quartettes rendered, possibly the most attractive were i "Chewska," "Foodlish Questions," "Hopeless the State of Me," and "Inspection." The quartette, "Dol'ar Princess," by Misses Olive Godwin and Sargent, and Messrs Clayton and Greene, quite captivated the audience. The comedian of the piece was the omnipresent and irrepressible Mr W. S. Percy, who was irresistible in -his grotesque movements and methods. The chorus was par-* ticularly strong, and the orchestra (under the direction of Mr Fritz Hart) rendered the accompaniments and incidentals in finished style. "The Dollar Princess"- has -caught jjilJe affections of Masterton, and will | long be remembered by those who had the pleasure of; witnessing it.