AMUSEMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2734, 12 February 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

AMUSEMENTS.

HIS MAJESTY’S.

LOCAL FIXTURES.

Pathe Pictures. —Nightly

February IG, 17. 18—Charles Carter, Magician.

Miss Nellie Stewart’s Perth season was only fair to middling.

At the close of the run of "The Merry Widow,” at Her Majesty’s, Sydney, “The Girls of Gottenburg” will be revived, after which comes “A Waltz Dream.”

Said that owing to the success of “A Bachelor’s Honeymoon,” at Sydney Palace, Mr Hugh J. Ward will be ago to run through his successful season with the one niece.

A .French critic defines tradition as being often only “an assemblage of errors or whims bequeathed by some d .%- tinguished interpreter consecrated by time, to which an exaggerated importance is attached.”

A sensational acrobatic performance is just now being given at Sydney Tivoli by the Martine Brothers. The star item is a somersault turn, in which one of the brothers accomplishes sixty somersaults in one minute.

George Willoughby has seiected a strong company to produce the famous farcical comedy, “The Night of the Party,” throughout Australia and New Zealand. The leading comedian will he David James, son of the David James who became famous by his association with the principal role in “Our Boys” for many years. Mr Willoughby will appear in a smv.il part.

Probably for the first time in his theatrical career Mr Julius Ivnight had the “gallery” against him on the first production of “The Lion and the Mouse,” at His Majesty’s, Sydney, on Saturday evening. January 22nd. Mr Knight, who plays the part of a brutal millionaire, got so much emphasis into one of his scenes that several in the gallery hissed him, whilst someone yelled, “von brute.”

"The Night of the Party," to he staged in New Zealand by the George Willoughby London Farcin 1 Comedy Company. is by the eminent comedian, Weedon Grossmith. For years it has been making English playgoers laugh. As a matter of iaet, it was first produced at the* Avenue Theatre, London, about ten years ago, and has been running throughout England ever since. Eight people are being brought from Loudon, including David Jones (the leading comedian), Hugh C. Buckler (leading juvenile), Miss M:;b Paul, one of the most beautiful actresses on the London stage; Miss Amy Willard, who wa s a member of Miss Nellie Stewart’s company some years ago: Miss Violet Paget, one time leading lady with George Gidden’s. who wn.s out here some time ago: and others.

Briefly told, the story of “Tho Lion and the Mouse,” in which Miss Katherine Grey made her first appearance in Australia with the Julius Knight Company at the Sydney Theatre Royal recently. concerns the "boating” at his own game of John Burkett Ryder, a multi-millionaire. The play opens with a tale of “graft,’’ or something very similar. Judge Rossmore has offended Ryder by sonic righteous rulings against trusts, and Ryder has trumped up a tale of bribery and corruption against him. Shirley Rossmore, who lias fallen in love with Ryder’s son, determines to vindicate her father's lienor. Plotting cleverly to excite liis interest, she at last is offered by Ryder a position as liis secretary. After that the rest is easy, for by playing her cards well the heroine is able to hold over Ryder's head a threat of exposure for some very shady transactions unless her father is cleared of the stigma attached to his name.

All the Savoyards mustered in December to cheer the production of the new opera written by Sir W. S. Gilbert, and composed by -Edward German. When at the end of the night Sir W. Gilbert spoke of liis play as “experimental,” and hoped that the audience would agree that there was “life in the old dog yet,” a plaudit as of the good old days arose, and all agreed vociferously and ungrudgingly. Sir William, standing among l is “Fallen Fairies.” looked the embodiment of rude health and serenity, a figure in his dress clothes many a modern youth might envy, ruddy, tall, and straight. The story of the new piece turns on the complications which follow the introduction of three mortals into Fairyland. The dialogue is in the cleverly-turned burlesque verse in which the author is so adept, while it is said that Mr German showing a keen appreciation of the Gilbert spirit, has scored appropriate music. The “Daily Express” finds, however, that “Fallen Fairies” “belongs to yesterday”—whatever that may mean. According to this critic, the fact that there are only three men in the cast, and that there is no male chorus, make for dullness.

In referring to tlie first production in Sydney of “Havana,' 5 the “Telegraph” says:—Tlie new musical comedy, “Havana, 55 in its first Australian "production on Saturday night, at Her Majesty’s, proved to be a gay, irresponsible riot of song and dance' in a Cuban setting, with scenery and costumes to which the much-misused word “magnificent 55 may well be applied. The audacity of the color schemes, where blues," greens, heliotropes, purples, and scarlets mingle, is remarkable, especially in the second act, when the people assemble for a betrothal fete. Yet so deftly is it all done that the harmonies are preserved, and the scenes are real. Altogether, the stage pictures in “Havana 55 are very complete, and thus characteristic of the J. C. Williamson firm, which invariably mounts its pieces well. The scenery represents some of the best work achieved bv Messrs Gordon and Coleman. Mr Gordon lias put warm color and line perspectives into lii s Havana pictures, with the fiat-roofed houses bathed in sunlight, overlooking the blue waters; and Mr Coleman has produced. in subdued tones, a striking scene from the Torre del Campo for the second act—a spacious courtyard surrounded by flowered terraces and high balconies, hike most Gaietv productions nowadays. “Havana 55 "has many authors. Mr Leslie Stuart, its composer, recalls his “Florodora” more than once in liis music, particularly in the “Cupid at the Telephone” octet, with solo for the tenor.