Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939), Wednesday 31 January 1923, page 15


AROUND THE SHOWS

? ? — ? ? Tho Flawt a drama In four aots, was produood with great , suooeso at the Criterion on i Saturday night. Cinderella, ot the Royal, plays its final performance to-morrow, and will be replaced on Saturday night by Bonvenuto, a romantlo drama. Louie .Bonnleon will play the - leading part, supported by IHIaa Lizette Parko8.

? ? — -?-THE FLAW. An enthusiastic audience greeted tbe Initial production of The Flaw at the Criterion on Saturday night. This fouract drama by Emelie Polini and Doris Eger ton-Jones deserves much recommendation. It is clever, entertaining, and, above all, Australian. 'Richard Craig (Frank Harvey) is an impoverished owner of a mortgaged estate. He has a wife (Miss Polini) and a little boy. Billy (Sheila Helpman), whom he adores. For their sakes he is working night and day on an aerial compass, which, If successful, will redeem the family fortune. The strain and anxiety of three years' Incessant work has reduced Richard to a nervous wreck, and Dr. Lee (family friend and fnedical adviser) warns Lady Ann that any severe shock may turn Craig's reason.Into the plot come a brother and sister, B Mr. and Mrs. Deere. The subsequent hiurder'of Dacre fills the remaining two acts. You are not supposed to guess who the murderer is until the curtain falls ; but, even If you do, it docs not spoil the interest of the plot. Dramatic acting of the first order is shpwn by Frank Harvey in his interpretation of the neurotic inventor. Indeed, he carries the bulk of the play on his shoulders, and has never done finer work in Australia. To Miss Polini, emotional actress and part-authoress, we must offer hearty, congratulations. Hers is a difficult role to enact, and she wends her lachrymonious wav throughout four acts with remarkable sincerltv. . Miss Morrison, aa tho Doctor's wife, is her own charmine self, while Miss Cottell surnrised nvervone by her fl''! performance as the ladv crook. Her emotional scene was particularly good. Miss Nancye Stewert was a fascinating Victorine, with a French accent to be envied : Mavne Linton had the thankless ? task of belne a rooie murdered in the second act : whilr Mr. Laurence, as the unselfish Hurt, Mr. Brampton as the detective, ?nd Miss T nwers as Ross, sustained their parts well.

TIVOLI. G: P. Huntley's appearance at the Tivoli last Saturday afternoon caused considerable interest and much enthusiasm among those who remembered his many successes here some years ago. His comedy sketch entitled Selling a Pup, proved that time had stolen none of his talent or droll charm, notwithstanding the fact that the audience found the story of Snooty's disposal a trifle quiet. Letty Paxton. as the pretty wife, proved, to be verv charming and exceedingly natural. She divides her time and affection conscientiously between her husband, her dog, and her baby, and has the usual feminine weakness for bargains. It is while on one of these momentous expeditions ? that Gerald (G. P. Huntley) sells the pup! There are many attractive turns on the bill this week, including the popular dancers, Decima and Eddie McLean. Zellini, May Sherrard, Maggie Foster, Jone* and Raines, and Lss Eldons. A welcome return visit is made by Herbert la Martlne, whose staircase dance earns thunderous applause. Hector St. Clair, who reappears with fresh patter, la also extremely popular.; NEW PLAY AT THE ROYAL. To-morrow night will be the final performance of Cinderella, and the 'ihsatre Royal will be closed for one night, prior to the production oi Benvenuto (which ii Latin for Welcome). Louis Benniso.'i plays the part of Benvenuto Cellini, who was the great Italian jeweller an4 sculptor to the Duke of Florence. Tha plot is full of incident. This play, primarily produced in New Zealand,

? --proved a great winner in London and New York. ^ Sally continues to be a tremendous' draw at Her Majesty's, with Josio Mel- ' vllle playing the name cart. Modest and unassuming, this little Australian girl has won ai] hearts, and people prophesy this is only the commencement of a brilliant career. Georges Lane, Gee, and Baker all contribute to the comedy, i Gracie Lavers and Hughie Steyne are j seen far too eeldom. Spangles will play its final performance j at Fullers' Theatre on Friday night, to , be replaced by vaudeville again. This re- 1 cord-breaker has been most popular in Sydney, and it is only owing to the continued ill-health of Miss Ada Reeve . that the season has been prematurely j closed. Pantomimes are still playing to good ! houses. 1 Cinderella and Puss in Boots, at tbe Newtown Majestic, are the only two so far to announce their final performance. This, of course, has been necessitated by the enforced removal of the Jim ? Gerald Company to Fullers. Mother Goose looks like being the survivor this year. It is still playing matinees daily, while Bo Peep, now in its second edi- , tion, announces last nights. { Owing to arrangements ' made months -ago for the New Zealand tour. E. J. and Dan Carroll regretfully announce the last nights of The Sentimental Bloke. . MELBOURNE 8HOW8. | The chief Item of theatrical interest in Melbourne this week is tbe new show, The Southern Maid, produced with tremendous success at the Theatre Royal last Saturday. Oscar Aeche, producer, declares the cast here to be 50 per cent, better than the original London cast Newspapers prophesy this musical comedy will out-rival its predecessor, The Maid of the Mountains. | Cairo, in spite of its popularity, is not likely to have a record run. This is probably due to the fact that Australia does not contain a big enough theatre-going population to warrant such an expensive production. There Is no doubting the quality of the production. Pantomimes continue to do good business, and, as yet, neither Dick Whittington nor Forty Thieves has announced last nights. j The chief attraction at the Tivoli this week is the dancing of Lola and Senia. Other turns include the Monks of St. Bernard, the Gladiators, and Geaiks and Geaiks. The O'Brien Girl is going more strongly than ever at the New Princess. A splendid cast and faultless production are responsible for full house signs every week. The New Ideas, at the Lyric Theatre, St. Kilda, with Bert Gilbert, Peggy Peate, and others is up to city standard, and doing good business. NEW ZEALAND OOBBIP. j The Lee White-Clay Smith Revue Company, in Wellington, made a hit right away. The general opinio n is that it is the best company of its kind that has ever toured the Domnion, and a wonderful trip is predicted for them. The Westminster Glee Singers are in season in Wellington, with Mr. Brans- j combe in charge, as of yore. The Walter George Sunshine Players, I with George Storey providing the comic relief, are the drawing-cards at His Majesty's Theatre in Wellington, and arc . helping to fill this Fuller house of vaudeville. ITASMANIAN TASMANIAN ITEIY18. The Lionel Walsh-Phil Smith Cin- | derella Pantomime Company had a good reception at the opening of their Hobart season at the Theatre Royal. Phil ? Smith, as the dame, had a big hand at i the curtain. A fine season appears as- | surcd. After Hobart the company moves to Launceston. It is reported that Mr. Harry Cohen's -Scandal Dramatic Company will appear -at the RIvqH Theatre at . an early date and that Alie'h Boone will'be at the oairio j house about Easter. ] Cabled that a San Francisco report { states that -Charlie Chaplin has announced his engagement to Pola Negri. In her reminiscences, published in New York, the lady speaks very highly of Charlie Chaplin on her first meeting with I him in Europe. I