ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 508, 15 May 1909, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE LITT'LE BREADWINNER." "Tho Little Breadwinnor," a melodrama in four acts, by John A. Campbell. Lord William Dorrington.. J. B. Atlrolwood : Richard Lawrence Herbert J. Bentley' Joseph . Prior C. E. -Stanford .; Charles Prior. Leo de Chateau . JJ o ''}' Yprke Alice Deorwyn ; Ruth Cherry ,Mabel Russell ii- 0 Skerry. Lillian Meyors : 2% '•••«•••••. Qtieenie Williams Bobby Trott Maggie Dickinson : Margaret Devantry ...'.'.. Beatrice Holloway Mr. John A. Campbell went very.closo to writing a ,really®gopd melodrama whon ho threw down his pen- after , completing l his fair copy of "A Little Breadwinner," but Somehow or other he ..found himself ■ coming to the end of a vory neat story at tho conclusion of, tho second knot,: and had to go on, inventing: Villainy , and suffering virtue for. another hour. That villainy is of so rampageous, a character that tho drama loses a good deal of its effect. The audience get so used to; the outrageous schemes of the chief disturber of the peace that each fresh development is apt rather to induce laughter than to cause the thrill'inherent in every true melodrama. . Still ifc-is tolerably good as melodrama goes, ; and is enhanced by the creditable mumming of the Moynoll and Gunn Company. opening aot; is the best in the play. The oahn - atmosphere'* of the Quaker household of- Lord Dorrington is admirably, suggested. ::The simple livery offtho servants, ' the. reference to evening prayers, the dignity of. the old . titled Quaker, and his horror at the mention, of the racecourse exhales an atmosphere, rarely created in such plays. This quaint. Christian household is only nominally ruled by Lordship.'The man who is'really m the lead is his sleek,'sly. secretary, Joseph Prior, an oily-tongued .Uriah Heep, " who is for ever hatching mischief as he washes his hands with invisible-soaf)! This is the central figure in the.play. :;Ho induces Dorririgtpn's. adopted son,-.-Richard .La.wfeuce,- to bet and drtnk; and,.;with; the.taid of his accomplice, Kate Cherry, that he is a eoureur-de-femmes, until he is driven forth into the. world, not alono, honevor,. Margaret ■ his lordship's: granddaughter, elects to - ifollow her, lpye to poverty and;: rags in. a London garret,„ where ; they :. are. ; burdened- with a funny bx-bookmaker who has forsaken the lures of tho' pencil to stan-e in' a friendly manner-with , tho distressed couple' and their cute child .- Meg, /'.who is a little -' broadwinner. - - • Meg is. clever -and quito charming, despite her :.depressirig father and blind mother, and illumines every scene she is concerned in. Eleven, years after, tho banishment they are .discovered by the old Earl in a relenting and money and -happiness ■ are' about tho. way of life onco more, Tvh'oi] Pnoragain becomes'sinuously active; inducing" Pochard to, drink.'. Tiie state ' and lang u ¥ e l- tts: induced cause the old Quaker to shakebim off once niore, whilst.the good ; and duti'ful; wife returns -to affluence:and chiffon touete. ;Richard is next' discovered to be the pnson'er of .'secretary Prior, who desires his signature to papers .-that' will exonerate' him (Prior); from nil blame should his' Lordship suspect his -treachery. From this ' position he, is resoued :by t-hp.furiny bookmaker and -to'a. lifo of Quaker, luxury , to (»nfpunding of .the numismatic Prior and bis nuiiitting mistr«s9 . / Stanford siibmits.a capital study as;Joseph;Prior.'; His-step gets soiter, and his voice more subdued - as ho ad- anc's in villainy,/and he is never so subtlo- and dan-' . gerous ■ as; when he 'speaks " swkit. and low.'' It,-is about the best. thing /Sir: Stanford has. done. ; ;That': 'reMurceful 'actor;' Mr. 'J:' B Avholwood makes the most of Lord Boi rin^ton. He- iseonyineiiigthroiit'hobt'. aiirl handles bis 1-11 t the child with consummate * •j Queenie "Williams! is talented beJ"°nd her years (and height),'and ondears her-' self, to all - hearts; by ,-her - winsome 'ways; anil her freedom - from -theatricality: or precocity. Maggio .-Dickonsoiii; -.w]ior.->- I 'plays::. .-Bobbv, is .'.another - '.smart : : youngster,' --'with - a: u Colnetl y- The. burlesque of : Iho iloval Divorce " by the pair is amus-ing,.-but ludicrous-,and out ; of place for:children of, tho ago thoy are supposed, to bo Mlss.Beatnce. Holloway. makes, a sweet chubby Margaret, but lier propor line is. not distressed heroines. Misi Lillian Meyers, who should drop ...that slight affectedness .in prominciat-ion, was well; suited and -dressed as Jiate - Chorry,. and Miss Alico Deorwyn gushed and fussed about-'cheerfully as Mary Yprke..! Mr. .Leo de' Chateau did well as the comic : bookmaker, and ;Miss Russell; was all that could.bo,dosired as bis sweetheart. Mr: «•" was not at all ..well suited as :Kichard the starved.■ He was weak,.inconscquential, and. has a habit of cutting l his | words in . quite uhnecossarily. r ; y -jvliich is- well 'mounted,lwill bo played again . this evening. . ; THEATRE ROTAL An; interesting varied programme of pietures and'cinephone. films has served to amuse' ?'T^ n^l' t 1 h6 .?T ea L r , 6 E T oy , al /, or . the . P as t week® i, The Burglar s Little- Joke, is a' humorous an antomatic doll in his own olothes and gave a suburban .family a .scare.---This film, lvith .the others comprising the collection, was shown: ■ for ; the last time last night.: A.change.of programme., will,be ;made this evening, . V : HIS -MAJESTY'S THEATRE!' --'''' ; ' „ National' of '1909," one of the - star films in.- this week's programme of the Royal Pictures, '.19' certainly one .of. .tho best Kinematographie . representations of a steopleohaso" that have. been produced in' Wellington. .Xhe :j3liows:.'the'ririnher, ' Liitteur. 111,-race,-.the most interesting points of :the v■ ohass,-: and -the finish,, all E being' of the olearest, and most : vivid nature.' other fine pioturoS; in'-the,. programme :are "The Pear, a ,drama;.wUh - the-scene,.-laid' in, Paris;"'' The, Oasis of Zi.mbane,"'a, series'of descriptive views of .Sudanese life j and a number. of views of the dead city of. Pompeii... ..: :: ,' ;■'

THE CINQUEVALLI SEASON _ s tln ' connection ,■ with .'approaching,., ■l ol Paul Cinqueyalli, the 'famous. .i'ho makesv his . appearance;.'in' Wellington ;;at the Opora House, on Wc-dne.sclay- evening next with Mr.; Harry-Eickards's'.yaudeville Company; it will bo of interest to learn what .this artist had to say to a Sydney -journalist .about the difficult .-feats''he':has performed for 'so' many' years.-,.."The public,"- he said, "always 'like least; the showiest Vtricks, and they are gener-. ally.,the; easiest.. ;.Perhaps;the :hardest of'all jro the. balancing!.ot; tho oigar,,ihe: oue, and billiard balls.! practised catching an egg on a polo for nine years, .and then was not. absolutely perfect; but the publio' never thought ihuoh of. -it,., and .I'don't do; it .now. ' They thought r had a sham egg, and when I broke it.to show it'\was;real they thought it was a bit; of conjuring., .But no real jugpler would do such a thing., Everything I do, I do, ther# '? no pretence.' He further says: "A juggler nowadays must be ; a maii/df ideas. If;he can only perform a : few, feats/.no .matter how wonderful and clever they are he .will, never win a great reputation. I have never been troubled with lack of ideas for new feats, but many of them liavo taken a tremendous time to master completely."-.■

•. "THE VOICE OP THE SEA." Elsewhoro is published a notification of an address to'be given by Captain Wm. Cozens on what: should prove • nn attractive subject not only_to seamen generally, but to all those who go down to, the 6ea in ships. "The Voice of, the. Sea" a3 interpreted by ono who has spent over thirty-years upon it, may well be .listened., to with profiit by. all classes..of■' Hip' pilblic. ..Captain. Cozens has been, identified with the port of ' Wellington for over'a quarter of a century, having served as' mate and master in. the sailing ships..of the late • Captain W, 11, Williams's Black Diamond Line, in the days when steam, was not, as it is now, practically.the only, moans'used for propelling shipv The address will touch upon all the vital subjects that the ' exercising - the ' public mind at tho present, time:' lighthouses, / telegraph stations, lifo-saving rules, and others. : 1 ' DR. BARNARDO'S HOMES. \ • Tho'Ecv. W.-J. Mayers was so gratified with his recent reception in Wellington that he has arranged for a return visit on June G and 7. Ho will hold a special meeting on tlio Sunday evening in the Town Hall, nntf speak on "Lifeboat work on .tho human sen." The boys will play on. - their handbells. On Monday, , June 7, ltt the Town Hall, a musical meeting will take place, and a display of unique moving pictures will be giveni 'Mr, ; Mnyors's desire

to raise in Wellington the cost of two beds in the new Barnnrdo Hospital seems likely, to bo realised, for it is understood that already is in hand towards tho amount of J1460 .needed. Personal gifts for the fnnd are specially desired. - OLYATPIA SKATING RINK.. Daily " and nightly at tho Olyrnpia Rink devotees of roller skating assemble in large numbers to indulge in their favourite pastime. It 15 i?° t necessary to bo a skater to enjoy yourself at the'rink, as tho spectators seem to dcii^ uc £' n u se nicnfc in watching the progress of those who are endeavouring to master the intricacies of the art. On Wednesday evening next a polo match between selected teams will. be ployed, and on May.26 a fancy-dress oarnival will be held. LECTURE ON CHARLES DICKENS, t A -large and ,appreciativo audience was promi 1 i ? Constablo Street Congregational Church last night, when Mr. Clins. ; Wilson, I men J?. l T Jral " lan > delivered a lecture onOhnrles Dickens, the Man and his Works." ilio lecture, which was illustrated by lantern s ides, was very well received, and at the conelusion, llj. Wilson _ was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Mr. Chegwidden. The Rev. W. A. Evans, who presided, expressed the hearty appreciation of those present.^ . PIANOFORTE RECITALS. chief attraction at the Webbo-Spooner pianoforte recitals, to be given on Friday, May 21, and Tuesday, May! 25, will be Tschaikows .y.^,s rea concerto in B Plat Minor, : which will be played.in its entirety.- Half of this concerto will be given'on Fridav, when Miss VVebbe.mil play the solo, and Miss Spooner the accompaniment, and the other half will be ■played on Tuesday, when Miss Spooner takes the solo, and -Miss Webbe the accompaniment. • SUNDAY CONCERT. Tho concert to-be-given in the Town Hall on - bnnday_ evening, nest by tho Wellington Professional Orchestra promises to eclipse all previous performances. The programme, which is a lengthy one, appears in another column of this issue. Amongst the items in which the orchestra will be heard are the overture,."SemiCtorus"^from tfannhausef, Confidence" (Gavotte), and the "Coronation March' (Eilenberg). Mr. ICershaw will play an oboe solo, and the. "Love Son*?" (a popular item' with the Exhibition Orchestra). Ihel vocalist for this concert is Mr. Cathcart (gold medallist at the recent Christchurch competition), who_will> sing '.'O, Song Divine,"and a "Dream of Paradise- A silver coin collection will-be. made at the doors. ; ORGAN RECITAL. - - .IA fantasia ■on Gounod's "Faust," the prelude l ;f U r!V or ffi?? 11 )' and Chopin's Nocturne in G Minor will be prominent items of the, organ recital to be given by Mr; J.-Maug-nan-Barnett m the Town Hall to-night. • -