ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 839, 10 June 1910, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"IN LONDON TOWN." HAMILTON-MAXWELL COMPANY.. "In London Town," a domestic melodrama by George R. Sims and Arthur Shirley. Cast :— John Hargrcaves, a millionaire Max Maiwoll Eichard Norrison (a blind man) Itichard Bellairs Jack Parker (of H.M.E. Terrible) 'Charles Brown Frank Dalton (owner of Fivo Tree Farm) Godfrey Case Eli Finch (alias "The Screever") Sidney G. do Tine Luko Eadlcy (an cx-jockoy) S. A. Fitzgerald Serseant Frazer (a detective)...Jolin Druco Joe Winkley (Norrison'a pal) Wallaceltilev Alice Daltou Beatrice Holloway Hrea Norrison Vera ' Eemoo Liddy Bliss Muriel Dale Matt (a. cripple boy) Mabel Russell "In London Town" is not a new melodrama, but it,is a good deal better than many of the now ones. The plot'is constructed with some skill, and the incidents bear a reasonable approach to possibility. The characters are the plainly-marked embodiments of good and evil, with whom we are so familiar on the melodramatic stage, but Sinis's humour rises here aiid there above the average of melodrama. Frank Dalton, owner of Five Tree Farm, only differs from the conventional villain of fie type in that he does not wear a black moustache. Dalton has a foster sister, who had been left as an infant at his father's house by her father, a hapless beggar, sixteen years before. Alice Dalton is a gentle, virtuous girl—the conventional heroins' of melodrama. Dalton, who is in debt, makes her a dishonourablfc propositi, which causes her t.o fly hie house and seek refuge among the hard ways of London. She has hardly gone before her father, become a millionaire in Australia, returns , to seek his long-lost child. DaJton passes off on him as the missing daughter a scheming loudvoiced woman, and Dalton enjoys a fair share of tho millionaire'sinoney and gratitude—gratitude, however," which soon (jives way to aversion. In the cruel world of London, Alice Dalton, penniless and helpless, is befriended by a sprightly factory girl and her sailor lover, who furnish most of the entertainment of the piece, until Dalton finds, her, and persuades her. that an odious.and criminal blind beggar, the father of the girl whom he had formerly betrayed and passed off on the millionaire, is her father. By this repellent wretch,' one of-a gang of coiners, Alice is led down into the lowest haunts of London life, tlirough which she passes like a sorrowful angel. She is neain befriended by tile beggar's ill-used, lame, and delicate boy-guide, a little creature who has been born and bred amongst the worst vices, but always remembers and lives up , to the prayers he'once learned in the children's hospital. The plot gets more and more exciting, till in a. final endeavour to rescue the heroine from the coiners' den, the sailor throws the villain from a housetop, whereupon Alice is restored to heT real father. Miss Beatrice Holloway, as Alice Dalton, last evening, was pretty, plaintive, and pathetic, and bore her troubles with a gentle acquiescence very touching to ■ tender hearts. Mr.. Godfrey Cass, as Frank Dalton, was somewhat declamatory, and conventional, but on the whole satisfied fairly well the requirements of a melodrama villain. Miss Muriel Dale amused and won the affections of the audience by. her spirited representation of tho lively, good-natured factory girl,Ijiddy Bliss, and her scenes with her sailor sweetheart, Jack Parker (Mr. Charles Brown) were delightfully played by both. As the fondly-affectionate, free-and-easy, humorous, and pugnacious seaman,' Mr. Brown excelled himself. In the character of the philanthropic millionaire, John Hargreaves, Mr. Max Maxwell was 'somewhat unctuous and sententious, but' on tho whole, he gave a good rendering of the part. Mr. Bichard Bellairs made hinself sufficiently repellant as the scheming, violent blind man. The comedy parts of Eli Finch, alias "The Screover," and Luke Eadley, an ex-jockey, were well taken by Mr. Sydney G. de Vine, and Mr. S. A. Fitzgerald, respectively, and Mr. Wallaco Eiley gave an amusing impersonation of the blind man's coster pal, JoeU'inKloy. Mi=s Vera Beinee, as the millionaire's pretended daughter, was somewhat "stagey," and unconvincing. The part. of Matt, tho innocent, hapless cripple- boy, was made as heart-rending us possible in its childish pathos by Miss Mabel Susjell.

The scenery of the play is painted by the late Mr. John Brunton, and several of the best scenes, notably that of the banks of the Serpentine, with the park across the river, do not fall below his reputation. Other scenes depict the streets of "Darkest London," the coiners' den, a. workhouse yard, roof-tops of London, and "Primrose Lane," so that the eye is offered plenty of variety. A typical coster dance in the first act was well performed.

"In 'London Town," whose ■' progress was ■ greeted with continuous applause last evening, will be staged again tonight.

THEATRE EOTAL.

As a clever mimic of well-known actors, etc., Mr. Garden Wilson holds pride of place % amongst the many capable entertainors who are at present contributing .to the programme which is being put fonvard at tho Theatre, Royal. . The company was further strengthened last evening by the appearance of Brown and Wilmnt,' a pair of clever Americans, whose dancing is the strongest feature of their excellent "turn." The female side cf this combination is prettily gowned, and her impersonation of a little girl was a cleverly-executed piece of work.' The malo performer proved himself an expert dancer, and he was- ably assisted by his partner in this respect. The house appreciated tho ©turn" thoroughly, and recalled the newcomers several times. Tho clever performance on skates .by "Athos," the varied musical efforts of tho Shirieys, and the comic and seriocomic contributions of the other members of the company makeup a programme of high all-round merit. . THE KING'S THEATRE. Tho "fly" of the daring Frenchman, M. Paulhan, from Manchester to London, which won the "Daily Hail" prize and the admiration of the world, is one of the principal attractions in flie King's Theatre new programme.. The airship picture first shows the start of the less fortunate ■ English competitor, Mr. Gra-hame-White, and then goes on to give tho movements of the champion—his start, rise, flight, and arrival. Another phase of the picture is Paulhan sitting astride his aeroplane. The standard of the pictures is right up to the highest set by the ■management. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A film descriptive nf M. Paulhan's famous flight from Manchester to London is one of tho principal attractions at Ilia Majesty's Theatre just now. .Second to this conies an Association football picture, which should find special favour with local "soccer" players. The picture reproduces the final, played at Manchester, between Newcastle and Barnsley, and gives a really interesting idea of tho Kuiiic. Another fine picture is one dealing with "The Port of Toulon," which gives a clear insight into phases of the French naval station work. Tho programme will bo repeated to-nig]it, n'nd to-morrow afternoon. STAR PICTURES. There was a largo attendance of the public of Welington South at last evening's display of the Star Pictures. On such a wet night the privilege of seeing a good picture-show without going further than St. Thomas's Uall was properly valued by tho residents of that populous end of tho city. The entertainment will be repeated to-night. SKATING RINK. Amid tho wet stroots and tho foggy atmosphere of last evening, the Olympia Skating Kink was an oasis of brightness and. pleasurable activity. At tho previous sessions of tho day tho rink was also well uatronised, and the praises o£

tho reconstructed floor and tUo management generally were frequently upon tho lips of tho gratified skaters. Tho rink will bo open again to-day at tho advertised hours. FAREWELL TO THE ELLWOODS. An effort is being made by Mr. Enwood, of Christchurch, and those interested iii his gifted children—the Ellwood trio—to dispatch them to Europe for study, by the Arawa, on July 14. By a lucky coincidence Mr. Eubert Home, manager for the Dresden Piano Company at Christchurch, is proceeding to England by that steamer on business connected with his firm, and having taken a. lively interest in the children from the outset, he will see.them safely to their destination, which, in all probability, will be Vienna, where they will study 1 under the teachers of Kubelik and Gerardy. As the children have ilone such conspicuously good work in trio-playing, it has been deemed inexpedient to part them, so Miss Polly Ellwood, will accompany her clever brothers to the other side Df the world. The citizens of Cbristchurch aro organising a farewell concert, and a similar movement is on foot in Wellington, led by Mr. and Mrs. John Prouse, who have already been very helpful to tho young people. Mr. Prouso has formed a committee, the members of which include Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, the Hon. Dr. Findlay, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., Dr. Fitchetl, Sir. John Dean, Mr. F. 31. B. Fisher, M.P., the flev. Father ITickson, Mr. Inman, Mesdames Chatfield, Birkett, M'Ewen, and Nelson. The fartwell concert is to be given in' the Town Hall on June 22. SILVER BAND CONCERT. The Silver Band of the new Methodist Central Mission will give its first concert in the Taranaki Street Hall next Wednesday evening. The band is the old Mission Band, but the instruments are new and very- special. There are thirty of them, of the flyams make, highly-engraved with silver-plated stands, and their cost was oyer .£630. The band is a great attraction at the Sunday evening services in the King's Theatre.