ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1734, 26 April 1913, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

• "THE BLUE BIRD," , , .Maeterlinck's enchanting fantasy "The Blue, Bird" has created a wide diversity of opinion'in Wellington. Some theatregoers regard it as d pantomime and find it odd perhaps dull; some havo come to tho conclusion that it is merely a fairy play for'children; others again as a quaint ehow; The' percentage of peoplo who perceive in the play great wells of thought .in'which aro reflected those indefinable semi-spiritual yearnings' oomraoirto most folk at'intervals, and who mark the symbolic beauties conveyed so exquisitely Dy the. Belgian genius, is not RTeat. Most parents and all those who love ohildren must see in "Tho' Blue Bird" a world ;of quaint meaning, so distinctly origiual as to be .at times a little puzzling, but everything in it is .invested-with a rare degree of • pathos into - which at unexpected moments, glancos bright beams of delicious humour. ' The children are extremely v clever in all ! they have to do.; Tiny Miss Cromer is exceptionally good as vxyltyl, ; and Miss ' Vera Spaull is an appealing.Mytyl, with a voice that reaolies out to' every, heart ■ in the audiepce.. Mother .Night :is,play&d with fino • dramatio discrimination by Miss Irby; Marshall, and this cat and dog are faithfully delineated by Messrs. Lashwood and Dudley. The' scenery is .su-. perb, and. the ballets are most'uelicately conceived. Especially is.this the case;inregard .to tho, ballot of ,tho ;"stars and ■ glow-worms in 'the, awful 1 palace ,of ; : Nighti and in the same act the Ballet of the Birds,, in 'which, everyj; dancer-bears 4 fluttering blue , bird in iier -hand 1 ., '• Such plays' ps: "The-Blue .Bird" ; ate rare in 1 the dramatic world, such performances as 1 rf jheit- given by the present company, aro "rarely equalled. '< •■ ;■ • ..- The second; mafiuee .'will.'be given' this , afternoon, when every child..who. attends, will be jregented -with: a souvenir'; in the form of a "Blue Bird": 1 brooch;' • THEATRE ROYAL 1 . ' ".' ; ; With'•'such as .' the. SferGnaders, 1 Aii'lie' and - Cairipbell; '.Prank. Hawthorne, the Clardys, the Lossos,-and the HarmoniourfHuxhams, the programme at the" Theatre Ebynl cannot ' ]bo other-.' wist than richly attractive. Theman l , agement' announces''a- spfcciali attraction next' in' tho " Horaldos—a clever team'of-seven,:acrobats-.and,tiimbi., ,• ... lers. who were received with''.enthusiasm' in Sydney and. Melbourne. :. v ' HIS MAJESTY S THEATKE. ' •Today's performances—at-2.Sop.m'. and' i—will bo the last opportunity' of seeing .Miss.'Phyllis. .Daroy,;and,George Grossmith, • junr.;, dance ' the' alluring „iango )«i(l tlie cccentric "Bunny. Hug." *. The last.chance-af. seeing. the. fine druniatic picturo "On tho, Steps of tho ThronV--7 is.also:offered, -On Mondiiy tho :. Fuller management will . prestqt a pic- , torial representation of Charles^>lJcaae' > s ; story . "I'oul Play,"which ; will Bb vexplained as the film is reeled' off by Sr s ■Alfred Boothiiian, the. well-knoiVn' actor. - KING'S THEATRE. There will be two performances at, tile' King's Theatre 1 to-day—at 2.30 p.m. .'and 8 p.m., . The programme, an. unusually strong one, ; ' inclfldcs. a fine emotional, Bt6ry r picture,'.entitle,d "The Weaker Ves-' eel," "Brains; Versus Brawn". "The' Dandy," "A Signal of Distress;" On Monday next tho,star picture will be a strong, dramatic/offering, ! entitled' , "The .Vengeance of Durand." ! , 'i ~ THE NEW THEATRE.. • To-day and to-night the current programme of the New Theatre toiitinuous pictures• will -bo,'shown for 'the last time. Special • additional items .for.j.childreii'. will'be' 6orefened;to-day. , Foremost. on the! listis'the; O. I 'and M.■''feature?.' drama, /"The' , Cracksman's 'Daughter;" a'stirring story • ' of'the'undeVwo'rld;; Tho Western drama,. "The Latent', Spark,",';is ; a''cowboy-enact- ,• went '.represented .'.with ,-1 ife-liko" -ifcti'ojif.' "She Mnst'Elopb," '"Market 'of . Kabylia," .arid,'' The ttMßiighiy i enjfej&Me.'-./Oi new programme 'featunng 'the'dramagrapfi' "The Mil.ljr, of the Gods. ■ ■; \ i'v' THEMPfiEijS. TJTEATIi'B. \ A f final- opportunity . isV offered" ''during to-d4y «nd.,to-iiightof .witnessing.-- the ' ; present progranjnie' of • tjifl Empires Thea-. tre: "continuous, .pictures,<.At .the top of: tho Ijst iS: the-enchanting: historib.drama) "Thb Executioner's .Secret,",; This. is., a. picturesque, and. appealing story;,of medi-. eval; day 9 when tho rack and ;the dungcOil awaited', the enemies of the king. The captive prince ill thia play narrowly escape's a terrible fate. The Lnbindrania, "The Miser," is , a story depicting the ■ better sido"of 'human'nature contrasted ■ with the more ■ : sordid -Sentiments. "Through' ■ tho Highlands,'' a Bcehio. - study, and'"tho Kalem comedy "The Hero's Reward" aro-among the'best" supporting films. ' There will be an en-' tire change on Monday,..which'.will iutro-. du<s a high-class A.B. drama, "Broken Ways,"; another' sterling' portiayal from, life by that noted '.company.

- SHORTTS' iPiCTUEfiS. ■ . The interesting progranime to W pre- \ sented at Shortts' Theatre to-day will in-clude-the splendid ' Vitagrapli- inasterpiece ."Six O'clock," in,.which that popu-' . 1 lar; after,' Mr! Maurico.Costello, appears. The l program'me all. through is a good one. , ' ■•. , . MR, .HORACE HUNT.. On the occasion ;of tho complimentary ooncert to Mr. 'Horace 'Hunt (a few days before his .departure for Europe) tho programme |will contain items of considerable * interest to music lovers, prominent anion? which will bo •• a performance- of Beethoven's /'Concerto in C Minor" by 1 ft full orchestra, urtder tho conductorship of Mr. Robert Parker, with Mr. Horace Hunt,at the piano."', Mr. Hunt will also play with Mr. Baxter Buckley a-.duet for ,tw#, pianos ■ the -piece. chosen being an arrangement' by the . performers ' themselves of Rubinstein's "Study, in C Major," -usually known Vs the "Staccato Study." Another interesting item will bo by an! orchestra of, 'cellos only, led by Mr. F. R. Johnstond. Leading voe'alists will also .assist. . . , MAEIOW DRAMATIC COMPANY. Something novel and interesting is promised 'to playgoers of 'Wellington' on Saturday next. wh'en'Georgo Mal-low's bril- - slant and specially-selected company will stage here for tho first time, Frederick Melville's drama-"The Monk and the Woman," at the Opera House. Tho management state that the story of the-piece is romantic and novel, and the plot is formed oii lines never previously touched by-any playwright. The comedy is clean and wholesome, and tho sCenic effects as , well as the mechunical contrivances are on'a grand scale.' Tho management add that tho verdict of playgoers is thai "Tlio ...Monk and tho Woman"'is one of the best' .//dramatic plays .that 'has been brought 1/round.' The earthquake scene, which concludes the piece, has been' declared to be "the sublime realism." Tho bOx plan will be opened at the Dresden on'Wediies- . day.-. ■ ■ SUNDAY CONCERT. The AVellington Oily Band's concert, to be given at ifis Majesty's Theatre tomorrow evening at 8.30, promises to be a good one". Mrs. P. Foster will sing "Tho .Wakening of Spring," and Mr. J. A. Doherty "The City of R<!st." Mr. W. StcvenSon, champion sopraho cornetist of New Zealand. will play "Noi'dische," the selec- ' tion with which he , won the champion- ' uhip. Included in the baud's items will be Rossini's splendid ..Overture "Semii 'Tamide." ' A silver coin collection will bo made to. help to reduce liabilities. SHAKESPEARE CLUB. Tho Shakespeare ' Club announces "Twelfth Night" for the first of its miblio readings this 1 year. It is to bo given on Tuesday, May R. This reading was to have been held nearer to the anniversary of Shakespeare's birthday, bnt had to be postponed. 'The leading parts are cast as follow :-Duko Orsino, Mr. W. Godfrey; Sebastian, Mr. F. A. Morris; Sir Toby Belch, Mr. H. ,E. Nicholl; Sir Andrew Agnecheek, Mr. C. W. Tanner; Malvolio, Mr. W. Glynne; Feste, Mr. L. Bucker- ' idgej,Olivia, Miss Corliss; Viola, Miss B. Puricm; and Maria, Miss &. Putnam. The down's songs O Mistress Mine and ' "Come Away Death", will be sung, he accompaniments and incidental niusic being : played by Mrs. Natuseh. An interesting featnve is that tho music for Come Away Dentil'.' hns been specially, written foe Sfr: BuckeridgoV .use on this occasion by Mr, Robert ■ Parker. ' TRAMWAY BAND. ' ' . The Wellington Tramway Band-.will give a performance at Newtown Pars at ? o'clock, tn-monrow. afternoon.