ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2544, 3 July 1909, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ALLAN HAMILTON’S COMPANY—‘‘A MESSAGE FROM MARS.” His Majesty’s Theatre was filled in every part last night on the occasion of the third performance by Allan Hamilton’s Dramatic Company. The production staged was the comedydrama, “A Message from Mars.” and round after round of -applause testified to' the koen appreciation of the large audience. The play is an extremely powerful .one. Its "lesson” is admirable, and there is a subtle vein of humor running throughout. The story of the play refers to one Horace Parker, a typical selfish and vain rnan of the world, who, mindful only of his own comfort, refuses to accompany his aunt and his fiancee to an entertainment, choosing rather to remain seated at his fireside studying a treatise in a scientific magazine relating to the planet Mars. His utter selfishness leads hi 3 fiancee to break off her engagement with him, and his lady friends .leave without him. A tramp who calls to see him with a letter seeks employment. but is harshly repulsed and leaves the room. The master of the house continues reading, and soon falls asleep, and dreams that a visitor from the planet about which he had been reading comes into the room, announcing that he had been banished from Mars until he could achieve the task of turning Horace Parker from his selfish ways. The messenger in endowed with supernatural powers, and after trying persuasive methods, adopts the sterner plan of forcing his unwilling host to accompany him out into the cold and wintry night, where he is given many opportunities of showing kindness to afflicted persons, but fails to do so, and is compelled to give monetary assistance to them by his stern companion. They come to a halt outside the house where Horace Parker’s lady friends are visiting, and he is permitted to look through the walls, by the power of the "Messenger,” and see what is going on, and also to hear the unfavorable comments upon himself that are made by several of the guests. All these efforts to change Parker’s selfish nature are in vain, and the Martian visitor is compelled to adopt still sterner measures, and in a flash his companion is turned into an outcast, shivering in the cold, and having lost his wealth by the failure of a bank. In this position he again meets the tramp, and the two enter into an informal partnership in sweeping up the snow from doorways, during which they meet with many rebuffs from those to whom they appeal for succour. Adversity has-a beneficial effect on Horace’s character, and when, by the mysterious power of the "Messenger,” he discovers a sovereign in his pocket, his first impulse is to share it with his fellow in misfortune, the tramp. At this stage the "Messenger” departs, declaring his mission to bo accomplished, and the curtain fell on the second act. The third act shows Horace Parker waking from his dream, and discovering it t-o be such, hut his nature has entirely changed. Instead of being of a grasping, selfish disposition, benevolence is his predominant characteristic, and it finds vent in his throwing his house open to n crowd of poor people who are rendered homeless by a fire. His relations are agreeably surprised at the change in Horace Parker, and a reconciliation scene between him and his fiancee, Minnie Tempier, brings the play to a close. As Horace Parker, Mr. George Cross had a difficult part to play, but he filled it to great advantage, and repeated the success he had gained in the earlier performances by his fine acting. Mr. Wilton Power was an excellent "Messenger,” his dramatic work being of a high order of merit. Miss Ada Guildford very capably filled the role of Horace Parker’s Aunt Martha. Miss Rosemary Rees once again demonstrated her ability as an actress by her interpretation of the role of Minnie Tempier. Mr. John Hesford gave a natural affecting representation of the character of the poor tramp. The other roles were capably sustained by Misis Maud Chetwynd as Bella (a servant), Mr. J. L. Lawrence as Dicey (a rival to Horace Parker), and other members of the company. The fit-aging and mounting were excellent. To-night will be staged "A King of Crime,” a drama noted for is humorous situations, interspersed with sentiment and tragedy. It abounds with excitement, and’ from start to finish engages the closest attention of the audience. It has been played in Sydney and Melbourne, but not before this season in New Zealand, and therefore comes to the public of the Dominion as an entirely new drama. It will only be played to-night. Arrangements have been made to keep the train tu. after the performance. The management have acceded to the request of numerous letters and have extended the season another two nights. On Monday "Queen of the Night” will be revived, and on Tuesday, positively the last night, "A Message from Mars” will be repeated to give those who could not gain admission last night an opportunity of witnessing this great comedy-drama.

POLLARD’S JUVENILE OPERA COMPANY.

• Mast play-goers have seen “The Pollards,” as they are familiarly called, as for many years they were the leading attraction in the colony. The last company, which was disbanded some five years ago, was an exceptionally strong one. and the names were familiar to theatre-goers from The Three Kings to the Bluff. It speaks volumes as to the. thoroughness of the Pollard training, when we find that,, out of that company, May Beatty is (principal boy at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, Nellie Wilson, principal boy at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Maud Beatty leading woman at the American Theatre, San Francisco, Wili mot-Karkeck leading woman with the '-Bandmaim Comedy Company, India, Charley Carter, singing (principal tenor in “Lohengrin” with the Moody-Man-ners Opera. Company at Covent Garden, London, Alice Pollard with one of Goorge Edwards’ companies, W. S. Percy, Dave O’Connor, and- Eddio Nabld with “The Firm,” and more than holding their own with the imported article. This is a record to be proud of, and is a standing advertisement for this Dominion, for it was here that they learned their business. The prosentl company was organised in c August 1907, and bids fair to be as popular, and turn but as many firstclass artists, as -its predecessor. During the last 28. years, thousands of yqung people have graduated in the ‘“Pollard” ranks, and “made good” (to use an Americanism) in no matter what position they have been placed. One American manager once said that there was no school in the world for aspirants to footlight fame so good as “The* Pollards.” The name lias been a considerable advertisement for the tolonies, as for years past Charlie Poi-

lard has been running a company of young colonials in America, while his sister Nellie has also a company in the East. New Zealand is indebted to * "The Pollards” for many excellent performances in the past, and it is to be hoped that thefe will be more records broken in the future. It is worthy of mention that, since the first "Pollards” % Mi 1880, until the present day, with all the thousands of young people that have travelled with them, not one breath of scandal lias ever been associated with the name.