AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1922, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS.

“A COUNTRY GIRL.”

| a PLEASURABLE PRODUCTION

The evergreen and popular opera “A Country Girl” was produced at the Princsess Theatre last night by the Greyniouth amateurs under tlie sole direction of Mr Tom Pollard. It was a very pleasurable production and heartily enjoyed by the large audience present. There was the Pollard stamp of perfection all through, and nothing wa s left undone. The friendly visit of the Grevmouth amateurs was much enjoyed, and there will be a desire that they come often with such pleasing fare.

j There was a strong east, and the j mounting, dressing and lighting were jon a lavish scale. Both scenes were ef- ! fcctivelv set, while the costumes were i all notable, indicating the attention to ! detail. The chorus was well drilled | and the evolutions were all impressive, j The finale to the first act and the ! opening of the second act were speci--1 ally well done. In the latter an in- | troduccd item by Miss Helen Gard’ner ! of Wellington was particularly pleasing the dainty artist doing the number full justice. Later, in a s;r>lo, Miss Gard’ner was.equally at home and won great applause. The orchestra under the direction of Mr F. Restieaux, and led by : Mr R. Cullen, was very effective. The scenerv was specially painted for the occasion and was from the brush of Mr ! Bod: of Wellington. Mr ■ Pollard is certainly to he congratulated on the all round success of this fine production. Of the various characters. Mr Len McGliaslian as "Barry’* and Mr P. Douglas as “Geoffrey Chnlloner” were outstanding on' the male side. Each had a great deal to do, arid did it right ( well. Mr E. SkOglund was a pleasing j success as the “Rajah of Bhong” and j our own townsman, Mr H. M. CoUlson. I did exceedingly well as the pompous ' ‘<Sir Joseph Verity’'’. Messrs T. O’ i Hallahan, J. Glandell, D. McLean, F. Lovett, D. Dale, N. Jones, N. Doogan, and 0. James were also successful in their minor parts.

Miss iMndge Wilson as “Nan” was quite a delight as the rollicking country girl. Bright and breezy all ! through there' was imported into the j character that jollity which is to be asi soeiated with the happv-go-lueky counj try girl. Miss M. Steer was quite a sweet “Marjorie Joy” and acted very pleasingly. Mrs E. Stoop, who is' a popular local favourite, was a great success as the Princess of Bhong. Mrs R . Smith as “Madame Sophie” was very convincing, and added greatly to the uniform success of the evening. Misses V. Kettle, M. Bush, R„ Steer, R. Orr, iE. O’Reilly, M. Boddv, L. Pahl, J. Fennell, and Mrs J. Gandell completed the cast with faithful attention to the detail of their minor parts. There was a chorus of sixty voices and it was an excellently drilled chorus. All its work was good reaching to the highest Pollard standard of successful presentation.

The audience followed the performance attentively. Many numbers were CiU'Jored and at the close bouquets and sweets were showered on the leading performers. TO-NIGHT, TO-NIGHT. To-night the opera will be repeated for the last time. With fine weather* there snould be even a larger attendance than last night. The production is quite a superior one, and few performances even by professionals have run as smootbily as did last night’s very pleasing presentation. Patrons should attend early as owing to the length of the performance, the overture begins at ten minutes to eight, enabling the curtain to rise punctually at 8 o’clock. Miss Helen Gard’ner whose appearance last evening in introduced numbers was the signal for a marked reception of welcome, will to-night appear in the part of “«Nan,” for which she was originally cast, but was unable to fill at Gre.vmouth owing to indisposition. The appearance of Miss Gard’ner should prove an added attraction to-night.

PQLLAR&'S PJCTURESh DOUBLE STAR PROGRAMME THURSDAY. The dramatic production “Neglected Wives” at the Princess Theatre is: a screen version of the play, “Why Women Sin,” whose successful run on some of the largest stages in the world extended over a period of several years. Anne Litther, well-known and .popular screen favourite is starred, supported by a brilliant cast of notable players including Claire Whitney, Charles Gerard and many ohers. The story presents a dramatic interlacing of intrigue, love, romance and adventure portrayed with a mastery that holds its audience in absorbed interest. A womanly woman feels keenly her husband’s neglect while he is absorbed in his work. In the barren desert of her life a “sympathetic” and not uninteresting friend enters, and then / it is so easy to drift along that she readily falls victim to the plot which will ultimately ruin her husband’s political career. Big ballroom scenes, the gambling mansion, the raid and the kidnapping lend impressiveness and grandeur to a fine production. There is no doubt that Owen Moore shines beet in farce-comedy, and in his latest Selznick production at the Princess Theatre, “The Chicken in the Case,” he does Rome of his best work. This expert and vastly amusing farce, in which nothing has been loft to chance, has much real entertainment value, and moves along at a brisk pace, gathering force with each new and more comic situation. The legacy which tbe young man cannot draw till he is fortyfour." or married, and the fact that' he hurriedly borrows his churn’s wife so that he can draw the money from his aunt, combined with his novel methods of courtship of the young lady next

door, all go to show that Owen Moor® is in his right place, and make up a comedy of mirthful situations responsible for an amusement.

Pollard’s Symphony Orchestra will play a selected programme on Thursday.