ASSESSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1924, Page 1

ASSESSEMENTS.

“THE FAST MAIL” MONDAY. On Monday next at the Princess Theatre a special William Fox melodrama entitled “The Fast Mail” starring Charles .(ones and Eileen Percy will he presented for one night only. It is a wonder melodrama of love and thrills founded on the famous play by Lincoln .1. Carter. Nothing quite so sensational as “The Fast Mail” has been seen for a long time. Racing—-lighting—-thrills of every description—follow one antoher in quick succession, until one almost gasps. From the moment of the first hurdle in the Dixieland Steeplechase through the series of racing railroad trains, leaps ior lile to automobiles, lights, liras, explosions, isemes hv the human chain—to the very last minute speed counts'. II von like excitement. if you like an honest melodrama, you will like Lincoln .1. Carter’s American thriller. "The Fa.-t Mail.” A specially good series of supports will also he shown and the prices ior ilus special aio Circle i>d. stalls Is &1, children (id: The orchestra will piny a specially selected programme. Reserve seats at Mclntosh's shop, next to Theatre. •• THE TOREADOR." WEDNESDAY AND TIII'HSDA f NEXT. "The prooi ot the pud ling is m tic* eating.” and the proof of 'he merit oi •■The Toreador,” presented for the fourth night of its season by the (ocymouth amateurs, says Lhe Argus, is evidenced by the spontaneous and enthusiastic applause which greeted the efforts of both principals and chorus. From the rise oi the curtain till the end of the finale, everything went with a splendid swing. There was the life and movement which counts for so much in musical comedy, and without which, the tiling becomes irksome. Il is gratifying to see the audiences it - creasing as the season advances, ami the high standard of the production becomes appreciated. Last night saw the biggest audience so far, there Icing comparatively few seats unoccupied. This is as it should he, and is the very least the Society’s good effort leseivc-. The whole of the principals (lid excellently, and seemed on top of idc-ir form. The choruses were crisp and tin wavering, the dances and marches i xcellcnt, the groupings always niciurOsque. Miss Hath Hannan, as Dm a •Selby, and her friend. Nancy Staunton (Miss X. McCarthy), played well to one another, and brought out the comedy of their assumed marriage. They devebp ed good humorous situations with An rustus Trail (Air T. OTballahan), and h:pal Sir Archibald Staekell (Mr M> (truth). Moreno (Mr N. .Tones) missed nothing of his comedy, and his mixed English caused much amusement. AllReggie Nash, as lhe M niter and Rau lmaster, made “every post a winning post, and got in good business. ’ ll' l ' Rand seemed to enjoy every bar of tne music, and their antics added their weight to the general success.of the performance. The Taranlelle. and solo dame by Miss Flo Frazer were eift"'tivelv (laneed, and, indeed, it would be a hard mat ter to add much in the wav of improvement, since grace and rhythm, so necessary in dancing, were amply observed. For the Hokitika season on Wednesday and Thursday evenings the curtain wilt rise, prompt!,) at f.lo p.ny. so mln enable the company to return in (Ireymouth each night by special train. Seats should he hooked at Misses Me--1 ntosh’s.

wiurns' c’incrs. ( hi-xtnuis comes lull once ii year and so doos Wirili's Cimt.-. Ami, like ( lii'Nl mas. u;o circus, wlien it come brings oijikl cheer. All will, therefore, lie plod to learn that the famed combination will visit Hokitika <m Monday and Tuesday, .Tan. 1 Ith and loth, for two nights only, matinee Tuesday, the huge li'iitod city being creeled on Cass Square. Though it may sound extra vagatil to say so, the hip Show is tins year more crammed with wonders than ever before and is coniine direct from Melbourne, where, during the past lwe mouths, a phenomenally successful season has been enjoyed. Melbourne people know a good thing when they com: across it. and they promptly recognised in Wirths’ Circus the best tiling they had seen for many a long day. There are so many astonishing arts figuring on the lengthy programme, that it is difficult to begin selecting one before another, for all are preeminent in their own particular lines That is one of the secrets of the success of this huge combination that entertains the whole of Australasia right the whole vear through—there is ample variety on the programme to captivate everyone. Kurlher. there is no into'val to spin out time —everything goes like clockwork in order tliai the i!‘> star acts may he presented in scheduler, lime. The new artists just arrived specially re-engaged hv Mr I’. Mirth include th:■ following Prince (iui.seppi liignoli, the smallest joeke\ and comedy artist in the world, Ih-ri Hughes, and (onipany oi ladies and gentlemen who play basket hall on bicycles, a very ch.-v.-i act. The Epoch ago T roup ol hull-light ors from tviuth America: Big Alt redo, Spanish Clown and trained dogs tio.n Cuba, Havana; Mimi Wharton an.l l.onie: Cnrnudlo Huo. .higglers Extraordinary: Alfred, Clark. England's greatest rider; Evans and Perea, th equilibrists without equal. These area lew ot the new artists who will make their first appearance in New Zealand together wiili the rest ot the ( ompany.

Tjie huge aggregation ol stars iu eludes Evans and Perez, equilibrists and Di-lev artists whose like has neve been seen in X.X: -Miss Eugenio Pearl, a trick rider extraordinary; boxing ponies that sent Sydney into hysterics: Mimi Wharton, the stioiigest girl on earth, and many others, to say nothing of the animal acts that- ai perennial cure.-s of wondering admin tion.

The menagerie, with its many reivnt addition-, will Ik- open from H to o includin'; the larjtost herd ol elephant.ever .-ceti in Australasia, including .fcs'ie. ilu- hahv elephant, also hah'’ leopard, hahv monkey. )