AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1929, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

THE ALLAN WILKIE COY, FORTHCOMING VISIT.

A great and exceptional theatrical treat is promised to theatre-goers in Hokitika in the announcement of the forthcoming production of “The Merchant of Venice’* - to be staged at the Princess Theatre .by the eminent actormanager Allan'Wilkie. The reputation of the splendid combination of artists which supports him and iris talented leading lady, Miss Hunter-Watts, is a household word, not only in’ the Dominion and in Australia, but almost throughout the British Empire, in very lew parts of which Mr Wilkie has not presented the immortal dramatic masterpieces of the world’s greatest playwright. It is some years now since he paid his first visit to New Zealand, and hut for his productions of the plays it is not too much to say that Shakespeare would have been a dead letter in the Dominion theatres, while many of the great poet’s works owe their initial presentment in this country to his enthusiasm, enterprise and faith in the enduring popularity of great art. During his present tour Mr Wilkie and his Company have presented in the four big centres no fewer than nineteen Shakespearean plays and have everywhere aroused the enthusiastic acclamation of press and public alike, both for the acting and for the magnificent dressing and mounting of the productions. He and his excellent company have good reason to he proud of their outstanding record of success. No one lias assuredly done finer work than Mr Wilkie to dispel the all too prevalent idea that Shakespeare as dramatic fare is dull and “high-brow.” He has proved beyond dispute that, on the contrary, they possess the sunrenv* ourMtios inherent in all great art that make “not for an age but for all time.” They are as entertaining and as enthralling to thd audience of to-day as they were to our fathers and grandfathers before us, and there is not the least doubt that lovers of the drama on the West Coast will prove by their wholehearted support that they are not a iot behind anv of the towns in New Zealand in their appreciation of the splendid work of Mr Wilkie Miss Hunter-Watts and tneir company.