AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 359, 9 April 1910, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

" PETER PAX." On Tuesday evening next at Flic Theatre Royal, Mr. J. C. V. i! company will present the long c.XjUvwl "Peter Pan." The box plan opened a I Collier and Co.'s yesterday morning, when the demand for *enU ->lainh ..fowed how the reputation which has preceded Barrie's popular fantasy lia- < nsured the most eager anxiety amongst playgoers to witness the one penormance in New Plymouth. Tn London, in the United States, and, indeed, wherever Mr. J. M. Barrie's whimsical and path- j etic creation of "the boy who would | never grow old" has been received with unanimous delight. In describing "Peter Pan," the difficulty is to say what it is not; it is a play for children on the surface, but it is equally .:i plav for people of mature intellect which enables them to see and understand the deeper meaning and significance of the theme, which all through typifies Nature in 'lev 'most beautiful aspects. To thoroughly appreciate "Peter Pan" 't is said lint every man and woman must renew the spirit of childhood, and forget the gulf of years which divides them from the days of golden,dreams, when life was nil sunshine, w-hen hope for the fuluv no cloud or limitation. Unless one can return for a short spice to this b vi M-.v;', of all frames of mind. "Peter Pan"' cannot he Pnjoved and the whole tender sentiment which Ttnjrie Ins ■ meate the play will be entirely lost. As this will be the onlv opportunity residents will have of witnessing this fascinating fairr story, early boohing of seats is advised.

BESSES 0' THE BARX BAND. When Mr. Alexander Owen, the gifted conductor of the ''Besses," who open their Xew Plymouth season at the Theatre Royal this evening at 8.30, continuing at the Recreation Grounds at 3 and the Theatre Royal at 8 on Monday. under Messrs. J. and X". Tait's auspices, wants to, he makes his eresendoes electrifying, says the Christchurch Press. When playing at full power the purity of tone is maintained, too. There is no blare, no splitting, no confusion. The gorgeousness of the 'brass is vivid, but not hard or repellant. The music hounds at the listener, pulsating with mighty force, and the bombardment is irresistible. If the Band's playing of rapid legato passages was brilliant, the effect of the fast staccato passages was dazzling in the extreme. It was hen? that the facility of the players on the more cumbrous instruments was most noticeable. The ponderous trombone was as nimble as the passages for the whole Band in unison were taken with unerring precision. Fver--thing was sham, elsnr-cnt. and and. above nil, effortVs*. A« instance. one may nnote the pla-int nf the crisp movement in th»

Tell" overture that occurred in th-> «••- lection from Rossini's works. The le+s were brushed aside with ir.*re- l i , ''e esse, though the music was taken at almost a phenomenal rate. Mr. Owen mu«t be complimented o? 1 hi l, arrangement of this selection. r t was musicinnlv. close in construction, without itnv looseness in th° stringing together of the excerpts. His own composition, "Zen.lnTidia," with which th" programme opened, is a fine march, and needless to say. is pre-eminentiv suited to «, band. Other items were Snnne's "Poet. «n>l Peasant" overture, fantasia* on En<?lMh and Scotch airs, a selection from the "firaten of Penzance." and a wait'. There were rocicasM encores given. "The Marseillaise" was one of the«e. ppd was just about as rousing « nerfornipnee as one could desire. "T-Tn'l. Rmilin<r Morn," wt.« another, iind tbe Wrra tunes. "Lwd. Kindlv Light" (not the host-known setting 'Onward, Christian Soldiers," were others.

Box plans and day sales are at Col