AMUSEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 232, 6 February 1911, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS

THE LION AND THE MOUSE. There was !i splendid demand for seats at Collier's on Saturday morning, when the plans were opened for the production 011 Wednesday night of "The Lion and the Mouse," in which Mr. J. C. Williamson will present for the nrst time Here the great American actress, Mia? Katherine Gray, and the brilliant young romantic actor, Mr. William Desmond. .The following is a brief outline of Charles Kleri's famous play, which -is creating a profound sensation wherever it is being staged:—ln the first scene we are ihtroduccd to the humble home 01 Judge Rossmore, who, as the result of having ruthlessly exposed the tactics of- a group of millionaires, has been brought,to the verge of ruin. lie has been deposed from the bench by his political enemies, and is falsely accused of accepting a bribe from the men whom he had held up to public condemnation. The leader of. the group of milionaires is John Burlvc'tt Ryder, the ''lion," who is endeavoring to crush the judge out of existence. The daughter of the judge arrives from Europe, and is grief-siricljen at the misfortunes of her father. ' Her grief is intensified when she learns.'that Jeflerson Ryder, with whom she had fallen in love on the voyage is a son of the millionaire who is persecuting her father. She, however, sets herself to work to defeat the machinations of "the lion." Four nets are devoted to the unfolding of the scheme adopted by Shirley Rossmore to save her father's honor, and! there is a series of intensely dramatic scenes. The company will arrive here on Wednesday morning from Stratford. The plans are at Collier's, where day-sale tickets can also be purckised. In addition to the great American actress, Miss Katherine Grey, and the brilliant romantic actor, Mr. William Desmond, the caste includes Messrs. Leslie Victor. Cyril Mackay, J. B. Atholwood, Winter Hall George Bryant, George Chalmers, Boyd Irwin, T. \Y. Lloyd, Rupert Julian, Ramsay Clarke, Elmo Sinclair, also Misses Susie Vaughan, Alma Vaughan, Florence Gleeson, Elsie Wilson, Kate Towers, Alma Phillip, Miss Florence Gleeson, who will make her re-appearance here, last visited New •Zealand with the ".Squaw Man" company, in which play she created a furore asj Nat-U-Rich, the Indian girl. Playgoers will be delighted to welcome once again that brilliant aeress, Miss Susie Vaughan, who last appeared here so successfully with Mks Tittel Brune. Miss Susie Vaughan will lake the part of Mrs. John Burkett Ryder in •' The Lion and the Mouse." THE DOLLAR PRINCESS.

The box plan for the performances ol "The Dollar Princess" will be opened ai Collier's on Thursday, February 16th. As is generally known, this famous musical play will be presented by the J. C. Williamson's new comic opera company At the Theatre Royal on .Monday, February 20th. "The "Dollar Princess," described as the legitimate successor of "The Merry Widow," is, it would appear, a veritable casket of gems. The book is by A. M. Wilmer and F. Oreenhaum, the lyrics by Adrian Ross, and the music by the famous Viennese ciiiiiposej' and virtuoso, Dr. Leo Fall. Apart from acknowledged beauty and originality oi the music, the play is credited with being perhaps the finest exposition of up-to-, date costuming that has been :ittempte<lj' even by the J. C. Williamson management. The scenic display is said to be of an exceptionally lavish nature, the interior of the mansion of Harry Q. Condor being a revelation in appointment and artistic environment. The company that Mr. J. C. Williamson sends to interpret this important musical attraction is, we understand, the same that has recently been playing the opera, in Melbourne and Sydney. Both musically and artistically the play is promised in precisely the same style as obtained in those cities. "The Dollar Princess" will be given for one night only. The company, which is probably the largest that has ever toured the Dominion in comic' opera, includes Olive Podwin, Lottie Sargent, Ivy Bickford, Stella Selbourne,| Herbert Clayton, Frank Greene, W. S. Percy, Charles Albert, Victor Prince, I and Bert Gilbert. j