AMUSEMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10030, 2 July 1910, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

"PETE" AT THE TOWN HALL TO-NIGHT.

Playgoers here will be delighted to learn that Clarke and Meynell's specially organised company with Mr H. R. Roberta and Miss Beatrice Day in tbe principal parts w>ill be seen this evening at th? T:twn Hall in the production of "Pete." This famous! play, which ran for over 200 ni„n s at the Lyceum Theatre. London, bieaking all records for drama, has been dramatised by Hall Ca.ne and L. N. Parker from Hall Caine's powerful story "The Marxman." Mr Roberts and Miss Day will appear as Pete Quilliam and Kate Crcgeen respectively, and thier capabilities are so well knuwn to play goers here that there will be no doubt as to their effectiveness in those important roles. "Pete" is a play of strong human interests with plenty of sentiment, cleverly drawn characters, and a love element and romance running through the whole of the four acts, until the culmination—the happy ending—is reached. When little more than a child, Kate Cregeen had become engaged to Pete. Pete has been absent for five years a when the play opens, and he is believed to be dead. In the meantime Kate has loved Philip Christian, tut he puts ambition before love and hunonr, refuses to make her his wife, and when Pete comes home a rich man she marries him. Gradually she learns to love the big-heartefl, rough mannered fellow, who believes himself to be of her child, and because of this love she find herself unable to go on living a lie and leaves her husband's house. Pete, heart-broken, gives it out to the world that Kate has merely gone on a visit to some of her friends, to maintain the fraud he even writes letters to himself and shows them as coming from his wife. But one night she retruns to take away her child and is seen by Pete. He offers to divorce her if Philip will marry her, but Philip lefuses. Her father refuses to admit her into his house, so big-hearted Peto forgives her, and the curtain comes down on a happy ending of two united hearts, for Kate has long since realised that she loves Pete. There are some intensely thrilling situa tions, and the story makes a direct appeal to the hearts and sympathies of the audience.

THE EGYPTIAN PRINCESS. This charming operetta will be staged with full costume and scenic effects next Tuesday evening, at the Town Hall. The music is by Ohas. Vincent, Mus. Doc. Oxon.„ and is bright and tuneful to a degree. Patrons will have the privilege of viewing: the first production of this popular musical play in New Zealand.

The cast ot characters is a strong one. Mrs H. S. Claughton and Miss V. Edwards sustain the leading suprano parts. Princess Aida and Alva, respectively. Mr Harrv Hall, as Princess Tabubu, has the leading humorous character, and will be ably assisted by Miss 0. Richards arid Mi as B. Johnson as Nyssa and The dances have been prepared at a large expenditure of time and talant by Mrs and should prove a very attractive feature of the operetta. The orchestra will ably support a large and efficient ehorus, about 60 perfoimers in all, under the direction of Mr H. S. Claughton. The proceeds are to provide a riew ; bydraiffic motor for St. Matthew's organ. The box plan is at Miss Rive's.

TOWN HALL PICTURES.

The programme which was so well received in Masterton on Wednesday, and in Featherston on Thursday, was repeated in th Town Hall last evening, when there was a very satisfactory audience. Every item was thoroughly appreciated, and the opinion was generally expressed that tbe programme was one of the best yet presented in Masterton. The description of the trip through Switzerland by rail is a remarkable fine kjnematographig conception, the enowclad mountains and majestic vegetation being a revelation in scenic effect* The whole of the dramatic and comic numbers are w<?ll above the average. As the Town Hall is engaged for several successive nights, the pictures will be shown in Carterton to-night, ttketabuna on Monday, and Tuesday, and Pahiatua on Wednesday and Thursday. BOXING, Since the results of the Wellington Championships hsve been annuunced, it has been considered necessary to somewhat alter the programme arranged by the Masterton Boxing Club for the Tourney to be held on the 6th inst, at the Town Hall. The advertised amateur contest, Porter v. Smith, will be cancelled, but the management has made ample amends by engaging two of th© best known boxers in New Zealand, viz., Tracy and Murphy, for a five-round bout. The appearance of these clever exponents of boxing, coupled with the professional spar, Malony v. Gosling, and the six bouts by members of the Masterton Boxing Club, should ensure a crowded house on Wednesday next. i

("THEPIKATES OF PENZANCE."

It ia not frequent that the Masterton Playgoers have the opportunity of witnessing Comic Opera. The Mas< terton Amateur Theatrical Society have undertaken to stage the above opera, and have been rehearing assiduously for months past to produce the piece, under the direction of Mr Geo. E. Gray. There is every promise of the performance being a decided success on each of the two evenings of July 20th and 21st. The east has been very carefully selected, and is backed up by a first class orchestra or. 22 members. The play verges on grand opera with the insertion nf dialogue very cleverly and wittily written, in 'which Miss Cameron as the "Piratical Maid," Mr Harry Hall, as "Major General Stanley,"Mr Iggulden as the "Piraie J King." and Mr W. S. Jago as "Fredj erick," the pirate apprentice, take a prominent part. The scenery for the second act is very tastefully painted hand of a bright nature, blending sweetly with the costumeß, and Mr S. Pearson, manager of fhompson- ■ Payne's Pictures, has very kindly offered to paint the scenery for the first act—the mounting representing

a cave wlitb mck« in the foregm< d and feascape in the distance. lie Society has brought down the prict at within to the reach of*all, and notify that the box plan will be opened at Messrs Inns and Goddard's on Wednesday, the 13th inßt.

THOMPSON-PAYNE PICTURES. The Foresters' Hall was weJl filled last nigbt, when the new seriesj of films were piesented. "The Highlander's Dl fiance," "Lost and Ktgained," "The Clown's Crime,' r and "Bitter Sweet," are all first class picture?, and folly merited the applause they • received. The comic subjects, of which there is a large percentage Kept the audience in a merry mood. To-night seven extra pictures will be shown, including, "This is Unfortunte," "How th» Cook got Married," "Good Sport,** and "A Great Religious Festival .in Russia." On Monday next. Messrs Thompson and Payne will introduce to Mastertonians "A Trip to Jopiter." This picture is somewhat novel, and savours of things even more be—wildering than the famous imaginative works of Jules Vtrne. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Jtly 7th, Bth, and 9th, "The Last Mister of the Balaclava Light Brigade,"" will be produced for th 3 benefit of the "Robert's Balaclava Survivors.* fund, which was prou oted to keep thoE3 old heroes from wai.t.