AMUSEMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10256, 7 June 1911, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

"LUCKY DURHAM." Mr William Anderson lias made arrangements for the production, by liis new company, headed by H. 11. Roberts and Beatrice Day, on Friday evening next, of Wilson Barrett's last play, "Lucky Durham." Speaking of its recent production in Melbourne, the Melbourne Argus said : "The late Mr Wilson Barrett considered that lie had done .his best work (in Lucky Durham, and there is not mm oil doubt that lie was right. The fact that he scored a great popular success with the Sign of the Gross is beside the point. There is no question which is the more intelligent the more vital, and, for discerning minds, the more attractive of the two. Tlie new play—new to Melbourne, though it has been played in Sydney—comes to Melbourne almost with the force of aiovelty. It as a long while .since anything that made even a pretence at high or thought-, compelling purpose has been staged here. The musical trifle and the more or less impossible, more or less a.b- ' surd, melodrama have had <a long 1 reign. They have expressed in ">ncrete form the opinion generally h.-ld by theatrical .managers about their patrons, one possibly ibased an experience, but none the leas unflattering— the opinion, namely, that no one who goes to a. theatre wishes to think, and that not many have the capacity .to do iso. Mr Wilson Barrett, in Lucky, Durham, puts forward a different point of view. It ■is to be hoped that in his case, as far as Melbourne is concerned, wis-, dom will be justified of her child. For the new play, .admirably presented as it was on Saturday night, is a sincere and genuine attempt to hold the mirror up to nature, and not merely to furnish a limelight entertainment for the benefit of grown- 1 up children." The box plan is open, at Mifcs Rive's. a

THE ROYAL HAWAIIANS. The M-iistorton Town Hall will be occupied on Saturday night by the "Royal Hawaiians," an organisation of singers, instrumentalists and lady exponents of "Hula Dances." Included in the party ;are the Hawaiian Glee Singers, who, with the others, form an artistic combination. The leader of the party, Mr Kaa.l, who is a gentleman of rare culture with a. wide experience of music, and the ladies and gentlemen w,ho are associated with him, appeal, by reason of their musical endowments and the decidedly unique nature of the entertainment, to intellectual and music loving audiences in an unmistakable manner. It is easy to understand the fascination that the Royal Hawaiians exert upon an audience when an analysis is made of their music and the varied nature of the entertainments that they present. Not only are all the European and Continental song successes included in their repertoire, but they sing in their native tongue many of the sweetest Hawaiian melodies and perform in a most expert manner on many dulcet tones native instruments. Added to those accomjplishments a,re demonstrations of their national dances, notably "The Hula" which is said to be one of the best spectacular dances extant. If the judgment of our Australian and American critics is to be relied on, the Royal Hawaiians will create a sensation, by reason of the Very novelty of their entertainment, dn wihich 11 ative customs, songs and native instruments play an important part. Much interest is being manifested I here upon their opening, which is J oil Saturday night, June 10th. The ! box plan is at Miss Rive's, and there i is no booking fee. !

THE WORLD'S' GREATEST CONDUCTOR. Dr Coward-,, who is beiug brought out with the great Sheffield Oliorus as conductor by Dr Harri.ss to 'Conduct thai organisation in Wellington 011 the occasion of the forthcoming Musical Festival c-f the Empire, is admittedly the world's greatest living conductor. His fame is 'worldwide, and the leading composers and orchestral chiefs of Europe have paid glowing tributes to his genisu. Dr (.toward has mads the Sheffield Chorus famous wherever the English language is spoken as the most remarkable choral body in the world. He has been its inspiration arid its head ever since its foundation in 1872, and during the period that has elapsed since then he ha.s effected a .complete revolution in the art of choral singing. Dr Coward was the first

English conductor to insist -.upo-n clarity of enunciation and tonal shading as an all-important means to perfect- expression in the interpretation of choral work. To hear his choir is to gain a clear idea of his own ideals! for his choir is the- interpreter of those ideals. Possessed of a magnetic and absorbingly interesting personality, he holds the attention of any body of singers with whom ho comes into contact, and so dose is the rapproachment between the conductor and his chorus that they all sing with the sole object of pleasing Dr Coward. Two years ago, in Germany, when he took the Sheffield Choir .for a brief tour, he was hailed as the most marvellous conductor Europe had ever seen, and his choir as the greatest choir evwi in comparison with the .splendid,choral' bodies pf> the .Fatherland'. His com'ing to Wellington is, therefore, an event of the highest musical importance.