ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 88, 14 April 1905, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

■ « „, "THE BROKEN MELODY." "The Broken Melody," with its ailerontious of strained melodrama and pathos, hii with tensu bituatioua and superb in Die appropriate instrumentations, waj , played lor the second time at the Opera House lut.t night by the Van Biene Com.' pany. The progiess of the play wai followed with rapt interest by a large nnd wholly sympathetic audience. The whole of the characters received artistic "~ presentation, for though Van Bieue is ihe central and striking figure, he i* bupporled by v company that po?Bessei individual and collective excellence. In. the passionate termination of the second act realistic presentment was given to a 1 ■ scene in which anything less effective would touch the borderline of bathos,' ■ The part of Paul Boriiibki is written' '• mound Van Biene, graded to run tho gamut of his varied possibilities, aud ha ' makes of it a personal triumph. The pkil fully-drawn churacters of Mr. and Mrs. Dicksou, which rank in import- 5 unoo next to that of the musician, wer# played with marked success by Mr.' Ar-> thur Hawtree and Mrs. Norton. Mis* Mane Hignold gave a hard, yet appro-. ,'* priatc, characterisation of tho scheming « and unprincipled Duchess de Verview. ,3 while the f>ympn thy -compelling part os I Mabel, tho musician's wife, was ingenu«.*| ounly and pleadingly played by Miss Len»*s Buruluigh. The parts of the rival im« V pivssarios who supply the touches of*§ light comedy that brighten the sombr»'-^ plot were well enacted by Messrs. Arthur Kldrrd and lloraco Lingard. The plajr ;< will be repented until further notice. TAYLOR-CARRINGTON COMPANY, \ "JUSTICE AT LAST." At His Majesty's Theatre last evening, <• tho Taylor-Currington Company present*.*^ cil to a laigu audience a very successful ," h"r*t production of "Jiurtice at Last}"- *\ * melodrama with a good deul of solid merit ; in it, The btruggle between good an.d.,j evil principles is the backbone of "Justic* ■>■ at Lust," as it is of all melodrama. h£ ' this cdio, the fight, ns the title indicates, ' has tho appropriate ending, and tho goo 4 people of the play, after being hunted by an energetic villain (Mr. Ward Lyons) through four acts, are all rewarded «iocording to their deserts, or better. Mr. Charlie Taylor has tin amusing part an Isaacs, .a cynical Hebrew, who? baa re- - lations with tho villain, and presente th* character with much freshness and originality. Kate Medland is ably played by Miss Ella Carrington. "Justico at Last! ' " will run its course ngnin to-night. •; FISK JUBILEE SINGERS. To-night the Fisk Jubilco Singers will givo » farewell concert in tho Town. Hall. This popular combination of talented people- is leaving for Sydney by to-niorrow'a 6teamcr, so that to night's concert -will --be the last • opportunity for an indefinite thnr of bearing ' ttio fmo old negro inelo? " l dies sung by t'iieir expert. .Oi-pon.c.% ents. An especially good programme/ > including many old favourites and som* now choruses, has been arranged. Misset" Morcer and Bello Gibbons, and Messrs. -. Clarence Tisdale, R. H. Co)Jins, and H.\", C. Newton are still in the company, and Jiavo been allotted some extra gaodsoloi* • Tlho Premier intends to be present. "Is War an Unmixed Evilf" was the subject ot a spirited debate at the meet* ing of St. Andrew's Literary and Debating Society last evening, presided over |by the Rev. J. Gibson Smith. Tho ttflirmativo was taken by Mr. John Scott, who submitted that there weiu no re. deeming features übout war at nil, and that if any advantages were the outcome of it they did not compeuwle ioi tho loss of life, misery, and expenditure which war entailed. Mr. 11. Roue for the negative contended that war h«d beuii the instrument whereby we had freedom of thought and speech and of u-ligion, and illustrated ]iis remarks by references! to the more important historical wars. On tho question being put to the meet* ing Mr. Rose's contention was upheld by a large majority. A well-attended meeting of the St. Mark'B Literary and Debating Society was held in the vestry-room last night, the Rev. R. Coffey being in the chair, ' Twelve new members were elected, und an excellent syllabus was arranged for * the coming season, alternate Tuesday* being fixed as the meeting nights. Tho stallholders at the bazaar in (lift Petoue Oddfellows' Hall in aid of tha funds for improvements to St. David's Presbyterian Church are as follow:— Fairy Well: Misses Morris and Kibblewhite; Fancy, Mesdatnes Cherry, Robinson, and Ritchie ; Lollic, Misses Carter, Bennett (2), and AUender j Cake, Mrs. Alexander; Plain . Needlework, Mcsdames Webster, Duff, Rushton, Colton, and Thomson ; Fruit and Produce, Misses Caverhill and Home ; Bran Tub;*, Misses Thomson, Webster, Rushton, Wilson, and Nicholson ; Competitions, Mesdames Web* ster and Norris ; Refreshment*, Mesdamet Ward, Burrjdge, Gilniour, and Brocklebank. A programme of music will be played . by the Garrison Band on tho Jervoisquay rotunda this evening. The itenu are advertised. At the Missions to Seamen this ovei> ing, Mr. James Mooro. Missioner, will reply to recent criticism of his schema for providing a lifeboat for Wellington. Musical items will ba given by Miss Randall and party. A charge will be made for admission, and Che proceed* will bo devoted to the lifeboat fund. The committee and teaching staff ot thtr Kilbirnio School are organising a bazaar as a means of raising funds 'for the purpose of asphalting a portion of tho school playgrounds. The first of a series of "socials" to b» held during the autumn and winter months . was held in tho Congregational Churchroom, New-town, last night, under the direction of the pastor, the Rev. \V. A. Evans. A large party of members of th« church and young people was present, and the evening w«« spent most enjoyahly in social intercourse. A musical' programme was contributed to by Miss G. Mason and tho choir, under tho baton of Mr. Johnson, with Mr. Ralph Anker ait the organ. \ The winter session of the Courtenay, place Social Institute was opened last, evening in tho Congregational School room, with a "social*' of an enjovabl* description, w A short programme of vocal and instrumental music was gon* through, the contributors being Mes . dames Lewis and Kelly. Misses Varcoe, Lewis, Henderson, L'udford, Mitcaff* Bowdon, Messrs. Forsyth, Bowdcii, and Bunwtte. Parlour games wore also indulged in. A bright and varied syllabus has boen drown up for Ujp season, Amongst the lectures to be given is on« by tho Rev. Macdonald Aspland <i r e cent arrival from Engknd, his subject being, "tho English Education Act • My Experiences as a Passive Resistor." 1 - The uext meeting of the Institute is to' v witness a debate on the question "Should the Bible bo Read in Stato Schools! The Stoke Orpbonago is rapidly an., proacbing completion. Mr. J. S Swan architect for the. building, who returned this morning from a flying visit to Nelson,; reports that the new structure w ill be opened about the end of next month, wbeu a public ceremony will take place. There, has been no foundation-stone laid, but a* I next month's function a memorial tablet j will be set up in the edifice. A list pf reductions in Messrs. Warnwk' end AdkihVAWfroolh will be found «££.' 1 where.