ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 305, 18 September 1908, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE OLD FOLKS AT HOME." . ''Tho Old Folks at Homo," a, melodrama in four acts, by J. A. Campbell. Andrew lloss ......... Ernest' Leicester. Lord Howard Konihvorth ... H. S. Lewis. Hugh Lowell F. Coape. Christopher Robin G.T. Carey. Ben Jol.ley E . G . Conghlan. * C. H. Stanford. ?, Iu , sll '° R. J. Lorraine. "NT E ' M. Kcon. , £, " 1V- obm Alice - Deornjn. PiSii 7i° ? ti I Mabel, Russell., r . R 'n I'" 1 Gresh,un. km a Durham ... Murielle de Bourbel. Dm-ni-liv" iVV* n ar ' oll Norman. Doi °thy Robm Beatrice HoUoway. • ; This new play which was produced for the : list time m Australasia at tho Opera Houso" last evening by the Meynell and Gunn Com-' pany, relates a story vivid enough as tho basis of a melodrama, but the drughtsiiiaiiship and language are crude, shortcomings that were not cloaked by tho art of the actor in several instances, and laughter mole than once tickled the susceptibilities of the audience where dramatic intensity was intended to be conveyed. This was regrettable, for iwor as tho play is, there was ' bright endeavour on the part of some of the players concerned to infuso dramatic'' meaning into tho lines. The story deals with" the love affairs of Dorothy Robin, the only/ daughter of a lino old couplo of yeoman far-" mer folk She has become enamoured of Lord Howard Kcnilworth who, attracted by her prettiness and innocehce. and the fact, that £10,000 is duo him on the day lie marries, weds the girl, to' the grief of AndrewRoss, a stalwart young farmer and her father s right hand on the farm. To alleviate his sorrow Ross leaves for Virginia - warning Lord Howard before he,leaves thatif ho should ever ill-treat his wife he would hear from him. Of course, Lord Howard does ill-treat his girl-wife, going far as to into the house a woman of no importance in the porson of l'atriciia Bathurst. - Though- alleged to be living a . reckless; life.■ Lord Howard is haunted by the fear of vengeance, and he and his paramourcommission a maiv to go to Virginia aiid assassinate Andrew. Tho deed is prevented ; by a timely bullet fired by an artist friend,Hugh Lowell, who, having heard.of the plot*. hurries to America to arrive, with melodra-.-inatic precision, just as the assassin's knife is about to bo sheathed in' the hero's body. - Hearing from Lowell the way things ljavogone, Ross returns to England in time -to - prevent tho old folks at home being evicted-' from their farm by Lord and to' seo that specimen' of the aristocracy choked J to death by the dumb' farm-hand, Jack, to" whom Dorothy lias been a-religion. , Jack commits suicide to save court expenses, and" one can only surmise from tlioir attitudes* in the,final glow of limplight, that liappi-' liess conies , to Andrew ' and his; sweeth Dorothy. .."

As Dorothy, Miss Beatrice Holloway-' looked as pretty.as'a picture, fresh and-sweet'* enough for any two 'men' to quarrel about ; and she acted with-finish and a grace of''. (. personality and deportment entirely , pleas- [_ ing. Miss Holloway wore a number of charm-' i. mg gowns as they should he worn. . Mr.-,, i- 'Ernest Leicester, as Andrew Ross, ! lent .'. a' ;-' breezy manliness to the part, and was more'! alive to dramatic requirements than has', i- hitherto been the case. His performance left' i, little, if anything, to be desired. '. Mr.',' a F. Coape was satisfactory as Hugh Lowell,. ; s and Mr. C. R. Stanford made the most of the '' devoted dumb person who lopes round the 1 .farm of the Robins. As Lord Howard. Mr.' H. S. Lewis was amateurish,. and his elocue t' on > gesture, and stage "deportment left much, to be desired, and it was owing to. these shortcomings that more than one scene failed, e in its intent. As the elderly Robins, Mr. G. P. Carey and Miss ( Alice Deorwyn wcro s quite at home, and Miss Marion Norman as ;> Dinah, a, coloured product of Virginia,'.was ,j notably excellent. Miss, Ida Gresham was,' a once again the bold, bad' woman, and Miss. Mabel Russell ,made a ,bright lady's, maid.: B Mr. E.'G.'Coughlariwas set down to struggle. g wit)i,thc puerile humour of Ben, Jolley, a Jack 0 Tar of tlio jolly order,' and the place t filled by one whose, talqnt does riot lie,in. tlio. a. comedy way. _ Another amateur in the person of Miss Murielle de Bourbel appeared in the [ Virginian scene as Bonita Durham, the owner j of a plantation. In this sccne is introduced j a nigger interlude, in which coor.'songs are sung by a couple of talented children, who also sin" "The Swaneo River" to give verisimilitude to tho title of tho play, ut t-no b scenery, the farmhouse exterior and the Virr ' 1 ginian set are the best stage pictures. Credit must'be given to Mr. C. R. Stanford for bia t capable stage management. e "Tho Old Folks at Home" will bo peri' formed until further notice. . - THEATRE ROYAL. 1 Large crowds continue to flock to the Theatre Royal, tho Burns-Squires picture ~ j being the principal attraction. In addition . to the "star" film, tho programme contains 1 a varied coilcction of pictures, including thoso of the Olympic contests. The pictures will | be in Wellington for only one more night,. ! and will then be transferred to Auckland, 1 ; where they will be shown on Monday night.. AVIDE WORLD PICTURES, v. ■ On Saturday night Messrs. John Fuller and . Sons will start a season' of Wide World . pictures at tho Theatre Royal. Tlio pro-'; gramme will include a great variety of films';' drainatic, travel, humour, and all classes will be represented. The management state that everything in the programme will he abso*lutely new to Wellington. Particulars aro . advertised. A CANTATA. The members of the choir of the Courtenay Placo Congregational Church last night gave a successful rendering of the cantata, "Christ and His Soldiers." Tho work was accompanied by a small orchestra,- Mr. F. W. Rowley presiding at tho organ. Mr. A. M. Lewis was the conductor, and the soloists wore Mrs. F. P. Wilson, Miss Archer. Mrs. A. M. Lewis, Mr. Hoare, and Mr. Layeock. The proceeds of tho entertainment are to be devoted to the renovation fund. MR. CHARLES SAUNDERS. - ■ Tho second of the two farewell concerts tobe given in conjunction with tho Wellington Choral Society will take place at the Town' Hall this evening. From the: programme,'; , which appeared in our columns yesterday, it will bo seen that this evening's concert is as attractive as' Wednesday's.' Mr. Saunders's.' items will include "The Message" (Blii-.' menthal), "Come into tho Garden, Maud" (Balfe), "Sound an Alarm," (Judas Maccabaeus), "Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes" (Sullivan), also with Miss Clara Robson "The Sailor Sighs as Sinks his Native Shore" (Balfe), and with Mr. John Prouse, "The Fisherman" (Gabussi). Items will also be given by Miss Clara Robson (contralto), Mr/ John Prouse (baritone), Mr. J. Maughan Birnott (organ), as well as - part - songs by the'chorus. The box plan is open 'at tho Dresden. • ' - A correspondent over the signature"Music" suggests that the managers of concerts should, if possible, include in the programme the item " Lucifer's Soliloquy" which was so very heartily apprcciai; on Wednesday night. "I make this .. _11 not .only on behalf of those who were so fortunate as to bo present and arc longing to hear this item again, but also in the interests of the many who were prevented bv weather, etc., from being present, but will be among the audience on Friday. I venture to stato that this item was one of tho most magnificent that': has ever been produced on a Wellington concert- platform, and ii sivms right that aB many us possible should have of hearing it." HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Tho new' programme stthr itiod by the man-' agoment.of the Royal Pictures is being much appreciated by the public. Another largo audience assembled last niVht to be amused by tlio various films. "A Duel by Dynamite," showing a combat between two men who take as long to dio r.s a rich uncle, was productive of roars of laughter. Much interest was exhibited in a descriptive film entitled "A Trip Through Rome." '"Hie Noble Jester," "Tho Rag-Picker's Woddiit— '?• and ai host of others received well-earned applause.