PLAYS FOR CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 478, 10 April 1909, Page 10

PLAYS FOR CHILDREN.

PARIS THEATRES FOR THEIR AMUSEMENT. For the benefit of tho children of Paris, a theatre has been constructed. Hero every Sunday and every Thursday afternoon—Sunday and Thursday being tho French school holidays—aro given matinees for the benefit of the boys and girls. Sometimes there aro plavs—fairy pbys, short comedies, anything that will appeal to children. Then there are songs, monologues, shadow pictures, and the omnipresent cinematograph. Clowns and trained animals and magicians aro to ho seen there, too. The idea is a new one, and tho theatre is an experiment as yet, but it seems to work well. Every Thursday and Sunday seo tho five hundred seats or so of the , theatre filled, every ouo with a delighted audience of youngsters and their chaperons. Tho grown-ups who accompany tho children appear to enjoy tho thing as much as their charges do, a.i'd really it is a pretty sight; and the prettiest part of it, perhaps, is tho audience. • Tho theatre is owned and managed by the publishers of a large magazine for women. 13y an ingenious uso of space, it is situated in tho publishing house of tho magazine, and that without sacrificing a singlo lighted room. The parquet floor is -underground, and the gallery on the street lovol. Private dramatic clubs aro constantly renting the theatre on tho days when it is not used for the children's matinees, which, of course, helps to make it a paying investment. Never was there a playhouse with an atmosphere so gay, so freehand happy as this theatre is on two afternoons a week. The walk, prettily decorated in soft gray and dull gold, ring with bursts of childish laughter. Now an excited boy jumps from his seat as the magician changes his handkerchief into a white rabbit. Now his iittlo sister gives soft shrieks of delight to seo that the magician's hat has mysteriously turned into a little pig. Or perhaps tho story of Aladdiu is dramatically told by a clever reciter while tho incidents are pictured by means of tho magic lanterns and animated shadows behind a screen. Occasionally in the aftornoon comes a recess of teii minutes, during which the children walk about to stretch their limbs, or gather in gay groups to talk about the wonders thoy havo seen. Trim maids in black gowns ' trip up and down the aisles with baskets of cake and candy to sell, and tho children nranch and chatter, while behind tho curtain tho stago hands dart to and fro, rearranging tho sceno for another little play. This time perhaps it is what tho French call a "concours," a kind of guessing contest. A little play is put on, in which tho chief character is a sick child. Tho doctor, after'much puzzling,, confesses that ho does not know what medicine to give the patient. Ho asks tho audience to help him with suggestions, and writes on a slip of paper each one that, is offered. Then he asks the children to guess which of tho remedies will euro the invalid. Tho answers, written down by tho gucssers, are gathered up and placed in a hat, and the doctor draws them out one by one, announcing that the last one will_ be tho proper remedy. A chocolate bonbon is the last guess, and the children who havo declared for that giggle happily when tho doctor tells them that all who guessed "chocolate bonbon ; ' will receive a surprise on the morrow. Sure enough, on tho morrow a box of candy, or perhaps a book, is sent to the address of each fortunate guesser—name and address having been written with each guess, by request. , " Tho performances never last nioro than three hours,. sometimes not moro than two and a half. Tho programmo is changed every two weeks or so, and sometimes more' important plays aro given. Tho prices are very reasonable. Half a crown pays for an orchestra seat, and a place in a box is only three shillings.