ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 490, 24 April 1909, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

b . THE OPERA. HOUSE. . ; ' The truo spirit of musical comedy ie a rate, ' elusive, almost a fleeting thing. Often those j who fondly hope they havo it find on appeal j to a public verdict that they havo it not. One . could name a ecoro of alleged musical como- . dies which" havo been paraded hero with.ovcrj advantage that good singers, beautiful scenery, 1 and astute advertisement can give; the publio i has been ready and anxious to find ii thrill in them, but has been disappointed. They ' lack inspiration, arc beautiful and clever, but 1 unexciting. But the authors of "Tho Dairy- ■ maids" have the felicity and luck which .roi . warded tho patient finders of tho great car- : buncle. They have produced a eomething which. is not comic opera, but the legitimate child of it, not a lyrical piny, but its lighter, brighter,, more festive brother, in short, a genuine musical comedy. It is quito possible that the euc-, ; 'cess of "Tho Dairymaids may rival even that; f remarkably popular piece, "Tho Merry Widow,'* I which made its final bow to a Wellington audV . enco last .night. . ; . "THE BROKEN HOME." ': I Mr. Edwin Geach announces tho last Bis 1 nights of the present season at, tho Theatre . Itoyal, and ■ to-night the company, will produco*. i for the first time in Wellington ono of his lat~ ; ' J est purchases, "The Broken Home." The plot of the drama is said to bo of a highly interest* ' ing and sensational nature, and abounds in both. , ; pathos and humour. Tho full strength, of the* ' company will bo utilised in tho interpretation : of the story, the principal parts being in the. , ■ capable hands of Misses Ethel Buclcioy, Maud i Appleton; , Leal Douglas, Pattio Gourlay, and) I Messrs. Robert Inman, Hunter,'O'Neill, CnrI ran, Lucas, and Norman. "The Broken Home" . will only bo played for four nights, tho final production of tho season being Mrs. Henry ' Woods's great drama,-"East Lynnc." '; ' THE ROYAL PICTURES. ' There was ngain a good audience at ■'Hi* . Majesty's Theatre last night, when the pro- < gramme, which has bc-eti presented for tho pas! , week \va!i'.'given for the last time. To-night, ' as has: been customary during tho Royal Pic- ; ; hires sixteen months' tenancy of tho Courtenay Place house of amusement, the usual weekly, change will bo submitted. The pictures are the very latest,'having only arrived from England by Monday's mail, and will include sonic fine . industrial and scenic subjects. A. notable coloured picture to bo submitted thiß evening I is entitled" Satan's Smithy," dealing with the I story of tho man who sells, himself for gold, i arid concluding with a fine apotheosis. The . dramatic section will bo headed. with "For ' Honour's Sako" (which includes some splendid scenic studies), and "Hate Between the Races," the title of' which explains itself, , Comio 7 . novelties have also been received, so that tonight's programme ■ should at least equal' its . predecessors. The usual matinee is set down : c .for; this.; afternoon. ; y .. ';\\ - 4 . " • '" ' ' WEST'S PICTURES, V; . V ' "*' The' high-class ''-programmes of kinemato« graph entertainment provided -by the mnnago- [ ineiit of AVest's Pictures have earned, for tho company a' reputation for euterpriso nnd nr- . tistio effort j tho fare provided l at the Town. 1 Hnll this week is ti credit to the inannge'tticßt. I Popular interest i$ quickened by the capital reproduction of ■ tho iDarry-Toivns sculling. " match, and in • sbmo' Sceiies from tho Polar regions.. Two films of. infinite beauty are I ■. the "Living Flowers," and "Scenes on Lake . Conio." The programmo is strengthened by tho' inclusion of an interesting playlet, "Lady Let- ; mero's Jewels," by 6. R. Sims. In addition ■ are a number of other films of pleasing variety 1 and interest. . • ■-. ■ ' - : . ;■'■ ['■; ,; ' '-MADAME-MELBA. >;. ; '-: ' ', From Monday next tho fire shilling, tickets for ; the Melba concerts, on Tuesday'and Thursday ' next, will bo on sale at tho Dresdon. The ': guinea and half-guinea seats can be reserved, '■! But not the five shilling seats. Madame Melba will arrive in Wellington on Sunday morning. •According to tho Timaru "Herald," her singing ', 'created;a;furore at the concert in that town, ' and shq received many floral tributes. After tho ' concert a. crowd waited to see her as she pro- ; ceeded to her carriage, and cheers were giver ' as she drove away'from , tho theatre.