ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 498, 4 May 1909, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"TWO LITTLE SAILOR BOYS." °f ; "Two Littla Sailor Boys," a melodrama, b n, Walter Howard, in four acts. Cast:— Admiral Gr0y...... F. Ooapo. bo Captain Nool Tregarthen...Herbert J.-Lontloy. no Lieutenant Richard Hcdßtone A. Neville. Captain Tom Yorke Gilbert H. Emery. .. Jack J011y........;,.... ..Harry Halley. 'u Benjamin 13aiti;r... Leo de Chateau. ir- Jim Koyston J. B. Atholwood. as Lola Grey..;. .....Lilian Meyers. , Mildred Gr0y.....: Nolllo Floronce. "J Luoy Wilson Alice Doorwyn. lit Tom Yorlte.. Mabel Russell. Id Oyril Gr0y.......... Beatrice Holloway. 6- A,dramatic company, under .the managemen 10 of Messrs. Meynell and Gunn, commenced t. season at the Opera House last 'evening, in ; o- melodrama, entitled "Two Little Sailor Boys,' and succeeded in creating a very favourabl jt impression.- "Two Little Sailor Boys" is buil 4 on conventional lines, but true and faithful! ' accordingly, to tho most familiar specifications ." and-moreover, it is well acted, the compan; boing an even, well-bilanced, and-experience! !® lot of players. The sailor boys are the eon '• of a very foolish old admil-.il, who has re £ laced his dead wife with a designing person ola Grey, and the latter-'s eon, who ehe de eerted and left in the hands of Jim Royston n deep-dyed ruffian, whose imploment of toi is . affectionately referred to an disreputabli society as a' jemmy. The stupid Adinira Grey has also a young and charming daughtei in Mildred Grey, who loves Captain Trcgar then, R.N., whose despicable rival is Lieuteuan' Redstone, R.N., an old flame of'the notorioui Lola (who, in turn, proves to bo really the wif< . of Captain Tom Yorko, reported to httvo beet killed in Ladyemith). Lola makes.matters s< ■o warm in the house of,the Admiral that she e manages' to alien»te both the daughtei !- audi the: :son, Cyril, and at the same 1. time accuses'. Captain Tregarthcn of a mid night theft really perpetrated'by Jim Roystoi ; and the outcast son : of Lola and Captair Yorke. .Not content with this she endeavour! to drown the lad, and murders Royston in ai 16 attempt to get back certain papers the burglai >r annexed from the Admiral's safe on the nighi )- of the robbery, containing her photograpl 11 brought by Tregarthen (from Ladysmith), whe [. had promised the dying man to look after, his boy Tom. Captain Tregarthen stands'his trial, n andns acquitted op the Evidence of the boy, and finally wins the true'and trusting Mildred] j Yorke turns up from Africa, finds his:boy, and shows up the lovely Lola in her true colours, 5 and, finally, a funny policeman,: Ben-'Baxter, ! r turns, detective and runs Lola to earth as. the '• murderer of Royston, just as the wedding bells s ring out: the joyful news of the wedding of o Mildred and jthe Captain. ■ - I. The sailor boys are. concerned rather vitally d in the working out of the plot,' and in the e hands of Miss Beatrice Holloway and Miss . Mabel Russell become vivid actualities, a good ■ ■ d(Jal removed from the usual girl-boys of melo- , drama. Miss Holloway makes Cyril a bright, likeable little fellow, and Miss Russell, in pic--6 turssquo rags, lays the pathos on with a 0 trowel. The outstanding good performance is 1 that of Lola, which role is forcefully played by a Miss Lillian . Meyers, who' has" handsome looks and graceful deportment to - aid her to wade t pleasantly through a .morass of crime to the scaffold. She wears a'nuinber of brilliant cosj tumes of immaculate fit on the way. Mr vHcrbert Bentleywas properly, subdued and heroic , as Captain Tregarthcn,, and an even better ' performance was registered by Mr. A. Neville I as Lieutenant Redstone, who takes full advautbe ■ opportunity, his one big scene 'with , Tregarthen offers. ' Little,' too little, is seen.of ) Mr. J. B.'Atholwood as Royston, the .burglar. The part is, a . subsidiary one that offered Mr. J Atholwood little chance save to display his skill in "make-up." Mri L. de Chateau na Baxter and Mr. Halley as Jack Jolly, >rith the lively^assistance of Miss, Alice fieorwyn as Lucy' 'Wilson, hold up r the. comedy end to 6ome . purpose, , and • Mr. G. H, Emery ■ was i quite satisfactory as Captain Yorke, The pky is exoellently mounted, the bridge • and • riverside scones being particularly well . done*, and the stage management in the capable hands of Mr. . c Stanford,, left little to-bo desired. An orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Harold R. Dyson, made oheerful anU dole- !. ful music capably as occasion required, and performed creditably : while tho houso lights 1 were up. "The Two Little Sailor Boys" will be staged ■ nightly; until' further notice. : , •; \ THEATRE KOTAL. Messrs. Fuller's cinephono.> and kinematograph display; at the ,Theatre Royal is onoe more wing, -with popularity undiminished. One or the most amusing films in this week's programmo is " House-cleaning Days," which; H describes ;t the; trials {of a\ poor, husband who* wishes to remain in the house during 6pring-<s)oaning, and is hunted from pillar to )ost.---If he goes into ! tho diningroom. lie is lustled out, whilo; the carpet is taken up, in tho drawinyroom he .finds that he is obstructing thO'hanging of the ourtains, in a quiet corner, of the garden ho corner in contact with' 'the lawn-mower, and on a garden seat he is smothered with whitewash.' "A Good Testimonial ' is a spccimen of' the Nick Carter dotectivd; picture;' The story is of a girl who enters service by. means of a forged testimonial, and then-'drugs master and mistress while her. burg ar accomplice goes through th house. ' livontuaily the two are cleverly caught in a ' trap prepared for them. Tho cinenfione items on the. programme are two fine pictures, and records of. Harry Xauder singing- "I Love-a Lissift .and "She's Ma Daisy." ■ lIIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. " ' • The . manner in which the .public' appreciate tuo'lioyal Pictures is demonstrated by the'way m which■ thejr;turn out-'to see them.even when : the, weather is so unfavourable as was the case last; night. • The pictures, are proving a continuous , attraction. There is only ono'night more l or^ the present: programme, the" usual weekly change being made to-morrow night MADAME MELBA'S PEOPLE'S CONCERT. A special and important notice to-all 'ticket-• huldcrs tu Mauiuno t concert, ' in -the Town Hall this, evening, appears in our advertising columns.' . Tho-.whole of the reserved , and unreserved seats were sold out at the Dres-. den office by 2 o'clock; yesterday afternoon, and for. tho remainder of <tne afternoon a constant stream of- would-be .purchasers had to bo turned away disappointed. • There are''absolutely no further ; tickets; available, and no tickets will be sold at the doors. In order, that the large ;nuQiencß_ of . fully three; thousand peoplo riiay be seated m time to allow the conoert to commence at'B o'clock, reserved seat ticket-holders are respectfully requested by the management to take their seats as soon after -7 p.m. as possible. othennse many -miy . miss the opening numbers, of the concert. Notices as 'to doors at which holders of the various tickets tor; botn . reserved . and unresor'ved seats must .enter appear in our advertising columns. 1 SKATING. Thb ever-popular .winter pastime/ - roller skating, js . once more in full, swing- at the Olyrapia• Rink,. Ingestre Street, and onoe more the seekers of healthy. and vigorous exercise are to i be. seen performing their rapid and : graceful evolutions on a floor ofalmost perfect smoothness. That floor has been the subecfc of special, preparation, and the manager . r. .• * • b.; ;Yates). has spared no effort or expense to see that Wellington - skating enthu- ; nasts have J\e pleasure of gliding on a good ttoor. In this ho has -been entirely, successful.. iho attendance last night was large, excoptionally so for. a wet. night, and there is eveTv promise of a most successful, season. Inclucling spectators, thero were between 400 and 500 in the building. The Jady instructress (iliss . Cunningham) proved a very desirable acquisition, and took; round- many lady beginners. 0. he. usual carnival and races, which brighten and lend, a pleasing variety to the evening's' skating; will bo held in due; course. The first oarmval will, probably take-place' in a few days, and ono.of the popular polo matches will be .arranged at the < earliest" possible date. Matinees, for ladies and ohildren ; especially will be held on Saturday mornings. The usual hours observed will be 10 to 12,'2.30* to 5 and 7.30 to 10 pm. daily The Olympia Orchestra, under the baton of Jlr. Christie, will con- ■ tinue to play agreeable selections during the, evenings. ,Mr. Yates has engaged a firstolass staff of; assistants, who will show everv attenlion to visitors. . . . . SAILOBS' REST. ... . In.spito of tjio inclement weather, a most enjoyablo and successful concert was given to seamen last night in the Sailors' Rest, under tho auspices if the Wellington Catholio Sodmen s Conference. Thero was an exceptionallv large attendance. The following kindlv contributed - items Miss M'Carthyf piZ* solo Mr. A. Hudson, violin solo; Miss P. Treeonrnng, song; Mr. F. l'arkes, song; Mr. F. Cooze, : Soiift; Mr. ■E. E. Richards, 'oello solo'; Miss Elsie Strickland, song; Mr. Stewart Brown 1 descriptive and coniio item; Mr.A.Foote song : Mr. Smith, recitation; Miss Bowdcn, song : 'i Misses Nellie Hickey and Vera Little, High- - land fling; Misses E. Scanlon and E. Ware- ' ham, Spanish bolero dance. Tho accoinpaniments were efficiently played by Miss M'Carthv ! and . Miss Taylor. At tho conclusion Captain Bonner suitably returned thanks. ' ■ . 1