ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 778, 30 March 1910, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"PETER PAN." Fairyland has come out of tho storybooks, and has taken up its locale at the Opera House. Children who have seen its wonders arc still puzzling in a dazzled sort of way over its delights, and their elders who havo not yet parted with youth, are charmed with the unusual and somewhat indescribable charm, of Petor Pan,;' the lively leader of the Six Lost Boys. Mr. Bartrie's splendid dream play was written i to please children (from six to seventy) the world over, and it does this and more., It possibly has an educative value—the subtle education of the golden , Barrie.. philosophy—which so far, has never been seriously analysed by any writer... And for juveniles—real ju.could bo more delightful than this extravagant sories of events in which the author works out his beautiful motif with guoh situations and "properties" as a fairy, visiting the nursery and carrying away the children, a patiejit crocodile, with angry jaws, which , pursues its 'intended victim for a score of years, a pirate ship with its full muster 'of desperadoes, or half a dozen Indians whose, looks smack of the backwoods and tho wilderness. Miss Lizebte .Parkes plays tho part, of "Peter Pan" admirably. Her sprightly movements exactly indicate' the feeling of "the boy who .would never grow up," and; by . the time it is all over, and. Peter. is. seen •lonely among tho treetops in Fairyland, sufficient has happened to give everyone suggestions for .endless quaint queries. ' So convincing is Miss Parkes that when the curtain, is at last rung down 011 the fairy lights, the thought running in tho. minds of the children is "Poor Peter! I wonder what he. will do until next spring." Mr. Charles Kingston- appears .in two important parts, and ho makes the most' of bctJi of them.-' "Peter Pan" will-be staged again this evening.

i . THEATRE ROYAL.. The . very.- attractive.. vaudeville .pro-, gramme.,which i?. feeing staged, nightly ■by. Messrs. Fuller, and Sons was again receivod last night with the plaudits of a full house.: The Orottons, in their acrobatic; and gladiatorial turns, were heartily welcomed. Mr. .Charles Fanning ■ supplied plenty of broad, humour. Miss .Georgia Devon . (soulirette) and Charlotta, the "child . wonder," appeared, for. the second time: with tho-roughly-earned success, and a number of established favourites coriipleted the bill. > HIS MAJESTY'S PICTURES. Tho final programme of His Majesty's Pictures; for tlio week linishing yesterday .was' given la-st evening, when a large audience .testified to thoiv appwciation of the, many excellent pictures presented.., To-night; there ' will, be a complete change ot programme, and the new .pictures, are said to be equal in every respect to thoso of the series just finished. By special request the fine film. J'Jialaqlava Survivors," shown by the firm at tho Town Hall'on Monday last,-will be included in this week's •programme, - 'Prominent aiuoug the dra-: piatic items is the latest . American .Biograph Company's .; production, . ."I-fcr Torriblo-Ordealy" a stgry« dealing with' tho -salvation' -by. abscnt-minded-ness-of -her employer-of a'-pretty' steno-grapher-from a horrible'death at the hands of 'an unscrupulous villain. Alno : ono of .tho Vitagraph Company's films do luxe entitled "Cosette," ivh-icji is a, portion-of the tragic tale of Jean Valjean's life as taken from Victor Hugo's celebrated novel, "Les; Miserables." |The scenic interest is".well sustained by ' Dutch Types" and "Coconut .Plantations," and another ,fine . series of ~vieys jQf jtlieVParis floods,', while..among the ..comic items .two. regular "scrcams" .'are;'.promised.-'-in '-'Calino Goes Travelling" and. "Foolshead 1 Preaches Temperance." The rest of the programme, is. well.up.to tho .usual.His .Majesty's standard.., Seats-may be. reserved- at Christeson's: ■ - -

' THE KING'S THEATRE: The!,.. King's .Theatre was' I .' agait crowded' .-.last .. .evening, ; amongst'. thoso prcsent-'beirig-thc Australian cricketers, who. were the guests of the proprietary. A complete change of programme will bo presented this evening. This lien programme is stated to bo ropletewitii as rid! as they are .rare. The great , military picture,'. "The. Heroine: of Matching," js to be presented, and: the ..management state that they feelconfident' that public; opinion will endorse it as one of -the best , animate-] productions yet shown in this city. Tin interest is centred around tho doings of two members of the British nobility, during tho stirring, times of the Boer War,:'-and depicts the bravery of tlio British soldiers and'the heroism of-the .high-born English woman. Others for special mention'; are-"Her Terrible Ordeal," a , story , of absent-mindedness, which afterwards proves a blessing and "The Sins of the Faiher!" Scenic and industrial films will 1 include "Tho Peaks of Eugandine," with its leaning t-ower, "A Coconut Plantation, in Singapore," and "A Marble Quarry, ' and the: humorous items "Country Servants," "Dr. Zanikoff's Experiments in. Grafting,", "Calino Goes Travelling,''and "Sorry I: can't Stop." Tho -King's Theatre orchestra .will render entirely new selections'. arid accompaniments. ... V': STAR PIQTURES. ■ This week's change of programme presented by the. Star Picture Proprietary, again drew a large audience to St, .rhomas's Hall, Newtown, last evening. ' Shakespeare's "Othello" was screened in five acts and fifteen scenes, the . magnificent Patho art study being mnclr appreciated . by those, present! 'lwo interesting dramatic films were: "A Sister's. Devotion," and "Honest 'John Tho Coach-man." The programme right through is a well-selectod one, and provides, plenty of diversion for lovers of kinematograph films. . Another exhibition, will be given this evening. EASTEH CARNIVAL. ; ,' .Continued success attends the Easter Carnival .which is being held in the Sydney, Street -Schoolroom this week in aid of the Wadestbwn Roman Catholic Church Building Fund.' The attendance last evening was excellent, and the various stallholders did good business. Dances by children wore greatly appreciated by tho patrons of the bazaar, and reflects great crdit on Miss Putnam, who trained them. The Wellington Gas Company are giving a special display 'of gas . cooking, under tho direction of Miss York. Arrangements have been made for the bazaar to be".open this afternoon from 3 : to S. "MISS CLEOPATRA" AT DAY'S BAY The Eastbourne Amateur Dramatic Societyv-stnged , tho farcical comedy "Miss Cleopatra" for the second time last night to a "very good audience at Day's - Bay. "Miss Cleopatra" is a farce of the extravagant order, and u difficult one for - amateurs to handle, but under the ofiicient stage management of Mr. St. John Keenan the company came through very creditably. The titlo role was taken by Miss M Cnrto, who has,a good stage presence, and dressed the part very prettily. Miss Carte entered' into the spirit of: the character from the start, and although she did not. quite come through with flying colours she did extremely -well.' Miss M. Smith played tho, subsidiary part of Millie Rawlons in a very' uatu- i

ral manner, and looked really charming. Mrs. E. Carte essayed the character of Mrs. Hawkins, and except that sho was' inaudible in many places, got through very well. Most of tho fun-making of the evening was left to Mr. C. S. Girdlestone in the part of Rawkins, the retired pork butcher. This gentleman scored with the audience, especially in a topical song in the second act. Mr. B. F. Kelly was seen as Mowler, a blighted tragedian, and gave tho most artistic performance of the evening. Mr. E. C. Bourno played Edwin Vane. He began rather weakly, but warmc-d up to the work. Mr. Millier played Bob Lupton, Mr. Dixon a stage policeman, and Mr. Disher Jellcs, the page boy. The Blake Dramatic Company, composed for the most part of Wellington amateurs, performed the melodrama, "The Land of the Living," at Feilding on Monday evening, and "Dr. Bill" last evening. Tho company includes Mr. . Charles Blake,' Mr. Norman Aitken, Miss Ivy Scott, Miss Lena Lennox, and Miss Foley. The company played to a packed house on Monday.