ENTERTAINMENTS,ETC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 118, 20 May 1907, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS,ETC.

THi-"HUMAN FEARTS ' COMPANY. "Human Hearts," an American conioJydhusa, by llal Itcid, was produced fcr tap firrt-.tinrs in AustraliEia. by the Gtach Dramatic Cfcmpauy in the Opera House C 3. S»t-JWby night.' There wrs a. largo attradiiico cf patrons, every fceat being oulupitd, aed ia the popular parts of tho j houca tuo sale of tickets censtd tovnz tiai« " be/we tlie cr.rbnin was Taisod. "Human Hssrts," ■which, has b6tn onto of tke^i»rsst popular plays in America during t!»* i«B«t dacsde, dees rot differ greatly fcofti Jwdslpti <ir*nuß. It is constructed oh crthedox lines, tho, main point of *iff«trca being that the burdsn-beircr iv tiifc ks;o, Trhbse wife swears r.way his l&*r)-y, and tho m«t conspicuous iigari | iti Ike j»T*.y is a tramp, -.vhe strolls c3sur!- j It,. Ttit'-i great loquacity, throughout ths | Kate Jx ttis story of the play : Jeanevte, fck i^reitares-j frost tft-w York. 1 (Miss I VflrastißS Kidney), whilst spending a holi«{Sy in a ft/ratiEg di*iritt in Arkansas, lhti firmed «a$ msrrisd by a strenuoias, Wju«;l-«H*ei<ra<lr blacksmith, and farsnr, tefeXolsa: (Mr. .Ernest Leicester). Tha La^dn ftanily ewatisted of tho father (Mr. Osfisli Fora), «h& mother (Mrs. May $csfp»n, nni. thth cor& Tom. and Jim, a "riAtJi" hi OMr. Dwa&ar* Walker), and the £&jan farm »r=3 ft ralcablc jircperty. A elsisft friend of tie family was Ruth. L<TtiTiJs (Miss Era Guild* ord Qoin), rrlio v'cs ,ih love with Tcm. Ttto years of the tyiiei lik> btt the iarm v.earied .Isanetlo LefeflSj atcl -rrhrn ?. former lover, Frtder- j kk.Arm^dilo (Mr. G. R.- Moutiord), ppjtsared on t!i» scene with a ouggeation i -thit-fiho should rtrurn to the "gay life of tiie intfropolis, siic rerjdily co^csnted. Bab sha- feared. 1 the vengeance" cf her husbdtii, asd a~ plot to destroy him resulted ii tb-fe £6ith of Tom's fattier. The stabbing \Trts xf itnessed by Jem Mason (Mx. Ajfi^La'Stoß), tramp and gaolbird, who dsltn'i tlsc discretion of disappearance the tiatkr rart for him to play. Mcmwhile, 'Jcotri, Vjio he.d had a quarrel with Uis vf&ihe'r^ i-3 chsrgci with the murdfr, his ivj{& and Annsdolo beyig tho principal witpo'sSsa .against him,' aad. he is c£&-tftritfcd-.to imprisonment for life. l Jeanctle goes to, New York, leaving c.t the f ifta ■ li6r baby girl, to whom Frrmer liogac had willed Ms property. When, yikrS, later, this important fact \z dis- " covered; Amisdcle reappears in ATkansafe. aad takes the child (Grace Logan) to" the city. Love for her child quickly grows iij the heart of Jeanette, and when Anns'dSjlo stsks to destroy the little one tl\e jivjuier, in a strong scene, defies th 6 col ' "iniJneKof. Power is brought to beanrScn the Gov&rr.cr of the States (Mr. G.,iM"^<nzit), which results in a pardon l36in^,^Srftnt*d to Tom Logan, who immediHtely' pets out to rescue his daughter, aid in a final and exciting scece Tom, wiCh'tho aid. of Mason, secures the child, donbsisbss Armsdalc as tho dcetroyer of his fafiicr, and as the villain is" being arrested he fires at the hero^ but Jeanetts, linterffering, receives the bullet, and ths^ciiitain falls. ,Ha<^er tragic, judging from the above brief "<!tGcription, but there are many lirigkt and relieving touches of comedy, in wliioli the tramp, a negro servant (Mr. CJI M. Berkeley) and Limpy if organ, a atrof t arab, (Miss Aggie Grsy) provided the jdivc-rting interludes. ''Human Hearts" contains, all the element?, * judiciously ciifod.."thao go to make a popular play, and. the company which Mr. 'Uoach hes ci'uaisd fov itfe colonial production is & v.-dl-baJanctd conittinntion of plaj'crs. Too little opportunity is given by ths cramstcitto eithtr tho hero or, bis wife — there is one' "Act in /which neither appoarfe — for, ac adc^na-ti display of the qualities of<2ir.,-Xei2eStcr or Miss. Sidney, who Ate making their first tour of New Zealand. Mr. 3 Leicester is well fitted for fcea^y Jsadi, and he mods To.m Logan, a " 11 T%rj>'senofes perwn-indeed. - MiJs Sidney 'gaSa dvidtelie, in a trying pfet, of possossing -^xpsiiecce and ability. "Of ths othfcrjcliaracters, Mr. Montford presented tho 'villain cleverly, Mr. Lawton'G niakonp and study qf the tramp were delicious bits of- work, ilr. Walker made an excellent' character stndy of tba simple-minded Jltfrnr, : and tho Moses Jones of Mr. Berl^ey was an enjoyable pisco of acting-. The natural manner in which petite Abas. Palmer went through her part was rcfrdahins:, 'Miss Quin was a dainty and nattiial'Meprosentative of- the faithful Rrilh, - "wncss luck came at last,' Miss Hoaford gave a consistent portrayal of a blind woman, anil Miss Grey made a lively Loy full of pugnacity, pity, and gratittfde. 'Subsidiary cbaracters were reprittatsd by M«s3rs. Cecil Flamming, Eric Valfcnco, Harry M'Lelian, and R. St: ' C'iair. There are to special scenic efferft* ia tb.2 drama, beyond a pictura cf Logan in his Cell, introduced into the sacdiid ftct, bst the settings were, appropriate and effective, artd the ctage manap;mcit reflected credit, upon Mr. Leicester. 1h& orchestra, wnicb was in - rhar£e ef Mr. G. Mattin Jones, contri,bated enjoyibjo musical selections during th'6vdve3Jng, httt in the unneccscary accompauiments pliycd during some of thr> rscanei in tbo play tho orchestra drowned thar'velScs pf tits players. ''Utaflia^ Heails, ' which contains sorce Gxreitinj cpfeodes, aa well as diverting and patutii? sceass, is to be repeated to-night and -every evening this weak. .' > CULLER'S ENTE2TAINEES. The Theatre Royal was crowded oa Sattirday evening, vrhen the usual change of programme was prssenied. A. sketch. • "Wnnted : A Servant" — the tills of which has very little to do with the* act— ' by Harry and Ncllio Qucaly, ssrved to show what accomplished daiicer3, bath are- Mr. Quealy's son-r, ".Urn. (VHaiihsa, ' created much amacsaiant. Mr. Ciarcnco Tisdalo sang tb,ffee sdng3 successfully, y/hile Mr. Rud Peterson's • voial contributions v?orc hohi'tjly opprociated. Miss Doris Cakeaad- t!i3 Lewis Sisters, in song and dance, vrors' deservedly popular, .md Miss Eiiesn M'Leod and Miss Ida Borridge also won the generous applause of. the audience. "Athas," the rollcrskitov, careered around iho ,3t.igo for aTjOul- liftc'tfn minutes, doing all kinds ofrdinjerons things without breaking cny BSnes, and tlorry Linden, tho cofcicAi-.*-'», vas compelled to give six items b'.'fcrs ho was allowed to retire for tho night. Stanley Chester also had come funny things to do rind say. Tho bicaraph pictures arc cxctllcnt. Tho high aivet, Alfe. Lamb, was to have appoared- to-night, but .n ac-cident to ths tank has caused a postponement. • - O^EILL'S BDCKJUMPERS. Ac^e preparations cro being made upon the location in Cuba-street (behind tho Opera Hou^e) lor the reception tif ail tho necfesscry equipment of the* big equestrian show, which unJcr Jia'no%7 familiar titlo of "O'Xeiirß BcckjUmpcis" svas mdi s. dictinctive featorc of the anmsemenls ' at the Cfcvistchnvch Exhibition. A staff of tontascn_ and other operatives arrived in -"Wellington on Saturday and imrae- | diaoiy commenced the work, which will bo , completed so that the opening per£o?maTice %rili t-.ke rlaco on Fndsy evening next, 2»lth inr.t. Tho horses, which 'inclcdc a number of unbroken buehjumpcrE, together witb ridcra and other members of tho organisstion, will arrivd . from Chrictchurch on Wednes-day-"next.

A meeting of tho Victoria College Debating fio?iely tvaW held at the college oi«. Saturday evening, Mr. E. J. I'itzffibbdn in tho chair. Tho subject of deKjito was a motion, " That industrial arbitration is aud has been cbowu to be

11 failure." Messrs. O'Loary and Willis ,vrere tho rr.ovets, and Afessrs. Kelly and Brethsnon the oppossre. Spsechss wero • nicdo by Messrs. M'Eldowney, i-». Mr.ton, Boyca, LanJtshear, Evans, Macdoupali, F. A. Wilson, and J. M. Hogbon. Tha motion, on being put to tho meet- , ing. was lost by 5 votes to 16. Tho Rsv. Father Kcogh, who judged tho debate, Awarded tho first five places to Messrs. Kelly, Boyco, Macdougall, R. Mason, I Mia " LunksheSr, Mr. O'Leary having withdrawn from tho competition. Before delivering bis award, tho judge gave the raombars a fov/ hints on debating. Tha nsxt debate will be upon a motion, " That Home Rule should bo granted to Ii eland." Ths Popula-. Dramatic Company .concluded Us 'saason &v His Majesty's 'lheatre on Salurduy night, when tho company played to a gocd house and j was cordially farcwcllotl. Tho memI i,ers of tho company left for tho Wairaiiapa this morning. Notwithstanding the unfavdurablo I wutthcr on Saturday tho laughing gal- : lory in Willis-street was again crowded with amvised spectators during tho afternoon and evening. Tho number of ladies and children present was partjculirly noticeable. The gallery is cgain open to-cay. ,