ENTERTAINMENTS. "THE MOTHERLEYS' LUCK."

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 64, 13 September 1911, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS. "THE MOTHERLEYS' LUCK."

Much better patronage was deserved than was bestowed on the production of the play, "The Mother!ey>' Luck." at lhe Opera House last night. The object iv aid of which thn entertainment was given, is a most worthy one— the Free Kindergartens-— and this slone should have assured a packed house. However, the play is to be produced again this and to-morrov/ evening, and, whatever its merits — aud it has much to commend it — it is lo be hoped the^ public of Wellington will be generous in ite support. The play— a phantastical musical one-r-is from the pen of Mies Mary E. Richmond, a lady whose philanthropical work is tvdl known ; with music by Mrs. Walter Fell and Miss Richmond. It wae (■•taged arwl ployed by amateur?, s«d the bitches 6po expects in such firat-jiight performances were ther«v but should be absent this evening, when the players wiU be more familiar with their surroundings, and will have got over Ihiit nervousness which even afflicts tho more experienced, The audience, though, was kindly disposed, and not too critical. The st-bry of the play, shortly^ is this : Policeman Motherley -has a charming little wife and a very large family-— eight eons find eighb daughters— but tho Suffragette movement, "votes for wnir-cn." drives him from home, and he seeks in Australia. Mrs. Mother l« y keeps a school ?jid educates her daughters. They comfort her whoa she bew-ii's the loss of her husband, when a school manager persistently threatens to report her to tho Boiira of Management, and when ehe thinks of her eight sons, whose whereabout'! she has forgotten, because she has mi«laid her diary. May D?y is approaching, and the g'ir's repolVe to level in the Woods, In "this Wood are the missing boys, masquerading as elves, and they, hearing that the maidens are coming, and not knowhg they aro their sisters, decide to capture them, as "girls are such an influence for good." The girls arrive with Mrs. Molhcrley and the school inspector, ore captured, and then recognised. Policeman Mothcrley* also makes an appearance, is reconciliated to his small wife and large family, the school inspector is extingui&hod, «and all ends happily. A slender plot, but Mips Richmond has woven round it enough material for two-ar.d-a-half bout?.' eiijoyment. Several scenes are notably good, especially the tevels in the wood, where gnomes, elves, moon-fairies, moths, glow-worms, and^ scarlet -headed toadstools disport themselves. The marching and dancing are distinctly good, and the whole scene would do credit to a pantomime. In the third act^-when Policeman Motherley makes his appearance — the piece approaches musical-comedy standard — a little^ more vim t and attention to plage grouping would 'make it so. There are several good musical numbers and choruses. The young ladiee and gentlemen, and the iittlo children (maypole dancers included) concerned in the production comport themselves well, and the principles are deserving of & word of praise for their acting. Pride of place must be given Dr. Norman Hales, who, as tho policeman, gave an excellent study. The only regrettable feature was that he was on the stage for such a short period. The audience would have liked 'to have seen more of him. Mrs. J. iDarling was Mrs. Motherley : Miss Bertha Miles, Julia Gentle ; and Miss Vera Pegg, a viviackuts Sunbeam. Dr. D*. Isaacs made much of the part of the school manager;, and Mr. Fletcher sang pleasingly as Will of the Woods. The sone and daughters were represented by Misses Amy Kane, Valeric Corlies, Anna Fell, Alison Burnett,' Margaret Fell, Mary Atkinson, Dora iShirtcliffe, and Messrs. Batten, K. Munru, \\\ Shirt clifio, Natusch. Kirk, Shorney, Hoggard, and Denis Richmond.