ENTERTAINMENTS AND MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12190, 9 February 1903, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS AND MEETINGS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE: "A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE." The play-going public have been indebted to Mr. Frank Thornton's Comedy Company I for many bright and humorous productions, but for none of more solid merit than '' A i Little Ray of Sunshine," which illumined His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night, darting its beams a-glow with the warmth of a cheery optimism and a-quiver with the light of innocent mirth, into every nook and crannie of the building. Seldom has a play won the hearts of the onlookers more quickly or held them enthralled more firmly. ""A Little Ray of Sunshine" has a personality of its own among comedies. It is quite distinctive, and beggars comparison. From farcical comedy, such as we roar over when presented in the guise of " Charley's Aunt," "The Private Secretary," or "The Wrong Mr. Wright," it is far removed, excepting j as a laughter-producer. On the other hand, i it is not what we usually connate, with the word comedy. Free from conventional lines, [ as is befitting -in a sunbeam, it opens up a new and delightful world. ■ The piece has more than a flavour of the immortal Dickens i about it. Indeed, the spirit of the creation of | " The Christmas Carol" must surely have i been hovering near when Mark Ambient and Wilton Herriott. clothed in dramatic i garb the character of General Lord Markham. i The story that the authors have to toll is a i very simple one. The curtain rises on Ashton Hall, a typical English country home. ' It is Christmas live, and loving fingers have been busily employed in decorating the pictures and ornaments with holly and misletoe, box and hay. Tho young squire, Sir Philip Ashton, is engaged to Connie Markham, a sweet English lassie, and tho morrow will ' see them wed. To the eyes of the friends ' of the sweethearts the sky of their happiness ! is marred by no dark cloud. But Sir Philip , himself is unhappy. In order to save from j dishonour his friend, Dick Markham, brother i to Connie, he has become fast bound in the ' grip of a merciless moneylender, and the 1 ownership of Ashton Hall is slipping from ' his grasp. That very Christmas Eve is the ] last day upon which, in the terms of the J agreement be entered into, he can pay the , debt he contracted for friendship's sake. In ( this evil hour in the young squire's fortunes, i a good angel appears upon the scene, in the person of Lord Markham, who loft. Lis ancestral home in the immediate neighbour- ) hood of Ashton Hall many years before. In the course of much travelling his lordship has amassed great riches. A gold reef in Aus- ' tralia has yielded him millions, and his one ' desire in returning homo is to be "a little { ray of sunshine." No one knows him. His , wire, announcing his proposed visit to the | hall- arrives after himself, and lie is mistaken ' by tho squire for the moneylender, by the ' servant maid for her undo, by the ladies of • tho household for the baker's man, a poda- • gogue. the family solicitor, and sundry other persons. Entering into the humours of tho situation he declines to "give himself away," and manages to be " all things to all parties." Ho is Sir Philip to the moneylender, and outmanoeuvres that objectionable individual; be is the moneylender to Sir Philip, and gives him back his own: he is to the ladies. each character they suppose him to bo, and acts thorn all in turn. Above all he is ever and always a ray of sunshine, making everybody happy. The complications are well conceived, and tho oieco culminates in a do- > [ nouement which is a charming combination \ ( of pathos and humour. The well-known ! F saying that " Laughter and tears are over I close, akin," could hardly find a hotter illus- l " tration, To those who have seen Mr. Thorn- , ', ton in boisterous parts only his study of J J Lord Markham will come as a revelation. | 1 His make-up as a genial old man is worthy I of the highest praise, and his acting throughout is worthy of tho best traditions of the stage. He is tender and sincere, evinces a pathetic desire to make all around him happy, enters with a ouite boyish gleo into the comedy of errors that gathers round his mysterious inensrnity, and is ever perfectly natural. Mr. Thornton on Saturday was ab- ! sent from the caste; Lord Markham had i taken his place, for he simply lived the part. When writing of previous productions by this gifted actor-manajrei, we have had occasion ] to speak of the all-round excellence of the company. This general meritoriousness was strikingly evidenced on Saturday. Mr. Alexandoi Bradley was a very acceptable squire; Messrs. Galway Herbert (Dick Markham) and Joseph Wilson (Mr. Carlton) had parts which suited them admirably; Mr. Ernest Carden (Mr. Dobbs) imparted all the c

y requisite rapacity into Ins Shylockesque role; Mr. John Denton gave a capital acv count of himself in the character of 'the j t kicy Squire Ashton's younger brother, Reggie; whilst the minor parte were all e&ci- . ently interpreted. The feminine parts were !j represented by the Misss Phoebe Mercer, " Leonie Norburv, era Fordyee, Eva Mac- '- donald, and Belie. D'Arcy, with gracefulness , and skill. "A Ray of Sunshine" will be r-e , neated to-night and to-morrow nignt. On Wednesday it will give place to " The Strange 1 Adventures of Miss Brown." I * OPERA HOUSE. , "Harbour Lights," the present production * by the Fitzmaurice Gill Company at the = Opera House, is proving more successful than any of the pieces the- company have hitherto staged. Since the opening of "Harbour > Lights" on Thursday last the audiences have t steadily increased, until on Saturday night i the Opera House was packed. The applause > and marks of approval right through the evening proved the unanimous verdict of the . public. Miss Fitzmaurice Gill, in the role j 1 of Ethel Maythorne, made a decided hit, , j her acting right through being natural and ' clever, and showing her capabilities as a . high-class actress. Mr. Ohas. Blake, as ', David Kingsley, was as popular as ever, his s performance being one of much merit, and I this popular young actor gives a fine perforrn- > ancc. DIX'S GAIETY COMPANY. 1 Another pleasing change if programme ; was, provided by the members of Mr. P. R. i Dix s Gaiety Company at the City Hall on ; Saturday evening, when the efforts of tho . various performers were greeted with demonstrations of approval that olearlv proved , the menu to be to the liking of the many amusement-seekers present. Fresh and witty , conundrums and clever patter were frequent during the first part, and these, together 1 with bright songs and dances, and mirthprovokine sketches bv the Smith Sisters, Messrs. Pope and Sayles, the Gilardi Sistors, Ernest Hill and little Millie Bertoto served to give patrons a very enjoyable hour and a-quarter. Among the" features of the second half wore the vocal numbers by the company's fine tenor singer, Mr. Frank Graham, and the juggling feats by Arnoldi, the clever young Australian juggler. The other artists already mentioned also contributed items quite in keeping with their reputations, and the entertainment closed with Mr. Ohas. Pope's original laugh-provoking comedy, "Bum 'mis from Borne " The last two appearances of Messrs. Pope and Sayles are announced. Now attractions to appear on Wednesday next are Mr. Frank Yorke, a very old favourite with Now Zealanders, and "A Grand Statue Ballot," by the ladies of the company, including the Sisters Gilardi. under the stago direction of Miss Clifford. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE COUNCIL. The ordinary meeting of the Auckland University College Council was held at the University Buildings on Saturday forenoon, Sir Geo. Maurice O'Rorke, chairman, presiding. There were also present: Dr. McDowell, tho Rev. J. H. Simmonds and Messrs. Win. Coleman and T. U. Wells, M.A. A grazing lease over 2000 acres of land at Taupiri— of a university endowment—was granted to Win. Patterson for a term of 21 years. The caretaker's salary was raised from £120 to £150 per annum, and accounts amounting to £34-9 10s 2d were passed for payment. Further discussion on technical education was postponed till nextmeeting owing to the absence on holiday , leave of certain of the university professors who had boon assisting tho council in their deliberations on this question.