“THE LAND OF THE MOA."

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2581, 6 August 1895, Page 2

“THE LAND OF THE MOA."

The success o£ this spectacular drama in ■Wellington is undoubted. Such, beautiful scenic effects. have . ■ never,, before been witnessed in .the Australasian colonies, and the lavish outlay of the,, managementii deserves to. be well rewarded. It,is hoped that. groat ’success awaits the play. „in England. - The varied scenes are works of art, and,the well-known 'artist, Mr Clint,, has excelled himself. Most of the scenes were roughly modelled on the, spot by. Mr 'Leitch; himself, arid he is indebted, also; for many kind suggestions to .Messrs .Gordon, Goatehor, Spong/ and oth'ers| ; swho , taken ; a most friendly interest in- this drama, . Amongst .-the many,; the -most notable scenes are the! rocks of Tauranga, where , a . ship is wrecked bows [on;, and catches fire while, a. .desperate .fight, is raging on the rooks,; and; the British gunboat is in chase ;• Ohinerautu, i with, the Maori wharos and Lake Rotorua, with Mokoia Xslarid.in the distance. The wharepuni of Eewi, the bush of Tikitiri, the.Pink.Terraces, a perfect marvel of beauty. , Such a;soerie in England produced bn , the,’ stage would, scarcely he believed to have existed,};. The terraces are first seon in the .play through, asdark inist., Gradually , this , clears. away,. and ■ - the,;,beautiful, terraces,',' glimmering pink arid Broken up’ into'steaming pools as blue 'gs filtered ' nltramarifie, are, dimly, seen,' Tbe',dffk ! ripst. vanishes,' and hover-’ trig flbeoy white olbuds are noticed. ,Theae irii turn melt awriy and the morning sunlight brealcs ppori the scene. Its impressive beauty evokes; enthusiastio ;'Cl»eers i; eyerv’, night. • ■The. omptiori ofTarawora .outvies'; all the rest in magniflbenee.'' The, whole' stage; is given'to this effeofi'the performers in the drarii'a having escapefi through , the rain .of fire arid asHes iri a previous, scoub. The cratet is riven',' belching forth flames, and ..scoria j other craters break out the earth.is split with bursting fires; the lake in front of Tarawera is red with reflecting flames j the' riir ! is 'filled with falling flcSj arid ashes, steam bursts but .of the earth. The sceneis awe-inspiring, and the audiences nightly are aroused by it to a high pitch bf enthusiasm, i “The Land of the Moa” will be produced for the last time on Saturday night,