THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13654, 24 July 1908, Page 6

THEATRE ROYAL.

THE MAORI ENTERTAINERS.

The entertainment to be given in the Theatre Royal this evening by a- party of Rotorua "Maoris, who are touring the colony under the direction of Rev. F. A. Bennett, the well-known niissionurv. promises to be a decided success. Yesterday's Christchurch "Press"- spoke very highly indeed of the. combination, -which poiirtrayed to perfection and very naturally the picturesque side of Maori life and customs. The. curtain rose on a scene from the Ohineimitu Pa at Rotorua. showing a group of utg-clad and latoocd Maoris resting at a. native house; then the.party was shown in peaceful daily occupations and other scenes followed in quick succession. The various tableaux «eie particularly fine, giving nob only an admirable view of native life, but being very informative as well. Another seiiu; of living pictures showed the romantic story of Binemoa and Tutanekui, with its beautiful setting of Lake ltotorua and Mokoiti Island. Other .features of the entertainment were pois, liakas, quartette and full company songs and choruses—altogether an attraction wlt-cli, when tfl-ag-ed here this evening, (should prove inesistable not only to local residents who have never toured the Hot Lakes district, but to those who are familiar with the life and customs of the Maori; and no doubt many will take advantage of this unique opportunity of seeing the interior of an oldtime pa transplanted on to the stage hcie. THE MERRYMAKERS.

Afc the Theatre Royal on Monday evening next lie Merrymakers are to inaugurate a short season of itwo nights in Timaru. This company was specially formed in England by Messrs G. P. Huntley and Herbert Clayton for an Australasian tour unifer the management of Messrs J. and N. Tait, the well-known concert directors. The Merrymakers have already appeared in Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and Invercargill, and are just concluding a Duuedin season. An Australian daily spoke tihus of the entertainment:—"The humour is refreshingly original, and the funniest of comedians proves that an audience may be provoked into uproarious explosions of mirth ■ without the adoption of the doubtful double entendre so often relied upon by .variety artists. Saturday evening's entertainment was a decided musical treat, apart fiom the amusement derived from comic and burlesque items, for there are some fine voices in the company." Box plans for the season ( are now open at the Dresden, and tickets for all parts of the house (atl no advance in price) may be obtained at Kingston's.