AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, ETC

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13034, 30 March 1910, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, ETC

’ v ' haYwarD'S BlCTukes: ‘ f 51 LYCEyM^p>TTIE. i The extremely- uninviting weather conditions did; not ;i de£er,pj,trons,;ftf the Lyceum from ■beiugrprescnt in.large numbers last evening, and the largo crowd felt inly rewarded for their,-hardihood by the hcrit of the entertainment provided. A nagnificcnt new programme is billed fqr to-night, .when the -■ star attraction will be “The Golden Spider.’-’ - The comic pictures, .“Uncle ■ Richard,” “Under the .-.Mistletoe,” • “Three to . Choose, .From,” 'Umbrella Romance,”- “Foqlshead Berothed,” are said to -be .“screamers” of ,;he most pronounced typo. The new programme has the dramatic,feature strongly emphasised ■ by “The Doable Six,” “The . 3oy Hero,” and “An -Alpine - Echo." ■“Naval -Manoeuvres” and “Scenes in the •■.ndian-Empire” are. scenic.- gems of the first . .water;,/ In addition- .to. the,-.above,-: a ilm depicting -Lord Kitchener’s .review. of -he New - South , /Wales- troops will be shown. , Tlie : managcment have still further-im-oroved- their properties;,-by the: i-installa-;ion of a new dynamo/ and the. -lighting of their pictures is.now .second to none.- • A matinee will be given -on Saturday next, when three-prizes --will be distri-' .bated. / - i. “ HANS THE,BOATMAN” MONDAY AND TUESDAY, APRIL 4th AND sth. It has often been, asked, “What is the secret of the enormous success of ‘Hans '.he Boatman’ as a play?” The reply is obvious-:- It is because the characters in this’ drama are all human, .and as such appeal to playgoers. We all know the, “Jeff” of the piece in real life—a girl; with a heart of gold, “who would not tell her love,, but loved . concealment, like worm in bud, to eats its way upon her iamask check.” We,know the, soft-hearted-Hans, who negects his work in making en--joyment for 'others'.' We ’ frequently seeihe stern father of, the piece, whose qb-j stinate, unforgiving nature, causes such; havoc in the welfare of those dear to him/ vVhich of us, again, has not met the! -varm-hearted old boatman of the piece,; who is ever ready to lend a helping hand; to those in distress. ' Then, again, the' olay is absorbingly dramatic. Its pathos; s such as appeals to the human side oflature, without jarring on one’s nerves.. Is humour, too, is as light as thistle--town," and. the juvenile'element which per-: fades the piece gives it’ an interest putif the ordinary. Mr F. B. Sharpe, the, -veil-known actor, who was a prominent T.eraber of the- famous'Brough Company, , arrives in Wanganui to-morrow for the; ' ourpose of putting the" amateuts through; Ihe final rehearsals of the piece. The;ccnic effects will be very pretty, and the; u'ght which greets the eye at the entrance; if Hans and the children in the first act; will be most effective, the stage being one’ nass of beautiful flowers. The tickets for' the performance are in great demand, andbumper houses are assured. :

Wanganui playgoers who patronise the Opera House next Monday and Tuesday ’venings will be both pleased md surprised at the unique dancing of :be little' Misses" Mitchell and Edwards, who have been specially engaged for; ‘Hans the Boatman.” Mr Sharp, whoi was with Charles Arnold’s original com--oaky, arrives to-morrow from Wellington'; to put the final polish on what is already; the most finished performance ever staged:y our popular locaf Amateur Musical andi Draibatio Society. ' :

St. Paul’s Cricket Club has kept well to; die fore in providing Wanganui audiences' with a series of interesting addresses from' well-known men. Among these .will be re-: membered Mr Malcolm Boss, the well-’ known alpinist, and the . Rev. Gibson- : : Smith,- who has delivered two lectures'; here. Each, of these were very successful' indeed, and they have now made arrange- J ments with Mr H. N. Holmes, who wasj in America some' time ago, to give an il-i lustrated lecture on Friday evening illus-, trative of his four months’ sojourn there.: