ENTERAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 44, 15 November 1907, Page 5

ENTERAINMENTS.

; : ' THEATRE ROYAL. Tho latest attraction at the Theatre Royal, a ■ oinfifaatograph film depicting the race for ' the .Melbourne Cup, drew a fu'.l house last night.. The. film is a good one, and was well received,' the audience applauding loudly as Apologue breasted the winning post. The various,, vaudeville items were thoroughly appreciative, encores being tho general rule. The Melbourne Cup' will be run again this evening.* ' ;Y;wonderland. . The management: of the new attraction at Miramar now have > everything in thorough working ordor, and patrons' can chuto the chute,-.holt the skelter, or amuse themselves in any of the numerous forms at hand, to their hearts' content, The afternoon tea rooms and . the. fernery l make attractive, retreats for those desiring less vigorous forms of amuse- ' r ,., ' v . ■ "ISRAEL IN EGYPT." At tho Sydney Street Schoolroom last evening,;'the Musical -Uuiou. held its first practice in connectibh with, ; tho-performance' of "Israel, jn Egypt" to be given on December 20. About 200. ' persons were present, and some good work was put in. It is expected that some 800 voices will take part in the performance, Etnd : a capable rendering of this great work of Handel's, may lie looked for. There are etill •a few. vacancies for tenors and basses. Rehearsals are being held twice a, wtek on Mondays and Thursdays. 1 . ■ ! OPERA. HOUSE.. ' The entertainment provided by Messrs. MacMahon' at the Opera House last evening took : the form of a farewell benefit to Miss Vinia de Loitte. In addition to,the usual excellent qeries of .cinematograph pictures, the manage-ment-included _in their programme the-first act of: the brilliant comedy, "A Trip to Chinatown." Included in the caste, of characters were Miss Vinia de Loitte, Miss Iris Vance, and' Mr. Howard Vernon. Miss Vinia de Loitte made a charming widow, and infused into-her acting all the, vivacity and cleverness of an accomplished artiste. Mr. Howard Ver-non,'as.-Mr. Strong, recalled, by his acting, , aU the memories of his brilliant past. The item was short; but merry, and was highly appreciated. Duringi tho first part of the programme,' Miss Lorraine Tansley sang "Will the-Angels let Me Play?" and "Like the Rose." A farewell matinee is announced to be given on Saturday at 2.30 p.m. To-night, by special request, the striking series of pictures illustrating Rolfe Boldrewood's great story "Robbery Under Arms" will bo givon, and repeated tomorrow afternoon and evening.

A SHAKESPEARE READING. . ■ _ "JULIUS CiESAR." , It is a question whether there should bo a half-way house between the study and the stage .in respect to the consideration of the work's, of Shakespeare. Do they lend themselves to public reading, might be a theme for discussion by the Shakespeare Club, which is in* the-habit of giving a couple of modest expositions during each season. It might be way to interest the public in the Club and ' the study it undertakes, but there is a serious doubt as to whether tho dignity and colossal genius of the Immortal Bard is entranced by public readings. However earnest they might be in their study and lovo of Shakespeare, few—very few—are ablo to speak his sometimes involved sentences "trippingly from tho tongue," and if that bo not accomplished then something is lacking. '"Julius Ctesar" was read by tho Shakespearian Club at the Town (Concort) Hall last evening, and though there wero several points of the effort to be commended, these wero outweighed by shortcomings, if one sets a standard ' commensurdte with the intelligence of thoso' ; . who, took part in the reading. Tho name part was encrusted to Mr. J. W. Joynt, who road correctly, but uninterestingly, ■ making, the great Ciesar a grumpy, if notastodgy, person.' ' Mr.' 11. E. Nicholls was an earnest Brutus. But liis somewhat muffled uttoranco did not realise tho orator in the man that Mark Antony envied. Mr. George Toogood ■wag refreshingly alive as that astute politician, and on the whole did very well in the big speech' commencing "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." Tho blemish occurred in his introduction of sarcastic hnmour'into the several queries he puts to tho assembled crowd. . Sarcasim there is plenty, but Antony has too fino a point to gain in attempting any such looseness as humour might indued. Yat ho spoke tho lines sonorously, and,, on the whole,,with good expression. The Cassius of Mr. J. R; Palmer lacked tho insinuating subtlety of the plotter, though ho succeeded here and thero in suggesting a ruffianly sleokness, in keeping with tho part. The best i reading of any part was that given by Miss Van Staveren as Portia, who was dignified, natural, anil womanly' throughout. She was particularly satisfying in her fine scene with Brutus, commencing " You have ungontlv, Brutus, stole from ray bed." Miss May Tonics Calphwinia, was rathor fierce than pleadingly .frightened in her ono sceno with Cmsar. Of the smaller parts, Mr. F. D. Bellow stood out as a good Shakespearian reader in the lines allotted to Marullus, Popilus, tho soothsayer, and Pindarus. Messrs. R. W. Gilbert and W. R. Bock wero also satisfactory. Other parts wore read by Messrs. F. E. "Bust,. J. Zaohariah, F. Davies, W. 1). Gorham. and J. G. W. Dalrymple. Mr. Gorham called tho scones.. % During tho ovoning the president of .tho club (Mr. J. W. Joynt) made a few remarks about the club, regretting -.the preponderance of lady members, w,ho wero, in comparison with the gentlemen members, in tho ratio as the ladies woro to the gentlemen the audience. lie also presented tho prizes recently won by school, children i nthe recent Shakespearian reading competition.