ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 399, 7 January 1909, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. . Mr. J. C. Williamson's Dramatic Company presented "Tho Taming of tho Shrew" once | more last evening. Despite the weather, thiß .. famous oomody was again witnessed py a crowded .• audience, who empathetioally fol- j lowed tho'unruly liatherino through her stern ,■ to that crowning point and of do-, votedness to her husband. Mr. G. S. Titheradgo takes the name part, in "The Village Priest:" which will be staged this' evening. Mr Titheradge was the iirst to appear in this character in Australia, and to . a worthy presentation of the part this poptilar actor owes a good deal of his sue-. : cess; The' character of Joan Torquenio, the wrohgly-acousod convict,'will be v reprosonted by "Mr. Henry Kolkor, who has made such a f renounced success as Potruchio in "The aming of tho Shrew.'' "' There is no artmt in Australia, to-day in whose hands. this ; stirring character could be: better.- placed. The ' Comtcsso' de Tromeillun will bo played by ■ Miss Ola Humphrey, whilst the comedy of the- pieco v will be -allotted -to that. sterling l somouienne, Miss Susio Vaughan. ' ■ THEATRE ROYAL. . To actually, witness the devastation which -'-.'.<'. : liAs;''boeu,'wroght.-i]i' Southern - Italy by the ' recent' earthquakes is not possiblo to. New * Zealanders, but thoymay go within a step of that and behold the Italian cities as they were before the disaster. . At'the/Theatre ' ■ Royal this week kinematograpli , films of : Palermo, Messina, Catania, and other places ■ effected are being shown. It is.an up-to-dato programmo altogether; including also somo charming-views of Southern Franco and Venico. Tho pictures will be shown again .'.to-night, and until the end of tho week. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. .' ,"A : -change of programme at His Majesty's | Ih'eatre induced : a large number of people to brave the thick rain and slush last night, i , They were well rowarded, for the programmo I was, quite up to the' standard' which has I been set 1 by tho 'Royal -Pictures. 1 The first . picture shown was ft travel one of a very interesting naturo. It was entitled "On a Rhodesian-Railway,". and displayed in- very I realistic manner tho sights which Would be Beon' by a traveller passing through Rhodesia. At one time the train wils.:brought to a.'cbm- J , plete standstill^.a large mob of'wild-native •» cattle': off.the track. - Another interesting descriptive film was that entitled'"lron'Mines: at'Kiruna." - From a . largo, number of'.cbAio pictures "The Beg- i • gar's Dream'.' may be selected as one of tho v-best., In it-.are shown the experiences .of a beggar,- who . coming suddenly by a little wealth, feasts gloriously, and. thep, falling 'asleep, dreams'that ho is, the possessor of a- - .huge'fortune.- Ho scatters money round ox- - trava&antlyij and' tlio 1 liiffh ; lif6 on' a ! . .'■/lux-ariant'""scale—till'''ho'"awakes' and is Tpughjy moved on by a policeman; Of,the serious class of' picture, "Tho Locket" was , ■$. it c a" . little : btiy,,.'who is' kidridpped by "gipsies, and after, a long search is given up by his parents as••losti'-:After, six years,, however, the-.^-boy-.is/found by-his parents,-and identified ■/ hy.' means of a loeket which a kindly old ': ... ' . gipsies hM kopt : for him. : OtHer 'films' which imay -bo singled .out as _well- above tho aver- ; age are "An Eneniy-in the Camp,?' "Tho Clown Doctor," . " Tho . Fortune Teller," .'VThe Little- Hero," and many more. Tho programmo will-bo repeated to-night. : : THE SCARLET TROUBADOURS. . -Mr. . Edward . Branacombe, who; with his ..famous Westminster-... Gleo Singors, : has■ i- ' visjted. eivery English-speaking part of the . world,- has had unusual :opportunities , of . forming an opinion us to the tastes and.musir•;i V!cal requirements.of different:countries. In ■. ; coming to'.Australasia, ho has oxercised the i • .most. careful attention in tho selection, in •i London, of tho artists included in the "Scarlet Troubadours," whoso return visit horo ■ commences St the Town Hall on Saturday •.•••nexft«Miss May Glenn, the prima donna, is i 1 from the Lyric Theatre, London; Mr. Sydnoy i: ■ : Mannering ;: irasv principal tenor : with the ; \ ::Moody-Maniiers Opera Company; Messrs. ■ \ Alfred Cunningham and' Ford Waltham, -the '■ baritone and baSso of the male quartet ac- , cOmpanying the party, were both members of the celebrated-London Meister Gloe Singers; :, and':Mr. Edward Warwick enjoys -the reputai tion'. bf■ being'- oho ,:of . London's": foremost- so-. . , i ciety entertainers and a princo -of funi makors. The iino impression created' by the i Scarlet Troubadours on their recent visit ■ 1 here should insure crowdod housos throughS out - their season, commencing on Saturday ) noxt. Mr. Branscombe!s other party now in - i New Zealand (the celebrated Russian boy in- . . istrumentalists, the Cherniavskis). are to givo la speoial matin««j'in the Town' Hall on Saturday, January: 16; i WEST'S PICTURES. • | Last night out of doors, was sheer dreari- . [Uess, but it would take more than a dreary rand miserable night to keep people away from - ibest's Pictures. .AH the items, of the prei sent programme are, popular, and deservedly '' bo. . Ono of. the prottieet pictures is a New i ~. Zealand olio —vic-ws on the -Kivcr Avon. A . clGverly-faked picture',, is "The Electrical i : Photographer,", showing tho marvels done in \ th s» wa^ of .P hot °grapliy by means of electri- \ - v..' 01 W*... During the evening the /orchestra, I wlncli was -under'the conductorsliip of Mr. de ' ■ .■;i v.Gr.oen-himself,padded greatly to the enjoy-: i m ®nt ofihe audience by well-ohosen and wefl'r executed selections. .. ■

* . EDWARD REEVES" RECITALS. \ Sir Arthur Conan Doylb's thrilling mili- ■ tary story"The Exploits of Brigadier Gert ard !'. wilt be given as a recital by Mr. Ed- \ ward Rooves in .the. Town Concert Hall toJudging; by.'the .magnificent-reception iMr. Roevep received on Tuesday evening,' ho \6hould bo. welcomed by ail overflowing house .'Referring ,to; this recital Tn . Ade|aidej"_the' " Advertiser'V : -' says if 1 -" .The '' Exploits of Brigadier Gerard ' was.a wonderful wort of memory, and a'fine example of Mr. . Jeeves' s elocutionary and dramatic power.ach incident in tho gallant colonel's'story . ;o] thrillingadventure.. whs syrt pathetically, nirrated, and Mr. Reeves' .never failed, tri 'Mdjthq attention of his large, audiance. .' It t' wis a sustained piece of. histrionic capacity , . ' sujhj, as one' hears rarely . among. the, best .actors, and' the "applause,: liberal as it was,' : did not oxceed. tho merits of the. perform-: '. Wp." - -■