ENTERTAINMENTS,

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 432, 15 February 1909, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS,

--'■■':[ OPERA HOUSE. ■ . ■ The Bland Holt Company made 'their final, appearance of tho present season on Saturday night. , when the wild events of "The Flood Tide" wero" witnessed by. air appreciative audience. : ...

.'■;:',: ■ ■ '.BIS MAJESTY'S. .'■ " Tho Saturday evening, display ■■ of,, the . Royal Pictures at His.Majesty's, Courtenay Place, was,- attended a very large, and most appreciative audience. This,week's programme is an exceptionally fine one, and should provo, a strong : attraction -for the remaining two , nights of its currency.:. . . .

]'■ ■■■■-,; .THEATRE ROYAL. .: • / : The usual- chango.wasmade-inthe picture programme.at the Theatre Royal on' Saturdays night; and the new films had tho entire satis-, faction; of a .crowded audience: One of -the bestbf'the now series is a long film-ilesorip;' tivo of the cigar "and cigarette, industries of: Burma. .Another entitled "The Scar":-is.well tinted, arid tells a story of the good old days; Two noblemen find cause for a quarrel, an'd their hato culminated in a duel, in.which';.of .course;'-ho whose armour: is Eight, achieves' the fatal lunge. A couplo of the funniest arc "Polly's Excursions"'and "Flash; James'." The collection of subjects is one.of the best yet submitted, and this programme willi-loo' repeated during the.week. ', • •.' .' 'A- ,' :

'■-■-.. ■.-..:■ , "THeeed : :mill.' , ':: v \ :"v: v , , . Yesterday the J.". C.' .Williamson .Musical , , Comedy Company, comprising.over one.huh- : :dred : -members; arrived:from the'south' anu ;i will appear at the" Opera Pouse, to-nignt in tho new and original Dutch . musical: play,' "Tho Red Mill." The season in Christchurcli has, we understand, .been exoeptionallyigwidj' the company; playing there up to'-Saturday night last.' To-night will see the reappearance of a.reorganised: snd improved.:company, in. the latest and most up-to-date American musical'- play; Sincb the' last:appearance.in:;Wellington of the "Williamson Musical. Comedy Company: the entire personnel,of tho,com- ' bmatipn.liasbeen revised, and. in; the: present case a number of important and engagements have reki!ted. : ' Mr. John-Ford, who will bo seen to-night as '"Con Kiddcr, ' :and Mr.'Charles.Loder. , are a notable pair, who will make their initial tow. to a ton, audien.ee., ' Mr.. Edward. Shorras; also,a-. ■newcomer, and lately a distiiiguished :member of the.famous Moody-Manners'. Opera; Company, ; ; is also a',..stranger to, ; local' playgoors; ;■'• Leslie,- the "Eid Conner"? of' the occasion;/ is an established favourite, 'as-also , are.Mr. Pat ;Bathurst,'Mr."Roland , Hogue| and Mr/. Percy :Denton'."'::of f.tho. •ladies, Miss Olive: Godwin, who will appear as "Bertha," Miss Ivy Scott, the and Miss Mario Eoton,'.the:'"Gretcheri" of:, tho play,, have-all excellent parts./ A special fea.ituremay be looted.for in the chorus singing,: :the mombers; of which .have been carefully, selected for the freshness and. purity, of .their voic.es.,- ; The; music'.'-will' be under .tlie .direction bf Mr. Alfred Moulton- and the.management.qf the stago:iri:;the:able;hands' of Jfr. Frank. : Stirling. ■:. The,' curtain will rise -it' '&. sharp. . "The Red ; Mill"., can' be played to-' night and.the following.five-nights only, having: to , : give; way, , owing tpVthe enforeed brevity of ■ tile.','season,! to tho;''Prince'• of Pilsen" •on.Monday.vnext::;-: ..:'...'':.,'.,-. ~.'• :,-,"::.-H. ;':■■.'

:; ROYAL WSLSH ; :CHOIR.; : / ;yy : /When...Elia's./HebreW.friend' saDg "The Children ; of' Israel Passed. Through the Red Sea,"; ■Wβ- a,re l ;told "the .auditors; "for'the moment,: are- as Egyptians;, to him,-, and; he. rides over' our; necks ■ in..triumph.": -There -is the. same son'se of subjugation in listening 'to the .native,-airs; of the "Welsh ..Choir, but', it is;.a : pleasing; L thraldom,.-.- from _■ which; the/, auditors :ivould riot, escape. . The wild notes of.the Cymrjq national anthem afo a: strango spen;that hinds.'.his:senS3s, : and .crooning ditties: are a fairy, music,- sweet as it is uniivtelligible.- But :,the. - .WeTsh' ,Choir can do. mdro.^than'.'.subdue'their.audiehce to Irish, 1 one and all,;for''the.konient, singing .of; Dear' Little Shamrock,"' slid Sootch'.with "Robin-Adair." All:this , they did on -Saturday: nighfjfto'Oan' : audience. that begged,';after ; ;oy6ry c6nquest,.'f6r the-'spell , ; to'bo repeated.': :i to'the-'.national songs,-a variety of draiuatic.and:descriptive selections .enabled the..' choir to display,; in., rapid . its lightness', and its volume,, reed -noto''-, and .'trumpet; clangour j-\ restraint of ■ sweet '-petition; and -tumultuous "'burst':'<>f warlike.exultation. '"Crusaders" (Prothervoe),. !'on:the,;Rampai;ts''y(Sairifts)i- '.and '-':■'. '-'The*; Martyrs::of. v the : Arena" -;(De ;Rille),;./were. choruses .-which gave: this opportunity.: '■■'-. ;;> ) '■; ; , There wero" also a fair number of : general items. ; Mr. W: To<ld Jones ..sang the drain-: atic ■ nvusic -of;. Donizetti's >"Th'e'; Outcast";- , in artistic 'style,: and .showed': his* versatility/ by singing,: for "an encore''number',' .''The: 'Little' Irish Colleotf." '.'. As aiv.encore. J to;."Robiri' Adair," which was admirably.given,--the choir sang, - with .full ■ appreciation 'of tho; song's 'descriptive.'charm,'Sullivan's'"The'Lorig Day Closes.' , '' Kinkil's !'The ;Soldier's. Farewell"; :was"given. by'the special quartette"a's an ori,cdre to. "The':Dear Little Shdmrock," : ;which : they-:ssng : by request. '■'Mr i, R-obort Jones was unexceptionable in Tosti's: '.'My. Dreams," aud oxoellod himself in Sullivan's , charming ! .song :"Tako d -.Pair of. Sparkling-Eyes.'';,As -ah encore; , number :to the 'qiiaiht .Welsh, lullaby '"Cswg,"r giv-en. on the,first night,:the choir sang,- : by..request,- ■ "Comrades f-,In ; ; Arnis" : (Adams) 1 . :"Sy Yonder IGreeii Valley,"-.given', by[the-choir-as an.'enobre"to "On the; Rami part's;"': was another , delightful number,- and not , the last, : -.for : the original programme-of a- dozen .items was. doubled to please- an. insatiable, audience:;. In'reference'to the .sad disaster to the;. Penguins".the eboir sang & verse of.f'Rock. or Ages. 1 ? -X-J:'- y ■■'• -': ; '■■•l- -;• .•'.;■ A ■ new programme will be presented■ this ; evening.>; : :■■•:-■..'.;'.' ; '■.'.•■; ,; -:-" : ;.- ..•;.- : ;.;-.-■■".;,-; ; :'

-:; -.;. /; TVIRTH BROTHERS'-:CIECUS.;' : ■V^.The annual visit to ; Wellingtou , .of''Wirtli Bros.'s huge combination of'seven ,shows-has been looked forward:' to; :with ■ -more than, ordinary interest.; Die: opening night, has been' , fixed.ior: Monday, l'ebruafy J 22,: near. '-.To. Aro Bailway Station, -s New features have, ■been secured from abroad . by.,' Mr:. Philip Wirth, who 'has- just-.returned\from a tour. round tho world:,. Amongst 'the new artistes' ■specially.^engaged aro/ the Sidney -Brothers, the ■■■ originators of bumptj-rbumiss.:o'n ; cycles, throwing somersaults on motor 'cycles and; bicycles; , ' Another...expensive /engagement ;is .that, of .the'Les Grottous/ hand-balancers and comedians, , . , in .'marvellous feats ; . of. strength.. In addition', there are; the, ./three Ganion Brothers, highly, ti'ained and/clever Spanish acrobats, who perform, a sensational ict, : assisted by an exceptionally smart dagj.Bebo and .Pastore, ; Frenchmen, ..wJio are acrobatic and-musical , comedians; /Jikot and' Jenny,: equilibrists.-extraordinary,; .the.. Brothers Rodriques,/marvellous trapeze, horizontal and .head-balancing artists;/Otto and' Emil, two .eccentric comedians;, John . Welby v Cooke, .champion jocUoy-act riderjand the Ozzapardi Trio, in their most.sensational acrobatic act in a. dog-cart.; The whole: of the late, Fitz■gerald Bros.'s . menageries) , purchased .by/ Wirth Bros, in Sydney, is.now .combinedwith Bostock and Wombwell's menagerie, and the/ .Wjrths, it is claimed, have '.now the. largest nnS mpst splendid-collection of wild .animals in the world to show their patrons.: Tbeir collection ', includes" Maori,., champion jumping pony'of'New'-Zealand.; Lady Morton, champion high-jumping horse, of.the world's record 7ft. Jin.; tho- great.'Polar' bear /.from tho'. Arctic, regions, jtho _orily/ One in the world living in captivity without/a tank of..water; and .'a live giraffe, : vtli'at cost ,Wirth Bros.' £1000, tho .first,-to be Australasia. Tho grand Oriental pageant i'-'Tho/Durbar, of Delhi," will introduce'the.whole of Wirths 1 enormous coinpany. in a moyirig panorama uf Richly-decorated; ..elephants,;.-'sacred./-cattle, camels , , zebras,, buffaloes, horses, '■ and other, animals, .with: .attendants, -properly , garbecl in characteristic costumes of-'Oriental• splendour. Matinees,will-: take ;place". : " on ■Wedriosday and' Saturday afternopns. : ■ : /■/

■•' v. ; . sacred;o)ncertX ;.:' ■.'.;',-' v!A large , attendance filled-vthe TWn' Hall last evening at the sacred, concert' held by tho , WellingtonProfessional!Orchestra. - 'Die -programme/cbusistod of organ solos--by'.Mr.' .David. Kenny; violin solos by r Mr.-* Solo-' mon, fluto solos .by . Mr. Ernest ' Jamie-' sou, and vocal ' items/, 'by -Mr. Ernest Parkee. A sum of £28 .\vae realised in aid of Bufl'orers from the wreck "of the Penguin