ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

URBAN PICTURES. The Urban Pictures, shown at tho Opera .House last evening, are really a pot pourri of every brand of kmematograph pictures that haa been exhibited in .Wellington during the past par, and boar the trade mark of all tho bestknown makers. Some of the films w«r.e familiar to the audience, but there were somo strikingly good pictures that would have compensated for the.general "reappearances," but for'the production being inadequate. Tho "flicker" may be said to have been almost eradicated from tho reproducing process, but last evening the pio-j tures had the "jumps." making it exceedingly) trying for tho eyes. Among tho most interest-' ing sconces were those taken soon after tho great carthquako i at Messina. Huge masses of| masonary and twisted steel lay sprawling across! tho streets, and those buildings which etilLj stand appeared to bo choked with heaps ofl crushed stone and brickwork which 'sj spilling through the fTameless windows.. Thol British Jacktars are shown at work transferr-] ing the dead and wounded from tho doomed { city to their outters in the middle distance. It is n. sceno of awe-inspiring ruin, showings tho puny nature of tho n'andiwork of man m) a manner that frightens tho onlooker. Italyi is indeed a country of gigantic disaster. Inj close companionship with the pictures of shat-' tered Messina, were shown a series of'splendid! views of the ancient ruins of Pompeii— tho. skeleton of a once beautiful city. The pictures! of tho old Coliseum and Forum in Homo also> emphasised tho noto of gloom that so much, pictured! ruin and desolation induced. The' series was called "Glimpses of Sunny Italy."; Most topical was tho excellent picture of thni Dreadnought at Portsmouth, and the imposing, parade of destroyors and submarines that cut' about in her vicinity. The pictures of tho arrival at Berlin of the King and Queen of England wero interesting, if it was but to see the magnificent march past of tho Kaiser's Lancers nnd Guards (tho latter swinging past the base with astonishing precision). Lovers of (ho drama were given "Julius Ceasar" in tabloid form, but such pictures will never be wholly satisfactory without tho spoken word. The comic pictures shown have raised smiles in Wellington before- last cveni'iip. The Urban Pictures are to bo shown again this evening.

THEATRE ROYAL.

The cincphone, as introduced at the Theatr* Royal picture show, is a feature of tho current week's programme. It marks >i further advance in tho direction of realism in kinematography. Three of tho star films,- "If tho Man iu tho Moon was a Coon," "Tho Sneezing Song"—both humourous items—ami tho Christmas hymn, "While Shepherds Watch their Flocks," were accompanied by tho cinephono, tho music of tlio three songs being very successfully reproduced. Au excellent film was that depicting "Scones in Zanzibar," tho various incidents nnd scenes being of a distinctly educative value. Other good nfins aro "Her Newsboy Friend," nnd "Lace-makine in Ghent." The programme is on the whole a most commendable one, reflecting credit on the enterprise of tUo management in its endeavours to maintain a high, standard of public entertainment. THE ROYAL PICTURES. Every variety of the human emotions is ro-< presented in tho excellent programme of moving pictures which is on tlio current, week's entertainment bill at His Majesty's Theatre. Tabloid dramas are in great vogue at present, and tho representative films . this week—"A Eoy's Conscience," "Tho Mohawk's Ring," and "Tho Outcast's Sacrifice"—ave absorbing pictures. Humour is represented by "The Woman Chauffeur," and "Tho Two- Pigtails." The programme will bo concluded this evening, and will givo place the following night to an en' tircly new scries. MADAME ELDERHORST. A lecturo on pianoforte playing and pinno. forte recital aro to be given by Madamo Elderliorst, of Londoil, in'tho Concert Chamber ot tho Town Hall this evening. Madamo Elder, liorst has just finished a scries of lectures in tho South Island, which havo proved very successful. She is a judge of pianoforte playing for tho Royal Academy of London, and has also made a,speciality of (ho nicmorisinc of music, and tho correction of mechanical playing. Special concessions in prices will bo given to stu dents. The box plan is nt tho Dresden. ■ THE ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR, That popular organisation, tho Welsh Mal« Choir, ..will make its farowoll appearance in Wellington at tho Town Hull on Thursilajevening, when there will bo submitted a |irc gramme comprising somo of tho choicest itcmj in tho repertoire. The management have de< cided (o chargo popular prices for this farowell couoert. The box plan is now open at tho Dresden.