ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 519, 28 May 1909, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. . j •Tho Rickards Vaudeville Company completed a hisly.-successful Bcason (and tour) at tho Opera House last evening. The company leaves for Sydney to-day. • THEATRE ROYAL. "IJnterpriso" is the watchword of the management of tho Theatre Royal, to judge by tho quality of tho kinerflatograph • enter- . taihment presented to patrons of this popular house of nmusement this .week. ; The current programme is well up to the standard sat by this firm of entrepreneurs, and such interesting films as the "American Presidential Inauguration," "Sc6ncs from the Life of Mary .Queen of Scots," "Moroccan Cavalry." and 'others, can hardly fail to draw audicnecs. ' ; ' THE ROYAL PICTURES.; One'of the most popular, and.lareelv-fre-guontea places of amusement in Wellinfetcn is His Majesty's Theatre, in Cotirtenay Place, where, nighUy,. a, most, attractive strifes of : kmomatograph films 'are thrown on the screen for the delectation of the public. The Royal Pictures Syndicate has achieved a wellearned reputation for putting on a capital week e programme, and that! now * current is no exception to the general rule. Last; evening saw the second presentation of'a' really fine series, which, embrace's most of the leadinw features of modern kinomaioKraphio art. To name but a few; "A Bad Companion," "Copenhagen under Snow/', dealing m tho Arctic," "Marvellous Ointment, and "Morgan, the Freebooter," are examples of the best that skill inkinemategraphy can produce. "IN:THE RANKS." ' .Mr. Allan Hamilton's Dramatic Company will make its .first appearance at the Opera' House this evening, when G. R. Sims's tamous military drama "In the Ranks" will be staged, ibo- piece belongs to the school of a couple, of decades back; and is.of considerabJe length, but so clever a plat, embracing sensation,, sentiment,, and huinotuy is developed, that the audience is held from the rise to the fall of:the curtain. The martial element commends it to present favour, but; apart from this, thojiiec© possesses sufficient, valueto justify revival. In such scones as that in ..which' tho recruiting' sergeant per-' suades a number' of country yokels : to take -the King s shilling, and where two tearful females wait to claim a convict on his leaving the, prison gates, the art of G. R. Sims is at its best. -Mr; Georgo Cross, who is directing tho production, plays the part of Ned Drayton', the adopted.soli of Colonel, Wyttter, but, offending the. choleric officer by becoming betrothed to Ruth Hemck; a farmer's daughter, is told by hito that he'is the son of a convicted, forgor. His fatner's "paHaerV Richard Beltoh, returning ftom refuge in Australia, persuades hin) that ho is his fathferj and, when the colonel recogniscs>himi shdets himi By the instigation of Gideon Blake; tho'■colonel's steward,. Dravtett is arrested as an accomplicoas he leaves the church with his.bride, and, though he is released, the suspicion drives,him from the village, and he enlists as.a soldier. ..-■ The.stoward subjects: him and his wife to many sufferings, but tico is. done in the end, and the piece ends happily. ; New scenery has. been: specially painted for the jproduction by Mr. Harry Whaite, who received the good notices '.from" the Sydney press for bis setting of Dingley Wood. To-night ■ Sir Joseph Ward and a party have notified their intention of.being present. : '-'..'■'• : :'. WELLINGTON MUSICAL. UNION. • Considerable interest is.being shown in the approaching performance of Cowen's "Sleeping Beauty/' by the Musical Union, on Tubs, day evening next. : This beautiful work was written for tho Birmingham Festival of 1885/ A year.or two later it.was produced in Wellington under•the .-baton of .Mr. v ßobert Parke/—the present conductor, of the, 'union —aud it has not been heard hero since. • Tho cantata, abounds in melody,'stirring choruses and graceful orchestration. "Its beauties can be enjoyed without any '■ great intellectual strain, while at the same timo the' musicr .lanly workmanship of Cowon is conspicuous on every page. Tlie.wOrk has been diligently rehearsed, and an oxcellent performance ia honed for. The soloists aro all suited to ■ their respective parts', and may be.expected to interpret their mUsic with ■ spirit and' fidelity. ... . •■■ .. . . -;' . Sunday'.Concert. . Tho Wellington Professional Orchestra has at-last boon forced to :61oSo Sunday oht'or-. tamments. During tho past. year,, benefits havo been .given to all deserving cases of distress, and although the'public has only been taxed to the amount they.chose to give; considerably more has given , ; in'.benefits than has'been: made by the orchestra. . Ih. fact, thoy havo not made .onough money oven to pay for;their library of music;'-ami. the more concerts-given tha; greater will bo the loss to the orcuestra. The hunT concert is to be given on Sunday next, and.on this occasion tho. orchestra will.bo assisted : .by Jl'r' Robyus, late of: tho MalliiisOn • Concert Company, and Mr. David Kenny; organist. .• ' ■:.-. JUTENILE CONCERT;; i\ . The juvenile concert tndrarleW entertainment.tendered by the/pupils oi Mr. H.Pereivar Clarke at -.tho Concert Chamber. ToTra ■Hall,, last oyaning, was, in point of- attendance and,,general, effeot,, a very successful ono. _ Th©/programme, was. a:very generous one, in two parts,,the first, being entirely devoted to. violin soli,"; trios, ..ouartcts,. and septets, mostly by youthful musicians, .while' tho second,' for variety's .sake resolved, itself into a miscellaneous entertainment; in which songs,'..: alternated. ...with 'dances, operatic choruses, and tableaux, in costume and character., Tho young.violinists acquitted them•selves with credit; and in quite a number Of instances the standard of artistic, merit, was very'good indeed. .Mr.'.J.Perciva] .Clirfco,' their tutor, contributed three violin soli-— "Chant D'Amour" (Mulling "Mazurka ds Concert" (Musin), and Do Bcriot's Eighth Concerto—and also, sang a tenor solo, "lilarv.' of Argyle." Tho accompaniments were played by Mr. A .S. Hilliker,