ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 560, 15 July 1909, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE,

'ilio "Cinderella" matinee proved a great »«(*<*« yesterday, people waiting at ,the doors loiig beforo tho performance commenced. Very successful also was tho evening performance of "Tho Bello of Tlio pretty 'Jmllota. tho- pleasant 'musical numbers, and all the other effects that go to mako up' the musical comedy wero much apprteiatofl by tho audience. To-night is annouurcd as tho last night of tho Comic Opera Comimny's season. ;.■•;. ■ THEATRE ROYAL; With song and picture a very pleasant may bo spent at tho Theatre Royal. The cincplionc this week serves to produce "The Bedouin Lovo Song" as sung by the popular baritone Air. Peter Dawson,, who is to form one of Miss Amy Castleo's concert company on hortour of tho colonies.. There aro many amusing and interesting pictures on tho programme, among the number being "Neptune's Playground," and ''Youthful Britons," "'. ' THE ROYAL PICTURES, Tho usual excellent' variety of moving pictures, is presented in the-change of programme submitted- at' His Majesty's' Theatro last evening to a crowded house. . "The Lady or The' Tiger" is' perhaps tho .most pretentious dramatic'picture in the, programmo, arid tho drama keeps its grip on the' imagination iii kiriematograpliv eVen as: it has done when .presented by'a * flesh and blood cast. It is the story of the love of a, princess for a gallant captain of the Imperial' Guard. Ho, with others, has presented tho King with,bis document of allegiance/ which; with others, havq. been placed in a box in the King's reception room.. His.rival in love proves .treacherous, and annexes several of the papers, and throws: tho blame on the captain, who is caught in the ; room; where ho has in reality., been' wooing, his fair Princess, little thinking : of tho important State papers reposing under his eyes. Ho is denounced ,to the King, who orders his execution,' when the Princess interferes, confesses her; love, and .'pleads for the. life of her lovef. The King resolves to give tho alleged culprit a chance, to preserve ,his life.- He will, at a given; time, be placed before two. cell doors, one: of which will conceal one of the maids-of-honour\ and the other-a ravenous tiger, so that his daughter will bo rid of him anyway.. But love' sharpens the wits of/ the Princess:' The maids draw lots, as to who shall occupy the one cell. The Princess contrives to take the winner's place, and also to ■giver,'her'lover a cuo as to which cell door to choose. In due course the ceremony takes place; theVPrincess, heavily veiled, steps forth on the. door., being-thrown open, and is there and thcii-married by -the Cardinal in attendance before the King, who i 3 not made aware that'the bfido: is his daughter until, after the coremony. The picture, of the highly romantic; typo,, is admirably acted in scenes, of decorative .splendour. Another picture.is "The Race for tho Farmer's Cup," which tells a: strong story such as Nat Gould would.love to tell. ."The Gardens of Berlin" is d very:beautiful series of views. ' In "A Narrow Escape," a husband, wife; and lover play out an intensely interesting "episode.. The wife,is tempted, ,and : is about to. fall, .when' in a dream' she finds .hersehV for ever haunted;by her husband's face; On waking she telephones .to her lover, stating that all is over, between the'mp' and :the ■ ond'■: is domestic'"'tranquility. Other excellent pictures being shown this'week-are entitled: "Love Wins at, Last," "Picturesque Kieff," "Pierrot's: Good-bye,'-' "The GamblingDebti'.' ,"A ■ Marriage: of - Convenience," "From the Fighting- Top/.of a Battleship," ,and "The Schoolmaster's AVig:' r / ■ '.'■' - ■'■■ : \ : . WEST'S; PICTURES. ''."" '/ ; ' V'.'La.'- Tosca," a pictured representation/of Sardon's famous tragedy, is still to be seen at/ tho' exhibition of West's/Pictures ;it the' Town'. Hall./ Another ' impressive m*. ture: of; a .classical; turn;.;. is -called "The Return of.'-'•Ul.Tßses'." ;'.Th'e : 'present', programme is an exceptionally good one thrpughbut. Tho .'enteftainment .is'/enhanced, by; the music of :De Grooh!s'.: Vice-Regal Orchestra, ■;. which play's the incidental music :W".each.picture, in a/.particularly satisfying :manner.- The ' next "star!'' pictiwe'to.be produced' is the Napoleonic film, "A Royal Divorce." " ,; : '; ; Mr, Maughan Barinett's organ :recital at the Town' Hall yesterday afternoon was fairly well attended. The programme of items se- . lected was,representative, of;:._ tho choicest works of such masters of the', instrument'as ■ Bach, RhoinbcrgeiyLemmens, Wagner, and others, and was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. Tho Tecital opened with a richlycoloured "Fantasia in C-',(Berthoild Tours). This was' followed with an exquisite transcription- of Ts'cliaikowski's', "Romance' in ,;-,F. Minor,!' and -Bach's magnificent "Prelude and' Fugue .in G," one of the. most, remark-' able'of.'tho, great master's compositions/for the organ. .Tlio prelude is the' distinctive feature'of'the production, and affords the. freest scope for. the/powers of tho. organist and-the resources of ■ his instrument: ' -'-A- tranquil 'Idyll" (Rheiuberger);followed'this cent'number.','Then, came the elaborate pre- . ludei to the fiirst-'act of; Wagii'er's'-' "Loheri--grin,"-one : of'the. most striking; of; all: the' Wagnerian operatic preludes. It was. very finely interpreted |by and appreciatively applauded by the audience. Tho -recital' concluded- with an imposing. '(Fanfare" (Lemmen's).. ;.'■■' /': •yhe'next recital will be given on. Wednes- ■ day. afternoon at; 4 o'clock. ■'"■ '"■■'■•. y A BENEFIT' CONCERT.■•■' /.With a v'iew'.td -supplementing ,'the Mayor's Fund for fhe.relief .of the, unemployed, tlie Victoria College;; Students' .Association ;is giving . a concert' in ' tho Concert;. Chamber on Saturday' evening. The Acting-Premier, and other ' mombers of "tho Ministry, have given their patronage to/.the concert,- and several ■ lpc'al M.P.'s haye."* promised- to ,attend. .The programme will consist of-concert ; items by.Mrs.-.F. P. Wilson,-and Miss Rita Lyons,- Messrs. E. 1 Parke-s,/H.: Widdop, and A.- Newton, these being followed by a farce written : and played, by: local students, and "Shackleton-Outshacked." .Seats ""'may, be reserved at the Dresden. ';■' "LUCKY DURHAM."' -. •■' the .present successful season of 'Messrs. 'Meynell and Gunn's English Comic Opera Company, tho same firm's new English company "will make their first appearance/ in 'Wellington ■oh Friday evening next, in "Lucky, Durham."'' The; company is : headod : by-"the popular . actor, Mr. Harcourt Beatty, ■ whose ■ reappearance,' after twelve months' absence, will be hailed'with delight by all sections .of playgoers. .Since his' appearance ; with this company, Mr. Beatty'; has ' scored two convincing successes in .that of '• "John Durham," in "Lucky; Durham," and Rev. EdgiirLinnell, , in' "The. Hypocrites."- His John Durham is spoken of as a performance; of the highest excollenco. It is the part; that the late Wilson Barrett : had intended'to play/ himself. The personal popularity attached to the author: frill /naturally induce an unusual interest, in the production of /. "Lucky Durham." . It is a play with a'purpose,, and although it runs on-different lines as com- ' pared with the averago modern drama, it is said to appeal, at tlio same time, to the mail who thinks, and ; the- man who goes to tho. theatre' sisiply to be amused. > All the membetrs of tho. company aro specially well cast. Misses' Gladys Harvey, Emily Fitzroy, Edith Deveroll,-:/Messrs. J.. '\X.- Devcrell; Frank Randcll,. and J. E. Gardiner will make their first appearanco, whilst' Messrs. Gaston Men-ale; James Lindsay, Tom Cannam, Rutland Beckett,. Misses Winifred Giinn, Nollio Mortyno, Hilda Meade, etc.,, will• reappear'after'an absence.olfomo time. Tho.plans aro now open at the' Dresden..