ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 636, 13 October 1909, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE MAK FROM MEXICO." ' 'Farce, as the Americans know it," states tho "Sydney Daily Telegraph," is "The Man from Mexico," the play to be staged to-night by Mr. Hugh Ward and his clover company. The main story tolls tho.consequences of Benjamin Fitzhugh'fi escapade at "Tho Cleopatra." but the consequences are so numerous, so involved, and so funny that ono has no time to (juarrel with the slightness of the principal thread. They, lund the hapless. Fitzhugh in gaol when he is supposed to bo in Mexico) ,they send his wife -Hotter-missioning, to.the vory same, prison; and, - finally, having served bis thirty days, he returns-home gorgeous in ft bought Spanish, suit as. "The Man from Mexico." In his plan of ohaos, tho author progresses by making every step more comical, t'he dialogue, too, is full of direct humour, and there are many droll and subtlo turnings of phrases. It'is the kind of faree that wants to be played pell-mell, and with never a halt, and N thoso who knoiv nnything of Mr. Word and ;his Company will have no doubts about that, gone and.dance ore a liberal ingredient in the entertainment, His Excellency Lord I'l.unket and 6Uite will be present at this evening s performance.

HIS MAJESTY'S.' The Royal Pictures again drew, a good house to His Majesty's Theatre, Coartcnay Place, last night. The new programme' to be shown tc-night by tho Royal Pictures will consist of the following star items:—ln drama's, "The Life of a, Gentleman," "The Gambling Fever," Cobbler, and Caliph," "Love and Snorifice," orul "Fair Dolores." . Scenic and industrial eddies include "A Trip through Netherlands," B'rth of a Fountain Pen," and the comedies, _Ghemical Experiments" and "The Maffio Fountain Pen." A'matineo will bo held thin afternoon, at whioh tho new programme will be shown. _ Scats may be roserved at the theatre to-day. ■ ROYAL PICTUEES AT THE TOWN HALL. To-night the' Royal Pictures will be shown as a special performance in the Town Hall, in additlpn to a programme at Hie. Majesty's .-theatre. _ A programme of the latest and best m the biographic world will bo shown at the down Hnll. Som* stirring dramatic items, such as The Daughter of an Anarchist," "The Hostage, a thrillms story of American Cowboy life, and "His Duty" are included, while scenic and educational subjects have been caretully selected with a' view to variety. The humorous studies; "The Terriblp Infant" and tfewichcd Son-in-law," are especially laughterl. l ??' j"°! amission will bo the same as charged at His Majesty's . Theatre Plan will be on view at tho Town Hall to-day.. ,: THEATRE ROYAL. '■:■'■' The moviag. picture entertainment at the ■Theatre Roya, including such star films aslon'' -Thl 'vka' » A j "> ey Thr?ugh,Ceylon,., rhe Widow,", and many-others, was again witnessed Ittst night by a.large and-a*, r^at^te'■■ The W«»-«;.»«U'fi. :.','. STAR PICTURES; ':...'. The.Star Pictures were again received with ugh appreciation last night,. every item in its Utn.being loudly applauded. The. favourite Wm is evidently ''Sunrise and, Sunset at Ven- ,' ce - -• ~A ■ Trooper's.Bride" is'also a, great •favourite. ; "A-Waif's Christmas," the,success' of whioh is grca y augmented by the .music, ,s a most interestjng flr m . Thp programme is interspersed.with just onoUgh of the comic elc: ment to pleaso and not to tire. There: will be a special matineo to-day. at 2 p.m.

HARRY P.ICKARDS'S COMPANY., The,soason: about to.be inaugurated.under the management. Pf Mr. Allan - Hamilton should ,bea highly successful • one, the all-round programme combining novelty, cleverness, humour,, tunefulness,, and. plenty of variety. l!osina Cttsselli and her group of clever-little l.caniheß, the/ Chihuahua dogs of Mexico, •'will ■be tho star turn; but there are others of equal merit, such as tho Kremka, Brothers, - and Misses Florence and Lillian, of whom i tho' Melbourne "Evening News" says:—"The nowattractions wero tho Kremka Brothers, eccentric and comedy acrobats, who i presonted a show which simply electrified, the. audience, buch tumbling,, balancing, and acrobatic work had never booh seen here -before, and tho audience were not slow to roward the-, performers with deafening applause Tho;turn isindescribable. Seemingly impossible.things'. :were : done -with• a; rapidity; accuracy; flnd : pre-' cision which were, both marvellous and amaz-i ing. ; One brother jerks, tho other into : the air 1 ;on. a see-saw; and catches him -on' his head; But that is only an indication of a host "of sensational acts which must ,bo seen to bo" appreciated. Things never dreamed of wero .executed in' a manner which startled -tho:houso. >In the second part, Floronco'and Lilljan, two-lady musicians, of refined, artistic, sympathetic | temperaments, scored an immedlato and distinct .success. Popular music .was rendored on violin, piano, trumpots, and' bugles. In a manner which left nothingi to bo desired, and the sisters were encored again and ■ again. It wasidn'offective, captivating, and in : ovory respect successful - turn'. . Another fea:turo of tho:bill is .tho marvellous juggling of ttanis rackets :by-Messrs.-Walker and Sturm, 'iho box plan was opened at the Dresden' yesterday■■■ morning, when there was a good demand for seats. ■

;.;>, "A WINTER'S TALE." -'■ , To tho accompaniment of merrily-played .quadrilles and'Maueors .being danced in the ■Town Hall by,.a gay assemblage, the TVellihg,tOn Shakespeare.. Club essayed to read "A Winter's Tale '; in the concert chamber last oveningby way of f concluding its winter session. Truth to toll, the handicap was a severe one, awLthat.the readers.struggled as earnestly .with,the.•Shakespearean, text at its obscurest as wollns they did, stands to their credit. It was as difficult to blend tho. high-strung defence, of Ilormiono against the treacherous calumnies of Ixsontea with the "Merry Widow walt 2, as it was to fit the courageous languapo of Paulina to the " ladies-to-tho-centro * music,that throbbed through thd hall the while. It was not a fair test for anyone, and; raises tho point whether the City Council .is justified, in letting ono hall for a purposo that will seriously mar the proceedings'in the other. Tho lady readers acquitted themselves,with particular credit under these disadvantageous'condltions. Miss van Staveren read Hermione'j lines with intelligence and a certain womanly appeal, and Miss Hardinge-Maltby, attuning her voice to the racquet of the invading music, read'with clear omphasis and good dramatic effect. Miss Irono Webster was a' rather soft-spoken Perdita. Of the male readers, Mr. J. R. Palmer raised a ,telling,v if somewhat; colourless, voice as Leontes. ;Ho was audible at all events, which could not be said of others who took less ken, of the untoward conditions. Mr. J C. Webb read Carmillo, Mr. W. D. Gerham spoke the lines of Antigomis,: Mr. J. W. Joynt those of Polixenos, Mr. Leo. Buckeridge the clown, and Mr. H. E.'Nieholls Autolycus. Minor parts were read by Misses Carson, Knox, Grev Mrs. Darling, and Messrs. V. Rhind. C. W Tanner, G.E. B. Adamson, J. Rutherford, and W. E. Fuller. \,, ..

ME. JOHN FOSTER FRASER. f The short series of lectures which Mr. Tohn Foster Fraser proposes to give in Wellington at the Town ]Ml, with "America 'Up-to-date - ' to befolewed by "Through Russia fn Rovolution, . Across Siberia and a. Dash Throuirh Manchuria," and , "The • Balance of Power in Europe,,. with; a special-matinee on Wednesday afternoon, when the popular ladies' lecture 'The Women of Many Lands" will be given The lecture on America is up-to-date' in every sense of the term, while that of-'Russia is a rapid dramatic review, of the internal condi.tioris of the .Tsar's empire struggling, to bo free. Over one hundred pictures are thrown on the screen 4 during this lecture, all of which are uniotie in their .way, and wero taken by .Mr. Poster Eraser.at the_ risk of his life, and in defiance : of the Russian authorities. Tho plan of seats for the sorios will ho opened at to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock. Air. Fraser will arrive in Wellington on Sunday next!

WELLINGTON .CHORAL-SOCIETY. On Friday next, tho Wellington Choral Society, under the baton of Mr. J. Maughan Barnett, will give a performance' Of Sir Edward Elgar's "Blok Knight," and Schubert's "Song of Miriam." These two works have not yet |been interpreted before tho Wellington public. Thoy have been carefully rehearsed for a long time past, and every endeavour has been madb to ensure that the performance will bo a finished one. • His Excellency tho Governor will bo present. .:,... \

.-,',' LECTURE'AT THE TOWN HALL. : . ' Apparatus 1 kindly lent .'and to be operated by Mr. M'Donald, of the Tourist'Dopartment, will assist Dr. Trnby King nt his lecture which is to.bejnven in the concert chamber of tho Town Hall-to-morrow. -The pictures to bo shown new- and Dr. King's ability as a speaker Is well known eo that the lecture shoula-bS well,.worth hearing.'■'"",.-