ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 642, 20 October 1909, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

'EICKARDS'SVATJIIBmLE'COMPANY; i3^;S,F lra ,' Ho 'f? a 'S as vor y- largely attended last night when,the Rickards' Vaudeville' Coin. ««n^™ 9 i -T E^ nd .performance.,, Turns exceptional interest followed one another ir S wfn 0 ?' and I the attention of the audi. Zt 1r„ w ld fr ? c ? sta L' to finish, Gpodvaude 7rll mte ?&*B, and never fails tc wS,Wi-f*t c ' . Bn d,whon an-excellent com ffSff the Prcsent.comes along the pub nnrr 7 iw, rel ' e A *P on , t0 -P™ it. hearty sup ■S?iL^ r . haps %° mosfc P°P nl «. item !■» "<*< HT'- w ??' th ?, entertainment provided bj &;.,? 0S t IDa q °^. elli and nor talentel troupe ol fil S ir ogs - exhibited wonder nri»H^V S ° nc J e V> and their '• numerous trick, &H?» L 1T aS 'i d - ; t he alienee. • The sight of tin ,m,-J^J hlh ,l s r P?nd on bars arid-gencr iTL, S?* fan f' liko'.Tidrn acrobat L™ ,•? * b ? T. ,ckl y ft "-Botten. The massec JnTfii «io revolving apparatu; and the. clambering dogs-in:all sorts of posi- ?„„„ i 0 ? m T a i.. most , attractive spectacle. Flor ft?nL*3 ll >e refined musical'artists in wiii ""-"v 8 mos f P°P ular musical sketch w which violin, bugle, and vocal organs were employed withi auspicious'success. The' Kremkt SJtv;£ s qn i^'P' themselves on good termr Snfn'rK andl Ss ce ' ?»th their unusual- acrobatii contortions. • The faultless manner in ' which ™yP or /°™ their-turn is worthy of'-greal commendation. The sketch artists, Fred' Graham and Nellie. Dent, were soon in popular favour, and their rendering of "Tho 100- to 1 tnance gave them a'splendid opportunity oi exhibiting their special £lents-an opportunity they took full advantage of. Messrs. Walkei and Storms play with the decorated.racquets and the items contributed by, Messrs.' Ham Hart (tenor) and Harry Rochfort (baritone) the Marlow Sisters, and the Two Donnellys helped by, Little JOtty, received well-earned ap plause. ' ■ ■•■.•, ■:-.-* '■'..''-. ,'THEATRE ROYAL.; • ; : _ Poller's*, Pictures wore : again shown , at th< Iheatre Royal 'last, night before a; good attendance, and the:appre6iation always accorded tc good Pictures- was '•' not lacking. "Aviatior Week at Bheims was perhaps, the principa series of films, but all views shown evoket great interest, 'and were watched with close at tention. Among these were the ■ "King's Re view of the Forces," bull fight scenes, an< comedy; sketches. v ■ -. THE ROYAL PICTURES.- ' ' .The' Royal'; Pictures drew, a "good house' lasi nigbt. To-night an; entirely new pro'gramms will be submitted, and some vory interestint pictorial studies will be shown.''• Among ths number'are "The Mountebank Son" (one ol Pathos art drama),' "Mexican Bill" (a J sensa. tional-'cowboy. story),' and "A Dash' for the North Pole; -showing Dr. Zeigler, .the famout m the frozen north, while pictures oi "Dr. Cook ' at_, Copenhagen" should be of in. terest at'the'present time. Numerous' comic and scenic views will also! be' exhibited with that completeness'for which the Royal-Pictures are well known."'' '•'- ■ '' ■' -VSTAE PICTURES.- ■''■'.' •"'.. The now 1 programme which is'being presented by the Star Pictures Company at St. Thomas's Eall was repeated last'night m the.prcsencoioi an appiccjativo. audience."; The film entitled "A. Potter's Dream," portraying: different national characteristics on- iChinaware,' 1 created much ,interest;. as also. "did".the.'-ancient' love story, "A Greek Slave'."' 'The other'>pictures were.als-vwell received. '~ . l •■'-. ;:;• , V CHAMBER CONCERT, : ; \' .;. Quite a. delightful programme was submitted by, Miss.Beatrice. Mercer,and.those associated with her at the. concert given in' the Concert Chamber, last .'evening.. It unfortunately seems to.-be.the. case -that the. "Wellington'publjo is not.remarkable,for its appreciation of chamber concerts, and,''when' a good house is seoured.ii is. usually ...only: achieved' by persistent.'.booming.. : ,In a city the ■size. of. there should' ibe. ia, 'musical;,clicritelo ■ siifli.ciontly.; sinsere to .foregather, in strength at Va'" concert' so intrinsically good! as that given -last evening. Sincerity in art"is thin- breaks easily, and in so doing nearly breaks the heart oi tho genuine enthusiast. If it were not'soi our struggling musical societies would be accorded i much readier support, i and, that granted, would climb to higher artistio heights than their narrow''means and the' small encouragement proffered permit; i '■:-.'•:: ■■' ■' : ~■'■'.. Miss Beatrice Mercer comes from Sydney, and possesses a. Very pleasing.contralto-voice'-of ;ood-quality over an extended range..-She rings'with feeling and .intelligence,.>andt would lo even better with her if reo vocal, method, ivere she to-throw a trifle more abandon into her .work. • The, average-contralto .song does lot/ admit of .much vocal, characterisation it is true—such songs are usually of the dolorous jrder—but in such a number as; Allitzen's 'Like as v a. Hart Desireth" thoreis scope in plenty for vocal colour. Miss Mercer sang the song very attractively, but gave the notion that she could sing it much better were 6ko 'to let herself go." Her singing of. the' timeworn ."Out on, tho Rocks" (SaintontDollv) was lcceptable, and deserved an encore, which took the'-form''of :"Good : Night, Little Girl," a.senMental'trifle! She was'everi. more pleasing in Bohm's. "Still is-the :Night," which she had to supplement .with "My Airi Conn tree,"'sung i little too slowly. Her duet with Mr. Parkes, 'Nocturne",(Denza), was quite-a success. Mr. Brne6,t'Parkes, wfiose. vigorous full-fibred baritone one always hears with ■ pleasure, sang ivith more artistic discrimination than is his ivont. He hardly gauged-the'auditorium in 'I Know a Lovely Garden" (D' Hardelot), but tvas-.very fine in "Time-Was I .Roved the Sfountains" (Lohr),and, being vociferously enMred, gave the lover's lament,""Eves' that ised'to Gaze : in: Mine".'(Lohr).: -His other iongs were "Nelson's Gone a Sailing" (Lohr), ind' "An Emblem" (Thompson). Mr. Frank S..Johnstone, 'who produced'a good Tesonant :one' from : his-, 'cello, played Squire's "Gavotte Kumoresque" -and' Schubert's ,"Avo, Maria" nloasingly, Mr. J. P. Carr, in good voice, conTibufedv Ont of the Darkness" (D': Hardelot), md "Ever so far'.Away" (Braun)..artistically. 1 Variety was added to'the : programme by the recitations of' Mrs: Martin Williams. She waa nuch too. emphatic'and dramatic in "Home, sweet - Home," but' redeemed herself to some sxtent in the humorous "Funeral of Mrs. Hodidh," and in an-encore piece—"Don't Try." rhe. accompaniments'.' were played by Mrs. Montague. ''■•■" '■ "■■".: . Arrangements have been made by. which the " United ~ Baptist Male .Choir "• (under the baton of-Mr.-Hill)-whici has created '• such , a Eavoprable impression during the Baptist ConFerence, will .open .the, no-licehse mass meeting jt.the.Town Hall on' Friday., next; by singing that favourite male part ,song, '".Comradesi'in Arms." They will also render- another' piece luring tho evening. ■ \'\ ...