ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 723, 24 January 1910, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE KING OF CADONIA." tiffS®' nights' season which Mi'. J -.,y Willlamsoii's new, opera company viU'.eonimonco oti Saturday next will be ushorad in by a series of. performances ° 11 opera "The Kliig of v,adonia. The King of Cadohia" comes with the highost credentials. It would appoar that the bulk of tho Australian press is conurmed ifi the opinion of its being tho hast'comic opera seen for' threo. decados. The,book is by Frederick Lonsdale, tne lyrics by Adrian Ross, and the music by Sidney, .fones. The part of the King is taken by Mr. Herbert Clayton, for which in both voico and appearoiico h6 is admirably suited. As tho J)uko of Alasia, Mr. Bert Gilbert, according to critics, has a part, distinctly suited 'to him, and one of his Songs, "Do-'not Hesitate to Shoot," is in Keeping with his hnmorqus characteriaatioii of the autocrat, -who fights .shy of undertaking his responsibilities. Mr. Gilbert is making his .first appearance in Wellington, iliss •Dorothy Court, tho speoially-ongaged-Sa-voy prima donna, will also bo seen for the first time here, as tho Princess Marie.. Miss Court comes with; a rapntation ns a delightful actress and sweet singer. - Miss Lottie Sargent, tha "Malitza" of tho opera, hails, from the- Gaiety Theatre, London, and is in the forefront of comediennes on the English'stage. Mr.'.Prank Greene is an eminent singer from Daly's theatres in' England ana America, and Mr. Fritz Hart, tha director Vof the music, is a well-known composer and grand opera conductor in : England and on the Continent. "The, King of C'adonia ia sumptuously l mounted -and costurned.; It will be played for .the first nine nights, "Havana" for tho.iiext 6ix, and 'A Country Girl" for the last four nights. Tho box plans for: the entire Mason will be bponed at tho Dresden on Wednesday. ' .

■ THEATRE ROYAL. , A_ crowded holiday house gTeeted Fullers vaudeville Company at the Theatre Itoyal on Saturday evening, when the capital programme which has entertained large audiences, throughout the week was repeated for tho last time. Good turns wero provided by Toni Armstrong and Pnscifla. Verne, the Dubkwotths, ■ tho, Levartcs, Lerone (a trick cyclist of won- ?, er - ul tho " National Duo,. the three Starrs, .and Miss Meryl Lawrence, whose ballad singing is a good way above the mediocre. - A complete ohango of.programine is to bo presented'this evening.

7: - HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. • ■ ; ,^ 6 . n ,'i™ber of people >vho sought His Mfyjssty h. Theatre and the Koyal Pictures a fitting end-up to Saturday's holiday hlicd' thp theatre, and the/enthuriasm' of the audience, left 110 retm. for doubt, as to.whether pr not they, enjoyed; provided, The filtns were varied enough to appeal to the most exacting, industry, fioenery,. drAma, •• hnd ■ humour, being blended in a most attractive manner. The programme, will ba repeated to-night and w-morroty night,: and a complete change will be given oil Wethiesday evening. ''

ROYAL PICTURES AT. TOWN HALL. ■ t Tho Town Hall was not the least bit too large for the crowds .who went on Saturday night to seo tho special exhibition of the Royal Pictures, . it was an anniversary for the Royal Picture Syndicato, antl numbers , tvlio had been celobrating another anniversary 'finished up the day tt i_L Tpwn Hall entertainment Tho pictures' wero dccidedly fascinating, being a; seribs representing all branches . of kinoihatography. Thero were films lrhoso progress )vas watched amid the heartiest laughter, oth-srs . which told of love and. deeds 'of darks,, 'and others which ' desontod. vividly scenes in tho "industrial world, -or showed- views of the ' beauty spots' of both heniispheresi C'in efficient orchestra played thevaccompanimehts and ajso contributed several• special numbers.

STAR PICTURES. ' ; 'NowtOwii children took great'delight in tho pictures shown,by-the Star Pic'turo Company; at Saturday's, matinee,.aiid'in, thero jvas not a. vacant, seat ,°t. 'lhomns'.s:Hall..:lt \ytts a specially, selected programme, and was in tull 'accord with tilo ih'oliaay ,mood. of the, audience.. Tho pictures .will bo shown throughout 'tho vcoli. - : SUNDAY CONCERT. -

Tile -Town Hall-was just larger enorigh' to accominodate those wno .wished .to hear the Wollingtoii I'rofessional Orchestra last 'evdning.' Tho orchestra af: its' fiiii strength is, well worth hearing, and.it was certainlya • well-balanced-. band that gave the. delightful concert so .fitbcntively listened to. last night.. As to' the quality ot the',-music, it/wisely, 'to. our thinking, adopted - the : bettor... olftss,, of popular music, which -has brought: the oroliestra into notice, 'l'ho progranimo oponed with.a swinging hiarOh entitled "The New Colonial" (Hall), played with commehdable/nervo and 'unanimity. Rossini's showy !inu6i<! is always in favour,, and in tho welHtnowu "lancredi" overture the orchestra again. did excellent work, i the bbld leading of Mr. J. P. Woodward being; noticeably' good.- - Another old fav.oiirite was Mendelssohn's ■ evergreen "Spring Soiig,"-which was braoketed with a charming number entitled ."Saterjenens Sontag (010 -Bull), played -.. on: united strings. The solo part was, assigned to. Mr. Woodward; who-attuned his big tone "nicoly to thb delicately-scored music. Mr. L. King played. Ellen Wtight's ■: ballad "Violets,": as a .cornet «olb, and .was , heartily applauded.- Other, selections played were thoentr'acte/'Sizillietta" (Von Blbu), with the oboe by Mr. Kershaw;. tho "Mignon" Gavotto'' (Thomas), and: tho German patrol, "Wachtparado Kohirnt" (Eilenberg). ■ . / ; -On Sunday,, February' 0, . the ; Professional Orchestra will give a concert iii the Town Hall in aid of Mrs. Crawford, ;Whosß husband (a member of tho orchestra) was. drowned, off the yacht Patronus on Christmas Eve; > :

' "DR. BILL" AT DAY'S BAY. V ■ Mr.. Leo de Chateau is to be congratulated on the measure of success attained ;bji his pupils, in .. the production .at the Bay's Bay Pavilion, on Saturday,eventing, of that .exceedingly laughable comedy "Dr. Bill," which scored sucli a pronounced success when included in the Myra Kemble repertoire'years'ago. The comedy, which' has a delightful teaven of pure farce, is too well known'to describe m detail,, but taking , into consideration the' disadvantages that must obtain in playing such a comedy in any but a regularly appointed theatre, it was presented and acted in a manner that surprised many who. were:present. -It is essential that a farcical comedy must rattle along .like, ai mocor-oycle, and it was evident that Mr. de Chateau had'impressed this on his pupils, who entered 1 thoroughly into the spirit o£ the farce, scoring laughs throughout the evening. Mr.' Charles Blake scored a.success in the name part, inspiring ; his confreres with a. frank breeziness with whioli. he invested the role of tho troubled medico. That jaunty little lady, Nellie Fauntleroy. (from tho music-hall) was brightly impersonated by Miss May Roberts. Miss Kathleen Major looked well and acted promisingly as Mrs. Hoiton, and-Mies'Cnrto was quite a success as Jennie Firman. Other parts well placed were Ellen (Miss R-- Scott), George Webster (Mr. Vivian Rhind), Mr. Firman (Mr. Z. Wood), Superintendent' Horton i(Mr. J. J, Larsen), and Biggs (Mr. L. Holmes). The stage vas capably managed by Mr. de Chateau, whose experienced hand could be detected in the "business". introduced into the performance. "Dr. Bill" will bo again, produced at Day's Buy this . evening.' A special boat will leave town' in a time for tho performance, and will waituntil conclusion to bring back oity-side patrons.