ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 810, 6 May 1910, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE WEDDING; RING." "The Wedding Eing," a melodrama by Benjamin Landeck. CastMary Ashiord .-•...'. Mies Ecsdo Clay Johanna (Mary's Maid) Miss Louise Carbasse Violet Foster Miss Nettie Bundahl Janet, Duchess of Brierly Miss Lillian Booth Gerald Armstrong Mr. Herbert J. Bentloy George Fletcher Mr. HiUiard , Vox Peter Fletcher .... Mr. Thomas E. Tilton Tho Duke of Brierly Mr. M. Nodin Mark Allison Mr. P. V. Scully Lord Robert Chambers, Mr. Thos. Curran Rev. Andrew Darch ... Mr. Paget Hunter Melodrama pursues its course at the Opera House, whero the George Mar ow Company is playing-its season. In Ihe Wedding Ring" a very plausible tale is told at the outset, and one looks for a reasonable denouement. Vam hope. AS the plot works out, the degree of villainy increases until, to maintain the thrill the author has teWto extremes so pronounced that they lose tne effect intended, and only, amuse We have, in '-'The Wedding Ring,' a duchess who is a bisamist, her first husband a sot, and his child being brought up by ™et She is, however, a very nice mmm S Of itVto wife's mother's husband). Back thw go to England, where at the Duke Ei palace Gerald is decorated with tne V! FJ? r *, a liVsr^a/ot^f t *X JTE le'rilf? tr'at trW S-l-and to get rid of them attempts to wreck the train they travel S¥^trl Duchess free, and the ponged girl de■n minces George as the murderer oi nis "ather From then on the various characters march swiftly to their dooms or Bentley, as. Gerald rather wooden, and his voice hard and monotonous: but Mr. H. Vox suggested his part with a fine air of naturalness. M?. P Thomas Tilton made a very fair Peter Fletcher, but was blatant where subtlety would havo served, m. r. v. toS was bright in the comedy role of Lord "Bobs," being once.more assisted by the bright soubretto, Miss Louise Carbassi, as tho maid, J°^ a ' _f Essie Clay moaned throughi the part of Mary AshWd, while Miss Lillian Boott acted rationally as the Duchess, and Mm Nettie Bundahl threw a suggestion of depraved recklessness into the part of Violet Foster. The drama was very wen mounted, and stage-managed. On Tuesday next the" company will appear in the new drama, by Frank Thorne, "As Midnight Chimes." THEATRE ROYAL. The audience which gathered at the Theatre Royal last evening appreciated to the full tho light faro .provided by the humorous Frank Yorke) Armstrong and Verne, and by "Victor the Great, Madame Gothilda, and the. other peilormers who comprise the .present strong company under, the Fuller "banner. The moving pictures of the English Grand National'and the Oxford and Cambridge boat race were also much appreciated. BIS MAJESTY'S. The recent aeroplane competition at Los Angeles is the subject of one of the star films in the new programme, which was exhibited last night for the second time at His Majesty's Theatre. "The Artiste's Dream" is a. beautiful art study in colours, and is a remarkable evidence of the high degree of skill that has been attained in kineinatography. A romantic, "A 1 True Indian's Heart, and a good selection of comic, scenic, and industrial films are also shown. The programme will be .repeated to-night. KING'S THEATRE. ' The new programme of moving pictures at the King's Theatre was displayed last night for the second time to a largo and appreciative audience.' A very popular film was that entitled, "The True Indian Heart." Mexico was the scene, and the story was adventurous, exciting, find romantic. "Under the Stars and Stripes is a realistic portrayal of incidents in the Spanish-American War, with plenty of battle-smoke, and a love story interwoven. The programme is also strong in comic and sporting subjects. It will be repeated to-night. STAR PICTURES. The bright selection of pictures produced at St. Thomas's Hall yesterday evening by the Star Pictures attracted an audience which appreciated to tho full the value of the screenings. Probably the best of the. pictures was "An Anarchist on Board." MONTGOMERY'S DRAMATIC COMPANY. A new dramatio oomp&ny, under the management of Mr. Edmund Montgomery, will appear in the Town Hall, Lower Hutt on Monday night, in the exciting drama, "The Web of Fate.'; All tho scenery is new, and the artists are also said to be new. , THE ELLWOOD TRIO. The Ellwood Trio and Miss Winnie Nixon gave their second concert at the Town Hall (Concert Chamber) lost ovening, before a large audience. Master Georgo Ellwood, whose mastery of the 'cello gives abundant promise of future distinction, appeared to be the special favourite. His items included the eccentric "Tzig, Tog" study (Squires), a dainty "Tarantelle" of Goltermann's, with, as encoro numbers, a "Gavotte Humorietique" (Squire), and Saint Saens' beautiful idyll, "Le Cygne." The little fellow was in excellent form. Harry, his elder brother, was equally successful with his violin, and very capably interpreted an exacting Vieuxtempts "Polonaise," and Sarasate's fantastic but intricate "Gypsy Airs," adding, as encore numbers, Schumann's simple but beautiful "Tranmarei," and a "ay "Canzonetta D'Ambrosio." With Miss Polly Ellwood at the piano, the trio were thoroughly enjoyable. The last two movements of tho Arensky Trio in D Minor (Op. 32) afforded the young musicians plenty of opportunity for demonstrating, their undoubted capacity for concerted niusic. They really excelled, however, in the second concerted item, Grieg's Norwegian Dance (No._ 1), playing the characteristic music with spirited abandon, yet in perfect accord. Miss Winnio Nixon was tendered a very flattering reception, and her full, rich young voico was thoroughly delightful to listen to. Of her items, "My Dearest Heart" (Sullivan), "Four By the Clock" (Mallinson), "Chanson de Florian" (Godard), the request number, Maschcroni's "Avo Maria" (with organ and violin obbligato), "Come Close, Beloved" (Lambert), and Noel Johnson's "A Wco Bit Shy" (encoro numbers)—tho singer was, if anything, most enjoyable in the fine "Ave Maria," and in the bewitching ballad of Noel Johnson's. Certain shortcomings in phrasing rather detracted from tho complete success of her other numbers. Her pianissimo, it must be said, leaves nothing to bo desired—wonderfully controlled, and admirably sustained.' The accompaniments were played by Mr. Dave Kenny, while Mr. W. Prouso played the organ obblignto in the "Ave Maria" cone