ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 909, 31 August 1910, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

NATIONAL PICTURES. , ' Tho management of the National Pictures, showing at the Opera House, set a high standard at the .commencement of their Wellington season, awl have steadily maintained it througout a successful run. As a result, they have been accorded an enviable measure, of popular patronage. There was again a full attendance last evening. The leading attraction of tho programme is, of course, series of chronoinegaphoiio selections, in which Harry Lauder and other reigning favourites of the Old" World- balls of mirth and song are presented in a life-like way that. holds . a delighted .audience enthralled. These items are supplemented by a number of. animated pictures, all of high merit,arid displayed in a fashion beyond cavil. ' Ail enlightening picture is that. illustrating British agricultural pursuits of the present day, and. another film, remarkablo for. its Ix-auty, depicts ge.is of Sicilian scenery. — -

THEATRE ROYAL. ,A feature of this week's programme at the Theatre Royal is the appearance, of the Rogers Quartet of juvenile acrobats. In skill and style these youngsters. lead the way in the acrobatic line of business, and at'tho conclusion of their turn last night they were enthusiastically recalled. ICarle's performing dogs and the wonderful buck-jumping pony "Fitz" are still favourites, and ' "Fitz" continues to, show a decided aversion to amateur jockeys, in that he refuses to be ridden by them. On Thursday, night' a gold medal is to be awarded the rider who can stay longest on "Fitz'." ' Mr. Garden Wilson' was seen to advantage in ; a dramatic sketch, "Posted Missing." Miss Blanche Carelli, soprano, sang "Invitation Love Waltz Song" and "Little Birds." ,Other popular items were those contributed by' Miss Beattie MDonald and.the. Gibson Girls, r. , "ALADDIN.'.' J. C: Williamson's pantomimic extravaganza "Aladdm," which is to be presented ■ for a brief season, commencing at the Opera House on Friday night next, was received with great enthusiasm when first presented in Melbourne, and it called forth unusual praise from- the press of that ..city. The following is one of the oriticisms"' Aladdm ' is the. absolute limit in the way of pantomime entertainments. For scenic splendour, handsome dresses, novel, spectacular effects, acme of stage'mechanism, attractive mnsic, amazing acrobatism, wonderful specialty turns, bright 'and lively acting, genuine fun, always laughable, yet never vulgar, and general entertainment, for a pleasureloving public, ,it stands out far above all its predecessors." Mr. HicKory Wood's version of .the story of "Aladdin," it is stated, adheres with great fidelity tothe, .original-story. TheTe. are digressions, of' course, chiefly for the purpose of intro-. duoiag fun and specialties, but the author •returns to tho plot at once. The opening scene represents the Home of the Magic-, ians, the second is a scene in Tokio, and here the Japanese Prime Minister makes the well-known proclamation that, all persons inus; veil, their eyes, as the,Em.peror's daughter is going to the Turkish baths to have, her annual wash. . An amusing.' scene, it is stated, is ; furnished at the bathe, where. everybody comes for a steaming and cleaning— that is, everybody but the princess, for, whom alone the 'baths that day were reserved. The donkey' takes the leading part in this scene, his final;joke being to sAid tho thermometer up. to boiling heat.' ' Mr. Williamson was fortunate in securing the semces of Mr. Harry: Phjdora,.. as-' this comedian proved in ,"Mother Gooso" 'that he is one_ of the very best : "dames" yet seen'in Now Zealand. Messrs. .Price and Rovost •' fairly astounded ( playgoers ' of. Auckland. There are-still plenty of seats' in ; the best of' positions in the dress circle, and reserved stalls for each'of. the first four nights arid for the initial.matinee performance,. which takes'; place. on Saturday afternoon next; . '

:• THE KING'S TJEIEATRBj,,., West's'' and .' Royal Pictures . excellerit programme, which has given such general satisfaction throughout the week, was shown for the last . time: last evening. To-night there will be a complete change, when a number-of exclusive pictures, will be 6hown, included in which will be the' Pathe studies, "The Battle of Milk," a pathetic story of the Siege <x£ Paris by the Germans. Like all L'atho productions this film is splendidly mounted,, and adequately acted. "A Rubber and Pepper Plantation" (scenic), "Dr. Smith's Automaton," "a..True. Likeness Guaranteed,". and'"B?tty Turns the' Tables" (comedies). As 'usual , a new series-of the interesting "Animated- Gazette,". ."News from .'Every-, where" will be,shown, and will include "A Visit to Pathe Prere's Faotory," "Ba«m E-ace at Hurlirigham," '"Paris Fashions," "London," "Calais," "Paris," "The. Grand Prix of Paris in the presence of. 60,000 ; People," . "Angshu'rg," "Meeting' of French President and- I'saT of Bulgaria Welcomed by 100,005 People;" The programme will also contain other pictures of an interesting nature, : and entirely new music .will,be rendered by the King's orchestra: :

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. "Jano Eyre," "Bogs ot all Nations," the- "Warwick Bio-Chronicle," and the. rest of the interesting pictures constituting the present-, programme, .at His Ma-, jesty's Theatre were shown for' the last time last evening. The'new. programme to bo presented this evening will include an , especially , attractive l and • educational picture showing the production ■of the. London "Daily Mail" from the, time the trees are felled and : crushcd into pulp, for paper-making, .right through, the mechanical process until'it is printed,' published, and • delivered. The public will be able to judge, of the, gTeat, work..entailed in the production of any daily paper through the medium of this fine, picture... Other pictures to bo shown will include the 7th .. Hussar's Military Tournament, "Percy, the Cowboy," a thrilling western drama, "A Child of the Ghetto," and "A Bolt from the Blue," a capital comedy picture full of laughs. ' . ■ STAIt PICTURES. , A-capital selection of moving pictures is. being shown at St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown, "this week by'the Star Pictures management. iThe programme-includes industrial,' scenic, dramatic, and comic items, and was responsible for drawing another good audience last night. The present set■of Alms will bo shown every evening until the end of the week. . OLYMPIA RINK. The Olympia Rink is apparently fated to enjoy unending, popularity. By day and night" its carefully maintained'floor is thronged with eager skaters, who seem never, weary ot gliding' around to the strains of. the . attendant' band. Most of those who now appear oh the ■floor are skilled in the art of manag-. iug the' nimble rollers, but it' is not too late for those to whom rinking is still an unlearned accomplishment to repair their past neglect.

■ ' CALVE, .There was a ■ keen demand for reserved seats at'the Dresden yesterday for the Calve concert, which takes place in the Town Hall next Saturday evening. Everything points to a great success, in leaping. with that which has' marked every concert of the present tour through Australasia. Hecognised as the greatest "Carmen" of the present' generation, ■ it might have been supposed that Calve could hardly, conquer in the colder'atmosphere of the concert room. £ho has como hero to show that, she can do so. Moreover, as a' singer also, tho term "great artijt" belongs! to Calve, not'only by reason of a consumniato technique— which, indeed, all vocalists of the first rank possess—but because her : feeling for music is such that she can sing classic arias with breadth and restraint. Associated with her on the present tour are two artists who, in their respective spheres, take a high place in the world of art anil music,. Signor Gasparri, the tenor, ' is a distinguished figuro in ' tho leading opera houses of Europe, and is a personal friend of the composers Puccini and Maseagni. At tho concert:, hers he will sing selections from the works of both of these composers. As for M. Jacques Pintel, he is a cultured young ltussian, who learnt, his art principally in Paris, and is said to imbue all his interpretations of the great masters of

music-with line poetic feeling. The pians are ,at the Dresden. Ail Auckland Press Association telegram states that JlaJame Calve mado her final appearance in Auckland at His Majesty's Theatre last night, .when ,she delighted a. large audience with Gounod's "Au Printemps," d'Hardelot's song. "Visions," am! Offenbach's "E Volie," and with Siguor Gasparri gave a ,iluo from. Gounod's "Faust," which evoked a , storm of enthusiasm. Madamo Calvo had magnificent receptions, and in response to an insistent demand for encores, sang "Coming Through the Rye,"' and the famous "Habanera" from "Carmen." Signor Gasparri, the tenor, and. M. Jacques Pin tel. the pianist, likewise received ample e- idence of the audience's appreciation. Madamo Calve and her party, leave to-night for Wellington, where they will appear _ou ■ Saturday, thence they go to Christchurch and Duuediu.