ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1259, 14 October 1911, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"OUR HISS GIBBS." Tlio third performance of "Onr Mi=s Gibbs" at the Opera House last evening was eminently a successful one. The theatre was crowded. There is little to add to what lias already been said concerning tlio great merits of "Our Miss Gibbs." Positively tlio most diverting little gentleman who has pirouetted before tho footlights of tlio Opera Uoups for many a long day is Mary Gibbs's consiu Tim, from Yorkshire. It is safo to_sa.y that without M.r. Bcrtio Wright's inimitable impersonations of a guileless "Yorkshire" rustic doing tho great metropolis, there would bo quite a different "feel" about tho performance of "Our Miss Gibbs" by the members of •Mr. J. C. .Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company. And where there is added to this amazing store of comic energy Mr. Leslie Holland's amusing representation of tho character of the Honourable Hughie Pierrepoinfc (the amateur "crook"), and Mr Fred. Leslie's "Slithers" (the bona fide "crook"), there is present a veritable kaleidoscope of comic elements. Tho booking for this evening's performance has been exceptionally heavy, and points to a big night in every respect the Opera House when the curtain rises. THEATRE ROYAL. The turn of the National Duo' at the Theatre Royal is undoubtedly a clever one. To-night is their last performance in Wellington. "The Musical Sheppards" also make their farewell appearance tonight, and when they depart one' will miss their musical turn on instruments of various kinds, sizes, and shapes. Besides. these two star attractions, the other members of the company are seen to advantage. ' HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Excellent films are' being ' shown at His Majesty's Theatre just now. To-night will be the last occasion on which tlio current series may_ be seen. The programme is one of interest, and includes such t pictures 'as "Lonely Villa," "The Crucial Test," "Mr. Inquisitive," and others. This afternoon . tho usual matineo will be held. The evening programme will be the same as that presented last evening. KING'S THEATRE. A visit to the King's Theatre Tepays one, and last evening the management again presented one of tho most attractive programmes that has been seen in Wellington for some time. To-night will see tho close of the present series, which depicts scenes in foreign lands, love and adventure, and humorous and comical situations. To-morrow evening a performance will be given in aid of the Hospital Fund. THE NEW THEATRE. ', On the occasion of the bi-weekly chango of programme at the Now Theatre yesterday large attendances were in evidence. The romantic photo-play entitled "The Price of Beauty," ivas ■ shown In addition to the new series. The leading feature in tlio latter was a film entitled. "The Three Cherry Pips," or "The Veteran's Honour." This is a very effective story by the Vdtagraph Company, telling of incidents during the Napoleonic period in France. The opening' scene depicts Napoleon decorating "an old colonel for valour. The latter is a famous duellist, renowned throughout .Europe for his deadly aim. Years afterwards, in the autumn of his life, the old man is the victim of the playful. folly of. three younij men whilst sitting at a cafe table. To annoy him tho lads throw cherry pips at him. One hits him on tho elbow, one on the cheek, and one over the' heart. The old colonel warns the lads that they will be-sorry for'their rudeness, and subsequently challenges each'to a duel. They accept, arid the first h© lays low with a grazed elbow. The second is just touched by a bullet on the cheek. To .both ho sends a card, on which it is stated that he has much pleasure in returning the pips, and, in retaliation, he had marked tho recipients in tlie same manner •as lie"' had' received them. In regard to the third young. man tho veteran summons him to his deathbed and hands him his pip. Tho denouement follows. The Bison exclusive film entitled "A Sioux Reward" is. an Indian drama and deals vividly with Indian life. Other pictures include "Tho Renunciation," a captivating story of two rivals who love the same innamorata. Tho programme will be repeated to-day and to-night. "The Price of Beauty" will be screened until further notice. ST. THOMAS'S HALL. West's Pictures,. Ltd., presented a good programme of moving pictures at St. Thomas's Hall last evening, and the same series will bo shown again this evening. A matinee will be held this afternoon. TO-NIGHT'S ORGAN RECITAL. ■Tho weekly organ recitals in the Town Hall will be cntinued to-night, when Mr. Maughan Barnett will submit an excellent programme. The Fantasie on "Carmen* (Bizet), Bach's Prelude and Fugue in G, and Widor's Scherzo, Andante and Finale from tho Organ Symphony No. 2 are tho main attractions. Bohm's "Still as tho Night" and Carzona (Wheeldon) are also highly-popular numbers. THE COMPETITIONS. Tho first annual festival of the New Zealand Competitions Society bids fair to tiring about a yearly national reunion of 3nthusiastic and intelligent people from ill over Australasia. Were this reunion the sole end and aim of the festivals, tho thing would be well worth while, but there is more than that. To this national festival there wjill come most of the competitors of proved ability frcmi tho vari)us provincial centres. Even this first rear some are coming from as far away is Australia. Champions in (ho various icctions will arrive from Ballarat, Tasnauia, Auckland, Dunedin, and Clirist:hurch. There is apparently good evilence that Wellington can do a thing of his kind very well. The festival opens in October 25. POPULAR LECTURE. A popular lecture entitled "Evenings vith the Telescope" will be delivered in ;lie Concert Chamber of the Town Hall in Thursday next by Mr. J. T. Ward, he well-known hon. "director of tho Waiganui Observatory. The lecture will bo frustrated by a particularly fine collecion of lantern slides. Tho proceeds are n aid of tho building fund for the Wellington Observatory, for which ;ke Govirnment has set apart a quarter of an icre of the Gardens Reserve at Kellurne. THE ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY. ] On Friday evening next, the Royal 1 'horal Society, of Wellington, will give 3 performance of Sir Frederick Cowen's 5 ramatic oratorio "Ruth," which will bo i nn" for the first time in New Zealand by t chorus and orchestra numbering 260. 'he oratorio has been receiving close at- 1 sntion by the musical director, Mr. c [aughan Barnett. A full rehearsal was eld in St. John's Schoolroom last even- 1 it;, and everything points to a successill performance. Airs. Goiter Burns, of " t hristchnrch,_ will sing the soprano, Miss . iladvs Watkius the mezzo, Mrs. Corby 1 I. Free contralto, and Mr. C. n. Clark- 1 in baritone. An "extra" to the cnuita will be Elgar's "National. Anthem," hich was given by the Sheffield Choir lien they wero here. Tho box plan will a pen at the Dresden this morning at 9 'clock. A full rehearsal will be held this 1 ,-ening in St. John's Schoolroom—arches- 2 •a at a quarter to eight, and soloists and liorus at eight. "TWELFTH NIGITT." 0 The Auckland Shnkespearo Society will resent "Tho Twelfth Night" and anther attraction at the Town Hall Conjrt Chamber on Monday and Tuesday .-ening, October 23 and 24. ( c A new feature is being introduced at ic New Zealand Academy's Exhibition \ i the shape of music, and tliis evening \ I r. Sandstein and other ladies and gen- ( omen will provide a small musical pro- v ranimc. Tlio attendance at the exhibi- „ on has been good, and sales of the foiiwing artists' work are reportedC. owortli. If. M. Gore, IC. A. S. Killick, C . K. Webber, H. Macking. D. Osborne, o . Ew«m, A- W. Walsh, H. W. Kirk weed, J id iLt. and Iks. Atkinson, i. j