ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1676, 17 February 1913, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE FOLLIES." After &n. absence of a few weeks, "The Follies" returned to Wellington on Saturday evening, and judging by tho warmth of tho welcomo given, by the audience, which filled tho Concert Chamber,, they found little difficulty, in regaining tho favour and esteem en joy«d during the recent season at tho Opera House. PerhVps'tho entertainment did not run, so smoothly during the first half as it might have done, but if the talent did fray out in places, there was compensation in the excellent performunocs of such artists as Mr. Percy Clifton (eem«lian), Mr. Percy Dalton (singer and. danoer), the Lussane bisters (song and danoe artists), and Mr. l Clifford O'Keefe (basso). Mr. Clifton waxod merry and bright in "Captain Gingab," and created amusement as "Tho Man in the Street." Mr. Dalton sang about "Solomon" (in ' rng time), anashook some life into tho show with his ecoentrio olog dancing. This talented performer mado another appearance in . a smart rag-time' duet • • ynth : Miss LilyMoore in the second part of tile programme. Miss Lulu Lussane sang /'Under an Old Flag"'; her sister, Miss Lily LuSsano, enrolled , "Hello, Tu Tu!" and with - Mr. H.\ Steyne danced with 1 airy agility. Mr. Clifford O'Keefe, a bassO; of exceptionally good quality,- who sings with knowledge, made a "hit" in "Tho Storm . Fiend.f. and as an encore sang 'ttrey Eyes" with good taste. The rich contralto voice* of Miss Cissie O'Keefe, albeit a little unovan in tonal quality, was aot heard' toad vantage on Saturday evening. • Her choice, "Tho Toilers," was not a "good one,'/and throughout the' singer did not succeed'in obtaining true pitch.! Miss O'Keefe was beard to distinct advantage in the dliet "Still as the Night" (Goetze) .with'her brother, and in the gay '"Wallflowers' Toast" ia tho. finale, her voice was heard at its true value., Mr. H. C.'Steyne's light comedy is almost too light.to reach tne audience, Ho sang "There's Plenty of Boom for a Girl,' cited in a'subdued manner tho burlesque dramatic recital, "The 11.69 ' Express," and wa9 most acceptable in the pseudoSpanish lilt, the particular humour of which requires more fire and action than Mr. Steyne exorted. Mr. K. 1 Black and Miss Ins Edg ir were amusing'in a burlesque opera, and Miss Edgar was also successful in "I Want a Regular Man" and "I Want. Somebody to Love Me.' Miss Lily Moore, a pleasing soubrette, gained tho smiles of the audienco in, "Ma Dusky Maid" \(a Margaret Cooper creation,) and "She Didn't Know." .Ihe Luseane Sistera sang about . "The. Silver Buoklos oh her ■ Shoes," and danced neatly and nimbly with supple limbs and perfect enjoyment. 1 A new "Folly" is Mr. Balfour, Ferguson, the possessor of a rather 'sweet-toned miniature. tenor voice, too email, indeed, to give character to any emotional Song. He ; was, quitq uneuitod in that- highly dramatio song, "Nirvana." The programme was remark* able in, a way owing to, its' inclusion of several' old-time melodies, many of which would revive : very well.v A quintet sang "Hail 1 Smiling Morn" and' "The Basso Profundo!", A male trio harmonised "Eileen 'Alannah". very and in,clu<|ed ii a medley chorus were 6uch old friends as "Old ICehtuokv," ■ "Doe-dah," and. "The Alabama Coon. "The Follies" should do well : at tho Concort Chamber this week. • '■ : >•' ~' .. 1

• HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Tho new series to bo presented at; His Majesty's this evening, promises to bo one of unusual excellence, and includes Theodores Kremas's - well-known' play, "The Fatal Wedding," of whioh Messrs. Fuller hold tho exclusive . rights. The management state.' that'the highly successf ul'season of fivo weeks in'hyanoy speaks for tho morit -of the production. . The story of ; the play has been exactly followed,' and the familiar , forms of the Little Mother, of old.Sohwartz; the are' easily- r«cigiilsedi' i -';Durllig > 'the! pra-. eontation of to piotuw little Miss 1 annin'g will sing- "The Tin Can Band," and she,, will. be 'as&t&frby 'tt';spcoially. trained choir pf bhildfci). 'All .the choruses of tho original'production will bo rendered with tin'can! apcompaniment. "The Panther's ; : Pr«y," a ;. .thrilling; : animal. 3rtnia,'ij.a film over two thousand feet In length, arid is said to bo one if the finest animal<;pictuies produced by .the Gaumont Company, i Other items are the "Gauraont Graphic," -showing tho latest topical events, Woj 1 of the 'Mountains,'' ,a'-Western story, by the Lubm Company,' :(pid a humorous escap4de by, Kalem ;en-, titled "Strong Arm Nellie.'- Seats may. : bo;booked'free at to Dresden.. • .;

. | THEATRE ; ROYAL. ' -The. feature of this.week's performance at the Theatre.Royal will bo tho turn of P«driiii< foot-balanoei*.'. -His performance is described as unique. Tables, cannons, men, eto.,', aro balanced on his feet. An intelligent babooniilaitates -many of Pedrini's tricks.:, ."Jules.'tGarrison ,and .his living pictures proinlke a ! treat. The pictures of tho- world will bo represented by him and his'two Roman maids. ;

• THB NEW. THEATOB. .'Throughout Saturday "there wero wellattended sessions at" tne. New Theatre, l'wo' ddstinct changes of programmo .are announced for to-day pnd. to-night., - The afternoon, series will be headed by - a powerful modorn drama,' "The• Schemers Outwitted," whioh will be shown again in the ovening, but with a different selection . of 'supporting: .subjects. "The Ounvitted is a story, of, the plan of a pair of adventurers to secure the wealth of A gentleman of position. An extraordinary.-; scene . is introduced, in which a motor-car lolls into the sea, and is examined at'the bottom of the 6ea by a diver.'' "The Shotgun Ranchman"-is a firio Western'drania. ' Tho scenic study. "The -Valioy , of. Otta,"" depicts_ a typical Norwedau rircr, and tho comic element is well sustained.

"AV GIRL FROM. THB • COUNTRY." ■ ' To-night the-Wesfs Proprietary will introduce .at the King's Theatre. an Asto Neilfen dramatio picture, "A ,Girl from tho Country." Ai»py disguised as a painter introduces himself to..* gipsy girl, whom he induces, to flirt with .& lieutenant of tho military with ths.object of obtaining tho plans of o.strongly fortified "ctetlei" which, .the manstement assert, is in otio of ike Balkan States. • girl (Astft Neilsen) use* her arts /with •ffeot, and «curcs tho plans.! Tho. lieutenant is arrested as a traitor, and condemned to be shot. The gipsy pUhow«Ter, haj grown, to love th# lieutenant, so ihe, hurries to tho castle' to appeal foi clemenoy for the.man.,sli®!loves, but srrives too late, for her lover' has .just boon shot, while sho hei-sslf is arrested arid imprisoned for life.; An item of local inforest shows tho "Unveiling of Captain Cook's Memorial" at Ship Cove.

THE EMPRESS THEATRE. Tho regular complete change of programme of the Empress Theatre continuous pictures [s announced for to-day, when a well-selected series representing • every typo of photcnplay will bo screened. Another change to-night will introduce a spectacular • medieval drania. "The. Knights of Rhodes." This subject, which ocoupios about forty minutes, depicts tho events of tho hisvorio siege of Rhodes, when-"tho city was besieged by hordes of Turk. 1 * and stoutly, defended until hunger and plague caused tho garrison to capitulate. A Western drama, "Broncho Billy's Heart," Is a stirring talo depicted most realistically. A speoial film will be "The Unveiling of the Cook Memorial," which was taken last week at Ship Cove, when his Excellency the Governor performed the historio ceremony. "The Enitor Millionaire" Is a sterling comedo-drama, exquisitely interpreted. The principal topical news of Enyhnd and tho Continent i will bo exhibited in "Tho Gaumont Graphlo." There will bo a number of I othor entertaining items. "The Christopher Oolumbus" essay competition closes to-night at 10 o'clock. SHORTTS' PICTURES. Shortts' Continuous Picture Theatre was very well patronised on Saturday, when a capital selection of picturos was screened for. the Inst time. Ciianjo to-day. ■ THE P.P.P. The programrao of piotnres at tho Peonle's Picture Palace, whioh w>s screened for tho last time on Saturday, was much apprecuted by the; many patrons who attended throughout all sessions. Elsewhere in this issue will bo found particulars' respecting the new programmo for to-day. "THE EMERALD ISLE." Everything is, now completo for presenting of this popular play at tho

Opera ■ House to-night and to-morrow night. The leading roles are in capablo lands, Whilst- tho scenery and costumes aro in keeping with the country and tho Irish character. No trouble has been spared by those taking part to make tho production a. success. 1 Tho dancing has been made a Bpecial feature, find tli» itell-known 6ongs rendered are made to fit in with the. scenes enacted. : ORGAN RECITAL. After,a spell o{ a couple of months, Mr. J. Maughan Barnott, City Organist, resumed his weekly recital at tho Town Hall, on Saturday night. In tho interim the organ has been submitted to-a complete overhaul and cleaning, and doubtless felt all tho'better for it. On account of tho dirt and dust which is apt to aroumulata in tho mechanical parts, a thorough overhaul and cleaning arc considorcd necessary to a big organ at least onco in soven years, though some aro attended to in this manner every ilvo years. Mr. Barnott had arranged an interesting programme, and as tho result there was an unusually largo .audience. The programme oponod with Handel's "Dead March," played a 9 a tribute to the memory of Captain Scott and his party, who perished in tho Antarctic. Bach wa9 represented 'by hia Toccata and Fugue,in D Minor, the tumultuous grandeur of which was most dramatically interpreted. Such classical airs as Schubert's "Am Meor" and Schumann's "Traumerei" (of which one never tires) woro charmingly played. The programme also included a "Melody and Intermezzo" by Horatio Parker, a Berceuse by Illynski, Boellmann'fl melodious "Suite Gothique," Hollins's "Moroeaux de Concert," and the great "Riilo of the Valkyries." tho prelude to the third net of Wagner s weird opera "The Valkyrie," representing tho rido through 1 space, . indicated by its strongly-marked and Changeless rhythm, of tho nine Valkyries, whose mission it is to bring to Walhalla the souls of tho heroes who havo fallen in battle. The broad, pulsating melody is timed with eweepiug rushes of sound, the storm most graphically, tit is & very diifioult transcription,' but Mr. Barnott 8 facility and musicianship were never at fault. . Mr. H. Hedges was the .vocalist. He sang Horman Lohr's fine song "Margarita," and "At Parting" (Johns), and was reoalled on each occasion. Tho City Organist, whoa selecting his vocalist, might endeavour to encourage young 'singers of promise.; There exists an excellent male quartet in Wellington, whoso singing always gives pleasure.. During the whole of last year only some half-dozen vocalists' in. all wore engaged for the recitals. . • /

HUGARD. V; Hngard an'd his company of entertain■ers finished their Wellington season at the Opera Houso on Saturday night. , Today. they leave for-a provincial tour.