ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1694, 10 March 1913, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

'• THEATEE ROYAL. Tho auditorium of the Theatro Eoyal was well-filled on Saturday evening, and tho quality of the entertainment warranted this liberality of patronage. Tho company engaged was strengthened 011 Saturday by the inclusion of Atlias and Collins, a pair of comedy-sketch artists billed .as "originators of burlesque drama." Sfiss Collins, it is stated, is a sister of the Lottie Collins who introduced tlie once-popular catch "Tar-ra-ra-booni-de-ay." Atlias and Collins specialise in burlesquing somo of the more extravagant features of modern melodrama. On Saturday night they succeeded easily in amusing their audience. The other inembers of tho company, Fred Curran, H- as " san, La. France, and others, all added to their previous successes. To-night there will bo a change of programme. ne „ of the artists to appear will be "Electra, announced by the management as the dynamic wonder." As his name implies, ho specialises in electrical tricks and marvels. Other new artists nre to appear on Thursday. Fred Curran will conclude his Wellington season on Wednesday. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A complete change of programme will be presented by Messrs. John Fuller aiul Sons at His Majesty's Theatre, this evening. Included in the new series will oo two "big feature pictures, "Builders of the Empire," a dramatic production oy the New Bison Company. This film is over 2000 ft. in length and tells of tho exciting adventure of a party of surveyors for the trans-continental railway. Cinderella, a spectacular dramatic adaptation or tlie well-known fairy tale, in which Miss Mabel Taliamerro, picturedoin s popular actress, takes the leading part. In addition to the above a number of other excellent films will also be presented. , THE NEW THEATRE. There will be an entire change of programme at the New Theatre continuous pictures to-day and to-night, the romantic drama "Sealed Lips" will be introduced. The picture presents the story of' Jansen, a wealthy merchant, whose housekeeper is wooed and won by an adventurer, who believes that he will secure tlie merchant's fortune through the medium of the housekeeper. Later, this villain is killed in an accident, and J al s" sen, who has since married, takes back his former housekeeper"aad her little The story then skips many years, and an interesting courtship is developed between the housekeeper's son and Jansen's daughleading up to a surprising climax. The piece is creditably staged, and the acting is convincing. KING'S THEATRE. The very fine programme of pictures which has been showing for the past week at the King's Theatre was presented for the last time on Saturday evening, and .also at a matinee in the afternoon. Thisi evening the usual change is announced, and amongst the new pictures are several which promise to be exceptionally interesting ones.- ,

"KINGS OF THE FORESTS." Commencing this morning, the "star attraction of the Empress Theatre continuous pictiires will be Selig's sensational wild animal adventure "Kings of the lorest," which will be by a new programme. "Kings of the Forest is a thrilling drama occupying over hair an hour, with not only one thrilling incident, but with several astonishing, encounters with huge lions, panthers, and other wild beasts. In one instanco a big lion rushes from tho forest and snatches a calf from within a few feet of a defenceless woman and child. The animals aro introduced in a most natural manner as they are worked in the open, wlierO 1 they have full opportunity to stalk, to run, and leap as they do in their wild state. It is stated that the men and women who took part in tho enactment oi "Kings of tho Forest" ran considerable risk in obtaining realistic effect. Kings of tho Forest" will be screened throughout to-day. and to-night, and the next two . days and nights. . SHORTTS' THEATRE. A complete change of programme is announced for to-day,-at bhortts Continuous Picture Theatre. "For Her Country s Sake" is billed ,as the star picture, which is supported by a series of high-class studies just arrived from the picture producers. THE PEOPLE'S PICTUBE % PALACE. "The Stronger Mind" is the title of the principal picture of . the new programme to be screened at the People s Picture Palace to-day. The plot deals with the adventures of a hypnotic detective, who unravels a crime by using hypnotic liiltuence. Among o.ther pictures to be shown aro two by the Ifalom Company, entitled respectively "A Fish Story (coniodyj, and "Along the Mediterranean (scenic). MR. MAUGHAN BARNETT. A very attractive programme lias been arranged for next Thursday evening, when the Royal Wellington Choral Socich is to tender a farewell concert at the Town Hall to its conductor, Mr. J. Maughan 'Barnett. The includo the ever popular foy Sjmpt ion} •by the Wellington Society of Professional Musicians, also a very rare item for H ellington, namely, an organ duct, on the largo Town Hall organ bj Maushaii Barnett and Horace Hunt. Three shilling and two shilling seats maj now be reserved at the Dresden.

WELLINGTON PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA.

PictuTe shows are not calculated to test all the features esssntial to the f c^' p ™ e of a first-class theatre. One of the most important factors are the acoustic properties, which were thoroughly tested at His Jlaiesty's Theatre for tiie first time last evening, when the Wellington sional Orchestra gave its. first 0 the season. In every respect the acoustics were perfect, ihe lightest note in pianissimo passages for, muted strm D s carried well to tlje back wall of the theatre, and in no instance was I there tlie slightest suspicion ot an echo, wmcn speaks well for the structural p an of! the theatre. As is quite usual m the castof the orchestra's concerts, every scat was occupied, and many had to be refused admission, l'he concert wasi well worthy of such support, but, sad to say, the monetary contributions were not encouraging. Such concerts are regularly on Sundays in the larger cities of England and on the Continent, .and a charge is allowed to bo made. A small charge would enable tho orchestra.to secure a good library of music it at present lacks. Tho orchestra did splendid work last evening. It lias been strengthened in one or two directions since last season, and on its form thero are few compositions extant that it could not give a reasonably good exposition of. It lias a secure foundation in its tine contingent of double basses and bassoons, and the brass "was satisfactory, with the exception that muted cornets still have to do the duty of French horns, tho tone of which can never be adequately imitated. The wood-wiiuls are exceptionally B no s'> and tho strings produco an excellent body of tone, and play with precision ana crispness. Tiie latter handled the familiar lioccherini "Minuet" with a sprightly delicacy that was charming. Ambroiso Thomas's overture .to "Raymond, a spirited and melodious work, was admirably played, and the captivating entr'acte (in B flat) from "Rosamunde" (Schubert) displayed some very expressive playing in the wood-wind section, notably tho alternate cadences for oboe, clarinet, and flute. The chef-d'oeuvre of the programme wiu> the Liszt "Rhapsodic" (No. 2), a beautiful and impressive work, in a solemnly grand mood for the first part, and then changing in character to that of sparkling revelry. The work was played with splen-« did verve and freedom, and the result was wholly delightful. Moszkowski's dances, "Poland" and "Hungary," from his national suite, tho daintily rhythmical "Saltere'ilo" of Gounod, and Rubinstein's lilting "Trot de Cavaliere" completed an altogether attractive programme. Tho orchestra is to give another concert 011 1 Sunday week. ORGAN RECITAL. The City Organist (Mr. J. Maughan "Barnett) gave an organ recital—the last but two—in tho Town Hall on Saturday evening. The programme, which was a highly delectable one. included the finale of Widor's Fifth Symphony, Bach's impressive "Toccata and Fumte in C." a fantasia of Bizet's opera "Carmen." and composition? bv Schubert. Si'x'liUN "I'd ' Mr.',l. M, Burnett. Mr. C.. JI. Stephens wax the. vocalist of the evenins.