ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 28 July 1913, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPEI?A HOUSE. Tho melodrama "Tho Night Side of London" was produced at tho Opera Hou£o on Saturday night for the last time. As 011 the previous nights of tho week, tho performance found favour with the audience. To-night, "The Girl Who Took tho Wrong Turning" will be staged. It is written by 'Walter Melville, and is taid lo be full of sensational incidents. Tho drama deals with the doings of Sophie Coventry, who is enticed by a mysterious woman of great wealth. There is also,a retired gentleman, Mr. Richard Feuton. from whom the villain of tho piece, James Harcourt, obtains money by false pretences, -throwing the blame 011 Fenton's son. The first scene is laid in a racing stable at Newmarket, where tho rich lady and the poor girl are brought into contact. Prom then to the end of tho play thero is 110 lack of, incident. There is a melee in the villain's flat, whero Vesta Le Clere tries to murder "The Girl," and the rich woman dies tragically in her own drawing-room. This leaves the way open for Sophie Coventry to retrace her steps, and join her sister, Lucy Coventry, described as "the girl who took tho right turning,", and eventually' marry her Jack Tar lover, who has a manly part to play throughout the piece. Tho box plan is at the Dresden.

"QUO VADIS ?" "Quo Viulis?" completed a record week at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday. A matinee in the afternoon attracted a full attendance, while in the evening not only was there a packed house but numbers had to be ret used admittance. Owing to the enormous success of this great picture, the season has been scheduled ior another week, and "Quo Vadis?" will therefore be screened nightly up to and including Saturday night next. The box plan for the extended season is already filling rapidly at the Dresden. This is not surprising, for 110 trouble or expense has teen spared in tho production, which is 011 a most elaborate scale. Added interest centres in tho piece because tne scenery includes sights of the Palatine and Coliseum, which were placed at tho disposal of the Cines Company by special order of tho Italian Government. For tho "Quo Vadis?" season, the orchestra at His Majesty's has beon materially strengthened, and beautiful and appropriate musical items are rendered during the time ihe film is playing on the screen.

THEATRE ROYAL. A very novel net will be staged at the Theatre Royal this evening. This "act" will be furnished by Van Camp's educated pig. The animal is said to be the only one of its kind in the world showing in vaudeville. Somo of the feats which it goes through are turning to right and left, dancing a jig, jumping a hurdle, shaking hands, and wrestling with an understudy. Van Camp arrives this evening by the Main Trunk express. Other new acts opening to-night are tho Gazzas, musicians, comc-dy juggler, and heavy weight lifter, and tho Rodgway Brothers, hand-balancers and comedy acrobatic artists. The- reappearance is announced of tho young Eng-lish artist, Miss Violet Carmen, in new and original monologue® and song novelties, composed by Mr. Aif. J. Lauirance. Tho two Franklins, the American sketch team, will return for a short season. Jennings and Jerald (burlesque oomedy players), Joo Lashwcou (comedian), and Kitty Renly (serio and dancer) will enter into the last week of their season at tho Theatre Royal.

THE KING'S THEATRE. To-night's now programme at the King's Theatre features what is stated to be a particularly finely coloured pictorial reproduction of tlio great American dramatic success ."Nigger Jim," which is said to toast an unusually strong story of the passions, love and hate. Tho scene is set around a large racing stable, and among the many exciting; incidental spectacles is a most -realistic race for the Grand Steeplechase, by winning which the successful jockey not only gains tho stake, but also secures his hand, to the disgust and discomfiture of a gang of conspirators. Another special attraction is "Harnessing a Horse," a very long and superior star comedy. Other good films include "Pisa and its Leaning Tower" (scenic), "Danccs of the Ages," a most interesting study; "The Man who would not Marry" (drama), "From Gothenburg to Christianin" (scenic), "Hubby Buys a Baby" (Vitagraph drama with John Burany in tho principal character), "Chat about Tortoises" (educational), and the latest I'atho Gazette.

THE EMPRESS THEATRE. "A Mothering Heart," described cs a remarkable portrayal Of present-day life, by the A.B. Company, will head to-day's new programme of the Empress Theatre Continuous Pictures. The plot concerns a young couple ivlio are happy until rood fortune conies their way, and the husband is tempted during a visit to a fashionable musis hall cafe. He learns a good lesson and benefits by it. The scenes at the cafe are reported to be exceptionally effective. The film occupiers about half an hour in tho screening. The supplementary series include: "Billv's Sweetheart" (Edison drama), "Scientific Billiards" (interest), "A Boob's Inheritance" (Imp comedy), "Tho Rise and Fall of M'Doo" (A.B. comedy), and others.

PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA. Hardly a seat in His Majesty's was unoccupied by 8 o'clock last night, tho occasion of' the first concert in the second series of tho Wellington Professional Orohestra's 1913 season. Under tho baton of Mr. Christian Hellemann, the orchestra contributed an evening's entertainment which thoroughly aroused enthusiasm. Tho proqramm-e was opened with a new march ("Crown of India"), by Sir Edward Elgar. ' This first performance of the recent work created a very good impression. It is in -modified sonata form, and based on a discussion of three themes. There were passages of great melodic and harmonic beauty, effectively orchestrated, working up to a climax of full orchestra, with trumpets and drums predominant. The "Faust" fantasia, which has so frequently appealed to Wellington ' musiclovers, was again very popular; and a cornet solo by Mr. W. H. Bowman evoked rounds of applause. "Vorspiel," from "King Manfred" (Reinecke), an _• item mainly for strings, was rendered with the greatest taste and expression. Tschaikowsky's "Valso des Fleurs." also, was done full justico to. Tho final number was the overture "Oboron" (Weber). Tho overture contains some of the principnl melodies of the opera. It opens with Oberon's horn-call, which is answered by muted strings. Then follow snatches of the march wMch heralds Huon's entrance into Charlemagne's presence, and the introduction concludes with a fortissimo chord of the wholo orchestra. The overture proper commences with a series of brilliant string passages extracted from a concerted number of the opera. The olarinet announces the second theme, a love song melody. The development is reached in due course, and brings a new phase taken from the chorus of the spirits of the storm in Act 11. AbriHiantcod-a concludes tile overture, which is quite a monument in music, of the romantic spirit. It was announced by Mr. Hcllemaun during the evening that on August 5, in the Town Hall, a comnlimentarv con cert will bo tendered Mr. Herbert Bloy, formerly conductor of the orchestra. ORGAN RECITAL. Organ recitals at tlio Town Hall on Sunday afternoon are proving popular. There was a good attendance yesterday afternoon, when Dr. W. ICington Fyfle resumed tho newly-established practice. Tho afternoon's programme consisted of the following items:— "Imperial March" (Elgar). "At. Evening" (Dudley Buck), "My Heart Ever Faithful" (J. S. Bnch), "Aria" (Mendelssohn). "Allegro" (Wolstenholme), and "Sonata" (Peace).

■ TIUTT SKATING UIXK. Tliero was n good attendance at tho I?ink bot!i in the afternoon ami evening, and new music was supplied by t-I'.B kind. To-night tlipre is to bp a new attraction. On Tim rsdi.iy iifalit tlioro will lio a return hockey match between Wellington representative* and the Hutt team, ami tlio visitors are (olio entertained 0.1. smoke-concert afterwards. Skating in the Volley is 1 'iill In lio regaiii-in-r j|i; ow-tinio r.omilarity. anil patron" are "iukins; up" Ihp fascinating stops which arc being (audit by tlio managomont. "Ilanl-iip Dance."—lnvital inn-holders are notified that the "Hard-up" dance, which was to have been lipid in Spiller's Hull to.iiitilil, will.uow tako jiluco tu.St, foter'a Schoolroom.