ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1862, 23 September 1913, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE BANZAI FAMILY. I Not for a' very long time ha 3 Weli lington witnessed so thrilling a perI rnrmance as that given by tho .Royal | Banzai Family, jioiv appearing beforo i crowded houses at nis Majesty's j-Theatre. After the sensational acts i given last week one would linvo iinaj gined that they had left nothing unj done. The double ladder .act, in which , a zig-zag ladder is held on the feet of ' one of tlio ladies, forming a seemingly desperately insecure platform for a truly marvellous performance by one of the chubby little Japs, was enough to induce involuntary " Oils " from .tho ladies in the assemblage, but this amaz- | ing feat was eclipscd Inst evening by an .act which caught tho breath of evcryono present. A' ystoufc rope was stretched taut from'tlio railing of tho family circle, over the heads of the spcctatorato to tho stage, and thero .made fast. With the assistance of an um- . brella only, one of tilie niale Banzais walked up" the ropo (with as much nonchalance as it' he were on solid eartli) j until he was within reach of the top j circle railing about 40 feet above the (loor. Just as tho onlookers were expecting him to either jump into tho family circle or retreat gingerly down the rope, he gavo an exclamation, which startled everyone, and striking a picturesque upright pose slid liko lightning to.the stage. It was a genuinely hair-raising feat, and one which induced thunderii of applause. Two new "turns" were added to the bill last evening. "Zif" is a. clever lightning sketch artist, who presents a gallery of comic characters, linked together with nondescript patter punctuated with jokelets. Then he invites j subjects from tlio audience to assist j him on the stage, sketches their heads | in profile more or less faithfully on tho ; top half of die sheet, which on being opened out shows then attached to grotesque figures of policemen, jockeys, etc., which naturally raises laughter, particularly as " Zif has informed his models that ho is ablo to / select tlio correct avocation for anyone owing to his close study of artistic phrenology. The ot'lier new arrivals were Forsyth and Boyne, sketch artists, who appeared in a broad low comedy sketch entitled " A Sister to Assist' 'Er." Tho comedy consists of two frowsy old women getting intoxicated- through' the medium of a bottle of gin, and'was not in tho least degree even entertaining. Ernest Pitcher/ "the big mug," is always amusing. Ho is blessed with an unctuous natural Rumour, which finds an outlet in a streAm of broad patter. intimately domestic in character, which seldom fails to raise abundant laughter. Neil Cant, the braw Scots vocalist, sang "My Ain Folk;" and " Roamin' jn the Gloamin' "; Miss Olga Pennington sang " Honey, Doan Yer Mind" (popularised hefe by gifted Nella Webb); Mr. John Fuller, sen., sang Blumanthal's beautiful ballad "The Message" very sweetly, and revived the popular " Sally Horner" ; and the Romas gave an exhibition of weightlifting. On Thursday afternoon next the theatre, is to be thrown open to the public, to enable them to inspect the very handsomo gold-orabroidered wardrobe of the Banzai Family. .The brocade which enriches their kimonos is said to b6 of woiiderful workmanship, and to 'have cost a mint of money in fair Japan.

THE KING'S THEATRE. Tho King's Theatre was well patronised last 'evening, when a new programme was submitted, the chief film of interest being a dramatic study, entitled "Wamba, the Child of the Jungle." The plot is built upon the theme of a mother's love. It shows Wamba, the brown woman of the Indian jungle," wild, with tho passion of a tigress and the courage of an Amazon, possesses a love for her baby that nothing can quench, which love, after the death of her own child, she lavishes on a little white girl placed in her charge. Baby Wade, a successful child actress, plays tho rolo of tho littlo white girl, and her acting leaves nothing to be desired. One particularly thrilling scene is where she is depicted seeking shelter in a hollow log from a pursuing lion. The latest "Patlio Gazette" is an excellent number. AmongTVe many interesting happenings clepictcd in this budget of the world's news are: "Yachting at Cowes," "The Denmark Railway Smash," "Olympic Games in Germany," and "Prince Palatine, the £40,000 Racehorse." Some magnificent scones are disclosed in the film entitled "The River Cabra" (Jamaica), "John Bunny's Dip into Society" is a really humorous picture, and "The Evil Thereof" .is an Edison dramatic; photoplay of interest. The programme, which is enhanced by some capital musi•,cal selections, will bo repeated this evening.

SHORTTS' PICTURES. Being a semi-lioliday yesterday, Shortts' Continuous Picture Theatre was crowded throughout all sessions, and the new programme met with approval. The head linor is a war drama bv the Bison Co.—whieh specialises in this type of picture. It is entitled "The Battle of Manila." The incidents and situations are well arranged, and the picture should have a popular run. _ Ample opportunity for a hearty laugh is givon in the John Bunny comedy, "Cupid's Hired Man," while "Her Worthless Lover" tells a story of how a little girl prevented a robbery. Tho "Warwick Chronicle," and "Tweedledum Loves a Florist" copiplete an interesting programme.

EMPRESS THEATRE. "Tho Old Melody" is tho title of the leading picture pf tho now programme screened at tho Empress Theatre yesterday. A fondness for music serves as a mutual bond of sympathy between a young couple who are neighbours in the country. They often enjoy practising, tho girl *t tho piano and her companion with his violin. One melody in particular appeals to both, and it is their custom to play it as a duet. They get married and livo happily for a year or so, when the husband grows careloss in his behaviour, and this leads to the wife's retaliation, and so tlicy drift apart. Later the husband realises how much his wife is to him, so he returns to her home, and commences to play the did melody. He hears his wifo playing the same familiar melody on tho piano, and needless to say a liappy_ reconciliation follows. "Her Royal Highness" unfolds a nict> littlo story concerning a little princess who preferred te roam the streets with urchins, and tho Gaumont Co. is responsible for a tidily mounted hand-coloured eomed.y entitled "Master and Man." The new bill includes many other interesting pictures.

THE. ARMLESS ARTIST. From 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. yesterday, many people witnessed the remarkable motliod of painting which was introduced on Saturday by Mr. W. Smith, the armless artist, at 08 Manners Street. Mr. Smith paints landscapes, seascapes, animal, fruit, and flower studies, with equal facility. Yesterday he was engaged upon a 40in. by 24 in. canvas of the wrecked'steamer Devon, and those present watched with amazement this unique artist at work. He may bo seen at work each day from 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.; from 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and from 7.30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

DANCE BECITAL. Miss Estollc licorc's clcvcr pupils repeated their interesting danco recital in the Concert Chamber last evening in the presence of a largo houso. Tho little mites —most of them are of a very tender age —entered thoroughly into tho spirit of the dances allotted to them, and tlio various ensemble dances

and incidental tableaux wero prettily arranged, and gracefully executed.

• "THE QUAKER GIRL." An indication of tlio groat interest which is being taken by play-goers over tlio Coming visit of J. C. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company, and the pnkUictions of the successful musical comedy success, "The Quaker Girl," to bo Staged on .Monday next and live following nights, has been manifested at tho box oltice, where,- according to the management, thero havo been numerous inquiries regarding tho booking arrangements, and on Thursday morning next, when tho plans are opened, thero will doubtless bo a large demand for seats. 'During , the rush for seats during the company's recent s Auckland season, crowds gathered v outside tho box office at 11 o'clock on the night previous to tho opening of tlio plans, and by 7 a.m. the queue was over a quarter of a mile long, and beforo the box office finally closed for tho day practically everything was booked up for the entire season. As to tho merits of "The Quaker Girl," both as to the libretto, and sustained interests of its highly amusing story, and tho brilliancy and superiority of its vocal and instrumental music much has been heard, and that tho advanco reports camo up to the expectations of Auckland play-goers they demonstrated by filling the huge auditorium of His Majesty's Theatre from floor to ceiling f on each occasion the piece was staged. Of course, a great deal of the success of.,any piece depends upon tho artists who represent it, and in tho present case play-goers will not only have an opportunity of welcoming such artists as Grace Palotta, Blancho Browne, Olive Godwin, Leslie Holland, Jack Cannot, C. It. Bantock, and Edmund Sherraß, but they will also' have. tho pleasure of witnessing a number of England's most prominent Gaiety artists, including Miss Jessie Lonnen and Miss Billie Barlow. Owing to arrangements made a long way ahead, the season is necessarily a short one. Therefore only six performances can bo given of "The Quaker Girl." On Monday, October 6, and two following nights, "The Sunshine Girl" will be presented. On Thursday and Friday, October 9 and 10, "Miss Hook of Holland" will be revived, and on October 11 and 13 "The Belle of New York" will be produced. Tlio box plans for "Tho Quaker Girl" will be opened on Thursday morning next at 9 o'clock. Tho scenery and effects for "The Quaker Girl" are due to arrive here to-morrow.

MADAME NOEDIOA. The announcement that Mme. Lillian Nordica, one of ,the world's greatest singers, is to bo heard herb shortly iii concert is creating wido-sprea'd interest in musical circles: Scarcely any other singer has rivalled the regallooking Nordica in tho affections, of opera loverß, while her triumphs as a concert artiste in Europe and America havd been equally noteworthy. The diva is stated to be one of tho greatest students of song literature among present-day singers. Her programmes are, therefore, widely varied, and as Mme.' Nordica is an enthusiastic advocate of opera in English, a great number of her selections are in the language' of the people. As . a matter of fact, Mme. Nordica was the first to attempt singing Wagner in. English. During her Now Zealand tour tho diva will bo supported by Mr. Paul Dufault, the artistic, touor who acliicved such pronounced success during the concert tour of Mme. De Cisneros; Franklin Holding, violinist; and llomayne Simmons, pianist. Tho first Nordica concert will be given at tho Town Hall on Thursday evening, September 25.