ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1975, 4 February 1914, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE ABCADIASS." Mart Ambicnt's eonrio >opera iii t.hrfiS acta, "The Arca,diai!.s, : " Was .p.rP'd'Ue.od lor n second time before 11 large audi;■6neo at tho Qi>era.. Ho.uss inst-evening by the AViltirthispn Coinio Opera Company, Her appea.ranfco in the loading rqle as Soni.bra .gii'Ve .that delightfully clever actress, -Miss Dorothy ..Mruntoi, ample scope. Her performance, wa-S re> iroshiiig throughout, mid the appreciation of the hpttso was very iiiarlied. Mr. Phil Smith, proved very anvusiiig: Jit 'tile d Fplo of James Smith, tiro b.Pgiis' AYcadian, known as "Siiiiplicitas." Other members ai the east acquiited them- *» ■ admirably. ''-'Tho Arcadians'Will be produced for the last timo this evening, an! on Thursday evening "The Chocolate Suldier 1 ' will bo revived. . On 'l'harsilay night "The Chocolate , Soldier" will i.e revived.. The libretto: is based on George Bernard ShaW's satire, "Awns anil the Mail,"'and the .music is by Oscar Strauss-. The adaptors, havo done their' work "tell. Sohie • slight alterations were mii.de .in tho. .rtrnotnro of Shaw's work, hut the leading incidents have been retained and the subtle humour of tlip original has "not been sacrificed,, ft is however in the music that "The Chocolate Soldier' 5 sopres most .heavily. It is genuine cprnip. opera, .oeeasionallj ■approaching' graud opera, Tho music is hill of Allurement, • the humour cf the play is net :mfr'c- ' ■ijne.ntiy' reprpduco.d lit tTio Score, and. melody is e.mbalhied in the fa.sci.ntttMp;. iv'afe song-, "My Hero,'* .tiip mclpiiy of : which permeates tho piece, a'ud. h,as ; 'everywhere become .a popular craze. A ■feature of the repent Sydney produ;ctioii was. the singing pf fh.a title, role by .Miss Florence Young, who was sheered ..again and again for her rendering., 'pi; "Sly-,., ilepo/ and $10 revival oif,:the.-.. ..opera prated much mprp .successful than the original rep'reserrtatioii. . . .' ; . '

PAUL DUFAULT SEASON. Everyone, musical and otherwise, fs doubtless interested in the forthcoming visit of Paul Dufault, who sings at tho Town Hall on Wednesday, February 11, and at tho Opera House on tho following .Thursday, Friday, and \ Saturday, Mr.\Dufault hns won a placo alt his' own in the hearts of tho music-lovim; people of this pari of the world, and is. probably, ono of the most popular male singcis that has over visited'this country. In .Adelaide, whero tho fa? moils tenor recently closed a season of nvo concerts, the greatest enthusiasm was aroused. Tho Adelaide "Register" comments as follows: "Paul Dufault has created an absolute sensation. Sydney artd Melbourne critics and Inst night's audience hold that there has never been heard n more superb tenor organ in this Southern World." . Mr. Dufault will bo assisted by Mjss Pauline Bindloy, tbo Bcndigo soprano, who is accredited with possessing a most beautiful voice of great promise; Ernest Toy, tho distinguished violinist,; and Harold Whitllo, tho well-known pianist.

THE KING'S THEATRE. Included in tho current programme at tho King's Theatre is a very clover pictorial representation of the character of "Scrooge,'' takem from Charle3 .Dickens's work, "A Christmas Caiol." The role of Scrooge himself is clevcrl}* enacted by Mr. Seymour Hicks, a popular photo-play tctor. Other characters, such as Tiny Tim, and Bob Cratehit, of tho famous story, aio capably represented, and all through tho delightful incidents of tho great novelist's charming story aro faithfully depicted. Other pictures are "Sauce for the Goose" (comedy), "Construction of.a Locomotive" (industrial), "A Window in Washington Pink" (dramatic), and "Tho N'owivZoaland Animated News,"

, HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Tho ctirrciit vaudeville programme r.t His Majesty's Theatre diew another largo audience Inst'evening. The" chief turns are provided by acrobatic performers, who Rcomphsh some wonderful feats in this branch of vaudeville, The Rondas Trio aro a pnrticulnily clever party of trick cyclists, who pciform amazing balancing feats on tbo machine. "The Cnrpos Brothers" specialise in head-to-head balancing, and "Lo Brun" does daring-things on roller skates. "Tho Groat Guzman Trio" entertain with acrobatic feats on largo balls. Items of interest aro also piovided by Leslie and Leslie (danceis), Leonard Nelson (comedian), Clayton and Cronin (series and dancer';), Uorvl Oilman (halladist), Littio Holly (child entertainer), and Dixie Southern (American character entertainer). The bill will bo presontod again this evening.

THE EMPRESS THEATRE. Tho concluding sessions of the current programme of tlie' Empress Thoatro Continuous Pictures are announced (or to-day and to-night. Tho chief attraction is tho Lubin Company's lengthy "feature" drama, ''When Mountain and Valley Meet," which outlines a particularly inteicsling blory. There is also bomo fine scenery introduced. Tho Kalom Company's sensational Western drama, "Mountain Dew," is a creditable achievement. Supplementary to those aic: ''Two Men and a Mule" (4th series, Reliance comedy), "Casablanca]' (iconic), and ''Let Them Quarrel'' (Vitagraph comedy). A now programme will lio scrconcd to-morrow.

BRITANNIA THEATRE. Good business h being recorded at tho Britannia Theatre, where a programme of pictorial gems* is now on view. Tho chief pictmo is a diamatio studv entitled "Tho Impress: Car Mystery," which deals with an exciting rob'berv on a train. "Tho Topical Gazetto" contains interesting scenes of tecelit hapnenmgs, and " r J ho Call of tho Heart" la an entertaining diama by , tho well-known Vitagraph Company. Tho programme" will bo repeated to-day.

WIRTH'S CIRCUS. Inveroarglll, February 3. Wirlh's circus commenced its Dominion tour hoio to-night. Numbers woio turned away. The show is a very strong ono all round, bomo of tho. star per* formers being tho best yet seen here. Tho moiiagerie, too, is a particularly good one, and in tho afternoon the lent was uncomfortably crowded throughout. Tire consensus 'of opinion is that it is tho best all-iound show that Wirth's lmvo introduced to Now Zealand. — Press Association.