ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 265, 3 August 1921, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"CHU CHIN CHOW." Th® glorious musical extravaganza of th® Orient, "Chu Chin Chow," attracted another large audience last evening at th® Grand Opera House. This elaborate veraion of the well-known story of “The Forty (ftlevea" is a succession of gorgeous scenes with the rich colouring and glamour of the East. "All Baba and the Forty Thieves" furnish the theme, around which a riot of characters, costume® and colourings have been wrapped, bewildering and fascinating and pleasing. There are many very beautiful eoenes, an outstanding one being the market scene, characteristically Oriental, with its merchants, slaves, negroes, note®, and colour. “Chu Chin Chow" will be presented at a matinee to-day, and will be in season for the r*st of the week, with another matinee on Saturday. KING’S THEATRE. 5 This week’® feature at the King’s Theatre, "What Women Love," stars the I famous swimmer and all-round athlete, '•Annette Kellerman. The under-water photography is perfect, whilst the picture shows some excellent diving. A comedy, "A Fresh Start,” is one big laugh from start to finish. A very pretty prologue to the star picture is given by the pupils of Miss Kathleen O’/Jrion. The topioal portion includes the latest English nows. EMPRESS THEATRE. , “Daddy Long Legs” and "The Hoodlum" have paved the way for another fcreat ISary Pickford success, “Heart o the Hills," which is now showing at the Empress Theatre. In this, her latest production, Miss Pickford eclipses even her previous triumphs. I’he supporting films are well up to standard. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. ’ In "Madonnas and Men” the management of Everybody’s Theatre has secured something that has aroused considerable interest among the picture-loving public., At ©very turn there is something to hold the eye and appeal to one’s sense of the picturesque. QUEEN'S THEATRE. "Shor# Acres" is being produced at the Queen’s thia week, and the picture has in its star role Alice Lake, who gained fame in "Should a Wbman Tel . The bill also includes Young Mrs. winthrop," a domestic drama, featuring Ethel Clayton. DOROTHEA SPINNEY. Miss Dorothea Spinney, who hae won golden opinions as an interpreter of Greek drama, will give “Iphigenia in Taurus” on Saturday in the Assembly Hall of the Girls’ College.. Miss Spinney has already convinced us that one rare voice can annihilate the bounds of time and space, proving the eternal oneness of pure art, as#embracing the grandeur of ancient Greek tragedy, the splendid humanity of English drama in its prime, and the irridescent mystery of the Celtic revival plays. COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS’ MALE CHOIR. To-night in the Concert Chamber the Commercial Travellers’ Choir will repeat the concert given on Saturday night last. On that occasion the choir more than delighted its largo audience with its rendering of the various items on the programme. The choir provides an excellent evening’s entertainment. Miss Mabelle Esquilant is the assisting lady vocalist, and will be heard in Life and Death” (Coleridge Taylor) and Amber and Amethyst" (Carse). The other vocalists are Mr. Arthur Mayes,-a bass singer new to Wellington, and the possessor of a remarkably fine voice, and Mr. Irank Blandford. The Melody Four can be relied upon to provide some humour from their extensive repertoire. Mr. Matt. Dixon is the accompanist and the choir is under the baton of Mr. H. temple White. “THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.” Among the many comedies of Shakespeare that'are ever welcome, few are as fiopular as l “The Merchant of Venice, n which is blended a strong drsulffitic storv with romantic trimmings enough to please the heart of any lover. It calls for strong' character studies and some pretty counterfeiting, and there are no scenes that, when capably acted, fall to interest. A trimmed version of the old comedy was performed at the Concert Chamber last evening by the Teachers' Training College Dramatic Club, who produced material sufficient to encourage further performances in public. Anything in the nature of scenery was abiured. The small carpeted stage was simply curtained with green fabric, which had to suffice for the Rialto, Shylock’s house. Portia’s palace at Belmont, and the Court of Veniio, but, with the aid of a little imagination, this was no bar to appreciation, as was shown by the generous applause bestowed on the nlavers. As is usual in such cases, the ladies adapted themselves to their respective roles with greater facility than did the young men. As Portia, Miss Naida Glover was sweet-voiced, gracious, and distinguished. She very sweetly suggested the lady of Belmont, and, without loss of dignity, how completely ®he was enslaved by Bassanio. Miss Glover looked extremely well as the young lawyer, and spoko all her lines clearly and with understanding. Miss M. Molesi wos a Winsome Jessica, and Miss K. Bathgate made Nerissa bright •nd attractive. The men were rather a gloomy lot. with the exception of Gratiano and Lorenzo, which characters were well played by Messrs. A. M'Donald and O. Hickling respectively. Mr. W. R. Kennedy spoke the lines of Shylock at the bottom of his register. There •re moments in S'hylock that Mr. Kennedy knew nothing about. Mr. C. Olsen was a sad-voiced Antonio, and did not even cheer up when the verdict was changed in his favour by the artful Portia. Mr. H. A. Jenson made Bassanio a negative and colourless character, but Mr. H. Richardson showed a glancing beam of comedy here and there as Lancelot Gobbo. Mr. IV. Kelly was Old Gobbo and Mr. A. C. M'Farlane was the Duke of Venice; Mr. M. Bickerton was Kalarino, and Mr. F. Kerr Solanio. ‘ Tubal was played by Mr. H. F. ’Sillcock. Mieses F. Parkinson and M. Wilson sang the duet in the casket scene (from which •II suitors save Bassanio were eliminated). COLOSSEUM KINK. Crowds of pleasure-seokers continue to throng tho Colosseum Roller Rink in Vivian Street, where four sessions are run daily. The night sessions are most popular with those who have attained proficiency in the art, ns music from a good orchestra odds considerably to the enjoyment to bo derived from the skating. Beginners are well looked after by tho instructors, at whatever time they choose to go along.