AMUSEMENTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 452, 30 March 1912, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

..BARTON'S CIRCUS. Barton's Circus will appear in Te Kuiti on Wednesday, April 2nd. A contemporary says of the performance : —The stars of the company are Mounier and Frazn, strong men and jiu jitsu exponents. After various weight-lifting and balancing culminating in Mounier raising a 2601b bar above his head single handed, Mounier and Franz perform their thrilling "bridge of death" act. Two planks were laid on the ground at one end, the other end resting on their backs over which a 40-borse power overland motor, containing six persons was driven by Mr N. Porter. It was a tremendous feat of strength and endurance which brought down the house. In the second part of the programme Mouier and Franz gave a demonstration of various jiu jitsu grips. Silver Queen, the Hungarian pony trained by Mr John Tybali, seems able to do anything but talk, politely bowing to the audience on retiring, and little Tom Tom, the miniature trick pony, also displayed a past amount of horse sense. Tarias, the greyhound, jumped some thirteen feet. Tybali and Pedro gave a splendid exhibition on the tent top horizontal. There was also juggling and tight-rope walking, three-horse driving and riding, Master Lindsay, the boy contortionist, the Alton trio of acrobats, the Musical Tavares, and the monkey steeplechase. The programme concluded with the "local steeplechase." six hurdles being jumped within sight of the audience. Prior to the circus opening there will be a free attraction by Tybali, in his great slide for life, suspended by his teeth only,, from the top of the tent to the ground, a distance of 300 feet.

THELMA PETERSEN CONCERT.

There was a good house and most enthusiastic audience at the Town Hall, Te Kuiti, on Tuesday night last to hear Miss Thelma Petersen, the talented young New Zealand contralto singer who is making a concert tour of the Dominion prior to her departure for Europe where she is to complete her musical training. The main object of these concerts is to help to provide the necessary funds to send Miss Petersen to Europe to be placed under the tuition of the world's greatest teachers. Miss Petersen's first song on Tuesday was Elgar's fine patriotic song "The Land of Hope and Glory," which stirred the audi ence considerably, giving them a good idea of the young singer's voice, the item being most heartily applauded. She responded with "That was Yesterday.'' Miss Petersen showed her voice in an entirely different class of song, "She is Far from the Land," and again delighted her audience. As an encore she gave the beautiful little song entitled, "My Violet." Her last number was "Sooth-Sayer Marguerite," which was rendered with fine effect. "I Know Not Why," was given as an encore. It is interesting to know that this young singer has "been entirely trained by her mother, and always accompanied in her songs by her father. It is to be hoped that the people of Te Kuiti will have another opportunity of hearing this gifted young girl before she leaves for Europe. Miss Petersen was ably assisted at the concert by some of the best local talent. Miss Ivy Graham, A.T.C.L., contributed two pianoforte solos, the first being Liatz's Rhapsody No. 5, which was played in a very creditable manner. Her second contribution was Chopin's Valse Op. 64, which was received a well merited encore. Among the most enjoyable items of the evening were the violin solos played by Mrs A. C. Johnson, the two pieces by Dancla (a) "erceuse" (b) Chanson D'Autre Fois," being much admired, and which gave the instrumentalist more scope than in her first selection. Mr Grant has a pleasing tenor voice, although somwehat light in quality, and was heard to good effect in "Roses" and "Because," and gave as an encore "Idle Words." Mr Tassell contirbuted "Bedouin Love Song" and "Dream of Paradise," both items being encorded. Mrs Darbyshire sang Handel's "Angels, Ever Bright and Fair," for which she was heartily encored. Miss Handyside's item was the song entitled "The Surprise," for which she received a vigorous encore. The accompaniments were sympathetically played by Miss Ivy Graham and Mr C. S. N. Petersen. The piano was kindly lent by Mr Robinson, music depot, Rora street.