ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 18, 13 January 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

| J. WILLIAMSON'S COMIC I OPERA COMPANY. THE GONDOLIERS. Groat interest is being taken by lucal playgoers over tlie appearance here on Monday night next of J. C. Williamson's new London comie opera company of 150 artists, who will present- a magnificent revival of Gilbert and Sullivan's delightfully fascinating and highly humorous opera, ''The Gondoliers." Ihe public of every English-speaking community have a genuine affection for the wit and music of Gilbert-Sullivan opcm aJid this fact lias been exemplified emphat cally during the present tour of J. t Williamson's company as everywhere they have appeared new records have, been established and seldom indeed has there been so much enthusiasm displayed . over a theatrical attraction. The pub-1 lie recognise that such spontaneous I gaiety and fme melodic charm has only been heard in the best French pieces ] of the same school, an English composer for once holding his own in the 'realm of comic opera; that the whimsi'cal, but perfectly lucid schemes of librettos with definite stories is worth all ' the up-to-date slang and incoliereney of i half a dozen musical comedies put together. "The Gondoliers" does not permit of any one artist achieving any distinct triumph, but each member of the cast must necessarily be at the top of their profession in order to present a Gilbert and Sullivan character to perfection. There are pome, predominantly important parts in "The Gondoliers," and the vivacious choral portion of the work is especially full of interest, whilst the orchestral scoring is piquancy itself. The last named quality, especially with the! prominence given to the oboe and to various rustic dance rhythms, gives the, needed Italian atmosphere to the scene gaily crowded with contadine and gondolier in the spacious piazzetta of Venice. Apart from the tact that the .T. C. Williamson Ltd.'management have been most fortun:'!e in being successful enough to get together a particularly powerful combination of genuine comic opera artists, they were doubly fortu- j nate in securing the services of Mr. Rich-) ard Wea thereby as producer and Mr. I Ilenrv Burton as musical director, be. I cause these two gentlemen have been fori years associated with the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, so that they are presented just as they were staged at the Savoy Theatre, London. Special interest has been taken by the management in the staging of the operas, and "The Gondoliers'' will be produced on a lavish scale of magnificence. The box plans will be opened at Collier's on Friday morning at S o'clock.

EMPIRE THEATRE. j The new programme at tin- Empire | Theatre, presented for the fir>t time last) night, contains many fine films of inter-1 est. The programme is headed by an exceptionally vigorous two-act Edison drama, entitled "The Shattered Tree.'' The story begins in New York, where a stockbroker and his two sons are in business. The eldest is inclined to be rather a little wild, while the youngest, apparently the pride of his father's heart, is everything that can be desired. He, however, begins speculating, and robs his father of a large sum of money. To escape detection, he throws the, blame on his brother, who is expelled and leaves for the West to seek his fortune. There he meets a beautiful young girl, the daughter of a gold prospector. He enters into partnership with the latter, and they strike it rich. Tn the meantime the brother has got the father's firm into financial difficulties. He dies of shock, but leaves a letter exonerating his brother. The latter leaves for his home but assumes the prospector's daughter that he love, her. and I that bis love will r nain true as long |as a favorite trees stands. While he ia away, a jealous suitor for the girl's hand shows her a telegram to her lover, froiu his sister, and declares that lie lias another girl back East. The girl is greatly upset, and when the tree is shattered by lighting during a storm, believes that

her lover is false. She temporarily loses her mind, and is just about to destroy herself when the lover returns, and all ends happily. The acting is good, and the incidents in the slorv interesting. An amusing comedy is entitled. "Pickles, Art, and Sauerkraut." A ; "or artist marries a portly widow, the owner of a delicatessen store, but finds later that bis heart yearns for his studio days, and bis artiht models. Many amusing complications arise out of his flirtations. "The Sky Pirate'' is a Keystone comedy, in which an exciting aeroplane chase is shown. "The Sacred City of Benares," a scenic, is shown, besides many topical European war subjects.