AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 72, 25 March 1909, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

~ HIS MAJESTY'S :TH_ATKE. There "was a good -attendance at His Majesty's Theatre last night to witness the. second repetition in Auckland of the melodrama "Two little Sailor Boys." Tie piece, which abounds in exciting and starring situations,, was splendidly carried through -by the company; who "kept the audience.in a state of tense interest throughout. To-night will be-the last night of this drama. ..To-morrow night and Saturday night "The Little Breadwinner" will be staged. The Little Breadwinner " . is marked py a. good deal of quaintness aud originality. The scenes are centred round a Quaker home, whose head is a peer of the British realm, and who wrongfully turns : his son from his doors through the machi- j nations of his secretary, a true prototype of Dickens' Uriah Heep. Child-in- , terest is paramount, and many will renew acquaintanceship with little Queenie I Williams and Maggie Dickinson, two of the cleverest children of the famous "Tin Can Band." Mr. ,C. B. Stanford will also make his first appearance this season in the r character of Joseph Prior, the hypocritical secretary. OPERA HOUSE. There was a,large attendance at the Opera House, where Fuller's Wide pictures have nightly been drawing very big 'houses. The distinctness of- the pictures was once more a subject for general remark. There were some very instructive filfms of travel, and one which,took, one through the course of making biscuits. The singing of "Daddy" by little Jessie Ombnd was a fine feature of the entertainment. TIVOLI THEATRE. There was a good attendance at the Tivoli Theatre, Newton, last night, when a cuange of programme of pictures was presented. The programme was opened with a series of beautiful pictures of the gorges of Tarn. "'Beautiful Brittany" gave a fine idea of the life of the folk in that quaint country. A creation called "Vampires of the Coast" was a clever picture-story of the cruel treachery of the plunderers who lure vessels to disaster for the opportunity of stealing the cargo. The films of Continental naval manoeuvres were of especial interest, apart from which the depictions were good and highly instructive. $o_e very fine views ol Rome, the llcae of the tourist, were shown. The imaginary and iliusionary items, calculated to excite tha various emotions, were capital. WIRTH'S CIRCUS. Messrs. Wirth Bros.' Circus and Zoo. attracted another large audience last evening, the huge tent being filled to overflowing. The splendid collection of wild animals was inspected by the large crowd before the circus started, and created a lot of interest. The feature | of the collection is undoubtedly the j lordly giraffe, which was . paraded j around the ring during the evening. | The circus itself is a big improvement on anything yet shown by Wirbh Bros., the acrobatic items being especially I clever. The power of the human mind lover brute creation was graphically illustrated by the performances gone through I by various animals under the command ! of. Mons. Marco, Mons. Matika, and Captain Burrows. The last three nights are announced, while on Saturday afternoon a matinee performance will be given. The zoo. will be open every afternoon until the close of the season. THE MALLINSONS' FINAL RECITAL. At the Choral Hall yesterday afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Mallinson gave their farewell recital, which was largely attended. The beautifully: written . song ! cycle, "My Garden," received an artistic delivery by Mr. and Mrs. Mallinson, who were enthusiastically recalled at rts conclusion. A powerful and graphic interpretation was given of "A Blood-Red Ring," and the lovely song, "The Sunrise Wakes," received an ideal rendering. Other most enjoyable performances were "Snow-flakes," "Slow, Horses, Slow," "Roses Sons:." '"{summer Tide," "Hindti Rain Song," "Sun's Up," and "Gioriana." Mr. and Mrs. Mallinson left for Rotorua this morning, where they remain avfew days, after which they give return recitals at Wellington, then go to Australia. CLEMENT L. WRAGGE. A Contemporary, writing of Clement L. Wrag-ge's recent successful season at the Town Hall, Wellington, says:—"Mr. Clement L. Wrngge, who delighted hia audience on Thursday evening, gave another of his charmingly interesting entertainments last night at the Choral Hall, a subject which he did ample justice to. Mr. Wragge—the more he is listened to—gives abundant proof of his rare ability as an eloquena lecturer on astronomy, and with the aid of a very powerful lantern supplied the I most marvellously beautiful slides. He cannot but compel the closest attention of his audience throughout the entire entertainment, which occupies the better part of two hours, although no one seemed conscious of the time slipping by, so entranced were they with the subject. Mr. Wragge played into his theme with remarkable skill." Should opportunity permit during his stay in Auckland, a special demonstration on "Radium" will be given, illustrating the wonders of this very valuable substance, which has only recently been discovered, and is worth 3,000 times its weight in gold. "A Voyage through the Universe." and "The Majesty of Creation" will be included in the series. AND ';MANUELLA." A local operatic season, under the direction of Mr. M. Cohen, will be inaugurated at His Majesty's Theatre on Monday evening next with the first of five performances of "Sixes-and-Sevens." The second production of the season will be "Manuella," which will replace "Sijxes-and-Sevens" on April 3rd, and will also be played for five nights in all. "Sixes-and-Sevens" is a two-act musical comedy by Miss Maud Peacocke, and set to music by Thos. Humphreys. The piece drew, good houses when produced by amateurs in Parnell some months ago, when it was generally conceded that the music showed a distinct advance on the composer's part. Interpreting "Sixes-and-Sevens" in the forthcoming revival will be Misses Eileen Luxidon, V. yon Meyern, Emily Holms, and Miss Hogan, Messrs. H. C. Borradale, J. O'fiullivan, L. O'Maliey, N. L. Finklestein,'and others, besides a chorus of fifty trained voices. New ballets and other attractive features are to be introduced, andspe'cial scenery has been'painted by Mr. Will Diamond. The "booking," both for "Sixes-and-Sevens" and for "Manuella," is excellent, considerable Litereet having been shown at

the boxrofHce-since the .plans were; opened last Monday at Messrs..-"Wildman -and AreyX "Manuella," the second, production of khe season; is the; joint work of Thos<;Humphreys, and J.- Youlin Birch (author of "A Moorish *tMaid," "The Golden Wedge," ."The Second Mrs. 5.," and several others)'.'-' This is the first opportunity afforded of. witnessing the result of the collaboration of these two Auckland gentlemen. "Manuella" is described as an operatic "extravaganza of an amusing and tuneful type."