ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 55, 28 November 1907, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

— '. <■ —- COMPLIMENTARY CONCERT TO HERR MAX hoppe; The conipli inenta ry concert tendered to Herr Max. Hoppe at the Town Hall last night was in liianj respects an excellent, one. The audience wa;- not so large as the .merit of tho occasion (lotorved, although the upper portion of the hall was comfortably filled; - Sir .Joseph Ward an;l Hiss Eileen Ward were present. The orchestra opened with the overture.' from Schubert's " Rosamunds." .''With the exception of a little raggedness and an- occasional lack of-cohesion in one or two places, this was fairly well done. Mr.' Searle, : who was in excellent voice, gave a very fine interpretation of Wagner's celebrated ''Prayer from Rienzi.'.' Herr Max Hoppe followed with a plaintive little. " Romania," composed for the violin by Mr. J. Maughan Barnett, and' dedicated to Herr Iloppe. The player, ivas tendered a cordial reception, and gave a most artistic rendering of the "Romanza." In response to an encore the violinist treated 'the audience'to a captivating "Humoreske" (T'rorak). Chamihade's " Spanish Love Song," as sung by Madame Carlton, ■ was a very good number. Madame was also good enough' to contribute a bracketted item, (a) "Two' Round Eyes," and (b) "Good Morning," in place of Mr. l'arkes, who was unable to' keep - his engagement through illness. Miss B. Richmond's pianoforte solo •" Berceuse" (Chopin) was very well played; and as an encore the performer gave Clu pin's well-known "Etude" , for tho, black keys. Two songs, " How many a lonely Caravan" and "If in the great Bazaar," sufig by Miss Lloyd Hassall, constituted one'of the prettiest items of the "evening. High praise must be given to. little Miss Ava Symons, a pupil-of Herr Iloppe's, for'"her ! exceptionally line playing of a " Fantasie," from Gounod's " Faust," and her encore number, the melody from Bohm's Caprice." ' , donspicuo'us feature of this young- debutante's execution was the absence of that .inanition ,which, appears to be- inseparably .'associated with the efforts of juvenile players. ,Miss Symons handled her bow. with. a -vervp;' which would have done credit to a more-experienced violin; ist'. Her; tone was, very good., AjT.e should henr more of Miss Symons m the future. The orchestral march, "Pomp andjCircumstance" (Elgar), was a successful there was still noticeable, a. lack of unanimity - and coippositeness. The duet,for violin and, piano ((Jrejg) by Herr .Max, Hoppe. and Miss' Richmond, was a finished and artistic performance. One of the most popular items of, the evening was the favourite waltz ".song,; "Rosebuds" (Aiditi); sung, with orchestral, accompaniment, by, Miss Phoebe Parsons, the, singer receiving an- enthusiastic, recall, but.owing to the length of the programme she was compelled to disappoint In.- audience. In response to a special, request, Mr. Maughan Barnett played Wely's celebrated "Storm Fantasie" for t'he.', !, orj»an. - Ijt was a fine performance. The quartet, "Lovely Night," was effectively sung'by Messrs. Se.irle, .Carr, Warren,' and; Parsons, and-the performance concluded with'what was probably one 1 of the best numbers oil-the programme, a bracket for violin and organ,- " First Grief" (Godard), and "Cavatfna"' (Raff), played by Herr Hoppe and Mr. Maughan Barnett. Mr. Robert Parker, L.T.C.L;, 'conducted the orchestra, and also presided at the piano as accompanist for, Mr. Searle. Miss;Eyatt accompanied foi .Madame Carlton. • • ' •■■■■■

"A TRIP TO CHINATOWN.". It was hard-to realise that-the extravaganza, "A. Trip to Chinatown," played "by a company headed by, Mr. Howard Vernon and Miss Vinia do Loitte at His Majesty's Theatre; last '.evening, was the same piece as was performed with so much verve- and- glitter by 'Mr. Harry Conor and Company some teir'yenrs ago. It is an impossibility; of course, to rnanago with half a dozen people.what.'was.accomplished by forty or fifty, so that - comparisons would -be particularly odious, in. ,t.hisucase. Suffice that Mr" Howard Vernon threw' quite an overplus of energy into that, eccentric character, Weiland Strong, an invalfd' with one foot in the. grave, and a thermometer to take his temperature down'the back during* the progress at the other* foot to its last, long home. Mr: Vernon danced, sang, joked with- all- the vim- and snap of an intense voting man', and infused great life 'into the sketch that'compensated in part for lack of ensemble. He -was inclined to be in too great a .hurry dialogue, with the result that many of. his quips .were lost. Perhaps it was just as-well—they aro a decade old. 'Ho was clever in his song, "Wo take .oil our.-hats' to L 0 1 "8 as the fascinating widow, Mrs. Guyer, was quite charming enough to deserve a more elaborate setting. She . was'in excellent voice, and sang " Spring's the time for Love,' ,and another spring song in a manner which earned thd hearty plaudits of all present. Mr. J. E. iieartv plaudits of all present. Mr. J. B.Howard was Ben Gav, and Miss. Iris Vance played Norman Blood ■ with some vigour, introducing the march' song, "When'the Band begins to Plav," and "Kiss your. Honey, do. As ■ JHirt, Miss G. Poley was bright and attractive, and did a neat dance as a finale to her song, , Hie Girl with-the Naughty Wink." " A Trip to Chinatown " will be presented this evening. / '.'"HOME,"SW.EET"'HOME." v The Allan Hamilton Dramatic. Company appealed in that wholesome drama, Home, Sw.'i Home," again last-evening, before a, ciovded audience. Thfe-play,..,which is-, quite a-relief from the ultra-sordid-samples of-melo-drama which have through use become perniciouiiv normal, ,we;it with a fine swing all tin nigh. Its sadness produced furtively-used handkerchiefs in-plenty,-but. there was plenty of-cheerful comedy to remove the shadows that darken' the lines of some of the. principal characters. Miss Khadijah, Cooper:, repeated he." most acceptable performance as Joau the, aristocratic fisher'girl. Baby Watson, as little D.)'-a; was entirely charming—no human rosebud from tlio nursery could be sweeter-aiid good, work was. done by Messrs... H. Carr, Shiait; Clyde, S.' A. .Fitzgerald Augustus Neville, arid George'Bryant. -Ihe drama will lie repeated this evening. On Saturday'night, Gflrtliony's clever comedy,. "A'-Messago ■ froni Muis," will be presented.. . v'" THBATEE 'EOTfU/. , There is no lack of variety in-the programme which' tlie Fuller Company is submitting at the Theiitre Royal this week. The, exciting sharpshooting turn of the :Barnnrd ? is an entertainment' in itself, and the> -same -can ho said'of the performance of the-Ahlbergs,-whose clever -hand-balancing is -a feature, of' the programme. The Musical Chrpmes of special mention, and-there-is--no fault to be found .with the efforts of ; the other: members of the copipnny. - "WONDERLAND." ■/' • Ui daunted by the threatening appearance of tlie weather, pleasure-seekers .thronged ,to M,iranuv -last, night, and revelled--in the various, extifrnionts provided in the guy domnin. Icinii'ht, -a thrilling diversion as promised to nations. Do Dio, the Fiery Pljaptom, wilL ih.il the chute on a bicycle, enveloped 111. flames.' This daring feat is.called.. AElde.for Lh'o." The performance sh.oul4.jbo well worth seeing. : SHARPSHOOTING EXPERTS... A private exhibition of. sharpshooting was given bv Barnard and' Barnnrd.at the Theatre Koval j'esterdav afternoon, befbro a gathering of' Press representatives. The pressmen were permitted to view the performance from close range, to prove that there is no "fnko' about the. remarkable -shooting. As an instance of the work dorio by the crack shots, one'or two of' the best acts may-bo mentioned. A piece of string, with a weight attached; was cut with a bullet with apparent ease, and the " shooti'st proceeded to show that this-was not an isolated act of skill bv placing-a-gun in' a vyce and a target 011 his- head, and firing :at the gun in the wee, hiding the trigger,, and shooting the target off the marksman's head. A number of other feats were performed, and the pj-essmen left the theatre, satisfied ■'that the marksmen know their business ' • EXCURSION TO DAY'S BAY. The ferry steamer Duchess ..conveyed! a largo number of excursionists to. .Day's Bay last night. There were plentv- of attractions for the excursionists 011 arrival' at 'the Bay, the side shows proving attractive to many; others patronised the pavilion, where a dance, was held. The grounds presented, a' fine spectacle, being illuminated with Chinese lanterns. THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN. ■ The Missions to Seamen. ..Institute was envded' last night, when an lenjoyabjo was given by Mrs. Eichelbaum. Items were contributed by Misses Kirk,. Beauchamp, G. Kirk, Newman, Wylie, Messrs. ■ Willis, Do la Mate, and Newman. Miss Kirk presided at the piano. Several choruses, led by, Mr. Moore, wi.v sung by the. men,''.srfda.conundrum competition was ivon by . sailors, from ships in pir l . "Props" was taken as a subject .by the mii-sioner,'. for a temperance address, which ret'nlted in nine men signingi.the pledge. . The Thorndon Dramatic Society,-.which'-re-cently made a' success..-.of. the .comedy, drama, "Blow for Blow," intends producing' two pieces in the Opera llousc/during . January; when the season will ■ be-extended to four, nights.. - v