ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 156, 26 March 1908, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

. '.'OUR BOYS." The Opera llouso was well filled again last evening, .'when the Mountebanks Dramatic Club repeated its excellent .'performance of Byron's- sound comedy, "Our 80.v5." All those, taking part acted earnestly, the performances, of the Misses Pollock (2), Miss Jj. Ogbornei, Miss Olive Moor, Messrs. Lampen, Bastiu, and Sellars' being especially good. Among tho audience last ovening was Captain Mooro and a squad of tl)e Johnson? villo Rifles, who. showed thoir sympathy with the c'auSe—tho funds are in aid of the Veterans' Homo—by coming into town at some. inconvenience. ' . The final performance of "Our Boys" will bo given this evening, and judged by the booking there should bo ft bumper house. The/ Highland Rifles and College Rifles are to bo paraded throimh tho city to the Opera House, headed by the Pipe Bqnd, and tho Tramways Baud is to play a number of bright selections, beginning at 7 p.m._, Mr. Dunbar Sloano deserves a word of-praise for tho whole-souled energy which he has thrown into the work >of management. . ; ; WEST'S PICTURES./ : Oho of tho best-portfolios of pictures ever shown in Wellington was presented at West's picture show in the - Tcwn Hall last evening. • Many of the..pictures were just as steady as jf the scones presented were, actually being exposed in all,their, natural reality, and.tho same remark applies to the story -pictures,- which .ranged. from grave to gay.-'. A-struggle for life outlines the life of / an impecunious clerk in Paris,. whose career from an onipty pocket and stomach to a'position .of affluence is traced interestingly. >' The modes /of conveyance! in >China had an educational .valuo, as it gave a splendid idea of many parts of that .little-known ,qountry. From Cairo to Khartoum-is also geography per kihematograph, tracing as - it does an interesting stretch of the historic Nile. "A, pretty .typisto" is' really a ;i story from 'life. . : It, tells of weakness of .mere mail ;whqn ..brought ' into contact with..: .alluring; beauty. . .The clerks fall in love with her, and cannot; got .on. with their work, v so sho is shifted .to another ; department, with ■ tho same amusing rosult.Finally tho despairing manager decides, that tho girl. must do < her work in his own room, and tho; climax comes when he,himself falls in-love withthoi.darlmg typistp, and marries her. Other good pictures are "The slave's love," "The runaway .horse," "Oh, that plank,", • "The curate's double,'.', and others of a healthily humorous type. . ' . '• , THEATRE ROYAI /' There is talent to sparo at the Theatre Royal;; at present: Chief amongst the favourites : aro tho Grahams, in their clover little/play, "Mo and 'Er" ; . Jack Willis, Lavinia ' Tyspn, Melvin and Framley, and James Opie. The audiences at tho Royal continue largo and appreciative. 1 ORGAN RECITAL. . ■, . Mr. Maughan Burnett's organ recital was 'Sivcir,:yesterday at,.'tho. Town . Hall 'in, tho. aftornpon instead, pf the (evening, tho change of- hpur ; havingV,.been necessitated by tho

previous booking of .the Hall for this particular; eyeuing. It happens that the-Hall, has. been,.bbtfked for next- Wcdnosday evening .also,,'so: tliat' the, following recital, will also .giyen irii the. afternoon." Judging by the,', gratifying_ attendance yesterday after-' noon, -the -recital •: ditl . pot suffer, by., the change, '.:and thoso who were fortunate enough to. be present were treated to a most enjoyabld/.programme. Mr.- Barnott, in •'making up his programme,; evidently knows not only: what .his -audience likes, but also appreciates tlie fact that :it is possible, bj' the judicious inclusion oi! two or, three ,items of" strictly so-called classical: characteristics, to : eauo>Jo.V'hißj-';andionclßV;-!l»'v'a-. more' elevated taste. . -The recital .began -with Bach's, great ohoral prelude, based on the' Chorale . JVir glaybeu all' r'au' eirion :■ Gott.',' -This' composition, quo of the. best, known the Bach 'preludes,', is almost unique regards form, being fugiially as - regards' the three.upper parts,, wljile .tho pedal sustains an _. independent ■ figure, tKe- movement i'of : which has doubtless''-procured for this; work the popular, title of tho "Giant Fugue." The. organist gave a . spirited- interpretation of. this •• number. / As the,, public .becomes familiarised with the nature of fugue com-, positions, this class? of music shbuld'ibecomq very popular. Tile next item was Chopin's beautiful .'"Nocturne in-A Flat,!' a composition' differing widely in characteristics, from the'provious number. '- It. was , heartily . applauded/' came - .Handel's" popular ' Mmuetto 'in G," from his fourth sonata for two violins and ,'cello. ~ This was so. much appreciated, that it. had' to be repeated, as also ;was rtlie : transcription of, Schubert's exquisite air ■ "Am Meer,'' 'ono tho, bestknown:.of -that composer's songs. .Mendelssohn's. Sonata; No.'_ 2, one -of the. " Six, Sonatas .(composed' in 1844-5, two years' before the), composer's ;death)"was.,a ..very ;fino. number, ;_full; of light and variety.' A short introduction.'led' into-a' beautiful andante, m which occurs a dialogue between the treble and.itenor registers. A bright 'martial movement (in the major key) followed, leading up. to a majestic finale. The ever-popu-lar overture to " Zampa," (Herold) was ono of .the . successes of tho afternoon, tho-'.ele-gance-and vivacity, and dash and brilliance ■of. the yarious moveriients being well sustained by tho organist,- and disproving, to considerable oxtenty,the contention that tho organ, is .an'.'iiiadequate interpreting medium of orchestral music: The concluding itcnis of tho programme jvero, '.'Reverie Fathotio," and Volkmann's " Hero's, Soil"."

'"THE MUMJIY AND THE HUMMING bird;"., Mr. , Herbert Fleniming and his now English company, will open' at the Opera House on Saturday for a thrco weeks' season. The initial .production will bo "The Mummy and the- Humming Bird," an original play in four acts, which will be presented here, for- tho first time: ' The piece has had an enormous success elsewhere, having enjoyed a run of -370 nights fat Wyndham s Theatre,, London, and is at present being played throughout by no fewer than five different companies. In Melbourno, notwithstanding tho intonso heat/ tho picce ran-for three weeks and a half. Miss Boatrice Day is said to be particularly: 6uit<cd iu the part originally played by Miss Lena Aslnvell, .while Mr,\ Herbert Flcmming will appear in tho role created by Sir Charles Wyndhani. TJio company had the advantago, while in London, of being rehearsed under Sir Charles Wyndhain's supervision, .so that thero is. every reason to anticipate an ''ex-cellent,-all-rourid performance.- In addition to "The, Mummy and the Humming Bird," Mr. Herbert Flemiiihig has scoured 110 fewer than pieces -which , are; now drawing well in London and tho provinces. The box-plan'for the first two pieces ,is open at Holliday's. .

•/THE ROYAL PICTURES.

Tho popularity of pictorial displays at His Majesty's Theatre shows no signs, of diminishing, and last night a good,; house was present to' witness tho .change/ of pictures which the management had received yesterday, from Sydney.'.. A chief feature of., the programme Was the picture' " Rescued from nn-Eagle's Nest," depicting a cabin in the wilds ! of Kentucky, from which a baby at play was carried away by an eagle, its subsequont capture, and the roscuo of tho child by tho father. " Firesido .Roiniiiisconccs," a pathetic domestic drama', told of tho separation and reconciliation of. a couplo who arc partod through a mistake. A vory fino fantastic coloured illusion picture, "The Witch's Kiss," aroused npplauso. A " Tour through Killarnoy "■-was a good specimen of tho'educational film. Of tho humorous items in tho programme the adventures of a liorso niid trap in hairbreadth escapes through a city caused considerably laughter, while tho subjects, "The Now Arrival" and. " Will Tie Overtako themp" both of tho now popular chase series in new ideas, also aroused tho merriment of the audienco. Numerous, other subjects of a varied character were -included in-the programme, which was well up to tho usual standard. ,' On Saturday afternoon a matinee will be held, at which every child will receive a present. " WONDERLAND." Tho management announces tiiat owing to tho inclemency of the weather "Wonderland" has been closed to the public,, and -jvill remain so until the Easter holidays.