ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 194, 11 May 1908, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"FUN ON THE BRISTOL." . The highly successful season of, Messrs. Anderson and .Sheridan's company was brought to a close on Saturday night, when the undying "Fun on the Bristol" was produced before a crowded audience. This musical-farce-cum-vaudevillo show is remarkable for gone feature' outstanding beyond everything else, the inimitable: impersonation of the Widow O'Brien by Mr. John. F. Sheridan, !a' performance familiar to; playgoers over half of the globe, and one which never seems to loose its ;snap, The . Widow is a dear old party —so outrageous in, her costuming; so deliciously indignant At-' any reference to her educational shortcomings; so ; ready with witty repartee for all and sundry; and so roguishly Irish in her aggres-' sive' self-complacency. The Widow of the first act . is a great comedy creation that is deservedly famous. In the second act, on board the "Bristol," which is mostly padded with vaudeville turns, tho Widow degenerates into a wild, dishevelled, j screeching creature, surrounded by a life-belt, and suf? fering tbo agonies of seasickness. ■ It was noticeable on Saturday evening that'the biggest laughs did not result from jokes or lvMfcty v lmes' at^all^'but'^ingrely 5 fi'om the' mention'of local places by the garrulous Widow. .-At.ono. time, .she, says: • "Do. you know,where, all girls go-'that .don't marry?!', " No,; : 'mi! dear," , says one of the . girls., " Dunedirii" 'sfi'w' the Widow, and a burst' of laughter followed!"/ Since, tho audience did exhibit extreme; signs of . mirth','one must suppose/that there is a great depth of, humour somewnore in the remark, though uuplumbed by the writer up to tho present. Mr. Sheridan also made references to Greymouth and Hokitika, which wero also uproariously received. During the. course of tho play . the Widow obliged with '/ The. Sweet Kilkenny Band," 'but " Miss Hooligan's Christmas Cake'.' was absent from the menu.: Miss Mario Eaton made a vivacious Nora O'Brien, and Miss Hebe Barlow looked very sweet as her half-sister, Dora M'Alister. Mr. J. Lamphier made a capital .Capt. Cranberry, and Mr. Edward Page, a demure Tommy Cranberry. ' 'Other characters well played wore:—Jerry Thompson (Mr. Jack Hagan), Bella ■ Thompson (Miss Florrie Fanning), Richard Sparks■. (Mr.' Curran), and John Waffles (Mr. James Hughes). In the, 1 vaudeville' interlude, Misses Barlow' and Lane and Messrs. Curran find Steele contributed songs, and Messrs. Morris and Wilson gave a startlingly clove? acrobatic display.

GEACH'S DRAMATIC COMPANY. . Tho Edwin Geach Popular Dramatic Company commences .'its rot-urn season ,at tho Opera House this Evening, when the first of a' scries of. London's latest dramatic successes will be produced, entitled, "The Heart of a Hero," a four-act drama ■by Lingford Carson. The play is stated "to have met with very.'great, success wherever it has been produced, ,and td abound in stirring situations'and spectacular . .effects.;' Miss Helen Burdetto and Mr. Yv. H. Diver are said to ho well supported by an escollont company. "Tlift Heart of a. Hero" will bo staged for a few nights only. The,next production from tlie repertoire will bo "The Midnight Hour," a- comedy-drama, which has been favourably, received in tho South. The box plan is at Holiday's. TOWN HALL ORGAN RECITALS.' Mr. Maughan Barnett- will give an organ recital in the Town Hall to-morrow- evening at 8 o'clock. In addition to standard organ works by Mendelssohn and Smart, the programme will include transcriptions of popular pieces by Haydn, Wagner, and Delibes.