ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

0 meynell and gunn company. At .tho Opera House this evening Mr. Harcourt Beatty and Miss Madge M'lntosh will open a season of drama - with Messrs. Meynell, and Gunn's .Company, 'the opening play being "Her Love Against the World," a ra . ma . ''.v Walter Howard, author ol * 1 lio| .■Midnight .Wedding.'". The piece is described as a strong and stirring one'; and is at present delighting big audiences in London at the Lyceum Theatre. , Tlio plot is laid in a German principality, and is said to be reminiscent of "Tho Prisoner of-Zenda." In Australia tlio company had very successnil seasons with the play, and critics speak highly of its strong situations and' thrilling action. Mr. Harcourt Beatty is already well known to ; Wellington audiences, • and has earned a solid reputation. Miss Madge M'lntosh has not previously visited New Zealand. She has been described ill ,other cities and in the Commonwealth as an . emotional actress of marked ability. The: principals are supported by a.. strong company under the stage direction, of Mr. Gaston Mcr- : vale, who has. well-known ability as a stage ; manager. Tho plan of reserved seats is at the Dresden, where, largo booking is re- : ported to have already taken place. . The members of. tho Meynell and Gunn Dramatic Company arrived from the south by tlio Monowai yesterday afternoon. Tho .manager (Mr. Geo. H. Barnes) states that thoro ■was a seeno of- great enthusiasm at tho closo. of- Saturday: evening's 'performance of Sardou's ..tragedy "Fcdoiu," , Miss "Madgo M'lntosh being given au ovation for her fino performance. MR. PRANK THORNTON'S FAREWELL. Tho matinee and'evening 1 performances of 'The Private Secretary" ''by ' Mr. 'Frank Thornton and his company weifo largely attended on Saturday. After the final performance, Mr.'Thornton thanked ' his audience, humorously and yet touohiiigly, for their re--ception. It was one thing, lie said, to bo clover, and another thing to bo appreciated; one thing to be beautiful and another thing td bo admired. This -was his sixth'visit to Wellington, and it was 23 years since he had iiiade : his first. . He'was no chicken, and ho felt that it was, hotter for an actor to retire while lie was still in possession of all his powers than to .linger until .people, only, came to see him for the sako of'wnat ho had been. It had. been his: privilege ; to'bring before them all .the best London plays-of the last 23 years ; ho had never brought them a bad play. Ho'had brought some very talented companies, but'he had never : been-so well supported as oil ,tho . present-.occasion.' .They. would bo glad; to know, that.'this, had been his most.successful season in the whole period of 23 years. (Applause.)' . ' THEATRE ROYAL. . . The Theatre Royal was packed 'on: Saturday ovening, and the audience was delighted with the performance. The Zeala Sisters, who were attired in orthodox "All. Black" uniform, sang a football song in .praise of W. Wallace, who :has retired from the field of play. . Much. enthusiasm was displayed, and a very largo, number of coins wer'o thrown'oil the stage to' swell tho national testimonial fund. - . Tod Calloway/ who has established. himself a great .favourite, ,sang "Now Laugh," "Silly Billy Brown, and "No, No, No." . Lerona, tho intrepid lady cyclist, gavo an exceedingly clever display. .Ono of the best - items in tho second 1 half ■was ithat. given by. Albert Lucas, the actor, monologue entertainer. Much, interest cen-' .tred, in the exhibition of juggling given by tho Lcvartos. Miss Brightio Smith was en-, cored for her singing of '.'See-Saw" and "Father." . The other artists were also very successful". Scott and Bercaford, clever comedy sketch artists, will make their .first appearance .to-night, • when the - programme will be repeated.. ■....:. ,

■ HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. • ' T-lio Royal' Pictures at • His 1 Majcstyls ■Theatreare attracting very large attendof . picture-loving- people,' and Saturday night was no,.exception. ~., jTlio films, are of tho'TO3hestVmerifci','arid/,;of\!th'o\'most'.'entertaining. character:. Among, the,pictures run off • were the • following :—"The "Blue and Gray," "A Mexican's Love Story," ' "Tlie French President's .Visitto England,". "For a Crown," and "A Cold and Frosty Moril;". ORGAN RECITAL. ' The usual weekly ■ organ, recital will be given by Mr. Maughau Barnett qn Tuesday, wlien a very attractive ■ prdgra.rome will be placed l before tho audience, the principal items being: "Festive March," by Smart; gavotte ("Otho"),. Handel; overture, '"The Ualiph' of Bagdad,"' Boieldieu; Intermezzo ("Cavalleria Rusticaiia"), Mascagni; "Overture in F,'.' Wely. The. prices will be sixpence and one shilling.: . ' OLYMPIA SKATING RINK. : Tho weather conditions, on Saturday were ideal for skating, and there wero good attendances at . the Olympia. • At. tho morning session a race resulted in Master Dudley Jones defeating a. goodly number of juvenile competitors. Tho Olympia Band'played enjoyable music both afternoon and evening, and introduced.to Merry Widow" waltz, which will no doubt become as popular here as elsewhere. To-night is ladies' nignt, and a polo tournament match; Pakeha y.'llia Ora, will bo' played during tho evening.

LIBRARY LECTURES:: ; •Professor Hunter's,lecture at St. Tliomas's Schoolroom to-night should be most'interesting and helpful at the present juncture. ' The subject is " The George Junior Republic:' A Method of Social Reform." Ho will describe thot life and work of. this small : Republic; which/is really' an 1 attempt to deal with the unfortunate children born under unfavourable circumstances of heredity and'environment. The : method is that of self-government, and results have shown it'to bo most'successful in developing .'qualities that.make for good citizenship. MISSIONS TO SEAMEN. . There was a largo audience at the. Missions to Seamen Institute on Friday evening, when tho (usual, ambulance; meeting took place. The missioner, Mr. James Moore,, presided, and. during the evening gave '.several useful hints iu reference to accidents and health matters. A competition relating to -ambulance. work was "Won by sailors from ships, in port. A programme of' music was provided by the Misses Harvey, the following'' contributing items: Misses' M. and R.' Harvey, .Dix, I'. Dis, and Mr.' M'lntyro. A' hearty 'vote'of ■thanks was accorded, tho■ performers at' the close .of the meeting. X v '-'"

The annual smoke concert .'of! the 1 Wellington Riflo Battalion Band was''held : in No. 1 Lecture Room, Garrison Hall, Buckle Street, on Saturday evening, Bahdmastbr '. : 'F. L; Dean presiding, llie gathering was' very successful, an enjoyable ..'evening 'being., spent. Musical; items, were" contributed''during the evening by Messrs. A'. Grix, Smith,-' Webb, Bitossi, Knight, Skleiiers; Ddhaldson,' and F. Webb. taken of the occasion ;to present Mr. Knight, chief warder at Mt. Cook Prison, with a handsome'case of pipes, in , token ,of his interest in the Band during the past. On Friday evening', the guests of. the Egmont Hotel, togcthei; with' other friends, assembled to celebrate tho' anniversary of the birthday of their popular hostess,' Madame Collard. In accorclaiico with time-honoured English and Continental custom, M. Collard; proposed the toast "My Wife," which was drunk .with musical honours. After, a tasty supper, . prepared by. M. Collard, had been partaken of, a number of musical items wcro rendered, and dancing was indulged in. ;At t the close of the proceedings the "Marseillaise," "Auld Lang Sync," aud ■''God Savo tho King" were sung, after which hearty cheers were given for Monsieur and Madamo Collard. A varied and interesting programmo has been arranged in connection with Miss Thackeray's concert in tho Sydney Street Schoolroom to-morrow 'evening. ■ Particulars will.be found in another column. , '