ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 316, 1 October 1908, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS.

t "OUR REGIMENT." "Our Regiment" was repeated at the Opera House last evening for the third and last time by the Mountebank Dramatic Club before a well-lilled house. Tho performance showed a marked improvement all round on tho first night's effort, and the characterisations of Messrs. Lainpeu and Bastin and Miss Evensen reached a very high standard. It is pleasing to learn that 111 all probability tho club will be ablo to hand over about £50 to tho funds of the St. John Ambulance' Association. THE ROYAL PICTURES. "Full up!" was once more the order of the night at His Majesty's Theatre last evening, when ail entirely new programme, was submitted. . The pictures-were, uniformly good throughout, with a tendency to the drama- ' tic at tho expense of tlie educative; but all wore acted in such vivid pantomime that they could hot fail to interest an audience. "A Tragedy of Japan" was a virile story of an appealing .character. A married American, leaving .his wife at home, establishes relations with a pretty geisha girl in Japan, and is hardly aware of the position he has placed himself in until he receives a cable informing him that his wife is coming. Her arrival means the end of things. Tho geisha's natives lover explains the husband's perfidy, and then kills him in a duel with knives,- while - the geisha-mother, learning thg,t her quondam husband is married, commits hari-kari in the most approved style. ■' Another good picture that has an historic flavour is entitled "How America Paid the Tea Tax," and rehearses very graphically the alleged' plot which led up to jettisoning of the tea cargoes in Boston Harbour. Other entertaining- and amusing • films well-worth seeing are "The Gold Prospectors," "Red Tapeism," "The School Friend," "Blind Woman's Daughter," and "The Aspirator." /.# . • THEATRE ROYAL. The World-Wide Pictures continue to supply the maximum of amusement- and. entertainment at the Theatre Royal. This week's programme is of a high order of. merit, and ; includes some most interesting and beautiful pictures. Of these, "Sicilian," Types," "Swedish Military Drill," "Funny Fishing in Sicily," and "The Secret of this,lron Mask," were of special interest. THE SCARLET TROUBADOURS.. Mr. Edward Branscombe, - 'who, with his famous Westminster Glee'.'Singers,- has visited every English-speaking part' of' tho world, has had unusual opportunities-of'■ form-' 1 ing an opinion as to the tasteiiarid'musical . iiequirements of different countries. I ' l He expresses his conviction that- ilp'regard -to amusements Australasia is the-best'-catered for, and as a natural sequence liis fecomo" ■ the most critical to satisfy. Recognising, the fact and being anxious to maintain Hie- -reputation 110 enjoys for providing^'only l the • best, Mr. Branscombe has exercised-'-tho;nYost .-. careful attention in selecting Iff scLon-' ' • don the artists included in 'liis'Y giewM company "Tho. Scarlet Troubadours;!' whose -Reason opens in .WeHtogtenSi.Vafrit the Town Hall to-night. Miss Gfortrtdo';?!. Parker lias been principal soubrettC,">Wiitlr'o3 George Edwardes's companies in Iran'donv i-n; Miss Maude Fane is from the Lyric nt London, Sir. Sydney Mannering was pfiriciwa pal tenor with the Moody-Manners Opera' Co., ti Messrs. Alfred Cunningham and Ford'Wal- -,i tham were the baritone and basso respcc- - tivelv -of the London Meister Glee Singers, and Mr. Edgar Warwick enjoys the reputation of- being one of' London's foremost society entertainers, and a prince of, fun- > makers.

The "Troubadours" will, appear every even.' ing next week, giving constant changes of programme. WEST'S PICTURES. West's Pictures Company and Do Groen's Orchestra arrived yesterday from Sydney, and open their. New., Zealand season at tlie Town Hall next Monday. The box plans are now on view at the Dresden. Since their last visit a- magnificent-selection of now'films have been added to the company's-repertoire, and tho public are promised ■ a programme of pictures and music not to be excelled in tho Southern Hemisphere. Mr. West has made the most of his exceptional opportunities to secure the latest and best cinematographio subjects, and the public can safely, rely on programmes-in keeping with Mr. West's reputation as a high-class entertainer. BLAND. HOLT'S RETURN. Mr. Bland Holt concluded' his Auckland season on Tuesday last amidst a scene of great enthusiasm before an immense audience. It is said .that during the eighteen nights the company appeared in the Northern city every seat in the dress circle and reserved stalls was booked, and night after night people were unable to gaiiA admission. The Wellington season will be inaugurated on Saturday next, when the members of this popular combination will appear in the Drury Lane spectacular drama —from the pen of tho well-known English playwright Cecil Raleigh—entitled "The Great Millionaire." This play does not rely alone upon big spectacular "effects or mechanical sensation, but contains both in profusion, particularly so in the fourth act, when a motor-car, in which the millionaire's defaulting secretary is trying to escape, dashes over the cliffs and falls into - the sea. . This is the great sensation, but the spectacle of the piece is that showing the interior of Guildhall, in London. On a crowded stage a great civic pageant is dopicted, and wo are shown- how monarchs are entertained, amongst them being the King and . Queen of England in full coronation robe's. _ ■ ' The box plan is on view at Holliday s, and already a great number of seats are reported to have been booked. GYMNASTIC CAR-NIVAL. Tho final rehearsal in connection with tho Wellington , Physical Training School's an.nual gymnastic display was Tiold last evening, and was most successful. Tho exhibition is to take place at the Opera House tonight and to-morrow. Some four hundredpupils, will take part, and judging by the interest that is being shown by the public a full house each evening is assured. The work of the advanced pupils on the horizontal and parallel bars, and vaulting horse, is of a very high order. A specially-trained team -of laclies will be seen in the foil drill, which is presented for the. first timo in New Zealand. Instructor Dovey will givo a special exhibition, of electric-light club swinging- .... ic:. MISSIONS TO SEAMEN The weekly concerts at the Missions to Seamen 'still continue to attract crowded audiences, as was shown last night, when Miss Babers pupils; , under the direction of Miss Richmond, provided a concert. Tho chair,"as usual, was" occupied by Mr. James Moore, the missioner: "The following contributed' items to the''programme: Misses Clore, '.Hitching®,' 'Richmond,- Dodgshun, Messrs. Taylor - (Majory , Glen), fiurley (lonic), M'Lean (Ottcrbmr.), Swanbury and M'Dougall (Ulimaroa)." The pupils also rendered part songs. The audience sang several very popular :cßbnises in good,'sty!?. A con-, umdrum competition, which cSJisod a good deal of amusomciit, was won by '(sailors from ships in port. Duhing a short interval tho missioner delivered a address, taking tho words,' Not Wanted-oii'lho Voyage" for a subjcctr ' An a lwelvo men subsequently took" tho' pledge of total abstinence. Hearty clicers s;iven tha performers at the conclusion, aivf refreshments wore handed.' round. V