ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 317, 2 October 1908, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS.

-« "THE SCARLET TROUBADOURS." .Now and again this country is troubled with shows which, while suffered by some for the simple reason that they must willynilly go to the theatre, are to the many a can of deep dejection. Pessimists moan that the art of entertaining rationally is a lost one ; others, more indulgent, argue that tho public is given what it wants, and a few talk learnedly about action of the slowlyrevolving cycle that is governed by the incontrovertible law of public taste or managerial bias. Accepting the latter as the most reasonable'theory, it would seem that in the matter of light entertainment we stand at the dawn of better things. Last evening the Scarlet Troubadours provided a highly-attractive entertainment in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, filled to the last seat with an audience which lost no . jp .". 1 showing its approval of the company, individually, and in its ensemble. The Scarlet Troubadours is but a name, reflected il linings of their shoulder cloaks; rather might they pass for undergraduates ?r- 11? harmony College at the University of , Mirth as they do not " troubadour it to any extent in the popula'r acceptation of the word. They are singers (grave and gay), dancers, sketch artists, musicians, what you will, in fact, on the lighter side of refined vaudeville, and wholly successful in each and every department. The first part introduces the company, two ladies and five gentlemen, cloaked and hatted, who, after vocally explaining precisely what they are, enter upon a programme of harmonic sunshine devoid of any suspicion of shade. The ladies, Miss Maude Fajie and Miss Gertrude "arker, are pleasing soubrettes who succeed m exerting a charm without calling upon the doubtful products of the modern music hall. Mr. Edgar Warwick is the jesting troubadour without . tile scarlet jest which stains. The company possess .two' very fine vocalists in Messrs. Ford Waltham (bass) and Alfred Cunningham (baritone), and Mr.' Sydney Mannering can, with justice, lay claim to a pleasing tenor voice amongst other qualities. Troubadour Perci7 a ' Mackenzie is a clever lightning artist in chalk and crayons, displays digital dexterity on a pleasant-toned banjo, and sings and jests with the best of them. The company is completed by Mr. Griffiths, who accompanies and raises an acceptable tenor in unaccompanied quartets. Messrs. Edgar Warwick and. Percival Mackenzie broke the ice last evening with a comic duet, , entitled "Follow On." Mr. Walthan exhibited, a bass of some' profundity and. good tone-in Mr. H. Squire's fine song, "The Song of the Anvil." Encored, lie lapsed 'into the comic, singing of - a dreary family, whose mission in life lay in a trombone direction, and this had to be supplemented by. the singing of "Drinking." Miss Gertrude. Parker became popular in.' the serio-comic scena, "I Don.'t Seem ! to Want lou" (Rubens), and had. to add. a dainty coon song.; "The Canadian Canoe," as rendered, by Miss Fane and Miss Mannering, was., good ..enough,'. without .'the introduced fooling by, the comedian'. The time-worn ' 'Soldier's Farewell" . glee was" beautifully nitoned; by Messrs'. Mannering,' Griffiths'; Cunningham, and' Waltham, who had. to'find a couple, of encores - to .appease a clamourous audience.. , JJr. Alfred- Cunningham, a ringing baritone, : gave, a .fine "'dramatically r acted:. rendering '■ of . the Toreador Sting from "Carmen," and supplemented that-number by. insistent request .with Maud Malerio White's charming, ballad , "The Devout Lover.'.' 'Miss Fane sang: "Good Night," a- bed-time ditty, that- gained humour and effect from the assistance lent by .the company, and the clever manipulation . of . the lights. Mr.'Mackenzie twanged a medley of national airs on • his; tuneful "banjo, and' Mr. Warwick and company proved Shakespeare to be a writer of coon songs in disguise. The. second part of the programme was arranged las a nautical scena. entitled "The Sailor's Life," in .which the troubadours became jack tsrs, having a high old time in a bar parlour. The songs sung were':—"Four Jolly Sailor-men"-(German), "The Jolly Sailor" (Squire), "Old Pilot Jim" (Carney Grain), "Tom Bowling'.' .(Dibdin), and "The Submarine and thp iWhsta"| Mackenzie discoursed and illus'tfafed'- early-art iri 'a'Hrilliaittiy clever manner in chalk, and did .a seascape ,in coloured crayons sideways; in sixty seconds) a picture he altered in a few- seconds to.a fair countryside. The most laughable bit of vocalism on .the programme rejoiced in the name of "Little Tommy," a ballad with a nursery rhyme basis.' • « ■ "The Scarlet Troubadours" will continue to make merry until further notice... ' ' WIDE WORLD PICTURES. " ■ There was N another large attendance at the Theatre Royal last night to-witness-the exhibition of , the " Wide World Pictures." The" various items on the present excellent pictorial programme were greatly enjpyed. and all were heartily applauded. There will be a matinee to-morrow • afternoon. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. The new programme of pictures at His Majesty's Thea.tre is distinctly a popular success,'.and. a full house' showed. enthusiastic appreciation of the fine series of films submitted. ' The programme will be repeated this evening, and the usual matinee is announced for to-morrow. . • WEST'S PICTURES'. . In to-morrow's issue will be published tbo opening programme for the Wellington season of West's-Pictures and Do Groen's ViceRegal Orchestra, at the Town Hall next Monday. The management have decided to change tho programme twice weekly during the limited season. Mr. West is enabled to do this,; owing to the enormous stock of films at his command. The desire of the popular entertainer is to provide. the latest results achieved in kinematography and produce them in- the most thorough manner, and he will no doubt receive due encouragement from tho public. - The box plans are on view at the Dresden. ORGAN RECITAL. Mr. Norman Collio, a young organist of considerable promise, gave an organ recital at St-. Mark's Church last evening. A largo audience was present, and vocal items, contributed by Sirs. F. P. Wilson, added variety to an enjoyable, entertainment. The organist opened with Bach's "Prelude and Fugue -in C Minor," played very capably and with careful regard- to registration and tone-effects. Then followed a tasteful interpretation of a Schubert-Lott "Serenade."A. variety of, effects was heard in the "Triumph Fantasia" (Lawrence Watkins). Oth'or numbors were" Sonata—No. 2 " (Mendelssohn), "Le C.vgni" (SaiiH-Saens), "Festive March in D" (Smart), "Spring Song",(Hollins), Chopin's-"Funeral March, ."Wolfram's Song" (from "Tannhauser"), " 0 Star of Eve," and Wely's "Offertoiro in G." Mrs. F. P. Wilson , sang' Handel's "1 Know That > My' Redeemer Liveth" ("Messiah"),' and St.- Michael Costa's "1 Will Extol Thee," from " Eli," very tastefully.-- ' ; •

PHYSICAL^TRAINING SCHOOL. Tho annual "gym. carnival" of the Wellington Physical Training School was held at the Opera House last evening, there being a fairly large audience. The display was a most attractive. one, beitig quite, up 'to the standard of previous exhibitions; and several of the'items wore heartily applauded. The carnival opened with a grand ill a roll, in which all classes participated. This was a spectacular and effective opening. A bout with singlesticks was then indulged in by Major Hume, B.N.Z A:, "and Mr. 13.' Dovey (instructor), tho honours being fairly even. Barbell drill by the boys' class and dumb-bells by tho girls were nicely done,, the young, gymnasts performing the various movements in perfeot rhythm. A pretty figure march by tho ladies' class was much admired. Out' of a long programme, comprising twenty-six items, each' excolleut in its way, 'special mention ought to bo given to the horizontal-bar exhibition by tho boys', youths', and men's classes; tho graceful agility of the gymnasts making a very fine display. A striking item was the clectric-light club-swinging by Instructor Dovey; tile stage was 1 in darkness,, ami the vivid gyrations of the greon-coloure'd bulbs made woird lialos about the swinger. Later on in the evening, something similar was performed by the ladies'! olass, the effeot beinp very fine. I

A bout with quarter-staves between Captaii Symon, R.N./.E., and Mr. Doyey was 2 novel and interesting event, and the foil-dril' by the ladies, performed for the first time in New Zealand, showed the gentler sex in a now and decidedly warlike role. The boxing, though lacking the sting of the BurnsSquires phase of the noble art. of self-defence, nevertheless provided an exhibition of clever parrying, with an occasional neat "pointer." The entertainment concluded with a grand finale by all classes. Dly ing the performance of the ladies' elcc-trie-light club-swinging item, one of the "wing-flats" on the left of-the stage toppled slowly over. Those in the vicinity of the fiat skipped smartly out of the way, howevor, and nothing serious happened. BROOKLYN SCHOOL CONCERT. Fullford's Ilall at Brooklyn was packed to the doors last evening, when a concert was given r under the auspices of the Brooklyn State School. So' great was the crowd that it was impossible to accommodate them, so the . committee has ; decided to repeat the concert on Monday next. L;i.st evening's programme consisted .of some capital choruses by the children, (in .costume), an exhibition of musical drill of various kinds, a conjuring djsplay by Mr. H. Seaton, songs by Mrs. Kennedy, Misses Kelly.and Cording, and an excellent., gymnastic interlude by a team from. the Y.M.C.A.. The programme was enthusiastically received, and. there should bo another large, audience at its repetition on Monday next. ;