ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 423, 4 February 1909, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

'■, "THK : WHITE HEATHER." '~; . This excellent melodrama, written in large, bold hand, and conceived on big lines even to its improbabilities, continues to receive honourable treatment at the hands of the Bland Holt Company at the Opera House. Good work; is done in the drama, by Mr. and Mrs.. Holt, Miss Harrie Ireland, Mr.. Ohas. Brown, and Mr. Arthur Styan. The production is considerably enhanced by Mr. John Brunton's fine scenery.' ( ' ' ■V. ",'.■■ THEATRE'ROYAL, -s / ' ■ The excellent series of kiriematograph pictures,forming this week's, programme is well worth a visit to the'Theatre-Royal. The "hunt pictures" are successful, also the chase'films, and the present programme includes two remarkable moving'sceues , depict ing a' whaling excursion and a hippopotamus hunt. ' These are two . of'; many, interesting pictures. .. ; . . " ■'' .:.. HIS; MAJESTY'S THEATRE. '•. ' An admirable and varied collection of pictures! made-up the change;programme at His Majesty's ■Theatre' last - night. :; As. is usual "with, the RoyaV Pictures there was a large ; .audience...'. A pretty, and amusing film was "Following 'in Mother's Footsteps, , ' showing a little mito who, with a small male, acted like a : married couple..;', The little, wife, sent out .her diminutive husband to : work during the day," left him at, home to mind the baby at night while she lectured to suffragettes, ;and-'on Saturday night followed in the footsteps' of prudent "mother"! by searching hubby's pockets for his wages; Another amusing picture was "Airship TJiieves," , which described.; how a burglar surprised.at work in an. upper story escaped throughthe window and, to the ground by means of an umbrella, .tispd as ,a ; parachute,, and .how a , ,policeman' in'.':chase' trusted his great: weight; toi, a small; umbrella, in' imita-; ti6n,'and came.to grief; "Jaffa to Jerusalem by Railway"'was a descriptive film of a country little known; to modern travellers. The scenes shown smacked . strongly of 'that peculiar mixture of Oriental and Occidental to" be found' wherever; the /Western mode pf ■traffic, has' succeeded the: slower; methods of the old East.' A large number of pictures of all classes helped to complete the programme. "Poverty arid. Compassion"'- may; be mon : tioried as a , very'pleasing pathetic .film. THe programme will be repeated to-night. .■; ■' "ROYAL WELSH MALE ,GHOm.,; : ; : For six nights,..commencing..at the.Town ■Hall; on Thursday evening next, local choirs and the miisical 'public will be. shown to what .perfection.; Mr.; Wm. ; Thomas, -lias ■brought'.''liis' : 'twenty-one-JVelali workers in' choral music. .Conductor, Thomas, in a re,cent interview, said -'lihat; the choir - had'. had 'a'very' small beginning7.:as;th;© : winners of a prize of £5 at a ; the town of StiEagans, near l .Gafdiff.; The choir, gained.many' successes'.in' subse.quent!. cpmpetitiona' of a much'larger nature. .This, record included four national' Eisteddfod ■awards in North and South .Wales, a unique achievement. .-.■ One of the medals which' the conductor; prized most' highly 'was ,a : gqld, medal inscribed with -the portrait, of Sir J. Barnby, and that eminent musician'sopinibu of the■' choir.:; '.'The finest .specimen-; of singing IvJiave ever heard.". ; The' choir, won "the' ■first I .' award at. the/Natipnali'.Eisteddfgd' in Llanrielly -in : ' : 1895. Two or. three': months after" that -they were commanded' to sing be-.-fore Queen .Victoria. / Tho'.bosf plaji,.for. thp first three , . (X)ricerts; ; !dpen-iaKjth(s*<;presj3ei; on Monday.-.next at '10' o'clock*..*.■;"'." .'. ;' : , 'EDWARD REEVES. ■ '. '■' Mr.; Edward Reeves/ elocutionist, gave iiis farewell ; recital in tbo Municipal Concert Chamber, last, evening. His subject,' by special request, :was v ßalph;;Gpnnpi:'s '.'The Sky Pilot, which''many of Mr. Reeves's ad-, mirers: regard as .the finest thing in his reper.toire.. '. The, ..story, is. one' which . suits the , taste/, and genius;, of : Mr.;,; Reeves., It is .strong in: pathos,';. >;rich. ,in ■ humour,; striking in characterisation,, ]ib_eral]y.vintor.sp&secTwith,picturesque descriptive.passages,, i\nd^by'"no means'wanting.in lessons of solemn imp'oft> .The; touchirig'. sfiory;'of. GWn,' , ;, her tcrfiblb accident, -and 1 tlie ; . wonderful' way;!in which ;the Skjr"' Pilot enabled, , her ;td take',it as a blessing in disguise,'was made..very.real: to Mr.'. Reeves's audience. The -later;.scones -, showing how.Bill "raised; the wind" for the ■"Gospel factory," 'and,how; thp Pilot reached his. last, port, were, ! in turn hiiinorous' and exquisitely pathetic, v•. "'" ' '.' ',' 1 HARBOUE,. EXCURSIONS:/ ;/ : : The fishing trip .to .the Heads.by-'.the, har■bour.tug Riwaka 'yes'tprclay was , .abandoned, . as the required number of excursionists failed: '.to put .in an appearance.., It is .expected that' , she .will, be requisitioD'odneSt^Wedriesday.■•:■'■ ■ Fine; weather.; tempted.' many.-pleasure-seekers to make the moonlight 'excursion to Day's Bay per the Duchess last night.r A cert'was. held-,in the pavilion, but'the side shows outsidp wore -the principal draw, owing to'the.closeness of,the'weather. '. ', ; ,'■'.'■■. .