ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 478, 10 April 1909, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

THEATRE ROYAL. Pictures were again in evidence at the Theatre Royal last night, when an interesting programme was presented with all the skill and success which are customary at this popular place of entertainment. It was the last night of tho pictures—for tho present at all events. "Tho Woman Pays" is to bo staged to-night by Mr. Geacli's company. ' ROYAL PICTURES. There was a large attendance at the picture display at His Majesty's Theatre on inursday night, and a large audionco gathered at the matinee yesterday afternoon. The excellence of tho faro provided was generally admitted, and the house was not slow to reward tho management by its hearty applause. Another matinee is to be given this afternoon, and an announcement is also made that a matinee performance is also to be given on Monday afternoon. URBAN PICTURES. The Urban Pictures Company closed its season at the Opera Houso last night. Both the .matinee and the evening performance were well attended. Among tho pictures shown were "bamson and Delilah" and Views ot Jerusalem," LIEUT. SHACKLETdN'S LECTURE. The plan of reserved seats for this lecture on Wednesday next will again bo- on tho Dresden Company's office on luesday morning, and those anxious to attend would do well to secure their seats at theearliest opportunity. Owing to tho heavy booking it will probably be necessary to encroach upon the gallery accommodation for an extra number of three shilling reserved seats. Ihe> students of Victoria College have taken a block- of four hundred seats in the body hall, and a large number of the two shilling seats have also been sold.. Ihere is, mdeol, every indication, if the , night is fine, that, the Town Hall will be filled with an audience of about three thousand people to i.ear the story the leader of the British Antarctic Expedition has to tell As the lecture does not start till 8.15 p m' -to enablo all the students to bo presentMr Maughan Barnett, city organist, has kindly consented to vary tho entertainment with some organ selections between 8 pm and the commencement of tho lecture. Lieut' Shacklctcn is bringing with him some very fine kntern slides of scones and incidents in the Frozen South, and theso will bo shown by limelight to illustrate tho lecture. THE -WOMAN PAYS. At the Theatre Royal this evening lovers or melodrama will have an opportunity of witnessng one of tho latest English and Amoncan successes, when tho Adwin Geach Premier Dramatic Company will stago for the first time here Frank M. Thome's absorbing play, "Tho Woman Pays," which was recently produced in Melbourne and Sydney, and proved a sensational success. The story of tho drama is a highly novel and interesting one, and is said to arrest tbo attention of the audience f rom the rise' till tho fall of tho curtain. For tho interpretation of tho drama, Mr. Geach has selected a company of dramatic artists of high re pute, comprising as it does such well-known members of tho theatrical profession as Misses Maud Appleton, Leal Douglas; Pattio Gourlay, Madge Rogers, Brinda Burt, one of Australia s leading comediennos, Ethel Buckley, and Messrs. Robert Inmnn Kcnheth Hunter, J. P. O'Neill, Albert Lucas Thomas Curran, Stanley Robinson, L. NuniV and Harry Norman. The whole production is under tho personal supervision of Mr. George Murlow, tho genera! manager, • who , has spared no exponas in tho way. of mouut-

ing and scenic effects, unci the drama will bn staged in the- samo complete manner as when played throughout tho Australian Commonwealth. MADAME MELBA. On April 27 and 29 lovers of music will bo able to hear Madame Melba sing in the Town Hall. 1 Her present tour will bo a memorable ono; not only because slio is at the very zenith of her fame, but also becauso she has so arranged hor tour as to enable the pooplo in cities not usually visited by great musical artists to hear her. It has frequently been said that we in New Zealand only hear tho world's greatest singers after they have outlived their prestige, and have lost their power to charm. It is not so in this instance. Madamo Mclba is coming to us in tho noonday glory of her famo, and while her voice retains all its freshness and beauty. The critics are agreed on that point. She still reigns gloriously as the Quoon of Song. Jenny kind, Adclina Potti, and Nellie Melba arc frcqently mentioned as the threo great stars or the concert platform. Tho singing of Jenny Lind is now only a memory; Madame Patti has retired;' but Melba is still delighting the world with the girlish freshness of her voice and tho matchless charm of her art and individuality. Admiration and enthusiasm scorn to increase with each concert tour. In Paris, the famous Australian is ono of tho few artists who can command a crowded audience. Her popularity there may bo measured by tho fact that tho sum of £5000 was cleared by tho charity concert of which she was the star only a few months ago. In Melbourne she has just charmed vast audiences with tho 'magic of her. voice and the perfection of her method. Even at her third concert in Melbourne crowds had to be turned away, and, according to the "Ago," oven the Governor-General, who with Lady Dudley and suito occupied seats close in front of tho platform, had to content himself with a vice-regal reserve of far less than the customary dimensions. Tho farewell concert in Melbourne furnished exciting scenes. At the end of tho final number "the great crowd rose to its feet and shouted and stamped and clapped, and entirely refused to budge, until, after returning time after time, once with Mr. Lemmone, and onco with Mr. Marshall-Hall, and several, times by herself, Madame Mclba added Tosti's 'Good-bye,' " which, savs the "Age," "was tho signal of another great salvo of cheers." At her AVellington concerts Madamo Melba will bo assisted by Mr. Frederick Ranalow, the well-known Irish baritone, Miss Una Bourne, solo pianist, Mr. John Lemmone, flutist, and Mr. Harold Whittle, accompanist. An advertisement regarding those- concerts appears in another column. • HAYDN BECK. Iu the Town Hall, to-morrow night, the remarkable young violinist, Haydn Beck, Will givo his last Wellington' concert. ■ Tho proprogramme is promised to bo the biggest and best yet given by him. A most attractivo feature will be his brilliant playing of Do Beriot's Seventh Concerto, which is alono worth going to hear. Quite a new thin* for the boy is tho celebrated "Romanza in G" (Beethoven), with which ho scored a success in Wanganui tho other evening. He will also givo Handel's "Largo." His many admirers have asked for a special repetition of Leonard's great arrangement of "The Hymn to tho Emperor," to. which he has consented, and will givo this as an extra to tho already big programme His seemingly easy mastery of the difficulties of this piece are a constant source of wonderment to all violinists who hear him. Apart from all this, a good programmo is to be submitted by the assisting artistes: Miss Amy Remington, L.T.C.L. (pianoforte); Mr. Goudie (baritone), and others. Special appeal is made, on this his absolutely last appearance here, to those attending to contribute in a liberal way, as tho boy is still urgently soliciting funds. THE MERRY WIDOW. Tho doors for the first holiday matineo of tho Merry Widow on Easter 'Monday will be opened at 1.30 p.m., and tho performanco will at 2 p.m. Children under twelve will bo admitted .to all parts of tho theatre at half price. Tho production of this sprightly opera by Mr. J. C. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company at the Opera House to-night is- being -looked forward to with great interest, and even impatience. An exceptionally heavy booking has more than fulfilled expectations, and a successful season is practically assured. Amongst tho star performers in tho cast, aro Miss Florence Young, whose - beautiful voico and clever acting have placed her in the very front rank as a comic opera artist, and Mr. Reginald Roberts, tenor, both of whom havo been too long absent from Wellington. Mr. Andrew Higginson appears for the first time m New Zealand, and comes to us with an enviable reputation. The list of other names in the cast shows that tho company is particularly strong. Miss Fannv Dango makes her first appearance here, while such pistes as Miss Nellie Wilson, Marietta Nash, Alma Vaughan, Georgio Musgrove and Messrs. Victor Gouriot, C. R, Bantoek \Y. S. Percy, D. B. O'Connor, A. J. Hughes, and Arthur Hunter, would as- | sure the success of almost anv play. Public attention is called to the announcement by the management, that all doors will be dosed during the progress of musical numbers, and patrons aro requested to be in their seats before the rising of the curtain. Box plans will be on view at Christesen's during tho Easter holidays. WEST'S PICTURES. Every year sees further advancement in the world of kmematography, but after seeing tho latest exhibition of West's Pictures it is difficult to believe that the' art of producing moving pictures can make much further progress, somo of tho films being all that can bo desired in the way of artistic and vivid productions. This is particularly so in tho case of tho love drama of Alphonse Daudet, "L'Arlesienno," It requires very little imagination to transport tho watcher ifrorn a picture show to ono of real drama. All the episodes in tho tragic story of the simple French youth Frederic aro depicted with great faithfulness and reality. Among the othor pictures shown, "Picturesque Holland" may bo selected as a good example of scenery film, whilst "The Spring Lock" was typical of humorous pictures. On Thursday this programmo was repeated, before a largo audience, and yesterday a selection of films suitable for Good Friday was shown. At . both performances appropriate and tastful music, rendered by DeGrocn's Vicetasteful music, under the conductorship of Mr. S. R. White, added considerably to the enjoyment of the audiences. MR. HAMILTON HODGES. Mr. Hamilton Hodges, tho popular bariton, who gives his farewill concert at the Town Hall next Friday, is about to make a professional visit to England. Sir. Hodges has secured a number of singing engagements in the Old Country, which include performances at the Royal Albert Hall and other concerts, in which ho will be associated with leading English singers. Mr. Hodges has established his position as ono of the foremost vocalists in New Zealand; in dramatic music he is quite unsurpassed, and for oratorio and. cantata work he is in request all through tho Dominion. In tho programmo on Friday ho will bo assisted by his wife, a dramatic soprano, Mrs. Ernest Queroo, solo pianiste, Miss Arline Thackery, violinist, Mr. Robert Parker, _ organist, and Mr. Frank Johnstone, 'cellist. CATHOLIC BAZAAR. The public is reminded that tho grand Catholic bazaaT and art union, to bo held at tho Skating Rink, will bo opened by the Hon. Dr. 'Findlay, at 7.30 this evening. Attractions of a varied character aro promised, including a display of fancy dancing by a number of specially-trained children. WONDERLAND, Wonderland is being opened for tho last timo this season on Easter Monday, for ono day only, when tho public will be offered a splendid day's outing, with the opportunity of visiting all tho special amusements which the company havo put up at tremendous expense-, for tho sum of, in the case of children, 6d., and Is. for adults. A special advertisement appears in another column, and those who have not seen this display should avail themselves of what may possibly be tho last opportunity. In tho evening Wonderland will bo lit up by electricity in its usual lavish 3tylo,