ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS.

■■THE SCARLET;,TROUBADOURS. '.;' ; ;' : .Edward BrimsoombeV Scarlet Troubadours, who commenced a Beason at the Opera House last' evening, are the very, thing . for m. ' dull evening. .' It. there is .no superlative brilliance individually,, they: sing agreeably, their humour is cieau and bright, and turdugh being so nicely in tune with one another temperamentally they achieve happy results in ingenious methods: that betrays a pretty-'turn .. of originality. The entertainment is something between refined ■-vaudeville and a miscellaneous concert, yet like neither. Their singing is in the aggregate good, and the-ulollery .wnibh permeates most of- the numbers- is-'delight-, tully quaint, and found a.ready response in the large audience, present, as the insistence on. encores .denoted, in Miss Gertrude Parker the 1 Troubadours, possess a ciever little' soubrette. • In all she does Miss Parker exhibits naivete and refinement. Nothing could be sweeter: than the manner in which she sang, ■'■fanny Face," and she lent a charm even to .'the 1 commonplace ebon'song "Ode the Moon." Miss Parker was associated with Mr. Sydney Mannering in the serio-comic. "Picnic,' for Two'' duet. ; The.only other female Troubadour who appeared last evening was IJiss Madge Nichol-, son, :who v has. a tuneful little soprano voice, which she . will make better use of when: less nervous. . She sang German's pretty ballad, "Love Was Meant to Make us Glad/''and, encored, the now familiar "Three Green .Bonnets." Mr; Ford .Watham, who is a basso straight atone time, and a comedian at"inost others, is a favourite.: He sang "The .ijosr. xuagou,". ana uii tucui'u. song \au nbuut itaeiil: mint, upon tue iui ox its uuuias, lind lent .inytiiuabib ,aid to lue various serious and humorous - quartets that'brightened the ; pro-

gramme. Another popular performer is Mr. Alfred Cunningham, a melodious baritone, who was not: in his best form' ln«f Rvoninr* Mr. C'lnriingham's best song was; "Glorious Devon" /German). '■_' Tlie sentimentnlism of Sfpohon Adam l ? is father aggravatbi in "Thora," and the patr-Mic song, though vigorously ' applauded, boasts a Trfnd of patriotism too cheap lor such .\ good Mnger, <h Mr. Cunningham, who is heard to better advantage in songs: of greater-intrinsic merit. Ho. sang nothing better last evening than the solo, "Oft in the Stilly Night"—it was one. of the chqral: gem 3 of the evening. Mr. Sydney Mannering is ■ a lyrical tenor, and a light—very light—comedianl- Mr. Mannering has a useful mezzo voce, which" is cifeotive in part singing, and has. a certain facility in. drawing-room '-sketches, but he should hot attempt to' sing "Como Into the Garden Mimde." Even his art, which is considerable, could not conceal the effort last .evening;' The chief jester of: the company is Mr.: Edgar Warwick, who patters' agreeably, .and'.-/sings'.:songs that fit him,-, which is not the -case with : all comedians. His burlesque on a Socialist's delivering a'speecli would amuse;anyone. He sang, of "Fishing," and; droned a song of boredom entitled "Nothing, In . It.". ■ Among the smartest choruses were: "Peter Piper," "Who Did?"'and "In:the Year. -Nineteen ,Hundred and Ten": (a 'successor to "Ho Pushed:it Through the Wihdowf')..' Of the;purely farcical';order ' wore 1 'the" vocal sketches; Rehearsing a,Glee," and."A .Ghost Story/- .Not by any means the least attractive items on the .programmo were: the ciever chalk sketches:of--Mri Clande Leplastrier, who, with a limited selection of coloured' bhalks, achieves w-onderful results.- During' suohi time 'as the chorus is crooning "On the Bonnio. Banks of Looh_Lomond," the ■ artist chalks in an excel lent lake view, and, as,the chorus turns to n song, of. twilight;- : Mr. his .glowing "canvas" . into an nitistic. nocturne. On ; another'occasion, he drew a picture upside which extracted "Ohs I", of ■••'delighted surprise from tho audience.: The Troubadours should attract large 'audiences 'during their brief, season at the Opera House.

. :.;;'.m. 'THEATRE ROYAL;". ,:..,■: . A: good '"house'', attended.at the 1 Theatre, Royal,;last night, when the programme -of living pictures which' has,been running all the week came:to a':cdnclusion. . To-night a new p'rogrammo will be' eubinitted;' Tho;range'of. 'subjects '.to, bo exhibited' is said:to be both interesting;'and diversified; •■,The l ,'star'■'film'depicts'the Zeigler,"Arctic : . expedition',. and ; is .reputed;to -.be,of a' hovel description.' "Historic Oxford"-and "Picturesque-Holland" are scenic subjects well above 1 tho average."Lovers of dramatic films aro to be well catered for. in "The.Mended Lute,";which is said.to be.of a thrilling 1 : nature, "as is; also "The Slave" : ';'A number of ;other.;pictures.'of a "varied nature' •are.;to;'b.e,shpwn t ,:;; '.: ( |V;V,;- '..,•;,;,... ' .'y '~';■■;";;/ tj)'4, ; HIS ,MAJESTr'S;:THJi!ATHE.;;'; i.This week's.'programmeof'. inoyiug pictures at 'His''.'Majesty's',-Theatre■ is, attractingjl.arge audiences. .The;star:-picture,' illustrating the burning,,of Rome, 'is received with'.'applause o'very.;evening.;. This'afternoon a matinee in addition 0 to, the usual evening exhibition of: the pictures.wiil begiven.,-'« •'-.■,,.,/;, . , [,'■■'

;■-£. •;';:. V; sTAR!ManjREs.: '■;..:■•■' '■■ ■~X; ', .The popularity of the 'Star ' Picture', enter.tainment at -St.. Thomas's Hall; Newtown, ■has: been' again demonstrated this .week,pictures' being 'quite:; up. to'tho 'standard. -.-.A matinee--will •be given- this.--afternoon;': and there Trill be the'.Usual evening exhibition.-. >■ -'I- '■'■;/•'■•; ' ; -: :, : ..'•'"' Business' men, are advised to' make a point of -visiting Wonderland on -Wednesdays; or. Saturdays. -An afternoon: or evening 'spent at these lovely grounds,- and an hour or so :among :tho many.and amusing sideshows,-all of which /are free, may 'act oil '.the tired' business, man better' than .any tonic. .',-'.' .;.-. ■.'' , '~;';, \\ TO-NiGHT'S ORGAN; RECITAL. ;,',:;; ■v'-Mr;MaughM'''Barnbtt/*ilL'continue'.'.hi4:s6rieJß-of organ recitals on the Town Hall organ; to-, night at 8," wheir he will play, the; piece "Jintry of the: Gods into Waihalla,'';from.'.Wag-; nerV "Das Rheingold," a; very, descriptivo item;■■-A'Songs ; .Without -, Words,?;, taken from .Mendelssohn's "Spring- Song,'" and by special. request will.r'epeat.Bellini's "A tp o cara, and works"byi.other standard composers.-'