ENTERTAINMENTS,

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 748, 22 February 1910, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS,

.-, ■ THE BLACK.FAMILY. ' \ \ Heralded as"The Musical All-Blacks," the members of. the well-known Black family .of musicians inaugurated. their Wellington concert: season at. the Opera Houso last evening, before a fair attendance of the public- Kinematographs and musical itemsf-vocal and 'instrumentalmade up a programme that was. well' received by an'audience inclined at the outset to be somewhat.unresponsive, a depressing circumstance created no doubt by ■the quality, of-the., first- item—a ; scenic jnlni of an uninter.estiug.character and fair quality. This was: succeeded by several very: good films, and : the character' ofi'the entertainment thereafter..distinctly- improved. The first part :of the programme concluded'.with'a.cornet,'solo by Mr. Bert Black,: tho' interest of his performance .being enhanced by illustrated lantern , pictures. The : musical programme' proper was;,nicely varied. .It. opened, with, an operatic selection, from '"Maritana" by the ■■ Black Family, followed by :Zardo's "To the' Angels," sung very tastefully by .Miss Nellie-Black, with ..-organ, 'cello, and piano accompaniment. Miss Elsie Black, the flautist of. the. company,, selected the , "Lion du Bal" 'as her item, which .she played carefully, and expressively. '"• A very', goqd■'number:was the':vocal. duet, 'The Singing Lesson,", sung -.by; Miss: Nellie Black and. Mr: -Herbert .Carroll., The former is also a capable violinist, and was heartily applauded for, her. playing of Sarasate's "Ziegumerweisen," E«r trick fiddling inthevitem ."Imitations/' and her-encore items. The. mandolin quartet, "Popular Airs," was" an' enjoyable ■ num-, . ber. Messrs.' H. : Carroll: (monologue "entertainer)'and Harry Spencer (comedian) supplied the spice of humour which added a zest to .the. fare." The former,, in ' his item "Harmony Hall,""was..instantly., on .good terms with his. ,while the latter, •■ after -a most amusing song en-' titled "Shifted," was "encored twice. It" may r here be:remarked l that nearly"all tfio performers were Tecall^d'for a"bis." Nor must •be forgotten ■ the'' double "Tommy Atkins" dance by. Miss Elsie'and Mr; Bert Black; which: was a.picturesque item:. The "entertainment" concluded vnth. another, series' of pictures.' : ' ' \': ;, -;; : ' The performance, will be repeated this .orening.■■■'• : ; ■. 'p■■■■■'■'■: '•/,'• ■" ■'■ ■■ ■"•'■ ;.'• ■■ ■;.

;;: \ .;; jisk;.;jOTnJßE. : ,srisGEES; v;;^ % The plaintive melodies of v the "plantation,, Jubilee Singers; proved irrisistibly- moving,'to'-the large audience which' heard, them in the. Concert .Chamber: of the' Town ■•Hall. ; last evening. '. ■.'■'■The'-, chorus, ."Nobody. •Knows the Trouble I've Seen," proved 'specially; reductive-.'in-, its ■'■ melancholy, ■;! But : the songs of tlieFisk Singers are not'all .sad by. any means. Miss Haynes-Miller,' , who has a good soprano voice and; sings;with a .hearty spirit,, was inost.. successful in her soloi "Maggie; the Co.ws are'in the Clover," ; ;and 'Two 'Little 'Piccaninnies, sungiby■Mγ. -Collins! (baritone) ...wasj an-: othor .contribution ■ of a lighter .'kind,which met with, deserved ' appreciation. Joyous or crooning,. the ■. songs vcast their spell over the audience, '■ who'; could not have too.much of the melody. • The banjo items* of Miss' Florence Dixie" were also ' greeted' with v much applause; "'...• The company will appear : again' this' evening. - ■ '..; •■■■■'■• VATJ33EVILLE. % ' ■ ■ The' new. programme submitted by the Fuller Vaudeyille Company last evening ,' : was a strong one, .in. "which every. , item".was apparently';iust to. tHe'.liting;of the, : large audience; ! ( 'An old 1 favourite in-the per-. Son of Mr.! Frank';Yprke.appeared' to be the. ■ central, : . figure,- found-" which -.everythingrevolved during the. first half. His by-play,;.we'nt..'iifsf";faT",enough . .with'ouf oyersteppiiig... the bounds, and the' audi-) e'nce'cpuld not' 'have, too, much'., of' his comic ringing. '-.'The' only.'new^performer , last night:.was'Miss Maud Hewson,: for- , merly a well-known member of the .Pollard Opera Company; .''Miss Hewso'n'eifinel'cqn--tralto' voice,'was 'heard to great advantage in| Mascheroni's' "Ave". Maria/' ,and she was, even more plenftig in her encore number','Tbsti's "Good-bye." ..Miss.Pearl. Sm'aillsangof the delights .'of theopen air <ihia manner which won the approval of the house,- and -Miss Bella Perman danced ■liet' , [ I jF / ay r j.(si thetusameyend. V'.:Mr".V Will.' Eobey made. ,the most of. his figure, ■ and caused- endless' amusement by ihis- quaint leg actions."-,The-,.dancing'.o£!the-;Martin; : Sisters .was another . "turn" was ■ much.. appreciated; ' the,' -this' duo') being another factor. which; ; cphtfi-i buted .towanls, their,.success, r -The." feats' of strength of. Siimsori and' Juno, the-sing-ing iqf .'Mr. Jack/Russell M'Qpnald,, and -the monologue entertain' meiit,of• : Mr.',Chns.'..Throsby,' contributed towards :a • Fill. which ■: was satisfying in every respect. ..The.company will be further, this 'evening- by the addition of Miss., Gertie Johns, a seriocomic singer of reputed;hig!i.merit,.-aud Bartlett, ian ex-ship's' fireman,'. who has blossomed forth' as-.a vocalistT ,

"■ ; , HIS MAJESTY'S..THEATRE.7; >It- was -a. well-satisfied- audience, which .filed i-ont;.:of His Majesty's Theatre -last evening at; the conclusion. of. the picture feast:; .The fare' was 'nourishing, and , was enjoyed .to;:thefull by l 'tHe.'.house. : ■ The programme is to be repeated this evening-, for the. last .time,-the'weekly-change of ,prograinme>being announced: for to-mor-row night. :..•■,';.> ■..■"■.;■;::•;';, ..':..'.:.•.':; ■-...■>-..

;:, ;,.;:;i: : :sTAXpiCTmffis;;:' ;;:\ '-7;./ Standing-room only'-was the order■ at St..' Thomas's - Halli: Newtown, : •'; when -a. new: programme ■ of-Star; 'Pictures' .was presented -.last evening.' : "Black-'' , 'end White; Eats,'' , :whicK:\was ''the .;first 'film, shown, .;-prbved to be. an ■ especially' i fine study. of v .animal"life.!. Industrial isub-", jects- were, well by views' of. agricultural : pursuits in British ■ Columbia,; and'.fishing: in'-Sweden.":"/The star: of> the',--programme was a di'ii--matte film,' entitled- "Merciless -Marguerite,; of.. the,: Tower of -Nestle." .■ Murder,' ambitiorij-.'and' intrigue >ero .the dominant notes -of -tho '.tragedy represented' by this,film, and the-audience hung on ; the, exciting; sequence , of -events with breath'less; interest".: '-"The' Sights of Venice'was. a delightful; ;scenic- film, and hilarious>:comedies''werei'provided" in , plenty: Dramatic : pictures of . much ,1 power and vividness .were''those'depicting the eventful life of. Andreas"Holer,• and , -the , "adventures of a'.spy' who , gets away with inilitary plans .Syhich have to.'be recap-' tured" at, any cost.",'; The, spy'. gets • a ,; good start" in a; motor-car, but is overhauled by two pursuers, on swift horses:.' Pistol' shots are exchanged,-'and the pursuit ends with an .exciting chase through 'a"wo6d, in; which-firearms are'discharged with au. uncommon quickness, :.tho.. spy, ..who_ seems at. first to "bear a charnied life; meeting , eventually'the' end , that ;he; doaerved. The same'pictures will s be sHown to-night. . . :..,;-..; -:....■.....:. ■ ■ RICKAEDS , VATJDEViIiE' COMPANT. .Mr. Harry Kickards , Vaudeville Company, which will, .begin ,a, seven-nights season on Saturday evening at the Opera House, is- said to havo owed something of ; ite.,/success- :to-',the diversify, of its : items. The company includes; Mr. E^anco ,, Piper, a banjo player and juggler,; who Has ;been-a great success , in: tho Aus-J tralian States, the>three Sisters' Trapnell, wlio iperi'orm an acrobatic: act after the style of.the.Klo.tzSisters, Miss' Juli- Gifford; - an , American: soprano;' The-' ™ heelJ'i ers, trick cyclists? •Mγ. Fred- -Bluett, ca? popular- .'.comedian;'• Messrs. ':■ Vaude .■: and Verne, .patter comedians, and : ' Mr.' and Mrs.' Robert Fitzsimnions,.-who appear -■ in .a , sketchj ,, written expressly ■ for' ..Mr. .Ktzsimmons. .-■:; During'the progress 'of the sketch Mr.'.'Fitzsimmons will give Xn exhibition- of ball-punching, and Mrs. Pitzsimmons '-will .sing' a number', of' songs. .':-. Mr.. Pitzsimmons will -also - exhibit, a bioscope film of- the FitzsimmonsLang -boxing, matcli. which , was - decided om Boxing Day at- the,' , Stadium; Sydney, ■in'.• the presence'-of. over ; 15,000' people. The box-, plan l for tho; season- mil bo.l opened , to-morrow: , morning at the' Dresden- .-.-■,• -;-. : : :;•:■:■■ ;;,. ■.;.•■■■■■:. ■■>;... .-

..;■;,:the'cbßNiSH,hxie::;':v .;.,: The management announce the last.five days of.tho "Pisio's" receptions. Yesterday ho had-a .large number of visitors, ihcludir'g numerous ladies. .'As usual the Lilliputian was dressed, in Oriental costume, and' wore'- : a large.jgold-; pendant suspended round'his neck. This is stated by the ; management' to' be , tho-"'gift of the Maharajah of Hydrab'ad. . "i :..;.-