ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 760, 8 March 1910, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ANDREW BLACK CONCERT CO. . A hearty welcome was. given, to the Andrew Black Concert Company at the Opera House last evening, by an audience that could easily have been larger, though not much more enthusiastic. Sir. Andrew Black is a pronounced favourite iu Wellington, and is valued both for his genial personality aud his exceptional vocal gifts. His is a fullbodied,- resonant baritone voice, used without artifice. Yet even Mr. Black, with a world of experience behind him, has contracted a mannerism—that is his habit of clearing his throat between phrases. It was noticeable that this was not so apparent in the second as the first half, and may be attributable to nervousness, though it. is difficult to imagino Andrew Black nervous. Last evening he sang much better in the latter half of the programme—he had more vocal repose in "Turn Ye to Me," "The Cameron Men," and "Timo was when Love and I were Well Acquainted" (from the GilbertSullivan opera "The Sorceror"), than was the case in Marshall's sentimental song, "1 Hear You Calling Me," and "Vittoria, Vittoria." . Still his methods are .so. frank and hearty, his . voice of such ■ a gritty, ringing 'quality, th'at everything ho sang was welcome. As an encore to the two'last-mentioned soiigs,.Mr. Black produced the ■ ruggedly dramatic Hungarian folk-lore song, "Had a Horse," which Mr..John Prousc popularised here ten years ago. Mr. Black threw some 'fine colour into the number, and left his audience wanting more. Hatton's old song, ''To Anthca/ 5 - the singer took at a gallop, and was through with honour before the average amateur would be half way. Another fine ■ that displayed Mr. Black's ringing top register to advantage was Sargent's setting ot "Blow, Blow, Thou Wintry Wind," which gives rare colour to Shakespeare's lines. As an oncore, Kipling's quaint "Mother Seal's .Song" was sung delightfully. In the second part he was double encored, "Tho Cameron Hen" producing the Sullivan number, mentioned above, and "The Land o' the Leal," sung to his own accompaniment. ... Anton Tschaikov, the violinist of the company, is a capable performer, -who infuses a lot of sympathy into his clever work. . Last evening he was bothered by a bad string or the lack of a rub of resin, which here and there accounted for a slight divergence from true pitch, but he bows well and with plenty of confidence. Last evening he played Leclair's "Sonate" with Miss Lilian Delany, and though the number was not well selected for tin opening, the pair were recalled: He also played the favourite "Andante and Finale"-of Mendelssohn's Concerto, and was again honoured - with a :ecall. He was at his best in the "Ballade and Polonaise" of Vieuxtemps, a charming, number, discerningly played. Miss Lilian Delany is a pianist who plays crisply and correctly, without. disclosing any marked, character. -She rippled through Greig's pretty ' "Wedding Day," anil "Chammade'6 v "Ritournelle" skjlfully enough,' but without impressement. The lady vocalist .of ,the company is Miss Iley Cross, an earnest contralto of fail; quality, who sang "Che. Faro" (Gliick), "Three Green Bonnets" (D'Hardelot),' and "Braw, Brawl Lads." Miss Delany played the acoompanimcnts satisfactory. . This evening 3lr. Andrew Black will sing the prologue of "I .Pagliacci" (Leoncavallo), "Young Dieterich"' (Henschel), and "La ci Darcm" (Mozart). If it were only to hear him declaim the Prologue there should be a large audience.

FULLERS' VAUDEVILLE COMPANY. The new programme which was staged at the Theatre Royal last night by Fullers' Vaudeville Company was received by a full kouso with every mark- of appreciation. Mr. Ward Lear, : who mado his first appearance, is. a comedian of great talent. In his first turn' he. was got up as a comic "gentleman of colour," and he very soon had the audience shrieking with laughter. He was recalled again and again, and'perhaps his best item was a laughing song, in which his demonstrations of hilarity were of ji most realistic and infectious character. Jlr. Lear came on again in the second part of the programme, made up this time as a very genuine-looking Chinaman, and again ho sang:and pattered to the .huge-delight of all parts of the''house. He also showed' himself clever at mimicry, his .imitatation of a Chinaman' robbing a henroost, with tho noises of hens, chickens, and a dog being particularly, good. Altogether, Mr. Lear is to be reckoned a valuable : addition to the company: Deave's Manikins reappeared last night with some effective new items, and again excited wonder at the skill which can make marionettes disport' themselves in such lifelike fashion. Raleigh, the slackwire performer, did winders with grace-, ful ease, and was successful even iii' the, remarkable feat of' riding , a bicyclp "entile wire. , Mr Charles Throsby,"':niono-„ legue entertainer, introduced some . new items, and the programme also included acceptable contributions by Misses Maud Hewson (contralto), Pearl Smaill, Gertie Johns, Bella Perman,; Beattie. Macdonald, and tho Martin Sisters, and Mr.- Will Eobey, the long-legged comedian. • The biograph provided a pleasant interlude, una Mr. Frank Crowther's orchestra' sustained its high reputation.-. The programme will be repeated to-night. ROTAL PICTURES. "One of the best programmes ever seen in Wellington," is the general verdict of regular patrons of the Royal Pictures, regarding this week's ' programme. "A Corner in Wheat," certainly one of the most artistic dramatic .successes seen per medium of the kinematograph, is ; a picture that holds tho ' audience. The opening scene is strongly reminiscent of Corofs famous. Jicture—the serious, toil-worn mien of the sower, ; and the patient, quiet air of his wife. He sows; the man in Chicago engineers a "corner" in Wheat. The engineer of "corners" shows his lady friends over his fat granaries, while his fellow-man is starving for bread. Ho is handed a telegram from his accountant, with, the advice that ho has secured a hold on the world's wheat, and is so; overjoyed that he steps back—into space. He has fallen down a grain elevator-well, and as lie struggles ke is overwhelmed by the pouring wheat. The finale ofithe picture is very beautiful. The sower appears, before his wife empty-handed—the tall prices have meant nothing to him. Then, as twilight fades into night, "his lone figure is seen treading the 1 furrows with bowed head as he scatters the seed for another , harvest. Other good pictures are: "John Bull's Foolish Hospitality," "The Test," "The Majriage of Coco," and -"Railway Construction in Canada." STAR PICTURES. The Star Pictures Proprietary submitted an entirely new programme at St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown, last evening. The best film was one showing motorboats in. a series of races.' .Others of special interest were tko wild animal' studies at the London Zoo, and the voy-age-pictures on the steamship 'Berlin, from London to .Genoa, - A- selection -of popular dramatic filmls, and a liberal supply of comics were also comprised in a programme which may bo relied upon to secure a considerable share of publio patronage throughout the week.