ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 762, 10 March 1910, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THEATEE EOTAL. This week's programme by tho Fuller Vaudeville Company is drawing crowded houses, the audiences being unstinting in their praise and appreciation of tho various "turns." Mr. Ward Lear ■ provides plenty of original humour, and his comicalities keep the. audienco in an hilarious mood. The other performers possess good talent, in fact tho programme is a really enjoyable one. An-other.-performance will be, given, tbis evening. -, .-" ' .' . . HIS MAJESTY'S PICTURES. The popular picture entertainment at His Majesty's Theatre. will from March 16, the date on which the lease.ot the Eoyal Picture Syndicate ■ expires, i > be known solely as His. Majesty's Pictures. Messrs. John Fuller and Son will assume the sole management, and'promise that ■ it will be their endeavour to sustain the high reputation this popular house has gained during tho past tv.o yeaTs. . . ■ WEST'S EOYAL PICTUEES. ' : The conclusion of Tuesday nighf s performance: at His Majesty's will mark the finish of the Royal Picture Syndicate's lease. On Wednesday next the Koyal Pictures- and West's Pictures amalgamate, and will open the commodiqus new King's Theatre as a permanent picture theatre. Special attention has been paid to patrons' comfort in .the_ new nouse of pictures, and everything'is arranged on the most modern and approved lines. For the opening performance' a special picture programme has been selected by Mr. T. J. West, and «m----'braces the latest in biographic: art. Xhe music of an- augmented "orchestra: will bo a feature of the'new firm's entertainment. The box plan for the opening performance is now,,on view, at iihel's, in,Manners.Street. ...... ~ ■ T THE EOYAL PICTURES. ■... \ The,,final change of programme ■ before the Eoyal Pietnre. Syndicate "quits His Majesty's Theatre for the new King s Theatre was presented last evening to an audience that filled every foot of available space. Though there have been bet-ter-all-round, programmes presented at this popular picture hall, there were several studies last evening that relieved,the bill from mediocrity. One can always rely on good pictures from tho American Biograph Company. <, Their ~ studies are always, crammed, with interest, convincingly mounted/ and capably acted. The picture that made the strongest appeal last evening was a drama of love, passion; and-hate told in the dingy Italian quarter of New York and entitled. "In Little Italy." ; A young and beautiful widow : has fascinated ; two men—a ..;- labourer, wbo is "bearded like the paid,' and a much younger man, who is given to sereenading Mβ love on an accordion. Tessa flouts Georgio, the labourer, and showers her caresses on Mario. Mad with jealousy "Georgio ■ repairs to a wine-cafe, borrows a knifo , and pistol, and returns to the widow's only- to find her m Mario's arms. He looks for revenge, and after being baulked several times, he at last stabs Mario while he is dancing with Tessa at an Italian ball. :Thq widow takes her lover home, and Georgio, learnI ing that the wound he. inflicted is not fatal,' repairs once more to finish his rival. Tessa barricades her home, afteT sending her- little girl for assistance by way of the , window. At:last tho demented Georgio obtains entrance through a trap-door, and is just about to kill his helpless .but successful rival,.: when the police enter and shoot him down. The acting throughout :was splendid. Another goe'd stovy pioture is entitled "Grandfather's Story.'o It is : really.- an incident in' Garibaldi s campaign m Italy. •"A House of Cards"- is'a story of the wild west, with cow-boys,, gamblers;- the faro bank, and the girl complete. On the Border" is another of the same class. "Normandy Butter" is a tinted picture, which shows-how very backward-a coun-try'can-be in.dairying methods.in these .times. In fair.;Normandy_.the..maid still 'milks the: cows. in the field, hand-skims the cream,, and.churns,it.into butter in 'the old pestle and mortar churn. How b'utter is made in "New Zealand would have supplied .- contrast. .-, Other pi<tuies,<,r.in6r.e* or less interesting are: —Aj.Good Xesson,'-'4he,very'.comical;."Mr.-, 'Pooriuckjfiets". Married,":: "Arab Cnstoms," ."Uses of the Lassoo," and "Shortsighted Sportsmen." The Royal Pictures will-.conclude .their season '~at His Majesty's -Theatre." on Tuesday evening next.

[ ■'■■ ;T: ;, Another large audience patronised the Star Pictures at St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown,; last : evening, •,and the ;many varied and.... interesting : films /• screened Were greatly.; appreciated. The. pictures .will :be ; shown again this evening.. ■'.'/ :/. ;,'■. :.■■■:,:.:.'?THE.LTEIC."SISTEBS'.*?.. :'.■;' : . . The concert ' recital : given- by "the. Lyric Sisters"—Misses : K. S; and S. M. Pees—in therMunicipal Concert- Chamber last ..evening, was very, good in parts. Tlicee were 6he parts in which the sisters attempt too. much. .In the dialogue ' from "The Taming of the Shrew," in which Kate is wooed by Petruchio; Kafe'was far!too!nervqus'for her character. 'Miss K. S. Pees recited a ballaS'by Will' Carleton, "The' J :Firsf. Settler's Story," with admirable, pathos and 'vigour. The. ballad; which, was well' chosen, is best known.by. the two lines which express .its ; moral: : ' .i: ■'■■'■■',■.'.': ■?■■•'■ .!•■.

"Boys.fiying :kites; hanl in 'their white- . ... wingeS uirds; ■ ~..•-■..'-. .'• , . Xpu can't ,do that when you're flying : '' words." . r-.. '■-.- .■,. .-. -■■ ■ Miss G./M..Pees showed far too muoh temerity in, choosing "The , Ancient Mariner" for a recitation. \. She gave.no suggestion of ..the.imaginative awe and.eeriness. of.the ■poem..;. The. pictnie. of:' a "thousand thousand 1 slimy things," is not made.; .more, terriblei bnt; only com-' monplace, suggesting,, say, spiders ' or cockroaches, by;<ui'inordinate emphasis, and the-twitching, of 'feminine fingers. Despite these infelicities, there 1 was ample evidence afforded that if Miss G. M. Pees had chosen one or\ two lighter, subjects she might have , made a very good impression as an elocutionist ■ Instead, she sang several sonm: ."Love's ■■■Proving" "Tit for Tat" (H. Pontet), and ''Roses Bring Dreams of You" (H. Ingraham), in a pleasing manner, being encored for her first solo, and responding with. "The Rose you Gave to Me." Miss Ayres, A.'f.L.L., was an efficient accompanist. Miss K;- £!.■ Pees gave a humorous recitation; "Hia First and: Last Attempt" (Eiley) very well indeed, and infused a great real of spirit into her : recital ; of, / "Shamns O'Brien," whose excessive vigour, however, makes it more of a man's piece. ■The Garrison Band J played a couple of selections, "The Poet and Peasant" (Suppe),- and "National ■ Melodies" (E. Newton) very acceptably.

ROYAL BESSES O'TH' BARN BAND. The plans of reserved seats ; for tho Royal: liesses o' tV Barn Band season of five performances, commencing at the lown Hall nest Wednesday eToning, under the direction of J. and N. Tait, open at the Dresden at 10 o'clock on Saturday morning next. .'Regarding the. performances of the Besses it is said that the instruments are. beautifully balanced, all helping to swell .the general ensemble, and yet none standing out so as to suggest the slightest degTto of obtrusiveness. Their great success is largely duo to the famous conductor, Mr. Alexander Owen, who is with the Besses on the present tour.