ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 257, 25 July 1921, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

GOOD-BYE TO GILBERT AND SULLIVAN. Ths season which has revived In a rather extraordinary way interest in the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan closed on Saturday evening, in the presence of the largest audience of the season, and one which showed the utmost enthusiasm and appreciation of the performance. In the afternoon "Princess Ida" was played to a good house considering the groat counter-attraction in the open air, and in the evening the bill was "The Yeoman of the Guard," which represents the two famous collaborators at their very best. The performance was a thoroughly delightful one all round, the only change in the cast being the substitution of Air. Fred. England for Mr. Fredk. Hobbs as Sergeant Meryll. owing to the latter being slightly indisposed. Mr. England, one of the oldest employees of J. C. Williamson, Ltd-, on the stage ((whose connection with opera in this country goes back forty years), acquitted 'himself admirably, few in the realising that any change at all had been made.- Every member of the cast seemed to be tuned up to do his or her best, and the result was a very fine performance indeed. Mr. Charles Walenn was a most appealing Jack Point, Mr. James Hey was polished and picturesque as Colonel Fairfax, nnd Mr. Albert Kavanagh was comically lugubrious and ghoulish as the head gaoler, Wilfred Shadbolt. Miss Cissia Vaughan was once more the Elsie Maynard, and Miss Thelma, Carter a.s Phoebe Meryll, and Miss Mollie Tyrell- as Dome Carruthers were nicely suited in their roles. The company will leave for the south this evening. After the great encouragement the management has received both in Australia and New Zealand, it is not anticipated that they will allow these oneras to lie. rusting for so long again. The experience of a generation in England is that audiences never tire of them. Companies tour the provinces year in and year out with most gratifying results. It is only when cities arc neglected for a year or two that they find a little difficulty in winning audiences back to their allegiance. Besides, there are other operas that might be included, suoh as "The Sorcerer. Pa; Hence.” Sullivan’s "The Rose of Persia, "Ruddigore,” and others that could be mentioned. The present organisation is n sound one, and the wish here, at all events, is that it may return again and again. KING’S THEATRE. A splendid bill of motion pictures is presented, at the King’s Theatre this week. Mary Pickford, one of the dearest favourites in picturedom, is the star, and the vehicle for her splendid characterisation is "Heart o’ the HiUe, in which she appears as a wild girl of the mountains. It is a tale of old Kentucky feuds; of the civil wars of the old families of mountaineers who cherished century-old hatreds. The musical aide of the programme contains Lancelot Fairfax, a good baritone, and excellent selections by the Kingfs Orchestra. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. Alice Joyce, one of the finest of American actresses, appears in The Vice of Fools," screened this week at Everybody’s Theatre. Miss Joyce gives a splendid characterisation of a difficult role. The supporting films are excellent. EMPRESS THEATRE. A picturisation of a famous novel by William J. Locke is at the head of the bill at the Empress Theatre this week, and is entitled "The White Dove. The cast is splendid. The supporting films are excellent, and altogether a most enjoyable entertainment is provided m tho present programme. QUEEN’S THEATRE. "The Bait,” which is being shown at the Queen’s Theatre this week, is « photoplay of the lights and shadows of Paris and New York all woven around a love story of considerable appeal and strength. It is a big romantic melodrama. It features in the leading role Hope Hampton, the vivacious beauty who sprang suddenly to fame in the film world, and is one of the mest promising of all the young stars. Viola Dana is said to have the best vehicle of her career in "Please Get Married! the Metro feature which is included on the programme. It is a farcical riot of humour, in which two innocent and perfectly well-intentioned young people believe they are married, and start upon their honeymoon, only then to find that their marriage ceremony whs performed by a burglar instead of a parson. "CHU CHIN CHOW." The spectacular wonders of the J. C. Williamson production of "Chu Chin Chow" include no fewer than sixteen scenes, all of which aro said to be clothed and jewelled with a lavish disregard of expense, and through them move in seemingly unending animation, lovely women, gowned in exquisitely-tinted fabrics, and massive veils flowing from gorgeous head decorations, walking in tho brilliant streets and noisy, gay bazaars. There are robbers, too, pigtailed and mushroom-hatted, armed with flashing scimitars, tho bodyguard of the notorious.,Abu Hassan, masquerading as the pretentious "Chu Ch-in Chow," and a real camel and donkeys, and a white Arab horse for luck. The cast is a vary long and powerful one, and includes, in addition to a number of old favourites, a host of new faces to New Zealand. At the opening, to-morrow night. Mr. Robert Greig, who is touring with the company to personally supervise, the New Zealand production, will have working under him, including two Stage managers, three hundred people-over two hundred of them are travelling with the company. Throughout the season there will bo a matinee every Wednesday nnd Saturday. The box plans for the full season are advertised to open at the Bristol this morning at 9 o’clock, and the early door gallery tickets for the first performance will be sold at Ned Perry’s, tobacconist, Manners Street, this morning. GAUL’S "HOLY CITY.” A second performance of this great work will be given at St. Hilda’s Hall, Island Bay, next Wednesday by the combined Brooklyn and Island Bay Anglican choirs, under Mr. C. E. Proctor. Mrs. W. E. Clarke, Mrs. W. Coventry, Mr. E. W. Lewis,, and Mr. F. Laycock are to be the soloists for the occasion, and a chorus Of 40 voices with orchestra will bo lutjrd. Mr. J. Allen will be at the piano. COLOSSEUM RINK. Lovers of the pastime of roller skating should not fail to visit the Colosseum Rink in Vivian Street. It is one of the largest rinks in the Dominion, and has a great amount of floor space. There is al wavs present a trained corns of instructors. and at evening sessions an orchestra and a balcony cafe add to the enjoyment. Mr. Robert Grieg, who went Home as representative of Mr. Hugh I). M’lntosh and secured "Chu Chin Chow” and other plays and revues for the Tivoli theatres of Sydney and Melbourne, arrived here on Saturday to make tho forward stage arrangements for the production of Oscar Asche’s record-breaking musical play of the Orient. Mr. Grieg has not been in "Wellington since he played in and produced “Seven Keys to sonic five year* ago. A Press Association cable message from London states that the Clara .Bntt-hnm-ford party, including Dame- Melba and a violinist, has sailed by the Orsova, and will open in'Sydney on September 0.