ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 64, 13 September 1909, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE. 1 T.wo performances of the pantomime •"Jack and Jill" were given on Saturday, a ,nd each time to a fulJ Opera iHoixse. The giant rooster and the teddy ■bears are by no means all the clever "animals" that bring joy to youthful ihearts and amuse older spectators. The jewelled scheme of the tableaux and ballets is gorgeous, presses and lights •combine to make a wonderfully fine .show. While the performance of the (demon king is reduced" to a minimum, (there is an extravagance of fairies and ■beautiful ladies, delightful to the eye. iSeveral clever songs are sung, fche ■"skits" are pleasant and clean. As pantomime pure and simple, "Jack and Jill" is -worthy of a visit by all who <are not tinwilling to be amused. The Jast matinee performance will be given on Wednesday, and the season will close on [Thursday evening. THEATRfTrOYAL. There was a change of programme afc this popular -place of amusement on Saturday night, and the house was full. The chief item on a long programme is still that depicting Bleriot's aeroplane, flight across the English Channel, but the rest are excellent, and proved decidedly interesting. Ihe coloured film showing haw bamboo hats are made in Java is interesting and instructive, and the same can be said qf another travel picture, "Copenhagen Port," which gives a clear and accurate idea of that interesting and up-to-date seaport. Perhaps the best of the humorous pictures is "A Makeshift Postman." It is a skit on what occurred during the great postal strike in France, when all sorts and conditions of men were pressed into the service. In this case the makeshift postman is ludicrously foolish, and his absurdities are laughable to a degree. Throughout the programme is first-class, and well worth seeing. HIS MAJESTY'S. There were two performances at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday, and both were well attended. The present programme included some very interesting and instructive pictures. Fresh views are announced for this week. OLYMPIARINK. The children's floral carnival at the Olympia Rink on Saturday was a great success from tv spectacular point of view. Many ingenious costumes ' were worn, and it was a regular children's holiday. The following were the prize-winners : — Best costume, girl, Mona Anstis ; most original costume, Olive Arthur ; most comical character, W. Manson ; special prize, Nellie Stanbridge; best poster costume, Albert Hart; most graceful skatei-, Ivy Rittenberg; girls' race, Gladys Aitken ; boys' race, W. Burrows. The rink is open every afternoon and evening. OSBRIENO 5 BRIEN AND 00. 'S "SOCIAL." 'Messrs. J. O'Brien and Co.'s annual ireunion, tendered 'by the firm to the .employees, took place at the Masonic JHall, Brooklyn, on Saturday evening. /Besides the drivers there were present representatives of the Harbour Board ifMr. A. V. H. iMunro) and the leading merchant firms of the city. Mr. Pettitt, a late member of the .firm, was absent, he having left Wellington. Councillor iGeo. Frost 'was in ' fche chair, supported iby IM/r. J. O'Brien and Mr. Anthony Fay (of the firm. .Mr. IFrost proposed ithe toast of "O'Brien and C 0.," and emphasised the good relations which existed •between the company and its employees. The toast was responded to iwith musical honours. The prizes for •best-kept harness, etc., donated by Mr. /Pettitt and the present company, will .be awarded ..in November. The tables were laid and handsomely decorated by IMesdames O'fßrien, Hill, and Short. /Song and story were indulged in until (11.30 o'clock, when an enjoyable evening concluded. (Mr. J. Fraser played the accompaniments. SUNDAY CONCERT. A large number o* patrons attended the- concert -which, was given last evening in the Town Hall by the Wellington Professional 'Orchestra. The applause iwas not stinted, the audience appearing to fully appreciate the carefullyeelected programme. Steady improvement is the order of the orcfiestra. The list of numbers was not too lengthy. Master Rupert Christie, the boy treble, was the -only vocalist, and ho was .heartily recalled for his singing of "Daddy," a song which is better suited to him than his usual numbers are. The orchestral items were the overture to '^Pique Dame" (Suppe), entr'acte, "Rouge et Noir" (Lotter), "S.erz an Herz ' .('Lopann), the "Turkish Patrol" {iMichaelis), "Abeschied Gladiatoren" .(Blankenberg), and the intermezzo "JForget-ime-not" (M'Beth), The solo instrumentalists of the orchestra gave repeated proof of their efficiency, and it is abundantly evident that the comibination is not allowed to suffer through want of rehearsal. Mr. F. Oakes. con.ducted 'his band in a praiseworthy style. Mt. Maughan Barnett's recital on the city organ on Saturday night opened with Chopin's " Marche Funebre," in memory of the late Mrs. T. W. Hislop. Bach's fine Prelude and Fugue in D followed. Schutt's dainty little " Berceuse " was encored ; but the number that perhaps was most appreciated was the selection from Widor's Symphony No. 4— the Andante Cantabile, with its exquisite harmonies ; the delicate and joyous Scherzo, and the magnificent Finale. This was followed by Dvorak's " New "World " symphony, 'in which strains of quaint plantation melodies are effectively blended. A really fine programme closed with Wely's " Storm Fantaisie," an always welcome item. It is announced that next Saturday's programme will include works by Bach, Guilmant, and Rubenstein, and a fanThe Garrison 'Band will give a periormance in the Town Hall to-night. "The -Kilties" will appear at the Oddfellows' iHall, Petone, to-night, under the auspices of the Wellington Pipe 'Band and Dancers' Club.