ENTERTAINMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 36, 12 February 1912, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

| OPERA HOUSE. MR. IRVING IN*" THE BELLS." Were the plays our fathers sdw and enjoyed all they would have us believe they were? Paternal memories are ransacked and old plays brought forth from dusty niches, which we are expected to fall down and adore as being imi measurably super mt to anything we ccc to-day. But was it not, after all, that such playe made an enduring impression upon our fathers' minds because they were then (even ac ours are) more plastic and less ossified than they now are. Possibly it was the acting Tattier than the play that Was the thittg in those day*, say, irt the 'sixties, for, while a good actor could pull a bad play 1 throogh, <t> 'poutf ffictor would -wreck a good play And add fuel to the fire of indignation aroused by a bad one. "The Bells" pro+okes finch/ thoughts, for, dissociated from the name of Irving, the question arises : Would it be so ' theatrically attractive as ifc was dft Bat< urday nigirt/, when the Opera Houso was packed in every parti There wa present, too, that personal magnetism which full nouses sometimes generates, for in this case the audientfe nod cotae to see tha son, of a great actor. " The Bells" had the weight of the flame behind it. If, the ; truth, must be told, and heretical ari it may sedln to cay so, there wm-fe times when "The Bells" dragged, notably in <the second art. Jlatbjae. for which, of course, Mr. H. B. Irving was <sft»t, heard the haunting sleigh bells, which none but lie ctfuld hear, first, last, and all the* time, the fhostly tintinnabulation finally driving im stark, staring, raving, fatally mad. Their effect upon 1 him" irt every scene grew in intensity Unto the ««i. The rest of the characters looked on, and it appeared to be" most difficult to feel even- the most languid Interest ill themselves or their affairs, fo* they $eemed to merely cotae on and go 6ff. All eyes were foctissed on Mathia*, the axis upon which the play revolved. The Priflcie" of Denmark could be better stiatfed front Hamlet than M&thiad from. " The Bells " : the whole Weight- fested on hint'-iti other woi'ds, Mr. Irving. Afld he via* eublime. Probably no two men manifest dementia in precisely the same way, therefore Mr. Irving'* conti«ptioft of thb progresslve madn«w, begotten of iremorse, was as likely to be as nea-i' the truth aa it is possible to get, short of the real thing. It; was a marvellous piece of acting, and was appraised at its true value, too, by the ©r6wded and intensely enthusiastic audience. The materialising of th« dream of Mathiafc iii the tnitd and final act> when he imagined himself to be under the spell of a hypnotist, was a scene that will take long to efface 1 from the metaorie* of those who saw it* Mr* Irving was clamorously -suffifiib-ned before the curtain again and again. "The Bells,!' was preceded by the delightful playlei, "A Maid of Honour/ m which Miss Dorothea Baird distinguished herself when it was first produced by the Company early last Week. Both "The Bells * and "The Maid of Honour" will conclude Mr. living's season at the Opera House this evening. ORGAN RECITAL. The weekly otgan Tecitals given by Mr. Maughan Barnett, the City Organist, are deservedly popular, and very cordial appreciation df the excellent programme submitted on Saturday evening at the TWh Hail, was expressed by the large 1 audience, Mendelssohn's "Organ Son&fft, No. 2," a number which makes | exacting demands on the organist, was artistically interpreted, and "ReVe An gelique," a transcription by Lemare of a pianoforte piece By Rubinstein, delightfully played by Mr. Barnett, was encored. Lemmeu's popular "Marche Triomphale" was a brilliant effort, and "Concert Fantasia oil Old English Airs," by Best, was a deservedly popular number. A Bacarolle frbm the "Tales of Hoffman," by Offenbach, was warmly encored. Other items were "March of the Israelites," from "Eli" (Costa), and Wolstenholme's "Volksllefl."-' Not the least enjoy able part of the "programme were two songs contributed by Mlsd Dall, who possesses a sweet meziSo'Soprano voice of lyrical quality. Her numbers Were "Hindu ,Song" and ''0 LoVely Night,'' Miss Dall was obliged to respond to art' «ncote oh both occasions. An ofgan recital is announced for Saturday evening next, and the first ooncert of the MunicipAl Orchestra will take place on 27th February. ALLEN DOONE SEASON. "Sweet County Kerry" i» the piece in which George Marlow will present to Wellington playgoers Alletl Doone, orte of America's Irish fiiflging Comedians and romantic actors/ on Saturday evening next, 17th February, at the Opera HoUse. The Sydney Morning Herald in commenting on the production of "Sweet County Kerry." eaid :— "Drew Farm is a scenic triumph, and is one of the finest things ever doiie. The old farmhouse and garden, the roadway and culvert, the hdlia, sky, and stretch of water in the distance, makes up a lovely picture, in which no detail appears to have been forgotten. There is a dovecot in the foreground, atid a half A dozen pigeon* fly around, and the coming horeft arid a real Irish jaunting car over the culvert, with tfle village farrier and several Irish Ul'dhins in It add to the realism." The box plan for "Sweet County Kerry" opens 1 at the Dresden on Wednesday morning next. THEATRE ROYAL. The kinemacolor pictures are receiving their full share of patronage at the Theatre Royal, and. those who appreciate the true dolour effects of nature aro well watered for. To-night a new programme wilLbe submitted, and will include "Sfletits at Santa Cru2," # " The Ca-rnival at Nice," "The Yarmouth Fishing Industry," and a dramatic study entitled "A Little Daughter* Letter." The last two weeks of kinttnacolor' are announced. THE NEW THEATRE. There W^re large attetidinces at The New Theatre on Saturday. The pictures entitled "Oheynne Frontier Celebrations" will be ehown for the last time to-day. No better photographs of the' superb horsemanship of frontiersmen and cowboys ha« ever, been exhibited here. This evening a new dramatic subject, "A Woman's Revenge," will be screened. The plot is an Unusual ofle. An innocent girl is ia love with a thief, Ahd is quite unaware of his misdeeds. Tho characters are -Well acted. SHORTTS THEATRE. At Shortt's Continuous Picture Entertainment, 'Willifrstreet, on Saturday there were good attendances throughout the tiny. The new programme td be pfe-ee-ftted t6-d&y includes a beautiful coloured subject Of Pftthe Fi'eres "Estnefaldit, or 'the Hunchback of Notre Datne, 1 ' adapted from Victor Hugo's famfltie novel. In addition to < some prfetty scenic viewß, and moving pictures of events of the day. ft UeW selection' of dramatic pieces wfu be screened. AT ST. THOMAS r S THEATRIC n^rtdonts of South Wellington are promised ah attractive programme of p"ictnres at St. Thomas.'* Theatre to-night. The bill includes the very latest attraction ffom the world's best makers. Dramatic studies predominate, but the scenic and industrial ivovld will also he ttinply (jortmyad, and tha«a wlu>lit«i* % "uomty ' will also bo liberally liatered. fojr*

THE KING'S THEATRE. To-night's programme afc Theatre Royal will include a Special Vitagraph film, "Lady Godiva," a fine pictorial representation of a well-known subject. Another picture with a humourous eide is entitled "Gossip" — a modern satire on the proclivities of some women kind. The leading characters are all taken by well-known artiste. There are several other new pictures in a programme v/hich tha management guarantees first-class. SKATING RINK. Oil Saturday night the popularity of the kenematograph entertainment presented by Messrs. Fulled at the Skating Rink was well maintained. Included in the new programme for to-fllghfc are several fine dramatic pieces jtist *eceifed front Home. ' "Captain Brand's Wife" is a 6tory of army life amongst the Indiana, tod there are introduced into it feome fine feat* of horsemanship and la«sothrowing, "Lady Godiva is a pretty presentation of the well-known story of a -woman's self-sacrificing devotion to her people. Pathe's latest London Gazette and other films will also be screened. BIJOU THEATRE. While picture theatre-goers see much of the beauties of other countries those of their own aro not so frequently brought before them. At the cosy Bijou Theatre in Ingeßtre-street some excellent pictures of the famous MokaU and scenes in Taranaki were shown, and we?© wrfl received. Australia in the throes of a heafc-wave was ateo pictured, giving New Zealandel-s an accurate idea of what Buhimer heat in the Commonwealth really means. The Bijou programmed are always up to date, but that produced on Saturday was above thft average, including, as It did, well-chosen hufflorc-tts and dramatic subjects. It Will be repeated this evening. STAR PICTURES. , Thete Wa« a large attendance at the Star Theatre on Saturday night, when the programme which has been running far several dayg was presented for the last time. This evening there -will he a complete change. The management lifts secured a number of new films of unusual eicellence. A^bongfit them Is odeentitfcd "Captain Brand's Wife," a thrilling etory of American frontier life, in which are shown magnificent feats of horsemanship. Other notable items ate "A -Wdmatt's Revenge," "Selling an Heiress," Pathe's latest Gazette, and many fine scenic and other films arriving by to-day's mail. .urn i» urt.i .lJ.uj