AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 12308, 24 September 1904, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

•PRINCESS'S THEATRE. With commendable perseverance Um Woods-Williamson Company are changing thoir productions rapidly, Berious and fight compositions tempting the patronage of all varieties o' theatregoers. Lost night the vtll-known 'Arabian Nights,' Sidnev Gnmdy'B smartly-written farcical oomedv, was staged. Though often seen here, there is a kind of perennial freshness about-the comedy that ensures its welcome, and th« Present company-sit least in the two leading characters—do it justice. The many difficulties which beset Mr Arthur Humramgtop as the result of one little adventure wrth "the Gutta-percha Girl,^innocent enough in itself but magnified many diameters throngh his innate distaste to tell the truth, lead to many comical situations, and in the part of Hummingtop Mr Woods was excellently suited. The vein of humor is clearly traceable in Mr Woods, and his experience leads him to avoid the dangerous pitfall of exaggeration. Miss Williamson, as his mother-in-law—type of all that is objectionable in that much-maligned person—made up regardless of appearance, and raised many a laugh, though it seemed hard to believe that any man could possibly put up with her tyranny. Though Miss May Carleon as "the Gutta-percha Girl*' and Mr Beaumont as Josh Gellibrand were funny, .more inight have been made of the characters; and the same remark applies to Mr Lambert's portrayal of "Ralph Oraerod. Miss Maggie Masters as Daisy Maitlarid and Miss A. Holroyd as Mrs Hummingtop performod their light duties well, and the other characters were satisfactory. The comical situation at the close of tb« second act took the fancy of the audience, and the curtain had to be raised several times. 'Arabian Nights' is to be repeated this evening under the patronage of the North and bouth Island football teams, and it is safe to advise anybody in need of a Uvught to visi< the Princess's Theatre. ALHAMBRA THEATRE. There was a good week-end house at the Alhambra llieatro last evening, and the wrestling of Mr Harry Pearce with T. Melville caused n good deal of excitement. Melville (considering the disparity in weight between the two men) gave Pearce some trouble, and lasted for lOfmin, when the champion secured a fine fall. Mr D. M*Laren officiated as referee. This evening Pearcc's opponent will be R. Scott, the champion of New Zealand, and a fine display of scientific wrestling should result. Scott is a big man, and capable of going hard from start to finish. On Monday evening Spence, tlie young man who gave Pearce a tight struggle on Thursday, will again be matched, the conditions on this occasion to be that Pearce throws him in ten minutes, or, failing that, forfeits £1 for every succeeding minute that Spence lasts. Canno, the Herculean juggler, will make a welcome reappearance to-night, and the stir turns will be supported by Barbara Renton, Edith Bourke, Cissie Whitford, the Bartotos, Harry Brown, Hurry Cowan, Aubrey Douglas, and tbo Trcvena*. OLYMPIA SKATING RINK. A large house assembled at the Rink last evening, and the fifth and sixth heats of the mile handicap were run off amidst somo excitement- The fifth heat was a fast and fairly well contested one, the four competitors making the pace pretty hot, Whclan (syds) winning, however, without a great deal of trouble. Andrews (80yds) came second, and the time occupied was 4mhi 49sec. In (he sixth heat there were five starters, but two dropped out before the finish, and Moore (60yds) won, Morrow (110 yds) coming second. As the Christchurch hockey team leave on Monday morning, the proprietor has arranged to hold a mile scr.ilch race to-night, which will be open to all comers, attendants included. Tliere should be some good fast, skating shown, and a -good attendance to witness it. The semi-finals for the mile handicap will lx* run on Monday night.