ENTERTAINMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 12899, 23 August 1906, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS.

SOCIAL AT KEW.

SMOKE CONCERT

ALHAMBRA THEATRE. Fullers' Entertainers attracted another large house to the Alhambra Theatre last evening. Mr Lex M'Lean, the Sandow man, is proving a veritable draw in his weight-lifting act. A weight-lifting competition for amateurs is announced for to-mor-row evening, and the winner will be rewarded. The Bovis brothers appear for the last time this_jevening. Other members of the strong company are Pearl Lovell, Phyllis Fay, Jack Hagan, Les Warton. It is a very good all round show. VAL VOUSDEN. It is very difficult to criticise Mr Valentine Vbusden, for he does (and that word should be mentally italicised) please and entertain so cleverly in certain sections of his programme that it becomes a real pity that he so distinctly fails in others. If he would only be content in entertaining us with his inimitable vocal contortions and ventriloquial eccentricities a whole soul of buoyant gratitude would go out to him. But he is not so content. He fills you with joyous appreciation one moment, and the very next shatters the entire fabric of personal adulation at an attempt of the "something impossible." Whv does he do it ? We are compelled to ask Why does he attempt to tell us what Mr Edgar Allen Poe experienced in his midnight interview with the Raven ? Mr Poe's representative last evening did neither reach the sympathy of the poem nor the tone of it. Mr Vousden was careful to explain that he had gone into a cell which the morbid poet had once occupied in order to assimilate the "spirit" of the verse which was penned within those sombre walls. It were better that the spirit had been left there and not brought to Dunedin. Then (we are taking Mr Vousden in his worst aspects) the artist gave a rendition of Mr T. Bracken's 'Not Understood.' It was not! And once more—to pick out all the blots—had Mr Vousden refrained from imitating Mr Henry Irving lie would have conferred an incalculable benefit upon his audience. But now we can come 10 the brighter portion of this very clever artist's performance. He is a' comedian—a clever, natural-born character actor—a man who, if he were part and parcel of a completelyorganised dramatic combination, would be its life and strength. His sketches of Mrs O'Rourke—she has been introduced here before by her present guardian—and of the old man of sevinty-fiv„ are supreme in representation. Mr Vousden in these two impersonations proved the right he has to the position of an able and exceedingly clever exponent of human character. Had 'he "house" been larger the applause would have been greater; anyhow, Mr Vousden deserved more than he got. All the artht's ventriloquial effects were of the very best. He dispenses almost entirely with the stuffed figures which have mundanely been associated with this sort of exhibition, and voicis are heard from the " comfy '•' corners of fireside chairs, or from the recesses behind "curtains up C," or from the mysteries of "way back beyond." Then, of course, it becomes merely "a case of breathing heavily and enthusiastically applauding in tho hope that your nextdoor neighbor w ; Il not beat vou in appreciation. These are the things in Mr Vouscen's performai.cr; which can be conscientiously enjoyed and just as conscientcusly recommended. Altogether it can honestly be said that the entertainer gives his patrons value for their money, and that Vis performance generally is one of merit and of unquestioned cleverness. Something also must be said of Mr Courtney, a baritone, who in the first half of the programme sang ' Will o' the wisp," and in the latter half rendered 'My beloved queen.' He pleased everybody immensely, and thoroughly deserved the encores which were accorded him. Another performance will be given this evening. MISS NELLIE GALLOWAY. " In the Garrison Hall last night, before a moderate audience, Miss Nellie Galloway, assisted by several local artists, put forward an entertainment entitled a Dramatic, Musical, and Costume Recital. It -ntus announced as under the patronage of the Bums Club and the Gaelic and Caledonian Societies of this town. The programme also contained laudatory notices of Miss Galloway as a public performer, and after hearing her last night we cordially endorse these. It was rather unfortunate that for Miss Galloway's first entertainment of any magnitude in this town of her adoption—for we understand she has settled here—an auditorium of the size of the Garrison Hall was chosen, for a smaller hall would have seated the audience comfortably,, and would have suited Miss Galloway's voice better. The partitioning off of the floor space (the galleries were not. requisitioned for seating accommodation) into 3s, 2s, and Is seats necessitated a proportion of the audience being at some distance from the stage, and by them Miss Galloway was not always distinctly heard. Thio partial inaudibility told somewhat against the reciter's first number, Adelaide Procter's 'Story of a Faithful Soid.' It is doubtful if more than a small percentage of the audience were famibvir with this selection, or had even read it. This item fell somewhat fiat, because, purely from physical causes, Miss Galloway was unable to present it with the force and. vigor necessary to impress it on the mind at first hearing. In other words, some passages were indistinct, some inaudible, and the blanks left were destructive to an understanding of the author's meaning. In the* 'Pied Piper of Hamelin' Miss Galloway was on more familiar ground. The Philistine who would never consent to read ' Paracelsus' or any other of Browning's more serious works knows the legend of the piper and likes it. Miss Galloway pleased the audience with her rendering of it, and was even more successful with two bracketed numbers, ' The minuet ' and ' A lesson with the fan,' being recalled on the conclusion of the latter. These two pieces were given in what may be termed " Powder and Patches" costume, and after the first Miss Galloway went through the graceful evolutions of the minuet, this pas seul being to the music of the ' Stephanie' gavotte supDlied by Mr Paget Gale on the piano. In the second part of the programme Miss Galloway appeared with Mr lan Stuart in a one-act comedietta, written bv Mr S Theyre Smith, and entitled 'A Harwy Pair.' It deals with a domestic difference between Mr and Mrs Honeyton, and while there is nothing in its construction or dialogue betokening great originality—possible all matrimonial squabbles are very much alike in essence—its representation was quite satisfactory enough to hold the attention of the audience throughout. Of the other performers, "Miss Ethel Churchill, a juvenile pupil of Miss Galloway, recited j J%&h EjqfertaJTjs Her Sister's Jjoyes' eo.

well that an imperative encore resulted, The same compliment was paid to Mr Farauhar Young on each of his two appearances. His songs were the ' Gipsy Serenade,' from the ' Fortune-teller,' and ' The Baudalero,' bis encore numbers being fThe dear little girl' and ' Sweet Mistress Prue.' Mrs Morikmaa-Dempster was iinable to appear, owing to an attack of influenza, and her place was taken by Mass Alexander, a contralto, who sang 'Why must we say good-bye?' and 'Caller herrin'.' Mr Gale, besides surmlying the accompaniments, played one of Chopin's best-known nocturnes (Op. 32, No. 2), and a waltz by the same composer. In the waltz excellent technique was shown, bnt the nocturne suffered somewhat through rather excessive variation in tempo by the pianist. COOK'S PICTURES. Animated picture entertainments find considerable favor with the general public nowadays. Mr Sidney Cook, an expert Mnematographer, announces that the programmes which will be presented in His Majesty's Theatre during the Cook's Picture season, which will commence on August 27, will bo of the most up-to-date character. Every phase of animated photography will be presented, and in addition to the most recent importations from London. Paris, and New York -a series of pictures depicting Dunedin to-day will bo specially kinematograpned by Mr Cook, and shown during the season. Mr Aubrey Wynn will sing the latest American picture songs. The season will extend over seven nights, and matinees will be given on Thursday and Saturday. Among other specialties will be a film of the Grand National Steeplechase meeting, taken- by Mr Cook at Riccarton on Tuesday, August 14.

DUNEDIN FOOTBALL CLUB'S BALL. The Dunedin Football' Club's ball was held last evening, and proved a great success. Eighty couples took the floor. The hall was well decorated, and the arrangements were admirable. The music was by Yates and Beath's band, and the catering was in the hands of Mr 0. Kroon. The M.C.S were Messrs Stabb, Paton, Clarke, Fitzpatrick, and Shankland.

An enjoyable evening was spent m Che Kew Schoolroom on Tuesday night, when the Kew P.M. Junior C.E. Society held an annual social. There were about 150 friends present, including delegates from various C.E. societies. Misses Porter, Walker, H. Walker, V. Milburn, Walton, N. White, B. Kennard, and E. Westland all contributed to the evening's harmony. After the secretary called the roll, refreshments were handed round, and games of various kinds were indulged in and well enjoyed by young and old. Misses N. White, E. Westland, L. Walton, and Mr W. Walton acted as accompanists.

A smoke concert in honor of the Timaru Association footballers was held at the Palace Hotel last night. The'chief toasts of the evening were "The South Canterbury Association" and "The Otago Association," which were received joyously, and accompanied with hearty speeches. Mr Budd, who proposed the latter toast, spoke of the progress that the game had made m Timaru. It was being played in the schools and was going ahead, and as the result of a visit by the Timaru team, Association would probably have a beginning in Geraldine, while it was likelv to start at Waimate and Tcmuka also. The " smoko " was very much enjoyed, particularly the musical part of it, to which several talented performers contributed. The Timaru players went home to-day. LECTUKE-MUSICALE. v To-night, at the Garrison Hall, an entertaining programme will be given by Hamilton and Garmong,-previous to beginning a mission at the Town Hall, South Dunedin. Mr J. M. Innes will be superintendent of ushers, while Mr Prank Morton will assist in throwing 20ft pictures from a dissolving view stereopticon upon the screen. The Tabernacle chorus will sing and solos will be sung by Mr Garmong. Mr Hamilton's talk on American negro and Indian life should be attractive. Over 200 views in two brief hours. ORGAN RECITAL. The second of the present series of organ recitals by Mr David Cooke will be given in the Moray place Congregational Church on Monday evening. Mr Cooke has made a judicious selection of organ pieces, and will no doubt, as on former occasions, please his audience. Variety will be added in the shape of vocal solos by Messrs Courtney, Hood, and A. Ibbotson.

Mr A. Wilson, M.A., rector of the Boys' High School, will give an address this evening under the auspices of the Y.M.C.A. on ' Shakespeare.' Aa this will probably be Mr Wilson's last public address prior' to his departure for Wellington, doubtless large numbers will avail themselves of the opportunity to hear him.