AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 13003, 24 December 1906, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

EDISON'S PICTURES. Kdison's Pictures will bo shown again in l>unedm on Boxing Night. VrofessoT Andrews is again in charge of tho show, and' during a short season some lino new films are promised. On the last visit 'America Illustrated' was the, title- of the entertainment. POLLERS - . Fullers' Entertainers, strongly reinforced by several new artists, played to a very large house at tho. Alhambra Theatre on Saturday night. Miss Ida Bciridge, a serio wio achieved probaMy more popularity than any munie-hall comedienne who has been in the colony, made a reappearance, and received a great ovation. She sang three songs with instantaneous success. Her third effort was a really clever bit of character work. Mr Graham and Miss Dent, who occupy a unique position in colonial vaudeville, were seen again in their clever sketch ' Tho Lady Sport,' which has, if that were possible, enhanced their popularitv. This evening thoy will make their last bow in Dunedin for a while. Master Norman Mumford was very well received. For a lad of nine or ten years be has a phenomenally good voice. Craydon, Barton, and Little Jackson are original sort of sketch people and tlieir latest effort in farce is most entertaining. Other popular second-part turns are those given by Will Stevens -under tho title of 'Pemale Impersonatione' and tho St. , Leonards, gvmnasts extraordinary. The first part, too, was enlivened bv several new artists. Mr Harry Linden proved to be an exceptionally capable end comedian and specialty performer, and his songs were highly appreciated. Mr Val Newton possesses a fine rounded hnritono voice, and uses it well • awl Miss Annio Oarvonder is an engaging serio. Of the older favorites Mr Ward Lear ifi " going" bigger than eyer. There will lie another performance this evening. Fullers' Christmas-Concert. —

To-morrow .afternoon and evening Messrs Fuller announce a sacred entertainment, which will inclnde a picture tour through ' Tho Tower of London,' ' Westminster Abhev.' and 'The. Cannibal Islands.' intervals appropriate songs and recitations will be given by Miss Gertrude. Fraser. Master Mumford, Mr Val Newton, and others, and bioscope views will be a feature. 'THE VIRGINIAN.' On Saturday night the dramatic combination headed by Miss Humphrey and Mr Waldron brought their Dunedin season to a close with a repetition of 'The Virginian.' and in thisfine play once more delighted a critical audience. Tho company kft by the, first express this morning fori ChristclruTch. HOUOWiY BRAMATIC COMPANY. Mr Charles Holloway and the members of his-dramatic company, numbering in all ihirtr-frvo jxxmle, arrived in Dunedin jes-v.

terday morning bv the s.s. Zealandia, so that everything will be in readiness for tho commencement of the Dunedin season at the Princess Theatre on Boxing Night. 'Why Woman Sins,' which is the opening production, is an intelligently-told and highly-interesting story, and affords the various members of the lengthy cast ample opportunity for tho display of their Histrionic capabilities. Tho problem Why ■woman sins ? has been exercising tho work! since tho days of Adam. The great Hebrew sage, throughout the priceless legacy of wisdom that he left to posterity in his proverbs, reiterates his failure to give tho answer to just this particular question. Among the few things that Solomon faded at, and confessed his ignorance of, was " the way of a man with a maid." So long as men and women a~e human the answer will probablv have to be just what Solomon's was. 'The play 'Why Woman Sim is well mounted, the scenery is of a very high class, and tho stage mechanism will bo found to be without flaw. "THE LITTLE STRANGER.' Meyncfl. Gunn, and Varna's New English Comedy Company arc due at Hb Majesty's Theatre on Tuesday, January 1, when 'The Little Stranger' will make hie bow to a Dunedin audience. The author of the play has conceived anotlier ldfa in the romance of topsy-turvevaom, already exploited so frequently by W. S. Gilbert. All natural laws are waived, and ho asks his audience to look at the miisery, as it were, through the wrong end of tho telescope. "Out of tho mouths of babes and sucklings" he essays to teach wisdom, by indicating a state of affairs which might bo brought about were the young gentleman iu "shorts" to become incarnated with the soul of a grown up, and behave accordingly. The hero in 'The little Stranger' is a " cooing baby" in tho arms of his nurse, who afterwards becomes a holy terror m the household to which he belongs. The clever boy Willie Parke, who lias made such a success of the title role of 'The Little Stranger.' is able to claim quite an experience on tie fitage already, though he is only nine years old. He first appeared at the mature age of three in a performance of ' Madame Butterfly'; later on he was at the AdeJphi in ' Midsummer Night's Dream,' and then played 'Millie's Baby' at tho Granville Theatre. The original "Little Stranger" in London was Edward Gariatt, another boy, whoso performance was mainly responsible for the great success of the comedy in England and America. Willie Parke "was Garratt's understudy, and acted bo cleverly in the capacity that Mr Michael Morton, "the author of the play, .-selected him for the part in the Australasian tour of Meynell, Gunn. and Varna's new company. The new nine-year-old star, who was born in Westminster and educated in Camberwell—and therefore proudly claims to be "an Englishman."—enters folly into the humor of tho comedy, and romps about the stage with all the healthy, happy spirit of an irresponsible child, who is delighting in the role of a spirit of mischief.