ENTERTAINMENTS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 50, 9 February 1911, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS.

WIRTH BROS.’ CIRCUS AND MENAGERIE.

Wirth Bros.’ greatest show on earth will perform in Hastings on Friday, Feb. 10th, for one night only, in its entirety. We are assured that the whole of the enormous enterprise will be here, as the Wirth Bros.’ never divide, but travel and perform everything everywhere. The circus this season is full of novel, original and daring features engaged from the best circuses and music halls in the world. Each year Messrs. Wirth Bros, introduce new and sensational specialities, and since the visit of this jvorld-renowned circus, two years ago, many additions to both cipcus and menagerie have been secured. Amongst the circus artists to appear here are the wonderful Frantz troupe of society acrobats; the Healys in their marvellous and unique barrel jumping act, somersaulting in and out of ordinary barrels in a wonderful fashion; Mdlle. Millie Sagmar, with her beautiful school of trained dogs and ponies; the tossing testros, marvellous equilibrists and jugglers; the Lentous, acrobatic comedy actors ; Misses Daisy and May Harley, aerialists; Misses Rill, Stella and‘May Martin, graceful equestriennes ; Madame Edith Cooke* and Marizles in beautiful menage act on two thoroughbred horses;, the Willey Cooke Bros., bounding jockies and mashers on horseback; the Christies, Raymond, the gaolbreaker, and dozens of clowns* augusts, and comedy men' specially engaged for this season. Besides the wonderful circus aggregation, the huge menagerie is filled with dens of the fiercest and most unique animals, gathered from every land and clime, and includes a herd of seven performing elephants ; an arena full of lions, tigers, bears, wolves, leopards* jaguars, kangaroos, dogs, and ponies all performing together—truly a strange gathering-»-and for the first time in our town a real live hippopotamus, which cost the Wirth Bros.’ £1250. A new departure, and one that will be greatly appreciated is an elevated, chair platform, which is carried with the show, and on which chairs, may be reserved. The large zoowill be open from 4 to 5 in the afternoon. <

“THE LION AND THE MOUSE.”

“Things seen are mightier than things read.” The audience which listens to “The Lion and the Mouse,” which J. C. Williamson’s Katherine Grey Company will stage for the first time at the Princess Theatre on Saturday night next, with an intelligent grasp of the plot and its evolution, must necessarily have a much more vivid conception of the menace of the multimillionaire to the community than the citizen who has merely glanced through works or newspaper articles on the subject. John Burket Ryder played by the new “Julius Knight” actor, Mr. William Desmond, is an exemplification of individualism in its worst and most dangerous form. His genius for money-making and the absence from his character of any controlling influence of patriotism or honour combine to form a monster which threatens the existence of everything which makes for national purity and social well-being. Such a creature Charles Klein has, we understand, drawn with consummate art in “The Lion and' the Mouse,” actually a prototype of the richest man on earth, John D, Rockefeller. In fact the actor who originated the part in America 'made up as the modern Croesus. Miss Katherine Urey, the great American actress, who will make her first appearance here on Saturday night, a*s Shirley Rossmore, stands as the direct opposite. Although the desperately tried heroine through four acts of a strenuous play, she is said to be thoroughly brave, resourceful, and determined ;firstly a woman in sore tribulation, after an artist to be met with rarely, drawing tears from the audience one moment and exciting to uncontrollable laughter the next. “The Lion and the Mouse’-’ is in four acts, three of which are in the Ryder mansion in Fifth Avenue, New York, which, of course, lends itself to elaborate and magnificent furnishings and mountings which, it is stated, has been taken full advantage of by the J. C. Williamson management The whole of the effects for the production will arrive ahead of the company and a full scenery rehearsal will take place on Saturday morning. The plans are at Hall’s, and day sales can be purchased at Cohen’s.