AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14191, 13 October 1906, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

MACMAHON’S DRAMATIC COMPANY. Messrs Macmahon’s Dramatic Company repeated “Our Guardian Angel” at the Theatre Royal last evening, in the presence of a largo and delighted audience. As on former occasions, all the parts were admirably taken; and the piece went without a hitch from start to finish. The second dramatic novelty which the company „ will introduce to Christchurch playgoers this ©telling will be the . vivid stage version of the romantic and thrilling French romance, “ The Executioner’s Daughter - ,” , which is enjoying a considerable .vogue in England and America. Of its first introduction to New Zealand last month, at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, the “'Herald” said;—“The Messrs Macmahon know what is wanted, and they purvey it. In ‘ The Executioner’s Daughter,’ produced for the first time at his Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night, they gave the public plenty for their money. There wa« no stint of sensation, no double-banking of parts, no parsimonious tinkering at the thing, but an out-and-out strong play, with enpugh material in one act with which to build a'four-act draina at the very least. The huge audience liked the' play, and made no secret of the fact. They laughed and wept, they hissed and cheered. The audience was in no humour for reduction of incident on Saturday evening. They wanted all there was to get, and stayed to the very end, and seemed reluctant, -to leave the theatre. Unquestionably ‘ The Executioner’s Daughter ’ is a successful play, and certainly one of the best ever seen here.” OPERA HOUSE. There was a good attendance at the Opera House last , evening, when an attractive vaudeville programme waa presented. To-iiight there will bo a sweeping change of ’ artistes. The Lewis Sisters, a song and dance turn, will brake a first appearance in New Zealand, Mr Tom Hedloy, an old musical favourite, will be revived after a long absence, and that popular .seriocomic, Miss Pearl Lovell, will also be billed. Mr Frank King, Miss Phyllis Fay; Mr Carl Collier and Miss Dorothy L’Bstraiige are all to return to the field of previous successes, and new items will be given by Mr Ward Lear, Master Mudford, and the clever Credgo and Gibson duo. A aeries of new pictures will also bo' given. MRS GOWER-Bufe’S SONG ’. recital; * , A splendid 'programme is in course of preparation for Mrs Gower-Burns’s song recital in the Alexandra Hall oii Thursday evening. Amongst other items. Miss Muriel Meares will play a scherzo by : Chopin, and Mrs GcwerBurns will sing Bishop’s “ Lo, Hear the Gentle Lark,” with flute obligato by Mr Ernest J. Jamieson. .. Other songs will, be given by Mrs Wilson, Messrs Claude Allan, R. Vincent- and W. A. Bowring. Miss Katie Young will preside at the piano. The box plan is on view at the Dresden. “THE MAN FROM MEXICO.” The Willoughby-Ward New London Company will open a season at the Theatre Royal on Friday, with the farcical comedy “The Man From Mexico.” In reference to the performance at the Criterion Theatre! Sydney, oiie critic said:—“ It' is' seldom we have had a piece in which the all-round interpretation was so excellent. Every artist apparently had been specially selected for his or her role. Chief interest, of course, centred in Miss Grace Palotta, who had an overwhelming reception when she made her first entrance. . .

. Mi- Hugh J. Ward, who also had. a splendid greeting, was fairly in his element. His work was capital throughout, hut in the prison scene in the second act he was at his best, and kept the house ih an uproar. A double enoore followed his contribution ‘ Nobody,’ ih which home . novel orchestral effects were introduced. Mr George Willoughby also added to his reputation. . . . Special commendation

must also be awarded to Mr Edward Bon field as the. warden, Mr Reginald Wykeman as the detective, and Mr J. W. Hartmann as a crazy German.” The The box office arrangements will be announced in our Monday’s issue. WAINONf PARK. The attendance for the week at Wainoni Park lias been very large. On Labour Day thousands were present, when there was a special day and evening programme. A sea-fight took place in the afternoon, and during the battle a couple of vessels were blown up, and the Wainoni geyser was shown on a very large scale. Various entertainments were provided for the children. The opening of the fireworks ceason took place in the evening in the new arena, which is now decorated with hundreds of coloured electric lights. In the early part of the evening the grounds were lit up with a score of immense bonfires, and an entertainment was afterwards given in. the new openair theatre. The audience then adjourned to the amphitheatre to witness a capital gymnastic display, in which Messrs Bickerton, Harker. Jeffry, Weir, Morgan, and the Sinclair Bros, took part. The next fireworks display will bo given on Wednesday evening.