ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13456, 8 April 1907, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE.

Ax attractive and varied programme was submitted by Fuller's Minstrel and Vaudeville Company to a largo audience at the Opera House on Saturday evening, the various performers carrying out their respective tasks with credit, and meriting the hearty recognition of their efforts which was accorded them. Mr. Will Stevens, an old favourite, made his reappearance, and showeel that he had lost none of his prestige ?.s a versatile entertainer, his comic -songs, gags, etc., being fresh, bright, and mirth-provok-ing. He received the hearty plaudits of the audience for his contributions. "The marvellous child contortionist," correctly describes "La 'Petite Laurie," who made her debut to the Auckland public. This clever girl performed a number of extraordinary feats of contortion. She got herself into some most amazing positions, with what appeared to her comparative ease, and she was most heartily applauded. There were other meritorious items on the programme. The Rose Sisters, with songs and! dances; Miss Pearl Livingstone and Mi'-: Annie Cavendar in serio, and Miss Ida Berridge, the popular character vocalist, all appeared to advantage; while Mr. John Fuller, Harry Linden, in comic songs, George Mackio, in a musical comedy act. playing on several different instruments, and Green and Gibson, in musical comedy, were entirely successful. Lieutenant McDonald, the sharpshooter, performed his accustomed feats of markmauship, and the Warwick bioscope exhibited a variety of interesting and novel pictures.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

HOLLOWAY DRAMATIC COMPANY.

"The Shadows of a Great City" was selected by the llolloway Dramatio Company for tho second production of the return season in Auckland, and the piece was staged in the presence of a very large audience at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday evening. As a play, it bears favourable comparison with many in the category of melodrama, and it abounds in sensational incident and exciting situations. Application of close criticism is not called for in melodrama, unless the piece claims the highest rank. In the case of "The Shadows of a Great City" there is no pretension to anything new in the story. It is, in fact, tho old, old theme of the heiress, the stalwart lover, the crimestained villain, who succeeds at first, and then finds his deep-laid schemes _ set at naught, and the "happy ever after" finale, but the lights and shadows are well brought out, and the portrayal has received even artistic treatment. There is no direct assassination, no flourish of revolver or flash of knife, but there is any amount of " thrill," and of what might "l>e called "narrow escapes from what might have been serious murders." The vein of humour is fairly good, and there are scenes in a pawnshop, prison cells, and gaol hospital, out on "Hell's Gate Rocks," and the home of the heiress, while the mechanical effects are more than creditable. The feature of the production was the impersonation of tho part of Nellie Standish, the heroine, by Miss Beatrice Holloway, who played with a girlish' charm that was at all times refreshing, and) she easily won the highest expressions of approval from her audience. The sailor part of Tom Cooper, the hero, was taken by Mr. Robert Inman, who achieved a very considerable measure of success. He avoided " heroics," but imparted sufficient energy into Ids work to elicit frequent demonstrations from the audience. Mr. Godfrey Cass presented ; l .trong ; haracter study of the villain, George Benson, and Mr. John Ilesford played a good' second as Abe Nathan. known as "Old 2 to 1," the pawnbroker, although he was hardly convincing in the more sensational episodes. A very good performance was that of Mr. Wilton Welch, who was responsible foi the main humour of the piece, and Mr. J. P. O'Neill did well in the part of a good old Irish woman, Biddy Roonan. Miss Rosa Conroy's interpretation of the part of Helen Standish, "the disowned and discarded," was ? most capable studv, and the other narts were all well filled. "The Shadows 01 a Great City" will be repeated this and to-morrow evenings, and on Wednesday niffht it will give place to a new play, Our Native Home.'' THE BESSES 0' TH' BARN' BAND. At the Victoria Park to-night the famous Besses o' th' Barn Band will make their final appearance in Auckland prior to their journey to Australia. To-night's programme has been carefully selected, and will consist, of entirely now pieces, including the stirring descriptive battle fantasia, entitled "A Soldier's Life." This item i- said to be the Besses' finest effort, and created immense enthusiasm when performed in ChristchtiTch and Dunedin. In it all the stirring scenes of a soldier's life are introduced, from embarkation to the soldier's return. The piece occupies nearly three-quarters of an hour in representation. The park will be illuminated, anil arrangements have been made for the accommodation of a large audience. The performance' will be given wet or fine. METHODIST GARDEN PARTY. By the courtesy of Mrs. J. White a garden party was held in the charming grounds of her residence, " Dingley Dell," Grafton Road, on Saturday afternoon. The party was promoted by the Ladies' Guild of Grafton Road Methodist Wesleyan Church in aid of their funds. A large number of church members and friends attended, and well-deserved success financially and otherwise crowned the efforts of the promoters. The tennis courts, where afternoon tea was served, and the band of the Central Methodist Mission played throughout the afternoon, were perhaps the chief attractions for visitors; but many people also found wandering through the several acres of native bush which form part of the grounds a charming diversion. A marquee was erected on the edge of the tennis courts, and strings of flags gave v festive touch to the proceedings. A work stall, presided over by ladies of the guild, and also a confectionery stall, were well patronised. Mrs. and the Misses White were untiring in their effort-: to make the function enjoyable and interesting to visitors, and to their kindly solicitude must be attributed a large portion of the success achieved.