ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14214, 10 November 1909, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE MAGISTRATE." When the curtain fell-upon the final »oen#' of Sir Arthur Pinero's . familiar farce", *Tlia^^te : Magistrate, in St. Andrew's Hall lasfccl. s night, tho large audience gave emphatic o*slfe pression of appreciation. Applauw* aC ) "' also been pronounced at frequent iaterva'fci during tho unravelling of the mirth-prdvok- 1 i ing comedy, and in view of>tho fact .thatt;; ■ the, performance was in aid of the Soeietv for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animalit r and the Protection of , Women and Chil... ■■ dren, members of . the Welcome Club, who? were * responsible for tho production,-wilii doubtless be generally congratulated ' upor.i the success of their efforts. There will haW% one more performance to-night in aid 0 ? , the same object. ' ' j;\''''' A dclicatcly-wovon farce, of distinctly original features, "The Magistrate" atonco' commends itself to lovers of light comedy I and at th» same time does not call ■" tac&s£\' highly professional talent to provide a passingly pleasant, interpretation. 7 This latterfact was effectively demonstrated last night • * and providing the reputation of the- play is never entrusted to less capable amateurs than those who provided last night's enter. : ! tainment, tho author's refreshing. mirthful. - ness f will run no serious danger of mis-' interpretation. As Mr- Poskct (a magistrate of hitherto irreproachable character '. - who is led astray by a precocious stepson}''*. ' Mr. Archdale Taylor appeared to advanJ tage. He was particularly good in hu ! recital ~in the third act of the adventures of a midnight flight from the police through the streets of London, following upon, hi»|JiS-¥ discovery, after closing hours, in a HotelW*s which he had visited to prosecute inquirier--concerning -..his wayward stepson. J&A'MO breezy interpretation of Cis Farringtoa ' (Mrs. rPosket's son by her first marriage) - \ was given by Mr. Archie Denniston, and " the role of Agatha Posket (the mother of Cis) was a,blv sustained by Mrs. ■ George * BloomfieW. This lady displayed skill in her handling of the family skeleton; which •" centred around her wayward son. '» ThalMw Mr. Bullamy (a second police magistrate)V " of Mr. Walter Bruce was humorously, plaj ; J||«fe! Ed, and the efforts of Mr. Alan Hobbs,'inthSff* j the difficult part of Captain Horace .Valejit%l (an army officer, of dudish propensities*, '%£ j was keenly appreciated. Mr.' j, Charles' I Stevens was fairly forceful as Colonel Lukih.! j and Miss Pearl Gorrio vivaciously sustained! tho role of Charlotte Vcrrinder (Mrs. Pos*('; ket's sister). Miss Roie Nathan, as Beatael;': { Tomlinson, a music teacher, was' ■ artistiovlin her display of the winning ways whichi 5 - won the heart of Cis Farrington, and Miss)-. ■ Jessio Reid ■ gave a . humorous . portrayal' ofi*?'fe? Popham, the lady's maid, "who.* competed for that young gentleman's affec-i' , tions. > Other, parts were; satisfactorily sus-i----tained by Messrs. Guy IPiorce, Douglas H«y,i; Hamish Henderson, Sinclair Reid. , Cyril Seaward, -'and 1 Desmond Kettle. J Pleayinjr' . . i orchestral numbers, were provided, under I I the direction of Mr. P. tH. t Meredith, and ' | tho production, as a whole, was under the I management of Mr. Archdale Tayler.' ' • .7 : ' ' v GLOBE PICTURES. Tho Globe Pictures,' presented" at /HiftßoSj Majesty's Theatre for - ' the first time last; evening, can certainly be classed as amoiijrtho finest yet : screened in Auckland, and - formed a striking example of the perfection ., to which r! cinematography has now Jbeen. I developed. With an almost entire absenra .->. : of .'.' flicker," they were ' displayed, with al-.j-K ' most, perfect projection, ; and were clear and ":. distinct. In ,the subjects presented the-.-/';,' audience had more than ample reason foßv being satisfied, the series of pictures i em-V ' bracing the' comic and dramatic, as" well as'-" j '~ the topical ':? and the scenic. One -of the^T^ '■ finest films displayed under the heading of, ; j "topical" was the testing of the famous hydroplane, which was seen skimming over' I the waters of the River Thames at a hitherto undreamt :of speed. In the scenic line the films depicting V scenes on Lake'* Geneva and the Land, of the . Gitauwis proved remarkably fine, and were heartihj» ~ applauded by the audience.' Of high-class dramatic films there were . plenty. Th<3 comic variety were also much in evidenooV , and ;kept the audience in a high state oF, M amusement. The evening's however, was unfortunately marred atYth§«&, conclusion by -the machine catching ' fire,); vj It was - intended ; to: present'- the' same f pA^o^i ~g ramme;this evening, ; but owing to the de-i|: struction of films by the fire the manage-- { ment his' decided to nut on, a fresh jsuriMtfK. •to-night: ■■■'■-■" .-■■•■■ ,'■ -• _ , __~, , **jIHH ■.; " ' ' '.."<". OPERA- HOUSE. . l There were large audiences at ,the Opera'. > House yesterday, both at the matinee in < , the afternoon and also in the ' evening. A very fine set of : pictures . was produoe<t;l i eluding those entitled "The Fear," "The- ■ Odyssey of i a Super," "The Wizard's Walk-; - - ing-stick," "The Manceuvrt . v Lifeboat" ■',-'■ " The " Curse ■ -of Money," " Catching. Fish •, by Dynamite," "Tho'Tea;vl«dusl:ry,'^' , TM'jfs!! Snow Man," and "A Good Thing." Those - films will bo shown again this evening. ' ' : riij \ 1 ' ' ' ,- - " PIATHE PICTURES. • ; | The Royal Albert' Hall was crowded with. an enthusiastic holiday audience last night, (:.: who' greeted the pictorial programme wstoj; the greatest approbation, the '- particularly fine film of the Royal Park of the King-of }<. Italy being especially pleasing. . An entird=g • change of programme will.be screened. tor night •' ■•■;.: ■'•:-! ' ' ——— ; — ' , ~"i'.: ' -As^';^ TIYOLI.THEATRE. . ' . ?■ | A splendid house witnessed the last night of the current' programme at the Tivi-Ii !: ' Theatre yesterday evening. ; To-night there will be a complete change of pictures, *> selection, it is said, being of. v extraordinary j! merit and well chosen. To-morrow night v there will be a ladies' ballad-singing com-, petition. .;■■;. ". ' ' - :,->":^r.^ . "A BACHELOR'S HONEYMOON:';;;^: : ■ Box plans " for six nights will be opened' this morning at- Wildnlan and Arcy's for tha coming season in His-Majesty's' Theatre of ~ Mr. Hugh Ward's .company of comedians, , "which makes ■ its first; appearance in Auckland next Saturday night in the ' popu&r,|||| farcical 'comedy, ;*; A Bachelor's Honf^^S moon." -Mr. Ward has come to Austrftfai*^S: [to present comedies iof the farcical ot&et) : < 'in a manjUer which has never been attempted before, -stated the Melbourne Herald in^.a;- : . recent issue.' '1 He" believes that '/augury plays are perhaps ;as ' popular, or more than any othar form of theatrical art, «.)d : therefore deserve to be produced with- ad-* '. elaboration usually associated only with-Bpe^'T"; tacular drama,, musical -> comedy,' >.eoitti^.^p opera, and pantomine." Mr. Ward is ftl- * ready .well known to Auckland playgqe^fci^j* in connection with "The Man from Mexico,"". , " Mr. ; Hopkinson;" and other, sparklingcomedies but he promises to excel all j. ; these; during his coming Beason ' 'ere. , /j3ft}^'f, Hughe Ward not only takes' leading roles ,;' ,in his productions, but also acts as director "1 of his. own 1 enterprises. •He hasjalrewj^? booked theatres in different - parts of t'Aj^^^ tralasia for the next eighteen nmntbsAittt#g? /eluding a return journey through : New Zesj '■*■~ land. The death of ; Mr. Robert BroupK.^ left a gap in the' theatrical world, which ; ; has not yet been filled, 1 but Mr. Ward, at-5 though presenting for the most part lighter forms of comedy than wore associated wj" l ■" Mr. Brough's management, proclaims his in-; tention of keeping' up 1 the same high stano;'" arc! of production, and this will be exemplified in the production of "A Bachelorsr > : Honeymoon.","* " r _*s ," '. "1 ' . / FRENCH CLUB. ; ; The: usual meeting .was held - last evenwif/; in St. Paul's, schoolroom, M. /BoeW«M. Consul for France, presiding.'The , "Par un; Jour do Pline/' was capably XK* f sented by Mrs. Goctz, Miss .D. c j*l! Messrs. Afderh, Bouillon, and de Montslfi. > After the usual interval for refreshments, Provided by Mrs. W. ' Coleman, an'intorO««J»/;'. | ing paper on " The Destiny of Vvom,»n, . was read by Mile, : Jeanne Uhlraann, » \ short discussion of the subject followed, aw-,;-,.; Miss Uhlmann {was heartily thanked wy. her paper. ii __ - __ ..-'■; -"." % ' ■-.. ~,.f..,, ....... -, -"' • _ ~'x^L.i