AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13812, 28 January 1907, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

ALHAMBRA THEATRE. The weekly change of programme by Fullers' Entertainers attracted, a- very, large.audience at the Alhambra on Saturday evening. In the first part Miss Ida Berridge and Miss Annie Civender, the s»rio singers of the cotnpmy, v.'«re heard to advantage in new songs, and gavo unmistakable pleasure. Mr Ward Lear kept tbq audience in roars of laughter with his comicalities, and was several times encored. Mr Harry Linden was also very successful with his'comio songs, whilst Mr Val. Newton, who has a pleasing baritone voice, was loudly encored for,his singing of "Ebbtide flows." The overture " Wedding Bells" was pleasingly sung by the company, and the bioscope pictures, which concluded, tho first part, were np to the high standard of previous performances. Tn the second part the Meistesingers, whose engagement ia drawing to a termination, sang a number of part songa in a manner which fairly brought down the house. This is a splendid combination, their singing being admirably balanced and their numbers selected with gTeat taste. Kex, whose reappearance on Thursday night was hailed with- delight, astonished a.ll present with his ciever contortion act, and is evidently as muck a favourite as ever. Mr Vul, Newton was.again heard to advantage in "For o'.O. time's sake," for which he was accorded a double encore, and Miss Dorothy Lestrange added to her previous successes by her singing o.£ "sVeitins" and "Withiur-a infK» of Eilin-

boro, toon," for which she received impcratiMl encores. Messis Xewton and Linden and Miss ATaie Gibson were responsible for a. lot ol fun with their clever sketch "The Tiouble-t some ifaby." A capital series of bioscope picture concluded a performance well up to the high standard of Fullers. Duriny m* ovening tho orchestra, under tho directorship of Mr Fred Stokes, put in a lot of work, which nas appreciated by tho audience. Tho same programme will be repeaWd to-night. BESSES O , TH , BARK BAND. Dimedin his certainly never before I»ar3 afforded an opportunity of hearing band-playing such as is presented by the visit of the Besses o.' th' Barn Band. Tho band gave its third performance in His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday evening, after appearing in the afternoon to a full house. The ovoning attendance was very largo, and became quite enthusiastic over aJmost every itoni played. The band's performance is, to all intents and purposes, simply faulfcs, and leaves r.o room for advcrso criticism. Its playing of music of * devotional character 13 quite a revelation. At times it is sweetly soft and restful In kind, ant] then, as the theme demands, cornea al great majestic burst of melody that thrills the listener. Tho gradations of sound aro wonderfully managed in everything the band plays. The combination ia really equally good in all classes of imisio it performs. It is quito impossiblo to single out one piece 03 being better playedj tha-n another, and the only way any selection) can be made is by giving a preference to certain compositions appearing on a programme. Saturday evening's programme contained two items for which special praise must be accorded. These were the overture to " Zampa.' , and the selection "Heroic," the latter apparently being an adaptation of airs from " Der Frieschutz" and other operas, and both were magnificently rendered. Tbo other selections performed were the "Cossack" march, the waltz "Estudiantina," "The Ea-rl and the Girl," "Turn o' Shanter," and cornet and trombone solos ("Abide with me" and "Lend mo your aid") by Messrs T. G. Mooro and W. Lawson respectively. Tho solos wero among the finest efforts of tlio evening. Tlie band gives another performance this evening. Mr l>. Wishart writes pointing out that the march named "Zealandia" in honour of tha citizens of this colony has only once been performed' by tho Bosses o , th' Barn Band in Dunedin, and suggests that it be played (as an encore) before " God save the King , '' at cvorji second concert given by tho band, in hW Zealand. He further suggests that the composer would pay the colony a, graceful compliment by presenting the parts of " Zealandia"' to every iirst-class band willing to psy fa) the copying of them.

THE FIJIAJf WAR DANCERS. Tlie tronpo 0! Fijian war dancers gavo tboir second perforiuancc. at the Caledonian Ground; on Saturday afternoon before a satisfactoryattendance of spectators. The stirring war dances of the warriors were warmly applauded , 011 this occasion, and tho boating songs met with their duo share of appreciation also. On Friday the visitors were driven to Mosgiol in drags provided by the Union S.S. Company and expressed themselves delighted with the outmg. They leave by tho north express thie mm-niug to complete another short Exhibition season before leaving for Fiji,