AMUSEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14447, 13 February 1909, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS

"DIANA OF DOBSON'S." Last night being the last opportunity of seeing Cicely Hamilton's sparkling comedydrama "Diana of Dobson's," a very largo audience greeted its performance at the Princess Theatre. Naturally, the appearance of Miss Tittell Bruno in (ho title role added largely to its attractiveness, and her reputation as a clever artist was fully sustained by her spirited and convincing interpretation of the principal part la.st evening. The crisp dialogue and stirring situation-; with which the play abounds we.ro keenly relished by those present, ar.d although the principal honours fell to the leading lady (Mrs' Brough), Miss Florence Kelly, Miss Nellie Calvin, Miss O'Meara, Mi-s Lewis, Mr Kingston, Mr M'Mahon, and Mr Lloyd filled their respective parts admirably. The dual role of the shopgirl masquerading as a, rich young widow, though extremely difficult, to sustain, proved an artistic treat at the hands of Miss Bruno, who, in company with Mrs Brough, Mr Kingston, and others, was called before the. curtain afi-er each act. This evening and on Monday night Miss Tiltell Bruno will present her popular and extremely successful impersonation of "Sunday." It lias a further interest on I his occasion, as Mr Thomas Kingston will appear as Colonel Brinlhorpe, whilst Mrs Robfrt Brough will appear for the first time as Mrs Waresby.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Messrs Maskelyne and Devant repeated their mysteries at His Majesty's Theatre last, evening, lo the entire satisfaction of a large number of people. This afternoon, when a matinee will be held, and in the evening, ae entire change of programme will be introduced, and a promise is mode that it will be a'most interesting one. Mr Maskelyne's famous illusion play of "Elixir Vibe" was the wonderful trick that held London spellbound for a long season, and its principal mystery is that of a decapitated man walking around with his head under his own arm. The spiritualistic play, "Mrs Daffodil Downey's .Seance." is an expose of the doubtful doings of mercenary mediums. In addition to these magical plays, tho star artists of this clever combination will all appear in hew items. The new programme is full of surprises, aoid a big house should welcome it to night.

ALIIAMBRA THEATRE. The nightly exhibition of Wide-world Pictures continues to he well patronised at the Alhambra Theatre. The pictures we all well taken ami well displayed, and some particularly effective comics are included in tho present series. Amongst other films that aro well worth seeing are a fine series illustrating tho world's beautiful waterfalls, peasant life in Egypt, and street life in London. Appropriate and spirited music is -supplied ll'.ro'.ighouf. the evening by an orchestra under the able leadership of Mr Frank Crowthor. Tho usual matinee performance will take pine* this afternoon, and the same pictures will be shown again Ibis evening. BAZAAR. Business at the Arthur Street School bazaar yesterday afternoon and evening was very brisk, and there can be no doubt now that the committee will easily be able to carry out the desired improvements. A fine musical programme was gono through in tho evening.

GRAMOPHONE CONCERT. A new and wonderful instrument called the Auxcto gramophone was hoard in the Garrison Hall last night by sonic two thousand people. The recital was conducted by -Mr S. 11. Sheard, a representative of the Gramophone Company ot London, and was given with a view to demonstrating the possibilities of the now invention. The instrument was designed by Mr Parsons, of turbine fame, and in some respect* rcsomblcs the ordinary gramophone. When it is stated that sounds are reproduced from a record by moans of a needle, nothing more may be said regarding any similarity between the old type of machine and tho new. In the old machine the sound is conveyed to an audience by the vibrations of a diaphragm in a sound box; in the new machine, instead of the needle causing a diaphragm to vibrate, its many thousand vibrations per minute are cmployed to check and control the flow of t. powerful current of air, upon which it, eo to speak, impresses the sound waves that constitute the melody. The Auxcto gramophone bears a striking resemblance to the human vocal apparatus, A small silent electric motor in the cabinet beneath tho trumpet drives an air compressor, which we may regard as the lungs of the machine. Thonco the air passes to a valve which is controlled by the needle. This valve is the throat of the Auxcto gramophone, and here there is, if not precisely the human vocal chords, at any rate, their equivalent. As the volume and tone of the human voice is dependent upon the expansion and contraction of the throat and the vibration of the vooal chords, so also in the Auxcto gramophone the tone, quality, and pitch of the sounds reproduced arc determined 1 by the extent to which the valve or threat of the machine is opened, by the vibrations of the fine comb-like valve itself, and the consequent pulsations produced in the moving column of air. The arrangement is very clever awl very ingenious, and it has two marked results: The tinny, mechanical noises thai generally accompany the reproduction of the voice or of soft music aro to a great extent obviated, and the desired sounds are heard with surprising clearness and distinctness. The large audience present at tho recital last evening listened with keen enjoyment to band selections, E ongs by the world's greatest artists, piccolo ami violin solos, and quartettes and duets, and many expressed surprise and [(ratification at the vema-rkaljlo effects obtained by the new instrument. Some voices and instruments were, of course, heard to greater advantage than others, for it is more difficult to obtain a record of the. gliding notes of flic violin or of a soft, gentle voice than it is to t-r.ko the sharp,' staccato movements of a. piccolo, or the more incisive notes of a tenor or a. soprano. Many of the selections given on the Auxcto gramophon? were encored, and Mr Sheard. wherever possible, put on another record from the same singer or musician. Among the items comprising Ihe programme were items from Sousa's Band, Coldstream Onards Bard. Black Diamonds Band, Mesriames Melba. Patti. and Tetmsuni, Miss Porcival Allen, Reotti, Francisco, Signore Caruso, Messrs Harrison, T/uider, Mischa Elman. Eli Hudson. Peter Dawson, Ollv Oakley, and Evan, Williams. Photographs of the various singers and performers hoard were, bv means of a lantern, thrown on a screen tit one end of the nicely decorated stage.

ST. KILDA FIRE BRIGADE CONCERT. The popularity of lire St. Kilda Voluiitecr Fire Brigade among local residents was amply shown bv the large audience I hat packed the St. Kilda Town Hall last niglit,_ wh?n ait excellent concert was given to raise funds to help to send members of the brigade to the Auckland Demonstration. The programme was in every way a successful ati<l enjoyable one, and the list, of performers included the names of several that are now well and favourably known to the Dunedin public. The following are to items, nearly all of which were 'honoured by an emphatic recall:—Overture, Mrs Martinelli-Koggiardo and Miss Ethel Foster; cornet solo, Mr ,T. M'Lean; songs. Mrs H. W. Allen, Misses D. Evans awl L. M'Callum, and Messrs D. .T. Robertson, D. \*. M'Kenzie, W. Wilhelmson, U. Homierson, R. Owen, and A. Cooke; comic dialogue, Messrs S. Owen and J. Blacklock; recitations, Mr S. Osborne; Highland Fling, Miss M. M'Callum; vocal duet, Miss 0. Blacklock and Mr J. Blacklock; euphonium solo, Mr J. O'Brien. Mrs Mar-tinelli-Reggiardo and Miss Ethel Foster acted as accompanists throughout the evening. Those who assisted to make the concert such a success will have the satisfaction of knowing that as a result of their effort the sending of a team to Auckland is now an assured fact.

BENEFIT BAND CONCERT. The members of the Garrison Band made another praiseworthy effort last night to raise funds for the relief of the family of one of their number (Mr B. Collott), "who has boon an inmate of the Duucdiu Hospital for the past nine months. The nighr. was a very favourable one for open-air concert-giving, consequently a largo number found their way to the Botanic Gardens, where Lieutenant George ,had a strons muster of musicians obedient to his baton. The programme presented was .in excellent one, and was gone through very effectively. The takings at the gates totalled £6 16s 3d. This sum included more than 22s in coppers.

THE ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR. At the Garrison Hall on Friday, 26th iust., and six following nights, local choirs and the music public in general will realise to what perfection Mr William Thomas has brought his 21 Welsh workers in choral music, in an equal number of years. Tho choir had a very small beginning as ilie .winners of a prize of £5 al a competition

held in the town of St. Eagans, near Cardiff. Thus was commenced Hie long series of competitions in which these singers have gained so many successes. This record includes four national eisteddfod awards in North and South Wiles. Two or three months after that the choir was commanded to Windsor to sing before Queen Victoria, who was go delighted that the programme was extended. "What beautiful voices they have, and how delicately they are trained," were her chief remarks. Particulars respecting opening of plans and facilities for day sales will he shortly announced.

LECTURE. The Rev. C. 11. Laws, 8.A., who has recently returned from a visit to the Holy Land, will deliver a lecture, "Among Holy Places "—Jerusalem, .Samaria, Galilee, Damascus, and Baalbcc—in Trinity Methodist Church, Moray place, next Wednesday evening. The lecture will be illustrated by slides shown by limelight. The photographs were taken by Mr Laws, and therefore will bo all the more interesting. Tho subject of the lecture is one that even' person is desirous of knowing more about, and therefore we anticipate a large audience will welcome the lecturer. ROSLYN SUMMER FETE. "Under the Trees" is tho suggestive title by which the Roslyn summer fete is made known to holiday-makers and sightseers. The church people on the hillthat, is, St. John's Church people—are aiming at the million in this endeavour to inaugurate a building fund for club and school work, and. given fine weather. tl.V'c is no reason why they should not >'"*ceed. Mrs Ncvill has consented to open Iho fete. The Kaikorai and Garrison Hands and the Roslyn Orchestral .Society will furnish the music in turn every afternoon and evening. There is to ho an unusual departure— a distinct novelty hereabouts—of a pageant in the open air during Wednesday and Thursday evening, beginning at 9 o'clock. "ELIJAH." TJi-3 Choral Society will commence tho rehearsal of the oratorio "Elijah" on Tuesday evening, February 23. Copies of the. work may be obtained from the librarian next Monday evening.