AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13847, 8 March 1909, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE RED MILL."

-To-night at the Theatre Royal, and for this night only, J. C. Williamson will present the brilliant musical comedy "The Red Mill," interpreted by the New Musical Comedy Company, possibly the. most adequate and coiiiplete organisation that has ever appeared, in this branch of the dramatic art in New Zealand. The Red Mill, the delightful Dutch musical play, andby the way the original .of all Dutch] musical plays, has proved the greatest success. It is a joyous frivol, andthe combination of bright music, eccentric dancing, gorgeous scenery and costumes and the strong cast submitted, including John Ford, Charles Loder and other important/and imported artists, with the addition of Fred Leslie, Edward Sherras. Olive Goodwin. Marie Eaton, Ivy Scott' and many other established favourites are the prime factors that are heavily, responsible for the attracting power of this unique production. To adequately present this striking musical play, j. C. AVilliamson has sent to New' Zea-„ land the complete and original company, of 100 artists direct from a 'six months' training in Melbourne and Sydney. _ All the identical scenery, properties and wonderful effects,- including the sensation "The Flight for Love," in which the prima donna is rescued and borne away on the flying arm of the windmill a piece of stage mechanism 40 feet high. This extraordinary scene is witnessed with bated' breath and is said to furnish the thrill necessary to ensure the success, of a profound sensation. The curtain" to-night mil rise at 8 o'clock sharp, and the orchestra, a special feature both numerically and artistically, under the baton of Alfred Moulton, will commence the glittering overture . punctually. BURNS-JOHNSON "-PICTURES.

At the Theatre Royal to-morrow evening, Messrs John Fuller and Sons will, by arrangement with Mr Hugh D. Mcintosh, present the biograph pictures of the Burns-Johnson contest for the heavy-weight championship of the world, which took place at the Sydney stadium on the 26th ofDecember last in the presence of 20,000 people, for which another 50,000 vainly clamoured for admission. Much lias been heard about thje brutality during this contest, but that such was not the case may be gauged by the fact that the 'go' went-fourteen rounds ere the police "interfered. Although Burns was disfigured, notliing of this is shown on the screen, but every other incident is. Many hundreds of women have witnessed' the exhibition of the pictures, not only in New Zealand, but in Australia; as well, where four outfits are travelling. In Melbourne Lord Dudley (Governor-General) accompanied by Lady Dudley, was amongst the audience on the first night. The -films are' said to. be in' every, way superior to any boxing pictures'.exhibited iii the Dominion, so that no detail of this historic contest .should be missed. The box plan is at. Jordan's.

. THE CHERNIAVSKIip. A letter from Mr Albert Mallinson, the gifted. composer, to the Hastings Standard," -N.Z.,- says: Will you permit, me to draw the.'attention of music-lovers to the privilege they have ■if hearing .the three ! wonderful boys who are giying their only 'concert - here. In these days of; the übiquitous concert company, when, are, almost exception,'heralded as ' the greatest of the- world,' the unobtrusive entry of reaj artists 'iu a town is likely to result in their being overlooked. I should regret ' that any lovers ■of art in .Hastings . should not know of the opportunity- now before them of? enjoying an instrumental performance "of supreme excellence,. , Leo, Jan, and Mischel. Cherniavski, pupils respectively of ' those great teachers, Ysaye, Lesehetizky, and Popper; are artists in the truest sense of that much .misused and. often misappropriated word.- ; Music-lovers who do not go to hear them should repent in sackcloth and ashes for their indifference or carelessness; those: who do go will, 1 venture to prophesy, be speedily convinced of the remarkable artistic results" produced by these boys, whose united ages are but forty years."

THE ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR

' The announcement that this remarkablo band of choristers is to appear at the Theatre Royal on Saturday and Monday evenings next under Messrs; J. and N. Tait's management, direct from >its Australian and New;; Zealand triumphs, will prove intensely gratifying.

In an interview with Sir W. Thomas, the choir's conductor, . the following particulars were gleaned:—"The choir had a very small. beginning as the winners of a prize of £5 at a competition held in a small l town near Cardiff 22 years ago. Since then their record includes ' four National . Eisteddfod awards .in Northern and Southern Wales —a unique achievement. Sir John. Barnby said of' it in 1895, 'The finest specimen of singing I ever heard' and these \yords were inscribed. on. the gold, medal of the last prize the clioir won —the first award at the National Eisteddfod in Llanlelly. Two or. three months after, that we were commanded to Windsor to sing before Queen VicMr Thomas, 'Her Majesty was so delighted that we had to extend our ' programme. 1 'What beautiful voices they have, and how delicately they are trained'! was what she said about the choir. When Mr Rande'gger, the celebrated teacher of singing, heard them at one of the competitions, in which they were engaged, he declared he never heard better voices in England or on the Continent, and that the tenors-especially were magnificent. It was upon the suggestion of Mr J. 11. Choate, at that time American Ambassador in England, that the singers undertook their tour of America 18 months ago. Mr Choate heard them at the house of the Earl of Dunraven, and predicted "that they would achieve a great success in America —a forecast which was amply- verified. The members of the choir are all .working men, who have obtained twelve months' leave of absence for this tour, just as they obtained leave to go to America, their places being kept open for them until they return The tenor soloist is a collier, . another is a carpenter, and another a grocer. Mr Thomas, when asked to- account for the success of the choir, said it was due to steady, unremitting work together." The.box plans open at the Dresden on Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. Country residents are advised to book by post. ■ Prices are fixed at 5s (reserved), 3s, and 2s.

POL" LA It ENTERTAINERS. In this month's "Triad," Mr Bacy"rtx makes commendatory mention of a. -couple of dramatic performers wellknown in Timaru. He says:—"l forgot to mention that at the closing demonstration of the Christchurch Competitions. I had the pleasure of witnessing an excellent performance of "A Pair of Lunatic-s." by'Mr and Mrs Barrio Marschel. Mr Marschel showed an excellent knowledge of stagecraft, and was always in the right place on the stage. His performance throughout

was a valuable object-lesson to competitors who had chosen this piece. It is true that during the progress of the comedietta- he recited "Kissing Cup's Race"; and though he recited it well, it was obviously dragged-in and must stand as a flaw. But Mrs Marschel's performance was electric. No less. A remarkable bit of work. She crowded more vital and legitimate acting into a quarter of an hour than I have seen Miss Bruno or Miss Humphreys dn during the whole period of the suffering they have created for me. Both players were intelligent and refined, but Mrs Marschel was positively fine and individual. If slrs Marschel can vitalize other characters as she did this actress whose engagement by Mr J. C. Williamson might some day be 'accounted . unto him for righteousness. Who knows?"