THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13879, 16 April 1909, Page 6

THEATRE ROYAL.

PROF. SHERWOOD'S COMPANY. It was to a bouse crowded ill every part that Prof. Sherwood'and his company played last night. The company had been heralded by notices of tne most favourable kind, and the nature of the. entertainment, combined with, the popular prices charged for admission, <Jid just what was expected ir filling the theatre to overflowing. Tht entertainment was of a two-fold cliarac ter, pictures and vaudeville beinj judiciously combined, and the apprecia tive reception which the long pro gramme received could not have beei other than highly gratifying to the pro fessor. This new company marks : departure in theatrical business foi Timaru, in that it is a kind of "per . petual motion " show, that is to say, ii "is to run every night in the week foi tjvelve months, save and except thos< nights when touring companies wall, re quire the theatre. At Invercargill : similar organisation is in existence, ant though it confines itself to pictures, i is said to do well. Professor Slier wood conceived the idea when spending &' holiday in Timaru a short time ago and he has every confidence that b; introducing novelties in vaudeville, ant showing_ the most up-to-date pictures the project will' be a success. Las night it certainly -appeared as thougl this will be so. It may be stated hen that the professor came .from Englant six years ago -under engagement - t< Harry Rickards. He made liis firs* appearance on the stage in Londoi fifteen years ago, so that he has servec a fairly , good, apprenticeship in. tht theatrical line, and should he in i position .to gauge the public tastt pretty accurately, while his manage nient of the opening entertainment lasl , night spoke for itself. It is his intention to give a fresh series of pic tures twice a week, and provide nen items on the comedian side of the programme. ' The-films he procures fron the Bioscope Amusement Supply Com pany, Wellington, which company has the agency for Spencer and Co., oi Sydney, who import direct from Home The same set of films will not be showr on any two nights consecutively. Ir all there are fourteen' members in tht company, representing a great variety of talent. The general manager is tin professor himself, his stage name beinj Will Minton, the star comedian. Mi Harry Black is the stage manager while the musical director is Mr H Williams —and it should Jbe noted hert that the orchestra, judged by its performance, is a good one, supplying plenty of bright music, whicl materially added to the enjoyment oi all. It is worthy of note that t specially good light was "provided out side the theatre, making the street almost as light as day. This was dont by the aid of a. second engine anc dynamo which, the proprietor of tht theatre installed yesterday for the pur pose. The- lighting of the interior' ol the building was also good. For tht purpose of projecting the pictures tht latest typo of animated picture ma'chint —a powerful one, which worked without flicker—was used, and all the films were well put on the screen. Witli i view to guarding against the possibility of fire through the film: igniting, an iron screen is placec round the machine, so that in tli; event of a film, -taking fire, the conflagration will he confined within tilt four walls of the screen. Altogetbei it may be said that a capital start was made-with this new enterprise. The programme opened with "a couple of excellent films of a comic nature, ont being termed Levitikirs' Policy," ant the other " Lovers in the Straw.', which set-forth the amusing adventure! of an unfortunate lover who had beei concealed in a sheaf of straw by liis sweetheart. Then Mr Harry Grab an made his appearance in a ballad of i distinctly dramatic nature, entitlei " The Truth or a Lie," which was wel received. .. The second scries of films showed some realistic scenes of barracl life, where the bully of the regimem endeavours to get a recruit into dis grace, but falls into the trap he hat laid for the newcomer. The picture: of scenes in London streets were verj graphic and convincing, the audienct heing taken for a comprehensive ton; of the city, past palaces and into th< slums, where .crowds of Jewish fisl sellprs congregate. Will Miuton, tin midget comedian, had the house in ; roar with his funniosities, from tin time he came on the stage rntil hi: exit, which was not allowed to tak< place-until he had given an encore ti his first song, " Married ,-jife," wit! an amusing parody of the weli-knowi ballad " Sing me to Sleep." x\nothe: comic picture, entitled "Polly's -Excur sion," caused much laughter, and thei thf clever sketch duo, "Black ant White," kept 'the house amused for < quarter of an hour with a humorou: dialogue; their make-up was excellent and the house evinced its approval o this turn by loud applause. The nex" picture. "Greed for Gold," was dra mat-ic to the verge of gruesomeness and the scene where the old man im knowinly murders his sou is intensely

thrilling. The two pictures, entitled

"The seaside Girl " and "'The Cowboy's Camp," gave an opportunity to depict exceedingly picturesque scenery, which acted as a good background to the action of the performers in the scenes. Bert Grant, the tired comedian, sang a tired song, entitled "Bed," in a sufficiently somnolent manner,' and received a full meed of approval, as did Will Minton in his second appearance. The audience would not be satisfied until the lastnamed performer had responded to the encore, which he did with a comic parody on "If Those Eyes Could Only Speak." More good pictures followed, the best being "The Boy Detective," "The Merry "Widower,"' "A School Friend," and " The Faun," and a very lavish programme ended with a farcial burlesque of a scene from a melodrama, which caused so much laughter'that at times it was impossible to hear what the actors were saying. The programme was a long one, and it will be changed twice a week. MELBA. Judging by the steady sale of the guinea and half-guinea seats, there will be a large audience to welcome the greatest of Irving songstresses when'she appears at the Theatre Royal on April 20th. Orders, especially for the guinea seats,, have come in 'from all over the' district, some intending :'patrons will have to travel over 80 miles.; Hotel accommodation will be taxed to the utmost. At the Empire, where Madame Melba and her party will stay, every room is .booked, Madame Melba having engaged ten rooms. On arrival .at Dunedin, Madame Melba was welcomed by the Mayor (Mr J. McDonald), and in the evening was introduced to Mr Jesse Timson, the conductor, and the members of the Liedertafel, who rendered a special programme of part songs. Madame Melba has quite recovered from the injury caused to her ankle by falling down the stairway on board the Riverina before reaching the Bluff.