AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14392, 6 January 1911, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

WIRTH BROS.' CIRCUS AND MENAGERIE. Wirth: Bros.' greatest show on earth will perform in Tiniaru to-night (one night only) in its entirety. We aro assured that tho whole of the enormous enterprise will be here, as the Wirth Bros.' never divide, but travel and perform everything everywhere. Tho circus this season is full of novel, original and daring features engaged from the best circuses and music halls in the world. Each year' Messrs Wirth Bros, introduce new and serisasiJiial specialties, and since the visit ot i-ia world-renowned circus, two year's ago, many additions to both circus and menagerie have been secured. Amongst the circus artistes to appear here are the wonderful Frantz troupe, of society acrobats; the Healys in their marvellous and unique barrel jumping act, somersaulting in and out of or-, dinary barrels in a wonderful fashion; Mdlle. Millio Sagmar, with her beautiful school of trained dogs and ponies; the tossing .Testros, marvellous equilibrists and jugglers; the Lentons, acrobatic comedy actors; Misses Daisy/and 'May Harley, aerialists; Misses Rill, Stella, and May Martin, graceful equestriennes; Madame Edith Cooke and Marizlcs in beautiful menage act on two thoroughbred horses; tho Willey Cooke Bros., bounding jockies and mashers oh horseback; .the Christies, Raymond, the gaol-breaker; and dozens of clowns, aiigusts, and comedy men specially engaged for this season. Besides the wonderful circus aggregation, the huge menagerie is filled with dens of the fiercest and most unique animals, gathered from every land and clime, and includes a herd of seven performing elephants; an arena full of lions; tigers, Sears, wolves, leopards, jaguars, kangaroos, dogs, and ponies all performing together"—truly a. strange gathering—and for the first time in our town a real live hippopotamus, which! cost the Wirth Bros. £1250. A new departure, and one that will be greatly appreciated is au elevated chair platform, which is now carried with the show. A special train will leave after the circus for Teruuka.

FULLER'S PICTURES. For the bi-weekly change of animated pictures presented by Messrs Fuller at Olympia last evening, there was a very large audience. The iew pictures are well up to the staadard of excellence usually associated with the firm's programmes. A picture that drew forth loud applause was "Lourdes," depicting the procession of pilgrims to the miracle baths. Undoubtedly the " star" scenic of the 1 collection was one ■ entitled "Italian Lakes." Italy is noted for its magnificent lake soenery, and tho projection of a film giving views of >jme of 'the principal lakes proved very acccp: lie. The most striking picture w: t s ■- ■e cf the famous Lake " Baveno, ' a-id a fine view of "Isola Bella" was a'so i.htained. " The Borromede and h iskers' Islands" wero amongst tho scenic spots, and the film coucluded wiih a gorgeous sunset on Lake Map.gir.re. A series of educational value was entitled "Poultry Breeding," the pictures being obtained on a large French poultry farm, and the processes from the gathering of tho eggs to tho hatching of cliickens were cloarly siiewn. Another picture of educational interest was "Making Matches." The dramatic contributions to the programme were all interesting. The plots were good arid the acting perfect. The best picture was " In Old California," a romance of the Spanish dominion. The story chiefly concerns the exploits of a scapegrace son of a Spanish planter, who is bronght to hook by the death of his mother. Other c.-a-matie. films of sensational interest v.ere "The Road to Richmond." " The Chink of Golden Gulch," and "Leather Storking." The humorous films were all uproariously funny. The inevitable Foolshead was to the fore in a -sguhir screamer, " Foolshead' as Red Cios". "

The latest picture shows tho pcimlar French comedian as a member ot the Red Cross Society. " Tweedledum s Sleeping Sickness," " Mrs Clarke's Birthday," and "The Magnetic Squirt " were other tip-top comic pictures. The programme will be repeated this evening.