THE LORGNETTE

Observer, Volume XXXII, Issue 23, 17 February 1912, Page 6

THE LORGNETTE

By Prompter,

THE week past has seen the last programme of pictures that

the Fullers will put on at the Opera House with regularity,for they revive vaudeville on Monday night, and the hearts of those who prefer the song and dance and dashing soubrette act will be filled with gladness. But a good programme has been given throughout the week, there being an especial iot of kinemacolour films, and there seems to be quite a boom in plant life studies. Humour alternated with drama is the usual fashion at the house, but the comics were better worth seeing than the dramas, which is not usual." "Dan Morgan, the Terror of the Australian Bush," was what the name implies, every bit. Well, the vaudeville comes on Monday night.

Fullers put on a better show at the King's Theatre, as good a picture performance as any in Auckland. There is a Kalem picture there, a drama of Irish fisherfolk, which is a fine piece ot setting and contains some splendid acting. •'The Wife's Ileyenge " and the version of the legend of Lady Godiva are also very excellent. There is some stirring action in the "wild west" story of '* Captain Brand's Wife." Comedy is provided in loud shrieks, the most amusing piece ot farce being ' 'Selecting an Heiress " and " Calino Takes Boarders." The King's certainly deserves the packed houses it gets.

The Lyric in Symonds-street keeps going in good style, never failing to secure films of exceptional interest and beauty for each change, and always getting packed houses. Give tlie public a good thing and it will always come in crowds to demand more. The Lyric, besides showing excellence and variety, provides an orchestra which is as much worth hearing as the pictures are worth seeing. The pick of the bunch is the spectacular drama, " A Sardinian Drummer Boy," while those who prefer 6cenic pictures will never see a better one than " The Hartz Mountains." " Springtime's Flowers " is a piece of colourmatography, makjing an exquisite study of orchard trees in blossom. The news of the world in picture is given by the " Gaumont Graphic," and there is plenty of really good comedy to relieve the dramatics. The Lyric gives a full programme every bit of which is too good to miss.

The all-day show at the Queen's is a steady draw, and not merely because it provides an agreeable means of filling in the time between appointments. The continuous show is a boon to weary folk in the hot weather and those who drop in to rest their feet and heavy heads for the space of one picture seldom leave till they have seen the whole bunch. The new programme is as good as the last, and that's saying a fair deal by way of recommendation. Joe MacMahon and partner know what goes with the general public, and the G.P. shows appreciation of their persistent exploitation of the world for the pleasure of the said G.P. If folks want comedy, farce, love interest, scenic views, Indian stories, or any 'of the variety produced by the film makers, they can see them at the Queen's as well as anywhere.

The Newbury-Spada concerts have had a deservt-dly good run in Auckland. The farewell concerts commenced last Saturday night, and as the folk who have contracted the Newbury-Spada habit expect'to listen to good music, the management endeavour to go one better as often as possible. The duets and solos sung by Mr Newbury and Madame Spada on Saturday night were of the highest •■ class, and besides being beautiful music beautifully sung, they admirably displayed the technical ability of the two artists. Madame Markstelt, a very recent arrival in Auckland, and a contralto songstress with a rich quality voice and some reputation in Old World cities, also contributed to the programme, and Mr Farrow, of course, of whom,; Auckland knows well enough to make comment superfluous. The instrumental music by Mr Gregson and Herr Pechotsch is up to previous samples, which is saying sufficient. \

The King George Picture Theatre opened last Saturday to a large audience, which were given something exceptional in the way of pictures, and a good orchestra. The King George show should be as popular as any house of amusement in this city, if it keeps up the standard it starts with. The audiences throughout the week have signified approval each night, and the popularity of the King George is in a fair way to endure. The finest picture, a version of the Celtic legend of Tristan and Isolda, was a coloured film, rather lengthy, but remarkably well staged and acted. The programme was all good stuff and plentifully varied.

Joseph Blascheck and Miss Wrightson have been, and gone, but in departing they have left behind them memories of a series of excellent entertainments, and consequently a large number of appreciators who will be ready to flock to hear this quick change entertainer of the ductile visage and the voice that is a premonition of laughter. Miss Wrightson is an excellent accompanist, and takes her parts in dialogues with an appreciation of humour that us infectious and catches the audience before it is ready. Not that Mr Blascheck's entertainments were all humorous, his serious impersonations were equally effective, and his conception and pourtrayal of classic tragedy and the wistfully pathetic easily got the audience into a condition o*f enjoyable gravity, until a sudden change brought them back to the joy of life with a ripple of laughter. Without make-up of any sort, 'relying solely on his elastic countenance and change of pose and voice, Mr Blascheck achieves wonders in character impersonation. He is an artist and to see him perform

is wisdom

Mr Allan Hamilton's next attraction for New Zealand will be his new company organised for the purpose on interpreting W. W. Jacob's delightful farce, "Beauty and the Barge." The Auckland season will be opened on Monday, February 26th. In addition to "Beauty ana the Barge," two-other popular productions will be revived —"Why Men Love Women " and " A Message trom Mars." The company, wnich is just finishing a tour of Western and South Australia, includes such favourites as Messrs Charles Brown, Wilton Welch, Milliard vox, liicnand Bellairs, John Jb'ord, Stuart Clyde, Kobert Greig, Kenneth Brampton, John Bruce, and Misses Beatrice Holloway, Lillian Lloyd, Katie Towers, Muriel Dale and Agnes Keogh. Mr Allan Hamilton will personally manage the company, whilst Mr Harry P. Muller acts as touring manager.