Amusements.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3666, 22 February 1904, Page 2

Amusements.

WOODS-WILLIAMSON CO. This Company will play a Reason of two nights in Woodville, commencing on Wednesday, when will he presented for the first time here Henry Pettitt’s world-famed Drury Lane nautical drama, “ Hands Across the sea.” Probably no other play in the language has received or merited a greater share of popularity than this fine drama. In the hands of such capable artists as Mr Alfred Woods, who is described as being Australia's greatest actor, and the, celebrated English emotional actress, Miss Maud Williamson, with the excellent support accorded them, playgoers may confidently look forward to a dramatic treat of rare interest. It was the Company’s opening piece at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, and the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, in both of which cities it ran for several weeks to huge business : and during the present tour of the colony it has been voted by our contemporaries as being the premier of alljmodern productions. The Company engaged to support tbew two stars —Mr Alfred Woods and Miss Williamson —is an exceptionally strong one, numbering thirty artists, picked from the different London and Australian Theatres. Special scenery, with many novel mechanical effects, completing beautiful stage pictures, will be brought to Woodville for the production, the Management promising theatregoers in this .respect nothing short of a revelation. WLRTH’& CIRCUS. The menagerie in connection with Wirth’s circus, which appears here on Thursday, comprises an extensive collection of animals, most of which were wild and ferocious, but now are apparently quite tame and do some marvellous acts. Amongst the artists are the marvellous and mysterious Howard Brothers human, race bafflers, whose wonderful exhibition of second-sight and thoughtreading has bewildered the whole of Australia. Herr Page!, described as the strongest man on earth, does some remarkable lifts. He enters a lion’s den and catches hold of a snarling, struggling full-grown lion and lifts it over his head. This is sensational, and the lion frequently objects to be thus handled. Pagel also lifts a pony and jockey and carries them around the ring; carries a horse weighing 10501 b up a ladder. Finally he places a huge plank across his chest and an elephant weighing tons, walks over it. Mons. Regal does some wonderful things with the Bengal tigers in a large iron cage, one doing Blondin on a tight-rope and the boundingjockey act on horseback ; the others play at seesaw, roll globes, steeplechase, and two are harnessed like horses to a chariot and driven by a third full gallop round the ring inside the cage. There are also quite a number of startling acts and plenty of clowns. Altogether the show is full of novelties.