CITY HALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 694, 25 June 1903, Page 11

CITY HALL.

Mr Walter Rivers’ efforts to fill up the opening left by the Dix show, have been successful, and the performance, if wanting in strength, has been of a light and cheerful character, and to the taste of a large section of the public. Vocal items have been given by the ; Sisters Lawrence, Miss Alice Alexander, Miss Violet Wilton, and Mr Rivers- himself , and • the comic element has been supplied by Mr Makanini, an old-time nigger minstrel who has returned to his native land. M. Alberto,' the clever conjuror, mystifies his audience very pleasantly, and the other items are mostly good.

My Wellington correspondent writes, under date June 18th ■ —The opening night of the Nellie Stewart season, last night, was a decided success in more ways than one. The Opera House was filled from floor to ceilin»g with a densely packed audience, who cheered lustily on the welcome re-appearance of Nellie Stewart, prima-donwa, comedienne and actress. Lt was a welcome such as very rarely takes place in this City, and a splendid season is assured. The performance was closely watched by Mr Geo. Musgrove, who arrived by the s.s.

Moeraki, on Wednesday, on a holiday trip. . . . Dix’s Gaiety Coy-, at the Theatre Royal are still doing fair business, and are opening the “ Flying Moultons ” to-night in a startling acrobatic'and bar act. The other new turn, since my last, is Steve Adson, comedian and dancer. The remainder of the company are the same, although the Williams quartette, and several new artists appear shortly. . . . Fuller’s Entertainers at the Choral Hall are amusing their patrons in good style, and Miss Amy Blackie will open on Saturday next. Dr. Rowe is back at this house, and very ably assists his co-workers in driving dull care away.

Mr P. Quinlan, whose practical sympathy with all cases 'of charity is well known, announces that a concert and dance will be given in St. Benedict’s Hall this evening, to augment the funds already raised by him for the purchase of an artificial leg foi - Mr J. Polland, who lost a limb by a dynamite explosion at Foughey’s quarry f Tfie object is one that should commend itself, and there will doubtless be a full house.

A reproduction of John Longstaff’s painting of J. C-. Williamson’s daughter Marjorie is to be issued as a supplement to the Christmas number of the London “ Graphic.”

A new farcical comedy, called “ A Fool and His Money,” written by Mr George H. Broadhurst, was recently produced at the Madison Square Theatre, in New York. It will probably be seen in Australia before long.

Unlike Amos Bloodgood, Mr Edward Terry is a great Mason, and a grandmaster or something to that effect. During his* present South African tour he has paid visits to several of the lodges in Johannesburg and other towns.

A London music hall artist with a salary of £lO weekly recently sued the management for only allowing her five minutes on the stage. This is a new departure. The manger is generally - 'considered too greedy, and wants too much for the monev.

The “ Adelaide Advertiser,” in noticing the performance of “ Facing . the Music,” by the Thornton Company, gives special prominence s to Mr Frank Hawthorne, the clever comedian, who was thrown away in the Anderson melodramas. The writer says : —‘‘.Mr Frank Hawthorne gave a clever and amusing portraiture, of the Rev. John Smith, amusing as a caricature of clerical fatuity, and yet never over-stepping the bounds of goo'd taste., His homily on the'evils* of horse-racing, and his laughable misapplication of the language of the turf, created hearty . merriment, and his bewilderment in the subsequent scenes was equally clever- and diverting.”