ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2498, 11 May 1909, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS.

CLEMENT WRAGGE.

A TRIP THROUGH THE UNIVERSE.

The public of Gisborne was afforded an intellectual treat last evening, when . Mr. Clement L. Wragge lectured in His Majesty’s Theatre upon A -Trip Through the Universe. 7 ihe building was crowded, and the lecturer, who has a fine flow of descriptive language, carried ; his audience, by the aid of lantern reproductions of magnificent photographs gathered from all the great observatories of the world, through the wonders of creation; or, as Mr. Wragge would correct himself, evolution ;; from the minute atom of radium w'tne ff" gantic nebulous suns, beside which the sun that shines upon the earth is but as a grain of sand. The lecturer soon, convinced his audience that ho m an enthusiast in his work, and mas a most appreciative conception of the sublime grandeur of the universe. The ficent stars surrounding the North loie of the heavens were described as suns, some of them thousands of times larger than our sun yet appearing as mere specks of light, so great was their distance from the earth. A wonderful series of photographs was thrown on the screen, showing the spiral nebula that formtf Orion’s Belt, ana against these views are shown an imaginary picture of what all suns are like in their infancy, that is, before they become solidified into huge burning, revolving masses. The planets./ it was. explained, at- one time formed part of the sun, and the moon was once _a portion of the earth. Some splendid pictures of “Via Lactea” or the “Milky Way” were next exhibited. Every one * of the myriads of stars, the 'lecturer said, was a sun. Our sun was known to scientists as a second-class variable star, and was, with its planets, really a "star in the “Milky Way.-' The sun was travelling on an orbit at the fearful rate of 153,000,000 miles in one year, and carried - with him, on his journey the planets and all their satellites. Though the sun was but a speck in the great cosmos, he was over 865,000 miles in diameter, and was more than 300.000 times larger than the earth. Dealing with the physical features of the sun, Mr. Wragge showed upou the screen some magnificent pictures of the great luminary, and described the cyclones that periodical!}' sweep across the sun’s disc. Though the earth was 93,000,000 miles distant, yet there was etheric response to all the disturbances upon the sun’s surface, and as some sun spots are visible- at present, Mr. Wragge predicted cyclonic and earthquake disturbances between the 15th and 20th of the present month. The wonderful mountain chains, the volcanoes, and dried-up seas of the moon were also shown. The moon was now without an atmosphere, and on the moon there was dead silence. As the moon now was, the earth would one day be, though aeons of time had yet to T>ass before that fateful time would arrive. In fine language the lecturer?'told of the comets, the planets, the suns, and the nebulae, and then spoke of the wonders of life in the planet, the flower, and the universe that revolves within itself around a speck of radium. Mr. Wragge dwelt? upon the fact- that man should thi rife of the immensity of the great universe, and try to realise that our existence is but a. fleeting moment, the vibration of an atom in a ray of the sun. Our planet is but an island in the vast archipelago of worlds, to which thought can place no bounds. Space alone is infinite, there is in the void neither right nor left, nor height nor depth, and m time neither beginning nor end. .At the conclusion of the lecture Mr. Wragge showed some bromide of radium (there is no pure radium in existence), and described its wonderful properties and various rays. The samples! were passed around, and the. audience were able to see the tiny speck of the most eostlv substance known to man scintillating like a miniature universe. _ Mr. Wragge will lecture again this evening upon “The Majestv of Creation.” Some exquisite photographs will be shown bv the aid of the lantern, and another educational treat may be confidently anticipated.

WILLIAMSON’S COMIC OPERA CO.

Local tlieatre-goers are looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to the short season of Mr. J. C. Williamson's Royal Oomic Opera Co., which commences to-morrow 1 night, and the demand for reserved seats is very large. The first production will be ‘‘The Merry Widow,” and the popularity of this opera has long been a matter of general knowledge. The story has been compiled with abundance of dramatic interest, and the composer's music is always charming, an unceasing flow of rich melody haunting refrains and ravishing harmonies. “The Dairymaids” is in quite a different style, but almost as popular of its kind, with a wealth of light entertaining songs, and an equally great wealth of stage groupings,, dances, and merriment of the most original and brightest oTder. “The Girl,j of Gottenberg” was the rage of London when produced at the Gaiety Theatre, and has put up some records ill Australia. Its music is one of its strong features, and the comedy is said to be intensely funny. To interpret such plays satisfactorily, artists of more than the average calibre are requisite, and that Mr. Williamson is fully cognisant of this fact is shown bv the array of talent revealed by a glance through the cast. Mbs Florence v Young’s, glorious voice should do full justice to the sparkling music allotted to Sonia (the Merry Widow), Mr Reginald Roberts, the tenor, has earned some very superlative expressions of approval, and the new baritone, Mr. Andrew Higginson, has created a profound impression as the fortunate possessor of a fine stage presence, an excellent baritone voice, and remarkable, talent as an actor. Mr. Victor Gouriet, Mr. W. S. Percy, and Mr. Arthur Hunter also have won unstinted praise for their fun-making. Miss Nellie Wilson is als6 praised most highly 1 for her singing and fascinating acting, while Miss Fanny Dango, who is making her first tour of New Zealand, is ■ said to he a dainty actress arid a Fairylike dancer. The plays are mounted in* Mr J. O. Wiliamson’s best style. Box plans are now open at Wm, Miller's