ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 976, 17 November 1910, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

— » . THEATRE ROYAL. "Standing room only" were the words that greeted many disappointed ones ivho visited the Theatre Royal last evening at 8 o'clock, for before tlio rise of tho curtain every seat in tho liouse was taken. The bill presented by the management is a capital one—the best that has been produced at this . place of amusement for several weeks. .Last night a new attraction was "The Flying Pcdros," who come direct from America I and made their initial bow to a New Zealand audience. Their turn consists of a number of clever acrobatic turns on tho Roman rings, in which one of the performers supplies the comic sido of the act by impersonating a dummy, with good effect. The principle gymnast gave some splendid exhibitions of skill on the I'lngs, terminating his. act by turning a double somersault' in mid air. The success that Farell and Gaffney have attained with Theatre Royal audiences was well demonstrated last evening, for tliey had to respond to repeated encores. Once again Hiss Mable Lynne, a dashing comedienne, captivated the audience with her singing of "The Big Brass Band." Miss Beryl Gilman has established herself a -firm favourite, and her rendering of "Silvery Moon" caused rounds of applause. Mr! Harry Sadler's "funniosities" in tho new .first part kept the "house" in very good humour, as also did the singing and dancing of the tiro M'Cormicks. The other members of the company acquitted themselves very capably. The same programme# will be repeated to-night and following evenings. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. There were no vacant seats at His Majesty's Theafro when tho lights went out at 8. o jlock last evening, and many had to bo content with standing room. The charm exerted by the scenic picture was present in a series of views taken in the Holy Land—the crowded, narrow streets of Damascus, the glorified ruins of Heliopolis among them. The i glimpses of the mighty architecture of 2000 years ago, while it interests, demonstrates .how sadly the profession has deteriorated since the. days of. the Herods. In comic relief came a picture burlesquing the hidc-ous hobble skirt, which modern femininity has adopted. "Tho Unformed Child" is a domestic incident abounding in pathos. To an artist and his-wife is born a baby boy, whom a careless nurse drops on some stone steps, with the result that the boy grows up deformed in body and limb. Loved by his mother, the boy becomes an eyesore to the artist, who packs him off to a boarding school, where he, being a weak,.n=': ! las to submit to all kinds of indignities. "While at school, tho lad develops a talent for painting, and executes a wonderful portrait of his mother. Later his father discovers him painting a landscape,. and so struck is lie with the 1 boy's talent that he takes him to his heart-, and complete happiness is restored. The American Biograph Company is represented by /'The Sorrows of the Faithless." It is the story of a pretty but fickle fisher lass, who jilts lier lover for a stranger who has been, rescued ■ from the sea by her fiance. The latter, mad with jealousy, catches his rival, fells him in the surf, and holds him down until he drowns, and then . goes completely mad. The part of the > Sill is admirably acted by pretty Dorothy .Nicholson. "Overland to Bricse" is the title of some_ charming views of the | Swiss lakes, with some enchanting snap- , shots of the lake towns nestling be- . neath tho Alps. 'Of topical interest , is a series of pictures taken in Christchurch during the recent Cup week. Cathedral Square is shown, and some good but disjointed views of tho races at Riccarton. "When we were in our Teens" is another charming "Biograph" • picture, a pretty comedy' most artistically • acted. Other good pictures are: "Nellie's > Farm," "Valmero, tho Golden Shell" some fine scenery in Sicily), "The District Attorney's Triumph" (a strong drama), ""With Bridges Burned," and a : very funny Foolshead picture. i ■ WEST'S ROYAL PICTURES. The spacious Iving's; Theatre was filled to tho. doors last evening, when tie usual weekly change of' programme was presented to an audience which gave every evidence of satisfaction. ..Street scenes in Lisbon and pictures of the dethroned King Manuel (in London) were of particular interest. • Next week pictures are to be shown at the King's Theatre taken in Lisbon at the time of the revolution, ■ which has transformed Portugal from a kingdom to a republic. "A Row on the ■ Lakes of Four Cantons" transfers one to ■ the lofty' placidity of the Swiss lakes, ■ with the quiet waters fringed with quaint ■ cliateaus and hotels, and the towering ■ Alps as a background. "The Great ■ Train Hold Up" is a Pathe "Wild West" ■ picture. A gang of greasers lay to stick up a train. The signalman is .wounded, and one of the gang, donning his coat and cap, waves a flag, and stopstlie train, in which his" comrades in crime, with plenty of gun play, "go through" the passengers, and get away with the mail bags. Meanwhile the signalman's son / and daughter find their father in a„semi- ' conscious state, and learning "of fhe af- , fray, track the. gang to the spot where ■ they have temporarily deposited the mail I bags. 11l one of these the girl secretes : her little brother, who is carried off with ■ tho rest of. the mails. , Having arrived [ at the rendezvous, tho boy liberates hini- . self, and, annexing a horse, gallops back i to "seek assistance.' A sheriff and a [ of cowboys are led. to the train-robbers' ■ retreat, and, after a merry melee, the ! thieves are captured and the boy is half-' I as a hero. "Sports in Batavia" are sin." ; as would l-aiie the ire, if any membei : of the ; Cruelty to Animals Society, consisting'of a ram fight,' which consists of • a butting contest between two lusty rams. 1 and a bout between two . quail in a cage, • who fight until their beaks are broken, i "The Evolution of a Tile" is an > amusing trick picture, which shows i the wide variety of hats which 1 have in turn been considered the proper ! headgear of an Englishman. Pathe'sAni- ■ mated Gazette shows Lord Kitchener in • London; the elaborate funeral accorded » to Chavez, the daring, aviator, who cross- ' ed tie Alps, and was killed in his descent; the Emperor Franz Josef, at an aviation meeting in Austria; the opening of the Belgian Parliament, and othei events of importance in the 01(1 Other good pictures are "Broncho Bui: 1 Redemption." "A Wt'W™' T 1 ' 5 Sorrows of the Unfaithful," "The Broken 5 Symphony," and a screamingly funnj - "Foolshead" picture. i , ' JOHNSON V. JEFFRIES. . t An event of more than ordinary inter- >" est will eventuate to : night, when the 1 Messrs. MacMalion present to Wellingi ton audiences for the first time in Aus--1 tralasia the much-discussed animated » pictures of the now famous fistic encouni ter for the world's boxing supremacy be--1 tween "Jack" Johnson and "Jim Jefr fries. The pictures, which are declared t to be the best of the kind ever taken, « should prove cxceDtionally attractive. In t addition to the "star" subject, a new t and varied selection of tho latest- bio- - graph novelties will-be shown for the e first time in Wellington. It is announced i that popular prices will prevail, and - that seats may be secured at the Dres--3 den without extra, booking fee. A Capable orchestra, under the conductorship of Miss Abbie Taylor, will play the necessary musical accompaniments. CONCERT AT 'LOWER H.UTT. - Last night at the Lower Hutt Parish - Hall a concert was given for tho purpose of supplementing the funds of the Knox Church Boys' Institute. The hall 3 was crowded, and tho programmo met with mucli. appreciation. A comedy in f ono act took up the first part of the r programme, and the various characters i were well delineated by Miss Elsie Corrick, and Messrs. Jas. Culford, Bell, and W. In the second part items were given by Misses Elsie Gorrick, N, Bennett, Ivy Shearer. Dr. Purdy, and j Messrs. Heketa, C. Howard, Donaldson, Medliurst, and Gray. The accompani- [ ments were played by Miss Davis, Mr. j Ross, Bouttell, and Mr, Williams. 1 > ILLUSTRATED LECTURE. An interesting lecture on tho Argentine was delivered by Mr. J. 11. W. Cook at the Kent Terraco Presbyterian Sunday ' School last evening. Tho lecturer, who ' has spent ten .years in that country, was > thoroughly conversant with his subject, i and gave many interesting dotails of its > social and religious life. Lantern slides ■ enhanced the general interest of the entertainment.