ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1051, 14 February 1911, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

♦— —— OPEIfA HOUSE. - As evidenco of tho marked popularity of "A Message from Mars,".-and 'incidentally the I'limmcr-Dcyniston Company, many had to bo refused admission at the Opera House last evening. I'rior to the doors being opened thero was a queue extending along .Manners Street for the best part of a hundred yards, aiid at 7.45 pan. tho sale of tickets had to be stopped. At tho conclusion of the performance, which was enthusiastically received, Mr. Harry Plimmer announced that, owing to the great number who had been unablo to obtain admission, and the number of requests received from all quarters, it had been decided'to present "A Message from Mars" on Thursday evening in substitution for "Tho Passing of the Third Floor Hack."' In thanking the public for tho liberal patronage bestowed, Mr. Plimmer stated that Thursday's performance would be the last of the company's tour in New Zealand. Ho confessed that it was the first venture he and Mr. Denniston had made. The tour had been a brilliant success, and ho hoped many more would follow. (Applause.) This evening tho company will appear in Clydo -Fitch's charming comedy of rustic manners, "Lovers' Lane." When played in Wellington a few months ago this play created the most favourable'impression as a typo of play that is good and wholesomo to witness. Mr. Plimmer will'appear once more in his clever assumption of tho rolo of the broad-minded Parson Singleton, and Miss Lizette Parkes will take the part of quaint Simplicity Johnson, the pert American waif. "Lovers' Lane" will also bo staged at a matinee to-morrow afternoon, when all- children will bo admitted at half price. The management have extended an invitation to tho' inmates of .several of the cliaritablo institutions for young and old, feeling confident that their lot will be brightened a little in witnessing this pretty play. • / '

THEATRE EOYAL. ~ In tho'new programme staged at tho Theatre Royal last night by Fullers' Vaudeville Company, tho principal attraction is the new one-net comedv, "Tho Power of the Idol," plaved bv Jlr. Fred. Graham and Miss Nellio "Dent. • Tho scene is the breakfast room at tho Leigh's, and Lovell Leigh is explaining to his wife that an idol which is in their possession has. tho extraordinary power (every thousand years) of fulfilling any wish of its* owner, nnri Leigh is iit Tiones that hb will be-able to mako his fortune by tho disposal of tho idol to a certain rajah. While they are partaking' of breakfast, Leigh exnresscs tho wish that tho servant would mako a,little more toast'of a morning, and the words are scarcely uttered when • a heaped-up plato of toast arrives. This convinces.them of tho power of the idol, and as the husband leaves for work ho enjoins his wifo not to express any wish till ho comes homo again. Tho wifo endeavours to keen tho promise, but involuntarily wishe9 it was 7. o'clock in the ovenihg, with Lovell home again, and immediately following the thought her husband walks in. And so the comedy goes on until the idol 1 has finally got the household into a strange tanglo with a strange baby on tho premises, and Mrs. Leigh struck, dumb. It then strikes tho husband that matters may bo adjusted'if he expresses one wish that they return to the original state, and so-it liapnens. Tho niece gives Mr. Graham ample scopo as a laughter-producer, and ho made many telling hits.' Miss Dent was capital throughout, especially Avhile playing the role of mute. In response to a recall, the artists rendered 0110 of their popular medleys. ; Farrtll and Gaffney .appcar'in a new sketch, entitled "It-Must, bo Me'.". Their; dancing was greeted with much applause: Gaffney appears to havo on almost unlimited variety of new steps, anil in tho first part t'jo audicnco continued to applaud him until he was • too fatigued to • proceed further. : Herr Theodore,• who has.something new to show in the art of balancing, was well received. Ho is materially cssistcd by tho clown,' and tho pair between | them . aro particularly smart in their club-swinging act. Tho diminutive comedian, Victor Myers,- sang "You're tho Girl I'vo Been Waiting; For?', Mr. Chas. Heath, tenor, received an encore for his rendering of "My Pretty Jane," and a similar'compliment was extended to Miss Cecile Stenha'no, who sang "Sleep, Sailor, Sleep." Other contributors to the ' programme .are: Jack Knowles, coon Sanger; Scot.Gibson, comedian; Wally Dawson; comedian; Ellaino Verroll, serio; Ruby Wallace, serio; and tho Anderson ; Trio. At tho conclusion of tho performance tho biograph . shows numerous scenes in connection with tho Houndsditch murders in London, wherein tlueo policomon were shot by foreign anarchists. Tho programme will be repeated to-night.

'. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE, i The, sensational item . of tho new pro- • grammo presented at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. was a long film taken in Houndsditch (London) on the occasion of tho reccnt tragical running to earth of tho anarchists who had a few days previously shot two policomcn in making their escape from a tight corner. 1 thousand .police, some hundreds of the military, (with a Maxim gun), and the fire brigades were concerned. The picture shows tho houso to. bo a section of a. largo tenement building, rising four stories from tho streot line. The dense crowds surge in the adjacent streets, held back.by a regiment of police, and craning for a view of the, deserted street. Closer. views. show armed police sniping at tho windows of the anarchists', retreat from doorways and windows with revolvers and shot, guns. Policemen and detectives are shown ,clambering stealthily over tho roofs, and .shooting occasionally as they catch sight of moving figures in the houso ovor the way. Then smoke is seen curling out of' tho first floor windows, and tho brigado arrives. They approach, their work bravely, smash the windows, andLturn jets on to the roaring flamesc within, but it is too late, to save the building, which, is quite gutted. It is rare indeed that such a tragic incident can bo so faithfully reproduced, but it must bo remembered that the siege and firo extended over iivo hours in daylight. Another very beautiful picture, remarkable for its good photographic quality, and the lavish-scalo-oil-which it is produced, is . entitled "The Last of the Saxons." It illustrates tho final stajid mado by the' Saxons in the encounter which culminated in the Battle of Hastings. Still another "star" film that was received with great approval is a picture entitled "Ritncn Life in tho Great SouthWest." Hero tho real bowboy is shown at work and play on tho open prairielassoing, riding buck-jumpers, branding wild steers, etc. The adept manner in .which they lassoo and throw a galloping steer makes the' blood' leap. The most sensational sport, "dog-biting" steers, is also shown. The' cowboy on his broncho races level with the steer, suddenly jumps- from his saddle on to its back, and slides along to its horns. When his feet touch the ground lie gets a purchase on the horns, and turns tho animal's head round until it is compelled to fall to tho ground, after' which amazing feat the cowboy jumps up laughing as. tho frightened animal caroers off over the. prairie. "Birds in their Nests" is a fascinating nature study, taken by Pathe Freres-in natural tints. • The Pathe Gazette includes a few extra snap-shots of tho Houndsditch affair, pictures of a big aviation meeting, at which two men aro killed; Lor dliobcrts unveiling a statue of General Wolfe, and other interesting niatter. ' KING'S THEATRE../.-, A new- programme of pictures was submitted by the West's and Royal management last night at tho-King's Theatre. There was a large attendance, and tho frequent and hearty applauso proved onco more that thoso in control of this popular house are adepts in catering for tho nublio tasto. The first item was the Palnierston North Military Tournament, which was shown last week, and was included by special request in the new programme. Another particularly interesting typical film was that which depicted the fight of tho police with tho anarchists and murderers, at lloundsditch a few weeks ago. ' Other recent events were interest-.! •inflly. illustrated in tho selection of pictures known ns tho "Pathe Gazette." One of the favourite films of tho dramatic order was entitled "The Arapahoes." This told a story of violence, bloodshed, and heroism among North American Indians and Western settlers.. Tho Indians carry off a girl and. her mother, but a son "and brother effects a daring and clover rescue. Tho Red Men follow in hot jursuiti and when'their escsipcd viqtiniß

aro at bay a detachment of border soldiery bursts upon the scene, completes tho rescue, and "wreaks vengeanco upon tho cruel savages. A scenic film of great merit is that which shows tho outlook from a. steamer voyaging down tho Danube from above the German border to Vienna. Anything better adapted to convey a correct impression of tho numerous aspects of a picturesque foreign land it would be difficult to imagine. "Not so Bail as it Seems" is a bright and clever picture comedy; "A Plain Song" is a very human story, to whi6h •the pictures give an air of marked reality; and there arc many other films of high merit. The same programme will be repeated to-night. STAR PICTURES. Judging by the large attendance at the Star Pictures last evening residents of Newtown now fully realise that tho selection of animated pictures produced at St. Thomas's-Hall aro all that a firstclass picture entertainment should be. "Canadian Railway Construction" is an interesting scenic film as well as being instructive, while the dramatic film "In Life's Cycle," is an appealing story. "Lourdes" gives many glimpses of thaf famous town. The humorous section of the programme contains a thoroughly up-to-dato comic entitled "A Pig Chase by Aeroplane," and such laughable studies as "Foolshead, Fisherman," "Calino's Fire Extinguisher," and "The Marriage of Muggins." :