ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1267, 24 October 1911, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPEHA HOUSE. "Our Mi.M Gibbs" is making her last appearances at tho Opera House to-night and to-morrow evening. From start tx) linisli this delightful musical comedy liriniH with fun, the music is charming enough, and tho staging uiagnilicent. TJIKATItE ROYAL. A. typical holiday audience attended the Theatre Koyal hust evening on tho occasion of theweekly change of programme.. Chief among this week's attractions aro James Al'ljtie and Kitty lieecc, two American dancers. They were seen in somo clever specialty dancing, nnd appeared to please the audience. "Tho Tossing Ti'sLros" a';ain demonstrated their ability in juggling, repenting a number of their former perfornvancps. Tho climax was reached when the male, performer completed Hie turn by lifting a Japanese rickshaw, said to weigh over UUIIIb., and balancing it on his forehead, lleryl Niehnlls, serio and dancer,, made her lirst appearance before a WeUingtnn audience, ami received a good hearing. Freda Newrick, Daphne Lcslic, and Kssie Jennings, old favourites, also appeared to iidvnnlago. Vernonniaek, a juvenile comedian, did very well indent!, and had lo re.-i|xiinl lo a merited encore. Jos. .Mullnney appeared in both parts of tho programme, as also did Jack and Will Khodesbiiry. To-night tho programme will bo repeated. NEW THEATRE. Tho Now Thealle was crowded at oil sessions of the oonlinuoue enlortainmonl ye.stertlay. The change of programme today will Ik headed by Pathe's master* ):ieco, "Napoleon's Last l):iys at BU Helena," wliich sur|\isses in iirlislic excellence all previous efforts of that firm. The pluilxi-play is iulapled Trom tho drnma l*v Michel Carre and Jules Baj'bicr, (wo oi the greatest Proncli dramatists of Hm day. It commences with the conveyance to" Napoleon of the ultimatum of tho allied sovereigns that he must l>o removed lo St. Helena! Among the episodes shown aro his reception at St. Helena, which he reached on October IG, ISIS. ' Shortly alter his arrival at St. IWena, Sir Hudson Lowo, the new Governor, ordered his removal to Longwood, and it was there that the governor's hnivutiing conduct became almost intolerable. After various events, the affecting sight is presented on tho rerecu of the Emnoror gradually winking under his last illnciss, and, during ono of his "menial storms," ho sees before him again (he momentous happenings of his former life rc-a-sscmbled in phantom form. The other items will include "Stolen By Indians," " The Ruling Passion," "Tho Beautiful Voice," "K.inc Peter of Horvia Visiting Rome," nnd "She Dreamt of Onions." HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. There was standing room only, an<l very litll o of that, in His Majesty's Theatre last nichl. when (ho usual bi- . weekly change of bill was presented. Tho ; I new programme happens to be one very ) rich in films which are descriptive of ; recent events or which have some topical . ! interest. The picture which is starred ia 1 a pictorial dramatisation of "The Tickets of-Leave Man." The story as the pic--3 tures tell it is of the ill-luck of a young . man whoso only fault seems to be (hat t he mistakes rogues for honest, men. Ho passes Borne forged notes for a couple of - rascals, and goes to gaol for a term". Ho 1 is liberated, sadder and wiser, but his erelwhile betrayers make his lot a hard one, until in the end he is able to help* tho police to put them out of harm's way. Tho film, which is the work of the. , Australian Life Biograph Company of Svdnev, is well compiled and well acted. The drama is described during projection by Mr. Rhodes Speight. Two recent events of some interest in the worhl_ of sport which arc described most effectively by tho kincmatograph are Uie Fogwellliarry boat race, and Burgess's long swim 1_ across the channel. Another picture which is especially interesting just now e on account of the cabled news of tho ' a war shows vieits of Tripoli and gives a splendid idea of the kind of laud and the kind of people Italy seeks to conquer and win from (ho Turk. And of course no picturo programme is com- , pleto without a tragedy or a comedy or two, and this programme contains somo '" that arc really worth while. Tho programme will bo repeated to-night, and the management announce that ''Tho ticket-of-Leave Man" will be shown for thnx jl nights oulj.

THE KING'S THEATRE. Late-comers had no choice of any kind of seats at the King's TJieatro lost uiglit, for the theatre was packed with a holiday audience in a holiday humour. It is scarcely necessary to state further that tho pictures of the new bill were received with absorbed interest, with mirth, or with admiration, according to their subjects. Among tho scenic films was ono which showed a few glimpses of the growing town of Wbangarei. Tho picluwe 'gavo an excellent idea of the growl h of tho place. There wero also in the film some views of a couple of waterfalls in tho far north, ono of which is shortly to bo voked up to an electric power plant. A. film of a different sort showed a little of the seamy side of life in Paris. It happened that some young men of tho class from which tho apaches are recruited had :i night's frolic, winch finished up, a? nights of frolic often do, in a restaurant. One of the men stayed behind to sleep, and while he slept a murder was committed. Suspicion fell upon him, but the guilty men had left tracks behind, which k<l first of nil w his being blackmailed and finally to hm being apprehended. Last scene of all showed vividly the methods of the Parisian plain clothes men in filling in (he blanks in the story which goes to prove a prisoner's guilt. Ihey .are a little more.advanced than tho American third degree. Still another story is told of a foolish old American backwoods farmer, a widower, who went to town and-married a new wifo who was old m perfidy. Tho thing ended up all right, for tlio woman's husband got out of gaol soon and rtiero was happiness again in the farm household. There were other dramatic olid scenic films, also somo comic ones, tho best of the latter being lino about a bather who lost his clothes and became a scarecrow, lie had a few very live adventures in the last rolo, 'l'he same pictures 'will be shown to-night. TIIE COMPETITIONS. In another column will l)e found the Wellington Compelitions programme for to-morrow, which is the opening day ot the festival. Proceedings begin at 9 o'clock in the morning, and resume at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. In the mornin" the dramatic recital (men), the humorous recilal (ladies), and piano and mandoline solos will be heard. I» •»<> afternoon the soprano solo (' ine .lewot Song"), and the humorous song (ladies or men). There are entrants for those cvenle from all over New Zealand, and also from Australia, k> that tho finals at night (at which I lie three liest performers compete) should be full of interest. At 7.45 p.m. his Excellency Lord Islington will open the first evening session. Tho box plan, is open at the Dresden.