ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1282, 10 November 1911, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"A rOOI, 'HIKKK WAS." The remarkablo play, "A I'onl Tlio.ro Was," which is Immcl on Kipling's pin-m "The Vampire," will lie prrxfu<-,t;tl fur 111" first timo in Wellington lo nionmi nighi at the Opera House. The part of the Vampire, as portrayed by .Mi's Mabel Trevor, is a weird role, Willi ils MiggesHon of mysterious, unlinmnn pnwovs. There is all (lie element of sulille fiiscinntioii in the woman, however, which ncrounl.s for tlio liolil she oblains nver Ihe man whoso downfall is the subject of the play. The prine.ipal charaelers r>n> llie Vampire (Miss Mahel Trevor), I lie husband (.Mr. Hugh C. Iliukler), (lie wife V) l, f J 'old Pngcl), the sisler (Miss Klinnr !• ost'er), tho friend (Sir. Gerald K. Sotipcrj, and the child (f,itlle Alice Jerrem-i). Ihe husband, who dewrfs his v.ife and child, and ruins his career for the sake of tie woman, is tho "fool" »r the piece. Uhen the wife learns that her husband has deserted her, she is urged by (he friend to fry and reclaim him. The \ ainpiro leaves tho husband, and when tho wife and friend visit him ho is alone half-maddened with drink. All their edorls to get liitn ntvay, however, ore fruitless, and they leave him with (he intention of trying again. Thoughts of suicide havo passed through the man's denienlerl brain. lie pours some poison into his glass of brandy, and whilo ho hesitates the \ampire reurns to gloat over him in his ruin. She endeavours to cast her spell over him again, but bo repeis her, and bv a sudden impulse rushes off io find ius wife. Tho Yampire picks up tho glass, and laughs her old-time mocking laugh, and not knowin" , 't contains poison, drinks tho contents, ana falls in a death agony on the floor, the scenery is one of tho feature-: of tho production.

theatre royal. Jfiss arillio -Doris, the .English come(liomip is still singing catchy songs nt tho lhpatre JJnyal and, lost night, she again had Co respond to a. numbc-.r of encore?. Jlahelle, the dancer, is also appearing with succoss, and other popular artists are 3(r. Tim Howard and. Miss Jessie Leo. J. he programme will be repeated 10-night.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. An edition of the Australian Gazette, siimvn in llic U ew programmo at Ilis Majesty s /hcatro last night, included in-teresting-scenes of tho steamers laid up 111 Wellington as a result of tho recont striko of ofheers of the "mosquito" fleet, ihcro was also a splendid picture of the rczntta on tho Yarra River, Melbourne, when over 100,000 people crowded the bankon cither side, while honsolwats and pleasuro crnft of all descriptions studded tho river in different parts. The edition also included a view of the Wellington lost Urnce, in course of construction. Corporation and the Ranch Girl" is a Western stor.v presented in good stylo by the Lssauay Company. The heroine is the owner of a valuable ranch, which a wealthy corporation seeks to buy at nn.y price, but the girl states emphatically that money will never buv it. The head ot tha corporation commissions his son to work on the ranch, in order to win ,*? mof ihe Sir! and persuade her to sell, ihe son performs the first part ot tho commission faithfully, but, in the end, ho mid the girl become so much in love that they decide to marry, and not to sell the ranch. He telegraphs his father accordingly. "The Sacrifice" is a touching drama by the Vitagraph ComPW- -f tabv girl is bereft of her mothwt lvjiiie tlio father is in prison, the result being that she is sent to an orphanage, bho is subsequently adopted by a wealthy childless couple. The father comes out of prison some years later, and, ascertaining where his daughter is living, he goes to claim her. . He discovers that she has a good home, and is being very well cared for, and, after a struggle with himself, ho decides to leave her in tho caro ol Lor ioster parents. An amusing comedy, entitled "Five Hundred Dollars Reward," gives an account of the adventures of two private aetectives, who set out to apprehend a robber, but made an unfortunate mistake, and arrested tho man vho had been- robbed and the Government detective, who was on trail of the robber. Other subjects screened last night were: "Fun in a Bear Pit," "Japanese C i nU L r , o ,?> ' a ' travel subject: "Waterfalls at Elfkarls, scenic; "Way of the Eskimo,' a story of the Far North.; and "Visit to' Earl's Court," a travel subject. On Monday next, Messrs. Fuller and Hons will present, for the first time in New Kml ' a dramatic masterpiece, entitled Ihe Bells." The firm have the exclusive rights of this picture, which comprises some 60 tableaux.

THE KING'S THEATRE, | The new programme of pictures at the Ivings Tueatro last niglit included a number of capital subjects, among which ■_ raust" was thq star number. This is a beautifully coloured film, in which the whole of the characters act their parts in finished style, while tho scenery throughout haves nothing to be desired, the duel scene and the witches' meeting being especially good. The picture is, in fact, a masterpiece in kinematograpliy, not the last interesting feature bung the various changes worked by Mephistopbeles. Nearly 2000 feet of film is.used in telling the story, and by means of the numerous scents 'the themo is easily followed. "Cross-country Riding in the Belgian Army" shows a portion of a cavalry regiment at drill. The soldiers _ show wonderful horsemanship while riding up and down steep inclines, through creeks and over stilt obstacles. "His Last Game" is a drama •jy'" o ' l hero is an Indian named Go'ns." a great baseball player. Billy is one of the Chostaw team to pay tho Jim town representatives in the fina match of the season. Two gamblers endeavour to buy him over to lose tho game, but lie stedfastlv refuses to accept tho bribe, and, becoming enraged at the gamblers' persistent offers, he shoots one of them, and is himself taken off. by tho sheriff to be shot. The Jimtown team are now hot favourites for the match. The sheriff, however, is persuaded to defer "Billy's" execution, and another Indian is held as a hostago while "Billy" goes off to assist the Choctaw team. The sheriff then has a gnnd bet on the Choctaws, anil sends o; to tho judge for a reprieve for "Billy," stating that, in tho event of the latter winning the game for the Choctaws, there will be new evideiicc in his favour. "Billy" reaches the baseball field when the Choctaws are being braten, but he pulls the game out of the fire, and then hurries off to keep his appointment with the sheriff. The shooting is delayed, some time, but the reprieve does not come along, and poor "Billy" is doomed. Scarcely has the volley been fired when a horseman arrives over a hill with the pardon, an accident having delayed him. Tho final scene is one of general dismay. The programme is supplemented by the "Paihe Gazette," "North Borneo," and other good items.

To-night there will be an imcurtnilcd picturo production of Victor Hugo's famous work, "Notre Dame do Paris." It comprises two parts, in thirty scenes, with sixty tableaux. Tho leading parts ill the great play aTo taken by some of the foremost Parisian actors. THE NEW THEATRE.

Two new star films were screened at Tho New Theatre yesterday, and the various sessions of the continuous picture show in the afternoon and evening were fully attended. "Judas Maccabeus," an elaborate ancient picture story, which was being screened for the first time, is given a. delightful air of romance in the picture version. Hundreds of theatricals i take part in this production, which is splendidly acled and mounted. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," tho second star film, is a patriotic and historic subject',', which portrays tho writing of the famous national hymn by Mrs. Julia Ward llowe. In the early part of the American Civil War, President Lincoln was discouraged at the lack of enthusiasm when volunteers were required. Mr.?. Howe fired the enthusiasm of the people with the famous "Battle Hymn," and volunteers poured in from all quarters. The film illustrates tho meaning of the different stanzas of the poem. Both "Judas Maccabeus" and "The Battle Hymn" are pictures of high quality, and* well wortli seeing. They will be shown again to-day and to-night, when the programme will include the following additional new films:—"The Inheritance," an Edison comedy; "Her Three Proposals," a comedy by the Champion Company; "Was he justified?" an Edison drama; "Exhibition at Koine," Cines scenic; and "French Gendarme's Wedding' comody. The theatre will be open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.