ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 17

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE SPECKLED BAND." By those familiar with Conan Doyle's celohrated "Sherlock Holmes" detecive stories, "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" will be remembered as a grim tale >of villainy and maniacal cunning outwitted by keen wits and presence of mind. In its drami.ised form thero is presented a play which holds tho attention and furnishes genorous scopo for some excellent afting. As Dr. Rylott, the mad doctor, Mr. Gaston Mervale haa a great opportunity which he makes the most of. With Mr. Wm. Desmond in the role of the celebraited detective, and Miss Dorothy Dix as Enid Stoner, and Mr. Atholwooil the cast of principals is well suited to the atmosphere of the piece, and tho note struck by tho author is faithfully reproduced- There will bo only four inoro performances of 'The Speckled Band," as the season is limited to ten nights and it is intended to present another new play entitled "Alias Jimmy Valentine." Ikis is said to be a splendid oomedyurama, which had an enormously successful run at tho Conxxly The.] I.re, London, lost year, with Gerald Du Maurier in the name part. It is by Paul Armstrong, a P'aywright, and was .m 1 ,, Henry's short ?rS , T '! o Eetneved Reformatipn. iho plajis for Jimmy Valentine" monm£ n at th ° Dreadeß 011 Wedllesda y THEATRE ROYAL. Kinemaoolor pictures at the Theatre Koyai are proving popular, and last night s 6how was -again well patronised. Among the films on this w«™» gramme are several deserving special mention, as "Kiiig and Kaiser Reviewing IVoops," "The Birth of Spring i lowers, and 'Launch of r.s. Olympic." number of capita] black and white subjects are also screened. On Monday night a special sacred programma will be presented, and on Tueshefd. °° n a ma tmee will be FULLERS' PICTURES. Fullers' Pictures at the Skating Rink were well attended last evening, there p?i n g presented a special programme in ni i. the Wellington Navals Boating Club. In addition to the star film, "The Double Event," which has attracted so much attention since it was first screened, there was also presented a particularly fine study by tho Ambrosia C'omPa n J"> . entitled "After Fifty Years," a charming romance, the story of which tv tn ' " 1B tragedies of war. Another item -which descms mention is tho laughable comedy by the Vitagraph Company, "A Handsomo Man," with Mr. Michael Cosbello in the principal role. Attention is directed to the announccby. Messrs. Fuller in" connection with their holiday programmes, KING'S THEATRE. A good house again groeted the current programme at tho King's Theatre last evening. Some of the best lines in dramatic, comic, scenic, educational, and industrial iiliii3 were presented. Conspicuous for merit was an especially fine picture of yachting at C-owes. This afternoon a i.-T' IS mas mat inee will be held, at which every child will receivo a Christmas gift, and for the benefit of tho little i S iJ i? m anagement will screen tho beautifully-coloured pantomime "Puss in Boots. A specially selected programme and ono appropriate to-the occasion has been prepared: for Christmas afternoon and evening, when "The Nativity.". will be screened. The colouring is said to be exceptionally fine, and the various scenes and effects have been carefully rehearsed and reproduced in a manner "which will appeal to people at the present season ol the year. A variety of other Christmas novelties, will also bo\introduced. Suitable music will be provided by the King's Orchestra. A special matinee will- also be held oh Boxing Day, at which an eritirely new programme of the latest noveltios will bo screened. TOWN HALL: FULLERS' PICTURES. The Christmas festival will include an apprcpmte exhibition of Fullers' Pictures in tho Town Hall on Boxing Night. In keeping with the occasion, Messrs. John Fuller-and Sons promise a pictorial programmo of more than averago merit, Iho subjects haw been selected with great care, and holiday-makers will find an attractive array of artistio masterpieces shown on the screen for their enjoyment. Admirably diversified, the selection .will contain items of great interest, representative of the most popu1m subjects in. motion-photography.. An efficient orchestra will provide incidental music, to the. pictures. •. THE NEW THEATRE. ' Last evening the New Theatre in Manners Street was packed to tho doors by . a most enthusiastic audience. The most successful picture of the evening was one entitled "How . -Betty Won. the School." It is the story-of a Western girl who, although excelling in various out-door pastimes, especially lasso-throw-ing, had One ■ weakness—a. horror of worms. Betty was sent in due course to a young ladies' boarding-school in one of the Eastern States, where she failed to a member of the "Girls' Secret Society" because she lost- nervo during the ceremony of initiation, when a quantity of boiled cold macaroni was dropped into her hands while she was blindfolded. With a cry of "worms! worms!" she tore tho bandago from her eyes and fled to her bedroom. For this action she was promptly dubbed "a coward," and ostracised by the other girls, who refused to speak to her oven. A few nights after, while the girls of the Secret Society were having a stipper-party in ono of tho bedrooms, poor Betty, who was disheartened at the treatment meted out to her/ was packing up her effects, having resolved to quit tho school and return home. All of a sudden a man, revolver in hand, clambered through. the ■ open window, and, silencing the terrified girls,-, proceeded to annex all articles of valuo lying about. Betty, who had seen tho man enter the room, picked up a length of rope, and, cautiously advancing, succeeded _in dexterously lassooing the midnight intruder, before ho was aware of hor presence. Help arrived, and he was soon overpowered. From that day Betty ivas regarded as a true heroine. "Gossiping Yapvillc" and "His Lordship's Hunting Trip" evoked much merriment. "The Playwright" and "The Making of a Man" have their pathetic side, but con:lude in tho good old-fashioned style in :he triumph of right and justice. The oictpres showing the embarkation of . Italian troops for Tripoli were very in- 1 :eresting. . "Summer Babies" shows the manner in which babies should be treatid, as regards their feeding, and tho lygienic conditions under which they mould be reared. and to-night, in addition to a Christmas festive programme, tho nanagement will present for tho first ime in New Zealand a picture pantonime, "Puss in Boots." This is a [orgeously-coloured peep into fairyland, md will, delight both young and old. On Honday (Christmas Day) there will be ;wo sessions in the afternoon, commencng at 2.30 o'clock, and two in the even- ; ng, commencing at 8 o'clock. The pro- J ;ramme on Monday will compriso speci-illy-selected and appropriate subjects, , leaded by "Cain and Aljel," a photo-play ] if "the world's first tragedy." , ] CHRISTMAS CONCERT. ! The famous English tenor, Mr. Philip 1 lewbury, is to give a concert in the ! ipera House on Christmas night. As- ■ isted by a strong combination of local ' rtists, Mr. Newbury will present a pro- 1 rammo of exceptional interest. Others ; iking part are Miss MUnroe, Miss S-ei- J reif, Mr. Clarkson, and Mr. David ' ienny. Mr. Newbury will sing "In Na- l ve Worth" (The Creation). "The Mess- k ?e" (Blumenthal), "Star of Bethlehem" ? Warns), "Noel" or "0 Christmas Night" ! Idam), and, -with Misses M'Enroe and , eigreif, the trios, "O Memory" and "Ti * aego." Mr. David Kenny will preside at '■ 10 piano> 1 MR. JOHN M'CORMACK. f Mr. John M'Cormaek, tho celebrated r rish tenor, is to give a concert at the t own Hall on Friday, January 12. Mr. v I'Cormack was the principal tenor in the f lelba Grand Opera Companv, Covent e iarden Opera House, and in the Boosey e allad concerts at the Royal Albert 1 [all, Loudon. The tenor will be sup- o orted by Miss Rosina Buckniau, lyric g >prono, Mr, Donald Al'Boath. violinist, ad ilr, spease? solo jgiaaist. h