ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1412, 12 April 1912, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

Shima and Kameda, the two Japanese exponents of jiu-jitsu now appearing at the Theatre Royal, continue to attract good "houses." Their "turn" is an interesting illustration of the value of jiujitsu as a means of self-defence. There are other successful performers billed, including Arthur Tauehert, Charles Moody, and the Rangers. THE NEW THEATRE. All performances yesterday at MacMahon and Donnelly's continuous picture entertainment were liberally' patronised, and the New Theatre, .Manners Street, was a full house la>t evening. The customary complete change of programme will be presented to-day. and will include a sterling drama, "One Touch of Nature" (by the Vitagraph Company), "The Frontier of Tripoli" (scenes at the ItalianTurkish war), "Circle C. New Boss" (an effective cowboy drama, by the Champion Company), and "Three of a Kind" (a delightful Edison comedy). To-night there will bo added to tho programme a powerful dramagraph, "For His Son" (by the American Biograph Company). Next Monday an elaborate picture version of "Romeo and Juliet" is to be introduced. KING'S THEATRE. The Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association _. was given a benefit performance at tho King's Theatre Inst evening, when there was a fine attendance. The chances are that the centre will realise about ,£3O out of the show, which amount will bo devoted toward wiping off tho expenses ,of the southern tour of the Wellington representatives to the championship meeting. The new pictures last evening included a series of views of the dog parade' held at the Basin Reserve a couple of weeks ago, and some snaps of the Australasian athletic championships held on the Basin Reserve. The star picture is ftfill Thackeray's story, "Vanity Fair," a magnificently-acted representation of the famous novel. The newest Pathe Gazette gives some bright views of the militant Suffragettes on the day they smashed the windows'• on the Strand, 'with examples of the damage the women did before they were haled to Bow Street. Other views pictured iiy the Gazette include the Lord Mayor viewing the Boys' Naval Brigades •on parade, views of tho big gale on the south coast, and the King's first levee on returnimfrom India. The programme also includes "A Gipsv Girl's Honour." "The Chameleon." "Max and His Dog Dick," and "With tho Kodak." SKATING RINK. A complete change of programme was piesented at the Skating Rink last evening. It is specially remarkable for one picture, which typifies how astonishingly up-to-date the picture dramatist of America keeps. Iho picture in r|uestioa is' "A Red Cross Martyr," and it is a tale of the Tureo-ltaliaii War, which includes a small army of actors. Tho action begins where a young Italian officer receives word to proceed to' the front at Tripoli whilst spending nri evening with Ins fiancee. From the luxury and atmosphere of an., aristocratic drawingroom to the tawdry outskirts .of a sunbaked African village, is a far cry, but the kinomotogvaph stage manager is a wonderful person, and his . "effects!" are highly realistic. A scuffle.occurs in a back street between a' horde of Aribs and Turks and Italians.- in which the' former are driven back. The .manner in which these, American actors, swing , their machine gun into action is worthy of highlv-tramed troops: Hearing of the great' sufferings of the troops the young ladv resolves to jojn the Red Cross Brigade, but fate .is against her, for whilst attending to the wounded she is treach-eious-ly shot. Her body, is found, by her lover."who swears lb have revong£. ' He volunteers to drive an aeroplane oyer, the' Arab, stronghold and .burst it up with bombs. Sweeping..low like,a. hawk, the 'plane is seen skimming towards the distant oasis, a black speck is seen to fall, and in a moment there, is a big upheaval as houses aro destroyed and streets . ravincd by the .bombs. Three or four times tho feat is performed; then getting risky he flies too low, is, shot, .and. with his aeroplane crashes to the earth. In its Tuius he is found dead by and he and his dead'love are given a picturesque double funeral. Another excellent picture is ."The Little-Widow," a romance which concerns a widow and a | miner who protects her on shipboard from the importunities of a gambler. When the vessel catches fire, he saves her, and restores the gold to her purse which has been stolen by the gambler. Long years after the miiior, risen to a financier, strikes misfortune. The widow rends of it in the paper, and she, having prospered, sends him assistance, by which aid he is able to retrieve his losses. The end is inevitable—they marry. Other pictures are, "One Touch of Nature," "The Chief's.Daughter," "The Peanut 1 ndu'try," "The Kaffir Compound," and "Gold-mining in Rhodesia." SHORTT'S PICTURES. "The Sheikh's Jealousy," an Arabian drama, is one of a number of attractive features in the new programme at Shortt's Theatre,' in Willis Street. Thestory is that Bu Hamed, the Sheikh, falls in love with Miriam, a beautiful Greek girl. The Sheikh does not ask for her father's consent to their marrying, but sends a band of his men to capture Miriam, and take her to his harem. However, the Sheikh finds that Miriam does not return his love,- and he wreaks vengeance by treating her! as a slave. Later, it happens that a European is imprisoned bv the Sheikh. He, too, falls in love with the Greek beauty, makes bis escape, and effects the rescue of the girl, and Miriam and her deliverer, are. married. "The Circus Girl" and other good pictures, also, are shown. STAR THEATRE,- NEWTOWN. The West Pictures Proprietory put on an excellent' programme at tho Star Theatre, Newtown, last evening. A version of Thackeray's famous novel, "Vanity Fair," was screened. It is a very long picture, occupying, nearly the whole of the first part of the programme, and it is exceptionally well acted. Everything',is arranged with great attention to detail, and, where admissible, the scale is quite elaborate. Apart from the charm of the story, the acting of the leading characters is so fine as to be in itself a capital entertainment. "His First Contract" is the name given to a comic item which provides the opportunity for a famous French artist to show his powers of "make-up." The artist appeals in vain to a theatre manager to employ him. After a number ol" very humorous situations have been, created the artist so completely deceives the manager with his disguises that he is given the work which he seeks. The "Pathe Gazette" contains a number of bright, topics, including some scenes connected With the great English coal strike. "A Romanco of the Rio Grande" is a most exciting drama of the West. Marauding Indians chase, and, after a sharp encounter, capture an old hawker and his daughter. They tio the old nuaii to his caravan, and set firo to the vehicle. Then they ride off with tho girl. The ranger scents trouble, and soon gets on the trail; and as the evidence accumulates he obtains assistance, and the cowboy brigado rides post-hasto to the rescue, which is effected after a sensational affray on the plains. Other pictures are:—"The Chamelon," "A Gipsy Girls' Honour," and "Max and His Dog Dick." '

THE PARIS PICTURES. The cosy theatre in Ingestre Street, where the "Paris Prize Pictures are screened, is being well patronised. An intensely interesting dramatic subject is "The "Angel." It is a fine picture, and is much appreciated. A romance of exceptional interest is unfolded in a film entitled "Faith." The comic portion of tho programme is headed by an exceedingly funny picture entitled "Mutt and Jeff!" The programme contains a number of other excellent pictures. In an advertisement in this issue will be found particulars of a Limerick competition, for which the management aro offering a piize of .£7 7s. CONCERT IN WESLEY HALL. A concert in aid of tho Sunday School renovation fund will be held this evening in Wesley Hall, Taranaki Street. An attractive programme will bo rendered by the scholars of the .Sunday School. The concert will commence at 7.30.