ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1560, 2 October 1912, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

■OSCAK ASCIIE-LILY BRAYTON SEASON. The box plans will be opened at Ilio -Dresden at 9 o'clock to-morrow morning for ilic first five nights of the Oscar \sohi'Lily Brayton season, which commences cm .Monday night next, when the Oriental dramatic spectacle "Kismet" will be staged here for the first Uinc. Tho Inrw number of inquiries which have been received at tho Imx office in reference to the booking arrangements indicate.- a keen demand for scab. So to obviuio any crushing, a queue will bo. formed from S a.m. by a stall' of u-liers which-will ensure that the earliest arrivals shall have, first choice of wat.«. There are few names bettor known in the theatrical world than those of Mr. Otcar .Whe, and his wife. .Miss Lily Brayton. .Mr. Asdio is an Australian, who eighteen years uru wont Home to win fame niul fortune, in London, lie took with him n strong physique, a wealth of native ability, and I the .Australasian's customary pluck anil endurance, and he made his way. A little over two years ago lie returned to ilnland of his birth a noted actor, who hail ■set a new standard for a number of Shakespeare's most important works. He brought with him his wife, Miss Lily Brayton, who is one of England's most popular actresses, and a powerful company. Mr. Aschc and Miss Brayton arc visiting the Dominion in th'c very zenith of their fame, and that New Zealanders are appreciating their great dramatic genius is being illustrated at Auckland, where record audiences aro rewarding their efforts in the "Taming of tho Shrew," "Othello," "The Merchant of Venice," and , "Tho Merry Wives of Windsor." Of "Kismet," the opening production of the Wellington season, an Auckland critic remarks: "Never before has a play at once so weird in conception, so vivid in colouring, .-o splendidly mounted, and n) absorbing in interest been staged in the Dominion. 'Kismet' is a bold presentation of intensely human passions, all the more potent for Ihe picturesque, and exotic, atmosphere in which they are given play." Mr. Oscar Asche, it is said, presents every mood of Hajj, the beggar, with wonderful effect, and his magnificent effort in the prison scene, where lie kills his enemy, was Mio signal in Auckland for a bis demonstration of enthusiasm. Miss Lily Brayton created quite a stir the other night in the* northern city by her splendid exposition of the part of Katrina in "The Taming of tho Shrew." • 'FULLERS' PICTURE.-?. Among the best of tho new selection ot pictures screened at the Skating Kink on Monday is a pretty love story, in which an aeroplane plays an important part. The film is entitled "Love Has Wings." The harbour of Havana provides an excellent subject for a very line scenic picture. 'JTie latest Paths Gazette is quite an interesting number, and "TII9 HalfBreed's Treachery" is a stirring dramatic tale. The programme will bo repeated this evening, and a complete chango is announced for to-morrow. THE THEATRE. .Tho picture version of Sir Walter Scott's "Lady, of the Lake," .by the VitaKiaph Co., drew another -large "house" to the King's Theatre last evening. The plot is acted capably by the most familiar of tho Vita-graph Co.'s artists, and the scenery and dressing are capital. "Her Diary" is another photo-play by tho tamo company, and the excellent photography in both pictures calls for special mention. The programme, which contains a number of othei>excellcnt releases, will be repeated until further notice. THE NEW THEATRE. ' "The Dead Man's Claim" is' the title of'one of the new pictures screened at-the New Thea're yesterday. The ' opening scene depicts aa old gold-seeker, who has been fortunate, enough to "strike it rich." He slakes out his claim, and presumably departs to town. His journey takes him across a desert, and he arrives ono day outside tho house of two explorers in an exhausted condition. Quo, of the explorers befriends tho gold-seeker, and before the latter succumbs.to his exhaustion, ho givos this man a plan of his claini. The other, however, takes a. di&like,,.to.tke gold-; seeker, but tho two explorers set out for tho claim, and one "night the explorer .who objected to tho gold-seeker steals from'his companion ,the plan of the claim, and also.his horse, and then makes off. (Ho stops for a rest, and falls asleep. Dnring -his siesta a wandering Indian steals his water-bottlo . and provisions'. . The explorer, who had befriended the gold-seeker wakes up to find himself deserted. . He wanders on inio tho desert, and when well-nigh exhausted ho lights on the fndian drinking from the stolen water-bottle, and the , lndian directs him to his companion. He presently finds the latter dead, and the Indian also dies shortly afterwards from exhaustion. The surviving explorer still -wanders on, but eventually shoots himself, without ever discovering the dead man's claim. A picture version of the exploits of the famous highwayman "Dick Turpin" provides scope for a capital dramatic photo-play. "A Race for Liberty" is the title of an excellent story of life "out West.", The management announce that besides tho new subjects to-day, they will, in response to numerous requests screen. "Shamus O'Brien."

THE DICKENS FESTIVAL. Everything is now complete for' the Dickens Festival in costume to be held in the- large Town Hall 'to-night. The remainder of the artists arrived in 'Wellington from various parts of. the Dominion yesterday, these including Mr. -Alan M'Elw.ain, a popular comedian. Miss Rita Lyons, soprano, has been engaged and will sing "Bid Me. Discourse." The scenes and sketches which form the first portion of the programme are all from the writings 01 the great novelist, and will be given in the costumes of the period, and beautiful and quaint costumes they are. The predominating note is comedy, but. there will also; be sovenl tragic items such as "Fagin's Last Night," which gives Mr. Bell, a fine opportunity to.show his greatest dramatic ability. "Mr. Bumble's Courtship," "Sairey Gamp," "Sain Weller." and "Mr. Micawber" are the. cream of Dickens' humour, whilst '.'Dolly Varden" and "David Copperfidd" gives us Dickens'* wit in another form. All of these characters. appear in the pi-ojramme: One of Iho chief features will be-ths immortal trial scone, for which an exceptionally strone cast has been arranged, includingMr. Dave ■Kenny, Alan M'Elwain, Zante Wood, C. Bentlev Russell, Dr. Isaacs. ,T. F. Montague, J. "C. 8011.-Mm. C. C. Forsyth, 'Misses Zoe'and Joy Bortley, Miss Phoebn Watson, and many others. . The box plan is at the Dresden. THE DANDIES. The Dandies (Ked) continue to attract Urge audiences to .the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall. This popular company, provide? a ca'nital entertainment, and one which is quite out of the ordinary. The' comedian of the company, Mr. Clauds Dampier, is full-of humour, and his turn is altogether a very good one. His son?s, "Shot Sockf," "Bachelors," and ''Selected," were received with heartv applause. "The Nightingale's Warning" was sung in good voice by Miss Hilda Lane, soprano. For an encore number she gave "An Old Romance." Miss Evelyn*' Ward, .a-pleasing contralto, san? "Norwegian Sons;" and "Robin Adair." The other member? of the company .contributed their respective items in excellent manner. The prolamine will be repealed this evening.

"STORIES FROM AFRICA." "Slories From Africa" is (he title of a lecture which is to be delivered by Commissioner RiehanK of the Salvation Army, in the Vivian Street Citadel on Thursday night. Tho Commis-ioncr had charge of the Army's operations in South Africa for seven years. His lecture fs culled from the many and varied experiences he pacsed'thrnugli dm ins (hat time. Further details may Iji , sc-pn in our advertising columns.