ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1584, 30 October 1912, Page 10

THEATRE ROYAL. Tho Brennan-Fuller Vaudeville Company drew a big house last night. Tho present Mil nt tho Theatre Royal is ono of tlio most attractive vaudeville programmes which lias ever been put on in Wellington. The rubbor-liko dancing of Hm-olfl Heath -scored another success. Cecile, Eldfed and Carr, the American novelty erentors, put on nn clTcctiyo littlo sketch of underground Parisian life, and two other new turns. 'Leonard Nelson (comedian), Lalie Brooke, the Anderson trio, tho Cliffo quartet, Mis* Ray Glen, Mr. Arthur Morlpy, and Miss Elsie Bales are among tho other performers. FULLERS' PICTURES. Of the new series of pictures at Fullers' Skating Rink this week tho most sensational is Hint entitled "A Lion Let Loose." Other conspicuous items in an interesting budget include: The dramatic study "Curfew Shall Not Ring To-night," based upon the well-known poem of that name; "A Detective's Conscience," "Cascades of New Devon." To-morrow evening the programme will bo again changed. "THE FIRE OF LIFE." To-night will bo the Inst opportunity of seeing West's special exclusive "Vengeance is Mine" at the King's Theatre. On' Thursday night, and for tho two following nights, a magnificent Nordisk feature film, "Tho Fire of Life," will Iμ screened, Tho story hinges on a discovery by a scientist that is to revolutionise tho world. Ono of his students steals tho secret. At tho demonstration un explosive ends the professor's life. Tho student is unmasked by the wife, who then commits suicide. The climax i 6 reached when the young man disappears. The other supporting items of Monday's program mo will still remain on tho bill. Next Monday "The Death Leap," a very sensational Continental exclusive, will bo shown. THE NEW THEATRE. "A Sicilian Tragedy" is proving h great attraction , at the New Theatre at the present time, and there were largo attendances at the various sessions of the continuous picture show yesterday. The film is by the Cines Company, and is acted by a celebrated company of Sicilian artists, with the exmiisito setting of their own native'surroundings. In the play tho story is unfolded with magnificent dramatic intensity, the acting is superb throughout, and the scenery typical and striking. The fire scene is one of the most realistic of its kind. Altogether the production is calculated to make a strong appeal to patrons of the theatre. In addition to this star item, several well-selected subjects wero screened for the first time yesterday. These include a capital comedy by tho A.B. Co., entitled "Trying to Fool Uncle." In this a young man goes to great trouble to induce his undo to make him solo beneficiary under the uncle's will, but everything goes wrong, and the undo wills all liis property to charity. Another good comedy is that entitled "A Good Hunting Dog." Beautiful scenery is the outstanding feature of "The Ossau Valley." Dramatic items include "The Sheriff's Daughter" (Milies), "Bacchus" (Cinos), and "The Derelict's Return" (I,ubin). On Thursday next, • at the New Theatre, another star item will be introduced in the shape of "Vauda," described as "a powerful ladies' play." SHORTT'S PICTURES. Yesterday's attendances at tho continuous picture show at Shortt's Theatre in Willis Street showed that the popularity of this house is by no means on tho wane. The leading feature of the current programme is a coloured production of "Tho Merchant of Venice , ' by Pnthe Freres. Tho picture is elaborately staged and capably acted , , and should drniv good crowds to tho theatre again to-day. "Twixt War and tho Girl" is a pseudo-military drama by the Nordisk Company. "The Adopted Son" is a touching drama by the Selig Company, the story relating Jiow a mother was separated from her eon when tho latter was a baby, and how a happy reunion took place after the baby had grown to be a. man and had ihado his mark in'lifo> ns a lawyer. "His Vacation" is a most amusing- Lubin coined} - , and another good comedy is "Tho Tourist." Topical events are depicted by a recent edition of tho Australian Gazette, and altogether the programme is nn interesting ono. Today the same items, will be repeated, and to-morrow a complete change will iako place. I

EMPRESS THEATRE. "White Roses" is tho title of a pretty photo-play at the head of tho new programme presented at the Empress Theatro yesterday. It is tho story of a thoughtful, action which in the courso of tune brings its own reward. Mary, a charming country girl, has been wooed and won by a deserving young man in the city, who is ouly prevented from marrying by' the modesty of his salary. At length he gets the anxioiisly-anaited rise, nud at once writes to his fiancee to come to him. She is given a hearty send-oft' by her' I country friends, who load her arms with roses. At a wa.ysido station she gets off to take refreshment;, and there sees in charge of detectives a young prisoner. His sad plight appeals to her 'tender heart, and she begs the officers to allow her to give their charge a bunch of white roses, and, on their consenting, does so, telling him that white roses symbolise hope. Mary marries, but her husbim'il dies, leaving her with a child to care for. Her path. is a thorny one, and poverty stalks in to blight her young life. With her sick child she is ordered to leave her room,' as sho cannot pay tho rent. In her diro distress she calls upon the laudlord, and finds him 'to bn the ex-prisoner, now a wealthy man of affairs. Ho recognises her at once, and pulls out from his pocket-book a dead rose, telling her that she had by her little act five years before saved him from a life of crime. He conies to her aid, and the sequel can bo imagined from tho boxes of whito l'oscs which follow her to her lodgings. "A I Political Kidnapping" is ' a typically American drama in brief, An editor of a .'paper has pledged himself to support the reform candidate for the Assembly, information of which is at once conveyed to I the rival politician, who calls ■ upon the editor and telis him that if ho exposes I \nm in the paper, lie (the rival) will forc'close on the mortgages he Jiolds over the paper and) the editor's home. The excitement of tho interview gives the old editor a shock which kills him. His daughter takes up tho management ami editorship of the paper, and, at the risk of losing all, determines to follow her father's policy. Slicking at nothing, the rival candidate arranges with somo railway men to kidnap the printing staff, who are bundled into a truck, ana marooned down the line. Not to be outdone, the girl feeds the machine and wraps the papers herself. The exposure is successful, and tho reform candidate wins, not only the election, but the girl editor too. Other interesting pictures are: "Italian Artillery in Action," "Tho Lost Love-Let-ter," nnd "Gontran Engaged."

JANSEN. Next Saturday tbo Great Jnnson-nnd his new specinlly-organised company will commence a short season in the Opera House. For thrco weeks Jansen packed the- Criterion Theatre in Sydney, and ou his return visit to that city he packed the Palaco Theatre for twelve nights. Janson is a ver.v clever illusionist and conjurer. Do you want a poultry yard? One word from Jansen, and a flock of ducks is splashing in water that wasn't there two seconds before. Do you want to send a special message by carrier pigeon? Tlere's tho bird! From a, void, rabbits, guineas-pigs, llowers, fruit, ribbons, and laces are produced. He presents his illusions with rapidity, ease, and assurance. The box plans for the season will open at tho Dresden at 9 o'clock this morning. sin, ifAJirr/ro.v hodges's concert. At the Town Hall tin's evening:, Air. Hamilton Hodges will (live his final conceit, of the season, when ho will give soup; which will shortly be heard in tho competitions. By special request, ho will give the old favourites the. "Freebooter sours. Miss Eileen Driseoll, ir_ mezzo soprano, will contribute an operatic arm. by Debussy, and also a waltz song (new to Wellington) by an American composer. Mr. Adolf Szenes will play violin selections from Beethoven, Hnnser, ""'I Dvorak. The box plan is at the Dresden.