SHORTTS' THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1614, 4 December 1912, Page 3

SHORTTS' THEATRE.

At Shortts' Theatre there is a very attractive entertainment.. The star picture is "Madame Sans Gene," an incident in the life of Napoleon. Tho story is that Fouche, unable to pay his bill for washing, runs away, and when Madame' Sans Gene calls on Bonaparte he also is unable to pay his bill. Shortly after Madame meets Sergeant Lefebrae at a fair, and becomes his sweetheart. Then the Revolution breaks out, and Lefebrae goes into action with his army, the first scene closing with Count Neipper.g seeking shelter in Madame's laundry. Lefebrae sees a handkerchief covered with, blood, and suspects a rival, and forces his way into tho room where the Count is concealed. . In order to regain his sweetheart's love he enables the Count to escape.. Nineteen years later, when Bonaparte has become an Emperor, arid. Lefebrao has married Madame Sans Gene, Madame is informed that Bonaparte's sisters will visit her. The Emperor's, sisters are disgusted and amused with Madame's manners, and the Emperor, enraged, is about to have her removed, when.she presents her unpaid washing bill, and is' forgiven. "Marjorie's Diamond Ring," "Saving an Audience," "The Australian Gazette," and "Max Outwit's Nick" are also on tho programme.

; EMPRESS THEATRE. , The current xirogramniß at the Empress Theatre, which . was presented for. the first time yesterday, is a very interesting one. One of the chief pictures is. entitled "Evading Justice," an cxciting drama. A desperate convict escapes from gaol, and, is pursued, by two gendarmes. The convict' is too fleet for liis pursuers, and ho outstrips, them in tho chase. Coming -to a rtvo'iy ho dives 'in and strikes out to swim across.'- The gendarmes arrive' oh the hank a good While after the fugitive; and they shirk the task of'swimming the big watercourse.. But they hail a boatman, and lie ferries them over.' The fugitive enters the grounds surrounding a fine mansion, and then enters the dwelling itself. He is comb upon'by tho lady of the establishment, her little boy, and the maid. He pleads to bo shielded from the gendarmes, but no mercy'is shown. The husband is-called, and, at the point of a revolver, he holds the fugitive till the police '.rrive. The convict is duly handcuffed, but, while everyone's mind is occupied with other things, the little boy picks up the revolver and shoots himself (accidentally, of course) in the chest. A servant is dispatched for a doctor, who lives a long way off. The gendarmes tell tho parents that the convict is a doctor. They ask him to attend to >the child. He refuses. They implore him; but he reminds them that a while ago ho pleaded for mercy and they- refused it. Finally, however, lie consents to attend to tho boy- He performs an operation, which is successful, and the other doctor arrives in time to announce that the boy's lifo has been saved. Touched by the convict's act, tho gendarmes agree to "know nothing" about the convict's escape, and he is got away to enjoy liberty for the remainder of his life. "Pinned" is a' screaming comedy; and "Funuicuss" provokes no end of mirth by his endeavours to commit, suicide. "The Unseen Enemy" is a fine stirring drama, and other pictures are:— "Lucca" (scenic), "The Painted Lady" (dramatic); "Quaint and Curious Canterbury" '(scenic), and "The Electric Leg" (comic). The topical Budget is most interesting.

PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE. The current programme at the People's Picture Palace is a very attractive one. "Tho Darling of the C.S.A." is one of the best American dramas that has been screened. It is a stirring tale of the American War. The views from the Eiffel Tower are wonderful. Other pictures are: "The Lord and the Peasant," "Broncho Billy," "Customs in Ceylon," "Brown's Day Off," "Pinned," and scenes from the Balkans, the seat of war.