ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1638, 3 January 1913, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

- OPERA HOUSE. . ■' The audacious adventures of "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" again provided food for 'much'merriment' at ;thb Opera Iloxtso last night. When one has seen J. Rufus Wallingford, and his fellow crook, Blackio Daw, onft. caunot , help regretting that we see so» few . pieces of the same calibre. Battlesbnrg before and after the Wallingford advent "is ■in itself inrv-hmusing sketch. But with Rufus J., and his attendant ' satellite— the midst, Battlesbuig gasps, and then .prospers beyond, hop>, muclv to the surprise'of the two artful, financiers.' Mr. Fred. Niblo and Mr. Corson Clarlc act well together, and appear to thoroughly enjoy their respective parts! The rest of the company do their 'fair sharo with'a general, goodwill that whole:piece the unwonted swing for. which it is so liked. •THEATRE ROYAL. The" current programme was repeated at the Theatre lioyal last evening before a : largo and appreciative audience. The items included feats o£ strength by "Les Hinchs," billed as "the -Ejcandanavian 'Hercules," various' entertaining items: by Pitcher and Merritt, and amusing comedy work by Ernest Pitcher. Other contributors to the-programme were Thornton, a clever'juggler, arid Francis E. Currah, an "expert monopede," who is assisted by a lady trapezist. / The, same programme will bO i repeated this evening. V;'' ' / HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. -Most entertaining • is' the pictorial programme now being screened at His Moj.esty's'Theatre. A typical Wild West film has.'the place of, honour, under the title of "Outlaw, Yet a Man." It tells-the story of a man who, while wanted by the ipolice for holding up a coach", places himiself : ih'dajiger' v of arr&t. in order to save .V little child from the Indians. "Twilight Love's Old Sweet Sons" is the title of'a very-pretty photoTplay.' Scenes from' Rotorua are shown in ft series'of'pictures ■ entitled "The Maori at Homo/ There are other excellent ■ picture^; malting. up a programme which: combined with .the entertainment'afforded by a capable orchestra, and tho great comfort' of the new theatre,,would be difficult, to surpass. .; ; KING'S THEATRE.

Tho fine programmes' of -pictures now being shown at tho King's' Theatre a|»in ilrew. a large attendance last - '"Behind the Mask,", the leading item, -is an;;, excellent . film, - portraying , various phases of life, including a glimpse at tho Parisian at home in' Maxim's well-known restaurant. *.:. "Light after Darkness. ,is the/second-best. item, and ;if/it was not preceded by an extra special item, would 'itself ..bo ■a: "star." - "The; Mopnshmert Daughter" and-"The' Schianoni Troupe ari also item's;of the:first.class. - ; ( ■ THE NEW THEATKE. - ' "Gipsy Blood,"- which constitutes tho leading attraction in a change programme screened. at the -New Theatre yesterday is a dramatic. picture story; based upon the indiscreet love of a Gipsy girl for. a .young count whom she meets by, chance in company -with- the- lady to' whom lie^'is^ betrothed. The scene of the dTaina is Central Europe'dnd. a rough and .ready.'Gipsy encampment, pleasant-..woodland v scenes, and an old-fashioned meuision, all_beautifully pictured, provide an effective setting. . The Gipsy girl, having entered the theatrical profession, still pursues her -hopeless passion. Engaged;.with t other, ar-tists'to-perform at a ceremony organised by the young-count in .formal 'celebration of : his betrothal, ; the Gipsy, aided by, her former companions, succeeds m putting' away 1 the future, .countess, - and 'so :arrdilge9: 'make -it - appear that : the unfortunate lady, has, committed suicide.; An awkward situation is[dissolved by a rejected lover of the i Gipsy, an outcast member of her.'tribe. /This, man succeeds in remitting the , count and his sweetheart, but only after both have undergone' great > suffering and misery, as .a result"' M -their .violent*: tragic' final episode ,is tho suicide of the Gipsy girl who.;.has so. unwisely interfered with the.' natural' course of events: Fare ,of a ligMer kind is supplied in two 'pictures,'."Air.-Stout aiid Mr. Thin.as Lion Tamers ". and'"When Father-Totched tho Doctor." The programme, also includes 'other pictures which are an acceptable addition; to the current";entertainment at the New Theatre. The same; pictures will be screened to-day and: this evening ahd the management announce that to-morrow they,:.will'- present: a highly entertaining and "sensational dramatic, picture "entitled "A Marriage of Convenience."

"■ SHOKTTS' PICTURES.

- Shortts' Continuous Jioture- Theatre attraotcfl liberal' patronage yesterday when a; change, programme was screened. All the pictures shown touched .a: high standard of meriti ,Pride,of nlaoe is taken'by. "An Episode of Waterloo," a film which ...dMails.the strange, adventures of a Highland ofliceri ■ and lus daughter. Tho officer, ; Captain Stewart,.:is left for dead on -the battlefield and as, ho lies there is robbed by- Dutchman of documents intended to transfer his property; to. his daughter'in -the 'oveiit; of .his: death. - A Highland- sergeant, Jying near his captain, grasps the tail of the Dutchman's coat as the robbery is committed, and tears'a .pieto of cloth jfrbm it.., After a .time, both the sergeant and the captain recover consciousness and contrive. to: reach a farmhouse -which- has' been 'pressed -into service as a temporary hospital, i' The;:'captain finds that he has been - robbed and the sergeant takes the piece of- cloth along with him' as. a possible., clue;/ Cupidity, •leads to tho undoing of the old Dutchman. In tho hope of further profit; ho -'offers- .to load . Miss -Stewart .to.,her, father's ■body,, A meeting of . all parties follows at- the farm-house.; hospital. There the Highland sergeant identifies the Dutchman's coat by means of the piece of cloth which he had unconsciously grasped and torn away.from it on the,battlefield. Covered with confusion the thief is compelled, to , make restitution and ,'only escapes, e'xecutioh- by a military patrol at the intercession of Miss Stewart/ "Written in the ,Sai(d" is a dramatic love-story im which a -man finds his sweetheart as .little stable",in' her plighted itroth -as tho 's'ajid in twhich she had sportively; written'her pwa riaine and that of'lier lover. The various picture, grave and gay,' which support the main features of the-programme aro all good in their-several classes. - The .-programme; will be repeated to-day and this evening.'; , '

~ , EMI'EESS THEATRE, ■ A v conspit!UoU"s attraction in a selection •fl'f n6w pictures which attracted largo Attendances; at!all'sessions of the Em''press Theatre yesterday was a film entitled "ThS Castaway. It details the ■story-"'of" a'"littlo girl heiress of a considerable fortune, who is set adrift in a boat by a man who desires to possess himself of her wealth. Instead of being drowned, : aVher enemy had hoped she would'b'o, the little girl is'r.escued by a party of fisher folk, and. by a . strange series of events her identity is discovered after she, has grown , up,-the robber is punished for his crime, and the heroine regains • - the -'position'- of which sho had been deprived. The picture is very clearly produced, 'aild serves capitally to illustrate a theme which has served as tho basis of many charming tales, ancient .and l modern.; The other features.of the progrimiße.cover a wide range , aid "imf art'an- agreeable variety to the entertainment. "The Warwick Chronicle" is an interesting budget of topical pictures. The Wild West, the theatre of so many picture dramas, is represented by. a . photo-play entitled "The Hanchmin's Trust. - It is an excellent pioturo of;its class, and presents a rapid plav of exciting and sensational incidents. 'Joe, the Wanderer's Boy," is another dramatic picture which develops a simple but not uninteresting story. The programme includes a series of oomic pictures which are full of funny situations and laughterraising episodes. "Was Hei a German Spy?" is an amusing comedy of errors, and "Mr. Fixit" and "On the Tip of Hia jNoso" 'are equally good of • their ( kind. ]Tho same-pictures will bo screened at the Empress ,'lrioatro to-day from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. ' .PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE, ; ; "Tom' Butler," tho feature item on the programme screened at' the People's Picture Palace] yesterday.and-last evening, ; is s£ill entertaining crowded houses. Tho Eclair C'omphiiy, when they lay themselves out to produco a really sensational pic-ture-drama. such'os "Tom Butler," spare no pains in'ensurinp buccoss, Tom Butler himself is a veritable villain, and no

one isau admire liim as a mnn, but at the Kami time one must admire his great skill at disguising himsolf and in chiding the police. The part of Villars, the young journalist, is well acted, and as a part in jtho ]jlav is second only to the title role. The otlier slar item on the same programme is entitled "Lieiit. Rose and his I'atoat Aeroplane." Lieut. Rose needs no introducing to the Wellington public, and it. isionly ncccssary to say that this picture! is every bit tis good as the previous ones':in which the daring lieutenant figured,; The. remainder of the programme is a) so good, and includes somo' excellent comic items.