ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Tho now programme of kineinatograph pictures screenod at His Majesty's Theatre last evening is certainly a well varied one. The chief releaso of interest is a dramatic munbsr ontitled "Tho Young lUllionairo/- l'ho film reols oif a story which tells of tho careor of a young millionaire, who is slightly lame in ono leg. The iujurcd limb, however, goes against him in his'battlo to win the love of a young lady. He presently decides to take the role of a poor man, but first he makes the announcement public ,that ho lias been ruined by bottomless investments. ■ Ilia career aa a "poor workman," is enlivened by several rather exciting incidents. In oiie of the tlipso ho eudeavours to protect a pretty young lady from >1 ruffian, lie fares tho worst in this cnconnter, and he is thereafter confined to bed. During the period in which ho is hors do combat his laine leg is cured, and tho young, lady whom he assisted is his constant companion. Later, when convalescent, ,ho < tells tho girl that he has secqr«l positions for himself and her, and 'the girl decides to accompany him, but she does not do any work, as,'.after their marriage, she makes the pleasant discovery that she has wedded a millionaire. A Western life is related iu "A Fugitive From .Justice/' Other pictures of the current programme are "The Grassyule .Girls" (comedy), , '"Constantinople" (scenic), "The Wreck of tho Vigo," and | lh<3 Fight in tho Dark" (drama). THEATRE ROYAL,; Musical hems bulked iargely An the change' of programme 'presented' at the Theatre Royal.last night, but the element of, vafiety essential to, a music-hall performance had not been forgotten. The auditorium was comfortably "liljed, and applause was frequent, as the evening ran its course. -A leading place in'the night's fun and frivolity was taken by Jules Garrison and his twp Rom,m.Maids. Tho dresses worn by the party—particularly thoso worn by its .female memberswere pleasant to look upon, and they were changed . and varied with remarkable rapidity. The united efforts of the party produced some really diverting light comedy, (tnd individual songs and dances,, and ft serious recitation by Jules Garrison were all excellent of their kind. Fred RivenhaJl is (i really aljle .cpmedian, and his three Comjo songs, of widely . diKimilar charaoter, each provoked free nnil unstinted laughter, ;A', nwra robust' contribution than either of the: foregoing was that of Maud Fanning, arfd her 'three "Chij« of th«.old Tjie "chips" are girls who dance" and sing, Maud • Fanning is a "coon impersonator."' The savage intensity 'of rh'er \ypfk might bo judgeti. 'by "some standards ,to be " a..'little overdone, but it evidently suited her audience,, for she wfts.loudly applauded and recalled. , Tq say that her rendering of a Maori hplta was a forceful bit of acting would iRe to put it mildly. Other contributors of the progranimo \vere Arthur Elliott (comedy vocalist), "Tho Tl\ree TitBits" (actobnts; dancers, and' vqcaliste), "Victor, the ; Greaf' (who is a; capable ventriloquist),' "The' Fonto'noys"." (vocalists), and Hedley, and Bartlett (who specialise. in producing music from unexpected 6ources). The programme will be repeated to-night and on following nights. ■

'i"' THE KING'S THEATRE.

'*Nipk Winter and the Stolen Favourite" is the paramount piqtqre of.-the new-! programme which was presented at the lung's Theatre last ■evening'. . It is a lengthy/dramatic subject, and is rather complicated in parts.' The- chief 'actors are Nick Winter, a detective, and "Tattooed Jim," chief of a gang of rogues, who bears, a' striking rosemblanco to "Nick," find-who, in order , to carry out' a daring robbery, uses the name of Nick Winter.'. The opening!scene.depicts "Tattooed Jim" conyersipg jvith the qwnar v of/ Whifliviriii,vt(ie favourite' for the Grapd; Prix:' .Tliß--.owner ; of .tlra horse has re-; ccivodVintirantjon. t'liut unless he-pays a' certain slim in 'ransoni,-his horse will-be-stolen. Thus .vJiin". pfese'pts-.-liiniself-jto' the, owner as Nick au'd,'agrees. to; watch tho animal. During the samo night the. teso.^'^pljiqil>j : o"Jlin' t a''. gf}(ig» ( Lut.vho;.t,tillrfjiQnlwi!js«(» iflfoi'tlia of;. "Nick."*: Whilst •reading 1 :ilay;':.the-real, Njck Winter is'surprjsed,to •find 'tliat .he ' is reported to have ; .been bait'fcd' by .-a vgang of ciSTer thieves;" Tjh'o 6tole .the'- favourite for tho .Grand Prix, .whil§ he ; was ,sqpposed ttj ftave basn keeping watch. over the animal. Tho real "Nick" at. once, commences a hard battle against: tk«>' impastpi', which results in numerous 'woitipg..iucic|cqts. : ,. After pe,v r ; 'erali aef«ftts the, goiig,,,Njck Winter. evqiitiially, rujis, the thieves 'to ground. Throughout tlie. - picture' many scenes- of racijcoursQ .life are depicted. . The .Vitagraph is responsible for a rpally fine comedy iu "When Persistency and Obstinacy .Meet.'' The picture featured two of .that company's rp#. fflmijiiior(ista,. yij.,.ilauttce Costcllo nna:..£{?s. Turner. ' Numerous other, items; are screened, and capital musical items are rendered ' by a" capablyrcontlucted orchestra. ' ...' ' S THE NEW THEATRE. . I 1 Despite the fact that th? Sojax. 4pipa, ';Vm Diavolq'' is billed as the star itfeiil on tho new prPglhinnpe/ it not be rash'to'say that most patrons of the- New Theatre' will' .prefer *Tho Kings pf .the Prtiiries." ,'T]ie former is in every .way an piceilont picture. It, is well Scted, TvelrMage'd/and o'mbqrties' a solid story pf lovo ana war. But, in tho latter picture one 19 abl? to s&o.to the best advantage, the wild sport 9 indulged in at tho nnnijal round-up when tl}o cowboys and cowgirls hold tho championships'-' "of the ■ NorthWest. One can hardly understand how $ sane man would enter for such sports,cxcept that one concludes that they are trained horsemen and - cattlemen, . beside being physically as '(hard as nails." In the steer-roping-contest, apparently, no one can even enter, unless jig' can rope and; tie' a' steer insjdo of two /ininutea. The most exciting contest . is the §teerhrowing and Jioldinif. Competitors in his have to throw tho steer with their lands, the most common way is; by holdnjr the horna tind-twisting the animals leek, and to hold him dpwii with the. >eeth, both hapds to ba freo. , The wildlorso race is another exciting event. TJio •ider is allowed two friends to help him •ope and saddle- tho horse.' This • done, ;he first man round tho course wins. The general melee when the numerous entrants pre roping the wild horses is' indeseribpb|e, Tfw supporting items or? also good.- ; ; ; ' empress theatre. .; • ! "Christopher Columbus" va9 screened at the Empress Theatre yesterday. The jilm is Ijy the gelig Company, and can be. classed 09 one pf thpfr masterpieces. The enterprise of the firm- 13 shown by the fact that tho ehips, on ivhloh Columbus is depjoted, are those. ! resented to the American Government by ho; Spanish government at tho time of ho Columbia exposition, and are exact replicas'of the three hiqtorjoal ships, the fianta, Maria, thq Pilitfi, and : the. Nipa, which made tHo' opochrmaking ywage. Tho' actual fact 3 telling how Queei) Isabollft granted Cojumbus leave to go and discover, the "New World." which he talk%i\ about, are, too well known to need repetition., The main charm of the piotili'o lies 'in its historical correctneßS. Ope may read and rerefid history and yet novcr -Rot such a good jdoa of tlio actual coiulitions existing a(j such and such a time, as a roaily Rood nwyins picture, will present to .tho spectator. * Historical, piclures of this typo should be.encpuraged. They provide an- excellent spectacle—a better theme than most of the so-called pictorial drairias—and aro an education, for their period, in themselves, From this picture one may learn an almost unlimited amount. . The ships depicted are tho same as those which Columbus,sailed in, «nd one at once perceives that to cross the Atlantic in 0110 of them, an adventurous turti of mind was essential. Tho ead return of Columbus is also fajthfqlly depicted. und tho film closes with , the appropriate motto "Sic transit gloria virnni." Tho supporting items aro also fresh. Tho programmo ■ .vill bo screened ngpin to-day and to-night; • ' SHOKTTS' THEATRE. • . ; "A Cruel Fato" is tho title of the best picture 011 tho now 'programme at Shortts' Theatre. Tho story is dramatic enough, if not strikingly original. The wife of tho hero is accusod of tho murder of her nin.id on slender evidence. Meagro.as it. is tho w.ifo is accused, and imprisoned. Tho prjson catches fire, thus allowing an elaborate fire scene, which is the best incident of the picture. In due course the hnsband is notified of his wife's death in tho firo by tho authorities. As n matter of fact she escapes, and arrives nt her husl>and'B house. An unknown person write.? to tho police informing them of

the wifo's hiding place, and acting on this they recapturo her. .lust as the ' loving wife is being forced' from her husband's arms, a doctor arrives with a written confession from tho real murderer, who has just been shot. "A Mistake in Spelling" is another good item.

' "THE FOLLIES." Tho measure of success which attended tho first season of that clover combination, 'Tho Follies," has. induced tho management to pay a return visit to Wellington, and they will accordingly commence their return season at the .Concert Chamber of tho Town Hall next Saturday evening. "Tho Follies" are just concluding a tour of the South Island, and the good opinion passed by the Wellington press hag been endorsed in tho south. "Tho Follies" will return with fin entirely new repertoire, and will introduce the latest songs, sketches, and burlesques. The company has been augmented by the inclusion of Mr. J. R, Ferguson, a Melbourne tenor. This addition should further ndd to the charm of "The- Follies" concerted numbers. The plans for the season will be open at the Dresden 011 Wednesday morning.