ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1698, 14 March 1913, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

—: f "THE BUTTERFLIES." "The Butterflies" presented their secoiul programme last evening before a crowded house. .Miss Ceciliu Gold, unfortunately, had sprained licr ankle and was unable to appear. However, she will be well enough to take her part to-nignt. On the whole* and making on allowance for Hiss Hold's absence, the entertainment was quite as good and .'is bright as the opening■ programme, ill'. Wylie Watson, willr his comedy song, "She I'ushed Mi- into the Parlour," and also in his "Tits-Bits with a 'Cello," scored a distinct hit, especially in the latter, in which lie was able to show his mastery with the 'cello. -Miss Marion Armilage has a nev; Yorkshire dialect song. "Tha mull'ear all," which she sings very cleverly with incidental and amusing side-play. ]u the second part of the programme she sings "Percy," another comic sketch. At the piano Mr. F. W. Dennett played the Sibelius love poem, "Fiiilandia"— one of the best items on the programme. Certainly Sir. Dennett deserves nought but praise: his touch is beautiful. Miss Ada Smart was well received when she sang "The Last AValtz." The instrumental and vocal item "Samson and-De-lilah" was excellent. One of the best items was that contributed by the company in a burlesque of Shakespeare;'the house had many, a good hearty laugh over this. • • THEATRE liOYAL.

The company now appearing at the Theatre Royal was .v|trengthened last evening by the inclusion of a number of new artists, whose contributions assisted greatly to brighten a:id improve the entertainment.- In the early part ol' the evening appeared Henry and May, clever trick. . cyclists, who provide ,a. jdirn in which skill and humour equally find play'. The lady of the parly is responsible lor a great variety of woruleri'ul balancing feats performed with an appearance of graceful ease. Her partner specialises in riding all sorts of quaint contraptions, including a tiny little "wheel" which even the smallest boy would -find too small for comfort. The/combined feats in which the partners engage arc remarkably clever. Miss Louie Duggan, billed as "the Yorkshire Nightingale," is the possessor of a fine mezzo-soprano voice of great range and power, which she\uses with admirable, effect. Last evening slie gave a splendid rendering of, "Tiiora," and on being recalled sang a melodious spring song with-a pretty cuckoo chorus. Marsti Little uses an ..excellent baritone voice effectively in a dramatic sketch entitled "Going Back." Succeeding scenes shoiv the principal performer undergoing rapid changes of fortune. . As he is about to return toi Australia from England lie "is arrested and cast into prison. Relcaso conies quickly, but each change of ■fortune gives an appropriate setting to songs grave or gay as tiic occasion demands, i Other new ai-rivals are "The Three Marsdelis." The two male members are clever acrobats aiid balancers, and the lady member is a graceful dancer. Olie of the' 'men exhibits Hie details of -a re-, m'arkably fine muscular development while posing iii a'cabinet. In the culminating scene of the turn, the lady of the party mounts a bicycle which is hoisted aloft on a metal rod and the strong man of the party balances rod and bicycle on his chin - It is'U daring feat performed with expert skill. The "Esma Duo," who'also made their first appearance last evening, are a pair of clever little ladies w;ho sang-and danced in a way that earned applause. Electra continues to mystify and thrill his audience with his electrical marvels, and the' remaiiiing members of the company who liave been appearing during the week were all well .received. Last evening's programme will be repeated to-night.

THE. KING'S THEATRE. ■ The current programme at the King's Theatre is highly creditable to the management. The- drama "A Model for St. John" is a powerful feature of the entertainment, telling the story of the down-, tall through drink of an artist's son,who posed for his father's masterpiece. "Nick Winter and tho Aco of Clubs," "The Springtime of Life," are also outstanding items 01' "the' programme, wlnle tho supporting items ave also good. The usual .matinee will, bo given to-morrow. THE NEW THEATRE. The picture programme at ' Messrs. MacMahou and Donnelly's New Theatre 1:1 Jianiurs fcrreet tnis'veck is a particularly entertaining series. "His Brother's Crime," the feature film of the dramatic items, is a powerful photo-play wherein is set forth in vivid situations tho story of a wrongful iinprisohhient. This film will bo screened to-day and to-night, and will be supported by "The'Bar,K Foreman,'' "To/igfttei Raiders," "Annual Presentation," and several comedy studies. | THE EMPRESS THEATRE.

The new pictures shown at the Empress Theatre last night consist almost entirely ot' picture stories, abounding in comedy and sensation. • "Bill Boggs's \\indtall' is tho name of one of the comedies, and the subject of it, if not quite a new one, is skiltully developed. Bill Boggsy a humble son ot toil, suddenly finds himself the inheritor of a mansion with liveried servants,. Bill is interested in the house, and appalled by the dignified footman. He invites all his erstwhile friends to a "house-warming," and while the guests are having no end of a good time, the lawyer arrives, to say that tho house belongs to another Bill Boggs. Another, comedy is laid in a Western ranch. While the master and his lady are irom home for a day or two an attractive lady visitor arrives, and the son Jack fails in love at first sight. In order that, she may not be alarmed and run away, he persuades the foreman and the cook to act as father and mother, and things run beautifully until the girl finds, out. Then she starts to pay Master Jack in his own. coin, and there ensue some funny situations. "An. Adventure, in the Autumn Woods" is the title of a. picture drama of the sensational variety. Two robbers make some play for a while, but in tho nick of time a'band-of resellers arrive, and they are overpowered. "The, BoxCar Baby" tells the story of a lost baby found and cherished by two. hoboes in a box-car, eastward bound from California. In the end the foster parents, now respectable, discover the child's true parents, and return it to" its home. Other films in the programme, arc "Animals We All Know," "Chains" (an S. and A. .drama), and "Wide-Brimmed Hats." The programme will be shown again to-day. * SHORTTS' PICTURES. Son'fe wonderful -spectacles; have been caught'% the kinematograph men supplying the new, programme presented at Shortts' Theatre last night. - In the first place the I'othe Gazette, chronicling events in Europe, contains a striking series ot' pageants, processions; military displays, and the like. Another I'athe film supplies a .complete view of a gorgeously grotesque Japanese procession in celebration of one of the national festivities. Tho story film, "Four Days a Widow," presents a marital comedy constructed'upon tile individual indiscretions of ji huslxind and wife who. have been enjoying a brief separation from each other. "A Man's tells of two friends and a girl, and of the treachery of one of the friends. "The Stronger Men" tells of two exprisoners. One begins to climb, but the other takes the'downhill"road, and tlley ineet again years later, under somewhat strange circumstances. There is a story, too, of the kidnapping of a footballer, who, however, gets back on to the field in time to save the game. . "Foolshead" returns in a rather cute fish-catching act. The programme will run until Monday.

PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE.--At the People's Picture Palace to-day will bo presented a sensational detective story entitled "Tho Mystery of tho Five o'Clook Express," with Nat Pinkerton, tho popular hero of "sleuth" adventures. Added to this star attraction will ,be a number of high-class' supporting jtems representative of tho drama, comedy, and scenic studies. • HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. One of'tho most'charming of fanciful pictures shown at His Majesty's Theatre for some time lis tho fairy story of "Cinderella," with that talented little actress, Mabel Taliaferro (well-known on the Aincrican stage), in the title role. Her acting has all Hie freshness and natural grace of youth, and is in capital accord Hv.lh the 'character of the story. Oilier good picture? arc: "Ituilders of the" Umpire," "Tht; Wreck of the Veronese" (off (lie coast if Portugal I, "Regeneration," and "Picturesque Hungary." This programme will be screened for IhiwniijjhU longer, and also at the matinee csliibitiou to-morrow afternoon.