ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1757, 23 May 1913, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. At tho Opera House, Becbe's Polite Vaudeville Company continues to entertain appreciative uudionces. The personnel cf the company includes two clever broad comedians in Wal Hockley and Will White, who, as cornermen in tho first part, keep tho fun moving by their capital buffoonery and merry rag-timo lilts. Keilderson's protean act is very clevor of its kind, and his impersonation of notabilities is distinctly ingenious. The Artcens and the Hartlctts also contribute valuable additions to tho "specialty" section of the porgramme.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. "Views of Tioufnovilie," Messrs. Cadbury Brothers' celebrated model village in England, are a most intercstingi feature of tho picture programmo at His Majesty's Theatre this week. It is distinctly the most popular film on the programme. Tho supporting items are also of a very high standard. Matinee and evening exhibitions are announced. THEATRE ROYAL. Vaudeville-lovers arc being generously entertained at the Theatre Royal this week by the Fuller-Brennan Company. Besides the talented Serenaders, whose first part is made most interesting by some excellent concerted singing, tho spcciallv performers now appearing include: Beattis M'Donald, Amo and Almo. Sherratt and Lang, Hall Raine, Ferral and Verrol, Miss Lillie Moore, and Mr. Percy Dalton.

THE KING'S THEATRE. Tho current attractive programmo at the King's Theatre is responsible for good patronage. "Roderick's Ride" is a capital domestic study, which depicts a boy's fronted gallop to save a life. "To Right the Wrong'' is a dramatic study 'which tells a talo of a prodigal's return. The programme will bo repeated this evening, and a matinee, is announced for to-mor-row afternoon.

THE NEW THEATRE. The picture starred on the bill presented at tho New Theatre yesterday is entitled "Behind the Mask," a fascinating lovo story portraying tho efforts of a girl to save her sister from the clutches of an nnscrunulous adventurer. Altogether tho mounting of the play is magnificent. Tho scenery is delightful, tho artists in tho leading roles are famous players, and pome wonderfully artistic dancing is introduced. The story relates how Edgar Allen, spendthrift ar.d wastrel, after bcintr practically betrothed to Ellen Smith, transferred his fickle affections to lier sister because tlio latter was the more wealthy of the two. Ellen, convinced of her erstwhile lover's perfidy, schemes to open her sister's eyes, and with this end in vieiv she makes inquiries as to what manner of m-an ho is. She discovers that he is somewhat involved financially, that he is anything but a true lover, and that bo is in tho habit of fr°qunnting a wellknown dancing hall. Having a natural talent for dancing. Ellen goes on the stage masked, and dances to fascinate the man professing to be in love with lier sister. On the night of thi" betrothal the masked dancer appears at the feast, much to Allen's embarrassment, but the dancer makes his discomfiture complete by unmasking and producing proof of his double lifo. The sister is of course saved from a life of wretchedness. The supporting pictures are of even quality, and they servo to give to the programme that variety which goes to make good entertainment.

THE EMPRESS THEATKE. • "A Beautiful Traitor," a brilliantlystaged "feature" drama, occupied principal place in yesterday's new programme of tho Empress Theatre Continuous pictures. The film is tinted in natural colours, and while it occupies more than half an hour in' tho unwinding holds the attention thoroughly. A beautiful young foreign counte's is deputed to obtain the nlans of a new and important American fortress. The foreifm Ambassador arranges with the eount<ws to lure a youw? American officer into sirinjr her and her accomplices access to the fortress. By arrangement the countess -and tho oilier are introduced to each other at the Embn«y ball. The officer falls in love with the charming decoy, and ho extends an invitation to hsr to iiisnpct the fortress, accompanied by her atiard'nn, the Ambassador, and hi? secretary. The opportunity is readily accepted, and the eount»s> and her accomplice/yisit the fortress. Through a clover rusfi/ the Ambassador and his secretary manage snrrentitionsly to talra a trafflnc of the plans of tire fortifications, and they hurriedly depart in a launch to a. steamer in the harbour. The countess is unablo to resist her inclination to fall in lovo'with tho officer, and slip is dismayed when she realises that h°r scheming will bring about his ruin.. The working of tho battery which discharges tho submarine mines in the harbour has been 'explained to her, and in a moment of desperation the countess touches tb? clcctric button, which blows up the steamer on which her nccomnlices have just embarked. A realistic of a steamer is shown. Tho countess faints, and wh"n sho is revived tearfully confesses all. There are several other thorough)" entertaining pictures, including: "The Sheriffs Daughter" (Western drama), "Orange Growing" (industrial). "The Wonderful Doll stride film). "The Magic Bottle,' and "An Adventurous Honeymoon."

SnORTTS' THEATRE., "One Life for Another" is the title of tho leading picture in the new programme at Shortts' Theatre. It is a story of frontier life, complicated by Indian warfare, in what used to be tho Wild West of America. There is a pitched battle in which the small band of whites are almost overwhelmed, and the hero of the story, Arizona Bill, is dispatched, for reinforcements. 110 is ambushed by the v.ay, however, and he falls from his horso hit, being taken captive by the Redskins. Tho horso trots homo and the dispatch is found by Bill's wifo in tho saddle bag. Of course'she takes it at once to headquarters, and guides a big detachment to the sM-iie of the fighting. They arrive just in time and even then poor Bill's life might not have been saved, but for his wife's strategy in kidnapping from the,lndians' camp the chief's infant son. This brought the big chief to terms and a bargain was struck—one life for another. Another story picture tells of an artless, but beautiful, country girl and two men. One was her young lover, an estimable young man, and tho other a senator whom she meets in the city. Overcome by the glamimr of rank and seeming greatness she marries tho senator, and lives without much unhappinoss for a time. Then her youthful lover, having suddenly become great, is returned to Congress, and he sets about to prove, as is the fact, that the senator, his former rival, is in the pay of the trusts. The .young wife discovers her husbahd s baseness, and will not forgive him, but instead succeeds in persuading tho accuser not to go .on with the charges. Meanwhile her husband has been found dead in his room, and the picture discreetly does not reveal tho manner of his death. After this the story could end only in one way. The other pictures are interesting or amusing according to their subjects.

"THE DANDIES." Mr. Edward Branscombe can always be counted on to givo high-class and refined attractions, and the company of vocalists and merrymakers, designated "The Dandies," which is to open a short season at tho Town Hall on Monday, is said to be no exception to the rule. It has been given to few companies to play a continuous summer season of six months in tho ono town, but this has been accomplished by "The Dandies," who were recently given a great reception by the public of Adelaide. "Tho Dandies'" items Tango from gravo to pay, and refinement is one of the characteristics of the performance. The one aim of "Tho Dandies" is to please, and thoir blithesome songs and choruses, their sprightly and eccentric dances, their dainty concerted dross and business numbers, mid their mirth-pro-voking quips and cranks make up a most enjoyable entertaiumont. Tho box plan is lit tho Dresden.