ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1760, 27 May 1913, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

POLITE VAUDEVILLE. Boebo's Polite Vaudeville Company appeared again at tho Opera House last evening, repeating tho now programme that was iirst presented on Saturday night. Acceptable eongs wore contributed by Wal. Hockley, Will White, Ella Conrad, Rubco Raymond, Ruby Cox, and Lillian Hockley. Speciality turns were contributed by Kcildcrson, tho Artoens* the Musical liartletts, and tho Rockleye. Tho company will give its last performance in Wellington to-morrow evening. To-night and to-morrow night a proi gramme especially planned to. piicaso tho ladies will be presented, and in order to givo all classes of tho fair sex an opportunity of seeing* tho company an even price of one shilling will bo charged ladies in any part of tho house.

THE RED DANDIES. Mr. Edward Branscombo's Red Dandies, which made so favourable an impression in Wellington last winter, wero given a rousing welcomo on their reappearance at the Concert Chamber last evening. Long before 8 p.m. tho seating accommodation was taxed to its utmost capacity, and many had to be refused admission. Tho rifx? of tho curtain was tho signal for a gonuino burst of applause, and each of the performers as they camo to the front received a welcome in tho same hearty manner. Tho personnel of tho company is precisely the same as last year, and the same merit in song, dance, and burlesquo was evidenced light, through tho programmo. Heading the list of favourites was Mr. Claudo Dampier, ono of the most versatile of eccentric comedians. Not only does he score in legitimate comedy, but he gave plenty of proof of his capacity to sink his identity in character studies as in the Yiddisher songs, "Solomon" and "Wot a Game" (in which ho mado a distinct hit), and in tho Cockney stage-hand's description of the plot of "Hanlct," with ideas as to how Shakespeare could bo improved upon. In tho realm of burlesque ho kept tho audience a-rock with laughter in a Spanish interlude, entitled "Plunk, Plunlt," in which ho was aided by a broadly comic mako-up, and a smile that was destructive to tho seriousness of anyone with the slightest fcnso of humour. Mr. Georgo Morg-in, comic singer, reciter, and dancer, found many friends in the audionce, and pranced into favour once more with tho merry lilt "Tt's No Use Taking a Girl There,' and "Something in the Seaside Air." "His First Recitation" displayed Mr. Morgan as an entertaining reciter of comic verse. His dancing in "The Peacock Polka" was highly appreciated. ' Mr. Gavin Wood, tho basso, was convincingly dramatic in his forceful declamation of "Tim Demon King," Imt was hardly as successful in that fino song "Tho Trumpeter." "The Beautiful Garden of Dreams" was nicely sung by Mr. Oliver Peacock.. As an encore ho sang a litis gem in song, entitled "Jeunnesee." Miss Irene Vere, who is as sprightly as over, was not over-strong vocally for that now familiar catch, "Alexander's Bagtime Band," and was a good deal better in the encqro "That Mysterious Rag." Tho soprano, Miss Hilda Lane, makes up in sweetness and culture what she lacks in vocal strength, but, her voice is so nicely produced that it reached every part of the hall. She sang "The Talley of Laughter" (an exceedingly pretty song), and "Gather Ye Rosebuds. Miss Evelyn Ward, a contralto of limited range, butrare svmpathy, sang "0 Dry Thoso Tyirs" and "Ked Rosebuds" acceptably. Misses Ward and Lnno were associated it some pretty voico-blending ill the duets "Buy My Roses" and "Where Violets Gtow. In the second half of the programme Miss Vero and Mr. Dampier "combined" excellently in somo rag-time oddities, and Miss Vero (and chorus) made merry in the "specialty" "When the Lady the Band." All the concerted numbers went with a swing, which, indeed, characterises the entire entertainment. _ Tho programme will be repeated this _ evening. On Thursday evening the Dandies are to trek to the Opera House, where (to management hopes to find room for oil intending patrons.

THEATRE ROYAt. Quite tho best turn at the Theatro Royal last night was that provided by Fritz Von Liston, bird and animal mimic. He reproduced the notes of the thrush, the song of tho canary, the duet of male and female canaries at lovemaking, and the glorious song of the nightingale. He made the dog bark, angrily and in pleased- anticipation, of a good dinner; tho donkey call, tho hkar grunt, the duck quack, and tho liou roar. Finally, ho whistled a delightful eolo. Fritz Von Xiiston would bo a star in any vaudeville programme. "Mysterious t-Mik," a very clever dog, held, the audience intensely interested by his extraordinary feats in arithmetic and telepathy. Sums wero correctly worked out by Mik, and tho numbers on' tickets obtained from the audience wero correctly indicated "by him. A delightful tu/rn was presented by Madmio Marvell and* her cockatoos. These wonderful birds, wonderfully trained, rung thfi bell for admission, opened tho door for one otliOT, balanced a ball on a see-saw, fired cannon, drove and rodo in a coach, and with the aid of a gong, performed somo humorous counting tricks. the SereI naders passed away tho first hour very I pleasantly with and excellent conaort programme. Miss Beattio M'Donald, soubrette, was loudly applauded for her 6inging of popular items. Percy Dalton danced and sang his ragtime items, and Lillie Mooro entertained the "house with pleasantly-rendered items. Amo and Almo wound up tho bill with a clover comedy wire-walking act.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Ail Asta Kfcilsen comedy in threo acts, entitled "In a Fix," is the leading fear turo in this week's chango of programme at Ilis Majesty's Theatre. Last evening tho film was run off in good stylo, its projection being perfect. The story abounded with really amusing situations, brought about by a girl masquerading as a man in order to help on her own marriage, as well as to assist her uncle out of n. financial embarrassment. Miss sen made the most of a very stropg part in. thephoto-plav, and acted well throughout. Slio was ably supported by others. "Man he Misht Have Been' was a particularly good film, with a somewhat sombro ending. It pestroyed a youngster at school, wlio turned out fro bo the brightest lad in "his class. His old schoolmaster had visions, of him beconung a clever mail ill business, but tho lads par* ents were not sanguino of him, and ho was put to work—uncongenial position to him. All through life tho lad, disappointed with the way in which things liad turned out for him, went down, instead of up, with the result that lie was a broken old man long before his time. "The Engineer" was a capital dramatic film, depicting the tribulations of an honest young man who got into the hands of a gang of counterfeit coin lnanmactnrers. Other pictures were "Ganmont "Along the Bulgarian Frontier. Mas Apron Strings" (comic), and, Iho lJld Grand National."

TIIE KING'S THEATHE. The change of programme at West's Pictures last night served to introduce a sensational detective photo-play untitled "Shadows of the Night. A gang of criminals aro captured by Detective Summers and a journalist companion. Duriii" the scenes which servo to litep the 3000 feet of melodrama film running there are, of conrso, a. number of rather sensational situations. Last owning tlio "house" was "keyed up" when such 6cenes as a leap from a bridge 011 to a moving train, n Zeppelin airship overtaking an ocran liner, and the liero dosconding a rop© on. to tlio dock of tho steamer were thrown upon tho screen. Other thrilling episodes wero tilt escape of tho villain over a telephone wire, and filially the capture of tho gang. Interest was not allowed to lflg» find wn]?n tho final sceno closed, the "house" (after a few silent moments of geuumo wonder an<l appreciation) burst into general applause. Otter good films were "Little Organ Plnver of San Juan, Confidence," and "The Striko Breakers, both amusing conicdios, "The Path© and "Customs of Lapland," 1 1110 1913 Liverpool Grand National" was shown •fullv from tho commencement of the raco to tho finish. A feature of tho new programme was the incidental music supplied by the King's Orchestra.

THE NEW THEATRE. Tho neiv programme which was presented to patrons of tho New Theatre (continuous pictures), in Manners Street, Yesterday, attracted a good deal of interest 011 account of tho inclusion 111 tlio series of- the Selig Company's elaborate representation of tho tompsranoo drama*

"Ten Nights in a Bar-room. Tho story of the arama l is the curat) of drink. Under its influence a father unwittingly causes tho (fcath of his only child, and a ■son kills his father in a drunken frenzy. As a picture-ra study of tho worst side of tho liquor traffic—tho drama is realistio almost to tho point of being repellant. In its interpretation the production of the Selig Company ia more or less convincing. Tho now programme is strong in supporting items, amongst which may be mentioned a high-class jlosstor drama, entitled "Tho Woodsman," a domestic photo-play, in which the setting calls for eomo praise by reason of its fine scenic effects; a powerful drama by the Tannhauser Company, "For Sale, a Life"; (50H10 clinrining views of the scenery along thre banks of the Tiver Loing, and several amusing comedies. Tho programme will bo repeated until Thursday next, i

SHORTTS' PICTURES. A striking- study of tho Mosstor Company features tho new programme at Shortts' Continuous Pictuiro Theatre, in Willis Street. This film is entitled "Tho Spectre of tho Sea." The accomplished actress, Miss Helen Porton, appears in tli» title role of Evelyn, a painter of seascapes. Sho is caught by the tide, and rescued by a young fisherman. The hero, forgetting his fisher lass, falls in love with her, but when Evelyn hoars of the othsr lady, she repulses him, the result being a tragic scene, culminating in the suicide of tho man, who drowns himself. Long after, Evelyn revisits tho fishermans homo, and in the dead of night tho spcctip of tho drowned man rises, to accompany her. This phase is realistically represented. Amongst. the supporting items may l>e mentioned, "A Rough Ride on NitroGlycerine" (which features a striking' (sxplosion), "Two Jolly Acro- | bate," "Making Castings," and Pallie's Australian Gazette.

THE EMPRESS THEATRE. This coloured feature dTama, "A Conspiracy Against Murat," was presented at the Empress Theatre (continuous pictures) last ovening, with the new programme. This film is an artistic cnaotmont portraying what purport to be events to compass the death of Joachim Murat (one ot Napoleon's marshals) in 1815. Perugini, a florist, is chosen by the citizens of Naples to assassinate Murat, who had been appointed Icing by Napoleon. Anna, daughter of Perugini is protected from the insults of some soldiers in the streets of Naples by tho king. She. does not Tccognise her protector, but afterwards, when her fnthisT is about to stab tho Icing, Anna recognises him. Her father is-prevented from effecting tho assassination, but Anna- goes personally to tho king and plaids successfully for tile release of Perugini. After his "freedom has been granted, Perugini turns his daughter from his homo for Ikt sympathy for tho king. Sho is subsequently engagol as one of the que;n s maids, but tho queen's jealousy is aroused by Murafs attentions to Anna, and the heroine, declining to accept as her finaco Captain Renzi, leaves the court. Anna learns of another attempt to be made upon Murat's life by her father, and on tho fateM djiy she steps between her father and the intended victim, and' revives tho fatal stab. Other its.-ns include "The .Red Devils," a stirring story of tho : Wild West, "After- tho Welsh Rabbit" I (Edi6on comedy), "Pimplo Goes a-Busk- ' ing" (comedy), "The Cremation of WifI fles," and the Jarrah Workers' Carnival.

JOSEPH M'CABE. There aro a groat number of peoplo ill "Wellington who will welioino the fact that Mr. Joseph M'Cabe, orator, scientist, and litterateur, is to deliver a series of lectures in Wellington, commencing on Monday next, Juno 2. Mr. M'Cabe, who if being introduacd by Mr. Carlyle Smytho, will take as his first subject "The Storv of Life on the Earth, or Wonderful . Chapters in Evolution," and on Wednesday, Juno 4, ho will deliver his fascinating Iccture entitled "The Romance of Australia," which has earned high encomiums in the Commonwealth. He hopes, too, before leaving New Zealand to 6poak on "Shakespeare and Goc-tlie." ' ,