ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1802, 15 July 1913, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL, -Tho Theatre Royal was packed to tho back wall last evening, when tho Bren-nan-Fuller management presented a now programme, woll stocked with bright novelties which certainly ploasod that section of tho Wellington public present. Among the newcomers were Mac and Marce, a pair of dancing, tumbling, and singing comedians. Mac is an extraordinarily clever tumbler, who excels in quaint someigault jvork and ingenious falls. Acts which it attempted by tho ordinary individual would place liim in a hospital for an indefinite period Mac does with. surprising ease. His twin shoulder spring is very clever. After a clean front somersault, ho lands on ono shoulder, and with his legs still in mid-air bounces on tho other shoulder, and from that jerks himself up to ' tho pernondicular once moro. Maree, who is plump and petite, sings, dances, and tumbles with agility. Tho Rolvos also 6upply a very original and picturesque act. Tho malo of the d-uo is an adept tumbler, with a variety of clever comedy falls, in keeping with tho sketch. Tho • act culminates in some daring posturing by the two on a high revolving pedestal. In some of these aerial poses the lady performer leans out at an anglo of 45 degrees, held only by her hands by her partner on his tiny moveable platform. Finally she climbs up, and stands poised on ono foot 1 on tho man's shoulder, as lie, by muscle-twitch-iug, turns tlio pedestal on Which lie 6tands. Tho changing lights on these daring performers enhanced tho effect of each picture. Tom Gerald, a broad comedian, with a lot of vitality, scored a success in the vocal absurdity "With My Little Umbrella in My Hand," and improvised humorously on the vaccination oraze to the tuno of "Everybody's Doin 1 It." His "gags" were somewhat on tho broad side, and might bo toned down without loss of humour. Miss Helen Renby, a pretty soubrette, sang a rag-time ditty tunefully, .and Miss Jennings came forward with 6ome now ballads. As Jennings and Gerald, tho two newcomers provided an extremely laughable farco entitled "The Actress and the Paperliangcr." Frank Sidney and his company created much entertainment in the sketch, "A Morning in a Sportsman's Garden," unit Matthews, Mack, and Walton, travesty comedians, hit oil the ludicrous side of some prevailing labour conditions in a sketch entitled "Tho Union Men." Miss Gertio Johns is still chirping brightly in tho current bill. Frank Crowther'a orchestra. deserve a word for their accompaniments, HIS MAJESTY'S. . A very pretty story is told by the leadMR picture, "Great Possessions," in this week's bill at His Majesty's. A poor liawker emigrates from France, leaving his son Paul, a lad, in the caro of Iriends." Iho emigrant soon makes a fortune, and lib writes to his boy, enclosing a, large sum of money. Tho guardians open the letter, and decamp with the money. The boy, who, some timo before, Ims run away on account of the cruelty of the people with whom ho was loft, is informed by a littlo girl, a daughter of Paul's guardians. Paul gets work in the shop of a Paris doll-maker, and these kindly folk oventually take the littlo girl, too, into their home. Years have rolled by, and tho emigrant has made a fortune, and is preparing to return to his native land and his son, when ho is accidentally shot, and dies of his wounds. On his death-bed he charges a friend • with tho duty of carrjnng a last message to his boy, and conveying to him a letter, telling him that his fortuno is safe at a certain address in Paris. Tho last missives ate overheard by a woman, who plots with a man to rob tho messenger of a belt of gold he has, and of tho letter containing the address, of the fortune. Tho messenger is waylaid, and tho woman secures tho letter and the gold, but in tho struggle tho man and the messenger fall over a precipice. The woman proceeds to Paris, ana with licr beauty captivates tho boy whose fortuie she is scheming for. Meanwhile ine messenger, rescued from his fall, conies to Paris. Ho finds at tho doll-maker's shop a- brokenhearted littlo girl,, weeping angrily because the beautiful stranger' has stolen the heart of tho boy she loves and lias grown up with from childhood. Tho messenger sees a photograph of tho stranger, and his story quickly convinces the boy that this woman is his deadliest enemy. Tho woman is confronted, and proved guilty. Tho rueful Paul Teturns to tho doll-shop—and to tho littlo girl awaiting him there, with whom ho gladly elects to share his fortune. The supporting pictures aro good. They include: "Gaumont. Graphic," "Photography and tho Blotter," "Rambles Through Bass in tho Pyrenees," "Sisters All," "Collecting tho Bill," and "Tile Rivals." THE DANDIES. Tho New Dandies continue to provide a cheerful entertainment at the Concert Chamber of tho Town Hall. The bright singing of Misses Rita and Lily Fitzgerald, the fine buffo vocalism of Mr. Ford Waltham, the agile dancing of Mr. Athol ffier, and tho clever monologue work of Mr. Joseph Brennan are factors in an altogether refined and pleasing entertainment.

THE KING'S THEATRE. A beautiful themo runs through this weok's "star" picture at "Tho, King's" Tho story is one of the tempting of, James Gardner, a married man, who lias worked his way in life from a low to a high position iu his native country. Success brings him largely into the public eye, and in a while ho is offered an elevation in tho social scale—on a certain condition. There is ono bar to his entry into tho gay throng, and that is that his wife is of kumblo birth. This accident of status is insurmountable, so tho only course apparent is that of disposing of tho wife. This is suggested to Gardner; he is asked to divorce her. Gardner, however, prefers to bo faithful to tho womiin ho loves than to gain entry to such society. Not only docs lie repudiate tho black offer, but he goes back over tho most notable stagtl) of Ms successful career, and shows that the chief factor in his , success has been the help of his wife. lie shows her as tho engineer of oil his triumph*. Tho wife, of course, receives her reward, and shores the honours with her husband. The film throughout is excellent, tho portrayal graphic. A particularly strong set of supporting pictures, also, is shown. Those include: "Pilgrimage to tho Crimea," "The Pawned Bracelet," "Puzzled," "Patho Gazette," "It Made Hun Mad," "Mount Eginont," "Hadji, tho Up-sidc-down Man, end "Mac Linder and the Pancakes." EMPRESS THEATRE. "Tho Price of Pardon" is tho titlo of the best of the new items screened at tho Empress Theatre yesterday. The storv deals in a broad-minded way with (ho tedious lifo in a provincial town. Tho chief character is a pretty society woman, who becomes bored with tho tittle taltlo of a small town, and decides to leavo hei( quiet homo for tho glamour of a great city. Just as sho is leaving her only child is seriously injured. Sho does not hear of this till some days havo passed. Remorse for having left her homo smites her and so she returns homo and is reconciled to.her family. "The Stolen Loaf," an A.B. drama, is the next best item. A butler turns thief, and steals a valuable nccklace. Another man is suspected of the crime, and ultimately arrested, sentenced, and imprisoned. 11l tho final stage of tho drama the butler is con-science-stricken, and confesses, thus obtaining the release of tho innocont man. "With tlie Assistance of Sliep" (lOdison comedy). "Baby Bow Wows," and "Squashing a Bobby,'' are good items that help to make up an enjoyablo programme. • SHORTTS' THEATRE. A change of programme was screened yesterday at Messrs. Shortts' Picture Theatre. "Saved by Wireless" is the principal item. Tho scene is laid in the Western States, and tho plot deals with a daring attempt at robbery. The leader of tiro robber gang gets himself appointed manager of a well-known ranch. lie mffiiages to get the owner to'go away on business, and then, having dispatched tho employees to distant parts of tho ranch, invites liis low friends to make off with tho cattle and horses. Tho daughter of tho owner is in love with a telegraph operator and through him learns of tho doings of the manager. They put up a sharp fight before they are overwhelmed by numbers, and have to fly. Tho operator is wounded, but tho girl just manages to reach the wireless station in limo to send out <i warning for help before 6lio falls into the hands of tho-robbers. Eventually help arrives, and just punishment is tho fate of the thieve?. The supporting items are dl9o good, and includo an excellent picture of oxpott liajid awl body balanciue.