ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1841, 29 August 1913, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

JULIUS KNIGHT SEASON. "Milestones" was staged at the Opera Hotisc for the last time .yesterday evening before a largo and appreciative audience. "BELLA DONNA." In adapting Air. Hichens's successful novel lor the stage, Mr. J. B. Faguu lias, it is said, performed a difficult task exceedingly well. To compress into four acts' a book of 500 pages, and to retain all tho essential features of the story was a problem by no means easy, but according to Australian critics Mr. Fagau has solved tho problem most satisfactorily for "Bella Donna" is reported ns being a very fine acting play—preserving much of tho literary colour and atmosphere for which the author of the "Garden of Allah" is famous. Itthrows into vivid relief tlio character of tho woman herself, and tho two men with whom she is priirfcipaJly associated, and it tells in compact form a tenso ami dramatic story. Tho stage version of "Bella Donna" begins in the London rooms of tho fashionable physician. Dr. Meyer Isaacson, (Julius Knight), and opens with a scene between him and tho strange woman who has already earned for herself tho soubriquet of "Bella Donna" (Miss Irene Browne). Thus wo come to the villa on tho Nile, and here begins the struggle of tho woman to rid herself of the husband who is no longer wanted, a struggle which must have proved successful but for Dr. Isaacson, who is the real hero of the play, and whose duel with the strange mixture of Jezebel and Delilah, known as -iiella Donna," keeps tho audience in suspense up to the last. Mr. Knight is said to realise, as nearly as anyone may, just what the author's intentions are, and to give a consistent ' study so life-like that one does not think of the art the actor must bring to bear upon it. l'Yo:n a scenic point of view, "Bella Donna" is said to be magnificent, while some of the stage effects are startling in their reality. It is to be produced for the first time in New Zealand at the Opera House tonight-. • THEATRE ROYAL.' This week's programme at the Theatre Eoyal includes a number of star turns. The performers .include: Miss Gloria Mayne, lyric soprano; the Leopold Sisters, chair balancors; Miss Ruby .Wallace, singer of serio-comic songs; Corona, on tho cornet; and George Dean, the singing actor. '■ . THE SMART SET. That bright little company, "The Smart Set," are still delighting audionces; at tho Town Hall Concert Chamber, but the, season is gradually drawing to a close, and those who have not yet'seen Mr. Walter George and Mr. Maynard Dakin performing" should take note. This week's programmo is full of good- numbers, and, the entertainment is one of the best all-round shows that local audiences haveihad before them. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Another good attendance at His Majesty's Theatre last night gave evidence'of the interost taken in the pro* duct-ion of tho pictures illustrating the doings of the l.ate Captain Scott's party in the Antarctic regions. The samo programme will be repeated to-night. It is announced that to-morrow there will bo a. special matinee for schools and families. THE KING'S THEATRE. The feature film on tho programme at the King's -Theatre tUiis week is "The Lion Hunters," an excellent depiction of the great African sport. Other oapital items are: "The Sorrowful S'horo," "Bunny's. Honeymoon." "In Their Hour of Need," "At Work and Play, in Clhina," and "A Trip on a French River." Appropriate music accompanies the films. EMPRESS THEATRE. The feature drama of the new programme submitted at the Empress Theatre yesterday is the work of the A.B. Company, and is entitled "A Gambler!s Honour." A young gambler loves a pretty girl, . whose brother is . tempted to take his employer's money for -gambling purposes. Tho gambler detects tho brother in taking money from tho safe, and he decides to teaon . t-lie young man a lesson. The gambler, winning all the brother's money, breaks into the defaulter's office in order to place tho money back - in the safe' with a note attached- pointing out the other's folly. The sheriff discovers the gainbler in the office, but the latter escapes. The gambler comes upon the _ sccno Where the defaulter lias shot himself, and the gambler's sweetheart is reading a note in which her brother .states that lie lost the employer's funds in playing cards with the gambler. The Sheriff rides up and arrests the gambler, who states tlhat if they take him to the. oflicc he will prove liis' 'honesty. They return to the office and find that the . gambler has acted honestly. His sweetheart forgives him and they start a new life together/ "A Battle in the Virginia Hills" (drama), "Eclair Journal" (topical), and "The Pigtail" (comedy) are among other pictures shown. SHORTTS' PICTURES. A new selection'of pictures was screened at Shortts' Theatre yesterday, the chiof ono being-a dramatic photo-play entitled "The Honour of a Soldier." Torn by the conflict between love and dis.cipli lie, a.soldier leaves the, battleline to rescue his family from their burning home. He is pursued- as.a deserter, but escapes, and goes to headquarters, \Vhere lie tells liis story and is cleared. "Saving Mabel's Dad" is the title of a complicated comedy. George is Mabel'-s choice. Fred is another admirer, . but Henry is father's . choice. How the father, after indulging ' too freely at a picnic, gets adrift in a boat, and how George beats his rivals, is told in a .series oF laughablo scenes. Other good pictures are "Captain Mary Brown (Vitagraph'drama), and "Some Fools There Were" (comedy). Tho programme will be repeated to-day.