ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1844, 2 September 1913, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"BELLA DONNA." James Pagan's dramatisation of Rob) crt llichen's novel "Bella Donna" was presented again last evening by tho Williamson Drametic Company. Tho acting of Miss Irene Browno as tho wifo is uncommonly good, indeed, her histrionic resourco is largely responsible for making an character convincing. . Mr. Julius Knight exercises restraint, and suggests an abundance of reserve strength as Dr. Isaacson, who finally defeats tho gentle murderess. MAN AND SUPERMAN. Thursday evening will mark tho advent of tho first Bernard Shaw comedy to bo, produced in Now Zealand, when J. C. Williamson, Ltd., will present "Man 'and Superman," with Mr. Julius Knight in tho part of Jolm Tanner. This is perhaps Shaw's most popular play. Tho tlireo performances to bo given here should bo well patronised. Australian critics credit Mr. Knight with ono of his best impersonations aa John Tanner—University man and gentleman, with peculiar and advanced views upon Socialistic lines—which ho airs at every opportunity. Miss Irene Brown as Ann Whitefield has won high praiso for a clover and natural performance, while Mr. Robert Whyte,, Mr. Martin Lewis, Air. A. Greenawav, Mios Maggie Knight, Miss Queenio Temple, and the other mombers of tho company aro credited with really fine artistic work. The play is said to be well staged, dressed, and very carefully produced under tho direction of Mr. Knight. THEATRE ROYAL. Tho Brennan-Fuller proprietary commenced their last week in tho Theatre

Royal last night with a good audience, and a very fair programme of pleasing variety. 1 The two Bryants appeared in their novel act, which consists almost entirely of swinging a number of shining axes„ swords, knives, and tho like at a bewildering speed. They also swing electric bulbs m such combinations as to give brilliant light displays. Gloria Mayho appeared in an elaboratelymounted turn as "Princess Wan-a-tea,' ! Under which name, in a costume befitting itj she sang a number of songs in an Indian tongue. The Leopold Sisters still puzzled and amused with their chair-balancing and tumbling acts; Mist Ruby Wallace did a song and dance turn, and Sir. George Dean gave an amusing sketch entitled "senso and nonsense," introducing songs, monologues. and imitations. The Lyrical Four had some new numbers for their short musical programme, which is undoubtedly one of the most satisfactory items in all the bill. Later, Mr.- Clifford O'Koofo and Miss Cissy O'Koofo appeared in a vocal duet, and also Mr. O'Keefo gave a njonologuo, a very creditable performance. Fred Branscombe, with Ins phenomenal double voice, also won applause with his exceedingly wellsimulated' soprano voice, whicTi contrasted in a somewhat startling majinor tvith his quite natural baritone. A couple of short comedy pictures go to mako up a very good porgrammo. "THE SMART SET." > After an absence of one night only, > the clover "Smart Sot" returned'to 'fiho i. Concert Chamber, where they wore l greeted by a largo audience, which gave i abundant evidence of its, oapacity to f relish tho merry fare provided. In tho 3 first part it was a distinct pleasure to - heair Mr. Ernest Parkes smg M. V. White's charming.ballad, "The Devout Lover" most acceptably. He was rewarded with an encore. Mr. MayunaxJ DaJrin contributed several lively comic items a good dead above tho average ill \ quality, and Mr. Walter George was i happy in some ensembles. Miss Georgio r Martin, who is a spry little comedienne, sang brightly on topics new and otherwise, and: pretty Miss Mona Thomas

warbled "The Valley of Laughter" very sweetly. The finale, "When tho Drums Began to Roll/'' was a broad burlesque on things military, with plenty , of food for healthy laughter. "Sunshine James" ' and his monitor, i Mr. Edward Elliott, ! philosophised quaintly on. tilings in ' general.' It is the'best living ventrilo- ' qnial net since the days of J. W. Winton. Tho major portion of tlio second half oi: the programme was devoted to a Noil- Zaland revue, entitled "Kia Ora, or Move Along, Please," a) lively I skit en anybody and anything, with - topical absurdities concerning local and >i broader politics, music, the stage, and t the Town Hall clock. Each member of e tho talented _ littlo company appeared momentarily in a variety of ranging from his Exoellciicy tho Govctnor and the Prime Minister (both of whioli wero capitally characterised by t Mr. Walter George), to well known if v less exalted people' about town. Mr. . Edward Elliott, who concocted 1 the h revuo, was a most energetic worker, and his burlesque of Mr. H. B. Irving was f one of tho best things in tho rovue., Somo of tho characters introduced were Paderowski, the Q.uakcr Girl, Julius Knight,' Oscar Asche, Lily Drayton,. Amj' Murphy, Clara Butt, and Kennorlev Rnhiford, a Labour leader (who forbado Mr. George ■ to both sing and dance on the "ono man one ]ob' prillciplo), John Fuller, sen., and E. J. Hill. / HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A new selection of photo-plays waß .'J. screened at His' Majesty's Theatre last , evening, the stair item being a dramatic) d study, entitled "Tho Heritage. _ Alter ? witnessing such a remarkable picture as % "With Scott to tlio Pole, ordinary v dramatic pictures appear to fall a. littlo t flat, and something really good is roll nuired to satisfy the lover of tho lane- « matograph. "Tho Heritage " however, - is RomotJiinK quite good', and the liiter>f esting and entrancing story which it 1. unfolds met with tho general approval II of the large number of 1 patrons present |° last evening. IWory hinges uponthe lo will of a deceased Cmint. Hib fortuno 1 was left to his daughter, Charlotte, who was believed to be in Italy. An , p unscrupulous nephew of tho Count s !il schomcs to gaim the fortuno (unsuccess'y fully) with tho assistance of an ,-unn principled lair's . c ] CTk - °i ia '. I i I " io eventually conies into the fortune, s- "Two's Company, Throo s a. Crowd, is >■ a vciy humorous comedy, while fccenos ►■f m tho Engardine" discloso Mine beauti--10 ful views of that splendid part of * Switzerland. "Tho Strongor Sex is a ?" Vitagraph da-anna which tells, how a ls fascinating adventuress exercises her ? wiles on a woalthy mercha«t at a , gambling table. « 'Why Baby W I .fi.,,..!)! f.,l] of humour, and _ A. 'I Doublo Wedding" describes tho conucaj „ of two newly-married ir couples. The latest "Gaumont Graphic" is also shown. The programme will bo repeated this ovenm'g. 13 KING'S THEATRE. ; v Tlio oxcollent programme screened last; t' night at the King's Theatre merited a ie far larger house, tho films being excojv ■e tionallv fine. "'Bio Regiment of Two is is a particularly amusing .picture, dcpict'r in" the schemes of the husband and Ins >' son-in-law to escape onco a week from p * their domestic life. They pretend to l~ have joined tlio 13th Regiment, and are J absent each Friday for drill, this being their "Tigers' Club" night- All goes • well until the 13th Regiment is ordered to the front-. Not a whit undaunted at ■° this contingency, the two soldiers set out on a fishing expedition, which they intend shall keop them busy as long as tho l- war lasts. News, however, conies io through • that the 13th Regiment has F> been ambushed and annihilated. This news, however, does not find tho soldiers lacking in invention, and they return homo and proclaim themselves as tho solo survivors of a great disaster. "A Ca'noo Race," "A Way Women Have," "Tlio Mistake,"' "Round about " Cairo," "Two Little Kittens'," and "Good Morning, Judge," are other films " that arc in ovcry way admirablo and well up to tho standard of picturo cx- " celleuce that has been established at this theatre. Neither must it be omitted to mention a fine nature study por-

\ w—.— , —— Graying Jean, tho almost-human Vitagraph dog, and lier puppies. A spccinl '' ieaturo to-night will do tlio first screening of. a film of tlio wrcck of tlio s.s. .Devon, showing tlio position of the doomed ship on tlio rdeks, the salving of cargo, the unloading of motor-cars, and other interesting incidents in connection with tho work. EMPRESS THEATRE. "Women and War," a fine drama, is tho chief picture at tlio Empress Theatre. Tho war is tho American Civil War. Tho women are two sisters, tho ono plain and! tmio, tho other pretty and vaiji. Tho elder, is patriotic, tho younger (the vain) is not. A wealthy young' neighbour becomes acquainted with tho firls. Tho younger is charmedi with im, and does hor bcist to captivate him, hut hor beauty does not win hor tho . man she loves. He turns to tho sweeter sister. However, the eldor one, seeing thoiragoand disappointment this causes 1 her younger sister, decides to make , a sacrifico.' Sho appears to bo cold towards tho young man, and eventually lie becomes ■ ongaged to tho younger girl. Much upset, and unable to tolerate tho scene of her sacrifice, the elder i girl goes to tho war as a mu'so. Later the young man responds to a call, for volunteers, and' goes to the war too. The pair do jiot meet until the ambulance corps finds the man almost lifeless on tlio field of battle. Chanco has it that tho girl ho knows nurses him, and sho nurses him back to health, except that he ia stone-blind. Ho is /taken home, audi theTO lliia fiancee, learning that he is blind, tihroro-s him over for another. Thus sho unwittingly leaves clear tlio way far her sister and the young man to oomo together, and it ia not long before they are engaged. Another good drama'is "The Stolen Idol," and exciting story sot in the Orient. ■"Markets ot Central Aslia," ."The Hioksvitte , Epicure," "Bunny and ..Outoy," and several other films ihelp to make 'up an excellent programmo. ' SHORTTS' PICTURES. The current programme a£ Shorfrts' is Excellent. It is entertaining and varied. (Tho special attraction is a number entitled "Czernowski," a long film by tho Cines Company, the makers of many < noted pictures. "CzernoWski" is a thrilling talo.-. It embracos tho treacli- • ery of a governess, a powerful, unscrupulous woman, whoso craving for gold dictates her conduct. The woman is iengaged' by Count Zaccini, who is a widower, to look after his two ohildren, both of whom aro of tender years. She Bets out to entrap the Count, and she' succeeds. By her charms and her. wiles she'captures him, and''induces him to marry her. Then she' sots hor mind on tho next step to tho obtainraent of iiis fortune. She decides to do away with him. Sho attempts his lifo, but hor effort 'is frustrated. She • tries

I again and again. But each time her I way to success in. her ovil design is . intercepted by one who is a faithful i 6orvant of the Count. At length tho guilty ono is set upon'by the law. She is -tried and convicted —proved guilty bv Count Zaccini's devoted employee. The misguided Countess fails to lay her hands upon tho Count's gold, and sho •ends her days-in prison. Among tho pictures in tho bill is a jiicituresquo drama named "Chrys&nthei mums": also: "The Black Hand," "Tho vGoodly Nigger," "The Warwick ChronMolo," and others.