ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1871, 3 October 1913, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE. "Tho Quaker Girl," which is to run throughout the week at tho Opera House, is being liberally patronised. Tho fortunes of an inventor of Parisian fashions and of the Quaker Girl make interesting matter in themselves, and there is ample bright comedy and attractive dancing by Mr. Leslie Holland, Miss Jessie Lounen, Mr. Jack Cannot, and Miss Olive Godwin. "THE SUNSHINE GIRL." "The Sunshine Girl," which is to bo staged 011 Monday night, enjoyed a run of over twelve months in London, and in Australia it also proved a gTeat attraction for play-goers. /Bright and tuneful music, pretty choruses, gorgeous dresses, and clevor comedy are somo of the ingredients in tho new Gaiety production. In tlio plot Vernon Blundell is left heir to the huge Port Sunshine soap business. 111 drawing up his will, old Blundell stipulated that Vernon should work at the port for five j'ears, and that the property would go from him should he marry or become engaged within tlTat period. Dropping the namo of Blundell (Edmund Sherras), and calling himself jUr. Vernon, the hero joins tho concern as anordinary hand, and quickly falls in love with Delia Dale (Blanche Brown), of tho perfume department. Anxious to test tho girl's affections, and possibly to escape tho provisions of tho_ will, Vernon offers to pass on his identity to Lord Bicester (Leslie Holland), a young stockbroker. The gay and irresponsible young peer accepts, thinking that nobody would recognise him at Port Sunshine; but the imposture is discovered by Lady Rosabelle (Grace Palotta), his fiancee, who arrives at Port Sunshine with her cook, Brendl Blacker (Billie Barlow), who is in reality Mrs. Floot. I'loot, an ex-London cab-driver (Jack Cannot), who has been thrown over by his wife, reaches Port Sunshine while walking for a newspaper prize. He recognises in the bogus Vernon Blundell tho Lord Bicestor ho had driven home ono night after a wili time at a fancydress ball. The amusing Floot uses threats of exposure, until Bicester buys his silence by appointing him general manager of tho works. Floot finds it hard to handle the men, while he gets along with the girls in fine style. Unconcerned about her worthless husband, Brenda Blacker improves the _ shining hour by carrying on a flirtation with "Commodore' 1 Parker (C. It. Biintock). Meantime the lovo of tho . real Vernon Blundell and Delia becomes complicated, and the fun, it is said, is fast and furious right up to tho fall of ,tho curtain. Only tlireo performances can bs given of "Tho Sunshino Girl," and on Tluirsdav and Friday next "Miss Hook of Holland" will be staged The season will close 011 Saturday and Monday, October 11 and 13, when "The Belle of New York" will be revived. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. . "Schepp's Animal Circus," the star turn at His -Majesty's Theatre, is still drawing large patronage. These hnghlytrained beasts alono provide a fine entertainment. In addition there are a number* of other artists of merit. p ' THE KING'S THEATRE. Tho big picturo, "Our King's Navy," which is now being shown at the Ivmg s Theatre,.is a really fine naval film, and it is given an added attraction by Mr. Harold Grey's patriotic solo. The programme includes a historical drama, entitled "His Lifo for the' Emperor..

CLARA BUTT-RTJMFORD SEASON. The musical societies of Wellington propose holding a reception at the Town ,Hall on Friday next to welcome Madame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerley Rumford back to Wellington. The famous singers leave Sydney to-morrow, and are' due to reach Wellington 011 Wednesday morning next. Tho season here promises to bo a brilliant success, for the interest in their visit is already widespread. Tho booking, which opened on Wednesday; is said to bo excellent. The five-shilling tickets will be on sale at the Dresden on Monday next. Madame Butt has cabled to Mr. J. N. Tait that she will probably sing "Creation's Hymn" (Beethoven), "Dor Wanderer" (Schubert), Handel s "Largo," "The Leaves and the Wind" (Leoni) at the opening concert.

EMPRESS THEATRE. A now programme was screened at the Empress Theatre yesterday, tho chief picture of interest being a domestie drama by the Thanhouser Company, entitled "Tho Girl of the Cabaret." A young Western farmer falls in love with a girl violinist'at a city cafe. Ho weds her, but aftor five years on the farm she longs for the gaiety of tho city. With hor daughter she deserts her husband, but fails to secure her former place. The child, being talented, becomes a success on the stage. While romping in tho city park she is found bv her father, who is endeavouring tofiud his wife and child. The tiny girl takes him to hor mother, and the parents are overjoyed at meeting again. "Nantes" is tho title of a beautiful travel study, illustrating tho great French seaport; Strange scenes in the African colony, which was founded by slaves who were'freed in America, aro depicted in "Native Lifo in Liberia." "Dolly's Stratagem" is a Gaumont comedy drama, in which a girl contrives to outwit her father, and weds tho man of her choice. "Pa Says" is a capital farce-comedy by the A.B. Co., and "Where Shore and Water Meet" is an excellent dramatic study, by Edison Co. ' The programme, which includes numerous other pictures, will be repeated to-day.

' SHORTTS' PICTURES. Full of human interest, and splendidly acted, is the Vitagraph masterpiece "A Still Voice," wJnch was shown amongst, a number of new pictures screened at Shortt's Theatre yesterday. The acting involves a number of emotional scenes, which appear to the lover of this stylo of drama as almost real. Steele is tho name of a cashier employed in a big bank, and one day the manager inadvertently displaces an important document. Suspicion falls on Steele, whoso wife>is an invalid, and ho is ultimately dismissed. shock causes - the death of Steele s wife, and during a very emotional scene lie vows vengeance. During the course of fifteen vears he becomes a wealthy man, and with his daughter, who has grown to womanhood, he returns to his old homo. His daughter meets the bank manager s sou, but Steele refuses to give his consent to their marriage. Meanwhilo the bank manager has found tho missing document, but he does not recogniso Steele as the man whom he had dismissed. The old cashier buys up the controlling stock of every company with which his old employer is concerned, and bv this means ruins him.. The bank manager commits suicide, but btecle, unaware of this, decides to save Ins old employer by financing the bank again. As soon as lie learns of tho bank nin, ) a " ger's death, he, too, dies from shobk. Other evonts are told in the picture. Other dramas of merit are: In a barren" and "The lien with the Golden Ems." For the. remainder of tho w-eek a "film of tho Newtown School children at drill, etc., will be screoned.