ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1942, 27 December 1913, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS.

iKIHIEM A JESTt'S' THEATRBH

SS^'iiiulevillc;'at- 1 ills' Majestj'a'.Theatre .l:istiSuigiit- ; - , ';!ttra<;teil' v a~ bigger ..crowd t lu'n : .:';'tlß'n.v;v\'as-' seating ■ accoramod:\tion ■i'or;¥;v.-hic!i::>.riicans:'tl!ai it attracted a Perhaps the bpst:-Vt)ini:'o'uVa\vc.ry; good programino ■ u'ns tli.'U-giveii;liv..-{'vv6' Aiu-ericafi artists billed as : Willard." . Mr. Wil'lai'd.'bes;ins,.:hisssb!isiness ■■ aione,". and gets into_' aiv.ai'gunieiit.iwitli.a iady. in the.building,i..\yhp .i i 3 cppcaranccs' one"'o'i'. the tneatre.staff, (listriuuthig pre'Rrammesi'S'-''' tho;-;end 4 'the' on ;-tluj'. stagcv :; aiidi, : the.tiiair.\sing .-some; good songs,- -aiulCmukc l soniOi-'good ; Lin.' The"'Strattons.'Varo.vSooJ.tish/'L, specialty, artists, whose'.'peifqi'mance, 'a : .very' en-.tpvtdining'-.onejsis'a pot pourri of'j.sing- ' ingi- danciisg, : .and'j.ta'king.' : : , The "Two .Store's, are 'another* American duo, 'who. iiro turning to profit the ra.gtimc crazo.' They sing'and play th<y\piano, and the zylophono. but all thoir. music is'in-rag-time,' played as only ~ Americans - c»u . play ",it. ~;.■ St.' George and... Daynei. appeared in'their origiualiand -huiiiorous I miisieal sketch, and vvere'"given, ; a hearty ■ welcome back.,-' VLittlo Phoebe, as her : name .would showy--is a'little girl, and sho sings grown-up songs very cleverly, and with some spirit'"ami abandon. - She appears l also with Professor Lewis," a conjuror, who performs satisfactorily a number' of marvels not quite unfamiliar. Other, artists appearing were Neil Cant, Scotch, comic singer;-'.Mnurioo Cheno-withj-'a tenor"; : ..and-.Mourner., a -strong man.' „-v^ ,: --I',;1',; ";.'.'.-";. ~-•'.■:'' ".i'vv-":..;'.'. :■. ■ . i':];?'THE -Bi^S.' ■ "In', the ' Bishop's-.' Carriage," " : -xthe bright"American picture-drama.', will bo shown' ; 'at the King's Theatre again tonight. It is a line film, well:supported by other good numbers, one of which ("The Madonna of the Storing] isva beautiful story.--..-Tho chief comic, "An Error in Kidnapping,"'i is screamingly*' funny; ; ~" .-; v'.~. .. ■ . " . ■ There ,; will bo ii'' special -matinee/,at half-past. 2 o'clock, this afternoon.'■?.■ ■ : "THE LAST DAYS ;OF'POMPEII." '■'' ■ At/'tlio King's' Theatro . on' Jlonduy night'another of- those huge pictorial attractions which this'management has. been recently introducing to the Wellington public with such success will bo submitted, in the Cines-Ambrosia'' Companies' 7000 ft. reproduction of Bulwer. Lytton's tragic romance, "The Last; Days of Pompeii.". '. Tho ■ picture has captured public 'approval in ! -Auckland; whero writing of-its initial screening,'''said:- "The -story :is one -that is pEeuriarlyJsuitod- to ■■'representation.by. motion jihotography,"..-.-' and tho' picture certainly makes most of ttio'opporiuni-: ties.'' The scenic' effects, tho.elaborate staging, and unusually large, number of actors engaged in the ■ production indicate what really,: can be- done in the world of kiiioraatoj-raphy, and makes the picture undoubtedly one of the-fin-est yet shown in Auckland."-'...Ancient Roman lifa is resurrected amongst the actual ruins of Pompeii, and the wonderful old city:is.shown in remarkably realistic fashion, with all its cxtraavKant luxury and much of its wickedness. 'Hie struggle between the first Christians and the- pagans,'-the.lovo.story of the' beautiful Wind girl Nydia,_ the Roman, circus, (in Which real lions mid tigers make flioir appcarance);-.-.and tho many other features of the picture keep tho story extremely interesting throughput the two : hours which it occupies. Tho climax' comes when Pompeii, in the midst.of wild revelry,- is overwhelmed and destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius. , Tho l>ij?' sensation ' in very well mannged indeed, and'so real is.tho volcanic disturbance that one cannot help woudcrii'g --. iust how _ these things are done with the tncro aid of a camera. The picture is-surf> to prove ■ otfccetiin.nlv poiiulav- ,T»e enjoyment is n'reatSy added to by the snecial -music. Ilesen-cd seats may be booked to-day at the theatre, and on and after Monday at the Dresden, . THE'EMPRESS THEATRE. There wero crowiied attendances at tho'continuous pictures at-tho Emprcm 'I'heatre yesterday) "when. a new and varied programme was .presented. Tha drama, "Diversion,'-' which is the principal attraction on the programme, i,n a very line example- of the American Biograph Company's, work. 'The story concerns a young couple named Wilson, newly married, and not quite happy. Mrs. Wilson, finding married life a dull business, enters- on a mild flirtation with a handsome young artisan, who happens to.be employed at her house. It happens that tho artisan and his wife ' are also not- quito happy, ami the- man submits to bo' flirted with. Down town. Mr. Wilson nearly knocks down the.artisan's wife with-his motorcar., and, finding-tho young woman 'not ill-looking, he decides to make her his companion at lunch:-■„' His wife had advised him -.that-slic was going out,

her object. being '■'to- keep tho decks clear for iicr'iiffair with tho artisan, and Air. Wilson 'asked"the 'artisan's wife to accompany, him to his house to take lunch. ;?;'■:.■There the four meat, and there is a scene, interrupted., by tho mother. remembering that she. has' loft some poison in' such a position that her child at home may reach it. Then tho chief anxiety .ji's. to get there in •Mine, bv motor-ear," of course, to save' iho child.■•-.- Tin's they manage, to. do, rnd there - is'a' doublo .recoHciSntion;",, -Another good'story is "told, by the' li'm, "A House in Suburbia."' It is a tn!o of n society-girl, wayward ; and spoiled, who . does not ■ treat her very worthy stiitor well., .He. does, not follow, the usual precedent,' l .:- But ...marries another more-' .beautiful.-' s and ■ more . charming woman.- Other * pictures arc: —"Constructing n'-Dam'' at, Burringuck" (a .huge, irrigation .unrlertakinrj in Australia), ■■'.'Russia ir''Ttirkpstwnt,".-"Tonim'v's Terribl» Tricks;",and ."The.Passing.of. j.,:'M' : :^; : % : :y.yi' ■'•■','■ ' ■'■''.lUfJ BRITANNIA',;THEATRE.;':. . Tho-Britannia Theatre in' Manners Street was full practically tho whole of jestorday l , Tho principle feature of a very good programmo was entitled "A Wild Ride."" It tells 'of_ a family living on tho fringe of. civilisation in South Africa, who aro attscked_ by Zulus. -They aro in desperate plight when the daughter of tho house escapes through a window, and finding her favourite ostrich, rides on tho fleetfooted bird to the nearest garrison station. Tho soldiers arrive in timo to prevent anything; unpleasant. A remarkably good comedy drama by. a maker-with., a ■'■striking trade-mark of a comet was entitled "Bringing a. Husband to •Time."'. Ho was an erring husband with ■■,-■ the usual . faults, but ho was cured' of them. by a venturesome and . clover : sister-in-law, who put on a man's clothes 'for the business. "Tho Slave," produced by the A.B. Company, was a drama with a picturesque sotting in ancient,-Egypt.';.. Other films mi Uio programme-were::-"Art v. Music, a comedy bw.'tho .Lublin Company, _ A Carnival .'at : . Nice," and "Tho topical GazeUe,!.Kt!o ' ■■•<'■ '" '