ENTERTAINMENTS. Is

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1943, 29 December 1913, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS. Is

THE on® A HOI The tvpicaliy Amerieaii drama With-- - ill the Law" was staged for a second' ; time at tho Opera House on Saturday. ' evening before a crowded audience.. Tliei f play is absorbingly interesting, 'and-.is' : lull of incident, tnat Isolds the un'l.ig-„i ging . attention oi this audience* ..right' from the rise to the final fall" of the curtain. Wrongful imprisonment. is the time-worn- foundation of the plot, of tho play, but upon this foundation lias been built a drama that grips and appeals—one thai fulfils to the letter the general public tastc._ The wrongly--imprisoned person is Alary Turner, a shop girl, who on the request of her employer is given a statutory sentence of four years for a theft she had. never committed. Quite unusually, Mary serves out tho full measure of lier undeserved tenure, there being no unexpected denouement in the shape of tho usual person to declaro her innocence. On her discharge, however, Mary sets up a kind of legalised crime establishment, marries her imprisonrr's son, -with no other intention but to bring down disgrace on the father's name. The appearance, quite suddenly, of the usual littlo person of airy attiro to make Mary really love this husband of tho duped marriage ends the play happily. That tho acting is fine there is no doubt., and Miss Muriel Starr makes the part of Mary Turner really live. The subsidiary parts, too, are oxeci'ently played. "Within the Law" will be produced till further notice. • . ; , Nest Wednesday night the last- Eastbourne Ferry boat will be delayed until 11.15 p.m. to suit the convenience of Bay residents. HIS.MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Probably the .best-known comedian on the Australian vaudeville stage to-day is Irving Sa.vles, andthe announcement of his reappearance in Wellington should meet with the approval of the thousands of amusemciit-l'overs of this City. During his fifteen years' absence from New Zealand Irving SaySer has worked continuously, and starred the bills'of tho leading vaudeville'theatres of Australia. Ho and his partner, Los Warton, another well-known performer, come to New Zealand under tho Breii-nau-Fullcr management., and will renew their acquaintance with Wellington audiences at His Majesty's Theatre this evening, when they , will present a potpouri'of singing, talking, and dancing. Another welcome announcement is tho reappearance of Leonard Nelson,a comedian who sings his own songs in his own way, and generally manages to hit tho popular taste. Other jwrfonners to appear oil the new programme tonight will be Leonard and Willard, an American duo, who present an entirely now class of "business" ; The Strattons, Scottish specialty artists; Maurice Chenoweth, tenor singer; the Two Storys, a duo who excel! in ragtime; St. George and Dayne, English musical sketch artists; Neil Cant, Scotch comedian; aud Mounier and Franz (the latter was unablo to appear last week owing to an accident while in Auckland), two giants, in feats of strength and endurance. "THE LAST DAYS OF POMPfiil." To-night at the King's Theatre the latest notablo contribution of the. kine« niatograph, a reproduction iit pictures if Bulwer Jjytton's great Ho roan tragedy, "The Last Days of Pompeii," will be unfolded • before a Wellington audienco for tho first time. It is shown in 7000 ft. of pictures, and with tho embellishment of special orcluntral music, it forms a complete entertainment. The fins success achieved by the film in Europe, America, Australia, and more .'recently at Auckland, indicates that the production is Especially meritorious Many of the incidental spectacles are described as being very fine indeed. Those include: "Tho Storm in the Moui.taiiis," "Tho Templo of Isis," "Sylph Dances," "Tho Luxurious Baths of Pompeii," "The Egyptian Priests in Ccnflict with tho Early Christians," "The Sign of the Cross," "Tho Groat Circus Ensemble" (in which arc seen 59 mounted gladiators, 15 lions, tigers, etc., and over 5000 spectators), "Tho Yengeaneo of Vesuvius," and "Tiie Burial of Pompeii in A.D. 79." Tho reproduction of this last historic happening is . said to be mar-; vellously well done, and has been de- ; scribed as "the most' realistic achicvc-; meiit of kiiumatography." Box plans j for tho scison, which is limited to six nights and ono matinee, arc now opon. at, the Dresden, and seats may be reserved for any evening. . ~ BRITANNIA THEATRE. The now programme to bo screened today at this popular picture theatre includes subjects fiom some ©f the world's best makers. The star attraction is an appealing story entitled "The Gold Cross." It shows how a. man who has for tl-,o timo being sunk very low in the social smU is reformed and reinstated to his family through tho ■ influence of his child. Another drami of a popular raturo is bv the Tfenhouscr Company, and called "Old'TolJcs at Home." Plenty of comedy is provided. "The Lat6 Mf Jones," by tho famous Yitagraph Company, features one of America's foremost comedians, Sidney Drew. A production, .lescribed as one whole reel of merriment, is "Schmitz, the Tailor/' by the Keystone Company. Tho managewont claim' thi'o production as tho ausolute limit of laughter. Some interesting scones will be screened of the Auckland Exhibition, including tho principal novelties at' Wonderland. An added attraction at tho Britannia, is tho capable orchestra under the baton of Mr. ■•. L. Scott. THE EMPRESS THEATRE. A special attraction, the A.B. Com* pany's latest -dramatic- "feature," entitled "By' Man's Law," will head the new programme to be introduced at tho Empress- Theatre continuous pictures today ' aiid to-night- The plot canceriis a. millionaire oii-weli magnate, who. while posing- as a public benefactor and lectu'rei' on morality, uses the* customafv methods'' of • American trusts. . A" voting man and his sister, wlju own. a.' small'oil-well, bccouia victims of tlietrust-. ■ The ' magnate pursues his' relentless way, but -receives a. ternme lesson, which nearly costs his daughter her life through tho revenge of the young"manVho he had rumor!. . Dicip is a realistic sceno of a strike riot, nnd the situations are frequently exciting. The film is a lengthy ono, but the interest is not permitted to flag ior a moment. The supplementary subjects includo: "A Momentous Decision. (Lubin "masterwork"), "Picturesque India" (scenic), "A Circumstantial Hero" (A.B. farce-conuvly), "Porgy s Bouquet" (Edison comedy), and others.

"FROM MANGER TO CROSS." ' The remarkable Biblical film of the Kolem Co., "From to Cross,"is attracting considerable interest m its projection on the. screen at tlm Town Hall- The film with romarkabie realism tells the tragic life story of tho God man, his birth iu the stable at Bethlehem, his early childhood, crucifixion. and death. If only for its educational value, the lihu is one really worth "oing to sco. Tho organ ami choral accompaniments add 111 no little, manner to the impressivc-ness;; of ,- the story. . . ;.f :%;t