ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1944, 30 December 1913, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

r WITH.IX.THi; LAV, ' Tlir. AVilliamion Drawni-ic Company's iiirVjduetion, ■ "Within tho Law," now Opera- House,; is veritable;,maito of incident, and with a to do justice to such an it can bo reckoned as one;.'of ths!finest dramaji staged hero for Starr interprets and ti«' supiwrtiug eonipany.lHs^stroiij.;. To-tnpri'Ow.iiight.isa'iiis'J'iriJgive. residents. over t'iie'gbayyaiiV'ptijVoriin.iity.of, seeing the dramn;.;ihn",E»?tbnnri\o ferry boat is to he delay.vl uiitit il.lo p.m.'. 1 . The bos plans will bo -npenyil :--i.omorrow. mnrning at-the Dresden". for. ! .thc last five nights of the piny, coiiimencinp; from Saturday next:'''-. ■ Tlie ■seasnn r v. , ill' terminate on Thursday, January. 8.1 v.;. HIS MAJESTY'S TIlEA'Hii; It wa-s an all-round good programme that was presentedat. His ..Majesty's Theatre last night, and the' big nuclicnco- showed quite clearly, thati.they liked it all excecdingiy well. Irving Sayles and his co-partner in burnt; cork, Lc.s AVarton, were the chicf of the new artists appearing, and then' fifteen minutes, or thereabouts,'on the stage tv.is by far the most mirthful fifteen minutes of the night. Mr. Sayles,- and his countenance, and his methods, are all as funny as they ever wore, which is to say that they are all very funny.' His Tiig bell-like voice, his shiny; "biald, or close-shaven pate, his mobile face, and his extravagant make-up, are funny to begin with, and this negro comedian makes tho most amazing good use of all of them in a go-as-you-please, sketchy turn, in which be submits to tho most preposterous jokes at- his own expense. Mr. AVarton is the foil for Jlr. Sa-yles's wit and absurdities. . It is a very amusing, and decidedly a very entertaining performance. new artist was Jlr. Leonard Nelson, a comedian who sings songs of his own composing, in 'which he makes a- local hit here and there. His first song was clover and original, and after, that the success ox tho others, which wore also good, if a littlo less original, was assured. The two strong men,'Mounier and Franz, appeared together again, after having beon . separated owing to the indisposition of Jlr. Fran?:, and their act, consisting as it. docs of a most varied selection of feats of strength, in whieh there are a few thrills, was certainly appreciated. Thoro was a good deal of ragtime in tho programme. Tho Two Storys introduced it first, Leonardand AVillard, two other Americans, also offered a littlo of it, and St. Georgcand Dayne, two English musical sketch artists, introduced some into fhejr turn. Others who reappeared, wore Neil Cant, tho Scotch comic singer, Jlauriee C'heuoweth, a tenor, and the Strattons, two Scotch comedians, who really talk Scotch. ■ ■ •

THE EMPRESS THEATJTE. "J3y JJ'an's Law," a powerful dramatic "feature" by the A-B- Company, takes precedence in the list of new films shown at tho Empress Theatre Continuous Pictures yesterday. "By Man's Law" is a clever satire on the hypocrisy;of a type of millionaire not unknown in America. AVhilst pursuing' tlio crushing m&tliods of all trust kings, the president of the big oil company poses as a protector oj tlio public morals', giving indi'oy to "purity leagues," and lecturing 011 the preservation _ of fcood morals. Nest he is showii evicting 3. j*onng oil-well proprietor, whose debts have been purchased by tho trust. The young man is compelled to work sis a factory hand in tho very business ho recently owned, while his sister is also reduccd to poverty. An exciting ' riot-scene is next, introduced, and tho harsh police methods familiar enough in America- -where the higher officials are bribed to cover the workers, is vividly depleted. Tho sister of the ex- ■ oil-well owner is Unused to her poverty, and shtt _is tempted, into the company of undesirable people. She is - arrested with her new associates, and is placed in a reformatory. The <:allous treatment and restrictions imposed upon her cause the girl to make her escape. She is ptirsued by two warders, and although she eludes capture, is so knocked about by her rough experience, that she collapscs and dies in her brother's room. Tltero tho young workman finds lior, and stuiig with horror at his sister's fate; which 'is a mainly due to the operations of the oil magnate, ho detcttriifttfs to bo avenged. The millionaire's only daughter is visiting the slums in iter motor-car, and is espied by tho workman. Ho stuns tho chauffourj. and earns* tho girl to his room to till her. The ihaufcur regains consciousness, and hurries to tho millionairo for assistance._ Tho latter, his detective and the polico are rushed in the motor-car -to the scene of tho attack, and bursting into tho workman's room they wrest a kniffi from his uplifted hand just as lie is about to strike a fatal blow. Tlie workman is taken to gaol while the millionaire realises that there is something more to lire for than the lust for wealth. Tho "feature" is / supported by "A Jlonientous Decision" (Lubin "masterpiece"), "Pietuiestmc India" (travel), "A Circumstantial Hero" tA.B. farce comc'dy), "Porgy's Hoiiquet" (Edison and others. Ncw_ selections will bo contributed this evening by the Empress full orchestra. THE BRITTANIA THEATRE. "Tlfe Gold Cross," an absorbingly interesting drama by the Pasquali 'Co., featimy oh tlmjicvr pntgi-ainmo shown at 'the Britannia Continuous Theatre, Manners' Street, yestorday. The story is not. of the prodigal son, but of a prodigal husband, who forsakes his wiffc and child, and embarks for America, where ho finds enjoyment in the fruits of pledsuro bought at tho ONiwußs of his purse. Money, of course, cannot ' last for over, mid without money ho speedily finds himself broken and deserted. He returns to his native shore, iind eventually is re-united to wife and child. Supporting tho star film is a film collection oi dramatic, scenic, and comic subjects, among which there is an excellent little \ r itagraph comedy, "Tire Late Mr. Jones," "Sehmfc 2 the Tsiylor" ( (by tho popular Keystone Company,), and "Tho Old Folks at Home" (an appealing Th.inhauser drama). There is also included in the programme ail interesting series of views taken ill and around the Auckland Inhibition and AVonderland.

"FROM MANGER TO CROSS." That remarkable film depicting the life of tho Saviour, from Manger to Cross, still attracts large numbers to tho Town Hall. . Apart- from the fact that tho film is a pictorial treat in motion photography, tho' story told is cue , of such absorbing interest that to miss seeing it would bo a loss. -The organ and choral accompaniments add'greatly to the iniprcssivcncss of the production,