ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1968, 27 January 1914, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

:; V'.^.'-> : :-,v ■, W,V ''^Vfe NEW.; , ' COMIC tol'KlUf COMPANY'; . "Tlici gay Miar musical comedy ' Routod finally by ilio Now Comic .'Opera , Company at tbe.Opcni:;llon'so lasticvfii--ing, before, a. largo ami! cni/o. _" This" oveniiigV'at'-T.'lOj-'aiul four following.-nights, ,1. U. '■Williamson's new.-(Millie .Opera , Company, will. stage the. military: mimical., eomcdyjs.'vAutiimn Manoeuvres."-..'i'lin.new opera , lias' boon ip.ore tlian favourably compared to "Tho Merry Widow' 1 , ami '~'Tho Belle, of Now York." Miss ,, Florence Young "-in the title rohvhas, it is stated, one of those parts which tits her liko tlie proverbial glove. Tho music allotted-tho part gives the.gifted soprano hotter -opportunities tlian slio has over had before to 'display the- richness and (hi , , (jitality of ho'r magnilipent voice,, and in it, sbu also demonstrates what a really fine actress ssio is. Mr. Reginald Koberts has a most congenial rolo to portray. Hitherto Mr. .Roberts has invariably appeared in "straight" parts. Hut-as Lieutenant Oswald Orde ho is given special opportunities to show his versatility, not unites a singer, but also as -a' character actor. Ono of Frank Green's best triumphs has. been achieved as Captain Frank Falconer, and he shares tho singing honours of the. piece with Miss Young. Tho comedians, it is stated, ar* provided with material which creates screams of laughter," and Phil ■Smith, is .said to be in his clement ns Captain Withers. Dorothy Brurjton, the dainty and fascinating young comedienne, has boon lavishly praised elsewhere for her portraval of Juno Poraeroy.. Miss Colia Gliiloni and Miss Coiiuio Milne, Robert White, jun.. and Victor Princo are all Been to advantage in the. now opora. ' A big feature of the production-is tho Romany Ballet, nvhich presents the pretty' Russian i dancer, Viast._a Novotna, anrl Charles Albert at their best. Tho cbnrus and orchestra have, some fine work to do! Roth are under the direction of Gustavo Slapoffski. Thp whole production is stager) under tho direction of Wybert Stamford. . - . HIS MAJESTY'S -TfIEATREI Quito a number of interesting "turns" were heralded in by tho new programme at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. Foremost eaiao "The Carpos Brothers," head equilibrists.' The two brothers aro not satisfied with playing musical instruments or doing-conventional overy- [ clay actions in tho ordinary lVay, arid : it is this that makes their turn i exciting. ( To take off their coats, and light cigarettes the duo must needs first balance- one on the other's head, and thus defying t'bo laws of gravitation they ...dotf tiwir coats and light cigarettes. Their last act. however, is ■ more, startling still. One brother calmly ! plays a wnltz at tho piano with his brother balanced-fosid to head on his own cranium, and from his topsy-turvy > position -tke topmost -brother plucks tho samo air on a banjo. Another new arrival is Lp Brim, a'skater, who is styled ■. .as , "champion profession*! skater of* England and America." This person does all manner of things on wheels; things which ordinary beings find difficult enough to perform on a more stable basis. He vaults over hurdles, does somersaults, etc., on the wheels', As .1 tin'alo, he dashes down a curved incline with a whirr of wheels, and vaults four or five hurdles off tho stage, Ho comes back smiling and unharmed to bow his acknowledgments. Edith Mote makes an initial bow as a protean artiste, and in nnick succession comes forward in all.manner of fpminino creations to sing" popular di'ttifs. ."Claytoil and Croau" are two diminutive serios and dancers, who danco and sing just liko the .serios we aro used to. Leonard .pj.gVftijk favourite with his singing. Creincr and Arnold present, a fares "Revenge is Sweet," and 'Biako.a. desperate attempt , to amuse. They drew hearty laughs' from the audience last night, and to fulfilled their part. A laughable comedy acrobatic ttint is contributed by Hyman and Alton, who tumble and generally knock about tbo stage in an amusing fashion. "The Franco Midgets," too, provide a most intrrest-iug turn in their pigmy conjuring and illusion act. Other artists appearing are: Loo and Lionel (in'an act rf, strength) and Beryl biluian (balladist). THE KING'S THEATRE. ' Both for the absorbing interest of the story and tho marvellous pbotoBraphy; the fllin, "The Student or Prague," shown at the King's Theatre last evening is quite one e-f the best seen there for sonic -little time. Tho film is 4500 feot long, and its projection occupies an hour and a quarter, yet it holds the interest at a tension tight throughout. The double photography in i't is a wonderful example of modem photography, the Jeadjng character taking tho two ksding, parts simultaneously, himself and his soul incarnated, by the devil In the opening scene tho'student Baldwin is seen in ■great poverty. Siezing an -.excellent , opoortunity, so it appears, Satan visits his lowly • apartment, There aro_ no horns, no .tail, not even a trhiff of smoke to herald the appearance, of thatancient, yet troublesome, personage; instea.d, he stealthily outers ■ Baldwin's rooms in the guise of a smiling, old £ontjeman with a flowing heard. Thc-ro Ho fascinates Baldwin with a lavish display of gold and. notes into a ( bargain. The bargain is that ho will give Baldwin £100,000 on condition that he. (tho "old 0110") can tako anythinc from tho room. Baldwin laughingly aud eagerly assents. Tho bargain is signed, and Satan beckons, to a figure which the alarmed student finds faking form in , , the exact- replica of himself. This is Baldwin's soul, which Satan has formed into flesh and blood. Satan do-

.parts with the fruits of his bargain. 'Baldwin is alarmed at first, but tlio light of the money reassures him, and •? ,he commences on a lifo of pleasure, hut ■ *his other.self pursues him relentlessly. On and'on through lifo rusher, Baldwin, ■ but like a shadow his other self fol- • lows, him. .. Baldwin gees his oilier self :/ fight and kill a man whom tho better -. Baldwin has sworn not to injure. At lost, driven to desperation; Baldwin ■ fires on iiis image and in doing so kills ' himself. Tho last scene is where Lilian appears and looking down at the : dead body of the student tears up the 1 agreement—satisfied, it is a powerful mystery drama and one worth going s to tho King's Theatre to see. The sup- ' porting films .ire good and include an I appealing little Vitagraph drama, "A ; Uoii for Baby," "Beauty In a Sra- ' «a«ll (an tmunutl Thauhtfuter coitt- ' ctly), "Tho Koso Carnival nt Christniftirch," ajid •'The Gaumoftt Graphic," i Tlio King's Orchestra, Sijcnor Truck conducting, renders, item osi'mMo aad appropriate. THE EMPRESS THEATRE. 1 hat, wealth in not all which make? lifo worth living provides tho basis o( tiio plot of 11 Tho Hou.no of J the A.B. Comjvafly'ft kjiethy fr.ifu* drama, which appeared at the head of tho new programme at tho JStnnrMß 'fli.oatro terday, Though >, c . a railfoßn!_re, a young v.'ife jt rtor Prihnppr, 7hf millionaire'!! o!d msudf-u sister dominate the home, mid her influence upon jb« brothet makes Irim treat life wife s-s ihe were a cliikL 'fly's the xi'iff: to reek in the cofttpzziy of a former tew, and ill n wHiief moment tho writes eonscretrnjc to tin efcpement. A low minutes bsforo tlioY n.rc about to depart tho lover is fatally Injured iu a street_ sceidcnfc, and Is car- , tied into the millionaire's hosse, whefe, during his delirium. ho hands tho millionaire' and his sister that letter from the wife. Tho millionaire sends his wife to live apart from him and their little daughter. Yeara later tho daughter, now womanhood, is harassed by the same .ill-treatment, and pines for a love which the hoine does not offer. She plots to elope with' liel father's groom, slid thereby increases her aunt's bitterness and lier father's harshness, but the womanly instinct of tho mother now conies to tlio pjrl's rescue. She obtains the father's consent to let the daughter coi'ne and lire with her, although she is not to know their relationship, and this eventually caused reconciliation of tho trio. The remaining items includo "Cause foi Thankfulness." (Edison masterpiece), "The Matores" (skilful aer<bat.ic act), "Around Belfort" (scenes in the vicinity of a town made famous in the Franco-Prussian war), "Caused by the Clock" (Reliance comedy), and others. THE BMTANNLY THEATRE, A romantic Irish drama, "Widow Maloney's Faith," was the principal attraction on tho chango of programme ati the Britaania Continuous Picture Theatro yesterday. The drama, toils ol Dan Makmey, a widow's son, who is thfl favourite o-f tho village. Dan, however, has an enemy, ono Miko Deoley, who hates him becauso he is engaged to a fair colleen whom Mike himseif/admiires. His jealousy prompts liiin to scheme Dan's downfall, and towards this end he gives a ball to which he invites Ban and the colleen. He then works up a disturbance, but Dan emcjges from it triumphant. As the result of. the trouble, however,. Dan. has to quit tho Emerald Isle, and leave his little colleen. Time goes 011, and thero is 21a sign of his returning. He, however', has tho colleen's confidence, and in spite of .circumstances, thsy' are eventually reunited. The supporting films include "Victim of Jealousy" (drama), "Tiny Tim and the Lion" (comic), "Freddy Loosebclt in Africa" (fcomif), and tho-latest. Gazette." ' M'IFJiAKRT-PECH OTSCH CONCERT; * That'it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract audiences, to concerts withovifc the magnet of a great name was again proved last, evening by_ tho array of empty chairs at- the WieWtt-Pe* chotseh' 'concert,in the Concert- Chamber. Following tlio trend in other'countries —ono that is perhaps regrettable —most people vote the- ordinary ballad concert "too slow." Tho trend has been noted and written .upon at great length both in England and America, Tho present concert company is a very presentable ono indeed. 3ladamo AVieiaert is. a confident soprano, with an extensive range, who has of late become hard in her top register through straining for a 1 big tone. She gots tho big tone, but at what a cost to tho quality of her voice 1 The debt she pays was'only too evident in tho "II Trovataro" aria, which sho sang last evening. Miss Mabel Seccomhc is a contralto of distinct promise, who, if sba husbands the 1 voice at her command, and does not ■ Strain to produce unnatural tottes, will bo welcome on tho concdrt platforin for many years to come. Her voico is a truo contralto, rich and pure, with ■ some lower notes of uncommon'beauty. '' "Qmbra Mai Fu" (Handel) was treated quite artistically, save that the' singer lost power, through faulty breathing at tlio phraso-onds*. Miss Scccombe quite ' charmed the audience in that popular stand-by "The Rosary." Herr Sfii--1 nlund Peeliot-seh exhibited his old-tiiM skill in. old-time numbers, and Heri Johaim Wielaort- officiated at the pianoforte. Atnonest tho best items of th< evening Were tho vocal duets of Madame "Wielaort and Miss Seccoaibe, which in--1 eluded the melodious '"Nocturne" (Dcnza),.ftiid the "Venetian Boat Song" (Blumonthal)'.