ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2198, 10 July 1914, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS.

' "PAUL JONES."

Pknquotte's tuneful opera ''Paul Jozies" is proving a very bappy medium for expressing'the talent possessed by several of Wellington's, amateurs. It ia always difficult for. the amateur to gauge the acoustics , of a large theatre, and' in the preseufc instance a new theatre—yand 0n... the opening night some difficulty was found''iii"hearing the words spoken' ami suiig. A big' im"provem'ent was noticeable in this regard last evening,' and the performance was consequently much more enjoyable. The many familiar'oldmelodies .with which: the opera is liberally veined, hit the ear pleasantly, and the: cneemblo scenes are stimulating to - the eye. Among, the individual performances Miss Gardni'er's Yvonne is a sheer delight. Her acting is refreshingly natural, and h-er vocal enunciation is, air that cau. be desired. Dr. Hales, as-Bouillabaise, is a.bois'terous joy. He gets fairly into, tlie skin of ..the old smuggler,'and makes every, comedy .point" there is in the part. He has a clever-partner in Master A.: Fuller, whose "Insect" is a feature of the .show. Mr. V. 11. Mere-, dith acts gracefully and sings well a« Paul Jones, and I)r. Isaacs is fairly convincing- as "old Biscuits" (Bicoquet). ■Tho dressing of ■ • the opera is quite a~ feature...' In the first act the maidens of St. Malo ,look .very becoming in their harmoniously-coloured; dresses and starched white'.caps, and tho Watteaii dresses of the second act are exceedingly picturesque. Tho girl. pages of the last.act look very smart in their .quasimale.'ajttire, .and' comport themselves very : gracefully. Altogether "Paul Jones'' is a production that does credit to the. Amateur Operatic Society, which should enjoy a 'successful season. ■

HIS MAJESTY'S' THEATRE

' There is a pleasing va-rietyof."turns" on this week.s programme of vaudeville at His Majesty's Theatre, Courtenay Place'. Prominent on the bill is. "Tlie Eary Trio," American comedy acrobats and contortionists.' ..Leslie and Sol Bern are .responsible for a! laughable sketch,' in which a Hebrew chauffeur causes unlimited amusement. Irve Hayman and Cα. appear in a pathetic little playlet, ( .Amas... Eve;", while, .other gboa "turns" ■ are, given, by "Goyt's Canine Marvels,"' "The Waldrbns," and' Vincent, Arnold and Oliver."■.'■.' ■

THE KING'S THEATRE.

■ The present programme of -pictures at tho King s Theatre is a- very fine one, and features one .of the most succe'sslUl dramas of the kind' ever seen here' - A.Day of; Days." J) ie film treats of fashionable life in-.New' York, and has an intensely' interesting plot.. Other .P'Otures. of note on. the, programme .'are' ■Wmter Sports in' Sweden;" "Closed at lon., (comedy), and' "Fresh Water Aquarium." . A matinee,is 'annouriced ■for to-morrow ;afternoon. ■ ,■ ■' '■:

.. , ' '■■ ■•! The , coming, production- on : Mondav ■evening at the King's Theatre of'"An- : tony and Cleopatra".promises to bo tlio most important picture .'event ot-the year.- Cures and Co.', the firm*responsible -ipr ,this-fine, film/ are .noted as producers of picture .dramas of the higheJ grade, and the present.reproduction of. ShakespeareYclassio,love tragedy is. said to be-.accopted-ris .their'."masterpiece, the. fact 1 .that ■they ,havo previously contributed such famous picture successes as "Quo •Vadis?" .'-The Last Days of Pompeii ", -and others.- Tlio fame'of: "Antony and Ueppatra. , spread so quickly after, its exhibition on the Continent of Europe that'whon it was, released in England rivalry for its. possession -became very. keen and the rights of production for the British Isles for. three years realised the record sum of £8500. Probably no classic .story,., is..better known.ihan' bliakespoares famous work, and its ■dramatisation', in'/picture form should make an almost . universal appeal. Unos set out to make a film worthy of such a ■• subject and. so .wide a public, and it is claimed that the result more than realised expectation. , ' For visual splendour and historical accuracy, this picture is' said 'to; stand' alone'.'" Film producers do not reveal'the cost of production, and experts vary, in their es«T a it ?; "' Some of ' the.. latter'- think ri™!£!! y ' Wls not doue much-under■ fo^™ 0 \ wb,le - ? thcjrs e° .•*■; h * * 3 £2p,000. A: special-feature of the Kind's presentation,. will bb tue incidental music. The' orchestra; will number 15 lttstruments, i under Signor Martinelli, who accompanies the film on tour. ..Box plan's are. already open at tho, Dresden, and .seats'may ; - be Reserved,-for ' any evening of; the' six .nighfs|, seas6n. : '' ' ■ V .:' EVERYBODY'S PICTURES. Big crowds are 'flocking: daily at all sessions to Everybody's Pictures iu the old Opera House Street. The current •programme- of: pictures—an ex--.cellent ;• ■'..heeded/by. , ail exciting , drama.:of ,3000 ft ., 'lpngtli,. entitled-. "A i light for a ■Fortune.! , Supporting this are some fine dramatic, scenic, ande'omic subjects, including'.."Bathing-.Beauty"-, (a Keystone '.'scream"), and "The' inscription'-' ■(drama): A change ,of programnio will be-.made on Monday. • .'; V THE EMPRESS THEATRE.; ■•' • "The' Husband . Hunters"- "occupies pride of place in th'e'ricw prpgraiuine introduced yesterday: at the -Empross i'heatre continuous pibtures. The story relates that ■ Blanche Mopro, a. young heiross, is in loye with Brandon, her handsome guardian. He is not aware of lier love for ,'liim, and ,ho is much concerned 'in procuring . a husband ■ for Jier. : Ferrars, a iieighbonr;.is,"also.'in hopes of finding a suitable husband for his daughter. Nina,'who-is secretly.in ■Joyp with Albert Dawson. A mutual friend writes to both Brandon and Ferrars stating that his sou Charles Martin is .'about to visit their''city, and ■ rc- ! .'quests both" to look aftsrliim. WhenCharles arrives he proves,to bo a most eligible young man, and while Brandon I entertains liinT'witli tlie object of making a matcli with Blanche the latter is not disposed to. enter ■ into'anv courtship with Cliarles. Ferrars also endeavours to cause his 'daughter Nina to fall in love with Charles, but sho will not listen to any such arrangement. Eventually Brandon and Ferrars inter-view-Charles witK/a view to bringing the matter to a climax, butJie disillusions them by disclosing the fact that he is about to.marry the daughter of a baron.' Brandon and :-Ferrars return to their respective .home? and discover who their'charges .'are , really ini love with. -Supplementary to the ''star''.- are ;"The Ruling Passion" (A.8. , drama),' "Art and Jfusic" YLuhin drama), "Topical Budget. ,, "The Town of Toelz" '(travel), "Pfl'arl of a Boy" (farce-com-;3dy),*and '.'Elsio and the Three Suitors." ,■' . ..: ..'.-. ■'■ ' ' "..- -'. \ ■■»..' . i MR. DAN CRAWFORD. •

-Mr. ; l)aiV.Crawford, : F.R.G.S.,!who is to lecture in tlio. Town Hall to-uiglifc '«t 8 o'clock, under .the presidency of His Worship the'llayor, has acomplisherl .'great i&hings'.in. several, departments of ■human : activity. -When a youth of.nine-.tcen.-hV abandoned' ; hi's studies in Glasgow, feelitiglie bad * received '.v 'vocation ■to take.up. the work 1 1 Livingstone , ' , liad /pioneered, but had!/not completed in Central Africa. Against tlie'.advico of his friends, who -regarded his venture as both hazardous-arid .reckless,'he went to Africa; with: little nloro : tbaii the clothes in'.wFiicli he.stood,-and with/iio society to. back'him up: Ho. entered ', Africa from the Atlantic side. -It took him twenty. months • to reacli Bunkeya, the capital .of :a Central .African"'.-Icing* dom,'.ruled by a kinj; '.na'iu'od Stusliidi. ;On Jlushidi'e tragic.death at the .liandx of ;.nfe; Belgians, Mr: 1 Crawford \fouiul release, : arid'pushed on till he arrived at. a-'sppt. on Lake Mweni, 250 nulen lieyond the place tfhere 'the-heart-of Livingstone "'was -buried. Here he re-

ceived a concession of land*-from the native/chief,; and. in the. place which Livingstone. called the.:' 'uttermost, part of the- earth,", he founded; tho.Luariza mission .station. There lio remained.for. over, twenty .years,- doing the. work of a pioneer missionary and explorer. His reputation as an author'has been made by his book "Thinking Black'."-" '

Miss Miiia Caldow is to give concerts in Nelson on Jujy 21 and: Blenheim on July 22. She will be supported by Mr. Christian .Hcllemaim as accompanist, and K. Gilshrist violinist. "