ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2267, 29 September 1914, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A good-sized audience greeted this week's new programme at Hie Majesty's Theatre last evening, and the bill proved very entertaining. Miss Rosa Loader, styled "the happy slavey at the piano," was starred again. One could, in fact, listen to this inimitable "slavey" every, evening all-the year round. She has a ready touch .of humour, and a capacity for providing comedy which seems inexhaustible. Her skit on opera and music-hall singing is wonderfully fine. Imitation is the sinceiest form of flattery—sometimes, not always. When Miss Loader imitates, her keen sense of the ridiculous causes her to bit on the weak spote of the original, and reveal them in a way which sets the audience clamouring for more. The three Lessos, sharpshooters and jugglers of a novel kind, made their first appearance. The juggling was marvellous, and the juggler was quite impartial in the selection of things to juggle with. His turn is unique, and tew of this class of entertainer who have played to "Wellington audiences nave excelled Mm. Mann and Franks are a very clever English sketch duo, whose musical comedy work is well worth hearing. Among the othor ar,tists on the bill are the.Quealeys, in a musical comedy; Gio Arigelo, comedian ; the Mallauey Duo, singers and dancers; Miss Maud Fanning and tho Elliott Sisters; Drysdale and Fay,.singers and dancers; Violet Carmen and Lawronco, and Arthur Elliott, comedian.

THE KING'S THEATRE. Ail excellent change' programme of films was screened at the King's Theatre last night. Particularly.interesting was a gazettee of films showing topical war pictures from Europe-. Many scenes in London and Paris before the war were shown, also German prisoners taken by the Belgians. A noticeable point about the largo number of German prisoners shown was. that they were all exceptionally younß. They did not scorn to mind their imprisonment to any great extent. The "star" ' picture in tho proj gramme was one depicting a Mexican bull fight. The views were of an exciting nature, and .as bull after bull was killed in the ring, tho excitement of tho spectators in tho picture was. extended to tho audience. It is undoubtedly a cniel sport, but one could ■not help but admire the bravery.of the • picadors and-the matadors when facing the. maddened animals. No fewer-than five bulls were disposed of before tho film concluded. Another topical film was the one . showing the farewell. to tlie New Zealand Expeditionary I'orco at Wellington. Some fine supporting pictures were shown, includiiig a powerful Vitagraph drama, "Fraucine," being the story of two young French lovers trying to get accustomed to American wa-ys. Others were an A.K. comedy, "An Easy Victory"; a Western drama, "The Wise Chief's Reward"; and a comedy, "An Eavesdropper.?' The programme will ho repeated this evening.

"THE LIGHTS 0' LONDON."

"THe Lights, o' London'•Town".have, had a peculiar'attraction- for the novelist and.'the poet and the playwright, presumably because they embody, in some'undeifinable. way the'spirit ol: a citv that'is mail© up of'infimte geods and "bads." ! They are <i poetic suggestion that stirs pagination and. gives reign to phantasy. . Mr. George. 11. Sims recognised this wlien.he embodied much of this mingled warp of Rood and ill'in that powerful drama, "The Lights o' London, which kis been made familiar and. popular by Mr. Bland Holt end Mr. George Rignold. -Quite recently- Mr. George It. Sims, was induced to undertake the stage, management ,ot a performance of the-play hr picture purposes. -This was-taken in London, and Mr;- Charles' MacMahon,. who liapnened to bo upon the spot, at once snapped it. up for presentation in A?.w Zealand, He has reserved the first productiou for.'his own New Theatre, and the picture , will be shown for tho first time in Now Zealand' to-morrow and at all sessions. Incidentally it features' tliose popular picture people, Mub Phyllis Eelph and Mr: Arthur Oiort, iiey There will bo tho usual stronc supporting programme . To-day and to-m-lit ''In the Hands of Ci-ooks" will bo'repeated for the last time. ■'-.■.

"EVERYBODY'S PICTURES."

"Everybody's" Theatre was packed to the doors last' evening, when t-bo fine, new subject., "England's.Menace, was screened. It is a -rery clevorly-worJced-up story of an imaginary surprise raid on England by a foreign. Power. It mitfht easily bo called a picture of the, idea (held by some 1 , people ..prior to the ivar) that wheiv a. blow was struck at. England it would be swift and siidden and without warning.. Tho tale begins - in tho Chamber of the administrators of a foreign Power.. These mon-decide-to attack England : on ."the 25th." Spiesare sent to England, and one obtains employment in the household of the Prime" Minister's secretary. ; There the spy steals information of the. disposition of the British troops and.ships, and ho sends it to his own country in cypher ■ by an' amateur wireless plant which the secretary's two children have installed. One of'his messages is found by the children, who copy it, and b ftor mi exciting motor-bicycle race, ch- 'd by the spy, they convoy it to their father at Downing Street. The plot isTevealed, but the enemy's fleet is already on the way at ftill speed, for the appointed day tas arrived. The message,. , however, E ives. the key to the cypher, and the Prime Minister -wires to tho enemys Admiral: "England fully forewarned; return immediately. , ! -In. .this way disaster is- averted; There are some very interesting topical supporting pictures, including "General s Arrival in Paris," "French Troops; at Bridge and Railway Building/ , and "Airmen. -.Dropping' Bombs." Further, .there is- 'a pretty drama entitled ■'"Fraid'.Cat."

THE EMPRESS THEATRE. "Heir to a Million," a melodramatio photo-play by the Latiuin Co., was the attraction of tlio new programme atiho. Empress Theatre yesterday. The chief actors are: Nada, an adventuress, her accomplices Carlos and Miller, and Lieutenant Fiank Desmond, a young army aviator who has hecomo heir to a vast fortune. Nada and her ;two friends conspire to get possession of Franks money. Miller and Nada pose as the Baron Marx, and liis daughter, and obtain an introduction to Desmond, who immediately falls in love with Nada. Carlos then appears.on the scene, and pretending to be the girl s lover, challenges Frank to a duel. Frank makes his will in favour of Nada which suits the plan of the schemers, as Carlos thinks he can defeat Desmond.. Carlos, however, is - severely injured. Nada at length finds that she is really in love with Frank, and she warns him of an attempt on his life.' She confesses her part in the scheme, and with her confederates, is arrested. After a final farewell to Frank, Nada drinks a poison concealed in a ring, and falls unconscious in his arms.

"THE CREATION." The third part of the interesting picture, , "The Croation," was screened at the Town Hall last'evening. Tho film is a pictorial story of the Biblical history of the human race, and is produced by the International Bible Students Association. Part 3 deals with tho period between tho Babylonian captivity and tho coming of Christ. A general invitation is extended to tho public to bo present, and there is no collection.