ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2334, 16 December 1914, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Mr. George Hall, who provides one of the principal attractions at His Majesty's, is a delightful entertainer, and his fifteen minutes is chock full oi merriment. His rollicking humour is infeotious, and in his tramp rig and "Dooley" stories he keeps tho house roaring with laughter. One of his best efforts is his recitation of "The Top o' tho Morning," a story revealing the emotions of a. loyal Irishman returning to his natiyo soil after thirty years of wandering in Texas. Shirley and Herman repeat their very amusing sketch, in which the male member gives a very fine exhibition of the liberties that can be taken with one's limbs when one knows how. Miss Carrie Moore is as entertaining and charming as ever, and pleased the audienco immensely with "Nobody Knows, Nobody Cares." Brown and Sorlie, black-faced artists, and Mr. Charles .Bartholomew, "tho Dublin Dandy from America," had their admirers. The Magpies, who supply the first part of the programme, are merry entertainers. The vaudeville is well worth seeing this week. THE KING'S THEATRE. > The chief attraction at the King's Theatre is "Tess of the Storm Country," a strong emotional drama, and the principal character is played by Mary Pickford, who is described as America's greatest emotional actress. The story is that of the daughter of an ignorant fisherman or "squatter" on the shore of Caynga Lake. The squatters are heartily detested by the plutocrats of the place, who does everything possible to drive them away, finally employing gamekeepers to prevent them fishing. A gamekeeper is shot, and a whole host of tragic complications arise, affording Mary Pickford great scope for her acting. The film fills in the greater part of the oveniug, and as it is full of interest, this is rather an advantage. The supporting pictures are all good, and include "A Midsummer Love Tangle," which is Bcreamingly funny. The programme will be repeated- this evening. ' ■

EVERYBODY'S PICTURES, . The programme which is running at Everybody's Pictures at present is a Very attractive one, and the number of patrons visiting the theatre bears testimony to the popularity of the fare provided. The star film is a detective story, "The Woman with the Red Hair," an interesting story, in which jewellery thieves loom large. The story lias a grip from the start, and the daring and cleverness of the thieves is something ■to marvel at. The budget of war.pictures in the present bill is full of'interest, and the whole of tho supplementary films are right up to the standard set at Everybody's. MAOMAHON'S NEW THEATRE. The new programme at MacMahon's Theatre drew large houses at every session yesterday. The leading film was a stirring and impressive Lincoln-Cass drama, entitled "The Reprieve," an analytical story, dissecting the primitive human passions. It is • a purely Australian production, typical iu character with "Dean Maitland," and quite as perfect mechanically. Both tho acting and the photography aro excellent, and as a work or coudesing a great standard drama into a miniature photoplay, it is unique. "The District Attorney's Burglar" is another really good drama, with the inevitable lovo misunderstanding which ultimately is lifted along quite original lines. "Mack and the Fasliion Model" is a rapid comic, whilst tho Keysteno comedy, "A Dramatic Mistake," is well up to tho standard of this firm of mirth makers. An., Eclair Jonrn/ill with the latest topical studies, and a number of other varied pictures, make up an attractive and interesting programme..

' PEOPLE'S P-lOTURE PALACE. The star film at the People's Pioture Palace is one entitled "The Banker." It is an interesting drama, in which a selfish woman's greed for money and luxury has the effect of making her daughter enter into marriage with a banker whom she does not love. The new Lucelle Love series is also a film of great merit. The supporting films are all of a good kind. THE EMPRESS THEATRE. The final presentation will-take place and to-night of the current programme of the Empress Theatre continuous pictures, headed by the Aquila Company's dramatic feature play, "The Price of Blood," which deals with a revolution in a minor European State. Supplementary films include the latest "Topical , War Budget," "Garinisch to Routto" (scenic), and comic items. An entirely new series will be shown tomorrow.

"JOAN OF ARC." ■ It is the time for the narrative of famous deeds 'and glorious incidents associated with war, and the- Rev. E. Herbert Hobday, of the Vivian Street Baptist Church, Mt upon a fine subject when he elected to lecture on the brief but resplendant career of Joan d'Arc, the maid of Domremy. known to history as the Maid of Orleans. Mr. Hobday, who'had a line grasp of his subject, exercised his descriptive and declamatory power to some purpose in relating in glowing language that radiant period in- French history, when her army, broken, disheartened, and demoralised, became an irresistible force under the inyetie influence and inspired leadership of this simple country girl of seventeen. He traced her career from the time when she first "hears the voices" calling upon her to rescue France, pictured the Maid in her shining armour leading the army of tha vacillating Dauphin against the English then investing Orleans: traversed the rout of the British, and the fighting March to Rheims, and finally took his audience to Rouen, where the Maid 13 tried and sentenced to be burnt at the stake as a heretic.

The lecture given in aid of the British and Belgian 'Fund is one which might be advantage to the many bo repeated in the Concert Chamber in aid of the same deserving object. During the evening Mr. -J. F. Jones 6ang the solo, "Arm, Arm, Yβ Brave," Mr. F. G. Cray sang "Rule Britannia," and the choir (with Mr. C. Collins at the organ )sang with great spirit "The Marscllaise," ' and finally the National Anthem.. Mr. Hobday announced that on Saturday next members of the Church would sell .in the street calenders for the New Year in aid of the above-montioned fund. SUNDAY' SCONCERT. The Wellington. Choral Club, assisted by the Tramways Band, will give a concert next Sunday in His Maesty's Theatre, Courtenay Place. Admission by silver coin, proceeds to ho given to the Christmas Fund for the British and , Belgian sufferers. The Corrick Family of Musicians are to figure in the Christmas bill at His Majesty's Theatre