ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2349, 4 January 1915, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

: GRAND OPERA HOUSE.,' ' JS'A; Royal Divorce" drew another big house .at the Grand Opera House on Saturday, when the final performance . ofiithis popular play was.splendidly rece\V£d. This evening and to-morrow evening will.be presented a. revival of thOjßaroness Orczy's stirring romance, '••! "Eh£ Scarlet Pimpernel," which created so.£ good an impression on a previous occajipny "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is a sort of reply, on the 'British side, to M&risieur Beaucaire. Here it is the y 'Engjislirnan. -who,: masquerading as a at ioa'rt a* lion of the true Bri-' tislflreed, fit in brains and thews for any idozen of the,- Frenchmen who across'the Channel .are murdering aristocrats as a popular diversion in tho ■'days before the seven ,dials of the revolution had been curbed by Napoleon. The Scarlet Pimpernel, alias Sir Percy (Blakeney. Bart., alias Mr: Jiiliu3 iKnight, has for a wife in the story a (French' actress, who has unwittingly Sent many aristocrats to Madam Guillotine .by betraying ' them to tho_ desperadoes of the revolution. He in return has formed a secret, league to.-: Save as many as possiblo of them from the clutches of the Paris "sans cullotes." Therein is the story .that follows true melodramatio lines in sensationalism of incident and probability of 'characterisation. A touch- of humour is given'by tho foppish pretences of Mr. Julius Knight.'" So is made up a highly popular, play'of the current .taste with a fine exposition of dramatic art and plenty of good stirring situa- ; and adventurous business. Lady Blakeney gives, it: is : said, Miss .Irene'' 'Browne a .fine opportunity ._ On; Wednesday and. two following nights will be staged; "The Sign of the Cross." The Steamer to' Eastbourne will be delayed ■ pvery Wednesday and Saturday-till after the.performance. The box plans for the.remainder of the season are now 'open. ■•"'.'.' ! '.'..

. : "THE RING AND THE MAN." . :... • : To-night,;. at the King' 6 Theatre, a •"■-"'-: costly dramatic success by the Fami'.. __.■. ous Players''Oo., of New York, entitled r-y "The King and .the Man," ' is- pro- .''"'"■■■'■■, inised. - Brace M'Rae, the distingmsh- ■-'•. eH dramatic'actor makes his 'first', ar>- !'•' '\ pearanceon the screen in-..this popular .story of love and politics iii the role of y ; Gformley, man whose bravery and self-possession.'enable him to.succesß- , '<■'■)',■ fully oppose-the corrupt, forces of Jthe '■, ■"',. - .:■ gigante,political "ring" that is trying •' '■' '..V to ruin himV Gormley's real'nanio is : , FordyCejjbnt the shadow of a.crime |..-.-'.' .which;hangs';over his.past .has caused .; him to'change it,to' Gormly,': by/which name he'is known to his' business asso- .'■■• ciates and.the.public, who respect him .'.;' : ;as ,a;great merchant-prince ind reform candidate for Mayor.. Back of Gprrhly's .•'; a good and beautiful woman, Eleanor Haldane, whose, father is"presi- , dent of the;Gotham;Traction'.Co ., "a- ,'/ powerful ;\coporation'.which has always controlled:-the city's. administration. '•- The Gotham' Co. aiid Gorinly become involved 'in busiuess complications, and % ■;■ Gorinly; seeiiig the evihiess of city pdli- ;■'/.".■'■ tics,' partly;,'through a desire to destroy the power of the Gothtam Go. and ; '■■'"., partly, to realise Miss Haldane's faith ;:-,;. in him, decides, toye'htertho: Mayoralty. i race, . andi is,: seeh , '';fafi'in; the.' lead- of. ;; ' \ the Gotham-'Gb'i's candidate:' Another .woman, in, Gormly's life —a woman of '..'' the tries to regain, her power ■ ■ oyer Gormly,- .and failing, takes the; ' ;, ■' great secret of his former life to-the Chief of. Police, who ,'is'-'a'tool of the ,;•.' Gotham Co. Bow ihe.-shadow of, the ■'" . crime of his past is 'lifted from,him, - -how he defeats, the vicious ring 'forces and finally .wins-his ■~. bride, is dramSticall}^visualised in/this '' ■■•' gripping production.'■'.'.:'Other';-'selected films to be.6hbwnin>: support '-~.. "The Island of Madeira,": Pathecolor s". scenic; "Tlie (■;;-" ■■. comedy-drama;;',"Pathe; Gazette,''i;and f . the "Latest War TOpic"alsV'V;SSusanha's [' New Suit," aii'Be'autyVVlcomedy.Afeay hiring MargaritV/KscherJ^file'j'King's. [ .'• orchestra will;render:selections-with-all ?"'■'"':'' screenings.' •.'■ : -X"?~- ?: ' ; -1'

■ ; HIS ■ For ;tornigh't's;''change of programme "••.■/ by the Fuller-Breririari -Vaudeville Co'm- :'■.- pany at His Majestyfs ■'. Theatre,- .Fields . and Coco, an. imported --American -com-. 'edy ; acrobatic-' These' ■■ (Performers havo^-recently-Been.-delight-*mg Auckland, audiences,.-,and, : a.'. north-' •;..;' em contemporary■ 3esterißesv'this- : 'i{ot 'as neat, brisk, and;unusual. ~.The,-..great, charm about this'.'performance is l said .tc.be the uncanny/ease the most difficult : aorob'atic feats; are performed. The : .Coriicks,'.will appear -in an entire charigeVbf projgramme, ■arid . probably no.-family.;can boast-the..ver-satility and' musical'..'ability .possessed■ '■; |S>y ; ' the Cbrricks. , -Their" contribution this evening will,! it is said, be'novel .and refined, and from the. standpoint .of musical and artistic excellence should be amongst the best presented in Wellington. Amongst the favourites 'remaining-from last week are Sir. Carl- ' ton Chase, who will appear in an entirely new ragtime song. -recital, in which he will bo assisted bv ; Mr'.« "Gene ■' : llawkes. The Dangars will submit new novelties in trick cycle riding. Aspir- ■; ants for marksmanship should ..not miss ■-' seeing Clinton and Beatrice,' the won-: derful lady sharpshooters, who will .'; hold sharpshooting- competitions. : The programme will run-'for six' nights, and ■ \ a matinee will, be given wr Saturday. CAUGHT IN A CABARET. When Charles Chaplin and i Mabel 'Norniand aro associated together in Keystone comedies one can rest assured that the humour and funny situations developed will be far ahead of the ordinary comedy scenario. "Caught in a Cabaret," which will bo screened at. 'Everybody's Pictures at -noon to-day was specially written, for Charles Chaplin and Mabel Normand, ■■ and, it is said, gives l great to these talented comedy'stars to display their artistic abilities, and; they'-rtanage in the 'half-hour during which the comedy is screened to cram a great lot of fun '<■ into the parts allotted them. When Chaplin, who is a waiter in a cabaret, poses as the Prime Minister of Iceland x-md makes, love to Mabel'Normand, a society girl, the fun begins and the situations that; arise- through the;impersonation are stated' to render' the audience helpless with laughter: Rollicking bright comedy in. theso v strenuous days is appreciated, .and "Caught-in ,a Cabaret" is- said to fill the Supporting the comedy picture ..are/some splendid pictorial successes'-'such >as-''"A' Coward's Sacrifice," an intensely hu- . man' story(j - "Every, Man Has;' His. Price," a. Western drama; "Bully Boy," latest war cartoons; "Fqod.For . the Dogs of War," describing the manufacture of ammunition;' "Wild Birds of Scotland," patho's. nature study. A capable orchestra afternoon -and night' accompanies all the/items.

THE EMPRESS THEATER V'The Tower of Terror," billed, as a 'thrilling dramatic "feature" by the famed Aquila Company, will be the prime attraction of the change of programme at the Empress Thcatro continuous pictures to-day an<T to-night: The plot is 'stated to abound with startling situations, depicting tho career of a count who settles in India, and 6ub- ', sequently proceeds to R-pnie. The'play is interpreted by leading- Continental performers, and the staging is said' to be on a most elaborate scale: Another prominent item is the. ."Eclair Wor. Special," /which includes striking /evidence of theiiGermaiiratrocities hi: Belgium. This;film was specially selected "--Si London; and will, it is"stated, be seen solely at tho'-Etnprcss.'-" Thererwill also ' be comic,-scenic, arid travel subjects. M'MAHON'S NEW THEATRE. .-■• The close' of tho. holiday isaw. the New Theatro packed to the doors at all sessions on Saturday.,' The headliner of the current programme, is. a, fine

military drama of a most impressive character, entitled "The Man They Scorned." , Another excellent 6tory in different vein is'"The Girl Who Played the Game," a natural story of a natural woman. "Kids" is the latest Keystone release, and is well up to the high standard of humour of this firm, "Lilian" is a charming Bohemian, and "Bringing Up Hubby" is brimming with fun. Some pretty views of the Wairoa River supply the scenic interest. There will be a complete change to-mor-row. PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE. Great holiday business is being experienced at the People's Picture Palace.- Specially good programmes are being screened, and to-day there will be a complete new bill, which shouldprove a particular attraction to visitors and residents alike. ■ '