ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2379, 8 February 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A new vaudeville programme with many interesting novelties and several new artists will be presented by the Fuller-Brennan management at His Majesty's Theatre to-night. A notable first appearance will. be that of the Soho Trio of vocalists and. dancers, who will introduce a number of the latest dance crazes. Mr. Phil Smith, late of the Williamson Comic Opera Co., will appear for the first time in vaudeville, assisted by Miss Jessie Barlee, a talented English soubrette. A new musical comedy trifle will bo introduced by the pair, which is said to contain some exceedingly bright work. The Three Stars, an Australian team, who also are appearing for the first time, will present a number of novelty dance specialties. Miss Rose Lee Ivy, who is increasing in popular favour nightly, will render several original songs. Several artists are retained from last week owing to the success they have achieved, notably the Drisooll Bros., comedians, and Marie ' Quintrell, soprano and pianist. The Magpies, who became so popular on a previous visit, have' been engaged for a return season, and will present an entirely new programme. The programme will run for six nights, and a matinee will be given on Saturday. ; KING'S THEATRE. For to-night's change of programme at the King's. Theatre, a thrilling romance will be presented with a fourreel film version of Edward Peple' s celebrated oomedy-drama, "The Spitfire," featuring the popular photo-play star, Carlyle Blackwell. This play entertained thousands for many yeajs. Its humorous situations, together with its ab-' sorbing dramatic element, makes the subject certain to please both lovers of light drama and those who prefer the big heart throb of tense, overpowering incident, and episode. In this episode the, laughs and thrills are carefully balanced, so that at times it is difficult to determine whether the subject is comedy or serious drama, until at the very last 1 flash the culmination of the fascinating plot brings the conviction that it is only real life after all. Carlyle Blackwell is an ideal type ; for the ■ role of Morson, about whom most of the action revolves. In both the lighter movements and the big dramatic situations, he portrays a perfect characterisation. Among the supporting programme all the items are entirely new, which include "John Bunny" in a new role. Excellent subjects are "Sea Anemones,"- a charming nature study, beautifully coloured, and _ the '•Miner's Peril," a moat exciting mining melodrama by the Reliance Co. The programme includes the latest war news in animation, and King George on the battlefield at Ypres . The box ' plan iB on view at the Bristol Piano Co. "MR. BARNES OF NEW YORK." The. new programme Everybody's. Theatre to-day: at noon' will be headed by a star pictorial dramatisation of A. C. Gunter's world-wide popular, novel, "Mr. Barnes of New York," with Maurice Costello as Mr. Barnes. Years ago, and even now, Mr., Gunter's books ("Mr, Potter of Texas," "Miss Nobody of Nowhere," and "Mr.. Barnes of New York") are among the most popular sellers of the day, and that fact enhanced the cost to; the Vitagraph Co. when they secured. the : sole exclusive rights to produce in •' picture ■ form the novel in question,. In alloting the part of Mr. Barnes, Costello's wellkffown power of characterisation was taken into account, and in his hands the character of Mr.. Barnes actually seems to. live. ' Every inch. of the 5000 feet of drama, which embodies incidents in TSgypt, - .Monte Carlo, Corsico,. and France "is crammed full- of sensational and exciting scenes, and the plot of the novel is faithful adhered to. The acting and production are on a splendid scale, and' "Mr. Barnes of New York" should easily rank as one of the best feature films yet introduced at Everybody's popular house. ■ Supporting pictures include a' Keystone oomedy, "Dash and Splash," '.'Gaumont War Graphic," and other war topicals. MACMAHON'S THEATRE. , Mr. Charles MacMahon returned from Auckland on Saturday, having oompleted arrangements with the Fraser Film Supply Company for a bi-weekly series of the very latest photo-plays produced by the world's picture firms. The first of these, "'The Naval Mystery," a graphic and absorbing' story of intrigue, abduction, and love, now showing at MaqMahon's, cannot be. retained on the programme after to-night, as the second of the series, "A Modern Delilah," is due for presentation to-morrow. "The Temptations of a Great City", and that clever divertissement of Florence : Turner's, "Film Favourites," continue to hold their place in the current programme. To-morrow they will make way for fresh attractions. . PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE. • A new programme will be presented at the People's Picture Palace to-day. The chief picture will be a three-part drama entitled "AYlien the World was Silent." The story runs that Will, a young musician, lovs Leah, but later is attracted by a society girl. Leah, jealous, enters his apartment, chloroforms him while he sleeps, and pours poison into his ears. Will, with, his hearing gone and unable to play; is thrown aside by tho society girl. Leah marries Will, who turns to composition. Liter, he discovers lier crime, and she is driven away. He becomes famous by his compositions mainly through the efforts of a ooncert pianist, Madam; Genez, who is ho other than Leah. Reconciliation follows. .The programme includes a good supporting series,, .with a special war edition of the Eclair Journal. The musio to be rendered by the orchestra will be a special attraction. , ' SUNDAY CONCERT. Thero was a large attendance at the concert given at tho Town Hall last, night in aid of the Italian Earthquake Fund. The programme was excellent, the cause a worthy oneV' yet those present failed to contribute at .all generously to the fund. The mixed collec-. tion of threepenny bits, and the. odd pennies and sixpenoes and 1 few shillings totalled in all between £10 and £11. The. concert, given under the auspices of .the Garibaldi Club, was in every other way a success. The programme opened with an overture, by the Working Men's Club Orchestra, "Le Caliph do Bagdad" .(Boieldieu). Miss Maria Milesi, one of Miss 1 Betty Purdom's pupils, recited effectively "The Last Days' of Herculaneum." Mr. G. Villiers Arnold, of the Gilbort and Sullivan Company, sang Herman Lohr's "Littlo Grej Home in the West," .and was heartily applauded. The remainder of the programme was as follows:—Flute solo,. "The Carnival of Venice," Signor Truda; Boug, "Soul of Mine," Mr. Hamilton Hodges; harp solo, "The Bells of Alhambra," Mr. John Vitetta; song, "April Morn," Mrs. J. F. Woodward; quartet, "The Lark" (Glinka), Messrs. V., J., and John Vitetta, and Mr. H. Moschini; orchestral selection, "Martha" (Flatow), Working Men's Club • Orchestra. Mr. John M'Glashan conducted the orchestra, and Miss P. Hanify and Mr. R. C. Hollow were accompanists. ' .