ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2402, 6 March 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE COURT CARDS. Artistic effect is said to be at once apparent as the curtain rises upon the entertainment of the Court Cards, who open at the Grand Opera House to-night. An effective setting of grey and black displays the pictures of the pack, garbed in the stvlo of court cards. A witty and tuneful opening chorus serves to deal tho artists collectively and individually, and then, forsaking allusions to cards and card-playing, these animated pictures commence in earnest to entertain and to amuse. The vocal efforts of Miss Renee Maude, soprano, Messrs. Sydney Mannering, tenor, and George Graystone, basso, it is said, cannot fail to please, while to these i 6 added tho artistic treat provided by Miss Winifred Mitchell in her violin numbers and her sympathetic obligates. Provision of Ihumour falls upon dainty Maude Fane with her smart songs, upon Edgar Warwick in his smart and genial patter' work, and upon George Titchener. Albert Keats, at the piano, shows himself more than an accompanist, for his fine baritone voice and his graceful dancing are both allowed for m the programme. The "Cards" are said to score particularly in their concerted work. The clever burlesque, "Ragtime Shopping," with which, the first part of their initial programme concludes, is described as a sure provocative of mirth only excelled in this rospect by the finale, "The Village Choir in Oratorio." The main feature of the programme is a characteristically costumed scena, "A Drop of Holland's," portraying in light vein the dress and manners of the people of the Netherlands. Tho box plan will be at The Bristol till 1 p.m., and thereafter at Miss Lennox's. There will bo a,, complete change of programme on Wednesday.

SEVEN LITTLE AUSTRALIANS ■ MATINEE. There will bo much revelry at the matinee of "Seven Little Australians" at the Grand Opera House this afternoon, when "The Seven Little Australians" will conclude their successful season in Welliuffton. A novel feature in the shape of the tea party scene will be introduced, and- in this there will be songs, dances, ! arid specialties by Pip, Bobbie, Suds,' [ Dumps, Nell, Baby, and Bunty, and the adults of tho company. Every child saying good-bye to the "Seven Little Australians" this afternoon will bs preseutd with a souveiiir. SEVEN LITTLE AUSTRALIANS TOUR. ■ The tour of Seven Little Australians has been arranged by Mr. Beaumont Smith as follows:—Carterton, Monday, Bth; Masterton, Tuesday, 9th; Woodville, .Wednesday, 10th; Pahiatua, Thursday, Uth; Eketahiina, Friday,' 12th; Greytown,. Saturday, 13th; Martinborough, Monday, 15th; Lower Hutt, Tuesday, 16iih.

HIS -MAJESTY'S THEATRE. The Randell-Jackson Concert Company, who fill one half of the bill at His Majesty's Theatre are nightly providin l ; a musical programme of the lighter tort, i which meets with general approval. They are a clever party of people; all with tuneful voices, and they boast a comedian or two besides. In the vaudeville section of the programme the favourite is James Teddy, an uncommonly clever jumper. The others,, comprise a Chinese magician of uncommon ability, danoers, and other purveyors of the varied styles 4of entertainment included in ,the general description of vaudeville.

THE KING'S THEATRE. , ■ A military drama, entitled "The Ordeal," is the chief attraction in. a very attractive bill at the King's Theatre to-night. The picture tells the story of how a gallant French' officer, faced with the alternative iof duty or dishonour, chose the very thorny path of duty, paying as his price the loss of all the people he loved mosti on - earth. Among the other films are: "Our Territorial Army," "The Maid from Sweden," and "Getting to the Ball Game." The topical pictures, which now. have all warlike flavour, are extremely interesting.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. ■Features in the bill at Everybody's Theatro just now ,are "The Californian Round Up," an. especially good portrayal of the work of - the cowboy when he is at home, and a comedy called "Polishing Up," in which the 'inimitable corpulent funny man, John Bunny, is the chief character.

The new "bill to be screened on Monday at noon will contain two l star features, a stirring war drama and a Keystone comedy. The drama, "On His Majesty's Service," is founded on incidents which occurred on the declaration of war between England and Germany, and points out the evils of the German espionage system. How a typist in the employ of Scotland Yard Secret Service discovers the German plot and outwits them makes a drama that thrills and fills one. with patriotic fervour. The Keystone comedy is • "A Gentleman of Nerve," in which Charles Chaplin and .Mabel Normand, the favourite pair of comedians, as motor fiends in motor-oar races, play pranks that make the sides aoho with laughter. It -is stated this programme is one of the best yet screened at Everybody's.

PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE/ ' "The Heroine, of Mons" is the star picture now showing at the People's Picture Palace, and, although its title would probably commend success for the picture in any case, .the film tells a very fine story. The heroine leaves Mons when the town is beleaguered, and passes through the German lines in' a very becoming borrowed German uniform, reaches the British trenches, and brings aid to her friends in the town. There are on the programme other pictures of real events of the war. The "Brigand Millionaire" is the feature of the change of programme to be given on Monday.

v THE EMPRESS THEATRE. ' The final screening of the. present programme at the Empress Theatre continuous pictures is announced for to-<lay and to-niglit. The leading item is the Vitagraph'Company's "feature" drama, "Lily of the Valley," a- charming love romance. Monday's new programme will introduce the Lubin drama, ' Oil Suspicion,described as a powerful modern play, dealing with American police methods as' regards the application of "the third . degree." Another striking dramatic portrayal will be "The Girl at the Throttle," a story of a railway telegraph girl, who- pursues a runaway train with another engine and saves the lives of many people. "The Eclair Journal" and "Making 'Steel Bails," and "He "Wanted Chickens" will also be shown.

BENE QUEREE. Great interest is being ev&ced in Miss Queree's first recital since her return from Europe, in the large Town Hall on Thursday- next. It is now over three years since this talented young Now Zealander went Home to study under the world-famed Carreno, and who, on parting:, bestowed the highest possible praise on her pupil and, predicted a brilliant future for her. The programme will contain selections from Each, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, two movements from the great Greig, Concerto in A Minor, which will be- remembered as one of Carreno's most brilliant achievements, and a novelty in the shapo.of three, short Norwegian pieces by Signe Lund, played for the first time in New. Zealand. Miss Queree will be assisted by Mrs. J. A. Rosewarne, the Napier contralto, and Mr. Hamilton Hodges, the well-known baritone. Bos Plan for this unique : musical event opens at '£he Bristol on Monday aext.