ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2422, 30 March 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

NELLIE STEWART AS "DU BARRY" At the Bristol Piano Depot this morning the box plans will be opened lor tho Nellie Stewart season which will bo commenced at the-. Grand Opera Houso next Saturday evening. "l)u Barry" deals witJi the love story of the fascinating little milliner and tho King's Guardsman, Brissac —her forced marriage with Jean du Barry, and her subsequent rise to fame and fortune at the Court of Louis XV of France. Tho period in which tho action of "Du Barry" takes place enabled tho dramatist (Belasco, the celebrated New York, author and enterprenucr) to nivo free reign to his genius as a stage producer. The Court of Louis XV whore "Du Barry" .Teigned supreme was famous iii history for its splendour and wanton extravagance. In "Du Barry" tho palace scene is said to be one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. The stage is crowded with a gay throng, richly costumed, an artistic feature being a stately minuet danced by the principals. The play is in five acts, divided into several scenes in which the action moves swiftly and smoothly to an intensely dramatic finale. Miss Stewart as "Du Barry" is said to have made a success that ranks with her "Sweet Nell." Special interest attaches to the first appearance "here of Mr. Clarence Blakiston, an actor of wide English experience. ■ Mr. Allan Wilkie, another newcomer lately appeared at the Garrick Theatre, London, and at the' head of his own company has played Shylock, Othello, -Macbeth, Sir Peter 'IWzle, and other classic roles. The management announce.' that when the plans open seats may be reserved for any night of the season. Du Barry will be played for six nights, with a matinee on Easter Monday. The next pioduction, "Dorothy of the Hall," will be played for four nights, and "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" for three nights.

HIS, MAJESTY'S THEATRE. An unusually clever party of people are appearing this week at His Majesty's Theatre in vaudeville. It happens that- some of them were here last week, but they are all good enough to bear a second inspection, and in any case they have new goods to show. Amongst them is Henri French, who last week did marvellous things while ridinp; on a crazy wheel. This week he gives a performance without the wheel, and 4; very clever and vastly amusing performance it is. His fil«at item is.a couple of whistling jokes, very good examples of bird imitation. Then he impersonated some half dozen famous stage men whose figures are much better known on the other side of the world than .-here. One of the celebrities, John Philip Sousa, is, however, not unknown here, and, conducting the ordinary orchestra with Sousa's gesture, was intensely funny. James Teddy, the miraculous and daring high jumper, is Bljowing again one of the finest athletic .variety acts it would be possible to see anywhere. William Summer, a coloured performer with a hearty, but not unmusical voice, specialises in ragtime songs and dances. Miss Ella Airlie has a new lot of songs, all of tkem witty or otherwise amusing. Mr. Elton Eos gives further proof of his sk3l as a lightning sketch artist by producing another series of caricatures and cartoons. Merlyn, the mock magician, "The Worst Wizard in the World," created a lot of merriment with his alleged conjuror's tricks, which -he performs passably well and then exposes wholly, to the great amusement of the audience. It is a. capital idea- for a vaudeville turn, very well arranged and carried out. Meredith and Adnil are as clever and as agile as formerly in their gymnastio feats, and Marzon and Florence are excellent in another style of athletic exercises. Jock Thompson, the Scottish singer of comic songs, sings some more of them verv well, and Williams and Warner, "The Two Crazy Frenchmen," contribute their share of mirth to a highly diverting and varlod entertainment.-

THE KING'S . THEATRE.' A stirring social aad military drama, dealing with the present crisis, and called "The Fringe of War," was presented at the .King's Theatre last night and created a deep impression. The story commences in an English setting before the war, in the residence of General Marlowe, who has invented a wonderful gun. At his house a German diplomatic officer tries to secure tho plan,.but is frustrated by-the beautiful sister of the General's wife, an American girl, who is engaged to an English captain. The girl,.in order to prevent tlie plan getting to the German, and' in order to.save her. sister, has to visit the former's room, and is found by her lover, who, not knowing the circumstances, breaks the engagement. and leaves the house. The three come together later oij a French battlefield, where the German methods of cruelty are shown. In an intensely dramatic scene the lovers are re-united, and the picture ends happily. The film is full of tense dramatic scones, and the different battle pictures show in a realistic manner the horrors of war. ."The Fringe of War" is easily the best war drama that has yet been shown. The other films are of a good character, and include some of the latest war scenes from France. A delightful comedy-drama, "Wilful Peggy," features little Mary Pickford, whose acting keeps the audience in a pleasant humour. "The Folly of Ann" is also a clever and entertaining drama, with a pleasant love story, while "The Honcymooners," Vitagraph's latest comedy, shows John Bunny intruding on _ the bliss of a newly-married couple, in a very laughable way. The departure of the Maori troops is shown in another c-xcellent .film.

EVERYBODY'S PICTURES. I The feature film on the current programme at Everybody's Theatre is the Vitagraph Company's "David Garrick," I the story of how a great socicty woman foil in lovo with tlm famous actor, how at tlio request of the father Garrick took stops to disillusion her, but all to no purpose, a. happy marriage being the cml of it all. The subject lias been well handled by the Vitagraph Company, and the various subjects are produced with a fidelity to detail as regards the surroundings and the costumes of the period. A now idea ill kinomatography ij explained in the farce-comedy, "A Study in Feet." The story is here told entirely by means of the feet and hands of the characters ill the picture. Tlio Kalem Company is represented on the bill by an exciting drama entitled "Flying Freight's Captive." The plot centres round a jewel robbery on a train, ilie robbers being brought to justice by the efforts of a brave girl. The Keystone fat comedian, Roscoe Arbuckle, is featured in the comedy, "Shotguns that Kick." In this picture is seen some wonderful shooting of hats from one head to another. An excellent topical item is "Championship Sports of the Expeditionary Force at Trentham." The "Gaumont Graphic" contains interesting . views of the Allied forces at the front, the Belgians taking cover from enemy aeroplanes, guns beinj* disguised to deceive airmen, injured norscs being doctored in the Britisli lines, a real type of ■war dog, the new Belgian Army in training, a French Army butcher, military athletes, at Aldersnot, guns ant l stores going forward to the trocps, etc. There is abundant variety in the pro gramme, which will be repeated during the week. PEOPLE'S PICTURE PALACE. "The Cricket on the Hearth," splendid adaptation of Charles Dickens's great work, was produced at the People's Picture Palace yesterday. It is by the famous A.B. Company, and is a, perfect picture in every detail The staging is good, and the acting is of the best. The part taken by Blind Bertha is an exceptionally clever impersonation of a blind girl, and is very well handled. The plot is a strong 0110, and interest in the film is sustained to the end. The characters are quaint and true to life at that period. The story opens by introduciii" Caleb Plummer and his children, Edward and Blind Bertha. May Fielder, Edward's sweetheart, and her friend Dot next come on the scene, followed by the betrothal of' Edward and May. John Perrybingle, the village carrier, who is in love with Dot, produces a letter in which a friend of his abroad has asked him to find a young energetic man to help him in a new enterprise. After an affectionate farewell Edward leaves liis old home. Meantime, Tackleton, ' a young merchant, has fallen in lovo with May, but his advances are discouraged. Subsequently a letter is received from Edward saying that he has made his fortune, and is returning home in the next ship. On hearing this .news Tackleton is more determined than ever to win May, and as he holds a mortgage 011 her mother's property he makes a very ■strong bid for May's hand, and almost, succeeds. As the plot develops the interest quickens, and some iery fine situations are portrayed. After several exciting incidents, in which pcor John Perrybinglo's life and home arc nearly ruined, everything ends bippily. The supporting programme is a good one, and includes scenic, comic, and dramatic studies.