ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2537, 11 August 1915, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

."THE MAN WHO STAYED AT HOME."-

To-night at 8 o'clock the curtain .will rise at the. Grand Opera House on tlio first production lierb of the' fascinating spy drama, "The Man Who Stayed at Home," which has created a Ivavo of patriotic enthusiasm whorevei' it has been staged. Seats in central positions for this evening's ■ performance max bo selected at. tho Bristol, and tickets for the stalls and gallery may bo purchased at Christeson's, or at the doors this.even-, ing. Most people know already that the tale is one of German espionage in England, ■ dotected and baffled by a British Secret Service officer, Cliristophor Brent disguises his dash, nerve, and courage under tie manners of a languid idler, who, in tho first act, accepts without the white feather handed to him by a, furiously scornful girl. The con-, struction' of "The Man .Who Stayed: at Homo" is said'to be ingenious, its dialogue crisp and full of olever points, and its'auction, swift; intelligent, and exciting. Mr. Frank Harvey is said to give a magnificent representation of the part of Christopher Brcint, "the man who 6tayed at home." It is said ho can bo earnest, he cm be thrilling, he can be humorous, ho can be foppish, or he can be tho energetic 'secret service agent without for a moment overstepping the bounds of realMte Violet Paget has gained proud, distinction" by a series of brilliant characterisations,' and she; -will doubtless receive a. hearty welcome lrhen she appeals this evening as Miriam Leigh, the secret ally of the man who staved at home. Mr. Arthur Cornell, too, is a favourite with local playgoers; He. is said to be very humorous as John Preston, .T.P. Mr. Leslie .^Victor. as Fritz, Miss ; Emilia Temple as Kits; Sandiorsph,. Mr. Austin Milroy as Carl Sanderson, and. Miss Florence Gleeson as Fraulein Schvoeder are the four Gorman Spies, and the cast also includes Miss Dorothy Cummin gs, Miss Temple Pigott, Miss M.. Browne,' Mr. Kenneth Brampton, and Mr. Charles Morse. During the progress of the play, Miss Paget and Miss Cuisaiing, it is . said, _ war some charming frocks." The production is staged under tho direction of Mr. George Barnum, and Mr. A. L. Pearco is stage manager.

TSE "RED"- DANDIES. . Last-; evening . Messra. Branscombo, Ltd.'s, "Red" entertainment came to lan end too quickly. The programme was an excellent one, and tho' various artists "received, many -encores. During the whole evening nothing dragged./ Every item went with a swing from start ,to . finish, . and the audience went away more ■'thih, pleased with the performance. Mr. Claude Dampier, as usual,, w'aa : extremely funny. ~His rendition of "Who Smashed the Door?" and an np-to-dato version of "Cock Robin" was received with applause. Tho talented company will repeat the programme at ; the Concert, Chamber to-night. A complete change "is announced for next Saturday evening.

' HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. .A very. fine entertainment is provided! at His Majesty's Theatre this week.' The first part of the programme is. devoted to "The Butterflies," wliich company com. prises a variety of high-class artiste. In i the second part of the bill "Orphaa" displays great talent by playing on a number of instruments at oW and the same time.. King and Brown ("two'men and a pair of legs") give a remarkable performance, to .which interest is added by the fact that' each has only one leg. Hamilton 'arid Buses' (clever patter comedians),. Nellie Kollo, and Montambo arid Wells tilso contribute' to -the. entertainment.. •

: ■ THE KING'S. Edison's _ fine three-part picture play, "The. Stoning," heads the programme at ;tho above popular ; house. • The drama is easily, one of the most interesting and powerful this company has produced. The story unfolded is tho old. old theme of th» waywardness of youth and. the unBdrupulous'ness, of scoundrels who prey on iill-toe-tni'sting young women. The film provides a strone indictment against the practice of modern 'society to "stone" those unfortunates who may hare been guilty of a breach- of its ethics. Wo are shown", how the narrow-minded hypocrisy of the-congregation of a country church, in spite of.,the efforts of the kindly minis-, ter, caused a .deeply-wronged girl, to take" her life in despair. .' The difficult role of Ruth-Fenlon. is cleverly "presented by little Viola l)ana. : Robert Oonnes, .. another well-known ;■ Edison artist; .as the minister,' who brands his congregation as murderers, - is convincing,' and. Terr pleasing; On the same programme are: "The Channel-. Isles" (scenic), "Billy's Wager" (a Vitagraph comedy), "Our. Boys in Egypt,": shewing some new 'and interesting scenes of thMr training/in the desert, a series of 'amusing cartoons,;and Gazette....

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. This week Elinor Giyn'e "Three Weeks'' is being - shown at Everybody's Theatre, The adaptation is clover, and thef story is said to bo presented in a form calculated not to Offend anyone.; The mounting is •costly and beautiful, and much fine scenery is made use of. Among th# support, ing filma are some good topical war pictures. _■ THE EMPRESS. Crowded sessions ruled at tho Empress Theatre and Bclair's dramatic wonder film is : proving a great drawing card. The play itself is excellent melodrama, well acted, yet chief interest of necessity must centre in Madame Romani'a amazing feat in-riding a thoroughbred horse over tho "big wheel" at Paris; when perched upon tho apex of the wheel the woman and horse appear to ;be no bigger than a bird. To-morrow morning's now feature will be what is described as Yitagraph's ■ fashionably dressed, ' elegantly mounted, and brilliantly '/acted drama, "Tho! Buttorfly," which features •: Helen Gardner, of "Cleopatra." fame, supported by a strong cast. , Keystone will, be represented by. a new merrymaking faree, "Ambrose's Lofty VPeroh," and furthor fun should emanate from Labia's "Curses; Jack. Dalton," ."The Wild Engino" is another Kalom drama, i starring Helen Holmes. Tho very labeafc "Australian Gazette and Cartoons"- 1 will also be shown..

"k SCRAPE 0' THE PEN." Wellington playgoers will remember what a succcss "Bunty Polls the Strings" achieved when; produced throughout N.Z. last year, and now the good, tidings have como to hand , that Mr. and Mrs. Graham Moffat and their newly-augmented company of i Scottish-players are to "appear in Mr. Moffat's new Scottish comedy-irama, "A Scrape o' the Pen," which toe lately been produced at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, with great success. The Sydney Press haTe written, glowing criticisms on the new play, nearly all the papers beinc unanimous that "A Scrape o' the Pen" strikes a deeper and a tenderer note than "Bunty Pulls the Strings." The Wellington. season is to commence at the Grand Opera House on August 2i; for seven nignts, ' ''TOMMY"" IN HIS TRUE COLOURS. : "It's th'ank you, Mister Atkins, when the band begins to play," wrote Rudyard Kipling, in peace times, and, how truly he wrote: The whole Empire is thanking "Jlister Atkins," and is Teady to do anything to make his lot more comfortable than it has been in the past. Tho new kinemacolour may bo said to 'show "Tommy'' in his trute colours; that is, in camp in England, in biyouac in Franco, in tho trenches in Flanders—at bay before the might of the soulless Huns, and all just aa it is, with the grass green, the roais brown, the cornfields yellow in the sunlight. These touches of colour spell nature, and mako tho figures in tho picture living, sentient beings, not tho dull black and whito of tho ordinary moving picture. In tho picture, "The Fighting Forces of Europe," a splendid idea is given of the military strength of England to-day. In tho picturo is shown n. regiment of infantry on tho inarch in full equipment, a march past of Highlanders and cavalry that makes tbo audience riso in its enthusiasm, a corner of a British camp, and what goes on there, the Army Service Corps at work, Tiews of tho Red Cross nurses for th'e front, and the enrolling of Tecruits at the Tower of London. The kinemacolour pictures with "The Fighting ■ Forces of Europe" will commences a short season in -Wellington on Wednesday next at tho Town Hall. The box plan will bo opened lit the lfls« i fcl W# mem St...