ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2545, 20 August 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

f'THE MAY WHO STAYED AT HOME." . That interesting play, "The Man Who "S™ at Home," wliich deals cleverly with , the ruses of German spies and-tho ingenuity of our Secret Service men to discover them, continues to attract large audjences to the Opera House., Capital' ■P?rformances in leading roles are given by- Mr. Frank Harvey, Miss Violet Paget, Mr. Leslio Victor, Miss Florrie Gleeson, nnd other capable players. The final performance will be given this evening. "A SCRAPE o'. THE PEN.", "A Scrape o' the Pen," to be produced . fct the Opera House to-monw evening by Mr. and Mrs. Graham Moffat, centres round the old Scotch marriage ceremony, in which the certificate handed each party . iwas known aa "a, scrape o' the joen." The ~ story opens in the kitchen of Honeyneuk Farm. Seven years before the opening of tho play. Alec, the son of old Mattha. and Leezie Inglis, marries Jean Low ther, a new: maid at the farm; and immediately loaves for South, Africa/ Jean, hearing . after'his departure that he .has betrayed Eppie Oliphant, tears up her copy of a. scrape o' the pen, and' a little later marries ' Hugh Menzies, the farm manager, .while little - .Eppie,. Alec's .-child, now motherless, is: brought up by Jean, in ignoranoe of her mother's disgrace. Later Alec's pocfeet-book oontaining his; copy of the marriage 'certificate is: stolen from him in Africa, but the piece of. paper being valueless to the thief, is discarded by'him, only to be picked up and returned to the farm. Mattha sends for .Jean, but 6ho'in tears begs forgiveness, which is granted by the old man. Alec; however, . returns unexpectedly, to the farm on New . iTear's morning, andMs : Jean's'first-footer. 'After a stormy sceno Aleo is taken up to see'his little girl sleeping peacefully, and the sight of her decides him-on his course of. action,-and ho burns his copy of the ! certificate as the .curtain falls, on :a happy household, Jean's husband never learning the'truth. Mr. Moffat has, in this instance, written something more ttue to • life than "Bunty." Saturday'week will be devoted to a renewal of "Bunty Pulls the Strings," with a new' "Bunty" (Miss Jean Clyde), and the other favourites of the recent production.' The box plan is at the Bristol. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. An entertaining vaudeville programme may be enjoyed this week at His Majesty's Theatre, where a. bright lot of talent is assembled. ' The first; part is provided by the clover' "Butterflies," who mingle' rausio ; and'merriment in nice proportions, and in ; the -second part excellent turns are given by 'Little Verlie, Armstrong and Howarth, Cooo and Cliico, Hamilton and Barnes, and the Two Gibsons. ' " CHARLIE CHAPLIN CONTESTS. ' . Commencing on Monday, evening, at His Majesty's Theatre, a novel series of com- :, petitions will beentered on for tho .best impersonation of the,great picture' comedian, Charlie Chaplin. This contest-will be open to all over 16 years of age, and * pnzo of £.1 2s. will be awarded to tho i competitor who gives the most consistent impersonation of Chaplin, not only. in mafce-uiv but also in ,dress, and characterictics., Competitors l will bo allowed an assistant to enable them to give a scene from any particular picture. The . competitions will take place nightly; and the winners of the nightly Keats will' compete: in. the final on Friday' night. The audience is to be the judge. - ; ' . . :

KING'S THEATRE. "A Child of God," ; the fresh' and • -original' photo-play now /being 6hown at the King's: Theatre,' comes as a welcome •relief ; to the'many war pictures that are: inow offered to the picture-loving public .nightly. - It-tells a good story,' has .'a <! sustained,-/. interest, and :. the. acting I throughout is first Tate. ■ Other attract jtive -Dictnres are . ''Beautiful Switzerland," a Tory fine rocorcl of somo of the . iiinest lake and mountain scenery in the ! world, "Gussle's Backward Fall" (in j which Syd. Chaplin- ' funires),. and l the .latest war, "Gazette." The. iisjml; raatiMO - performance will" he ' given''to-morrow afternoon. | V EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. ' . At Everybody's - Theatre i' : in 'Manners Street is-to be seen one the" best war dramas that have 'been screened, during the past twelve months. This is "Tho Might of the Allies," in. which is brought forcibly homo to the spectator an. idea, of the power, that Germany has to break 'before that arrogant nation can crow with victory.' The picture is- very: ingeniously compiled, arid' there is : not a dull foot, in the whole of the long roll. Everybody's .Theatre is open from:noon until 10 p.m. 1: '■ ' ' On Monday it is announced that a week of laughter will ■ commence,' when Charles . Chaplin',' " the ever-green ■ versatile,' comedian, ■: will .make his ' reappearance in : . "His Profession," described as. a screamling, langhing. Charles, as . a bath-chair . attendant.; "Who, : Goes There?" a comedy-drama of a clever character, capably acted, will also be screened, besides, a "Gaumont Graphic" ' and other good subjects. ■ -

THE RED DANDIES. : '• .Edward B.ranscombe's popular' Red Dandiesare having an entirely successful" season at : the Concert Chamber, and for ■. those vrh6 liko an : entertainmerit, that partakes - of - the .-/vaudeville' class , and the popular concert, cannot fail: to be pleased: by " these clever folk. Mr. Claude Dampier has qualities as a : comedian and burlesque artist that are', wide-

ly recognised, and-those who cannot laugh at his cranky diversions are in a bad way. A complete chango of programme is due to-morroiv evening, THE EMPRESS. Overflowing attendances reward the merit of thq new pi<ogramme at the popu 'la:- Empress Theatre. Very seldom indeed are so many fine films combined in one list. The star , drama. "ElevenThirty p.m." is admirable. The characters are exceptionally well played, and the story is a . fascinating one. The French official film, "The Great War, or On the Spot in Alsace with tho French Invasion," is unquestionably the best picture of itg class seen here. Some of its many_ scenes are magnificent. The whole film is noteworthy. A most impressive view of the French jnounting the snowclad heights of Alsace, mates a strong appeal, 1 and • calls forth loud applause. Rare fun radiates from the unfolding of Keystone's "Beauty Bunglers," in which comedian Hogan, and his assistant merrymakers, burlesque the methods of "beauty shop", specialists, and pfovoke roars of laughtei. There is some foundation for the • managerial claim that Selig's sensational play, "The Leopard's Lair," is the best yet turned out by that firm. 1 "THE FIGHTING FORCES OF . EUROPE." In these stirring times of battle, when the forces of the prominent nations of the world are in the throes "of a monster struggle, anything relating to the various armies and naval feces of the fighting nations is of absorbing interest., Through the t medium then of the kinemacolour pioluros now showing at the Town Hall, entitled "With the Fighting Forces of Europe," we have the armies in all their splendour and vastiiess literally brought to 'our very doors.' So also with the navies and their- men. ' The films do not, of course, portray the forces in'their present fighting trim, but the fighting machines of England, France, Belgium, Italy, S6rvia. Russia, and even Germany are paraded with. a wealth of colour detail on the screen, of the motion picture. The Kaiser's men'aire shown "in full-dress parade and the machine-like movements and drill'of the aspirants for the "Iron Cross" aro cortainly • very interesting. The Gentian fleet at. Kiel is ulso'shown. . A. particularly [rood picture is that showing ' the' Belgian ;• cavalry during manoeuvres. Views of towns and 6omo of i the places that have famous during the war contribute also to the general I interest of the pictures. During the screening Miss Beatrice Day recites "Tour Country Needs Tou," while Mr. J. Goodall makes funning comments on the films, i Soldiers in uniform are admitted at half rates. • • 'Miss Beatrice Day. will, again render ' "Tout Country Needs You." There will be a : matinee to-morrow afternoon, commencing' at 2.30 o'clock, when children will be admitted at half-price to all parts I of the hall. • Soldiers in uniform are-ad-I mitted at half-rates at every performance. v -