ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2548, 24 August 1915, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

"A SCRAPE O'.THE PEN." The largo audience present at tht Grand Opera House last night enjoyed tt the i'ua the second performance of tht charming Scotch play of Graham Moffat's, "A Scrape o' the Pen." The comedydrama, \riiiich is a wholesome story cen-t-r.ing round Scottish farm life, is do- » lightfnlly acted, Mr. Moffat, who fills tht ' position of autlior-actor-prod-ucer, taking tie leading roW, with his wife. , The theme of" the story is this old Scottish law which legalises a matrimonial union , by "a scrape of the pen." Mr. and Mrs, lloffat play JlatUro and I.eezie Inglis, a charming old couple who in spite of theii j: bickerings love each other as true and j as tenderly as auy loved. Wellington e audiences have rarely if ever seen two :0 characters-so skilfully dTarn as tlvose oi Mattha and Leezie. All the other characters that flit about the old Honeyneut farmhouse are likeable, and a more even-ly-balanced and satisfying cast it would be- hard to remember. "A Scrape, o'. the Pen" will bo reg pea-tcd every evening until Saturday, o when "Bunty Pulls the Strings" will be ( revived . for- ono night only. '' . HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. 5 The chief item oil tie programme at His Majesty's Theatre last evening pro--3 mised-to be the "Charlie Chaplin Compe--6 tition," in which amateur imitators of the famous picture comedian -were invited to mimic the drolleriesof that eccentric person in friendly competition for a"prize of <£2 25.. Though several budding comedians with good mimetic powers j had rehearsed their act, only two per--3 formers could'be induced to face the , footlights,' both getting . within measurable distance of a portrayal of the : "make-up" and mannerisms of Chaplin, though, lacking his outreaching .powers of laughter-making. The audience was called upon to judge between the two, but ■ the .-applause wis so equal in volume that Mr. Tom Armstrong, under whose direc- ■ tion the competition was' arranged, had to rocall them both. He announced, however, .that there was some good talent, in Wellington, and that at least two competitors wiould appear each evening .this week. The finals would take place' on Friday next. ' The "Butterflies" provided a diverting first' part 'to the : entertainment. : -, Mr. Wylie Watson appeared humorously as the "lis"-time Postman," and extracted a good deal of fun by reading some of the postcards he was called upon to deliver. Mr. If. Foster Hine sang the Toreador's song from "Carmen," with spirit, to the elaborate accompaniment of Mr. 11.I 1 . W. Dennett. The ,"'Butterflies" possess ■ two admirable instrumentalists in '.Mr. Gregory. Ivanoff, -the Russian violinist, and Mr. Dennett, pianist. Mr. Ivanoff's playing of Dvorak's "Humoreske" was a sheer delight. He bows beautifully, and his harmonics are crystal, clear and always in strict tune.. Mr. Dennett's work at the piano is always a feature, and the solo he played last evening was interpreted with rare insight. With Mr. Watson these artists played some popular ragtime airs in a manner that lifted the airs right out of their true class.. Mr. Jack Waller and Miss Armitage frivolled amusingly in a burlesque of grand opera, and the latter sang the comical Yorkshire dialect song "Ninepence" with easy abandon. Miss Ada Smart, a refined soprano, contributed the pretty song, "I'eg o' My Heart," and Messrs. Watson and Hine raised plenty of laughter in their sketch, "The Army of To-day." The star performer of the second part ivas the Bacchanalian comedian,, Mr. Phil Percival, whose speech 'burlesquing the remarks of a. City Councillor had just that touch of the truth to make it wildly comic. Mr. Percival is also an adroit pianist, and his imitations and extravagances at the keyboard were vastly entertaining. Excellent items were also given by Nat H-an-?n c ' ev ®r. natural whistler and dancer; "'e Two Gibsons, Armstrong and Howarth, Ascot and Barnes, . and Coco and Cluco., . THE KING'S THEATRE. r Those who recently 1 saw at the King's Theatre that remarkable photo-play, Thou Shalt Not Kill," produced by D. V\. Griffith, looked forward with pleasurable anticipation to th> production of another Gxifiith's story last night. They were not disappointed, for "The Outcast," produced at the King's, was of equally high merit: f'The Outcast" is a veiy strong story, and the leading rolea are capably filled by the well-known Mutual Company's stars, Mae Marsh and llobert Herron. The story centres round the fortunes of a cabaret dancing girl, and her sweetheart. The girl is forced up. in slum life, but is nevertheless of : a noble character, and when' one of .the cabaret loafers forces his way iijto her room she is resentful. Her sweetheart 1 comes on the scene, and during a struggle the intruder is shot.' The girl is tried for. murder, and in an attempt to shield her the man gives himself lip. However the girl -is brought to trial, and when it looks as if the stern Judge will convict, her, her counsel produces a locket bearing a photo of her mother. He passes it up to Ihe Judge, and in an iutensely dramatic scene .the. Judge recognises it as p, photo of the girl he had wronged and deserted in. his youth. Realisation that the girl outcast is his daughter is such a shock that he faints. Another Judge takes his'place, and the girl iis acquitted, and tlio story has a. happy eliding. The acting of Afiss Mae Marsh is so, natural that the sympathy of the entire audience goes out to'her inkier trials. There are many dramatic incidents during the filming of' the story, which is ono that- grips from the first. The supporting films are equally interesting, and include a scenic film showing the famous "Tipperary" country, and "Pathe's Gazette" contains some of the most topical pictures. A laughable t-übin coniedydraina is entitled "j-. Lucky Strike," depicting a miller's matrimonial venture, while "Flooey and Axel" was a clever cartoon comedy, - featuring one, of America's great black and white artists. The programme will be repeated this evening.