ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2572, 21 September 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"HINEMOA." The Maori musical play "Hinemoa" is ..: still /being played by Mr. F. Bennett's - Opera < Company ,at the Grand Opera House. Mr. Percy Flynn, tliough he. has ' not plumbed the characteristic .poetry inherent.;in the Maori, has written some " very attractive numbers that would grace liny English musical comedy. One number in particular is tlio duet m the last act, "A Shy. Little Maid," which is quite well written . and distinctly melodious. For the purposes of the stage the ihnkas have ■ all been; speeded up, and are wonderfully inspiriting to. sec. The filial act is splen- :: didly animated, and these who- have not i witnessed the Maori as he actually is ■when out of daily contact, with the palceha mid his disturbing influence should see . "HinemoaV" . Tho hist two nights areanrounced. •' ' ■■ ' -1 . , niS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Tliere-was.little fault to be found with the -very;* excellent. programme presented by the -Fullermanagement at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. Among tho new perl'ormsrs who appeared was a duo of extremely clever and distinctly uncommon '■ artists in May Erno and as they aro oddly:called. Nothing quite like ... this/musical act .has ever ; been seen in •Wellington'. May Erne is a skilled xylo,phdnist, who .refrains from playing "Poet ■ and Peasant," therefore slio earns our respect aiid' esteem. Her instruments have a soft insinuating liquid tone, and sho / plays them with a light, delicate touch that is, heard to advantage -in accompaniments, as'well. as in solo work. . On oc- - jasions she perambulates with a xylophone held before hef like a peddlar's tray, and thon' she step-dances as 6ho plays. Miss I'lrno also affects a song, but the singer proves .to be He of • tho voice—a quaint .. little man with an alto voice, a sweet little voice that carries well'to the back of the building. He sings ballads,- rags nimbly to.the air of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," fools admirably with. "Sally in out Ally,"' and sings about "Sister Susie Sewing Shirts for Soldiers" in- every, mood. The humour is real humour dovoid of the common taint, the voice of He is a pretty voice, and the ■ xylophones still chime sweetly in our ears. It is one. of those clean, quiet, finished acts that lift vaudeville in one's esteem. The great Lutes, of the prehensile toes, continues to - astonish .with liis musical dexterity and amazing shooting.fit. is nothing for a man with arms to. per- ' .forate a' playing card with a bullet at a "distance of twelve-feet, but it is notable to see ono without amis shoot a card edgeways at the same distance. And all • ' - the while he laughs silently at the- humour of-it all." Edwards and Parkes are 'a bright atcractivo young couple with talent. Their dialogue'is- ajways : crisp . and original'. ; Mr. Edwards, too, is a capital reciter; and his delivery of Barry Marschell's poem "Kidd : from Timaru," . was distinctly good. Miss 'Hazel Morris : - sings her nose. Her enunciation savours : so-. much' of ' the ,: land where war is loaded with a, prohibitive -bitive tariff . that the ax-gument. of her songs "failed at times to sink into .the comprehension of the- audience. If she Bang in English, her style would be'bet- ' ter appreciated.: The Jeunets are a pair of clover hand and head balancers—a light, and heavyweight. The latter is-Cy-clopian in strength; and handles his partner like a walking-stick. He also holds ' one end of a rope in his teeth whilst the petticoated: performer executes gyrations on it in mid-air. Miss Violet .Trevenvon, tho dainty English serio,' sang "Who Paid the Rent for Mrs. Rip Van Winkle ?" and raggy love songs very charmingly; the Rhodesburys pattered amusingly; the Casselli Sisters kicked high and often, and' Orphea played on her lute and other instruments.

■ THE-KING'S THEATRE. : 'At the King's Theatre last night, the new was screened in'the presence of a big' crowd of people. The principal subject was' the London Film Company's production of the- well-known melodrama, "Alone in London." . The play has been acted for the kinematograph'by a -powerful cast,' the leading Vole ■ being , sustained by Miss FJorence Turner, one of the most popular picture artists of the day. Without overdoing the extremely melodramatic situations, the producers have presented ithe plot in ji- convincing manlier, and the' picture Fhould! prove a'capital drawing card during the week. ' It is supported by other items of-excellent quality. including a. domestic drama entitled "The Problem This is the story of a mother, who saw in a dream the effects of her (laughter's loveless maxriase to a rich man, and who waj thereby moved to change! iher opinion andallo.w the daughter to jnaTry a man whom the daughter herself, preferred. In lighter vein is the Vitagraph comedy. "The Right ■ Girl," written by Ralph' Ince and played by Earle. Williams and' ,Miss Anita. Stewart. These two artists' have -scored heavily in previous comedies, and their success is repeated in .this number. A yeir interesting scenic study is."A Trip to Luxor, a village on the Upper Nile," and there is the usual" recent edition of the;Pathe Gazette. with the latest war news.' Appropriate musical items brighten the entertainment.

"THE MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERY." The first screenings of the great film, '•"The , Million Dollar Mystery;" were' inade; at Everybody's Theatre yesterday, and the indications are that the success of the production will be very creat. . It is said that the film 'had a tremendous run in, Australia', and judging by so much'.of it as was. shown yesterday one can easily imagine that boom

business greeted "The Mystery' across the Tasmau. Everything: about the picture is big—the subject is big, the film is big, and the production is on the biggest, costliest, and most up-to-date scale. The story soon grips one's interest, aiul holds it fast. Early the spectatorate is introduced to' a secret society, of whom one Hargrove is a member. Hargravo I,wears loyalty to tho band of \ masked men and women, and attends their meetings.' Soon, trickery, is expected, and a woman ' member, of the society detects Hai'grave as the traitor. He is shadowed, and the society learn that he is about to quit with a large sum of money which, in their view, he should leave behind him. A few hours before tho time fixed for his departure he receives a note to the effect that-that night he must hand over the million Hollars no lias secreted, otherwise ho will be killed, and "all exits are guarded." Ho investigates, and finds armed men watching all P 1 } 111 ™ of escape. .He shaves his beard and alters his general appearance, and in the mint light one sees two hands open the salo and extract the million dollars worth ot notes. Hargrave, climbs to the root, and fires a rocket, carrying message to a balloonist: "Come quickly!ganger. The balloon arrives, and he climbs into the basket with the aeronaut, i e balloon soars aloft, and the men who were guarding the place' fir ®. their rifles, but -marksmanship does lot appear to have been ono of the qualm ■rations for membership of the societj. At length, however, oiio .shot cripple*. th ■balloon, and it drops into a sheet ot water. At-.this interesting stnge the week's portion:of the picture ends, leaving one wondering whose the money from the safe, what became of the men in the balloon, and ing one determined to nursue the. mystery to its solution ere h,« r Viiil ingood supporting pictures on the tall, in chiding an excellent Keystone comedy. THE EMPRESS THEATRE. Yesterday's change of programme at the Empress was-a particularly good one. There were pictures in plenty, enough variety to satisfy the most fastidious, tastes. Chief among the new attractions was one entitled, "The Frame Up. it is a story of a feud between members of a gang of crooks, brought about by two of tTiem falling in love with tho same girl. The film is replete with sensational incidents, and is one of the bcot seen here by Kalem artists. The various situations have to be seen to be appreciated. Another good picture, lie Wouldn't Stay Down," is. presented by Mack Sennet. It introduces lord. Sterling, who made the Keystone' Company famous. He introduces a lot of novel and very daughable comedy work into the farce. The '-Topical Budget contains all the latest "newsy" war doings at the front. Included in the. pichire as Ivit.chener's reception at the Guildhall, and Dublin's jvelcome to O Leary, the hero who gained the Victoria Cross for bravery. Other pictures include:' Ture Gold, a Vitagrapli study with a pleasing moral, and-'The Wily Widow. ;

THE BRITANNIA. Such success ■ attended the recent big picture drama by the World's Film Corporation at the Britannia Theatre that the management of this popular house of amusement deemed it advisable to secure for its patrons another film by the same producers. This. is a five-reel idyl of the early: Victorian period in. England screened uiider. the title of The Wishintr Ring." It was introduced to Wellington picture lovers yesterday, and capacity business was' rccordeu at practically all sessions. Judging by: the opinions expressed, the new film would probably run as long as its predecessor at the Britannia but it is announced that the season will be limited to six afternoons and evenings. "Tho Wishing Ring is m every sense of the word a unique picture, and the acting has been left to a talented cast. Chester Barnet appears as Giles, the son of the gouty' Earl of Bateson, while Miss Vivian Martin plays Sally, the poor parson's daughter, whoso lovo for roses brings her into a world which opens her eyes to the beauties, of nature. Miss Martin is a young, beautiful, and clever actress, who will be 6een in other numbers' at this'theatre as".time goes on. Her 'acHng is fnll of- charm, and makes a particularly strong appeal to the gentler sex, who will look for her again. - Musical selections are rendered during the screening of r the- picture by the Britannia Orchestra, which: has lately been strengthened in numbers.

"MS . CLOCHES 'DE CORNEVILLE." ■ The box plans for the Wellington Amateur Operatic. Society's_ season of "Les Cloches de Corneville" is due to open at The Bristol rooms this ■ morning. That we have ,had-nothing'in the way of comic opera since the society's performance of "Paul Jones" is ample justification for the society's existence, and proves that they fill a deserved place in the musical needs of the community. Tho cast of "Les Cloches" will be particularly , interesting, as several of the performers _are well-known 6ingers and • social entertain-ers,-though not one of the protagonists has ever played important Tples in comic opera heretofore. The characters have fen allotted as follow:—Germaine, Miss Annie Sullivan; Serpolette. Miss Bel Wilford (daughter of Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.); Christoplie, Miss Doris Jt'Cormack; Janette. Mrs. Miirie Fix; Grenieheux (tenor), Mr. H. Dunn; the Marquis (baritone), Mr. Frank Chariton; Gaspard, Mr. H. &. Shakes; the Baillie, Mr. D. A. Kenny; Gobo, Mr. A. Shaw. The entire production is being directed by Mr. Tom Pollard, whilst the musical direction is in the capable hands of Mr. Bernard P. Page. The whole of the net proceeds is to - be handed over to the Wounded Soldiers' Pund.