ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2578, 28 September 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

MARY PICKFORD AT THE KING'S. An , enthusiastio orowd packed , the King's Theatre to its utmost capacity last night in order to see the famous picture ■ actress, Miss Mary Pickford, in her new role in the excellent film entitled "Such a Little Queen." The play is in five parts, shown from three reels, and is the best production of tho Famous Players Company that has been screened in .Wellington. Miss Pickford, os Queon Anna Victoria of Herzgovina, gave amoat delightful performance, passing from. gravity or gaiety to .'demuren ess and heroic pride, gracefully and easily,-'without straining for effect; yet 'swaying the' house with, every emotion., .The story deals with kings and QueenS !'of .the smaller kingdoms .in. the, Balkan States, and tho 1 trials which beset them in both the hard field of politics and the imaginative realm of romance. Anna "Victoria, Queen of Herzgovina, and King Stephen of-Bosnia are being forced into a marriage in order, to weld the destinies of the two nations, when a revolution,' engineeredby a : jealous cousin causes thorn both, to leave their countryStephen has already a strong friend in a rich American, ajid to that, country .'lie. flies.. ■ Queen-.Anna-also travels to the. United States, Both are penniless, and are oompelled to go to work. Queen 'Anna becomes a translator, and King Stephen, a clerk in the employ of a millionaire. The millionaire" is willing to - supply -funds in" order win back the Kingdom of Bosnia, for - Stephen, if he .will consent to marry the millionaire's daughter, Vand so make her a _ shining. -. light in European, society;\bqt King Stephen has'fallen deeply in love with Queen' Anna, and finds that his love.,is' reciprocated. Eventually the revolution lias been quelled, tho queen returns to the glamour, of a throne, 1 King Stephen is called back , to Bosnia, and the house is left with-the knowledge that' the, wedtfsrg bells will soon bo ringing "for tho "lovers-and so make the': two little kingdoms X one. "Such a Little Queen" is crowded iritli .incident. It starts with a snap; one. instinctively feels by'the end of the first reel that the action of,the jilay- has got to', move fast to, sustain ithe interest so unmistakably. established. iThe! opening is striking. There is shown a : panoramic view of the Kingdom ■of HerzgoYina in the valley, _the v great % mountains in the background and a like scone :of the Bosnian centre. It is an - atmospheric touch that is very, effective..'The - principal : characters_are well, sustained. Cariyle Blackwell, as King Stephen- of Bosnia, is distinctly convincing in the scenes where he "is betrothed to i a: queen for: whom ■ he cared nothing, - and : powerful as the wooer of: a queeii'without a kingdom. , Russel Barret, as the , prime- minister of Queen Anna,-Harold •Lockwood, as, the American business irian abroad, and Arthur Hoops, as Prince Eugene, . contribute materially to ! the success of the. romance." "finch .a 'Little Queen" is a big production in 'every sense,. without a dull. moment in it. - The supporting programme is characterised iby strength'and variety.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. ■ An excellent entertainment is provided by the. artists who appear at His Majesty's Theatre thi3 week. . last evening the new bill drew a very fair-house, and recalls, were frequent. Among the new turns 'that of Hennery and Martell is of 4 specialf notice." They describe their very clever work as a "comedy; juggling act."'. 'Like a great deal of: comedy juggling it isextremely. difficult.; «and it is a sure sign of excellent' execution that the two. artiste/ perform the whole business with seeming ease. A straw .hat and tennis balls are implements which have often lent • themselves to juggling, and in this instance they are put-to' remarkably good use. Clubs are manipulated .in - that wonderful fashion that first-class "cultivate,'/ .and even a big cannon ball is : juggled with and caught: on various parts of the body. The big ball figures in a. rather daring trick,, in which, both jugglers participate. One. places the ball on the end of a pole, and Taises the. pole to liis ■ chin, wnere ihe balances;, it : with the.; ba11... aloft. The other is fooling "~around 'with, a too.bm, and knocks the pole ■ cleanly. away. The first cleverly, catches the heavy balibe- . shoulders. Another' Particularly. good tnrn was. that. of .the Eclair Brothers, equilibrists;; whose accuracy and skill was The .Juenets appeared: in a. highly nqvel gymnastic "performance,'which stamped them as : 'fine artists.. '..Miss ' Violet .Trevenyon ;.'(soubrette), the Bhodesbnrys (patter 'comedian?).' Miss Eileen '.Henry (vocalist), Miss Dbrothy Harris : (ragtime. specialist), the Two Gibsons (cdmmediennos and dancers), and-Nat: Hanley also appeared.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. Crowded sessions at Everybody's Theatre yesterday proved that: "The: Million Dollar Mystery" has roused-the interest of the moving picture pub'ic. The second episode of the great film serial'ls quite as escitirisr as the first, ,aiid ends at a ; stage of the story where the onJookers are looking for starting''developments; The episode shows how the heroine is betrayed to the criminal gang .by'a pseudo - friend, a .princesWJwho' : is herself a aiember of the society known as the, Black Hand. Her' escape from the.net is recounted in soma sensational scenes, which are harmonised in a manner which' reflects credit on:. the' producers. If the remaining ohapterp of i the mystery are as good as the. first two. interest will not flag until the end of . the story is reached. Supporting, items this week include a Keystone comedy entitled "Those College. Girls." This is rmito up to the high standard of ploturo comedy for whioh the Keystone

Company has Become noted. Most, of the laughter. is created "by Charles: Murray, .who plays the part of janitor at a girl's college. Several of tho company's other well-known artists assist to make the fun fast , and- furious. A topical item of much interest just now is "The Royal Danish Navy,'' giving an idea of what' armed neutrality mean?. Latest news from the theatres of war is portrayed in the Gaumont Graphic, Musical mimbars by an efficient orchestra brighten the entertainment. ,

EMPBESS THEATRE. \ At all* sessions yesterday the Empress Continuous Picture Theatre, in Willis Street, was crowded to overflowing. The attraction was Charles Chaplin, who is described is ono of the greatest comedians of the day, in a 6000 ft. film, entitled "Tillie's : Punctured Romance." People who wish to obtain i seats at this theatre "at subsequent screenings of this most laughable film should go early. Last night the management were reluctantly compelled, to'turn hundreds away. As a laughter-raiser "Tillie's Punctured I?o----miincc" is one of the. best- seen-' in "Wellington for some considerable time. This new .film was .produced under the direction of Mack Sannctt, the author, and in addition to Charles Chaplin, it is the first time that'those two excellent comediennes. Marie Dressier and Mabel Norland, _ have appeared in the same piece. The picture has to be seen to be {ippreqiated. There, are numerous situations too funny to be described. The acting and stage settings are all that could be desired, and the three principals find themselves in®ome of the most ludicrous situations. Charles Chaplin and Mabel Normand have done Rood work together ; in.-the "past. but in "Tillie's Punctured Romance" they excel themselves. Mario Dressier, who is being seen here in comedy: for the: first tijne, causes roars «f laughter every-time she. appears on the screen, and she is as 'excellent as the other artists. As the screening takes up the whole of the time of. an onlinary programme, it is the-only. pictur.e being shown at the Empress at present "Tillie's Punctured Romance" will be shown to-day-and to-morrow only.

, ARMIES OF EUROPE. Pictures-of "Tho Arniies of Europe at War," which are said to be vibrant with thrilling scenes of heroic death,' will be shown in the cosy Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday next. This film .of over 8000. feet, the. management -state, is composed of- authentic, scenes showing all the world's armies in times of national stress. One of the actual photographers who took most of the pictures relates his thrilling experiences on the Continent, describes every scene with vividness and precision. Over, 170 different incidents are thrown on the screen and fully described, including views of "Our Boys", on their way to Egypt, and when leaving for the Dardanelles; the Turks v in Gallipoli preparing for war, and going into action; the British, French Belgian, Italian, and German troops in the trenches fighting; cities being bombarded; .buildings destroyed; the : 4.7 armoured* express train in action; the London Scottish in the battle of Messines (heroes everyone of them); French troops relieving the British at ypres; British relieving the French; dirigibles in action; aeroplanes taking observation; •-big guns' '.in- action; troops storming the heights with bayonets fixed; a three days' battle near Ypres; the King of Belgium.with his troops;.the Marines at Antwerp in charge of the late Anthony F. Wilding; Dreadnoughts in action, including. "Big' Lizzie" on her way to the Dardanelles, : etc. box plan is open at tho Bristol Piano Co.

"LBS CLOCHES DE CORNEVILLE." A distinct improvement was. noticeable all round in the performance by the Wellington Amateur Operatic Company of "Les Cloches de Corneville" at the Grand Opera House last evening. . The whole of the principals 1 had evidently benefited by Sunday's rest after, the/streniious' da'ys of preparation'last week, and were able to concentrate better on their work. Miss A.nne Sullivan was seen to distinct advantage as Germaine, and Miss Wilford was pert and vivacious as Serpolette. ,Mi\;H. G. Shakes gavq a steadier and more even performance as Gaspard, and Messrs. Frank Charlton and U. Dunn were much more sure bf. themselves as the, Marquis and Gremcheux respectively than on. the. opening night, whilst the humour of the Baillie (Mr, D. A. Kenny) and Gobo (Mr. Alva Shaw) wero greeted with ' hearty laughter. ' The chorus is one of ;the best heard in ■ Wellington, and the opera is beautifully mounted.