ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2584, 5 October 1915, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

GOOD BII.L AT HIS MAJESTY'S. Of sheer necessity the quality of the taleut available week by week 'for His Majesty's Theatre varies, but,tho past six months has seen a levelling up iu the general standard employed by the Fuller management, and there are times when the bill is equal to tho very best vaudeini s ' :au( ' ar d we know in New Zealand. J.lie pi'ograinino presented last evening, for example, would do credit to any :theatre in the world, and if it is not •reflected in the box office the public will be lacking in that discernment they are -generally credited with and, more often than,not, show. Many eccentric dancers have sprawled and capered round tho stage of His Majesty's Theatre, but none have approached iu physical irresponsibility [no weird gyrations of Mr. Clemons, of Clemons and Dean, who are billed as tanglefoot dancers and musical comedy artists. Mr. Clemons and'those wonderful legs aud feet of his are hung together on tho semi-detached plan. One leg never by any chance tells tho other what it is doing—not even a whisper. Not only this, but Clemons despises dancing on his toes only. Ho employs- both ankles and both au amazing .inebriate's dance, and. kicks the air high abovo his tall black hat with .0110 leg .whilst the other is corkscrewing tho air laterally. Miss Dean °is also a graceful dancer, aud together they sing, and sing well, tho frivolousduet, "The Must bo Married." Leonard Nelson was accorded a very hearty welcome, and his catchy songs, keen comedy sense, and admirable diction quicklf placed him on his old plane high fa public favour. In the merry lilt, "I Would Follow Her," he endeavoured to get the audionco to collaborate, and his knowledge of tho probablo response was conveyed by illuminated sign-words indicating in" vaudeville parlanco what he thought of tho various efforts. He was also amusing in "That Summer Suit" and "When You're Married." Rowley-.and Quointon showed extraordinary facility as clog dancers, both the lady and gentleman being attired in evening dress .of ivory white, shoivji to perfection before a background ■of black velvet curtains. 'The lady; performer also' appeared in allwhite Highland costume, aikl as an appendage to a Scotch song, danced Highland nng on her toe tip neatly, if not nationally. Hennessy and Martell, com-edy-jugglers, are quite out of the ordin.■ary,'both: in -their . smartness of .action andin the comedy by-piay, which accom-i panies their prodigiously clever jugglery, with Indian clubs, tennis balls, and 'a huge cannon ball. The comedian'of the pair is genuinely funny, and is an extremely agile acrobat to boot. Other newcomers who are given a good reception were M'Conneil and Austin, who exhaust the possibilities of trick cycling on tho ordinary bicycle, and tho single wheel, and Edenbury, a clean, clever hand-balancer and equilibrist, who makes tho most arduous upside-down feats appear easy. Miss Violet Treveuyon, the dainty English soubrette, is as charming and finished as ever, but the audience would have welcomed a selection of new. songs. The,- Two Gibsons, Nat Hanley, and the Eclair Brothers also' figure' on the programme. ' . ■

NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER. The picturesque photoplay, "Neptune's Daughter," is still delighting great audiences at the People's Picture Palace. Whether Annette (Miss role in tho play) is swimming in tho crystalline wate-8 about, Bermuda with her .mprmaid sisters; or diving in deep pools, with children peering eagerly at.ner; or furiously fighting for. her life with her toe under tlie waves, she is at all times wonderful, and the, picture is, as the New l ork Suh" termed it, "an epochmaking film," Daily matinees will be B'jven throughout the week. Tho box plans are at The Bristol; " ' THE KING'S THEATER A big crowd witnessed tho all-star,pro-' granime presented by the management of the King s Theatre last night. ■ Six fear>UAv n .'fttest edition of tho lathe Gazette combined to provide capital entertainment for patrons. The famous Vitagraph Company supply two items of the seven. One of-these is a brilliant comedy, entitled "War," which S fy'S l ' l6l- from start to o( the story takes plaoc- in America, where.there are many nations represented, most of them being directly connected with the'titanic Eur£ R s ' n !SSl?- A French family and a Wml I n i, nu! , y are t on distinctly warlike terms - The last straw is added to the parents! hate when the son and daughter of the respective families fall in " love fl° ■■ Eventually the marriage of r, c l lll(lrc, > make.? tho parents forget 0,1 u- *[""■£ ns mT - The other \ ttagraph subject is a drama, which is calculated to make a strong. appeal wherever screened. It is called "The Quality npnhmf' in! •nY fl ' 11 dramatic happenlngs. Tho Edison Company, which haa a happy knack of presenting cvery- °- f life pil tme form, is represented on the bill by 'Z comed ?. "It May w-'« '• , TJle . r6 1S a moral behind it all, but the story is one to. make peple laugh t v P Jv s ' - of , c t ,lite another type is trie- Lubin Ompany's production, "The H. , HeM Pathetic drama, with Lr5 b ," n not . e - The-story relates now the playing of a cornet, was the means of . separating husband and wife it j™ l ' l , o ' l6 ?/ enou gh. reconciliation was" enected by the samo means. "Mabel Lost n"d Won is an amusing farce-comedy ZJu\ Ke> ? ione - C ° m P al <r- It is well wortu its place on the programme.

EVERYBODY'S PICTURES. The new programme at Even-body's hm fV s i* 7 ery ml., and one of its clnof recommendations is its pleasing, variety. The star film «ti i he „ lv ® Bk 13 Fatty's Plucky Pup." iatty, of course, is.Koscoo Arbuckle, ana tho comedy he enacts is one of the best lie has done for the Keystone Comis in love irith a-girl, who is stolen and removed to some unknown j)lace». "FfiHv V dog locaios her, and a rescue'is effected. That is the story in a nutshell, and 'Tatty" ciabora i i on J, ,n h is remarkably humorous ntyle. These days nothing can well be inorc interesting that the topical war budgets, and this week's "Gaumoat GraP Im, ' interesting, up-to-date pictures. The "Graphic" deals entirely with army pictures, and pictures of various phases of the war. You see the Engineers at work throwing a bridge across a river; a machine-gun section at work; a display by an armoured motor-car; Sir John French's sister lighting cigarettes for wounded soldiers; wounded soldiers playin? bowls and being entertained bv a balret dancer; a big military turnout in LEngland; Highlanders on show in Canada; and so on. "The Million. Dollar. Mystery" retiches its third episode this week, and a higlily-eiciting episode it is. "The Leap in the Dark" is its title. A pttietic drama, "Mother's Justice?' alio lis on the'programme. EMPBESS THEATRE. , During the past few weeks the management of the Empress Theatre have been showing some excellent programmes, but tlii3 wcofc they have excelled themselves as far ns dramatic art is concerncd. "When London Sleeps" is the title of the new picture which was produced for the first time, in its nresent form,. in Wellington yesterday. "It is a tonse drama of London life, as it is lived to-day;.. Briefly told, the story is as follows Hilda Corrode, a noted 1 circus rider of other days, accidentally finds a certificato o.f marriage proving that her husband, Captain Kodnoy Haines, already had a wife when he married' her. She leaves him, and with her little child goes back to the giddy world of the. circus ring. Later she conceives an affection for a fellow-per-former, an acrobat namod David Engle heart, whose heart, however, turns towards a clever littlo wiro walker named Queenie' Ca'rfuthers. \ Later, the' girl Queenio inherits a fortune, and Captain Haines visits the circus and proposes to "thn wife who was no wife" that she should assist him in a scheme to obtain possession of the young gill's money. The woman's , better- nature is overmastered by the desire to part Davicl and Quoenie, and she at length consents. Many thrilling scenes lead up to the final* happy ending. Ethel Wigffan, the heroine, gives a pood'-interpretation of her part, and .at times, performs some wonderful feats. A special word of praise must bo given to the child actress. Hers is a nioritori- ' ous performance for one so young, . Tlin • r.aroe programme includes the Topical Budget and a comedy, "Watch Your

THfi ARMIES OF EUROPE AT WAR,

J*. ? eft to the camera in those days of jostling nations, to provide much of tlie detail of the momentous events which, besice the main issues of the war sink to the incidental. It is inevitable then that, the \vav pictures "The Armies of wirope at War/;* now showing at the Town Hall Concert,' Chamber should at.ract ,big • audiences. ■ The-pictures cover a wide range of subject?, including events of considerable local interest, such as the departure of New Zealand troops Nos. 8 and 12, and the parade of tlio New Zeatonders through Cairo. The amies of England, I ranee, and India arc shown in various stages of their training. Glimpses are .also, shown of doings, andplaces adjacent, to the firing line, an, armoured train in action, troops leaving tlio trenches/ and other pictures of considerable interest. During-the screening Hr. A. R<nve sings appropriate >songq, as also does Auss Miriam Russell, while explana-. torv remarks are made by Mr. G. Holmes. The picture will bo screened throughout the week.*. In order to cope with, the crowds anxious to see the picture, the management nave the big Town Hall for tomorrow evening when* a special 'military' night will be-held. : About 1000 of' the* soldiers in camp at Treiithnm have been invited to be present, and the Gamp Commandant, we are informed, has sanctioned their leave. Portion,.of-the proceeds will be given to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. During '-their Melbourne season the management gave one penny off each ticket to upatriotio fund, the total for the season being 50,000 pence: .DOROTHEA SPINNEY RECITAL. Another recital will be given at the Masonic Hall, Boulcott Street, this evenin? by # Miss Dorothea Spinney. A very attractive programme has been arranged, nic Pierrot Plaji (2) Irish Plays, and, (3), Riders of the Sea. Tickets may, be secured at tho Bristol Piano Company or at the door.