ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2509, 12 October 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

' ' / TEE KING'S THEATRE. vi'.A fine new,programme is being screened nt tho King's Theatre this week. It was . shown last evening , for tho first time, and was oicellentl;« received. The.bill is headed by "Her: one of the . ■ rarest of '.comedies.. The story represents '; a most■ interesting problem. ' A young girl makes.; a hero.. of tho .village; blacksmith, "aad'dcclares sho will many no other. How ' sho "ia.weaned'' from ■ her VohoiCe, and; how "her .heart;comes, back to ;her,boy sweet- , heart, forms-the thread of an exceedingly interesting;, plot. . : N "Her-, Shattere<l Idol is fairly alive with humour, and the scenes showing the efforts, of, the.blacksmith' to ir. certain society are gerus ofrmirtb ; piovoking comedy. One of;- the most .•unique, situations of. all occurs in , the ..heroine's dream, in which sihe;is the prizo for which two giant cave men battle to / .tho death. Principal' parts in the piece ore taken by Mae MaraVand Robert Harron,' hvo very .'accomplished' members of . the profession.' The latest "Gazette", is full of interesting topical' news, including ; scenes at the opening of the New Zealand Hospital in London;: The Selig.Company is repreknted on the bill by an i-mpres-.sive animal drama, entitled "His Jungle ■ ;.'''.'':,Bweetiliieart'. J '';'lt' ; is the.strange story of a • girl who has a remarkable charm over wild animals. Some beautiful views are screened in a film; from the Island of Ischia, and an interesting subject is "Tho , Dance of the Malays." "Cartoons in a ' Laundry" is a laughter-raising Edison pic- ■' ture. / " "• • ' ' ,■' HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. . There were ' some .excellent features in ' : • .'.the' new bill presented to a large . audi- ; enco 'at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. ;,Chief among these: was a high-class singing -turn' by Miss Maisie Polard and . Mr. Fred. Jackson,;the like of which has ... not;been heard : in this.theatre for d-long time. Miss Pollard, who; is 'bountifully . equipped as' a vocalist, lias a full, healthy, ringing soprano, which -shirks nothing, and which is used, with plenty of. confidence .and discretion. - She introduced herself in the familiar;"ll Bacio" ■ romance, which the •Tirility of the lady's voice. Then Mr. Jackson took his seat.at the piano, and to-' gether they orooned an. ear-tickling tagtime ditty. -Mr. Jackson; sang a verso of "Talte a Pair of Sparkling Eyes". (from . ; "The Gondoliers")' very charmingly, and together these gifted, artists sang the v popular "Miserere"; duet from "II Trovatore," which was very well received. As ■ an extra song ,Miss Pollard endorsed the good already,, .formed, "of .her abilities by. singing,, a. very pretty waltz song 'from "Tho Pink Lady." A popnlai .entertainer is Mr.Xeonard Nelson, a very: . finished'■ musical- comedian, who always ' manages to secure; the. catchiest of 6ongs, and/makes the very. mostlof them. His "Matrimonial Handicap" and "The Difference in the Morning" evoked a roar of approval, "and he had to add those established favourites, "When Married" and *T Followed Her," in the singing of which-his easy comedy bubbled pleasantly. Lovers of Caledonian , song and . lvumour were appeased by the good sing- , ; " ing 'of Mr. Arthur. Douglas, who is heard to better advantage in* straight;' songs Tather than his- comic effusions, which

were only mildly amusing. '-. lii "Mary of !Argyle" and •'.'The;!. Weo. ; Hoose"- Mr.; ■Douglas iras quite acceptable. : Mr. Lew Hoffman, described'as "the hat nianiac," returned- to juggle as' comically and neatly as heretofore with a wide, Yarietjr of hats and tennis balls. Another newcomer in the vocal lino was Miss Louie Duggan, in whose powerful'soprano organ' the -vibrato, is over-developed. She sang "Rose of Jly. Heart" ,and;;another .love, Bong of less serious intent. ' M'Connell arid Austin, repeated their' brilliant antics .op the bicycle and- parts of it; ;Eowley arid 'Tointon danced , their, way into favour on the slats; and Edenbury'repeated his daring head , and haiulTbalaiicing. act. The Collyer Sisters, two lively serios, are effective; singers and dancers, rather above t.he average in, their cla-sraml Nat Hanley -repeated liis whistling, performance.

i, EVERYBODY'S ' THEATRE.;. The head-liner; of the new. budgot of Jiictnies ■at EvorylxxlyV Theatre this week is a special feature drama." by the Xiibiri : Companyj "Whom the Gods Would . •Bestrojc." ' The plot, which is unravelled* with: truljr dr.nnatio effect, surrounds two Knsiness partners—John',Strong and James Rice.' TJie one, John. Strocj, is a wayward scoundrel, who; in his- never-ending piirsiiit'of Bohemian pastimes lias squandered a' very considerable, fortune and endangered -the .business. - The other, James Rice, becoming incensed at his partner's "carryingS:on," threatens to' dissolve the partnership. .. With' ruin facias' him. Stronir . .becomes despsrato, and : .after beinjr foiled in an attempt to borrow money from : the.Jfather>f Bice'fl fiancee, sees hone only: m .fh'e.dealh of Ms partner. Seizins. noon Rice's fontlJiess for candy, he:"nurehases a box, and after having pot the intents dru£<r»d po=ts them to Rie». receives the. sweets: on his. weddina dnv. .and. after .partaking.. if somer sets out ; for the church. ' The wiison ..fateseffect, _nnd the victini': d ; es during the'ceremony. The rbmbined efforts." of: a - detective and.. t.ho . f)(ipf"e Wadi'iJlyVrosult' in; th« <»rnerln« of ptron<r. who. nfter a thrilling, plunge for libertv. is 'kilM in > motor collinion with n' train; ': The actinc- throughout is' much above t.ho ordinary, while the Se.ttini of the wVture and the uhd«rcurreht of lote mako up an intenselv in.. a*>d; realistic production. "The Million Poller Jlyi=terv" provide o arotti<>" "thriller." while the "Ofaumnnt, Graphic" fwitl> .t"p!".M war views), and ."Merely a Married Man" (comedy) balance the dramatic portion of the programme.'

LAST KELLER-MAN NIGHTS. The. fascinating photo-drama, "Neptune's Daughter," with Annette Kellerinan in tho' title role, is entering on its closing nights at the People's Picture Palace. In this remarkable romance in pictures, Miss Kellrrmnn. demonstrates her marvellous versatility ' by appearing, first as the mermaid and later as the mortal. maiden who becomes queen. This unique photo-play has in Wellington, as in Melbourne and Sydney, broken.all pictorial ' records for length of run, as, when the season closes,'"Neptune's Daughter" will have played this City for . threo consecutive ' weeks at the same theatre, with'a : daily matinee. The box plan is at The Bristol.

: "DAMON AND PTTHIAS." ; : "Damon and Pythias," the gorgeous photo-drama, whose production has been 'delayed owing to the tremendous success of "Neptune's Daughter," will be given its first presentation at the People's Pic : ture Palace next week. "Damon and Pythias" tells the well-known 6tory of the greatest friendship in the history of mankind.. Grecian life, is fully shown, and ; 6ome'stirring battle scenes are given, where Pythias drives the Carthaginians fromthe Greek City'of Agrigentum. This great spectacular drama has been unanimously endorsed by the Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias, and one million other Knights in the United States nnd Canada, and is officially sponsored by them. Tho roles of Damon; and Pythias are respectively enacted by William Worthington and Herbert Eawlinson,. two wellUnown Broadway stars. It is 6aid that lover 2000 people were engaged in the production of this gigantic spect-aclo. J. C.-WILLIAMSON MUSICAL COMEDY SEASON. " . . ' ;The box plans for the eleven perform- : ances by, J. C.,-' Williamson's new English Musical Comedy' Company, commencing at the Grand. Opera House next Saturday night, will be opened at the Bristol-oil Thursday morning at 9 o'clock. This compaiy,; specially organised to present in Australasia all the latest and most successful, musical comedies of the English stage, ia 6aid to 1 be composed of smoe of the finest artists ever seen in the colonies 'J'hey will have an opportunity of displaying their ability here in. three different musical comedies, all of which bear the hall-mark of London approval. The first production will' be "The Girl in the Taxi," described as a Parisian novelty in three acts. It was played for two seasons in London and contemporaneously made an enormous success throughout America. J.. C. : Williamson, Ltd., first presented it to the Australian public .in Sydney last year, • and' the impression it: created, and the success ■ achieved, may be gauged from the following, taken from the review of the production of a leading Sydney journal:—"The conditions of bright action, brilliant colouring, beautiful dressing, smart comedy, and ,a. book of unusual cleverness, combined with sparkling music, were all fulfilled in the new 'musical-.'show at Her Majesty's. What queer, tangles take place in the development of the plot are too good to be even hinted at, lest the pleasure of those who will see the musical comedy during the coming weeks should be spoiled by..'anticipation."This flattering enconium' has subsequently been; emphatically endorsed in Melbourne, and yet again in Auckland. 'where the jtiece' played to overflow-, ing houses. . The season is to be limited to eleven nights, but, notwithstanding this, three, of the lnt&st 'mnoical successes are. to be presented.; as followsSatur*>T.t Mends v. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. October 16; 18, 19. 20, and 21, "The Girl in the Taxi''; Fridov. Saturday, Holiday, and Tiippdnv,- October 22, 23. .95. and : 26, "Hi/rh Jinks"; Wednesday and Thnrsdav. October 27 and 23, "The-Girl on'the. Film." V; EMPRESS, THEATBE. .A sensational, drama by the Yitagrapli Company, entitled "The. Enemies," a sea story of,the Jack London type, was presented at the Empress Theatre for tho first'., time , yesterday., It is.a, powerful sea story, .anil tells of the punishment meted out to a scoundrel who liad caused the;fall of an innocent girl. . The girl's brother, a sea captain, seeks'out the'villain," a politician, and arranges" to have him "shanghaied" and taken to sea among a gang of cut-tliroat ruffians ruled by a brutal and tyrannous first mate. The life on the sailing ship amongst. these 'surroundings'' provides some of the most realistic and thrilling situations. The various scenes have been, faithfully reproduced in" exceptionally fine photography.. The : supporting pictures are also good. There is one which should appeal to New Zealanders at the present time. It is a moving-oicture of the Maori Reinforcements'from Auckland for the front. The "Tonical Budget" is full of interest, this week. 'Many scenes of convalescent soldiers enjoying; themselves in England can -be seen, as well as lruse crowds in Italy celebrating Italian -victories over the Austrians: • Another interesting film de"ietsHi'. Lloyd Geproe. Minister of Munitions, arriving at Cardiff to attend the Miii ere' Strike .Conference. -.'.A good.impression is : ilso obtainod of the' ereat ■service outside, St. .Paul's Cathedral, at which the Bishop of T.ondon addressed over 400"'troops prior, tn their deODThrre for. the; front. v "How" Mary Fixed It" is a particularly , film, with Jtar.v Pickford.' in the title role. . A T.'iliin cartoon, "Barnyard Mix Up" and "Making Bread in Persia" complete the programme. • -. 1 ■' ' , '