ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2596, 19 October 1915, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"THE GIRL IN THE TAXI." Another large and enthusiastic audience greeted tho second production of "The Girl in the Taxi" at the Grand Opera Honse last night. The picturesque setting of the play, the brightness of the music, and the vein of light comedy that runs through the piece together have appealed to playgoers in. a manner that best asserts itself at the bos office. - There will b® three more performances of "The Girl in the Taxi," and "High Jinks" will follow on Friday, and "The Girl on the Film" will be staged on Wednesday and Thursday week. The accomplished work of those redoubtable comedians, 'aTessrs. C. ,H. Workman, W. H. Rawlins, Field Fisher, Chris. Wren, and Hugh Huntley, has only to be witnessed to bo appreciated in its proper_vein. The delightful singing, dancing, and.acting of Miss Dorothy Brunton are also worth seeing. Other favourites are Miss Gwon Hughes, Cecil Bradley, Florence Vie, Daisy Yates, and the successful new baritone, Paul Plunket. ■ The stage settings,, lighting, and general effects of the performance are highly creditable. In the production of "High Jinks," in which on Friday another additional stage favourite—Miss Mario Eaton—will make her first appear-ance-in association with tho other talented members of the company, another three hours of delightful entertainment is promised, and a further fund of hilarity may.be anticipated. The box plans for the season are now on view at the Bristol. The performance this evening will be under tho patronage and in tho presence of His Excellency _the Earl of ' Liverpool, the Countess of Liverpool, and party from Government House. r ! HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. ■ | One who wishes to be mystified may be •thoroughly puzzled if he witnesses the work of Herbert Brooks at His Majesty's this' week. Brooks comes to us J"... .jondon as the "king of mystifiers," i and truly he has some claim to his title.' His chief act is a box trick, which is remarkable in the extreme. Respecting this' box trick, it is said that a trio of magicians offered a prize to anyone, who oould create a box trick similar to theirs. Brooks created a delusion for which he ilaimed the money, but his claim was disputed, and protracted litigation followed. In the end Brooks succeeded, and secured the prize and 20,000 dollars costs, wherefore the trick is known as the 30,000 dollar steel chest. The • trick consists of Brooks entering- a steel chest, which is jnclosed in a bag, which is roped up li* aien 'from the audience. 'When all is >ecure, a curtain is drawn, and in a minute, Brooks appears. Last.evening, •he ; completely baffled the big audience, who heartily applauded him. His card and other tricks are novel and clever. Among the new artists were the Musical Ibsons, who. rendered delightful music, vocal and instrumental. Lew Hoffman, "the hat maniac," is direct from America, and another new set of artists is the Do-Re-ili trio, who entertain in comedy. Among other performers are Arthur Douglas (Scotch comedian), Louie (balladist), Pollard and Jackson (duettists), Leonard Nelson (comedian), The Colliers, Billy Wells, and the Eolair JTwins.

' "DAMON AND PYTHIAS." . It is curiously interesting at the'present juncture, when a whole worla is waiting to learn of the part Greece intends to play in the: great war, to see depicted very beautifully the • purely Greek picture, "Damon and Pythias," tho old, old story of a friendship between two men that even tho terrors of death could not sever. ' This picture, " introduced by llr. Fred. Shipman, was successfully screened before a highly appreciative attendance at,the People's I'ictuTe Palace yesterday afternoon, and in its course displayed fresh graces in camera histrionics and some very fine scenery, recalling, the halcyon days of ancient Greece. The story, made familiar to school child-, ion recently per medium of the ."School Journal," deals'" mainly with ; three central characters, Dionysius, the chief general ,-,of Syracuse, Damon, a leading senator, and Pjthias, a noted warrior. Dionysius, an arch-plotter for ■■.the!. crown,' likes not Damon and his friend, and'sends the latter awav to fight the Carthaginians, hoping that" xie will never return, but Pythias returns triumphant,-, and is made the liero of the hour, and even defeats the chief general in . a chaTiot ■. race. Against the good of the State and the wishel' of Damon, Dionysius is crowned, but so incensed is Damon against him for the trickery practised to win. the crown that he strikes him, and is condemned to death. Pythias, on learning how matters have gone with his friend, implores Dionysius to allow Damon to see his wife and "child before he goes to his death,' and to show his great love offers to become Damon's hostage. Seeing a possible riddance of Pythias as well as Damon, Dionysius consents—Damon has to return by sunset or Pythias must die! Whilst in prison Dionysius, through Calanthe, the woman he loves, _ tempts Pythias to escape, but his friendship proves stronger than love, and dearth More desirable than dishonour. Damon is delayed through the act of a loving slave (who does not desire his master to return to his death),.'but arrives broken and weary just as Pythias, is-laying his head upon tho block. Dionysius, wonderstruck at such, a manifestation 'of " godlike friendship, throws ''off the disguise he has assumed in which to witness the execution, and pardons Damon, among the joyous clamour of the multitude. The superb mounting and. costuming in this photo-play, combined with tho artistic

acting of the chief roles, makes it a picture well worth while. Unfortunately the picture could not be shown lost evening. Whilst another picture was being reeled off soon after S o'clock last evening the machine broke down, too badly to be repaired there and then, and tho management had reluctantly to announco that either tickets for another performance or the money would bo returned.

THE KING'S THEATRE. Heraluing in the new programme at (ha King's Theatre this week is a picture of especial merit, entitled Tho Sons of Satan." Adapted from a story of that fascinating author, William Le Queux, "Sons of Satan" embraces all the sensation and subtlety of the story with the added merit of the reality of the living pioture. The story centres chiefly upon a man, Harry Normand, who from his birth is destined to be a disciple of Satan. Growing to manhood, tho evil spirit still enshrouds the purveyor of badness, who, in time gathers about him a desperato and clever. gang of rogufs and blackmailers. Normand at convenient moments is a famous detective, known as Paul do Vilereau, and so is enabled to gain "insidio informStion" which proves of great assistance to the gang. Clever and successful as he has been, Normand becomes involved in the toils of love. Infatuated with a beautiful actress, who is already engaged to another, he finds scope- for his villainous ingenuity in his scheming against the girl's lover, but finally entangled in the mesh of his crime his career as a son of Satan, is extinguished with no little sensation. Written by Le Queux, the very vital interest of the film is assured, but with the combined effects of most excellent photography, arid the splendid acting of such artists as Charles Rock, Gerald Ames, and Jane Gail, the picture reaches a very high standard. The rest of the programme is also good. The comic element is supplied by a most humorous production of tho IComiii Company, entitled "Bepp, the Barber" (featuring Fay Tincher). So'me very interesting views are shown of Yellowstone Park, a place described as the "Rotorua of America." Cartoons from "John Bull's Sketch Book" (humorous), and "The European Gazette," with topical war pictures, complete a fine programme.

' -EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. At Everybody's Theatre yesterday tho sensational series of pictures running under the title of "The Million Dollar Mystery" were continued, when the fifth episode, "At the Bottom of the Sea," was shown. This episode is full of dramatic situations, and the gang appear at one stage to he well on the way to securing the great; prize which they are after. The butler, however, leads them on a false track, and a thrilling motorboat race takes place, to end in disaster to the conspirators, aDd a thrilling motor explosion. Tho programme also includes "The Midnight Limited," an up-to-date i. railway drama, in which a young girl takes some tremendous risk 6 in capturr ing two railway desperados. The girl is first attacked in a train, but her great resource enables her to get away from the burly ruffians. EMPRESS THEATRE. A story of a reprobate's rise, fall, and redemption is being told at the Empress Theatre this week in the Clarendon Co.'s dramatic study, entitled "In the Blood," | It is a stirring society drama, intending to show, hereditary inilucnce, and it porI trays the.struggles and trials of a young [man whose father was of un unworthy nature. He is gifted, however, witn many of the finer traits of his mother. The story is a pathetic one, telling of his courtship ana marriage to a, worthy girl, his temptation his struggle, Ins early, success in winning against his worst passion, his associations with bad friends, who were supposed to l>a good leJlows, ano the intervention in his family life of an unscrupulous cousin. Tho acting of the principals is of a high order. Some of the scenes are exceptionally good, giving ons an excellent impression of high society life. The mountings and stage settings are of a gorgeous nature, and the dresses worn by the ladies in the piece ■■indicate the latest fashions. It is a picture with a moral, and the crowds which attended at all sessions yesterday appeared to appreciate it. This week's •'iopicat- Budget'.is above the ordinary in interest: It includes a scene taken at tho opening of the special New Zealand Hospital in London for New Zealand's wounded soldiers. The Hon. T. Mackenzie and several other well-known personages in New Zealand can be seen. The various war pictures command attention. Billie Ritchie, Charlie Chaplin's double, is to be seen in a laughable comedy, "The Fatal-Npte." The supporting pictures are also good—a scenic film taken in Spain being particularly fine.

"REVENGE" AND "JOAN OF ARC." To-night at the Town Hall the Well:ngton Musical Union will render-Tenny-son's poetic narrative of the most extraordinary incident in British naval history. Several of the themes used by the composer are adaptations of nautical airs of the time; "Joan of Arc" was composed for the Birmingham Festival of 18S7, and abounds in fluent melodies and excellent part-writing in the chorus. Madame Wielaert, of Auckland, has been engaged to sing the part of Joan, Mr. H. F. Green, of Masterton, for the tenor work, and Mr. C. Clarkson and Mr. F. Charlton for the baritone parts. Seats may toe reserved at the Bristol.

' 1 Dog-collars studded : with pearls, and costing between £700 and £800, have, in several cases, been bestowed by society ladies on tneir. Pekingese pets.