ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2789, 6 June 1916, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. His Majesty's new bill for the week was presented to a full house last evening- It is a well-varied programme, of a particularly entertaining description. Among the chief of tho new artists are the M'Leans, dancing specialists. Wonderfully neat and dainty on ithoir feet, they dance the polka, the mazurka, and tho waltz in their own amazing stylo. Certainly tho performance develops into a turn approaching acrobatics, and tho clement of dancing almost vanishes, but it is all very clever. Doranto made his bow to a Wellington audience in his novelty' Chinese musical act. Tho artist is critically attired, and produces no end of pleasing music from all sorts of instruments that in this part of tho world seem weird indeed. The audienco showed considerable partialty to his turn. One of tho most pleasing appearances of the evening was that of Jliss Nan Taylor, late of the "Bunty Pulls tho Strings Company." Mis 3 Taylor sang "Comin' Through the Eye" and "Annie Laurie" excellently. One could have listened to a much longer list from this specialist in Scotch song. Grace Quino proved herself a charming balladist of tho most welcome type. Her quiet way is very winning, and her items are good. Slavin and Thompson are clever in patter and song, and . Hazel Morris appears as a vendor of ragtime. Shijip and Gaffney are bright comedians and nimble dancers; George d'Alma, a master on the banjo; and Vernon and Eeid are competent equilibrists. Villiers Arnold and Pearl Lndd wero excellent in operatic songs; and Merton and Ryder rattled off a budget of fresh jokes, supplemented with suitablo songs.

. "THE LILY AND THE EOSE." The American producer of picture plays is quick to realise all those little emotional touches in the detailed arrangement of situation and expression in a picture, and gets a clutch hold 011 to the interest, early in tho picture, and nover lets go. This is the case in "Tho Lily and tho Eose," at the King's Theatre, a very charming and human story, and if tho main features are trite and conventional they are presented with a freshness and daring that must have its effect. The Lily in this cttso is very alluringly acted by Miss Lillian Gish, whose quaint staccato actions and girlish grace are peculiarly suited to tlie prim little country flower she represents. She lives quiotly with her two elderly aunts, and is about to interest herself in a young man next door, when she is thrown into contact with, a strong, vigorous, all-conquering city magnate, who, charmed with her unworldlincss, sweeps her off her feet, and marries her before she has time to regain her breath. The girl-wife learns to love her husband passionately, but as the months pass he tires of her adoration, and, seeking new sonsations, bccomes entangled, with Eose, the dancer at a roofgarden theatre. Lily, aware of her husband's infidelity, returns to tha sanctuary of her aunts' home. In tlie meantime her husband and Rose lead the gay life, until the dancer finds pleasure in another man's company. There ensues a sceno of dramatic intensity, in which tho man, desperately enfyjionred of the dancer, dares her to play him false, and then sets a trap to catch her. When, supposed to be miles away he returns, suddenly to find her with tho other man. Despairing utterly, ho shoots himself and is found dead under dramatically picturesque conditions. In the meantime Lily, in the quiet of her old home, conquers her grief, and as tho years creep on her boy lover from next door, now a successful author, woos and wins tho pretty widow. Such is the outline of the story, but it scarcely conveys a proper appreciation of the skilful scenario, the clever acting, and perfect photography. In addition to "The Lily and the Rose," there is an interesting "Patlio Gazette," with some live war pictures of Salonika and Verdun, and a snapshot of tho exiled King and Queen of Montenegro; a lively comedy, entitled "Playing the Sam.e Game," and some of excellent views of Nile-side scenes in Egyjit, and one of Mr. Andrew Fisher inspecting tho Australian'troops in Egypt ..'Ncxtviieek Mark .Pickford will be seen in "The Dawn of To-morrow" at the King's. ■

•, EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. The chief attraction at EverybodyV Picture Theatre this wdek'is a fine series entitled "The Innocense of Ruth." These portray tho experiences of a young and; beautiful girl whose inribcence leads her into many daugerou 8 situations, and causes her youthful guardian • many a.'i ' xious moments. Miss Viola Dana, up Ruth, is superb, and her chief support. Edward Earle, is a finished screen performer. Thore are some t'hrilling scenes in the play, which is enlivened by some lighter incidents. A vaudeville scene is. introduced, and provides Miss Dana a good opportunity for som'e excellent acting. A powerful scene is that in which Ruth is lured into the den of a would-be betrayer. Her guardian appears In "timo to save her, but is felled by the villain, who, however meets just retribu-. tion later on. Miss Dana's characterisation of Ruth is a fine piece of work. The play of her features alone is a work of art. As tho innocent girl, destitute <ii suspicion, and the disillusioned woman, she is alike convincing, and tho touch of the coquette in her final scene with'hei guardian reveals a versatility as great as her natural gift for dramatic expression. The picture is produced by the Edison Co. in its best style. A diverting comic series, "Jack Spratt's l'arrot as the Artful Dodger," and seme good naval pictures and views of "An'zac Day" in Sydney and London, go towards making up a well-solooted programme. EMPRESS. THEATRE. "Should a Wife Forgive" is one of the best dramas that the World Equitable Company has produced at the Empress Theatre. The story mostly concerns tho lives of four people—Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, Alfred Bedford, and La Belle Rose, a fashionable stage favourite. Jack Holmes, whose lifo is happy, with his wife and baby son, is one night attracted to a high-class restaurant by a quarrel amongst its wealthy customers. Here he is the means of protecting a pretty girl from insult. Introductions follow, and he becomes . infatuated by her Temirkable beauty and charm. From that moment ail thought of home ties were forgotten. The girl is known as La Bello Rose, who has attracted a wealthy young-man who is deeply enamoured of Tier. Holmes eventually becomes the backer of a "dramatic show," in which the beauty is given the stellar role. I'd order to do this Holmes has to borrow a largo sum of money from his wife. The wife attends the play and gathers that her husband is the financier of it; she writes a note to the actress, who has become to love Holmes. She reads the letter to him, and dares hirii to commit sui°ido with her. At this moment Alfred Bedford arrives and. sees his rival, a struggle takes place between tho two men, and.the girl is . accidental iwounded. The catastrophe causes Holmes to bitterly repeat his folly, and lie begs that his wife will forgive him. She promises to consider it, should his fnturo prove his sincerity, and ho is seen in the beginning of a new life. The actress' is taken to the hospital, where her repentance takes a real shape, and she becomes a sister of charity. The staging is on a lavish scale, and the costuming of a high order. The supporting programme includes a bustling comic, "Billy's Lucky Bill," tho latest Gazette, "British Battleships of To-day," and Anzac Day in London and in Sydney. PAUL DUFAULT. Tho box plant; for tho Paul Dufauifc season at the Grand Opera HoUs& will open at tho Bristol tc-niorrow morning. Tho season is limited to four concerts, which will be given next Saturday and tho following Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Tliero is no denying Paul Dnfault's power to draw the people, aud those of all classes, not al(inc ttto particularly musical element. He is not only a singer of remarkable gilts, but lie has the most valuable asset- of all; ho understands his audiences, and gives fliem just what the.v want to hear. be hoped hy many of his admirers that Mr] Dufaiilt will sing some of the songs ho popularised during his previous tour, as there are many whoso repetition would be welcomed. A, feature of the first con r cert will he the singing of "Tho Marseillaise" by Mr. Dufault. _ Tho assisting artists are. Miss Paulino Bindley, 6oprano; Miss Florence Scapini, violinist; and Harold Whittle, pianist.