ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2878, 16 September 1916, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE SHAKESPEAREAN SEASON. This afternoon, 1 at 2 o'clock, the final performance of "The Merchant of Voniee" will be given in the form of a matinee at the Grand Opera Houso. Tonight will initiate tho first of tie comedies for the present season. Air. "\V ilkia will have a contrasted character to interpret at Malvolia compared will) the Hebrew who insists on having his pound of flesh. An Auckland paper said of Miss Hunter-Watts as Viola: "Miss Hun-ter-Watts was excellent as Opehlia in 'Hamlet,' and as Portia in "Che Merchant of Venice/' and her Viola was looked forward to with interest. A pleasant surprise was provided, for Miss Wnlts's acting in the part fully rpvealed her personality and temperament. It will be a long time ere thoso privileged to witness the "Twelfth Night" will forget Viola, or as she is known meat of the time in her page make-up, as Cesario." Children will be admitted to all parts except gallery nt the matinee to-day for half-price.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. An excellent all round vaudeville programme is -being produced at His Majesty's Theatre this week, and good business has been done nightly. Miss Jeanette Spellman has become popular with her humorous items and monologues. Miss Lallie Brooke, in "Feminine Fads and Fancies," has also scored a decided hit, while Sully and Fcuner, clever acrobatic comedians, do not fail to amuse. The popularity, of the Newmans, Harry Howe and Ethel, Les Warton, Clement May, and The Four Kings, child acrobats, is still high. A matinee will be given this afternoon, and tho programme will be presented-again this evening. "NE'ER-DO-WELL" MATINEE. This afternoon, commencing at 2.30 sharp, the final screening of "The Nc'er-Do-AVell," which has attracted record attendances this week, will be given at the King's Theatre, when children' will be admitted at half-price to all parts of the house. The management announce thatthere can be no return season at any theatre in Wellington. "THE CHILD OF THE PARIS STREETS." D. W. Griffith, the master-mind of "The Birth- of a Nation," claims lie has given the public something absolutely new in pictures—a nniqu°, realistic, sensational story of Paris life at its worst— among the cruel Apaches of tho lower quarters, who baffle the cleverwt police, and who ply Aheir nefarious trades of robbery and violence alike in peace and war. "A Child of the Paris Streets" tells of a beautiful child, stolen, from a judge, and trained to be a thief, because the judge condemned one of tho Apaches, but the plan miscarried, though not until after many stirring scenes in the underworld are witnessed. Mao Marsh, 'Robert Harronj and Tully Marshall all l associated' with Gritli in "Tho Birth of a. Nation," the leading roles. A good supporting bill is also shown. Seats may be reserved at the Bristol. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. A laughing season will set in at Everybody's to-day with the advent of "Crooky," a Vitagraph feature, described as a comedy of errors, in four pans. Frank Daniels, one of tho leading comedians of the American stage, was specially engaged to play the part of the convict, who escapes from gaol, and by a funny turn of circnnistauces gets possession pf the clothing, money, and clieque-bo&i of a stranger, is taken into tho home -of the stranger relation, aud lias a high old time generally until the warders come and he has to decide between going back to gaol and marrying an old maid. "The Turn of a Card" Is also a Vitagraph drama, and features Frank Morey. A strong supporting series will also bo screened. EMPRESS THEATRE. "Far From the Aladding Crowd," a dramatisation of tho book by Thos; K. Hardy, author of "Tcte of the D'Urbervilles," and other popular stories, will bo presented at the 'Empress Theatre this morning. It is claimed that it is seldom that" such pathos, such tragedy, such exaltation -has boon achieved with sucli simplicity of portrayal as in "Far from tho Aladdin" Crowd." The producer, Mr. L. Trimble, was responsible for the staging aiid screening of tho .big picture hit, "My' Old Dutch," and as this is said to. exceed in humanity t'ho story so ably enacted by tho Albert Chevalier Company, the Empress management expect capacity business during tho week. A big programme supports tho star subject. "THE DIVINITY-OF MOTHERHOOD." j Fresh from that land of experiments, America, comes a new picturo, "The* Divinity of Motherhood," or "The Miracle of Life," which will bo produced at the Britannia Theatre on Monday noxt, and i>hown at continuous session for ono week only. The picture, it is claimed, is unique in tho annals of pictury. It deals with tho story of a woman who declines to acccpt tho responsibilities of maternity, but prefers to plunge into tho vortex of tho social whirl. In her old aee she realises that she has missed Mo best of a woman's life, and seeing other mothers with their little ones at their knees she yearns for a child herself, hut fiho has sacrificed her opportunity. Tho ombollishing features, apart from the powerful story, are said to he of- exceptional beauty. -Jliss Marg-uerita Fischer sustains the part of tho motherless ono, and there is a strong supporting cast associated with her. Tho prices of" admission have had to be revised owing to the expense of the production, but this will apply for the ono week only. i TO-NIGHT'S ORGAN RECITAL. The City Organist (Mr. Bernard Page) will resume his series of organ recitals hi tli>i Town Hall to-night. T-fte programme to he played included a new work by. Bach (Fugue in G Major), Sonata (Andante Maestoso-Allegro, Andante and Allegro con Moto), by Salome, Debussy's "Prelude from La Damoiselle Blue," "Le Petit Berger," and "Prelude from L'linfant Prodigue," and Moussorgsky's "The Gate of the Warriors." Another new work to be performed at theso recitals is tho 'Tensee D'Automne," l>y Jongen. The comfort of patrons has been added to by the installation of the new seats in the gallery, and this departure has resulted in the abolition of ecb*. "DR. BILL." • Tho above comedy will be presented at the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall next Saturday, on behalf of th'e New Zealand Natives' Association. "Dr. Bill" is a comedy full of- screaming laughter, and should appeal to the theatre-going public. It is many years since this comedy was played in Wellington. Special scenery has been provided for the comedy and Mr. Charles Blake has the company in first-class trim. There will Tie a full orchestra under the baton of Mr. Cluming, and the Natives' Association Band will play selections before the performance, under Lieut. Herd. Tho box plan opens at the Bristol next Wednesday morning. • His Excellency the Governor and the Countess of Liverpool have extended their patronage to the production.