ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2892, 3 October 1916, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE NORWOODS. Professor Norwood, the-American hypnotist, certainly succecds in providing one of the most unroariously fuuny shows that one could witness. In his exposition of the powors of hypnotic influence or suggestion lie makes no claim to supernatural attributes, hut mado the frank avowal that protty well anyono could do ho does, wero they to give it tho required attention. Professor Norwood said that ho was prepared' to give .£SO to tho Red Cros3 Fund if anyono could prove thut any person, other than tho two men who travelled ivith him, and 'frlio wero hie 6ubjeots, wore in his employ, and furtlior offered to dona to JJIOO to the same fund if it could bo substantiated that anypno was rehearsed in any part of the entertainment be provides. Having mado this challenge subjects wore called for, and a ready response was made by sorao twelve or fourteon members of tho oudienee. Tho hypnotist soon got to work with his baokward and forward fallings tests, and 6ubsaquontly took tho class fin, masso, and gave them wildly comical suggestions that convulsed the audience with laughter. One was that, try as 1 ' tney would, they could not wrench col sped hands apart—and they oonld not. Ho also told them ,fco slap their knees with thoir hands as fast as they could, and whilst they wero at it as though life and limb depended on it, ho brought thorn'to a sudd on halt by the word "Rigid!" The attitudes and expression of eaoh one wore widely varied and grotesque, there was not oven a blink or the ere, or a twitoh of a musole to denote that tho operator did not have full control of tho minds of his subjects. Tho most comical suggestion was the one in which they wore all to make money by selling, rubber balls from thews of rubber taken from their noses. Whilst frolicking under this dolusion »b° u t a dozon of tho subjects invaded the auditorium, end triad with great enthusiasm to dispose of imaginary rubber balls among the shrieking audience. The experiment in catalepsy; rigid and bonding, was very suocessful, and the experiment on thought transmission, in which the professor was assisted by Miss Winifred Norwood, orented much wonderment. There will be a change in tho programme each evening this week. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Some very attractive turns wero included in tlio new vaudeville programme presented at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. .. Miss Jessie Barleo, who made per reappearance, was again entertaining in songs of the coster order. Mr. herald. Griffin, singer of sweat Irish soiujß, and Miss fiosu. Oberman, whose voice had already pleased Wellington audiences, wero heard to advantage in iomo new numbers. The humorous tales ivith which Griffin interlarded his songs wero not the least attractive portion of his. contribution to the programme. A olevor turn was provided by Athol Tier md Peggy Roes, two comedians, whoso (fork w original as well as amusing. Leslie Brown, Georjjo Edwards, «nd Hosie Parkas appeared in another of their hilarious comedies, entitled "Whoso Baby ire lou? The plot hinged npon tile lomestic troubles arising from the introduction of an unauthorised baby into i household that owned no such thin", confusion in the mind of the husband between the baby and a pet dog surreptitiously acquired J>y his wife, proiuced somo absurd situations, and tho ludienoo was rooking with laughter beore the tanglo had boon unravolled. Miss Margaret Jewell contributed several songs, including "One Fino Day," trom the opera "Majdam Buttorfly." Her iinging was again thoroughly enjoyable, starr and Starr, tha clever coloured comsdians, were responsible for somo now I™"* an <} 4<"P> including a semi-topi-i fhJ. uppealou particularly o tho audienco. Bollinger and Reynolds .'Bappeared. in their remarkablo and unusing wire-walking act. Kingsloy and 3raham, another olever pair of perform•fmllrPf onted0nted an-attractivo turn that included some unusual harmonising cffects is well as somo excellent solo numbers, the programme was 'completed by Or?nea, the Amoncan musioian, who repneared with her. circular 'trombone nelt/.,! • i« ' 6 i pr ° grainmo wi " 1,8 repeated nightly during tho week, and »t matinees, on. Wednesday and Saturday. THE KING'S THEATRE. Lhos. H. Inco has succeeded in pronair e Wl -T turo stol 7 ia " The Bugle Lid f -] 1 18 mating the popular S* hV* ccnteinß W° s t of thoso elethat m^ 11 success—rapid dramatic notion, somo big scones, and some reallv extraordinary and daring feats of horsemanship, combined with a very human story ot pathos and fun with a strong heart interest." Excellent photo- ' n-aphy.and acting, also help.in placing he picture on a high lovel. Young Willio Collier. scores heavily as tijo bugler boy at the military post out West; and his efforts to save tha fort fronl destruction aro warmly applauded. Other pictures shown include "Tho Destruction of a Fokker"; a clever Vitajraph comedy, "Mr. Jack, Doctor by featuring Frank Daniels; and tho 'Pathe Gazette." Tlie programme will be repeated to-night and eaoh evening this woek, with a (special matinee to-morrow afternoon at 2.30. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. A drama by the famous Lasky Company, entitled "The Secret Orchard," is tho leading pictnre on the programme at Everybody's Theatre this week, and was presented .to crowded audiences at the various sessions during yesterday. Foremost among tho players is Blanclie Sweet, whose work is a feature of tho production. The theme of "The Secret Orchard" is enthralling, and the story carries with it a stTong moral mission. The final scones are very pathetic arid sensational. Tho programme also includes a very fine Vitagrapli comedy, "Mr. ; Jack's Hat and His Cat," with that popular comedian, Frank Daniels, in tho leading role, the "Gaumont Graphic," and other good items. CHAPLIN AT THE EMPRESS. About once jn every hundred years , or thereabouts a clown or comedian arise? whoso art is so exquisitely popular that he becomes almost an institution. Folks universally laugh at flint .while he Uve\ and three or four gonorations of folk , hear him talked about after he is dead. Charlie Chaplin is. this century's clown. People laugh at him in England and , France just as fliey do. in America, Australia, or Fiji, -for that mattor. Generally speaking, it might bo said that 95 per cent, of tho millions who go to pictui'as \are Chaplin fcntliusiast.i while . tho remaining five per. cent, who, per- ; liaps havo not seen his newest successes, are a little bit afraid ho is not proper. Chaplin's latest effort to amuse his admirers throughout the world is "The Fireman," and, judging by tlio crowded ] statu of the limpness Theatre for the ] past two days, lie lias succeeded in being ns funny in this as he was in "The ; Shopwalker,'" which was the first Mutual copiedy. There aro alsp splendid Lnsky ! feature, and an informative Topical . Gazette on the programme. j "THE PLUNDERER." ' . ' Tho .Crown Theatre management hayu • sncuTcd for this week the big William i Fox ldrn drama-"The Plunderer," and i will continue to feature Fox films until ' further notice. "Tho Plunderer" is I tlio first yentuve, am| putts' ijrst exhi- ' bition last night it mado a marked sue- i :ess. It is a story without many words I in it, a story rather about doeds, a story i in which often tho motive for tho deed is burning passion of love or liatc. It f all liappens in a country of big spaces < ind long distances, where the air is ' strong, thp toil is rough, tbo' men aro ] Imrd, and tho gold' is rich. It happens i ilijo that there are women there who ' iro bravo aud beautiful. There are t tho two motives of tho plot—greed and love. It is a long story, which would tako lpng in re-telling. Tho ltihema re T lates it all in sometiiing nioro than an hour, and the version is as muo'h com- j pressed as possible. As for the produc- i ;iou, it must establish tho reputation of , Fox films along with that of tlio best i makers' of films in all Amorica. The i jroductiop was noteworthy in completo- i liess of detail. It wa3 a story in which I Jynamite played no small part, and all ;lie " explosions . woro real explosions of ] quite spectacular magnitude. Tho photo- ] play features William Far|ium, an actor rjchly onrtowcU by Naturo fqr picture rtork'. He is good looking, of striking ( personality, a big man, with the appear- r mco oF -great physical strength. In T :hia play his part is that of a ptwpg 3

AMUSEMENTS. QEA.ND OPERA HOUSE. J. C. Williamson, Ltd Lessee. M. 11. Norwood Solo Manager. TO-NIGHT, TO-NIGHT, And All This Week. , nnHi;. -vroiiwooDs. f ' 1 11K ' li ORWOODS. ' Again last night acclaimed by a crowded house as the' greatest exponents of Hypnotic Suggestion ever seen. A Demonstration that convinced the sceptical! A Demonstration so plain arid simple As to bo .understood by a cliild! A Demonstration that left no doubt as to the genuineness of Prof. Norwood's work! DONT I'ORGET —Mr. Norwood will givo .Col) to any Red Cross Society if anyone can prove that moro than two of the subjects on tlio stago travel with him. i TO-NIGHT WILL BE A CREATE!,' SUCCESS! TO-NIGHT WILL BE A GREATIiR SUCCESS' ' ENTIRE CHANGE OE' PROGRAMME Prices, 35., 25., Is. Plan at Tho Bristol. Day Sales at Grand Confectionery Shop. : mau, and his characterisation is excellent. Supporting the big film are'two or threo smaller pictures of .average quality. Bost among them was a joko about a lost 'baby, and tho hunt for it. Next week in tho Crown-Theatre will be shown another William Foi film—"Carmen," —featuring Theda Dora. MIROVITCH-PIASTRO CONCERT. Tho excellent impression created throughout Australia and New Zealand by Alfre,d Mirovitch and Michael Piastre, the two Russian musicians, should be added to to-night, at their return concert in tho largo Town Hall) when they will present an attractive programme. Tho two artists will combine in Grieg's famous Sonata in G minor. M. Mirovitch's pianoforte solos b I Chopin will bo Ballade in C minor, two Valses, and a Nocturne, and in ad-j-on t! 16 P' a y Liszt's great Rliapsodio No. 2, Rachmaninoff's celebrated *r tv 40 "■ , com Position of his own. M. Piastre's violin solos jvill includo Dvorak's celebrated "Huanoreske," Saranate's arrangement of Carmen, the BachAuer "Sicilian,"' Kreislor's "Caprice," and two compositions of Pagauiui. The plans aro at tho Bristol. It is stated that tho booking lias been heavy, and tlmt .vgood house is assured. "PEG 0' MY 'HEART;" 'Few modem plays can boast of more success than J. Hartley Manners's Irish comedy of youth, which has neyer faced a small or indifferent audience since its first performance in London in 1914, ana which will .bo presented at tho Grand, Opera on" Tuesday' next for a' pino nights' season. "Peg o' My Heart" is described as- undiluted delight from beginning to ond, and that almost exclusively from tho perfect picturo of a simplo, fresh, comely, and • outsppken' maid, a somewhat wild, impulsive, but Irish girl/ whose directness of speech gives, shocks to tho nerves of her ultra-reflned rich relations. Messrs. J. and N. Tait are sending a completely new English company for "Peg o' My Heart's" New Zealand tour.' Tho company scored .a wonderful success in Australia—in Sydney tho run of tho pieco broke all records by running for 112 performances. Tho rolo of Pee is played by Miss S'ara Allgood, a brilliant young Irish aotress from the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. She has youth, good looks, and remarkable dramatic talent; while tho broguo which she brings from her Dublin homo silvors the words that ripplo from her lips. Tho box plan is to open at tha Bristol on Thursday. ,