ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2934, 21 November 1916, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"MADAME X." Tho Royal Dramatic Compauy, which made its debut at the Grand Opera House on Saturday evening last in John Raphael's adaptation of Bissni's four-act drama "Madame X," gave another performance of this difficult and exacting play last evening. As w&s to be expected the company, having got over the terrors of its first night, was very much more at home in their second appearance last evening, and the performance nenfc very smoothly. "Madame X" will only be staged for four more nights during the present season, and on Saturday evening next the screamingly funny comedy, "Aro You u Mason?" ivill be produced. Box plans will be opened at the Bristol to-morrow. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. For patrons of the vaudeville there is a very strong bill,presented at His Malesty's Theatre this week. Two of the artists employed would serve as headliners almost anywhere. They are Chris Richards, the alert comedian and dancer, who is the livest entertainer of his type 6een for a long time in vaudeville, and whose contortionists dancing and elas- . tic face would induce laughter from the I most reserved. _ The other star turn is that of "Mankin," the human frog, a contortionists performance of an original kind, performed in a setting both, picturesque and appropriate. The returned artists include that very charming soprano, Miss Marguerite Jewell, a 6on» bird of considerable culture, whose finished vocalism it is a delight to hear. Her first number was the brilliant waltz song from "Romeo and Juliet" (Gounod), which makes considerable demands on a singer's technique that wero easily met by Miss Jewell's light, flexible soprano. She also invested Landon Ronald's pretty ballad "Down in the Forest" with much charm, and was also successful in the song _ "My Homeland." Miss Dorothy Harris, a chic eerio, with an elegant taste in frocks, chirped several rag-time ditties, including a clever and amusing one entitled "Where did Robinson CruBoe go with Friday on Saturday Night?" Mr. Harry Little, a robust baritons, sang attractively "Way Down Deep in My Heart," and "A Little Bit of Heaven," and Harry Howe and Ethel repeated their "Painting While' You Wait" act with success. Other turns were provided by the Johnston Sisters, the Zadelles, Starr and Starr, and Bolos, a nimble-fingered banjoist. The bill should attract big business throughout the week. THE KING'S. Many Wellingtoniahs will remember the success scored by Nellie Stewart in "Mice and Men" in the old Opera House some years ago. This delightful comedy romance by Madame Lucetto Ryley, now in its picture form, is proving a most popular attraction at the King's each evening. Clever little Marguerite Clark is Peggy, the foundling who is adopted by the eminent professor in order to become the ideal wife of whom lio has dreamed and she is said to invest the part with all the clever charm with which we were made familiar in such past. successes as "Seven Sisters," and "Gretna Green." "Mice and Men" -is credited with being "an admirable blendiag of youth, beauty, and pathos," equal to the best class of picture the Famous Players have given us. Tho supporting films are excellently chosen. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. A Triangle feature entitled ''Hell to Pay Austin". is the star attraction at Everybody's Theatre this week. It is a five-reel drama and features Bfcssie Love and Wilfred Lucas. "Hell to Pay Austin" is a lumber king nvho earns his soubriquet because of his "mailed fist" attitude towards his underlings in camp. To the little orphan of the . camp, which character is portrayed by winsome Bessie Love, who is nick-named Nettles, lie exhibits another sido of his character. She is very much in lovo with him, but another woman who comes out from the past throws her unhappy shadow across their path 'to the altar. By a kindly fate the shadow of the scheming womUn is soon removed, and Cupid's mission is fulfilled. Many of the'scenes of this production are laid in tho lumber country and .vibrato with highly dramatic situations. Some of tho final scenes aro very pathetic and sensational. Tho supporting items include "Arras After the" Last Bombardment," "Gaumont Granhic," and other excellent items. THE EMPRESS. "A man is as young as lie feels," said Frank _ ICcenan, the Trianglo character actor in a rccent interview on tho art of "making up." In "Honour Thy Name." a Triangle drama of paternal devotion now being highly spoken of at tho Empress, Mr. Keenan, by a few deft touches and a clever change of expression, .makes himself look thirty years younger. This player, who „will be remembered for his excellent work in "The Phantom Crook," appears in the role of a proud old Southern planter who saves the family namo bv driving over a cliff with a disreputable >woman whom his son has married during a foolish' esca-

pade. Thoro is a well-selected supporting bill. GRAND OPERA SEASON. Mr. Charles Berkeley, of tlio staff of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., arrived by the Manuka from Sydney yesterday to make the advance arrangements for the Gonzales Grand Opera Company, which commences a tour of New Zealaud at Auckland on Boxing Night: Musically this visit of a complete Italian grand opera company is an event of outstanding importance. Indeed it is doubtful if New Zealand has over been visited by a company with so extensive a repertoire. Mr. Berkeley announces that the following operas will be performed during the Wellington season—"lll Trovatore" (Verdi), "La Traviata" (Verdi), "Cavalleria Rusticana" (Mescasni), "I Pagliacci" (Leoncavallo), "Rigolotto" (Verdi), "Faust" (Gounod), "tin Ballo in Maschera" (Verdi), "La Boheme" (Puccini), "Madame Buttorfly" (Puccini), "Mignon" (Thomas), "Carmen" (Bizet), "Tlio Barber of Seville" (Rossini), and "Ltfcia di Lammermoor."