ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2945, 4 December 1916, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Tlio J'redo Boys, tumbling violinists, head this -week's bill at Jli-s Majesty's Theatre. "They caunot play like Kubelik, but their Kubelik caunot tumblo liko the Fredos" is the description given to this remarkable act in the. advertisement. Whilst extracting popular and classical melodies from their fiddles, the two brothers perform a scries of acrobatic feats'awl tumbling evolutions that would appear almost superhuman even , without the handicap of handling their violins simultaneously- Wilfred Dubois, a French-Canadian, who specialises in comedy juggling, is also included in the list oi' newcomers. Speaking of this act, the Montreal "Star" says: "M. Uubois works at lightning speed and with uncanny precision. Novelty and refinement as written all over his act.'' : Another first appearance, is that of Tsiida, a Japanese equilibrist' This small Eastern visitor is said to absolutely typify all the intrepidity and daring for which his race .is noted. Miss Dorothy Harris will offer some fresh ragtime numbers, and the Dick and Dorothy Trio will expound tho latest novelties in the science of Terpsichore. "The Veil of Kismet," a. picture which includes a large-cast of Australasian favourites, is to be presented by Mr. Donald C'ornwallis, the elocutionist, who will enact the role of Father Time. Some, well-known names in tho cast are of J. 13. Atholwood, John Cosgrove (who have both been seen here recently), Elwyn Harvey (Allen AVilkio and Co.), and Mr. and Mrs. Ben J. Fuller. , Mr. Cornwallis.wiH \m assisted "by Miss , Edith Cowley. A matinee will be given , on Wednesday afternoon. KING'S THEATRE. "Little Pal," featuring pretty little Mary Pickfoixi as a half-caste girl in a i miners' town, is the, principal attraction at the King's Theatre tliis week. < Mary Pickford as the daughter of a drunken old saloon and gambling-den keener is shown in yet another aspect of nor wonderful versatility, and is excellently supported by a number of other prominent artists. The story shows bow Black Brand, the camp bully, is in love < with "Little Pal/ J who will, however, } have nothing to do with him. ' Black . Brand, in a game of roulette, breaks the ' bank, and then wins the saloon and ] "Little Pal" from "Little Pal's" father. Tho father than gets gloriously drunk ] and shoots himself. "Little Pal" re- < solves not to have anything to do with the new owner of the saloon, and runs , away, and is rescued from freezing by John Grandon, an Easterner, who has come North to take a claim'left him by his dead brother. She cooks for him, and when he falls ill with fever,. nurses him, and meanwhiie falls in love with him. Hearing that John is ill, his wile , comes North to look after him.. "Littlo '• Pal" hears tho doctor tell the wife that John will have to bo shifted away > or lie will not live, and also hears tne s wife say they cannot go on account of > having no money, and reaching the pinnacle of her lovo and self-sacrifice "Little Pal" fobs tho other miners m order to enable husband and wife to go. The miners, in an.attempt to dis- x cover tho roblier, shoot and kill Black V. Brand. Throughout tho picture some ] beautiful Alaskan scenery is introduced, i and the snow-covered pine hills are worth a seeing as a scenic alone. The. production t is not without its humorous sides cither, n The supporting programme includes tho \ "Patho Gazette,"- a coloured Patbe study c of insect life, entitled "Butterflies and I Bees," and a Vitagraph comedy, "Colonel o Xnut and tho 100 Dollar Bill." st t EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. C A novel picture, which features Charles 1 Chapim m the.leading and amy cnarac- t ter, attracted large attendances coJivery- j body's Tneatre on Saturday, tn tuis -j picture, wlucn is a .Mutual production, | vJiiapliu nas the scenes to himself lor ! twenty-live minutes, and he causes more ; laughter than in previous productions I \titn ins host of supporting artists.- He j takesttno part of a clubman, who is not : l>y any means sober vrlicii lie sets out I tor Jus home at an early hour in.the ; morning. The mill of tho house he en- . I ters is decorated wiui stuffed annuals, ; and, Chaplin minks they are alive, ft is ! wnen/ho trys to ascend the stairs as a ; nieanj of escape tli'ut tlio lun starts, in : this scene a number of new antics are introduced, and the fun is fast and furious. "Uiie a.m." is a most amusing effort, and will undoubtedly be it big uraw during tho present week, in the supporting programme a strong drama, en- j titled ''Sons of tlio Sea," takes priue of j place. The scenes are set. in a hsliing j village, and the' interest is kept at a ; high level. There is a thrilling fight at i sea between the occupants of two motor | boats, and the part played by a battle- I ship in the baeKground adds interest to ; the story. An industrial subject of spc- 1 cial interest is "The Making of High : Explosive Shells." The picture was j ttalcen in a British factory, and shows tho ■ extreme care that is taken to obtain ao- j solute accuracy in the manufacture of : these shells. From the Puttie Studios j there is a scientific subject on "How to ; Preserve Plants and Flowers," which i should be of interest to not only botan- j ists, but to all lovers of nature. "The ' Gaumont Graphic" is up to dato in war pictures in England and in France. CHARLIE CHAPLIN AT THE EMPRESS. Bedlam, with extra fixings in the way of an apparently endless mad menagerie of wild beasts, is where Charlie Chaplin finds himself in "One a.m.," tho latest Chaplin-Mutual film, now, showing at the Empress. Chaplin's capacity for extracting humour out of ordinary happenings is well known, so that no phrasemaking would be of value in explaining the heights of fuu he reaches in this film. He devotes a night to-.mixing his drinks, and is then dropped by mistake into the rooms of a.' weawhy clubman, who has a craw; for collecting stuffed animals. From the first hurried glance that Chaplin takes at the life-like big black bear until the last foot of film, the action of tho piece is packed and crammed with the wildest fun. The balance of the programme contains "A Modern Joan of Arc." This, drama concerns a fashionable young person who gets busy reforming people. As she in- . chides in her list of candidates a thor-ough-going-blackguard .of a saloon-keeper, she takes risks that did not at first occur as part of the "uplift" scheme. A really fine thing in tho play is the fight to a'finish between Larry O'Neil and the villain, a tight in which there are no . beg pardons, and which must have left tho actors considerably knocked about. MISS GRACE KENNEDY'S CONCERT. In tho Masonic Hall mi Saturday Levelling Miss Grace Kennedy's pupils gave a concert in aid of the Christmas Party Fund for the Dependants of Soldiers' and Sailors. Tho pupils were assisted by Mrs. S: R. Kennedy, Miss F. Hamcrton, aud Miss E. Henry (pianists), Miss M. E. Kennedy (viola), and Mr; J. S. Prentice (vocalist). The hall was filled, and tho entertainment was excellent. The programing was as follows: —Overture, "Figaio's Uochzeit" (Mozart); trio for violins. '"I'i l.'rego, 0 Madro Pin" (Curschmaiin), Misses Cameron, Good, Carr; violin solo, "Romance sans Paroles" (Wollenhaupt), Miss Gladys Gray; song, "The Trumpeter.? Mr. J. S. Prentice; r-io for violins, March (Hermann), Miss Flora WolT, Masters Maclauriii and Leask: 'cello solo, "Three Miniatures"—l. "To Ponder." 2. "To Plead." 2. "To Prevail' (Charles Bradley), Miss Mildred Henry; concerto lor violins, "Andante and Vivace" (Leanardo Loo), Misses Hamcrton, Henry., Gray, ; and Pritchard; slumber music, "Masauiello" (Aubcr), tho orchestra; violin solo, "Allegro Brilliant" (Ton Have), Miss Frances Henry; song, Cavantimi (from "Faust") (Gounod), Mr. J. S. Prentice; trio in D Minor, violin, 'cello, and piano, first movement "M.olfo Allegro Agitato" (Mendelssohn), Miss M. E. and F. Henry; gavotte and inarch (Handel), tho orchestra. CLEMENT MAY AT TOWN HALL TO-NIGHT. . To-night will see the reappearance of that talented entertainer, Mr. Clement May, who is to give a concert in the Town Hall Concert Chamber, and who is announced for a tlircc-ivights' season. Mr. May is a monologist and elocutionist of rare merit, and will introduce stories aud character items, including excerpts

from famous authors' works. 0. Henry's slories will ho represented in tho programme, with their charm of setting niwl theme. Charles Dickens's works will also find a pha-e. Assisting Mr. Uny will l, a Jl.iss ,r essio ( a line contralto), Mr.-.. Clement May, and Air. J«rank Thomson. The box plan is now open at tho Bristol. QUEEN'S THEATR-E. To-night will see tho opening of tho newest picturo theatre in Wellington, -he Queen's, which is situated in Cuba btreef opposite Halpin, tho draper, is claimed to bo the most up-to-date biiild!«S of its character in the Doimuion. *t has been modelled on the latest lines, tlio chairman of directors, Mr. Halpin, and the Mr. Boderic M'ac-l-aniim, having made a snocial trip to the Commonwealth m order to secure the latest novelties and improvements in theatre building. The result has been a nappy one, for the Queen's will open its doors to-night in a condition that should fully justify its name. We. have already described fully the conveniences, the comforts, and the novel appointments 0t this eosy establishment, and it only requires a good.picture service to make it a most popular house. This servico is confidently promised in the "Paramount" and "Famous Player" Companies, and vj! \ «°»> prise the best selected Ifary 1 ickford r and Marguerite Clark produc tions. The opening attraction will bo the production of Iho stirring Lasky five-act drama, "Temptation." This is said to be full of incident and sensation, and faithfully true to reality. .It is an everyday emotional story that is calculated to appeal to ail. classes of tho community. It will have the support of two admirable comedies, and other picture features. A strong orchestra, under the baton of Signor Truda. has been engaged, and this will be supplemented by vocal items. Popular prices are being charged, and the box plan for the opening at 8 o'clock to-night" is now open at the Bristol. ■