ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3014, 27 February 1917, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

"WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES." That merry farce, "What Happened to Jones," will bo presented at tile Grand Opera House on Saturday next by George Willoughby's new .musical farce company. This farce juggles with the al> surd, nnd is a total stranger to reality. The frivolous stage claims it as one of its largest successes,. whilst the legitimate or normal theatre-goers will no doubt admit, it is one of the best farces of modern times. Since its original presentation "What Happened to Jones" has undergone some alterations, in asauich as that the'latest successful musical numbers- and dances havo been introduced. To achieve success in the musical numbers of tlio pieces George Willoughby has surrounded himself with some of the best known musical comedy artists, - notable amongst them being the Misses June Addell, Edna Seaton, Florence Fanning, Muriel Dale, Florence Leigh, Messrs. Arthur Albert, Frank. Brookes,. David Jefferson, Fred Holt, Harry Halley, Walter Ironsides, and others. "What Happened to Jones" will be played for a snort season only, to be followed by another well-known farcical comedy, "Why Smith Left Home." In this, as in the first-named production the latest musical items and .dances will be introduced. The box plan is on view at the Bristol. , • HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. , The seal of success was placed' on serial pantomime at His Majesty's Theatre laat evening, when, the second and concluding portion of the niuelcal extravaganza, "Robinson Crusoe," was staged by. Mr. Victor Prince and his company. A large audience enjoyed theproduction with . hilarious enjoyment. Mr. Prince hiiiieelf was Crusoe, and his genial humour again proved deiifctful. Miss Lillian Colenso ably supported him 'as Mrs. Crusoe, and Mr. Charles Zoli made a ferocious Captain Davy Jones. Miss Pearl Livingstone, Miss Dorothy Hastings, and Miss Annette Laing were aleo prominent. A pantomime naturally consists for. the most part, of irrelevant and attractive introduced numbers, and "Robinson Crusoe" is no exception to the rule. Chorus, songs, and dances followed one another in rapid succession. The chorus was pretty and dainty, the. i dresses were original and effective, and the singers all proved popular. The "Song and Dance of All Nations," by Mr. Yorke Gray and .a strong team of girls; "Six Short Shirts," by Miss Colenso; "Beside the Seaside," by Mr.. Prince; and the Rainbow Ballet were particularly successful items. The second portion of the new programme at His Majesty's was contributed by several noteworthy performers. Miss Marjoria Alwyn made her first appearance, and. proved to be a contralto balladist with a charming manner and an effective voice. She sang some popular songs, and was' heartily received. Mr. Phil Percival, the "drunk pianist," was even funnier than he had'been in the previous week. His whimsical efforts at the piano sent the 'audience into roars of laughter, and he had to respond to emjhatic recalls. The clever comedy duo, Blake and .Granby; presented the entertaining sketch, "The System," which shows that the most carefully-prepared plan for managing a wife may prove fallible. The ■ American ■ fun*sakers. Early and Laight, reappeared in their "water-wagon" sketch, and -were most apprepiatively received. The programme was completed by Leonard's dogs, which again performed their remarkable teats and tricks. ■ •:.-■■ ■THE-KING'S. "Through the Wall" is an exciting presentation, describing the efforts of a. master criminal to obtain a woman s fortune. Finding her son and daughter between him and the control of the funds the man resorts to remarkable methods to achieve his purpose. The picture is' produced by the New and Greater Vitagraph' Co., rfhd is thoroughly well done in all respects. Particularly sensational is the torpedoing of a huge liner. Another unusual scene is that -which' shows how a murdor is committed through a secret panel m a wall. The picture is meeting with much greater success than usually follows pictures of the melodramatic love story class. Pictures of the Mararoa stranding are being shown ■ nightly. . THE EMPRESS. A- first-class programme of varied pictures is screening at the Empress Theatre. The head-liner is another of the popular World productions, entitled "Fate's Boomerang." The picture .tells of a wife's desertion of her husband tor the gay life, and her tragic end in the endeavour to secure evidence for a divorce from him. Mollie King is the star, and, for an eighteen-year-old girl, Tilavs a surprisingly clevor part as the little mother o£ the hills," to whom the husband turns when his wife proves false. Splendidly done are the scenes of society life, aid the wild scene where a railway is being constructed is jmrtioularly well depicted. The supporting programme includes the recent military tournament at Maetorton, and an interesting picture of the stranding of the Mararoa.

' EVERYBODY'S Billie Burke in "Gloria's Romance" a motion picture novel, by Mr. and Mrs. Rupert Hughes, has apparently made a bie hit at Everybody's Theatre, judging by last night's crowds. Miss .Burke has much scope for her charms in this picture, which tells of a young girls romance, development, to -womanhood, and subsequent adventures. The programme also iufcludos as a secondary feature an immensely powerful lrianglo drama, "Somewhere in France, featuring Louise Glaum. The films of the stranding of the Mararoa are being shown nightly.