ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3047, 7 April 1917, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE." • This evening, at the Grand Opera House, J. C. Williamson's Farce Comedy Company, headed by Robert Greig and, Beatrice Holloway. will present for the first time in New Zealand, George M. Cohan's great mystery farce, "Seven Keys to Baldpate." This play carries high credentials from England, America, and Australia, where it was played with great success. It is said to be a most interesting; comedy, • containing many stirring situations, whilst at the same time it has much that appeals to those who prefer comedy. The comedy is said 'to be orammed full of surprises, the most remarkable of which is the climax. It displays the originality and genius of George M. .Cohan and provides an interesting study in- dramatic conventions, regarding which American writers of !comedy have-left their impress on the stage. The 'cast is. a long one, and includes .:Robert .Greig as .William Hollowell Magee. Beatrice Holloway as Mary Norton, J. B. Atholwood as Elijah Grimyl, Mrs. Chas. Holloway'asMts. Grimly. Guy Hastings as John Bland, Marion Marcus Clarice as Mrs. Rhodes, Edwin Lester as Peter, Violet Yorke as Myra, Kenneth.Brampton as-lon Max, Herbert Leigh as Jim. Cargan. Clive Famhum as Thomas Haydon, T. W. Lloyd as .Tires. Kennedy,' Raymond Lawrence as Officer Speldin, and Harold Moran as Hal Beritly. "Seven Keys to Baldpate" will be staged for six nights only, with a special matinee on Easter Monday. Next Saturday night will be presented for the first time the comedy success, "A Pair of Sixes." The box plans for toriiehf9 performance, also Monday night and matinee, will be on view in the theatre vestibule from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Day-sale tickets may be secured at the Theatre Confectionery. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATER. -Patrons of His Majesty's Theatre will get thoir last chances of seeing the excellent vaudeville" programme which has been submitted throughout the week today, _ Maud Fanning, a clever female coon impersonator, supplies a star item, being ably assisted •• by her three >. girls. The Le Grohs, contortionists and acrobats,, who have won renown amongst vaudeville audiences,' also supply a marvellously good item. The rest of the bill includes Miss Vockler, in a number of coruio songs; the Misses Thompf son and Montez, in comedy and character work; Miss MTtae, contralto; and a number of other equally good and varied items. •ERMAKOV AT, HIS MAJESTY'S, The matinee to be held at His Majesty's Theatre this afternoon will be a novel one in the history of Wellington vaudeville in so far that the performance will include possibly the most unique attraction the enterprising Fuller firm lias yet offered. We have had grand opera singers sandwiched in a bill next to performing dogs, which goes to illustrate that there is little Foreign to vaudeville, so long as it is interesting, and now we, are promised an illustrated lecturess. by M. Zakarco Ermakov, a former Russian Secret Service agent. It is stated that the letters M. Ermakov carries with him include one from the late Earl Roberts' (dated November, 1912), thanking him for information supplied by him of malevolent preparations for war by Germany. M. Ermakov, indeed, saw altogether too much in the Kaiser's land, and part of his story, which is said to outvie the most melodramatic romance, relates his privations in the Kiel dungeons, into which he was thrown. The management announces no change in ordinary prices, but advises intending patrons to book early, as the season will bo a limited one. :' ORGAN RECITAL. • The org;u> recital givi".i by the City Organist (Mr y Bernard F. Page) 111..the Town Hall last night was a much larger number of people than

is customary at the regular recitals, and for onco in a way there was an audience a little more in keeping -with the talents of our very brilliant organist. Mr. Page had selected ~f or the occasion a programme of music suited to tlie season, including as it did Chopin's "Marche Funobre," and the Good Friday, music from "Parßifal" (Wagner). THE KING'S. The labour laws of certain American States which permit the leasing of convicts form tue basis of. the original World Film. play, "Broken Chains," commencing at the King's matinee today. Ethel Clayton is said to paint the character of the girl who refuses to doubt her lover in face of 'the most terrible chain of circumstances with great power. Carlyle Blackwell, as the young cavalry officer who finds himself a convict on a charge of murder, is handsome and dashing, and the story is unique. The murder, which, ia the central inci-' dent, is most ingeniously • contrived.; A great deal of the camera work, has been. done out of doors, and the play is - full of beautiful scenes: Ethel Clayton late-, ly appeared in "The Hidden Scar" at the .Empress. ■ — ■ EVERi^oprs... Frank Keenan-will-head-''The'Sin Ye Do," an (extraordinary Triangle . play, commencing this morning &t Every- ■ body's. The plot is unique, and its pivot situation is said to equal in intensity anything hitherto, met with in the picture world. Hickman, discovering the hero in an equivocal situation with 'his wife, says, "Yon hound, is there any reason nhy I should not kill you?" and the reply is "Yes." "There is a girl in the Tombs accused of murder, and I am going to defend her. That _ girl is my daughter. * Grant me the time for her defence, and I will make any reparation you demand." On this powerful situation the play is founded. Billie Burke commences a new story to-day. THE EMPEESS. "The Men She Married," the. story which is to be pictured on the new programme at the Empress to-day, is a tale ! oE an adventurer and his wife posing as brother and sister. They manage to entrap into a bogus marriage a pretty heiress (Gail Kane). The villain defrauds his wife of ten thousand dollars and levants, later sending a faked letter that.he is'dead. She marries again, and he turns up to /blackmail. The end is quite a surprise, and there is also superb dressing and beautiful photography throughout. There . are the usual well I varied supports.