ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3049, 10 April 1917, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

"I'HB SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE." "Tho Seven Keys to Baldpate," which was played, for tne socond time by the Williamson .Comedy Company at tho Grand Opera Jiouso last evening, docs not lend itself to easy description, It is a play of an unusual type. In l'act, it has to bo seen;to bo believed. It is lull of tho"unsuspected, it is whimsical and satirical witnouit ever, becoming merely smart, and it keeps its surprises so well that even the most blase audience would bo shaken out of its aifeotation of knowledge. The whole of .tho action occurs in the hall of a summer hotol on the top of a mountain during a stormy winter night, and the manner in which the American author has doveloped his theme and introduced his characters, the owners of tho keys, is refreshingly original. Last night's audienco was delighted, and gave tho members of. tho company all the applause they deserved. Tho players all.' acquitted themselves well. Tho chief burden, rested upon the'capable ;shoulders of Mr.: Eobert Greig, whoso vitality and humour won ovci' the audience at once. He .was the successful author whose efforts to produco a "best seller" in the allegedly deserted inn witihin a . period of 21 hours, and thereby ■ confound 'a sceptical friend, was the central feature of the plot. Miss Beatrice Hoiloway, Miss Violet York, Mr. J. B. Atholwood, Mr. Guyi Hastings, Mr. Edwin Lester, Mr. Herbert. Leigh, and .the other ' members 'of the., strangely varied caste all tfequitted themselves \h'e play will be'staged until Friday, and on Saturday next will bo presented for the first time .in Now Zealand tlie latest American farce-comedy, "A Pair of Sixes." This play will bo staged foT four occasions, and on Thursday, April 19 and two following evenings " The Travelling Salesman" will be produced. The box plans for the season aro now open at the Bristol. ; ,

. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. , Big holiday audiences filled ©very-seat in His Majesty's Theatre yesterday, afternoon and evening to enjoy the gay frivolity of mottled vaudeville. liie bill this -week appeals more those who love simple humour ana that-type of song that makes the gallery glad, lo that end Thompson and-. Montez, two ladies iii very decollete, frocks, ..contribute with; a certain vim ' compensated for the absence of artistic endeavour, and Winifred and ; Lumley were again in the .- spotlight, with patter and song. Maud banning and her family worked with. their' familiar .* vehemence through .a weird song and' scarce, and -Miss. Lily Vocklev who is well, equipped vocally, '.sang songs of a popular order in; a-.free,-frank style ', that olicited applause. The top-liner iii the bill is Zakaree Ermakov, a Slav exsecret service man, whp shows a fine facility in the' handling of; arms peculiar tp his . people, and who roamed all over the map-of Europe, in a disoursiye manner, showing a number of still views, and crude drawings of places of -. strategic value. ii)' the present . War, and promising,in the fullness of his knowledge, that the Russians would he fouifd marching on to victory ■in the course of a few weeks. The audience enthusiastically; welcomed back Unit extremely funny fellow Merlyn, the magician, who, with, the. assistance of his faithful' "Arch," , gives away the whole bag.of.tricks in'the most comical manner. Dan Crew, a Scotch comedian with a good sense of humour, found .favour with. the audience, and Huntley Spencer, a ooloured tenor, sang , that song our grandmothers ■ used to sing, "Silver Threads Among the Gold," and that, tuneful dirge, "A Perfect Day.' The Delavale. Bros, one of whom appears as a hurlesc[u6 Chaplin, amused with their nonsensical patter and imitations, and Miss Jennie MTJae' sang ballads. Mr. .J. Hollow now direots the orchestra, and presides at the piuuofoi'te. " THE KING'S. I Ethel Clayton,' who hijs : become so popular lately by her screen appearances m pictures such as "The Hidden Scar" and "The Madness of Helen," is , making t still' inovo friends with her latest picture, ■ "Broken Chains,? a powerful World's Film play, in which she is again supported by Carlyle Blackwell. Thei'picture is based upon a peculiar American'prison' law, which permits the leasing of convicts.. 'I\he heroine hires her: own. lover, who has been wrongfully imprisoned. The Waimangu eruption is •included among the interesting supporting. pictures. "i. everybody;s. Frank Keenan gives a remarkable per : formanqe in the Triangle plhy, '"The Sin Ye Do," a picture Iwsea upcn Kip-' lipg's linp, "The 6in ye' do by two and t>vo ye must pay for one by one." _ "He has the role of a lawyer, .whose ideas of < the-, unwritten. law" undergo a complete change when he finds his own daughter on trial for killing, her father's best friend in defence of uier 'hf.rour. Margery y/ilson is an appealing figure as the heroine, and-the o;lier members of 'the cast are excellent, Millie Burke, in "The Harvest , of Sin?-' ajnd the pictures' of the ..AVaimangu cciiption are also shown. ... ■><: . THE EMPRESS. ; : -Holiday' crowds packed the ' Empress Theatre'at. all sessions yesterday. The main attraction is a World Company's •film play, entitled ; "The Men She Married," in which the popular Gail Kane is 'sceii in . one of the best:,-characterisa-tions she has done. The part of a rather over-roihantio but extrejnely pretty stepdaughter is pleasingly: by Muriel Ostriche, and the versatile Arthur Ashley is seen as a. : ne|w tjpe of suave villain; A particularly interesting picture showed the scene of rthe rccent eruption at AVaimangu,; uith i the Tuins of the accommodation, hoiise, ore. ?