ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3161, 13 August 1917, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

"VERY GOOD EDDIE." On Saturday two performances of "Very Good Eddio" were given at the Grand Opera Houso by the Tait Musical Comedy Company, recognised as cue of the very brightest, companies that has visited Wellington in recent years. At the matinee Eddie wag capitally played by Jj. Donuoghey (Jlr. Lupino's understudy), owing to the comedian having contracted hoarseness through the violeuce of his violet Day exertions, but on Saturday evening the irresistible comedian again assumed tho shallow hat and lisp Eddie Kettle, in which guise he kept, the big audience in a simmer of laughter. Misses "Lillian Tucker, Payette Perry, Nan Taylor, Daisy Rcvette (the dainty jockey danseusc iu "The Fashion Show"), and Lmily Fitzroy, and Messrs. Andrew Higginson, Frank Greene, and John Beck all contributed to tlie mirth of the evening. "Eddie will be played for two nights longer. On Wednesday next Wellington playgoers will be afforded the opportunity of becoming intimate with' that charming product. of the London stage.. "The. White Chrysanthemum," an entertainment that is described as a burlesque on nodding terms with pantomime in a musical comedy setting. The music, much of which has been composed by Mr. L. Bantock, the very eminent English composer, is said to be extremely beautiful] but its intrinsic, beauty in no wise runs counter to the riotously funny action of the comedy, which has been brought up to the minute by Mr. Luplno. The attractive and capable chorus and ballet have some dainty work to do, and Mr. Lupino will appear as a Cockney chauffeur.

"THE BIRTH OF ,A NATION." The great spectacular film continues to attract big attendances to the King's Theatre. The picture is more or less founded upou "The Clansman," which is an historical romance of tlie great American Republic's travail. The theme generally is one which only a master like Griffith could adequately treat, and "The Birth of a Nation" stands as a colossal monumont to his genius. Tho picture will be screened twice daily till Wednesday, and those who would learn what the .possibilities of the kinetnn. aro should sec it.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Versatility and variety are the keynotes of vaudeville nowadays, and it would seem that the new programme set down for production at His Majesty's Theatre this evening strikes these notes with more force than usual. Theatregoers will remember with pleasure the wholesome and refreshing comedy of the "Bunty Pulls the Strings" .Company,'and will, therefore, no doubt, be pleased to learn that the three principals of that combination, Jean Clyde, David Urquhart, aud Abie Barker, have been re-engaged by tho Fullers, and will appear at Hib Majesty's Theatre this evening in one of their delightful sketches of Scottish humour entitled "M'Pherson's Wooing." Clemo, a Continental performer of some renown, who is said to be exceedingly versatile, will appear for the first time in Wellington with his potpourri act of hoop-rolhng, juggling, tumbling, xylophone and mandolin playing. Ford and Perrin, a dancing "team," who specialise in sand and mat-dancing, will also make a first appearance, and Bolto, an equilibrist and trapeze artist, said to possess remarkable ability, will complete the newcomers. Signor aud Slgnora Molinari, tho operatic artists, will render a new selection from their repertoire, which will includc the famous "Miserere" duet, from "II Trovatore," and "Let Me Like a Soldier Fall" from "Maritaua." Clivalli, the trainer of tho wonderful dog, Sport, will introduce yet another canine into his act, and changes will be made by Baron, the ventriloquist. Madame Lorenz. trapezist, Tim and Gertie Moore, the coloured comedians, -M'Lean and Drury. whirlwind dancers, ; and William Liddlc, baritone.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. 4*ll Wm-ship's Widow" is tho piquant I title of tlie main • feature running at ' Everybody's Theatre this week. It is a.; new lnce-Triangl© play, extremely power- j ful and interesting excellently staged, and finely photographed. Dorothy Daiton ap. i P(KU'ed in her best role to date, and presents an absorbing study as the woman who U transformed by & sudden, revelation from a patient Niohc to an enchanting coquette. -She is the beautiful young widow of- one Winship. whom she believes to ba.ve been a paragon of virtue. Tho Qualities of the deceased so far outshlno those of othor men that' Dorothy spends much valualo time in retrospective admiration of them. Tho late gentleman is, in fait, such an obsession "with her that ardent suitors "find his memory an insuperable obstacle to their desires. | Lovers continue to be rejected, until ono | one day searching in some old drawers j chances to discover a. scented slipper and j a bundle of> letters. The .footgear and : tho opistles having never belonged to tho widow,, she feols tliat slio has learnt tho ; worst. With the discovery comes a desiro to make up, for lost time, and Mrs. \S inship soon displays a pace of which she would never have been suspected. . .Ifer little adventures aTo fuJJ of interest, and tho more daring scenes are delicately and cleverly handled. Tho scenes of the rich society of the States arc triumphs of staging, and tho hunt ball is one of the most elaborate indoor scenes ever filafjjd. • 1 EMPRESS THEATRE. "The Captain of 'the Grey Horse Troop" heads thia week's bill at the Empress Theatre. This is ono of the best of tho Greater Vitagrapli • productions, and theso liavo lately been going on the up-grade in the most remarkable fashion. Tho Story is adapted from .Hamlin Garland's great novel, and the adaptation r.ns been mado with such cleverness and with such a. preservation of interesting detail, that the production has won enthusiastic praise from all the film reviewers in America. The cast .is a strong one, headed by Antonio Moreno and the beautiful Edith Storey. Tho minor characters are in lies in the Indian reservations, and it is ovennoss apparent iu tho quality of .tho acting. Part of the action-of the drama leis in the' Indian reservations, and it ie in treating tho theme of a dying race that the producer has showed most art and skill, i None of the pathos properly attendant upon the subject has been missed, and a complete absence of'strained effects is noticeable. The love-making of Moreno and Edith Storey is particularly good. Spicing tho programme with its mystery and sensationalism is the fifth chapter of "The Irori Claw." Weir.d and marvellous indeed) have been the adventures of Margery in this remarkable film, and ono cannot help speculating on the problem of whether her nerves will stand the strain of about ten similar instalments yet to come. Meanwhile, the serial is' being followed with interest, and each fresh episode is witnessed by full houses.

PARAMOUNT THEATRE. "R.L.5.," dreamer though he was, could never have dreamed that ono day his "Bottle Irrfp" would be played by a. famous Japanese actor and shown to thousands on the kincma screen. Yet the well-, known story by the most charming of South Sea story-writers is showing in Wellington to-day, and lovers of the delightful Stevenson may see it on the screen at the Paramount Theatre any day this week. In its way "The Bottle Imp" 16 a rather powerful drama, and it lias all tho flavour of the isles ot the Pacific. It is saying the leaßt to state that the picturisation of the story has preserved its South Sea flavour: if anything, it has added to tho strength of that flavour. Part of this is due to the faot that the play was photographed in the South Sea Islands and arranged by people who must have had .an excellent knowled?" of the essentials for obtaining the "local colour." The story, like others from the pen of Stevenson, strays far from the beaten path of story-writing. It is the tale of Lopaka, a young man of the Southern Seas, whose love is Koliua, a young woman in whose veins flows the blood of royalty. Tile only barrier to the union of the lovers is the attitude taken by tho father of the girl. The old man says that Lopaka shalj not have the hand of his daughter till he brings him two feather cloaks. This condition* is made because it is impossible of fulfilment, and entails a death Penalty on someone. Lopaka goes to the Devil's Mountain and meets a dying priest, who gives him a wishing bottle. With the aid oi this all the desires of Lopaka are to be granted, bnt there are certain delicate conditions that have to b(? obsorved, and the adventures and the trials of the young man and his lover arc many and thrilling, but all ends happily for the dusky pair. The leading role in the drama is taken by Pessue Hayakawa, the noted Japanese actor, who may bo remembered for his excellent performance some little time ago in "The Cheat." The opening screenings of "The Bottle Imp" were made at the Paramount Theatre on Saturday, and the new kinema house was well filled on all occasions, and at times -waß crowded and unable to hold all the would-be patrons.

ORGAN RECITAL. Mr. Bernard P. Page, the City Organist, presented an attractive programme to lovers of orgau music at the Town Hall oh Saturday evening. With his predisposition to a lovo for the musical giants. Mr. Page's programmes invariably include escerpts from the works of masters, with imaginations as big as their musical capacity, and so wq had Wagner and Cesar Pranck in some of their most delightful moods to charm the senses on Saturday evening. Mr. Pago plays the wonderfully .'beautiful woodland music from "Siegfried" very skilfully and feelingly, his registrations being in tho closest affinity possible to the orchestral score. Tho other Wagnerian number was the Prelude to Aot 111 of "Tristan and Isolde" (the "Romeo and Juliet" of grand oporaj, surpassingly entrancing music, poignant in the "pain that is all but a pleasure" whioh tho haunting musio oonveys. Prom tho numbers that are not infrequently Included in Mr. Page's progrnmiSo, one can conolnde that he de-

lights to c-ommunc with composers of an almost forgotten past, who perhaps may not rank with the great masters, yet whose work's are always interesting. Xhe programme on Saturday eveniug had an example in the Voluntary in D Minor by William Russell, a London organ-builder and organist, who died in 1813 i He gravitated between the theatre and the Church, and made much music for both, including quite a number of voluntaries of which the one played by Mr. Pago is an attractive example. Russell was for some time pianist at the Covcnt Garden Opera House. Cesar Franck, the mighty Belgian, was represented by the secoud movement from his "Symphony in D Minor." Mr. Page also played a weirdly beautiful "Melodic" by Bachmaninoff (who is still among the mortals, and doing good war-work, at Moscow) and a peaceful Bach "Pastorale."

CONCERT AT MASONIC HALL." The concert announced for to-morrow evening at .the Masonic Hall, Boulcott Streef., is expected to draw a large audiences as it is not often such a number of favourite artists are included in one programme. The programme will be a popular one of vocal, instrumental, and concerted music. Among many Items of interest. Mr. Hamilton Hodges will be heard in Oodard's famous "Angels Guard Thee," with violin ohbligato by Mr. N. Watson, and also in t the song of the moment, "There's a Big Lot of Sunshine Coming Soon." The proceeds are in aid of the Thcosophical Society's Building Fund.