ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 29, 29 October 1917, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

"THE PINK LADY." At the Grand Opera House to-night, the lioyal Oomic Opera. Company will state "The rink Lady" again. The production is truly an excellent one. The score is delightful, the fun unlimited, the fctcnc'y oharmlng, and when the curtain is finally rung, down on the riot of frivolity, one leaves with the oddost ga lerj-of whimsical oortratts in mind. "The Pink Lady is founded on the .French farce Le Satyrc." and its plot is tricky and amusing. Homo of the scenes are radiantly beautiful, and the pick of them (ill is the dance and ballet, billed as ; N?»I> n8 »"* Katvrs." On Saturday night, the comedy drew a, packed house, and upon is merits it Bhould easily do the same to-night-

"THE CINEMA STAB." To-morrow and Wednesday night will witness the only two productions in Y> eilington of the successful musical comedy "The Cinema Star," which ran for upwards of ave months m Sydney and Melbourne. ,Under ordinary conditions this piece would have been staged hero for at least a week, but. owing to the brevity of the season, occasioned by the Australian strike, only two performances can bo given. "Tim Cinema Mar, it is said, is akin to pantomime extravaganza, and presents every member of the Koyal Comlo Opera Comnany to the very best advantage. Miss Florence Young is 'The Cinema, Star." Miss Minnie Love will be given every opportunity in "The Cinemn. Star. Included In her musical numbers is lbo Broken Doll," her representation of which created great enthusiasm in Australia. Mr. Leslie Holland, as the stammering film manager, and Mr. Phil Smith, as .Toshjah Clutterbuck. it is stated, create screams of laughter practically the whole time they are on the stage. Mr. Olydo Cooks wonderful dancing and tumbling were applauded to the echo in Sydney, and Miss Mais Baird, who danced so cleverly in 'The Pink Lady," achieved a. triumph in Sydney in a spocialty dancing "turn" with Mr. Leslie Holland. Miss Gladys Moiicncns soprano voice should be heard to exceptional advantage in the numbers allotted tho role of Phyllis, and Mr. licginald Eoberts has an important part to portray in Victor do Brette. On Thursday "The Merry Widow" will be revived. The season will close on Friday night, whon "The Bed Widow!' will be staged for the first and only timo in Wellington. The plans-for the season are now open at the Bristol.

THE FOLLIES OF PLEASURE. Kins Itcvuo holds indisputable sway in ] modern vaudeville. Yet another big rcvuo enterprise is being, launched by the Fuller firm in the sliape of "Th/; Follies of Pleasure." which will bo initially presented by the well-known American producer, Mr. Los Bates, at His Majesty s Theatre this evening. Thiß combination is said to be one of the most elaborate and expensive revue productions yet introduced by the Fullers. It is stated to have experienced extraordinary receptions throughout the extensive Fuller circuit, and haß the reputation of being one of the firm's biggest revue sucoesses. Mr. Bates claims to possess the finest chorus of girls yet seen in Australasian variety. Tho counterfold mirthful situations which are said to occur throughout the productions are handled by such popular and cauable oomedians as Messrs. Les Bates, Con Moroni, and Les Warton. The lady principals arc Miss Madge Moore (who Us imported for revue work by Mr. Fuller from America), and Miss Lalie Brooke. The staging is said to be of a ramPtnous genre, and the fact that the wardrobe was the output of Madame Edwards speaks for itself. The opening .production iif entitled "The Matinee Girl. On the vaudeville half of the programme, two new names appear. Mr. Tom Bees, a Continental eccentric musician, will make ms Wellington debut, and Mr. Warren Eastings, the Australian tenor who has earned the title of "VaudevilleS.John MCormick" from one Sydney critic, will make his first bow, here. Clivalli and. Mb remarkable dogs. Laurant, the .magical callgraphist, the clever and comioal Belldays. and the Bunty Scotch comedy trio wi complete the bill. The usual, matinee will be given on Saturday afternoon next.

THE KING'S THEATRE.

This week's picture feature at the King's Theatre is one that will no doubt arouse general interest. It is a film version by I an English company of Thomas Hughes 5 classic story of life in one of the_ vqrids most famous public schools- Tom Brown a Schooldays." The life of the manly hero of the book, Tom Brown, is depicted with a minimum of "the inevitable departures from the story that seem to be unavoidable in all cases of transference from the printed word to the screen. Beginning with the depiction of the childish pranks of Tom, who, at quite an early age showed an appreciation of. and practised, those desirable qualiSJes-manhuess and honour -the Btory traverses Toms doings at Bugbv and shows how these admirable traits' 'in his character remained uppermost right to the end of his. school car-eer-how they gained for him the wholesome respect of, and a certain amount ol hero-worship from, his schoolfellows, and in addition, won for him the esteem of the masters. The historic . fight with "Slogger" Williams is a most realistic incident, while the general scenes of school life (all filmed at Rugby) are not the least interesting feature of the picture. "Tom Brown's School Days will appeal particularly to boys. Included in the programme are the latest Gazette and a Vitagraph comedy.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. The star attraction at Everybody's Theatre this week is the Triangle play entitled "Madcap Madge." starring Olivo Thomas, the "Follies" beauty. According to the story, Mr. and Mrs. Flower have two daughters-Julia, who fails to make a match after six strenuous seasons, and Madge, the "Madcap," who is still at school. Mrs. Flower reads an announcement in tho paners that the Earl of bansdale is seeking health at Palm Beach Incognito, and thinks it a splendid chance for her daughter .Julia to annex the title as well as the ancestral estates. So mother and daughter leave for the resort, Madge being left behind at the finishing school. This does not suit Madge, however, who. after a series of escapades, is expelled from the school, and joins her mother and si=tej- at, Palm Beach, mnch to their discomfiture. Madge shows that she is rightly nicknamed the "Madcap," as is seen in the events that follow her sudden arrival, for she puts the fashionable Palm Beach oolony into a tumult and drives her. mother into hysterics. It is a delightful story of a wilful girl's innocent escapades, while the scenery is exceptionally good. There is also screened a screaming Keystone comedy entitled "Cactus Nell," I anil Pathe's Gazette contains the latest topical items.

EMPRESS THEATRE. At. the Empress Theatre, the chief attraction this week is a film entitled "Perlwinkle," which tolls a thrilling story of mother love. The story opens on a desolate beach near a Government life-saving station. The youngest member ot the lifeguard crew, Ira. rescues a baby girl from a wreck. The child is cared for at the station, and the men christen her "Periwinkle." Living near the station is Ephraim Rawlins and his childless daughter, Ann Scndder. Ann has an aching maternal spot in her bosom that she longs to fill, and with every week she hopes that fate will favour her with something from it lo appease the motherly longing. Then comes Periwinkle, and her joy knows no bounds. When the rescued child grows to girlhood and is the bright spot in the lives of tlic men at the station. Dick Langdon. a wealthy young New Yorker, is cast ashore from the wreck of his yacht, Periwinkle, aiding the life-savers, helps bring him back to life. Her innocent goodness and faith transforms liangdon during his stay at the station from a blase society ne'er-do-well to a man of high and noble ambitions. The story ends happily, for Langdon marries Periwinkle after accounting to her guardians, the life-savers on the desolate, beach. There is also being screened this week the sixteenth chapter of the "Iron Claw," entitled "The Unmasking of Davy." There are many thrills and sensations in this episode. Th« runaway locomotive leaving the railß and falling into ». ravine is one of the sensational incidents. The Topical Budget nontains the usual selection of recent happenings.

"LOOK WHO'S HERE." Mr. Jack Waller announces that lie will produce tho entirely new musical extravaganza, "Look Who's Here," for u season at tlie Grand Opera House, commencing on November 5. "Look Who's Hero" is not a musical comedy, and is not a revue, but it is said to contain the best elements of hoth of thoso popular forms .of amusement. It has been described as "a merry melange of brilliant musical numbers, vocal and instrumental, droll burlesques of popular plays, clever skits of topical cvqnts. inimitable dancinir, and other specialities." The setting, mounting, and dressing of the production arc reported to be on a most lavish scale, and entirely novel in conception. Particular interest will centre In the .first appearance in Wellington of the Purple Band, a company of instrumentalist!), who accompany "Look Who's Tlcrc," and whose playing is described as a revelation. The. box plans will be opened at tho Bristol to-morrow morning.

WELLINGTON PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA. Last night the Wellington Professional Orchestra save another of their onjoyabla concerts at His Majesty's Theatre. Tlio opening ovorturo was "Nell Gwyn" (German). This is n delightfully constructed orchestral selection, dainty and bright, and full of colour. At the. other end of the programme was the massive overture to "Hionzi (Wagner), one of the most spectacular of the composer's works. The audience was trc&tod to a, very line performance, the work of the brass instruments being particularly good. A very interesting number was "Norwegian Oar-

nival" (Svcndscn). This composition preserved national features, and was a veritable lesson in counterpoint. Tho orchestra, undor tho baton of Mr. Herbert Bloy, gave a most crcditablo interpretation. The other numbers on the programme were a Valso Tristo (Sibelius), a quaint and even psychological composition; a Wedding March by Greig; a Hcbcrao by Ocntola; and Bishop's "Lo! Here the Gentle Lark, interpreted bn the fluto and clarionet, by Mr. A. P. Truda and Mr. H. Moßchmi. This last was probably tho most popular number on tho programme, the two performers proving themselves first-class artists.