ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 88, 7 January 1918, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"GOOD GIUCIOUS, ANNABELLE!" L The J. 0. Williamson Company, headed by Marie Teiupiwt, repeated "Good Graolous, Auiiabclle!" at (lie Grand Otiera House on Saturday cveiiinsr before a sood "house." The final ijerl'o'rmnm'c of the comedy will take place this evening. Tomorrow evening will be the oixusjon ot another memorable production—Somerset Maugham's successful comedy, "Mrs. Dot," staffed for iiiK flint lime in flow Zealand. Many of the Australian critics pronounced this three-act comedy the liriglitcst in Miss Ttainpeat'e repertoire. It paints iiu excruciariugly funny picture of the humorous side of the most intricate entanglement Cupid ever wove around susceptible young hearts, and. provides not only an artistic treat of the highest order, but <i night of unbounded merriment and laughter. "II rs. Dot" will ocoiiDy the stage for throe nights as Friday and Saturday are reserved for the production of "A Pair of Silk Stockings,"

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATJifi. Considering the troubled times, the stream of talent into His Majesty's TJioniro, the Wellington vaudeville House, flows very strongly Amongst the newcomers to-night will Ijo the KleiFios, whose turn of rollicking comedy is said to combine with the most sensational surprises to constitute a truly marvellous ottering. Another newcomer who is said to strike a particularly original note will be iliss Lillian Teece, an American booking, known as "The Personality Girl." Critics are stated to have compared this lady's voice with that of Madame llolba. asserting that tho two organs aro of. similar calibre. Miss Teece is said to be also wonderfully proficient in the art of frocking, being placed upon a parallel with such consummate dressers of the variety world as Dorothy Harris and Violet Trcvenyon. Tho Musical Bent lays, niarimba-xyloplioii-ists; tho Ooleman Sisters, comediennes; Ernest Pitcher, "The Bio Mug"; Tom Beee, mueicnl comedian; Blake and Gvanbv in their scroaminc comedy sketch, "The System"; M'Kay and Graham, .vocalists; the Alerts, bayonet jugglers; and Jones and Raines, the Welsh comedy duo, completo an attractive programme. The samo comnany will appear nightly throughout the v/eeU and at. the cuGtoraary matinee on Saturday .next.

THE KING'S THEATBE. The usual week-end change of film was effected at the Khib's Theatre on Saturday, when a World Film feature, "The Guardian," 'was tile priucinal attraction. Hterrcd in the play are June Elvidge, Montagu Love, and Arthur Aeliley. The story tells of the fortunes of the daughter of a "crook." The girl's father and his partner In crime are caught while robbing a bank, and in the subsequent light with the police the father is shot dead, while the other makes Rood his escape. This latter then assumes thn guarelianßhip of Ills dead partner's daughter; he completely reforms, becorr-'s president of a bankJnj concern, and devotes his life to watching OTOr the girl's welfare. When tfle girl grows up she enters into possession of a fortune, which has beou bequeathed to her by her grandfather. The girl meanwhile has become engaged to an utterly worthless young man, who desires mainly not herself but her money. The intervention of tho guardian saves the girl in tho meantime, but the disappointed auitor, through an accidental conversation with nn unscrupulous ox-police olfloial, learns the past history of the now prosperous banker. This knowledge, of course, he plans to exploit to the full, hut events do not fall out in quite the way he expeots. The girl, when she learns of the past lives of her guardian and her father, takes matters into her own hands, and mainly through her inflnenco her rurvdiau's position in the world becomes secure and his name respected. Her rcgnrcl for him does not end here, however; this phase of tho. story makes an interesting nnalo to a drama that in every respect is well worth swing. The supporting items.include a Triangle comedy and the latest Gazette. Tho programme will he scroened continuously throughout the week.

EVERYBODY'S THEATBE. A great character actor is Frank Keonau, with his strong, serious faco and manly bearing:. Just the man to rise to great occasions, he makes a glorious success of his part in tho Triangle drama "The Thoroughbred." Ho appears as Major Ainslee, a Sontheruor of the old school, courtly, cultured, strong-inindcd, and almost impervious to the arrows of ill-fortune. Ho meets every situation with a smile, and has sufficient charm of per. sonality to turn the lasting friendship' of a man who is proiudicod against him. That friendship stands him in good stead in the crisis of his fortunes, and brings him a much-needed aid. The, major is a lover of horse-racing and the owner of a splendid mount called Mies Minta. His views upon sport arc admirably summed up in his answer to the prvachei , ivlio has just concluded an indictment of racing. "Someone has grossly deceived you, sir," says the major, in all seriousness. The whole story is an admirable defence of what is a fine snort at its bast. There occurs, of course, the inevitable race, which is shown in detail. It is a rousing spectacle, well worthy to form the climax of an excellent story. Margaret Thompson appears as the major's daughter, in love with. , a handsome young man who, with the , i best intentions, is compassing her father's ruiu. Along with "Tho Thoroughbred" is billed "The Goat Without Horns," another instalment of "The Secret Kingdom." "The Goat" is a weird Etory, to say the least. EMPRESS THEATRE. The storiee of Cyrus luwnsond Brady (best known as the author of "The Island of Hegeneration") seem to be peculiarly fitted for presentmcut by the kinema. They are, iii tho main, tales of the great open air, and are distinguished by prodigality of thrilling incidents and wild adventures. Characteristically a Brady oreation is "Bunlight's Last Kaid," which is tho principal picture at tkc Empress this week. In it the author elaborates a theme ever dear to the juvenile mindoutlawry and general .badness redeemed iu some slight measure by touches of gallantry and ohivalry. Ho paints' Sunlight as a Western desperado, lost to everything but a sense of good manners. Sunlight's exploits make , him tho terror of his district. The spectator early in the play finds him holding up a train, and performing, with the most exaggerated politeness, acts which in real life are generally accompanied by displays of ill-breeding. Into his power falls the heroine of the piece—Miss Mary Anderson. She contrives to make her escape, but again on a lonely ride she meets a handsome horseman whom she believes to be Sunlight. Prom her mistake ensues an exciting train of incident that is finally resolved into a satisfactory conclusion. The picture has at least two feature/ of outstanding excellence—the graceful' riding of Miss Anderson and tho beauty of the outdoor setting.