ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 89, 8 January 1918, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"MltS. DOT." To-night Miss Mario Tempest will present tho fourth comedy of the present season at the Grand Opera House wiien Somorsct Maugham's widely successful "Mrs. Dot" will be produced for the first time in New Zealand. Tho plot deals with an absurdly eligible widow, and the extremely humorous adventures .surrounding her love affair, with a web of diverting entanglements through which sho ultimately readies her heart's desire. Australian critics credit Miss Tempest villi a "masterpiece in artistic fun-malting" in the character of Mrs. Dol Jlr. Graham Browne iB reported as contributing a remarkably neat etching of a nost amusing character as J. Blenliinsop, and the clever supporting company is spoken of in the highest terms. Unfortunately "Mrs. Dot" can only be presented three times, as on Friday and Saturday evenings "A Pair of Silk Stockings" will constitute tho two final performances of tho merry season. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. His Majesty's Theatre was filled last evening with a holiday audience who enjoyed every item on tho long and varied programme presented. The chief musical turn was again the Musical Bentlcys with their out-size in xylophones. T.hey gave a finished and fully harmonised reading of "The Eosary," in which the two p'ayers managed Bix sticks, and played' with the soft pedal on. In a pot-p.iurri of rag-time they used Beven sticks, and got overy ounce of rhythm and l">ne u'-'t of the lively lilts. Tom Eecse, 'ho genial yarn-spinner and musical specialist, is an established favourite. Last evoning he entered playing an oboe, an instrument :bat does not lend, itself to solos, but is ulmost. indispensable to orchestral work. Mr. Heeso also plays rip-tearing Wants of ragtime 011 a bass trombone, and sounds a clear ringing note on tho ■■ornet. Blako and Granby, two accomplished sketch artists, with a lively sense of broad humour. pleased in a domestic comedietta entitled "The System." M'Kjy and Graham provide a good vocal turn. Miss M'Kay sings fairly well, and Mr Graham has a fine resonant basso, which he used with effect in "From Oberon in Fairyland," and that fine old song "When Bright Eyes Glance," sunk here so successfully by Mr. Wallace Brownlow ever

so many years ago. A new-comer was Miss Lilian Teoce, a soprano with plenty of voice of indifferent quality, and the Klentos, a couple of adept ground tumblors and hand balancers, whose work was clean and clever throughout. Among tho performers who have been at His Jmjesty's for some time aro Jones and Haines, Ernest Pitcher ("the big mug"), the Coleman Sinters, and the Alerts (bayonet and battleaxe manipulators). KING'S THEATRE. In "Tho Guardian," the star' feature now screening at the King's Theatre, June Elvidge, 4s tho belle of a Eirls' boarding school, is carrying on a romance with an utterly worthless, but good .looking, scamp that' she had accidently met Montague Love is the hero, and Arthur Ashley the villain of a play which is remarkable for its original situations. Charles Chaplin, in "The Fireman," is another attractive feature. EMPRESS THEATRE. In "Sunlight's Last Raid," tho star fear tiiro now screening at the Empress Theatre. f,Tho tense incident of the play is the hold-up of a train by an outlaw who is one of the half-breed Mexican bandits. ■It is grimly realistic, as is the final rout, and the panic-Btricken flight along' the narrow, dangerous mountain roadH. Alfred Whitman, aB hero who is Badly onough mistaken for tho bandit chief, is a hands.ome and likeable cowboy of the best type." EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. The race in "The Thoroughbred," the star feature now screening at Everybody s •is an exciting event, and is a surprising piece of camera work. The horses aro shown at full stretch at different parts of the course, and the finish is Keen. The excitement is heightened by flash views of the faces of tho spectators. Frank Ivcenan is seen aB the old colonel, a, veteran of tho confederate army. His is a flee performance. 1