ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 147, 11 March 1918, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"LOOK WHO'S HERE." The programme for the "Look Who's Here" revue by Mr. Jock Waller's clever company on Saturday evening wa6 announced as a selection of "rcquost" numbers by the several members of the company, and it was a mort excellent programme that waa presented. These entertainments of light music and good comedy liavo always proved attractive to the Wellington public, but thc-re is more real ingenuity am) cleverness in this show of Jack Waller's than In any of the many other good shows thai, have preceded it. We have had companies with people who could sine at least as well as any of Mr. Waller's friends, and with other people who could provoke laughs as fr»ijucnt awl as hearty as any of the men wearing tho smart "Look Who's Hero" uniform, hut this show is splendidly presented, and the utmost use tins been made of the talents of the members of the company to mix the -nhole to make it pinuant, whimsical, and jolly. They are particularly successful with their musical jokes and burlesques. No ono dare attempt this sort of fun unless he can really play, and tho membeis of "The Hungarian Band" do know how to make good music an well as how to make fun. In this programme '.liiy had good music by Mr. Dennett and the "Ideal" trio, and jokos by Ihc "H«n;»n.i'i.?K Band," good songs and choruses, and sows that -were fnnny without being any the less musical. There were other novelties and burlesques and oddments of unclassified, but very amusing foolery, and two remarkably good dance turns by the Whites, called on tho programme Dick, Lcs, and Dorothy. To-night the company is giving an entertainment in aid of the Y.M.O.A. fund which is being raised for the Bed Triangle war work, and an entirely new programme i 3 promised. During the interval on Saturday night Mr. S. George Nathan offered some of the boxes and seats in the theatre at auction. Mr. Waller helped him also by an appeal to "the millionaires," but the millionaires must have been at homn, for the bidding waa not brisk. Some £20 or £30 worth of scats must have been sold, however. HIB MAJESTY'S THEATHE. That popular band of merrymakers known as Walter Johnson's Musical Players presented an entire change of programme at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday afternoon and evening before two crowded houses. The production, which is ono of the most lavishly staged and most humorous revues yet seen upon the local boards, is'entitled "The Gramophone Girls." It was interpreted by Mr. Johnson's now well-known cast of principals, and was received with the utmost cuthusiasnij from both audiences. Of the clahorato scenic effects', perhaps the most ambitious was that of the scene in the ball-room. Many musical numbers of (ho rag-time and sentimental genre were capably rendered by the company, individually and collectively. To-night a- chango will be made in the vaudeville portion of the programme. First in importance amongst the newcomers will be the initial appearance in these parts of the child dancer, Miss Verna Bain. Of this child, I the Auckland "Herald" has (he following to say: "Verna Bain is a budding Gcnce. a danseuse H?ht as thistledown, graceful as a sylph, pretty aR a picture. Not only has she the gift of dancing, but combined therewith, she possesses the art of interpretation. She is a wonder child in whom genius has developed early." That well-known comedian and impersonator, .Tames 0. Bain, will make a welcome reappearance after a lengthy absence; the TCrnnks, a duo of trick cyclists who are assisted in a novel offering by a small girl rider, will also make their first appearance. Mr. Philip Newbury, tenor, and Miss Amy Murphy, soprano, will complete what- should be an excellent entertainment, which will be repeated nightly throughout the week, and at the ma'inees to be civoti on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. THE KING'S THEATRE. (Jlara Kiinuail i'ouut,' appears in tho chief role of "My Oilicial Wue," a Greater Vitagraph feature, uow screening at the Kings Theatre. The story of the picture is louuded on the well-known book of that name, and depicts the exciting adventures that befell a young American, Lenox, in Ilussia. Leuox and his wile were in Paris spending their honeymoon, when they received an invitation from some relations to visit Petrograd. The w'ifo was not well enough to undertake ao loug a journey, so it was decided that Lenox should go alono. A band of Nihilists in Paris, by means of spies, heard of the intended visit of Lenox, and they also became aware that he held a passport for himself and wife. Tho Nihilists then planned that their leader, Marie, a beautiful young Russian (on whose head the liussiau Government had sot a price), should travel to Bussia as Lenox's wife. A clever ruse at the Paris railway station onabled this to be done; Lenox was more than willing that "the wife of au old college chum who had been, through a misunderstanding, left behind" should travel as his wife until she overtook her "husband." Deception once embarked upon, it became necessary, in the interests of Lenox as well as Marie, to maintain is, and this led the American into a series of astounding adventures. Eventually he discovered the true identity of his "official" wife, and resolved to save her. from the clutches of the police; he incidentally waß the means of preventing Marie from assassinating the Tsar. Kow it all turned out eventually makes an v excellent and exciting story, and one well worth seeing. The fortunes of "The Neglected Wife" are advanced another stage. Some scenes taken at the Bed Triangle gala at Island Bay were wonderfully clear and evoked much interest; to screen at 8 o'clock at nigiit Bcenes photographed the same afternoon was a good performance, ind the audience appreciated it. The latest Gazette is also on the programme. EMIMIESS THEATBE. The star Aim at the Empress Thcalro in the new programme running this week is a World nrauia, entitled uormaiii. Power," featuring Ethel Clayton. According to the story, iirent, a fugitive irum justice, lives in we West with his daughter Ohristine (Ethel Clayton). There sne meets ilax>veil, who urges her to go backEast with him, but ?hc refuse" to do ao. Later she rescues i~arl Eandolph from (ho vengeance of Mexicans, aud provides him with niouey to leave the town. Impressed by tho faith tho girl shows in him, Carl strives and becomes a . successful New York lawyer. Whether father iB injured j Ohristine accepts Maxwell's offer, and marries him. in' the whirl of society- life Christine learns to Toalhe nor husbatd, because of his constant- insults, and just then she meets Carl and "their old love is rekindled. Maxwell then sets into trouble. Ho first robs an inventor of a patont, and then murders him. Carl appears for the willow of the murdered man, and Maxwell is eventually killed by tho widow, and Carl and Ohristine arc reunited. It is :i powerful drama, the acting being particularly good. The third part ! of the "History of the War" deals with, I France, and the magnificent burst, of paj- ! riot-ism displayed by the French people when the German challenge is accepted. "Dubs and' to*/ Goods," a Vita comedy, provides the laughter-producing element, and the Topic.il lladgcts deals with recent events. EVERYBODY'S THEATK-E. Tho Triangle drama, "Golden Kule Kate," featuring Louise Glaum, ie the star lilin showing at Every uotly'B Theatre tills week. Louise Glaum r.ppears as Mercedes Murony. known as "the sagebrush hen," niiiprictrcss of a Western saloon and dance-hail. She knows how to handle a gun, and her word is law. An evangelist opens a little church in the Nevada mining town for the purpose of cleaning up the place, and particularly "The lion's Dance Hall." When Mercedes hears of his purpose she sends one of her admirers to rope the minister, and this ho docs in full view of his congregation, and m the sacred edifice. The firm douieanour and rawest manner of the preacher conciliates tho "sagebrush hen, and she finally agrees to attend church every Sunday if the evangelist will tend her'bar in tta daii-.-e-hall one hour each week. From this compact a new life envelops for the village and its despotic ruler. A laughable Triangle comedy, "ins Sneccly Finish." the I'alhc Gazette, and an educational film, entilled "Alaskan Wonders," complete the new programme.