ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 312, 21 September 1918, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS

"THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR." A good den! of interest, is being taken in tho initial production by J. U. iVilnauieop, Ltd., at tho Urand Optra House, on Tuesday night next, of the sensational mystery play, "Tlin Thirteenth. CJliuir." cluiined to bo tho most successful drama staged in New York for the past, three seasons, while in Sydney and Melbourne it broKo all records established by tho sumf author's other drama "Within the Law.' 1 Tno play, it is said, is very tense, the action .moves swiftly and directly, and it grips. It is a mystery story, vividly and cloverly told. Surprise, follows surprise, and there arc suspense and breath-caicbcs it ia said, in almost every minnro of it. Tho huuting down of a murderer is the theme, and the entire action takes place during one evening, but it is tho,way the action moves, together with tho weird and uncanny setting and incidence, that, counts. "Tho craftsmanship of 'Tho Thirteenth Chair' is,"; said a' oritic recently, "simply perfect. Its merit consists chiefly in the rigid exclusion of all non-material matters, livery word, every intonation of the voice, every physical gesture, it. is said, counts for something, and overy single property on the stage plays an essontial role in the general mechanism. For ail that there is an inherent elasticity in the material used by tho dramatist that forbids all the idea of an intricate juggling with nioro puppets. The characters, stripped as they aro of all the frilly waste that is three parts of the human make-up, nevertheless live before our eyes. In a play that is essentially dramatic, for every touch of terror there is a touch of humour and pity." Miss Margaret Wycherly, who plays the leading role, is, it is said, one of the finest actresses tho United States has yet produced. She has bad the advantage of presenting tho character of KoEalic la Grange under the author's guidance, and she has appeared in "The Thirteenth Chair" for two consecutive seasons in New York. Mr. Brinsley Shaw, who will take tho part of Tim Donohuo, the detective, also comcß with a big reputation which ho won in New York. Mr. Shaw, too. had the advantago of rehearsing his role under the supji'Yision of tho author of the play, who, by tho way, is tho husband of Hiss Wycherly. The cast also includes Hiss Lizette Parkes, Ethel Morrison, Gaston Mervale, Leslie Victor, Sydney Stirling and lan MacLarcn. Tho plans are now on view at tho Bristol. , THE ENGLISH PIERROTS. The popularity of tho English Pierrots was further demonstrated by the attendance at the Concort Chamber last evening. Miss Elsa Langley was again, emiuontly successful in her budget of Scotch songs, iter acting, as well' as hor singing, is artistic, and her Quaker duet with Mr. Leslio Austin is oxtremcly pretty. Tho other mombors of the company—Misses Elsie Eosßlyn, Kima Young, and Billlo Wilßon, and Messrs. D. Lyle, It. Cooke, 0. Law : renco, and W. V. Turner—kept the audience entertained. Thero will bo a change ; of programmo to-night. I KING'S THEATRE. Belle Bonnott and J. Barney Sherry shore honours bb the starß in "A Soul in Trust," the Triangle feature to bo scrocned at tho King's Theatro' to-day. Tho film is in six reels, and is said to fell a story of high-powered dramatic raluo and tenso interest. One of tho characters secretly marries much beneath him and has, a son in duo course. Ho succeeds in annulling the marriage, and lator marries another woman. The child (lies quite young, and the father meets with an accidont. As ho is dying ho confesses to having had a child by his first marriage, and his wife promises to adopt th'o (child. Bhe does, and in llmo learns to love it ,as her own. The real mother of tho boy has bocome an adventuress, and for political reasons wishos to discredit a certain statesman, and. for thiß purpose uses her own son. But tho prompting of her inother-lo.vo and tho remaining traco' of goodness in her heart causos her to waver. Tho end is very dramatic. In addition will bo shown the second opisodc of "Tho Fatal King," entitled "Crushing Walls." "BABBLING TONGUES" AT'EVERYBODY'S. What is claimed to bo one of tho greatest features of the year, "Babbling Tongues," will be screened to-day at Everybody's Theatre. The story is said to convey ono of tho most powerful indictmonts ever conceived against scandal, and the terriblo consequences which can follow from such trilles aB a veiled remark, a lifted eyebrow, a secret nudge, and all those other trifles which, added together, can become a mountain of crime against innocent people Tho cast ia a powerful one, and is headed by James Morrison and Grace Valentine. The story is that of a husband, a wife, and "tho other man." All throe are honourable people, but babbling tongues, on no evidence at all, soon connect the wifo's name with that of. tho friend,, and an a result tho husband eventually dies through a wound received in a duel, whilo the wife and friend aro driven into aach other'B arms as outcasts from society. Tho dramatic power of tho story is said to be unußttally strong. EMPBESS THEATRE. I "Tho Tenderfoot," a ' Yitagraph drama I to be screened at tho Empress Theatre to-day, is a Wostorn talo with a full supply of thrills, including at Icaßt one light which is said to stand out as a very realistic piece of work. An Easterner who has been disappointed in love goes West to try'to forget. He falls vory low, but ovontually meets a girl who causes him to become ,a man again. They find that they love each other, but tho old love accidentally arrives,' and a conflict ensues between tho tenderfoot's old allcgianco and his now love. Tho story ends very satisfactorily, and shows tho transiHon of tho hero from' a tenderfoot to a foarless and virilo Westerners William Duncan plays tho title-part, and is supported by Carol Hollowoy as tho girl who evontually wins him. ARTCRAFT THEATRE. "The Keys of Righteousness" and "Huck and Tom" wore shown fqr the last time at the Artcraft Theatre last evening. -Tonight there will be a change of programme, and again two star pictures • will be screened. In "Barbary Sheep," the famous actress Elsie Eerguson appears as Lady Wyvcrno. The picture tells the story of tho Arabian Desert, and has been adapted for tho screen from Rupert Hichenß's novel of the samo title. The other star film, entitled "Wolves of the. Bail," and featuring W. S. Hart, deals with life in the rugged west of the United .States. It is described as a melodrama of interna interest, and full of thrills. It tclla tho story of tho reclamation of an outlaw by a slip of a girl.

SKORTT'S THEATIIE. The great Russian screen actress Nazimova, whose personality, versatility, and emotional range are said to bo remarkable, will be featured <it Short's Theatro to-day in "Revelation," which is described as a 6tory of remarkable beauty. Nzlmova, it Is stated, is gifted with truly wonderful powors, and some critics have styled her one of the greatest living actresses and tho greatest picture actress.