ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 75, 23 December 1918, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

GRAND 01T.RA lIOUSK. Box plans lor the opening alfraclion on Boxing Sight of Ihi! J". C. Williamson musical comedy season will Ire opened at the llristol Piano Company tliis morning. The firm of J. V. Williamson Jiasbroiig.it many fino attractions to Xevv /.calami, but this is claimed to . ; >e the first lime local playgoers liuve beei! favoured with (lie opportunity of enjoying a record musical comedy .success hefors its presentation in either .Melbourne or Sydney. The company includes .Miss Jland I , :"" , . Gracie. l.avers Jliuid J tatty, Cecil Bri'.ilky, Jiorotliy. l'ui-dcll, Flossie Lu.sk, Messrs. field Fisher, Alfred Frit'i, George Willoiijfhby, Harry Wo'toii, \\ uliam Greene, Cyril Uiehards, Fred Jlaguire, Jack ■Hooker, and other popular jiMt'oniK'M. Tlioro are six scenes in the threo nets. The entire strength or rue company is engaged, and each one hi an important part. "Going Up" i* said to possess a dearly (Mined plot, '.vlijle tbs comedy is of the muit hilarious type. Specialty danced and new ballets are a strong feature, and in Ihe opinion 01 Australian critics' it is the tur.ef'.ilnfss of the many eajohy numbers, to winch its remarkable Vieuess miwt be attributed.

THE KING'S TirKATBK. . To the appearance of Charlie Chaplin in "The lniriiicrant" no doubt must; bo Riven a good ileal of the credit for t'no excellent business recorded nt both sessions at the King's Theatre on- Saturday. The unique popularity enjoyed by this comedian is certainly not yfct on tl'to wane—if anything, it seems to increase. And this, perhaps, is not surprising, -for in this latest picture to bo screened here, his talents show no decline. The inimitable Charlie is seen as one of the ufsscnijers on an immigrant ship bourn! for America. Herded with a motley company, the majority of whom are apparently P.ussianr. nnd Jews, it is not difficult lo im.igiao the. fun Charlie creates on shipboard. And when he reaches New York there is no let up in thy; fun, for "the imminrnnt's" ludicrous efforts (which in the end are completely successful) to get a nienl for nothing from a hulking cightcen-stone restaur-ant-keeper, who has in hi.i employ a whole army of professional "chiickersoui,-" compel a perfect riot of 111 lighter. A screen version of L. J. Vance's widelyread novel "The Lone Wolf" is another (itnr attraction on the same programme. This is a story that provides ample 6q<)i)Q for those spectacular effects which, when well handled, are the delight, of (ho average picture-goer. "The Lone Wolf" is a dory 0? a master criminal who Iws earned for himself interna timial fame by his exploits of skill and daring. Ho was an orphan, nnd was- reared in crime, having in his childhood been taken away from a life of drudgery by a famous and clever thief. This thief was betrayed by a confederate, which betrayal resulted in his death. The boy resolved to avenge the wrong done his benefactor, and lo accomplish this determined to work alone—hence "the Loud Wolf." How he accomplishes his life's mission involves a lengthy and exciting story, in which a fnsriiuiling young lady detectivo plays a leading part in taming the "Wolf." The picture is a remarkably Rood one, and many of the scenes, apart from the story itself, arc alono worth seeing. With the addition of the Gazette, another instalment of. "Tho Fatal King," and nn attractive musical programme, the holiday programme is one iliat deserves piitromigc.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. The new programme submitted for the delectation of patrons at Everybody's Theatre on Saturday afternoon comprised a Rood variety of matter, and was very well received both at the afternoon and at the evening sessions. The main featuro was billed under the intriguing title of "Madam Sphinx," and proved to be c[uito up to the expectations inspired by thfl title —a myatery story, ami a curious one at that. It was," however, made something considerably tetter than a mere tale of mysterious crime and clover detection by the romantic love passages of the hero and heroine, whose roles were taken by Wallace M'Donald mid Alma Rubens respectively. A handsomer pair of screen lovers it would have been difficult lo find, and their adventures were followed with keen interest throughout. The motive of the story is the tracing of a murderer who has omitted to leave behind him clues adequate for his detection by the Police Department, at any rate. After the failure of the police, Celeste (Miss Alma lJubens) steps into the breach, and workjng upon the one clue that is available, viz., a peculiarly designed cuff link, finally narrows down the field of her suspicions until it contains one man—a young Parisian artist, who possesses more than a nodding acquaintance with the dark by-ways and subterranean haunts of the Kay city. She has the artist (Wallace Jt'Donald) arrested, but he so. successfully protests his innocence that Celeste is doubtful whether her surmise of guilt is quite correct. This doubt sets her upon the trail again, and her second inresfigation alleys all anxiety as lo who has been the slayer in the case. One Raoul Lα Verne Jβ charged with the murder, and his unexpected confession gives the iinal touch to the convincing array of evidence that: Celeste has marshalled against him. The diffidence of Celeste about believing in the guilt of the young artist in the first place is perhaps explained by a pretty scene at the conclusion, where Celeste and Andre Du Bois (for that is hie name) figure as the most charming of prospective "The Immigrant," being an account of the doleful adventures of one Charles Chaplin in a strange land, is a supporting ilem not to be. missed by those who believe in the virtues of a good hearty liUlgJl.

EMPRESS THEATRE. "The Wasp" is the title of (lie leading picture on the prolamine lit the Einjiress Thcalre this wi-ek. Although it is somewhat singular in name, it fittingly describes tlift heroins of the story (Miss Kitty (.ionlon), who is the possessor of 11 purticularly biting tongue, with which she is accustomed to lush all with whom.she is displeased. Of course, Cupid/ with liis bow, is id (lie bottom of all the troulilc which the story unfolds, and there h plenty of it, 100. "The Wiwp" is n beautiful fype of society girl wlio detests the inline i'/'ivolitieo of the moneyed people of h'er sol, and is not slow in acquainting them of the tact. She hns been taught, everything at college except to bi , . a woman, tiiui she wauls io marry a true man, not an apology for one. How .she finds him, in the person of it chaiilTniir, is told in u chiirming manner in the picture, which, incidentally, usks the question: "Are children necessary to a wife's happiness :" Neeifless to say, the answer is in the iifiirmaliro. Admiriibjy singed, thc iilin contains some very fine fellings, and the scenery is most beniil.ififl. Of Hi rill* then. , is a plenitude, mid the ntlemnt of a gang of strikers- - ,- hciided by Carl Wagner, a German agitator, to .blow ii]i the factory owned by "Tho Wasp's" father, by conetriicling p i\ 'tunnel underneath the building, > s exciting Io a degree. "The Wasp" ami her filimilfeiii' lire immured in I lit* iniinel by tlie ruffians, and it is just prior l» their rescue by it detachment of soldiers tliat Ihu clmiilteur, who lias taken mi that vocation in order to catch "The AVasp," confesses his lovo find is accepted. The remaining items on the programme are of a high order, particularly the topical series, which include a choice selcclion of highly intercsiing war lUiiif. Tha jirogramme will bo repeated to-day.

THE QUEEN'S THEATIiK. "Cupid's Round Up." the premier jiicluro uf the new proßramnie now showing at the Queen's Thcntro in (.'lilui Street, with tho favourite Tarn Mix in the. lending role, is n photo piny of nr.usnn.l merit which should lmve a iionnliir rnn. The. story coneprns episodi'S of ranch life in the 'Weevci-n T'lsiitip, featnriiiß ninny nets of dnrinir lior.seni'.ui'iliip. mid intriiducer. many very luinionius Bccnes. "Throtigh the Trout Valiu.v" is a fascinating scenic film, mid "A Selfnmdc l,ndy" is a Sunshine comedy twining with mirthful incidents. This progrnminc should not ho missed.