ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 212, 2 June 1919, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

KING'S THEATRE. "Laughing Bill Hyde/' a pictorial adaptation by the Golmvyn Company of the well-known novel by Kex lieacfi, heads the bill at the King's Theatre this week. Bcaoh undoubtedly has the faculty for depicting in strong colours the better side of human nature. From the most dejected and almost hopelessly abandoned being he can extract n ray of brightness, and around this he can weave a story which is at oiiee powerful and carries a poignant interest Such a story is "Laughing Bill Hyde." Hyde is a criminal who, to use his own phrase, "has been borrowing things ever sinco he was ten years old." His only trouble was that lie always failed to repay his "loans," and this was the reason of his downfall. He was intimately acquainted with the interior of a prison. \at through all his self-imposed misery he never ceascd to laugh. Optimism was his strong .point in life, although lie suffered many a. disappointment. Finally his luck .did turn, but no-'pen could better describe tho oliango in his fortunes than that of Eex Beach. Bill had a queer way of im. proving his station in.life; in fact, ho had to rob two other robbers to attain his end, but there was a woman to be won, and that spelt success for him, although she was not a party to his ac. tions. The main part of the story is laid in the gcldfields of Alaska, iu tho region of the Klondyke. Bill Hyde escapes from prison, along with a fellow-prisoner. Tho latter died of privation, but Bill managed to evado death and the police authorities, and .crossed the border into Alaska. Here he came across a mining camp, where ho was destined to defeat the Machiavellian ends of a prospector who was cheating a pretty half-breed out of her rights in the property of a mine. Unknown to himself, the prospector was being robbed of his gold by his two chief assistants. In tho end Bill robbed the assistants, who, accusing each other of the theft, committed a mutual act of murder. Tlie prospector was fooled into purchasing a "dud" claim, Bill restored the ill-gotten gold to its rightful owner, and in the end a Presbyterian parson had a ceremony to perform. ■ The remaining* items of tho programme are of an intensely interesting character. There is an excellent picture showing various operations in progress at Woolwioh Arsenal, and a beautiful, instructive scenic' entitled "What the Ice Age Left." Tho "Gazette" also contains a number of interesting subjects. In addition to the pictures Mr. Will -Goudie sings pleasingly "Friend of M,ine" and "A .Song of the Air Service." Mr. Goudie possesses a fine baritone voice, and on Saturday the audience was insistent with its calls for an encore. The incidental music to "Laughing Bill Hydo" is ulayed by tho King's Orchestra in 'a very attractive manner, the items including "Gipsy Love" (Lehar), "Anbade" (Lacombe), "Serenade" (Schubert), "Chant Sans Paroles" (Tschaikovski), "Crucifix" (Faure),'"ln the Shadows" (Finck), and selections from "Aida" (Verdi). Tho programme will be repeated throughout the week.

EMPRESS THEATRE. Charlie Chaplin, the inimitable comedian, scores a triumph in the burlesque of the grand opera "Carmen." The opera needs no description, but in tho burlesque Chaplin causes shrieks of laughter with his absurdity, at allovents that was the case on .Saturday. Strange as it may seem, grand opera lends itself to burlesque, ana Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purriance make tho _most -of their opportunities. Fun is pued upon fun, for "Chip" Monahan, tho pocket edition of' Charlie . Chaplin, and his juvenile company give an excrnoifttingly l'unnv burlesque of Charles Chaplin's burlesque. Chaplin's burlesque is screamingly funny enough, but "Chip's" efforts make Chaplin's burlesque, distinctly comical and ludicrous. It is an excellent juvenile performance, and it will be surprising if the Empress Theatre is not crowded at every session this-veok. Wallace Maedonaldj Mildred Manning, and li-obert Gaillnrd are'the stars in the fascinating' story of 0. Henry entitled "Vanity and Sables." In this picture some intense dramatic situations are disclosed. .An emancipated "crook," who has bccorne a hardworking and honest plumber, presents his wife with a set of imitation sables, wliicli he leads her to believe were real furs, and her vanity knows no bounds. The programme is one of tho wiiy best presented nt- the Empress Theatre for. a very long time. Not the least attractive item of the programme singing by Mr, C, Melvih of the popular 6oig, "Tho Light That s Burnnig in the -Window."

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. . Patrons of Everybody's Theatre were offered a particularly attractive, programme at the change on Saturday, and the offering' was appreciated'to-the full. The special feature was "The Eternal Sin," an adaptation for the 6creen from Victor Hugos famous play, "Lucretia Borgia." The soreen version of the story deletes tho most, objectionable features of thli original Story tiie screen story c6ntrasting tho onfi virtue of mother-love against only one of many vices—cruelty. The- picture is a gripping one, and is staged in a manner that_ leaves little room for improvement. Episode fourteen of the "House of Hate" is aiso shown. A particularly bright spot on the programme was the appearance of Hiss Buthie Howie-Stuart in a series of character sketciies, songs, etc. Miss Howie-Stuart is' a performer of undoubted merit, ana the audience quickly recognised this fact and applauded her efforts in a manner that left no doubt as to what their opinion was. The present programme is one which .will no doubt keep Everybody's Theatre filled throughout the week.

"THE THESE DOORS." The third and final , perfqrmance of "The Threo Doors," the ontertainment arranged by Mrs. James Hannah and Miss Gladys Campbell for the benefit of the Wellington Free Kindergarten funds, was given in the Grand Opera House on- Saturday night.; The building was filled in all part 6, and the big audience enjoyed the pretty and artistic dancefantasy very heartily. In the fashioning of this succession of quaint and beautiful scenes, linked by a thread of tender sentiment, Mrs. Hannah and Miss Campbell showed very great skill. The dances, chants and singing games were all delightful, and tho excellent work of the children 1 was enhanced' by much clever dressing and picturesque grouping.