ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 133, 1 March 1920, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"COMMON CLAY." | "Common Clay," n forceful drama of sordid life, was played again by Miss Muriel Shirr anil the Williamson Company in tho Grand Opera House on Saturday night. Miss Starr has a difficult part in this play, and her success is another proof of her undoubted skill. Slits is capably supported by the other members of the company. "Common Clay" is to bo presented for the last time tonijjlit, and will bo replaced to-morrow night by "Three Faces East." This production is beautifully mounted, and (luring the action of the piece Miss Muriel Starr is said to wear a number of beautiful costumes. She will .bo-seen in the role of a woman who pitts her cunning—in the cause of her country— against the best brains of the secret servico of two nations. There is n remarkable climax to this mystery-drama. Miss Starr will be supported by Air. frank Harvey, Mr. Arthur Styan, Mr. Harry C. Power, Mr. James H. Atholwood, Mr. Harold Moran, Mr. Edwin Lester, Mr. Frank Allanby, Mr. Frank Hatherley, Mr. Fred Coape, Mr. Milton Moss, Mr. Victor Tntnall, Miss Ethel Morrison, Miss Marion Marcus Clarke, and M.iss Elsie Manzies. The box plane for tho last three nights of the season are now 011 view at tho Bristol.

( KING'S THEATRE. Six picture films, of which three at least are excellent, and tho others good; orchestral music not to bo outdone by what is offered even where music is professedly the main, and not the secondary, consideration; the singing of Captain Fairfax Jones, thrown in as a sort 0/ artistic hors d'oeuvro: such are tho grounds upon which the King's this week bases its claim to public patronage. Best of the kiriema productions screened is "The City of Comrades," featuring Tom Moore. The plot is taken from a story that, was published in tho New York "Saturday Evening Post," and was read ivith pleasure by thousands. If the leading part had been written for Tom Moore it could not have fitted him better. The charm of the play is sufficiently guaranteed by that fact; ' though the unanimously favourable verdict of Saturday's house might, of course, bo mentioned as tending to endorse the guarantee The King's Orchestra does so much to heighten the charm of all that is beautiful in the pictures that it deserves a special word of praise. The entr'acte (Schubert's Rosamond Overture) it plays with exceptional brilliancy. The baritone voice of Capta'n Fairfax Jones is heard in "The Blue Dragoons," "The Toreador Song," from "Carmen," and "Tommy Lad." Saturday's audience voted the renderings magnificent.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. There were bis: audiences at all sessions at Everybody's Theatre on Saturday, where the delightful picture, "Will Apperson's Boy," was screened. In parts it is highly amusing, while a charming love story is interwoven. A pood .supporting programme is included. Tho same bill will be repeated to-day.

EMPRESS THEATRE. Louise Hull' is the leading star at the Empress Theatre this week, and she is featured in a splendid melodrama "The Crook o' Dreams." As Constance Wnldron she gives a powerful characterisation of a girl who is kidnapped in h<r infancy. She is living with a pick-pocket and an old woman who is a dealer in stolen goods.. The place is raided, but tho girl and tho pick-pocket escape. Sensation then follows sensation. Louise Huff receives the able support of that well-known actor Frank Mayo and a very good enst. In addition the first episode of Vitagraph's new serial, "The llan of Might,v featuring William Duncan, Edith Johnson, and an all-star cast, is shown. This serial is written round a map of an uninhabited piece of land where some treasure is buried. An old "sea-dog" ha's distributed this map in piece's to his companions, and the film shows the thrilling and romantic search for the different parts. The final episode of Pathc's serial "The Lightning Raider," in which is featured Pearl White, is also on the programme.

ORGAN RECITAL,

Last year the number of municipal organ recitals given was few, owing to the frequency of Saturday evening booking of the Town Hall. Now it seems that managements may only secure the use of tho Town Hall on Saturday oveuings by special favour, as such are to be reserved lor organ recitals. If tho average attendance at these pleasurable rccitals was only encouraging Iho new order would be understandable, but such is hardly the case. The recitals given by Mr. Bernard Page (City Organist) are, as. a rule, very interesting, but the extraordinary frequency with which some num'bers are repeated has excited comment in some quarters. For instance, every number of the first part of Saturday's programme has been played over and over again, and beautiful as they may be, the constant repetition makes for tedium..' The first part included Holloway's "Suite Ancienne," which has simplo melodies of early English music, nicely varied in form and mood. Debussy was represented by his prelude from "Da Damoiselle Elue" and "L'Enfant- Prodigue,".. which music has all the fragmentary form and elusive charm of the modern' French School. "L'Enfant 'Prodigue" -(The Prodigal Son) :'s the Biblical story set in the form of it. musical drama without words, a wonderful work which had a big vogue in France and England some twenty years ago. Other numbers of distinct interest were Lemare's Arcadian Tdyll. in tlirc" sonnets, the third movement from ."Scheherazade" (a syinphon''c suite.for orchestra, hv Rimsky —Korsakoff, a "Pastorale" by Cesar Franck, and the same composer's second mpvem'nt from his "Symphony' in D Minor."

JTTDGE ALDEN LECTURES TO-NIGHT Judge G. D. Alden, of Massachusetts, nn eminent. American jurist, orator, and lecturer, will lecture to-night'in the Concert. Chamber of the Town Hall. His subject will be "The Powder and the Mutch." dealing with modern social problems. This lecture has been favourably commented upon by the Press of the South Island, where Judge Alden has just completed a lecture tour. Judge Al-* den speaks upon present-day social problems pertaining to the advancement of the world. His language is strong and K : -mplo, pile-driving in itg vigorous intensify and searching in its analysis, Tonicrht is his only lecture engagement in Wellington. The box plan is at the Bristol. Judge Alden's tour is under the-di-rection of the New Zealand Chautauqua Association.

"THR LUCK OF THE NAVY." A second tour of New Zeajand will he commenced next Saturday evening at the Grand Opera House by tho Allnn Willtie Dramatic Company, which will introduce a new repertoire of the latest, London successes, the first of which will he Ihe naval drama "The Luck of the Navv." After a phenomenal run of near'v favo years at the and the Queen's Theatres. London, "The Ln.c.k of tho Nnvv" has been transferred lo the Manhattan Onora House. New York, wltero if achieved an overwhelming siiroess. The r'ot deals with the startling exiwienees of Lieutenant Stanton. V.C., II.N, of TT.V. submarine KV who has to contend with a. nest of Hun snips in England. Mr. Mian Wilkie will fi-nire as Lieutenant Stanton and Miss Fro-'iswvde Hun-ter-Watts will apn;aT as (V'tVn TVlen fli? heroine. There are ninny touches of humour in the nla.v. and the action is lively throughout. The pi"," will be mounted on a Wish scale. The box plnn will open nt the Bristol at !) n.ni. on Wedncsdnr-