ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 311, 25 September 1920, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

IR-MA CAHON AND ."IN OLD KENTUCKY." "Surprisingly gifted" was tlio general Yerdict at the conclusion of Miss Irirm •. Caron's performance at the King's Theatre Inst evening. This clever nrtist hold the big audience firmly for- nearly , half nil hour with her diverse talents, and at the end was accorded something which bore a cousinly resemblance (a an ovation. Jliss Caron is a contradiction to tlio usual, contention that an can.only excel in. 0110 direction. She sang tlie florid "Shadow Song" "from Meyerbeer's "Diriorah," with a vocal fluency and eleganco that was a sheer delight,' tho amazing trills and curious intervals being overcomo with ease, whilst a raro intelligence glowed through her interpretation. "When tho applause died down, Miss Caron took her vifilin, and gave quite' acceptable readings of Saint Saen s "Le Cyguo" and I'iere s charming "Serenade.' "Comin Thro the Bye" was next sung, to the immense delight of all. Then, changing her frock. Jliss Caron changed her mood, and frisked and pirouetted in Eft's song from "The Belle of New York," which tells of the innate liveliness of the gay Pa'risienne.' Another change, and she was the dashing "boy" of the pantomime, and finally grasping a staff hung with tho tricolour of France, she gave a dramatic rendering of "La Marseil-lniso,"-which, fired-the audience to great enthusiasm.' Miss Caron's work last evening was inore than a performance— it was an achievement. The picture which followed, "In Old Kentucky," is up to the highest quality in screen art. Up in the mountains •Prank • iayson, a mining engineer, meets. & veritable Diana.- of tho wilds in Madgo Briorly (Anita Stewart), an untamed, "untaught daugh- ' ter of Eve. left stranded in a mountain cabin by one of those tragic mountain folk-feuds which blacken the history of Kentucky, her only neighbours, rough "moonshiners," whose business is .illicit whisky-making. Joe Lorey, ,one of the gang, cares for tho girl, because the same man, Lem Lindsay, shot both his father and here.' _Laysoa invites, his 1 friends to visit him in his mountain retreat, and there they meet Madge.Among the party is one Holton,: who tries to buy Madge's land for a song, but is checked bv Layson. For that act Holton cherishes a hatred of Layson,. and informs Lorey that Layson is a spy and an informer, and tho latter is only saved from death by Madge. Lorey swears to "get" -Layson," and follows I&n back to his. Blue Grass home, but Jfijdge arrives there first, and warns hinl of the danger.:Layson lias risked, his all on his mare Queen Bess to win the Kentucky Cup, and an effort is made to set fire to Bess's stable, but again MaSgfl comes to the rescue. Finally Hoi toil dopes the jockey, and Madge takes his place, and wins the cup after a cleverlydepicted race, which made some of the . audience- stand up with excitement. Events move quickly in the final stages. Efforts to get rid of. Layson all fail, and the villain meiits his -end by being thrown over a precipice. Joy, of course, comes to Madge and her hero. , The picture is well-packed' with action, good scenery, fierce riding, and good acting, and it is' difficult to remember one in which Miss Stewart shows to such an advantage. The King's orchestra played a variety of excellent music, including selections from "The Bohemian Girl" and "A Country Girl." EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. All sessions at Everybody's Theatre were, crowded yesterday with appreciative patrons, the new programme proving a strong attraction. Interest ;centred oil an unusual drama, entitled "Tho Zero Hour," an exposure of methods of . trickery ill spiritualism as practised by unscrupulous exponents. ' Granting that the possibility of the existence of a spirit-world is conceded by soma of the world's eminent scient-ists.-it is nevertheless common know-, ledge that there is a great deal of spurious spiritualism and chaerlatan trickery which - has caused incalculable harm vo those credulous people who exist in every community. For this reason "The Zero Hour" is a photoplay of unusual interest. The play features June Elvidge in. a clever' dual p role, that of a .morbidly serious sister | on the one hand and of a" flighty young § girl on the other. Her performance is 0 little short of brilliant, and adds mater- I , ially to the success of what is undoubt- | edly a most acceptable production. I Human interest is lent "Tho Zero Hour" E by a charming love story vhich nins 1 through the length of tho picture. The | supporting films leave nothing to be f desired in point of topical and scenic jj interest, and p\onty of sensationalism d is _ provided in the shape of the 12th i episode-of "The Mystery c-f/13."- | EMPRESS THEATRE,. jj A. quaint philosophy that rings true is f one of tho 6evyral pleasing features which 9 characterises "Poor Relations," the com- | f edy-drama which heads the new pro- fi gramme presented at■ the- Empress TV § atre yesterday. The photo-play made a jj big hit at all sessions, registering as it did I a-very human appeal. Then; is a lot of § homely humour, too, in the picture, whioh | is incidentally a play on the universal jj tendency to judge others by externals, 9 There is nothing unduly complex or prob- § lematical about "Poor Eolations." The I only problems involved are the simple B heart problems of sincere natures, con- jj trastod with the spacious pleasures of the. g idle rich, and these are resolved into a 1 happy ending. It is a delightful little study. Pa Perkins, the optimistic proprietor! of "the general store' in the coun-' tij town; Ma Perkins, with ft heart as big'as her cooking is good; Daisy Perkins, with head in the clouds of romance, looking foa' tho; approach of a prince or a millionaire, suitor; Dorothy bitious for high society ; Henry Hubljard, tlit village swain, who falls in love with Dorothy and marries Daisy—all are familia'r and old-time folks, who enlist the theatregoers' sympathies. The supporting films are an entertainment in themselves, and include "Snakeville'a Most Popular Lady," a rollicking comedy, whioh goes with a 6wing. The 15th ppjsode of. tliie thrilling serial, "Liberty,' is also being screened, along with tlio' latest number of the Gaumont Gazette. MISS ADELAIDE VAN STAVEREN. An artist who can arouse such enthusiasm in .an Italian audience as to causo tho people to wait after the performance and carry her shoulder high back to her hotel is something more than a good singer. This remarkable apprecia-tion-was accorded Miss Van Staveren on the occasion of her first appearance at Fossano, and this is the artist who, at the' Town Hall next Wednesday and Thursday, will sing for the first timo to the people of her native land, not so emotional in publio, perhaps, as that of Italy,, but not less sincere in its appreciation of true art, or the understanding of music's wonderful message to hu- ■ inanity. Wednesday evening will be the first opportunity of greoting a great artist of our own land whose achievements must imbue all musical New Zealanders with pride. Box plans for Miss Van Staveren's two recitals will open at the Bristol on Monday morning. SUNDAY CONCERT. At its concert to-morrow evening at His Majesty's Theatre, the Wellington Professional Orchestra will have the assistance of Miss Blanche Crump, who will play in conjunction with the orchestra, Mendelssohn's Concerto in G Minor. The orchestra's items will include the overturo3 "Oberon" (Weber), and "King Stephen" (Beethoven), and Elgw'e "Pomp and Circumstance" March No. 4. A sil' ver coin collection wili be taken up.