ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 21, 20 October 1920, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

. KING'S THE.\rj!B The King's Theatre was well filled las; evening to witness the screening of the Chinese drama, "Air, Wv, ' one of the . finest British pictures screened. Tho role of the myatio Wu is played by Matieson Lang in a manner that places liim in the front rank. Two supporting pictures are of the usual high standard, and a very excellent programme of music it> played by the King's Orchestra. There will' be a full orchestral- matinee to-day. : EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. . "Trixio from Broadway," now showing at the Everybody's Theatre, is drawing packed houses at all sessions. Margarita Fisher, the star, appears as the shining light in the chorus of "Oh Chicken," and the efforts of her farmer husband to make her settle down. as.a respectable married woman make ©no of the _most laughable comedies. The supporting films include the final episode of "The Mystery of 18," a Pathe Gazette, and an' Educational Koview. j EMPRESS THEATRE. Two of England's most prominent film stars appear in "Tho Great Impostor," now showing alt the Empress Theatre. Bernard Dudley makes a lovable chavactor of the young sailor, who poses as an earl's son, while Mane Blanche is au altogether winsome young English girl, The supporting films aro of a high, standard, and include Episode 19 of the Liberty serial, Gaumont Graphic and Charles Chaplin in "Shoulder Arms." "TILLY OF BLOOMSBURY." "Tilly of Bloomsbury" will be presented/ by J. C. "Williamson. Ltd., for a season at the Grand Opera House, "commencing on Tuesday next. Mr. Frank Freeman.. Mr. Percy Rhodes, Miss Dorothy Manville, and Mr. George Blunt were selected. for their parts by the author of the play, Captain lan Hay, in London, as being artiste best suited to depict the types they represented. Thoy were to have gone to America to play in the original production, but, by the favour of Captain Hav. they were released for the J. C. Williamson season in-Australia. Mrs. Robert Brought was also specially engaged in London for the role of I/idy Marion Mainwaring. "Tilly of Bloomsbury" is a, comedy-drama of love and laughter, humour and pathos. The dialogue is said to be brilliantly (never, and the story has plenty of ac-. tion. For over eighteen months ':Tilly of Bloomsbury" ran in London. Then its author went across to New York and produced tho play there, and it has drawn packed houses. In Melbourne and Sydney it repealed these successes, also in Adelaide. While th» success of Captain Hay's books, including the "First Hundred Thousand," has been phenomenal, the_ brilliant author has expressed the opinion that .on? successful, play would outweigh the combined'success of several books. This is practically indicated by the fact,that through "Tilly of Bloomsbury.'! which is now running in Australia, England, end America, Cantain Hay has already drawn over ,£40,()00 in royalties. The .box plans open on Friday at the Bristol. . , "T.HE END OF THE ROAD."' Public Health Films will present for the first time in Wellington tho sex propaganda picture, "The End of the Road," commencing on Friday at the Empress and Everybody's Theatres. Its purpose to entertain and at the 6ame time to instruct people regarding a side of life that most people discuss to-dav Trith reluctance.. The story parallels* the lives of two (iris—one warned bv'her parents again,.=t the perils of life, and the other, who is left by her mother to gain her information where she may. The principal actor is Richard Bennet. co-starred with Claire Adams, acclaimed as one of the most beautiful women on the screen. The purpose of "The End of the Road" is to instruct the world at large on the dangers of loose living.

LOWELL THOttAS TItAVELOGUE.

It is a wonderful and most fascinating story that is unfolded by Mr. Lowell Thomas, m his ■■Travelogue at the Grand Opera, House. The campaign in Egypt and Palestine, in which our New' Zealand men played so fine a part, is not so well Known as that on the Western front and Mr. Lowell Thoma6 .- throws • fresh light upon it to us who were so far away from tße scenes of action. The pictures are of absorbing interest, and it. is indeed a tale of magic which he relates, deads of superhuman daring and : resource, while scenes are shown that carry the audience far back into the mists of antiquity. The pictures of Petra "the rose red city half as old as time'," cut like a cameo out of, the solid rock, silent deserted, end a story ■of splendid achievement in which the central figure is that of the uncrowned king of Arabia Colonel Lawrence. The travelogue will' be repeated at a matineq this afternoon and aiso this evening.'

THE LONDON STAGE. Whilst there is always a perceptible pause in London's theatrical operations from mid-July, yet substantial attrac lions in the middle of a rim leave much for travellers to see The writer of "A Woman's Lottnr" in the "Sydney Monim Herald" skims' over the fringe of this subject, under date London, July. 29, with the remark:—The theatrical season of 1920, as far ad regards the first portionof the year, has (some to its appointed end. It is .worthy of notice that, the reason given for so manv withdrawals during July is that "plays'have failed to fitlmct " The wav period of cosmopolitan audiences and men on leave, when "any old thing: did." has been happily, sxchanged for a saner view of that much* discussed institution , "the British drama." Still, with all these failures, the best plays are holding- on, drawing full houses. At The' Ambassadors "A Grain of Mustard Seed" is doing splendid businnss. So is "The Skin Game," next door, at St. Martin's. '"The Ybung Person in Pink" at The Queen's has long ago justified her existence and her shiftings from one home to another. She goes strong. Miss Ellis Jefferies has recovered from her operation, and resumed her part. "The Garden of Allah" at Drury Lane is packed nightly, and at Wyndham's "Daddalums" has proved a worthy successor to "The Choice," so, after nil, things are not so bail. Nor should we fear the invasion of the kinema. It is bun that the filming in England of British plays never was so successful or so artistic. However, at Inst America has tired of its own dramas and decoctions of our plays, «nd has sent envoys here to construct fijm stories dealing with English social life for American picture theatres. So here' nt any rate is an, outlet for many people who form tho rank and file of the filming industry For it should be explained that the principals of all dramas-, done in this way are stars x>f our own stage who have already played the parts viva Toce.