AMUSEMENTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 628, 17 December 1913, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPRESS PICTURES. "The Heritage," a Fathe coloured Btar drama in three acts.—The story hinges upon the will of the Iste Count Beaupertin, by which the whole of his fortune was left to his natural daughter, Carlotty Burnato, who was believed to be living in Toreso, Italy. In the event of Carlotty predeceasing the Count, or of her not baing found within three years, the Count's nephew, Francois, was to be tha heir. Francois, unscrupulous, but without initiative, agrees to pay Crispin, clerk to Perrault, the lawyer, £2OOO to help him. The scene changes to Toreso, where Dupin's private detective is trying to trace Carlotty for Perrault. He finds her a fiower girl, and this much to the displeasure of her sweetheart, Toto. Francois gets Toto sent to prison ind forges a letter from him to Carlotty, telling him that he has left her for ever. On Dupin'a return to Paris, Perrault, the lawyer, sets off for Toreso with the detective. Francois persuades Carlotty to leave Nice with him, bat she makes a condition that the marriage is not to take place for a month. Toto had, in the meantime, been released, and on learning what had happened he attempted suicide. He is saved by Dupin, and with the lawyer and the detective, arrives in Nice, just in tims to unmask Francois and save his bride.

THE SMART SET,

The Smart Set introduce themselves to-night and for over a couple of houra promise to keep the audience listening and laughing. Brightness ripples almost right throughout the entertainment; A skipping, rollicking concerted item follows the rise of the curtain, after which Mr Walter George sets the house tittering by asking a "few riddles." The "Slave Song" sweetly rendered by Mias Mona Thomas. "Come, Sing to Me," Mis? Emily Kroll's first number, and "The Rosary/' a delightful thing which suits her fine contralto voice beautifully. Another excellent soloist with the company is Mr Ernest Parkes, an artist Well-known to New Zealand music hall patronß. Mr Parkes' splendid baritone was heard in "Oberon in Fairyland." Ths chief fun-maker of the company is Mi 33 Georgia Martin, whose adaptability to boy parts ia extraordinary. Her mischievous expression, her chirpy, winning manner, her deeply expressive voice, her neat foot-work, all go to make her an inimitable little comedian. A3 a coon she is excellent in her various numbers. She plays the coon with the retention o£ all that is humorous, diverting, and without any of that portion of the eoon repertoire which so many of us sincerely wish had never been stolen from "BrJther Sambo." Again she appears as a little girl singing a "Golljwog" song, and With Mr Walter George and another member of the company attired as Teddy Bear and Gollywog should be most entertaining. She shows her versatility by scoring well, too, in other roles. Ore of the best ventriloquial turns ia that of Mr Edward Elliott. Usually, ventriloquists are boresome—Mr Elliott ia highly entertaining. The pianist of the company, Mr Edgar Hulland. ia an artist of the first order.