ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 18848, 14 June 1920, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

ALLAN WILKIE DRAMATIC CO. “THE RITTERS.” At the Municipal Theatre to-night the Allan Wilkie Dramatic Company will begin a reason of two nights with ''The Rotters.” a comedy which is reputed to he the most laughable witnessed for several years, and which achieved tremendous success in London. There is an adroitness in the plot and a series of immensely antusing situa tions with smartly written dialogue* which ensures the exceptional popularity of the piece. Interest circles around a family which is supposed to be eminently respectable. and it is the unexpected behaviour of the members of the household which creates cause for unrestricted hilarity. Mr Allan Wilkie will play the part of the chaffeur who captivates the female members of the household. Miss Frrdiswydc HunterWatts will impersonate the elder daughter, and Mr Edward Landor will figure as her father. ‘THE LUCK OF THE NAVY.” To morrow evening the company will introduce the great naval drama 'The Luck of the Navy,” which is frc.dt from an extraordinary run of two years in London. The plot has to do with the machinations of a nest of Hun spies in England. The Kaiser's secret agents scheme to take a secret code from the commander of a British .submarine and plan to carry' off the commander by aeroplane to Germany. The action of the piece is thrilling throughout The part of the hero will be supported by Mr .-Ulan Wilkie, and Miss Frediswyde-Hun-ter-Watts will appear as his fiancee. The box plans are open at the Bristol. CIVIC PICTURES. WILLIAM lARNUM MASTERPIECE. There is no doubt that the double-feature bill presented in the Municipal Theatre on Saturday evening was one of the best weekend changes screened by the Civic management for a long time past. Following on an excellent number of the English Gazette was the great 7 reel Fox masterpiece "The Heart of a Lion.” in which the great actor William Furnum plays the leading role. ”The Heart of a Lion” is undoubtedly one of the great photo-dramas of the decade. In it William Farnum plays one of his beloved “blue-shirt” characters—-a man of strength and daring, who is robbed of the girl he loves by hLs own brother. The revenge which he takes on his brother is truly Farnumesque. The handsome Bert Lytell is the star in “'Easy to Make Money.” The play depicts the humorous and exciting adventures of Jimmy Slocum, who has a will and way of his own, and a habit of breaking into jail, which he eventually turns to good account. The manner in which he goes about working out his scheme of getting in, getting out, and building up a comfortable fortune, provides a comedydrama that- is a sure-fire laugh-producer, and at the same time an interesting and plausible story, A good comedy completes the bill which is greatly enhanced by excellent music by the Civic orchestra. The programme will be repeated again this evening. AI.IRON THEATRE, CYNTHIA STi H’KLEV'S “POPPY.” "Poppy'’ is rn longer a figure of fiction, hut a living, breathing, human being, fragile as a (lower bearing that name, but just as responsive when properly nourished. The countless readers of “Poppy” anxious to see visualised the Irish vagabond bom in Africa to a life so crowded with disappointment and deprivation are indebted to Norma Talmadge for the opportunity of agtdn weeping over the troubles of this child of destiny. The story has been followed with great fidelity, and the screen version brings into vision Evelyn Carson, poor little Poppy’s adventurous lover, Luce Abinger, who caused her so much anguish, and Charles Branham, the loyal friend who also born a love for the strange product of the Transvaal. In addition to “three bad men,” so picturesque and vet so provoking, there are Mary ('apron, whose beauty was only exceeded by her jealousy; Sophie Cornell, the self-satisfied “secretary,” and all the other characters that help to make this novel so enthralling. Included in the programme is tiio latest episode of “The Man of Might and other interesting items. Scats may be reserved by telephoning the Albion. POPL’LAR PICTURE PALACE. The programme presented on Saturday is an extremely brilliant and interesting one. The star feature, “The Man Beneath,” is a thrilling story of India and features the Japanese genius Hayakawa in the role of a clever young Hindu scientist, whose nobility of soul shone through his swarthy skin and helped him to win in a great struggle against mighty powers, and sustained him thrdilfghout the throes of his hopeless love for a beautiful Scotch lass (played by lovely Pauline CurleyE There are two eminently delightful scenic subjects “Petrified Forests,” and “Victoria, British Columbia,” which came in for hearty tokens of appreciation. A two reel Ess a nay comedy, “Sweedie’s Double Exposure,” caused hearty laughter and the programme is sure to attract further large audiences for the next two nights.