AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1914, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND. FIRST CONCERT TO-MORROW. The famous Royal Artillery Baud will make its first appearance in New ITymouth to-morrow evening, when it will give a concert in the Theatre Royal. On the following afternoon it will play again in the Recreation 1*0 rounds. This is the lirst time a great military band, attached definitely to one of the principal British regiments, has ever visited Australasia, although [on various occasions there have been I endeavours to secure swell a tour. The Band travels under the auspices of the Auckland Exhibition j but it is subject to full military discipline, and it is under tbo command of Captain JPreeston, of the Royal Artillery. The Baud, when it arrives in Auckland on Saturday, will have completed a rapid tour of practically the whole of New Zealand; and the two concerts to be given in New Plymouth will be the last on the tour. Ten towns have been included in the itinerary, and a score of concerts, all phenomenally successful, have been given. Many thousands of people have heard the Band in Auckland; but there have been many more thousands who were prevented by various circumstances from doing so; and | the present tour of the Band has enabled them to listen with convenience to magnificent performances such as it is rarely the lot of New Zealand audiences to hear. Two remarkably fine .programmes are to lie played at New Plymouth, and in both cases the selections are such as should claim the attention and appreciation of persons of all tastes. In connection with the concert on Friday afternoon, a special train will be run from Hawera, arriving in New Plymouth half an hour before the concert, and leaving an hour after it ends. Box plans for both the evening concert and that on Friday afternoon are now open at Mr H. Collier’s, where tickets for reserved seats for the evening concert may also be obtained. WITHIN THE LAW. Enormous figures are quoted as the result of calculations made regarding the number of persons who paid for admission to see “Within the Law” in London, New York and Melbourne. The Westminster Gazette stated that nearly a quarter of a million people must have seen this fascinating play, in London up to November 17th. These figures are, however, quite eclipsed by Ne\y York. In that city, it was calculated that quite 500;000 .patrons had passed through the doors of the Eltinge Theatre during the first twelve months, continuous run of and there seemed to be no falling off in the second { year., ter all, the London figures compare very favprably with ,tho,se of New York, inasmuch as they were based on the first seven months of the season at the Haymarket, whilst the New York estimate is for a twelve monhs’ run. The Melbourne total is also very high. “Within the Law” ran for -thirteen . weeks at., the Theatre Royal, and ’dfei’’ 130,000 people paid for admission. Included in this total, however, are many who saw the play several times. No "figures are available for Sydney, but they should fall very little short of the Melbourne total. “Within the Law” will ha presented at the Town Hall, Stratford by the J. C. Williamson management on Wednesday evening. •February 25th. The box plans will be opened at Grubb’s on Saturday morning, February 21 st. “OLD MOTHER HUBBARD.” “Old Mother Hubbard,” a pantomime of the Royal Pantomime Company, is to he staged on Tuesday next at the Town Hall. It has been running for several years in the cities of Australia. Miss Kathleen Mack, ivho plays principal boy, has now established herself in the Dominion as one of the best impersonators of hoys’ parts that has ever appeared here. She lias all the physical charms usually associated with delineators of hoys’ parts. In “Old Mother Hubbard” she has many opportunities of displaying a handsome figure in costly costumes. Miss Elsie Nicholas, who plays Bluebell, “the pride of the Hubbard household,” possesses a nice sweet soprano voice which she uses to advantage in songs specially written for her. Miss Cora •Terry, as Sybil, “Queen of the fair■ies,” has a voice of exceptional promise, and also has some popular numbers to sing in this pantomime. Mr Bruce Drysdale, as “Old Mother Hubbard,” is said to extract every ounce of fun out of the part, and when he is on the stage' there is not a dull moment. The scenery and dressing of “Old Mother Hubbard” is characteristic of the Company, and due attention has been paid to the introduction of specialty artists in the Anderson trio and Gresham four. The Company played in Stratford last November, and received a very flattering reception. The box plan is at Grubb’s. HIS MAJESTY’S PICTURES. To-night’s grand change of programme is headed by a great Vitagraph star feature “Tbo Tiger Lily.” a powerful, thrilling, melodramatic masterpiece, abounding in startling sensations and stirring episodes, striking spectacles, »and strong situations. The story of the photo-play, which is wonderfully well depicted, is as .follows:—A woman imagines that her husband cares more for his work as a Ballot teacher than for her, and leaves him to become an adventuress. Ton years later she causes a sensation at a masked ball with a. real tiger, dressed in a costume representing a “Tiger Lily.” Her Ims-'

band and daughter, unknown to her, occupy the next villa. One of the adventuress’s admirers tails in love with the daughter, which arouses the mother’s jealousy. She trains ‘her tiger to kill her own daughter, still unrecognised by her. During a severe storm the husband’s villa is struck by lightning, and the house is soon on lire. The tiger dashes in to kill the girl, with the mother following closely. The latter recognises her husband and falls senseless on the Hoor. The tiger is despatched by one of the “Tiger Lily’s” jealous lovers, and the girl and her father are rescued from the flames by the daughter’s heroic admirer. The scenes are vividly realistic, and the acting is well up to the high standard of the Vitagraph Company. “For his Loved One” is a realistic story of a racing motorist. Tt introduces several scenes at a great automobile race. “The Culture of Bulbous Flowers” and “Gaumont Graphic” are also entertaining items. The special star picture, “Quo Vadis,” 8000 feet in length and lasting the whole evening, will be screened on Friday and Saturday. Doors open 7 sharp, start 8 o’.clock.