AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 5, 30 November 1916, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

FOLEY'S PICTURES.

CHARLES CHAPLIN AS "THE FIREMAN."

AT HIS MAJESTY'S TO-NIGHT.

About once in every hundred years or thereabouts a clown or comedian arises whose ait is so exquisitely popular that he becomes almost an institution. Folks universally laugh at him while he lives, and three or four generations of folk hear him talked about after he is dead Charlie Chaplin is this century's clown. He has no national or racial delimitations. They laugh at him in England and France just as they do in America, Australia or Fiji for that matter. To dislike Chaplin 'requires what is known in England, as an upper middle class mind, which is at once conventional and timid. Generally speaking it might be said that 95 per cent, of the millions who go to pictures are Chaplin enthusiasts while the remaining 5 per cent, who, perhas, have not seen Ms newest successes are a little bit afraid he is not proper. Chaplin's latest effort to amuse his admirers throughout the world is "The Fireman," and he has succeeded in being as funny, if not more so, in this as in his previous big success, viz., "The Shopwalker." "The Edge of the Abyss" (feature drama) and the "War Gazette" will stipport Chaplin and the Fireman. The Christchurch Races will also be screened. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

Few local enterprises have" such a record house \*&M&* xnime recorded iormance Was referral 1 W in last-'* night's issue, and "lift- that has been said, may. be reiterated, for from start to finish the artists carried out their various parts faultlessly. Under the baton of Mr V. Lester, the orchestral items were such as to call for special notice. The arrangementof.the musical programme was carried pur by Mr C. H. Fox. Without the lime and coloured lighting installed, under the, supervision of Mr R. Jackson, the , effects; jwould- not have been so strik- , ing. The gifts of flowers and chocolates to the principals and other performers were extraordinary in num- . her, but the production throughout was so universally applauded as to show genuine appreciation. At the close, Secretary Bradley (in the absence of Captain Grubb) thanked all for "their assistance- on behalf of the Stratford Fire Brigade for whom' and the Boy Scouts, evening's enjoyment had been arranged.