ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 242, 22 March 1915, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"DOROTHY 0' THE HALL." "Dorothy o' tJie JTa!I" is a play b/tsecl on the old English story of "Haddon I Hall" (by Charles Major), written by Paul ICester, .the author of "Sweet Neil of Old Drury," and in it Miss Nellie Stewart i.s given a part which suits her just, as admirably as that of "Svreet Nell," with which she is moat favorably associated, perhaps, in the minds of playgoers. Miss Stewart has lost none of her charm, am! reappearance he-re on Saturday night was seized as the onportnnity for renewing acquaintance with one of the finpst actresses it litis been the lot of generations to see on the colonial boards. So well does Miss Stewart fit the part of "Dorothv," and so far-rtfully is the difficult character interpreted, that the part might well have been written for her. Cerfainlv it was written for the heroine, who is almost constantly before the footlights and monopnJis'ng most of the dramatic situations which constant!v develop in the production of the piere. The author might have been forgiven for reducing in volume some of the situations, but their tenseness serves to show, in many instances, at any hitc, the remarkable' versatility of Miss Nellie Stewart, who, with a word and an inimitaMe rjonturp. wouM bring Hie story back fo earth again and' the audience to the brink of boisterous hilarity. Perhaps this cncdv strain was needed fo. counteract, the ovordra-r/n dramatic .situations. It certainly t'Tie play more enjoyable. and was never overdone. "Dorothy" is the wilftil, wayward, highspirited, and hot-tempKral daughter if tl\o niust'r of !I'ti!d«in Hall, who quickly displays front which side of the family tr"" the nifiide" derives her temper. I>'snife thpse outbursts, he is in Dorothy's In rids P3 plastic as (•lav. and in these trn'ments ( he pin- 's delightful. And, nnnn, fs the eov maiden, courted and giv'"cr W T ove to a man for the first time, TT"rotbv's cbann carried hor aurlicne:: along-,with her, and tjev join with her in Tier righteous indignation when it is revealed tfia.t her lover has ''sailed und«r fnlse colours."' Then eame her fine, I'ovafty to the man. who, ijfter all, re- ' her love; her betraval of ■ his : "ecrct in order <o save his life:, and her • d'esperatn adventures to protect, Ms hou- ' or. In every phase of her story Miss Stewart was a magnificent "Dorothy." Tn one of her tantrums she ,hiirled : bride-enke, dishes, and covers, through I the window-panes, amr r:cr exhibition' of i e.nger made tfie house rock with laughter. Next to the lady in the title role, honors lie ijet.Ween Miss Nancve ! Stewart, as Mary Queen of Sc«t.s, and Sir. Blakiston as th'e Jester, in «ip and'bells. Most of us have a tenier spot for Mary Queen of Scots, beheaded by order sf Tier cousin, Queen Elizabeth, and the author lin.s drafted a very fine P"-' 1 , for a young- lady of l&'ss Nancye's tempera "lent and artistry. Sweot-sonl-ed and dlimffied, the,ill-fated Queen was for the* time being an integral part of the nlay, and there w.ns nothing wanting in the scene in which she conferred a Knighthood on tha humble jester, who ufilike the courtiers, who had faded from her side when 'her ca«jse' was hopeless, sought follow Tier to Tier prison cxita BTakiston's part of the jester was difficult, in that its sueess depended entirely on the actor, the 'lines" being none too Convincing. Mr. H. R. Robots, as Sir John Monitors, Vaa just as' firm, just as aitventiirous, just as amorous as a lover should be in the troublesome times into which he v'as" introduced, and hj» scored a distinct success. Th« remaining parts ware in the hands of Misses Ada Guildford, Agnes, Keogh, and Beatrice Desmond, and Messrs J. B. Atholwood, Athol Wilkie, Stuart Clyde and Hodgson Taylor, and they completed a very strong caste. In all the incidentals the piece was most ereditably staged, and "Dorothy o' the Hall" must bo writton an artistie success. ' i

I , EMPIRE PICTURES. From the Lfifld of the Shadows" is the title of the leading film in the speei- * I, ian 2f of Prograixnc to be screened attMnpm to-night. l lt is a beautilul A,ls- drama, featuring the love story of a scientist, who is engaged in gathering material for his book on prehistoric races. He is striken with brain fever, and, while raving in delirium, a fantasy comes to him of the days before history was written, He sees himself as a hunt- , er in a forest and as the hero of romance ' winning the loye of a maiden by overcoming what appeared to be insurmountable difficulties. The sequel follows his return to health, wlten he wins the hand of the maiden even as he had won it in Jus sick fantasy. Another pretty drama is "The Kiss," by the famous Vitagraph Qompanv. This is the storv of an innocent little shop-girl, wl>o discovers that fine clotljc.s and high living do not 110 CO- j sarily bring peace of mind. A brief experience is sufficient to convince her of this, and she returns to her more modest attire with a determination t 0 be content. Mrith he" nosition in life. "She Made herself beautiful" (Lubin). "Ruh.stitute for Pants" (Kalem), and "Bill Saves the Day" (Komic) are aniusin" comedies which find place 'on the pro" gramme. A fine idea of the strength of the British and French navies-.is to be gained from the Hepworth Company's film "Our First Line of Defence." "The (iauraont Graphic* is full of interesting war news. "Grimaldi Aquarium" is a beautiful study by the Pathe Company. Altogether, the new programme is well worth seeing.