ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1915, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

110 YAL PICTUKKS. Saturdays new programme features a Keystone Star comedy, ''The Home Breakers," which, judging -by the title, is going to be very funny. The. Vitagrapih Company contribute a 2000 ft star drama, ''ln Her Mother's Footsteps," a pathetic drama. Among many fine sup. porting films is Cines' animated cartoon, "The Allies' Chorus" and the latest war topical. UMPIRE PICTUfiES. At the head of a capital programme at the Empire Theatre last night wa3 a sensational military drama, entitled "War is Hell!" The story is founded upon an incident which occurred >u the early stages of the present European struggle, and illustrates the awful sufferings of the Belgian civilian population when tihe Huns violated the neutrality of the peaceful State in order to gain the easiest road to Paris and Calais. The scene is laid on the outskirts of a village near Alcst, and the time corresponds with the German entry there. In consequence of the invaders' failure to obtain information regarding British troops, the Belgians at a farm aje treated with unexampled cruelty. A British patrol reaches the place at a; critical stage,, and the German advance party are driven from the place after a stirring figlht at an old chateau. A Keystone comedy of exceptional merit as a laugh-ter-provoker finds a on the bill. It is called "Hogan's Mnssy Job,'' and features the clever comedian, Charles Murray, who is excellent in the role of plasterer. Ilis methods are quite, ori.gjna),,,fujuj.. nevcf fail Jo ;^Us?<i i ,,T l l(i? Pathe yazetie contains .items" of spwistf ihtcfe'sf. " "THc TMMITTWiiii 1 ," 'kl» 'i&fcfetler.t drama, "The .Millinery Man," and "The Evolution of .Percy," comedies, are also included. The programme will Ije finally screened to-night.

•BUXTY PULLS THE STRINGS" AND. "A SCRAPE 0' THE PEN."

Few playa meet with such instantaneous success as that which attended the first .performance of "Bunty Pulb the Strings" iti Sydney recently. The Sydney Daily Telegraph says;—" The reason of 'Biuity's' success is not far to seek. Bunty and Tanniias, Weelum and Rab, Susie and Eelen, are just such national types as the older generation—and some of the younger, too—reverently remembers—not out here, perhaps, but tradition has'handed down the , pictur&3; while the Buntys and Teenies have not altogether disappeared 'from Scottish soil, even ill these days of hdbble-skirts and what-nots. And then, these characters do not, after all, take us back so very far, for have we. not the author's own confession that Bunty is hts own conception of what his mother was as a girl, and that the sayings of Bunty ore his mother's very own? There have been many Maggies and M&iys who have done duty oil the stage, and who have won their audiences to an appreciation of Scottish character. But there has been no Bunty like that of Mr. Moffat's Bunty, Throughout the three brightly constructed act 3 there is no attempt to force the humor."- "ißunty" will be played for the first time in New Plymouth on Monday next. "A Scrape o' the Pen" is the title of Mr. Moffat's new play which will occupy the boards on the second and list night of the season, viz., August 17, and this play has lately been a very big success in Sydney, and finished its Auckland season only a few weeks ago, after which Bunty was revived to capacity business. The box plans for both productions will be on view at Hoffmann's from to-mor-row morning. THE VIOLET DAS DIES—TO-NKIHT.

Sanguine anticipations are held by tie Branscombe management over the visit of "The Violets" to New Plymouth for a season of two nights at the Theatre Royal, commencing this evening, as t'hey know this happy band of artists will compare favorably with any similar organisation in the world of costume comedy entertainment. Their work ,is healthily, vigorously amusing, and when opportunity offers the company demonstrates that its memlbers possess a keen appreciaton of the artistic. Mention may be made of Miss Marguerite Leroy, premier danseuse, who ftas specially imparted by the Meynell and Gunn management to figure in the well remembered "Arcadians" company. Miss Dorothy Gardner, comedienne, is said to be the best in this line under the Branscombe management, and is no doubt well remembered in New Zealand (her native land) for the excellent elocutionist that is. The other members include Miss K. Cheokctt, soprano; Miss May Geary, contralto; Mr. George Brooke, baritone; Mr. Howard Hall, bass; Mr. Edward Cahill, solo pianist and accompanist; Sir. Arthur Riscoe, character comedian; Messrs 0. Collins and 0. Browne, humorists and dancers; and Mr. Cutlibert Rose, monologist and comedian. The box plan is at Collier's.