AMUSEMENTS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 27 January 1913, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS

INTERNATIONAL PICTURES' "TOO LATE." The change to-night at the To - u Hall, Masterton, includes tho 230vf: drama ''Too Late," which deals the famous plot to kill Carclii.:;; Richelieu,"who once practically ru!-r:<; Franco. The plot, carefully however, fails, and the conspirator? a-ro son ton,H J d to death, but yield;::;' to tho pleadings of tho sweetheart x ono of the conspirators, the issues a pardon, which arrive® too lau>. The various scenes arc magnified)* and Cardinal Richelieu's part i?;.'." great one. Among the other r ■'..- tin-es "Tho Streets of London" - attract most attention. It is a V-? film, which includes views of Tottenham Court Road, Piccadilly, Westminster and many other places of -f----terest. Tho. comics are a great "The' Basket' Picnic," "A Hoax" and "Charlie Smiler." "Tho Warwick Chronicle" gives the lat/ : t Sydney happenings.

THOMPSON-PAYNE PICTURES "A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE." Saturday evening saw a huge crovd' of pa-~t.ron« seeking admission at t ever popular "T.-P. Electric Thent.' The mainstay of the programme t,;:f a Nordisk fca'ture>-dram a, entitled ■'A. Marriage of Convenience." It brilliantly staged and perfectly acttv:?. It showed-one woman's sacrifice save the honour of another, and t>o ultimate reward of her noble action,. Miss Asta Nedson plays the leadir role. Other supporting dramas included "Tlie Fighting Instinct"'''ai Selig production), which received <?■•':• tinuoirs burst of approval from audience. "The Cringer" (a expression play) showed ho*' a pV.7sically fearing man turned through! persistent. bullying into a despei-ai'V Tho plot and incidents are exception?;! "Treachery of a Half-bred"' (anotv ->r Lubin drama) was an exciting mining featu.ro in .which a fatherless girt ayoung prospector and a half-bred pfryed prominent parts. A huge explosion caused by a wild and evilly intended' shot is only ono of the many excitfog incidents in it. "Billy and the B'itler" is a very fine detective comedydrama by the Essanay Companv. Otlier pictures of interest are • "Grandma's Sleeping Draught" (comedy), "Experiments in Metal testing,"' "Elusive Dupin" ("comic). "The;.T.'Jugan" (..scenic). "Boniface in Luck" (comedy) -and '-'.Making of a, Bottle. This is a well selected, series and should draw large houses. 'Tot Triesday night the management fndverti.se a benefit performance in aid of the Senior Cadet Prize Fund, for which a large committee of ladies are at prosent wcrki.no-. Tickets ma-"- be obtained from Senior Cadets. ladi°s- of tho committee, or at the Hall on tho night of tlio performance. . v ''

I " WTRTH'S CIRCUS. « Messrs Wirth Bros' Circus will operc -a one-night season in Masterton on Wednesday evening, when a most up-to-date entertainment is promised. The firm bring with them 300 performers, and every feature of modern circus life will be portrayed, many of the turns being really unique and in many cases highly sensational. Tho artists from the star performers to the clowns are ex erts of the first grade. One of- the features of th© show is that presented, by Hillary Long, the . "up-side-down phenomenon," who stands on his head without the assistance of his liainds, and in this position performs some marvellous feats. With the circus there is a complete menagerie of wild animals from all parts of the universe, not tho least interesting of which 'is- a tine pair of white Polar bears, who are made to go through numerous antics in company with a, pair of fine boarliounds. An exhibition of rough-rid-ing by a band of clever cowboys is a iitting conclusion to a wonderful show. The menagerie will be- open in the afternoon.

"A WALTZ DREAM." Hie Merry Widow Opera Company staged Oscar Strauss' "A Walt:', Dream" at the Town Hall. Masterton,,' on Saturday night w'a the presence of a large audience. The opera, which is bristling with eoiucdy throughout, is in many, respects superior to "The Merry Widow"—the music being of a higher cla\>\ ar.d liiore tuneful ; and' the. scenery, staging, and dressing .vTlie .one r rav went with. a swing from start to finish, the audience sthT'.\Tig its appreciation in very marked manmer. "There is an entire absence of plot in "A Waltz Dream." Tho story is a simple one, telling of t.hfi marriage of Lieutenant Nik-i to Princess Helena, .daughter of the Grand Duke Joacb'in XIII., as «- matter of convenience, to a. loreir,u court. The Prince Contort, on entering the palace of his -bride,- is told that he is to be' considered a mere figurehead, and would have to obey the whims and fancies of Count Lothar. a c.ranky sort of individual, who ruled tho court. The Prince, declines the situation as mapped out for him, a{nd resolves to leave the court, as well as his wife, and with bis personal friend. Lieutenant Montschi, hastens, to Vienna, where lie, becomes enamoured with' a Viennese girl. wlio* is (<ndiK'.trff of"ait orchestra. He .is. fascinated by the music of a -waltz as played by - Franzi (tin* Viennese giH). a (ltd declares bis love to licr. He is followed to Vienna by the duke, the count, and his wife, and is discovered with tlu> girl. He. eventualy returns to th? palace with h> wife. who. be thinks, dees not. love hint, and decides that it i« best to na>'t for ever. • Fratizi corner unon the and unites iin.sliand ''nil wife, anri all are happy. Mr David O'Connor. as Lieutenant Niki. had the lion's share of.the work, and performed bis part, well and unrestrainedly. Miss Eva Moore "as a fascinating Frnnzi, and. imn'yfM •< breeziness in the pari- which delighted. In the love scene with tlie. princo she-v. showed 1 that she. possessed considerable dramatic ability. The item of the evening wa.s the "Kissing" duet . <suhg by Miss Moore and Mr O'Connor, a peculiarly fascinating song i particularly in . the port where the kiss —and in the kiss the fascination lay—was iutroduced. The opera went with a swing from .start to finish, au?c! w'as much appreciated. -