THE THEATRES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 57, 14 April 1914, Page 9

THE THEATRES.

«' ALADDIN."

"Aladdin" in all its bravery of colour and music another crowded audience to the Theatre Royal last night. The pantomime is not as large as some that have been presented here under other managements, but it is better than most —better for the very reason that it is more compact. The stage management is excellent, and the settings are as good; every scene is a line colour scheme, well thought out. There are 11 sets of scenes, and it would be too much to describe them in detail, so it must suffice to say that they are all magnificent, as befits a pantomime. The ragtime, revue is the great novelty ©f the piece—though the raised platform carried over the stalls down the whole length of the theatre is a stage device that has been frequently used of late years in the older countries; it is quite new to New Zealand, and the device is certainly effective. The ragtime couple, M. Henri Mercell and Miss Nellie Fallon, with the following of chorus, dance along this raised platform from the back of the theatre to the stage, and they dance vivaciously and well in the poses of the tango. Miss Palotta as has no very, large part, but her charm of personality .and grace have the same appeal as of old and add their distinctive flavour to the extravaganza. Miss Carrie Moore is the principal boy, and a success in a character she has always been famous for. Mr Edward Stanley as the Widow Twankey is a real humorist, "and never fails to score a laugh with his "business." The Mullaney Twins make a particularly bright song and. dance turn. There are others, many others, and they all combine to make a very enjoyable entertainment of that quaint medley of gorgeous costuming, splendid seenery, music, dancing, and fun which in these years is known as pantoinime. The popularity of "Aladdin" can be gauged from "the fact that, though there was a crowded house last night, the ticket offices did little business —all the seats had been booked previously. TANGO TT^AS. The plans for the two tango teas to be given at the Theatre Royal by the " Aladdin M Company were opened this morning. The tango tea is already a popular institution, and if the tango is not danced at all ballrooms this coming winter it will not be the fault of the theatrical companies that have tried to spread the craze for the glad dance. The tango in its intricacy of 80 steps will be dif played by Mr Fr§d Oswald and Miss Margot Maurice, while Miss Palotta, who will act as hostess at the teas, will also dance with Mr Oswald. M. Henri Marcell and Miss Nellie Fallon will dance the Hacienda tango. A programme of vaudeville will be presented by the principals of the company, all the items being accompanied by the full orchestra, under the conductorship of Mr Wynne Jones. Refreshments will be served in the auditorium, and an additional attraction will be the display of latest fashions in the revue by the Australian tango girls. The tango teas wiJl be given to-morrow and on Friday, commencing at 3 o'clock each day.

OPERA HOUSJEj. Without doubt personality tells almost as much as talent in a vaudeville turn, and Brent Hayes's perform-

ance at the Opera House last night proves this to be true. From the time that he came on the stage he had the audience in an appreciative mood. Hayes is a "banjo player who gets the effects of a whole orchestra out of his strings. In a new ragtime composition with queer turns of melody and a queerer name, he was specially good. By far the most effective of his performances, however, was homely "Annie Laurie,'' played with accompaniment and air all on the same banjo and at the same time. Another new. act is provided, by Foster, Lainont, and Foster (the programme calls them iron-jawed acrobats). Their performance is, indeed, an extraordinary one, and in many respects it is novel. Apparently the description of the bill is by no means over-drawn. These two ladies and the man, amongst other things, support a slack wire with their teeth, allowing a third member of the troupe to perform on it the while. Millie Doris is well to the fore again with her very vivacious songs. In her description ; of the Salvation Army she may be in bad taste, but she is undeniably humorous. She was given a triple encore last night, and even then the large audience was not satisfied. The . two Strattons, kilted and bonnetted, are appearing for another week, and their songs and gags are still acceptable., Captain Bruxiswick and Company give an interesting exhibition of rifle shooting and lariat throwing, into which ,they weave more than the average amount of humour. Jack Martin is* an adept with the rope, and keeps, the noose spinning with wonderful skill. < Cunningham and Rose continue with success in their patter and song act, and they also were much applauded. All the other turns, including Elsie Knowles, Lee; Carlton and Sutton, and Tom Leonard, are good. There is one other new turn, provided by. the three Luxors, who have just been playing before large audienees .at the Fuller's Theatre in Wellington. Their 'act is a musical one, and features the xylophone, hand bells, and other instruments. All their efforts are tuneful and pleasing. The programme will be repeated this evening.

COLOSSEUM. The announcement that '' The Last Days of Pompeii" was to be screened again in Christchurch was responsible for a packed house at the Colosseum last evening. The % picture created a most favourable impression when it was presented here some months ago, and certainly few films have been shown in Christchurch which can compete with it for realism and the careful study of the most minute details. The picture sets forth the life of the Romans of 2000 years ago, the story being founded on the romance of Glaucus and .Tone. Jone is loved by another, one Arbaces, but his love is unrequited, Jone returning the love of Glaucus. Glaucus in turn is loved by another —a blind slave named Nydia, whom he befriended. The latter maiden, wishing her love to be returned, goes to Arbaces, who among other tilings is a mystic, and telling him of her grief sho obtains a potion in the belief that it will call forth the love of Glaucus for her when she places it in his wine. The magic potion has but the effect of driving Glaucus insane, and he is tortured by men under the influence of Arbaces. i'The closing scenes of the play are full [of pathos and intensity. One of the

most and awe-inspiring incidents of the play is the scene showing the great circus ensemble in which are seen gladiators and lions and tigers in plenty. The eruption of Vesuvius, however, and the awful destruction of the Roman pleasure city is the culminating point, the scene being an absolute triumph of kinematograpliy. The production is accompanied by specially arranged music by the Colosseum Orchestra, under Herr Zimmerman, and scats may be reserved at the Dresden.

HIS MAJESTYS. A well-varied holiday programme was presented to patrons of His Majesty's Theatre yesterday afternoon, and was repeated last night before a. very large audience. The star film, '' The" Next Generation,'' has as its principal attraction the most realistic foundering of a huge ocean liner, a well-told story leading up to the disaster. An uncle and nephew were both ship designers. The older man had completed designs for a mammoth vessel when his nephew discovered various ilaws in the plans, prophesying that the vessel would never reach the end of her first voyage. Jealous of his nephew's superior ability, the uncle kept to his original plans, the vessel was launched, and sank in mid-ocean, the designer himself going down with the ship. The picture is one of the masterpieces of kinematography, the cast including such notabilities as Edith Storey, Lee Delaney, Tefft Johnson, and John Morey. A drama enacted on the steel frame of a New York sky-scraper, showing a quarrel between two workmen hundreds of feet from earth, was entitled "The Great Steel Beam," and provided abundant '' thrills.'' Another successful drama was screened in "Anguished Hours," featuring various child-artists and telling an excellent story. Somewhat of a novelty in the way of moving pictures was presented in "A Bacchanalian Dance," a specialty which was introduced to Christchurch by Genee. Two excellent scenics were sci%ened in "Sicilian Cities" and '' Grenoble to Aix-les-Baius,'' the latter being a film of exceptional merit. Excellent topical news was provided in a line number of the "Pathe Gazette," while laughter making comedies were shown in "Bunny for the Cause" and "Max Linder and a Daughter of Albion. ''

GRAND THEATRE. Crowds of holiday-makers thronged to the Grand Theatre yesterday, and they were provided with a programme well worth seeing. The principal picture, "In the Midst of the Jungle," has Miss Kathlyn Williams playing the leading role, and she has to encounter some exciting adventures Avhile carrying out her part. The plot is woven about a girl who was lost in the African jungle and lived several months with a panther as her sole companion. A very thrilling and sensational climax was provided when the girl's friends arrived just in time to rescue her from the clutches of three lions who had almost broken down her hut. The Essanay Company contribute a Western drama, "Broncho Billy's Secret," describing the robbing of a mail coach and the death of the robber at the hands of the sheriffs. The theme is a somewhat hackneyed one, but it is a good picture nevertheless. "Their Husbands" was a Keystone comic, and it well deserves to be so called. Another very line picture is one

descriptive of the industries and customs in Natal. The Eclair Journal No. 61 completes ijie programme, which wjjl be screened again this evening.

( GLOBE THEATRE. p A stirring story is told in the star film of the current programme showing at the Globe Theatre. It deals with the machinations of the secretary of a millionaire to become possessed of his .master's wealth. Unique situations and hairbreadth escapes abound in the piece and "justice is meted out most satisfactorily at the conclusion. Another excellent drama shown is "The King's Man,'' picturing a tragedy of the Canadian North-West. The daughter of an old whisky runner became friendly with one of the mounted police, thus incurring the displeasure of a Canadian half-breed who also paid attentions to the girl. A quarrel resulted between the whisky-runner and the Indian, the former being mortally wounded in a desperate fight with hunting knives. Before dyirig, however, he was enabled to shoot the half-breed, who had returned to the cabin to torment the girl. Supporting pictures were "Tomboy Bess" and "The Family Next Door," comedies, and the latest "Warwick Chronicle." The same programme will be shown to-night and until further notice.

SYDENHAM PICTURES. The programme which created such a favourable impression at its initial screening yesterday afternoon was repeated last night before a crowded house. "The Next Generation," a dramatic star, is a wonderful produc-. tion giving a most realistic representation of a foundering ocean liner. Two men, an uncle and nephew, were both designers of ships. The elder man was at the height of fame when his nephew discovered various flaws in the plans of a huge liner designed by the supposed master craftsman. Regardless of the nephew's premonitions of disaster, the uncle's designs were used, and the liner launched. As predicted, she sank in mid-\cean, the designer himself going down with the ship. Comedies of more than "average worth were screened in "John Bunny for the Cause," and "Max Linder and a Daughter of Albion," both actors appearing to their usual advantage. Other films screened were '' A Bacchanalian Dance," " Pathe Gazette," 4 'Anguished Hearts," "The Great Steel Beam," "Sicilian Cities," and "Grenoble to Aix-le-Bains."

THE GEORGE WILLOUGHBY DRAMATIC COMPANY.

Mr George Willoughby, of the Adelplii, Sydney, and Princess Theatres, Melbourne, has sent another of his excellent companies to the Dominion. It is the Ylramatic company that has just concluded an excellent run in Sydney at the Adelphi, from which popular house they had to quit to make room for the pantomime. They will malte their appearance in the Theatre Royal on Monday night next, and will play for a season of six nights. The company is headed by that well-known artist Mr George Cross. Miss Vera Eeinee is the leading lady, and they are well supported by one of the finest combinations Mr Willoughby has yet organised. The opening piece will be "The Beggar Girl's Wedding," being a play of London life, full of tragedy, comedy, sentiment, and sensation. All the scenery and appurtenances will be brought so as to present the drama ia

its entirety and in the same style of completeness as was done in Sydney. Some of the scenic effects (all painted by that master of his art, Mr John S. Mann) bring back fond memories of the Old Country to those who have left dear thoughts behind them in the land which many will never see again. "The Beggar Girl's Wedding" is a play that talks to the audience at once and grips the whole, both young and old included, and never fails to keep intense interest from the rise to the fall of the curtain. The box plan will open on Thursday at the Dresden.