AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 308, 28 December 1915, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

OPBUA HOUSE. A. holiday nudience, in holiday mood, thoroughly enjoyed itself at the Opera •House last nigfbl, when a change of programme,, Including the first nppvariiUce.s of a nunrbcr of new artiste, was •presented. The company as a whole |r of more than the average merit, and (Inutile and triple encores were demanded from the first number to the lust. Among the new performers wore Unilinear «nil Reynolds, nliicrk wire and rope artiste, who have perfected a number of novel fonts, llol linger springs, dances and somersaults on the rope wil.lx consiiuimiite ease, while his comedy work Is no less clever. The "rum" wnfl rounded off !>y a series of choruses by one of the cutest little kiddie* imaginable, who completely captured the henrtH of the audience The Astelles cave » remarkably neat ami ■clever acrobatic jind balancing turn dlspluylug uunsunl tiu-enjjUi and dexterity. Miss Betty Bruce, an Knglisj, character comedienne, wou immediate favour wltftj her bright songs sung with spirit and a'bilit.r. Another newi-orncr, George Wheeler, the tramp musician produced music from such weird article* as a claw hammer, n handsaw, and a nail-pnller windlug up with a series of well-known melodies .played upon 'bottles. Do Car, a Continental clown acrdbat, performed a numlier of interesting, fciits witih Jmlis, -blocks, and so on. A number of other artists reuewed their acquaintance with Auckland , audiences with iiuppy results, among the number being i.Mlss Hlolse Taylor, an Australian soprano, who has n sweet voice of considerable range, combined nrlth considerable interpretative skill. Kurd and Uα vis, opera Iwuffe artists, jrave nn Interesting medley of snug and story, wille Vernon and Jackson, musical comedy duo, hit the popular taste with their tuneful items. Tea KiißsPli. back from Galllpull, yodelled In the delight of this audience. Matinees iind evening pprformanceji are announced for the wtale of this week. THE NIQOEK, As a holiday dttrmtion, the photoplay "The Xlgger," adapted from Sheldon's remarkable book dealing with the negro problem In the l/niled State*, coulil n,.t easily lie Improved. The .iiidJence wlilpb tilled the Town Hall last uigbi upon the occasion ot iihe flr*t prescntatlou v>f the picture, followed the graphic narrative of the story with nn attention whlcn whs an Indication of their keen Interest in the thc-me of the stnry nnd sustained enjoyment at each new development of the plot. The particular attmotion of "Tlie Nigser" Is tuat It Is not ovrrdonc. The writer has explored tile subject Just far enough to allow the render to grnep the full possibilities of the menace —If it may be called such—without entering ii|>on those r.-volUng details which one assodates with the doiuw of the aluva trader. Tbe plot Iv "The Xlßger" turns upon the hirth of n child tv Colonel Morrow, a wealthy plantation owner, by a beautiful negro girl callrd ilelle. away hack in "Tii. Thn child, as sometimes happens, is bnru white, and grows up all unconscious of the stain in his biood and on hl« honour. As an evidence of the contrariness of things, he Is elected (governor of I>lr Srnte ou .m "America for the white man" ticket. He also becomes engaged to a beautiful American girl of the pure-blood United States nrlstocraey. Voting .Morrows political party, who "boSHed" his election for him. turn out to he none other than the

"Whisky Trust," an unscrupulous organisation which uses politics to further Its own ends. The "Whisky Trust" exprw* open astonishment ami then Indignation when Morrow shows mime sympathy for the negro, and later on refuses to vcio a lull intradural by i*p prohibition party. By a mischance the vlllnln organiser for the triwn finds proof that Morrow Is half negro, and tries to use the Information as a lever tn force the (iovcrnnr to exenis" his veto. However. 'Morrow does the stron:; thluK,; he resigns his position, frees his bidy troai her plcd-gp, and devotoi hlmse.'f to Hie uplift of the negro race. A line wrles of industrial, scenic and comic views supplemented the big picture.

KING'S THRATRK. unco ugalii the management of rlin Theatre provide on thi* weekly programme refreshing picture eutcrtainmcht for their patrons. Last evening the. tlrst a large assembly, and the various pictures were received with enthusiasm. Ono of th« most enjoyable Itainx Is v comedy with a moral, entitled "The Jungle Cure," showIng the moans by which two l.lbuloua youths arc cured of alcoholism. The things they Hnw cifti'r one particularly "free" night were enough to drive anyone to drink niUier thnn from It. "The Million Dollar Mystery rontluHW to hold a large proportion of the programme. 'Die current chapter, the pevon tpenth. Is entitled "Th<! Battle of Wits." itnd Is no U-wi fraught with Incident*, both novel and. .exciting, tlian previous instalments. The story of a singer mid dancer in t tnlrd-elnss cabaret, who eventually, through :. chain of exciting adventures, wins love ami comfort, is told In a Vltagrroh product 1.-in which nppcars with much su'ff.* In the first pnrt of tho programme Scenic picture* nre this week particularly sl-ong. "The Wnrers of the North Country" Is a charmlnc wnferfr.li study, nnd unother film whirh proved popular was tliut showing views of Salonika, a town which It- In the public eye nt present as being the binding place of the Allies In G-rpecp. The compily

clement Is supplied by "Jimmy on the Job" and "The .llnx on .Icuki." Th« Items contributed by the King's Symphony

Orchestra this xveek include the overture to "Maritmia" and fin entr'acte from "Tho Trumpeter."

TUB LYRIC. Not for a long while has the l.yrlc Theatre resounded with srh hearty laughter nnd applause Hβ that which emanated from last night's large audience. Wisely Judging 1 the temperament of their holiday natron* I the management had included n couple of cleverly-fxectited comics, ami these, coming at the npcinruiij:. -were received wRIT rapturous acclamation. One concerned the adventures of 11 liahy which was borrowed .is a pulse for a honeymoon pair, mill the other related to a plague of frogs in a drawing-room. An excellent number of the "Ciaiiniont Graphic" and an Interesting series of "Blrdland Studies." completed the mlscellnny of the programme. Then came the feature- a Sells drama. In three parts, entitled "The C.irpcr from Bagdad," founded on Harold McC.rath's well-known Oriental story. This film Is one of the "bic things" that, arc coming from America in these days of cinematograph specialising. The story revolves round the adventures of an unscrupulous party from New York in the now familiar city of Cairo, .nnd of a dishonest American In the ancient city of Bagdad mosquo wherein was hung a sacred Bagdad. With rare artistry the film depicted the innermost shrine of a sacred prayer-rue, guarded by stealthy watcher* day and night. The forceful entry of tJie treacherous tourist, his fight with the guardians of the famous carpet, the theft, and his flight across the desert to Cairo were effectively enacted, as also were the scenes which followed when the prayer-rug was disposed of to an innocent buyer, who. together with his fiance, became a victim of native vengeance. Of course, love finally triumphed, and the curtain was rung down to the aceonipnniment of wedding bells. One remarkable feature of the picture was a sandstorm In the desert, which was reproduced with realistic effect. Camels, caravans, and other eastern phenomena also added colour to what was a most unique, drama. The programme will be repeated to-night.

GRAFTOS THEATiRK. George .Uarr McCutcheon's novel "The Rose in the 'Ring" has 'been pictured for the cinematograph hy the Famous Players Company, and the drama occupies the attention of patrons of the Grafton Theatre for the current week. When the initial presentation of the film was made before the large Monday audience last evening, the. spectators waxed very enthusiastic, i,n<l the Indications point to the film enjoying a very successful season In Auckland. The drama is renamed "The Circus Man," hut nevertheless is n faithful reproduction of the Incidents described in the hook, and dramatic surprised and stroug incidents are ■common. The final chapter of the serial story "The Master Key." which has boen Showing in weekly instalments for some months past, a3so occupies a place on the present programme, and the closiug incidents. In which the central figures of the pray are united, were ■watched with Seen interest. Dtiri&g the )=creenjne of a touch- j ing picture entitled "'Home, Street Home.") Miss Kitty Grant, the yonng Auckland einger ivlio assisted in Hμ; programme at the Grafton Theatre last -week, gave a vocaj rendering of the well-known song, much to to the delight of the audience. The latest E«laLr Journal, dealing chiefly with interesting happenings in connection with the .war, Is also given n prominent place on the programme. There are, of course, the urnal mirth-tnsking pietnres. which add much to the enjoyment of the entertainment.