AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 51, 29 February 1916, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

*THE DRAMAGB'AP.H. A recruiting film hearing the title "Wake Up" w*s the principal item on tiie picture I prograrami! shvivn iit'His Majesty's 'j.uea,cre "last Uight 'by the Drainagraph Company. I The f.acture, wiicli i. stated to have been produced with the assistance au<l uuder the ausp,ces of the !tyik <Jdice, deals largely I wit/a the doiiigs b£ euemy spies lv the i pre-war pericMl, and amongst the characters an.- thinly-disguised, representations of| Lrfjrd Roberta aud 'Lord Haldaue. Later «ra an enemy invasion of England is shown, I together with the burning of villages and the easy rout of the ill-trained troops mustered lor purposes of defence. Sandwiched into the story are a large number of pictures o£ soldiers, warships, big guns (•firing, and similar stfbjeets, most of which I have a qulfj independent interest. The f other films, on the programme are fully i equal in interest. A dramatic picture by the popular A.B. ■Company, "The Quicksands of Society," shows the adventures of a farmer, his wife, and bis son, who com& into a huge fortune, 'with all the soc'ffll duties that it entails. An adventuress comes between them, but after a divorce and a motor car accident, in v/hlch the adventuress meets her end, thei family are united once more on the old I farm. "The Counterfeiter's Daughter" is | ■by the same company, and "The Magic I Ring" (eomedyl and a copy of the Warwick Chronicle complete the entertainment. G-fIAFTOC THEATRE. The management of the 'Grafton Theatre presented a uew programme last evening. "Tolette of Flanders" is a charminj story, the early scenes of which are placed in the Belgian district of Flanders. Tolette is the daughter of a Belgian miser, though the girl lives in ignorance of heT father's accumulated wealth. The young girl often takes comforts to the troops near by. and later is loved 'by a young officer in a ■Highland regiment. He is chased by a German foraging party, but escapes. The girl's father is shot, and she i« sent with I other refugees to England, where two spinsters take charge of her. The Highland officer is invalided home, and Yolette visits the hospital, not knowing that he is there. A happy reunion and a wedding •close the story. The theme is the usual one of a charming heroine and a lirave hero, though the unusual treatment it rerjKl artistic. "The Black Box" continues to unravel its theme of mystery, the audience showing their appreciation of the serial by applause. The OTCliestra during the evpnlne snpnlied several selections which ndded greatly to the pleasure of the entertainment? "Which is thn Witch." a comedy of unusual'merlt. kept the audience i>itiused for several -minutes, and the Eclair J<iiirnal of latest happenings was received with interest. The several Incidents illustrated In the journal are nnitr new In character, nnd make a film of great educational value. ■KING'S THEATRE. Margarita .Fisher is acting in "The Lonesome Heart" at the King's Theatre this (veek. "The Lonesome iHeart" is one of the most beautiful films screened at this •theatre for some time. The acting, the story, and the photography combine to place this production a»ong the finest films ever shown here. I-Sanianthy Iβ an orphan. The poor child is like a rose in the middle of a vegetable garden. Hex romantic nature finds little comfort 'behind the high stone walls of the orphanage. Her eyes axe ever peeping through the barred windows to the world outside. She escapes. The child takes all hei worldly goods In a handkerchief and all her friends in a jam tin. the only friend being a frog for 'which she has developed a liking; 'After wandering for a while, she meets a man. He is one of those charming people who exist in novels, and sometimes in the real flesh. This youth iwss one of the unusual ones who are wealthy, wise, and handsome. The gh-1, however, decides to , overlook these disadvantages, and a wedding opens the way to a realisation of all that in beautiful for Samanthy. the orphan. It is quite a pleasure to find, h •w«r film thnt is new. "With the French at Salonika," which is- presented t>y tne i Gaumont Company, is of especial Interest, the scenes shown being of great educational value. "Chanson Sans Paroles," a 'cello , sohVby Mr J. C. Little, was one of the leading items by the orchestra. Miss *Ava Symons. the violinist of the King's Orchestra. played Barnes' "Lullaby" with her usual polished style.

OPEItA HOUSE. There was a lnrge attendance present at the Opera House last night In anticipation of the first appearance of Albert Bletsoe'9 English Revue Company. The company made »3 initial appearance in "Fun In a sanatorium," and proved a decided success. The many patrons of the house will no doubt recall with pleasure the Crimson Ramblers In the Brennan-Fuller circnit some years ago. The success of that production was achieved to a great degree by the fun and merriment provoked by the Bletso«s. This fact in itself is sufficient recommendation for the popularity of the present fompany. It consists of fifteen artists,- .whose brightness arid ■ general excellence maintain the attention of tile audience • throughout . the whole of the second half of the programme. The piece opens wtth a chorus by six dainty nurses in uniform. This is followed by a conCe 2?i ( Li n .?J? her of the who,e company, entitled "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" Although n»t possessed of any star vocalists, the company includes a fine Jquartet, and two possessors of sweet voicesi In the persons of Miss Maud Bletsoe and Miss Eileen Barnsley. The former made her first appearance In a ragtime number, "A Little Further," and later her impressive contralto voice, was heard to advantage in "Visions of Dreamland." This number was rendered most effective by the grouping of members of the company with electric lighting effects the soft rays of the latter producing an atmosphere quite in keeping with the song. Mlsst Barnsley gave, evidence of further success in her soprano solo °1 ,- The " Ra(lio Ballet,-" JiVVtJ ,6 ! ? lp of - el «borate costumes and delightful stage settings, innde- one of the most spectacular features of the revue- Itappeared in -The Mississippi Cabaret," The Rose Ballet." and "Spinish Dance." all of which were appreciated 4mnle humour pervades the atmosphere throu£h?£h n»H PI T' Hnd Albert B,etsoe as the «i»nJ> l » nt a £P earea >n °"my hilarious scenes Roy Bene. the eccentric doctor rl- m \i sanator ' um extricates himself h£ v l " lan y,.P r e<'l<'anients into which fn urn, If ads him Sn««. S? Der beCQlnln X his title, arid Sri? -feS °e ( Potion *tid aUSe The Wb entwining. «« £ove 'rSSF'dS re - QUeSt - - Y0 « M«*>e Mc nnrt ti» k! - . the dainty little girl

WCRIC THEATRE. wxiueay, made a name for rf«m . cJaas °* ■I*ew act wiui style Jnt,.), i ' and ' Mrs - much is euoWh Uita ioiiv, f T Just Uow piUM! . phatogra.phy aud acting. WSs\tt : Preecut themsdree at interWe to . chosen by au artist to illustrate 1 tlieme of exeeptioual merit. There b U? M f, tl f product «« a3 ? ' rlu^'h " f t^ their appreciation of this picture for it certainly Is well worth seel a= . -The Lask.v ■L-o. iave Ijccij sendjng several excellent fllma to Auckland of late, and it is a fact to be appreciated that they are all of the 'highest standard, the "photography bein~ ■ equal ■to that of the finest Knfilish pro- , ducers. The nmsic of itho orchestra added . to the enjoyment of the iprojrramme, the items being Iα keeping with the nature of the i»lcturu3.

HYPNOTIC pEMOXSTBATION. Sir. Geo. Wilson season at Parnell Theatre last evening, when he gave an hypnotic demonstration before a large audience. His work wa.s very successful, L.c voluntary subjects being made to do practically what Sir. Ui-.sou bade them. Several amusing tests were made during the early ■part of the eutertaimnuat, the persons under the influence performing the most stupid antics 'imaginable. XTfey were ilia ;e to imagine they were preachers, anil mc cjjose as his subject " the alphabet." Ti t liypuotie slectf was said by the demon*:r.itor to be equal to the effect of cbloruf-r .1 and other anaesthetics, in the perform! ; of operations. During this- evening. Mr. Ingram will extract teeth from several patients at .the same hall, Mr. Wilson placing them under the influence in place of using gas or chloroform. OTHER riCTrRE HXTERITAIXiIEXTS. •' The Criminal " is the title of the film being shown as Hie star item at the Globe Theatre at present. The management of the Princess Theatre is screening as the star picture a production entitled " The Cub." •Charlie Chaplin is appearing -in ".The Property Man" at the <Jneen's- Theatre just .it present. At Everybody's Theatre the position at the top of the programme Is occtmieel by a four-part drama called- " The ' Lonesome Hoart." A fine detective drama, which made Its first .1 oppnxan-ce yesterday. Is showing a.t " rn"irom O 'the Depths'" is the title nf the item of importance on the present bill caUed " The' Tntrlsrners" Is n.ppp-'rin.'r with much success at the r l tl ''comerlv tr cntitle 1 1 "Ji-rt Out of Col- ,„£ » i" now o*men*tiw with mm-h success on the bill at flrt Arcadia Theatre.