AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 236, 3 October 1916, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE BIRTH OF A NATIOS." I Tlitf huge production called "The Birth of a Nation" was followed with intense ! interest by the crowd of spectators at His Jiejesty's last night. The picture goes far j ahead o£ anything that has yet been < shown in Auckland, and. constitutes a treat that no person can well afford to miss. THE OPERA HOUSE. bio many. individuals engaged in entertaining in vaudeville bails have unblusuingly labelled themselves " artists," when there is as much artistry about them as in the performance of Massat Johnson, the cornerman, that the term seems to have come back Into an intelligent use again when it is applied to Miss Wish Wynne, who opened her lirst tour in New Zealand 1 at the Opera House last night. As a foreword to her performance it may fittingly be announced that she's " English, quite English, you know," and that in Itself should uncork a huge sigh of reHel In. those who have become surfeited and sickened by the drivel from the land of notes and nasaliams, which so many man- ' agcrs seem to think is indispensable for winning the' favours of the autocrats of the gallery. Miss Wynne is neither a

" live wire" nor a purveyor of mustard and spice, seeking applause for that which deserves only a smacking. She simply relies upon unadulterated ana unexaggerated artistic talent to secure her success, and trot the least likeable feature of. her performance is that she knows v nbt tne sec- • tions of the house 'by their altitudes, but presents her work for what it is worth, and leaves it at tbat—to be liked or disliked, according to one's fancy. Miss Wynne opened her performance last night with the song " I've Been So Busy Knitting," which was executed with subtle touches of bumour that Immediately placed her on good terms with - the house. After this she proceeded to present her character ctndies of English home life, the first of.which was the impersonation of a London school girl. In "this study—whlcnwas so naturally and faithfully presented that one became .so absorbed as to forget tlir/ the forlorn and comically miserable figure on the stale wm only an Imitation' and not the original—-Miss Wynne revealed her talent as a true artist. Apart from the dialect, -which was imitated so closely, and'! with such absence of strain as to be almost faultless, the acting was an artistic cameo. The solioqny of the unhappy little' mother, eldest of a large family, who has" to -wash and brush Willie and Georfie and Freda, and gets caned herself for - going " unttdy-llke " to school, who comes home to set the baby off to sleep " quick and lively,"* and. recollecting that the happiest time was when she had mumps, tries to catch fever from the girl next door, and colds from the puddles in tbe streets, bnt only catches trouble and the toothache, kept the house roaring with laughter. let it was really the underlying stratum of pathos that appealed to tbe honse. The next study, that of an English country girl, wa* also presented with rare skill and understanding, but it was not quite so good as the preceding one. Miss Wynne's final offering, a picture of the I-ondon slavey, was absolutely unique. The London " skivvy " has been made a clown, an acrobat, a soap-box orator, a screaming shrew, in fact, everything but that which she is—a qnalnt. but essentially tinman type. All] the humour of Miss Wynne** slavey was ingenuous and unconscious, and as that Is the richest form of wit it kept the house convulsed with laughter. When the actress appeared as the London school girl one would have gone nap on her having -been the eldest of eight herself, but as her studies of country life and domestic service gave one the equally emphatic conviction of personal experience one could only give up guessing. Miss Wynne's last effort was a little snapshot from the firing line —» dramatic recitation in the dialect of tbe Tommy—which was aomiraoiy spoken. . She left the house to an ovation —nnd did not return to bow fourteen and a-hnlf times. -. Other newcomers ou the bill were The Eurasians, conjurers, and Montambo and Wells, two of the most daring and origin:"! roraedv acrobats seen here for a long while, who wound up their performance last night with a sensational backward tumble in a cjiair from tbe full height, of the stage. Other turns appearing were Elsie Morris, male impersonator, I.es Warton. black comedian. Jeanettc Spel!mi-"i. American comedienne, the Newmans; Ross. Wyse and Big Surprise, the Four Kings.,acrobats, and Shipp and Gaffney. The bill is one of the best -presented at the Opera House for many moous. ,

OTHER PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS. A constant stream of people passed through the doors of the Princess" Theatre, where the splendid drama "The Spell of the Yukon," is showing. Bubbling mud pools, spouting geysers, and the thousand and one other strange sights of ■ Rotorua are faithfully reproduced by the picture now being shown at the Lyric Theatre. . A matinee will be given to-morrow. A capital picture version of the fascinating story of "Carmen" is delighting a large number of visitors at the Grafton Theatre. The silent dramatic art reaches its highest pitch in this beautifully produced picture. Strong human interest marks the picture called "A Huntress of Men," showing at the King George Theatre. • The film relates a wonderfully fascinating story of the wiles of a beautiful "womau. There is enough romance, life, and adventure to nil a novel in the pictnre entitled "The Pawn of Fate," which is helping to justify the great popularity of Everybody's Theatre. Crowds of patrons pay tribute to the wisdom of the management of the Grand Theatre, where a stirring love story called "The Bartered Bride" is showing. A drama of the highly emotional sort is being shown at the Globe Theatre under the title of "Pearls of Temptation." There is an unusually big supporting list. Variety and strength mark the programme nt the Queen's Theatre. The leading film is caUed "The Long Chance," .and is of the variety written around a "good bad" man, dearly loved, by romantic people. A big emotional appeal Is made by the picture called "The Pawn of Fate," which is running as this week's feature at the King's Theatre. , .' . An alluring story of mystery and adven--tnre. under the name of "The Mystery of the Locked Room," is filling the Arcadia Theatre with'mueh-thrtlled patrous.., . v A five-act picture of the well-known "Metro" standard is running at the Theatre Royal. Kingsland. under the title-of "Her Great Price.'.' ••-■,--. An exciting and convincing photo-phvr called "'The Evil j Men Do." .featuring Maurice Costelio, is/the best item on, a big programme at the Palace Theatre. "Jim the Penman" ia the name ot a drama that is providing much Interest and varied emotional stress for crowds of onJookers at the Victoria Devonport.