AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15724, 18 October 1916, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

HORACE GOLDIN TO-NIGHT. To-night's show at tho Theatre Royal will introduce to Christchurch audiences many new star acts, all "headliners" (in many j'arts of the world, while tho ccntral figure of them all will be Horacc Goldin, an illusionist who has created great interest in Australia, and is now touring Sctr Zealand for the first time. This illusionist carries tons of scenery ' and effects, and has a supporting company of 35 auxiliaries, headed by his chief assistant, Miss Barbara Babington. Opening his performance with a review of conjuring from tho 15th to tho 20th century, the illusionist goes on to a scries of sensational tricks and illusions. Tho masterpiece is en- . titled '"Tho Tiger God." This is a Moorish mystery, magnificently staged, and presented in three scenes, giving ample scope for tho artist's .powers. In this spectacular illusion Mr Goldin introduces a live Bengal ticer. and after ji scries of minor illusions, the climax is reached when Mr Goldin causes tho tiger to completely disappear, and lie himself stops unharmed from the tiger's cage. The first part af the show will be taken up bv a number of star vaudeville acts. The box plan frill be at The Bristol until .five o'clock, and afterwards at tho Toy Cave with day sales. The season will close on Saturday night, ns Mr Goldin has to catch a steamer carlv nest week for South Africa.

MUSICAL SOCIETY. At the Choral Hall the second concert of the Musical Society, under tne direction of Dr.. Jirausiiaw, took place last night. The Society itself contributed a number of pail songs, including three of JSlgar's nne compositions, and. considering that they make no speciality of this branch of musical art, and that the dearth, of -men. increases the difficulty of adjusting the balancc, they Bang very iairly. The best blending of the voices was really attained in the final, "Rowing Homewards," where . tsomo of . the shrill trebles mellowed {f down, wh6 were at full swing in others. Tho remainder of the programme fell upoii tho shoulders of tlie soloists. Airs Livingstone- played a graceful "l'as- , Uirale," by Scarlatti and ltosenthall's brilliantly florid "Papulous" with much charm, finish, and elegance, surpassing in merit the following iJallade- of A first appearance was made b.v Miss Nottingham v gifted with n syniaftoVoi&c,"cMu&ifihg" good notes in the" depth, <*racc of manner, -vivacity aud fair enunciation, excepting some ... darkly tinted vowels, like "rfawrk, . hnwrk," instead, of "Hark, hark." • TThero is also the need of equalising the voice right through the compass. The ./ ballads lvvealed to better advantage /. her- undoubted capabilities t-haii tho - somewhat ill-chosen "Canzonetta." Mr ltcx Harrison, who has quickly and de- • ce'rvcdly won our favours b.v his tasteful. cinofiolial style of • sitigittg, com- ' .bined with clearness'of enunciation, sang with excellent results, particularly 3'schaikowski'ri sombre, but' beautiful, Late" and, but for a momentary lapse of memory, Sidney Homer's tanking song "flow's My Boy-" In this '• case-M- Paul Diifault's visit- has Jel't its mark, but Mr Harrison's voice is also v - capable of expansion. His accompani- ■ mollis were played by Mrs Pereival Smith, with moro than usual sympathy, which, after all, is the real test, not • merely ease and fluency. Mr Zimmeraiann* contributed a "Grand Bolero de •Concert" very smartly, but hard in v tone, 60 that the muted strings fol- . lowing came as a relief. Thcro was no room for a complete string quartette, but if a solitary part from a Beethoven quartette had to he cut out it should have been one shiping with tho supreme beauty so to be found . among his stringed inspirations, and /•;" ndfc the rather academical movement, . •requiring sneeial .knowledge, presented by Messrs ttiordan, Andreae, Cookson, and »L. Bonnington, though evidently i rehearsed "with care. The Choral Hall was well filled with a warm-hearted audience, who bestowed'impartially the - 'distinction- of a recall upon one arid all I ' tho soloists.

OPERA HOUSE. ■ There was a large attendance at the . Opera House last evening when the cur- ' rent bill: was repeated. Miss Madgo Maitland, "the Irish girl from Amej rica," again pleased with her quaint - V ways of delivering, her songs. Jcaunette Spellnian, allelightful monologue eutertainers, the two Johnstones in ■ bright" stings and clever dances, A»nd Weight and Waite were also well re- • ceived, whilst- Donald Cornwailis ■touched tho hearts of all patrons with hisfilmologue, entitled "Man tho Fleet." The samo programme will be given this , evening. STARLAND. 1 Tho recent structural rearrangements • ahich have been carricd out at the Starland Picture Theatro aro calculated to make the theatro even more popular with tho public than it has been in the .' past. It is of little use, however, in having, a sumptuous house if tho pictorial fare placed beforo patrons i 6 not of the best ako in this particular : . the. management lias been fortunate, for, as tho result "of a successful deal, Starland will now have tho privilege of .having the first, choice and first run of the famous Fox films, as well as tho l ."Paramount" productions and photoplays which hav© forged to tho front through sheer merit alone. . The big double programme which was presented last evening marked a step forward in the picture business here and the large audience showed iu no uncertain man- /' ncr its appreciation of the enterprise of the management. The programme started off with an uncommonly clever animated war cartoon, which wag followed by a scientific and very interesting picture showing nature'spro tec tire mimicry as exemplified in too insect world. Then came one of the star plays, Mary Pickford. in. "Madame Butterfly." Mary Pickford, as Cho-Cho-oan, is not tho usual carets and buoyant lass that we have been used to. Her work in "Madame Butterfly s 'is more mature, quieter and restrained as befitg the part, but it is very good, and in tnafiy of the . scenes the actress rises to a height that : she has rarely had a chance to reach in her former parts. The big Fox production, "The Plunderers," which occupied •the second half of tho bill, is entirely different in character. Here we arc r; transported to a mining district. Two

young fellows on the track of an old unworked mine, soon encounter powerful organised opposition on the part of a shrewd resident who j s engaged i'i tho gentle art of stealing ore. How the plunderers are frustrated is told in a vivid and virile manner, and William Farnum in the chief part adds another leaf to his laurels. Tho setting and acting are superb and the big fight in the Minors' Union Hall must bo tho last word in realism, and, as the auctioneers say, "is alone worth the money." Starland will be open to-day from 11.30 a.m. to C> p.m. and 7.15 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. The box plan is at The Bristol.

'THE DIVINITY OF MOTHERHOOD." Tho picture, "Tho Divinity of Motherhood," will be shown at the Theatre Royal for a short season, commencing at a matinee on Monday next. In its notice of the first screening of the picture in Wellington recently, the '•Evening Post" said: Nothing sio unique or artistic has been attempted in tho way of moving picturo productions as "The Divinity of MotiierHood" now being shown at the Britannia Theatre, Wellington. Tho picture points a moral—the terriblo results of raco Suicido. . . The picturo has messages for both young and old. To the children it means an allegorical realisation of the mysteries of babyhood, and to the older people it shows the follies of tilting against Nature. It shows how a beautiful but shallowminded woman fours maternity because it will interfere with her own selfish enjoyment. Her husband divorces her and marries another woman. ' Then in the autumn ofhh r life, childless and forlorn, and anguished with regrets for the past, she falls asleep before the fire. While she #isin a reverie a pretty, innocent little" child appears, and shows her some glimpses of "The Divinity of Motherhood." In their journeyings they wander through Babyland, where dimpled darlirig dumplings of babies lie in flower plots and are scattered everywhere amongst the scenery—a veritable feast of babies. In her dreams she sees steps leading up to Paradise, whither mothers lead their children. She attempts to follow them, but an angel gently tells her that she cannot enter. Her agony of soul is obvious, as is the whole moral of tho picture. The effects . and scenery of the picture are as beautiful as thev are marvellous.

"THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME." By tho last ' London" mail" there arrived what is claimed to bo the mtost ... realistic k representation of the present hostilities in France that has ever been seen in this Dominion— "Tlio Battle of tho Somme." The opening attack on the villago of Mamctz is pictured in a remarkable scries of scenes which could only have been secured at great personal risk of tho operator. These films were taken by the British War Office, and tho Secretary of State for War, Mr Lloyd George, instructed as follows: "See that this picture, which is in itself an epic of self-sacrifice . and "allantry, reaches everyone." It is said that nothing so comprehensive as these pictures has been seen previously, and it appears that the. authorities had in this instance withdrawn thoso restrictions which have in the past prevented people from seeing much of tho actual reality of the fighting. There will be a specially selected supporting programme, and the whole list will be screened at His Majesty's Theatre all next week, commencing on Monday.

PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS

The Vitagraph Blue Ribbon feature, ;-Tho Island of Regeneration," is attracting largo audiences to his Majesty's. The picture is very popular. Xfic 'Tathe Gazette" is particularly interesting, showing as it does the famed Doutschland in American waters. Tlie box plan is at The Bristol. The pictures will be screend at tho matinee today and to-night.. ''Notorious Gallagher" again drew crowded audiences at tho Grand Theatre yesterday, the evening sessions being crowded out at an early hour. Tho supporting .programme included the seventh scries of "Tho Broken. Coin," which is proving .very popular. The same pictures will bo screened today. •'Hate." tho powerful feature at Everybody's, is one of the best pieces of acting W. S. Hart—that ideal "bad man"—has .'done., and with Bessie Love, as tho trusting and innocent little girl who softens his hardened heart, the story is artistically rounded off. A very fine'picture in support is that of French Alpine troops training in the snow, and "Mutt npd Jeff" add their quota to the evening's amusement. The rollicking display of femininity at the Queen's, entitled ''Midnight at Maxim's,'' continues to bo a big attraction, and the quaint adventures of Mr Shye are very amusing. Incidentally a first-class vaudeville show is given in the picture, and tho supporting programme is excellent. ''The Island of Regeneration." which is showing at the Sydenham Theatre, has been received in a very appreciative manner. This it thoroughly deserves, for it is decidedly one of tho best and most original pictures seen in Christcliurch for a long time. The supporting programme is a good one. At the Globe Theatre, the remarkable domestic drama, "The Hand of Fate" was repeated yesterday. Fred Mace and Dale Fuller, in a hilarious comic "Bath-tub Perils." caused great fun. The supporting films were good, and included an interesting one of French prisoners.

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Tho sccond concert of tho Christchurch Symphony Orchestra will be given this evening at the Choral Hall. An interesting programme has been arranged, which includes the Concerto No. 4 in four movements by Niels W. Gadc; a piano concorto (Barcarolle, and allegro con maesta), SterndaleBennett, with full orchestra, by Mr H. "Wonsley, and a xylophone sole (adapted from tho overture of "William 1cll")> with orchestral accompaniment, played by Master Clareuee Crawford. Tickets for admission can be obtained at the hall at 2s and Is. *