AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16210, 13 May 1918, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

theatre royal,

"SEVEN' DAYS' LEAVE." Memories of the etago cruft to nimnd Holt some years ago will be recalled £ the production of "Seven Days Leave I 7 Fullers at tho Theatro Royal to-mor-th* r— » P"-j-»i,lirlv rich in eienic settings. The repreiinUtion of tlie finkin " n£ a Bubnjanno to be very realistic. The scene will German submarine lying on tho bed ««h. ocean. The heroine is then seen mak--1 bcreenaational dive to cut the wire thft triTee the signal for tho submarine to ■ the surface when it is immediately Shattered to pieces' by two British cruisers re Wing in wait for their prey. Jhe „lav has been running in London for the last L/C vears and is also in 6«ason at tho Park Theatre, New York. Christchurch playgoers 11 recall with pleasure the last vioit of Mr I in Wilkie and bis Shakespearean company i Tear »so. Mr Wilkie in his latest production will foreako the works of tho immortal wd and will play the part of Captain TerFielding, a young British officer, and Wag Marie Xey will take that of Lady Marr Heather. Several well-known artists will' appear in the personnel of the company, among whom are included Mr Robert In,n»n Mr Vivian Edwards, iiV Walter Hunt, Mr Herbert Leigh, Mr Vincent Scully, Miss Vellio Fergussoa, Miss Olive Stevens, Mr jj Varna, and Mi&a Adele Inman. As th' B booking is announced to bo heavy, intending patrons are advised to book early. Xho plans are now on view at The Bristol Piano Company. OPERA HOUSE. There vu a large attendance at the matinee at tho Opera House on Saturday afternoon, and at night there was the customary crowdcd house. The Haverlcy Huaical Farco Company staged for the first time another of their productions, "Murphy ■t tho Cabaret." This piece proved easily the most popular the company has staged here Murphy's enjoyment at tho cabaret is of secondary importance, tho finest feature of the production being the ballets. The Rose Ballet by the Kewpio Kids brought these popular girls round alter round of aptiiause. The arches of roßes carried by each girl with good lighting effect made a very nretty picture indeed. Another very fine billet was witnessed when Mr Billy Maloney am* "Different Flowers," oach of the KewTiies being dressed to represent different kinds of flowers, the effect being most pleasing. -I Kever Knew," sung by Mr Reg. Moore and Miss Stewart, was. an enjoyable immbeT. eo also were- "See Dixie First, and "Honolulu Way," sung by Misses Clairo Llovd and Merle Stewart respectively, the Kewpio Kids assisting in each instance. BUled as cabaret numbens were three exceptionally popular items. The first was a dance speciality by Miss Eunice Hemmings, one of th® Kewpie Kids. The second was a song by Mr Billy Maloney, Love, Love, Love, while the third was a well performed Apiche dance by Misses Ethel Sheppwd and Lena Ryan, of the Kewpio Kids. lhe fine wrk of the Kewpie Kids served to further itrengthen popular opinion that they aje the best chorus that has appeared on the Fuller circuit for a long time. The pnnuV»1 characters are all good, and the whole Siow is quite the most .enjoyable this comrjany has produced here. The first half of the nroeramme, consisting of -vaudeville items, was "well received. Mandeno fl P dalizhted all by their intelligent performance, and more especially was this the case with the children at the matinee. The favourite American couple, Hamlyn an Mack, received stormß of applause for their ,ong patter, and dance turn. Bomta and Tab'and the Five Lewins, who appeared for {Ml toe? were given an enthusiastic farewell. Their places will be Med on tonight's programme by Frank, Lank and Ahcc » trio who perform juggling ka.ts in quite different from the usual style, Dj»id Sown Wright, a man who does all kinds of S&tws'KfflS while in such a position; and Raleigh ana McDonaM a pair of clever wire-walkers. The tap* are at Milner and Thompsons.

CRYSTAL PALACE. From Mart to finish the new programme at the Crystal Palace is a star one, [the tectorial faro is attuned to meet all toatcs. gtiU faithful to the Fox productions, the management w featuring Ao great drama from tho Fox studios, Tho Uinal | Payment." In this play the principal role ■will be acted by Miss Nance O Neill, who has gained world-wide fame as an emotional and dramatio actress. Nance ONeills narne la cjuaTanteo that patrons of the iCrystal Pialace Theatre will see acting eecond to nono, and the' reputation of Wm. Fox » sufficient to reaesuro any picture-lover who may fear that he or she may witness a eecond-claee production. The scene of 'The linal Payment" is laid in Italy, and the utmost our deavonr has been made, and successfully made, to turn to tho beet account the Tomantio scenery and surroundings of that storied l»nd. Tho story itself is of the deeipest is Wrest, and it abounds with tenao and diunati'o situations which aio made the most «f by the talented cast. It is hardly newsaun to state that tho staging and dxossing el the j>iec!s are of the -very best that can b» conceived. . . Another picture that will meet with the universal commondation of picture-goors will be tho uproarious comicalities, of the great Boocoe (Fatty) Arbuckle in "Fatty on Coney Island." Eoscoo is a perennial favourite, and he may be termed the champion heavyweight comedian without any possibility of hit title being challenged. Fatty, in conjunction with the fun-producin# facilities of Coney Island, should be something worth teeing. Another good picture will be "The Uneven Road," the latest of thoeo "Do Children Count?" stories, featuring little Mary IfcAlister. Chapter Four of "Who i» Number One?" and an American "Gazette" will complete the programme. During tho night sealions JJr AY, H. Corrigan's orchestra of nine players will contribute tho orchestral accompaniment. One o( the most interesting announcements made with regard to the new programme is the engagement of MSaa Millicent Jennings, a talented and very well-J known Chriatchurch singer, whose charming soprano voice has often been heard with delight by Chriatchurch audiences. To-night Hiss Jennings will sing "The Jewel Song" from "Faust," with full orchestral accompaniment, And also the well-known lyric "I Shall Always Remember You."

QUEEN'S THEATRE. The new programme at the Queen's Theatre this week promises to bo one of the most attractive shown in Cbristchurch for a lons time patt. Picture-lovers will remember with keen delight Mies MargariU Fischer in "Miss Jackie of the Nary,' which was shown a few weeks ago, and they will welcome with enthusiasm "Miss Jackie of the Army, the new picture which will be one of the two star features this week. Tho story of the play shows how Jackie Kerwood, the pretty daughter of Colonel Kerwood, wanted to bo a. boy, and longed to make her namo redound with glory l\v committing some wonderful deed of valour. When the women of the Army Po6t urped her to 6tay at home and knit, oho replied that "Joan of Arc dun t knit; ene got out in the open and fought. Jackie organises the female knitting squad into a brigade of "The Fighting Demons, but tho girls didn't care for it, and neither did her father. Some time later Jackie makes up her mind to run away and become a Red Cross nuree, but she rather dislikes leaving behind Lieutenant Adair, who is m lovo with her. Just as Jackic makes up her mind "to run away, and is leaving, she sees something that makes her decide to remain at home and capture a spy —only she has the spies mixed up, and thinks her admirer, Lieutenant Adair, is in league with them to blow up a troop train. In the end Bhe succeeds in running the gang to earth. The other big attraction is the firsS number of a very fino serial story, ''A Lass of the Lumberlands." This » a reroarknole story of Canada's gTcat woods, the seat o. the great Canadian lumber industry. Here in this wild, uncivilised region, struggling gamely for life, among rough, coarse lumberjacks, is a pretty girl, alono lighting Against a mighty timber trust. The success of her efforts, and the adventures 6he encounters. form the theme of this great play, which will be told in a succession of weekly chapters. It is a Mutual serial, and » in artistic and realistic conception, brimming with interest and stirring situations. In addition there will also be shown "Pitch o Chance" (a Western drama), and "Getting in Wrong" (comedy). "POLLY OF THE CIRCUS." Tho new programme at Everybody's, which will bo shown for the first time to-day, will include Margaret Mayo's famed picture of the sawdust ring, "Polly of the Circus," featuring Mae Marsh, who made a name for herself in such great pictures as the "iiirth of a Nation" and "Intolerance." "Polly of tho Circus" is described as one' of the most beautiful and elaborate productions ever made for tho screen. The plot of the play abounds in sentiment and sensational episodes, acted with a realism seldom surpassed. There is a remarkably exciting horse race, the reproduction of an entire circus performance, tho burning of the main tent the stampede of the audience. And there is a love story of real charm and beauty. All the action of tho story takes place in or about the circus, with clowns, animals, nnd other elements of "the big show" dominating the plot. There was no circus in the Goldwyn studios, which company prodnced trw film, so a cixcu3 then travelling through New Jersey was hired complete. Horan, the director, was therefore in possession of a, full rehearsed, circus outfit, except for elephants, so the famous herd of Powers trained olephante was hired from the New ••York Hippodrome. These elephants play baseball and perform dozens of stunts in the picture, and there are many other performing animals, including the roller-skating boar the clown's stubborn donkey, and the man-like chimpanzee that smokes cigarettes and rides horseback. As a drama, Polly of the Circus" was on* of the greatest successes of the American stage, and made a fortune for its owners and authors. It is a tremendous spectacle with a beautiful story running through it. Probably no film can commnnd such a wicU rango of appeal, since it will bo as delightful to children on account of tho actual circus displays, which it reproduces, as it will be fascinating to adults by reason of the compelling heartinterest and thrilling episodes. The supporting: programme is a strong one. GRAND THEATRE. Yiola Dana, the charming young e^ TO artiste, makes a welcome reappearance at the Grand Theatre to-day in the latest Metro wonder-play, entitled "Blue Jeans, which i has been spoken of eo highly in tho other centres. Miss Dana has made such rapid strides in her profession that she is now in the front rank of film artists, her wonderful acting in "Lady Barnacle, "Aladdin's Other Lamp,' and other Metro films being no doubt fresh in the minds of her numerous admirers. still in her teens, it is claimed by her admirers that oho has no superior on the screen at the present time. It is said, however, that her best work is in the latest of her productions, "Bluo Jeans," in which she is eaid to riee to the heights of genius as "June" the waif. Robert Walker, who has given many fino performances, will again act opposite "the little star, while the supporting artists, as is usual with Metro productions, fit into their places as if tho parts had been created for them. Some of the big scenes, and there are many, in this seven-act feature take place in an old-fashioned sawmill. The most thrilling scene is whore the hero of the play is bound to a circular saw bench which his rival sets in motion, and the rescue provides one of the most remarkable episodes seen in motion picturee. A good supporting set of films will also, bo shown. STRAND THEATRE, "Prinoeea Charming," the Lnsky photoplay which heads the now programme at the. Strand Theatre, shown for the first time on Saturday, daringly undertakes two things rather out'of the ordinary, and, it must be admitted, daringly succeeds. For an actor to attempt to impersonate a female character and to eteer clear of reducing the impersonaation to gross farce, is somewhat risky. But Julian Eltinge, a3 a fascinating, fashionable Russian countess, is quite convincing and never grossly offends by incongruous actions. The deception is well sustained, though, naturally, it is not so complete as to absolutely delude any but those taking part in the comedy. The other outstanding feature is the satire on some of the foibles of society. —and in this respect the designers of tho comedy, Gelett Burgess and Carolyn Wells, have succeeded without too harshly offending the susceptibilities of the leaders of fashion. The comedy is, of course, thoroughly American, and is excellently constructed, tho Motion being practically continuous and brisk. To endeavour to outline the story would be but to spoil the pleasure obtained by its unfolding. It is full of healthy laughter, and the lovo theme and the splendid gowning of "Prinoese Charming" and of the_ other characters are by no means its least interesti ing features. There were good supporting subjects, including a Mack-Sennott comedy of cowboy life. The same programmo will be j screened, to-day. LIBERTY THEATRE. Th distinguishing feature of a very ample programmo at Liberty Theatre to-day and throughout the week is a magnificent "Triangle" production, bearing the title of "Flames of Chance," starring the beautiful young actress MargeTy Wilson. "Flames of Chance" is described as a spy story, full of mystery and revealing details of the terrible treatment meted out to prisoners of war by tho Germans in Wittenburg Camp, whioh lends to it an added and poignant interest. The part of Jeanett© Gontreau, a protty typisto in tho big offices of tho Na/tional Advertising Company of New York, is capably played by Miss Wilson, who in tho course of her adventures adopts a very olover disguise, which is calculated to keep the audienoe keyed up to the highest pitch of curiosity and excitement until in the last reel the secret is revealed. Tho picture contains some unique settings in modern New York, and every detail of the acting, mounting, and photography is eaid to bo as near perfection as can bo attained. The programme is strengthened by another instalment of the fascinating serial, "The Neglected Wife," and the addition of a screamingly funny Keystone comedy entitled "Dog' Catcher's Love."

STARLAND. There Trill bo an exceptionally good programme screened at Starland this week, th« 6tar item being "Tho Return of Eve," a pioture play with an original plot featuringEugene O'Brien and Edna Mayo. Tho etory grips .from start to finish. The supporting l programme is a good one, including two comedies, a "Garotte," and a particularly good episode of tho exciting serial "Tho Yoica on tho Wire." THEATRE ROYAL. ilr Sydney James and his Royal Strollers brought their Christchnrch season to an end on Saturday night, when there wag a fair attendance at the Theatre Royal, ilr James, Miss Madeline Roesiter, ana the others of the clever company wero ell well received, and the mirth-provoking burlesque pantomime "Aladdin," which took up the second half of the programme, proved very popular and genuinely diverting. SKATING RINK. Very larg® crowds patronised the Colosseum Skating Rink throughout the day and evening on Saturday. School children pre- ' dominated at the morning session, while the i half-holiday was, no doubt, responsible for : the large attendance at tho afternoon and ; learners' sessions. At nis*ht the floor was crowded, and the demand lor skates severely taxed the large supply possessed by the management. Lively music by the. band, (under the conductorEhip of ilr C. Dunn, made the skating all the more enjoyable. Today the rink will b» open at the usual hours.