AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16217, 21 May 1918, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

« THEATRE ROYAL. "THE STORY OF THE ROSARY." "The Story of the Rosary," which Mr Allan Wilkio and his company presented for the first time. at the Theatre Royal night, is something very different iroa the average melodrama. 4 Melodrama it cortainly is. It contains the usual very transparent villain, the ill-used hero, and tho beautiful heroine whoso happiness for the time being is thrown to the many winds, but who even- | tually enters the earthly heaven she deserves. But it ia melodrama of a very high stani dard, marked by few impossible situations, and by no means marred by equally impossible characters. In fact, it is a play which overyone can enjoy, and though it is strung out over four acta, with numerous internal scones aud three long intervals, its interest never flags, and its pleasurable thrill of excitement ia carricd on until tho very moment that the curtain drops. "The Story of ; the Rosary" is from tho pen of Walter | Howard, who wrote tho company's first piece, "Seven Days' Leave," but it is an incom- J parably bettG" effort. It has the necessary , suggestion of an atmosphere of war, evident- | ly so necessary in these time®, but the mar- i tial part of the story is not exaggerated, and though tho majority of tho characters ai« I soldiers, there is only one scene dealing with j actual warfare, though that scene teems with , exciting situations, containing as it does a very vivid, and incidentally fairly well de- , ' pictcd, bombardmont by big shells, ajiy j amount of machine-gun fire, a gallant ride . through the midst of the enemy, and » truly horoio rescue. Then again, tho piec© contains a very touching and in no way impossible love story, a fund of natural, restrained, and really humorous humour, and through' everything an exciting, romantic, and very interesting story. In faot the play, though it has of course numerous incidental faults, ia in a class by itself so far aa melodrama is concerned. Added to its general j plcaaingness, it is extremely well staged and admirably acted, there being not a weak spot in the cast, and in short, "The Story of tho Rosary" is very well worth going to see. Ite story concerns the love affair of a young captain of Dragoons, who, after a romantic marriage with the heroine, falls into disgrace in his regiment through circumstances which hs is powerless to obviate, wins much honour, is thought to havrf died on tho battlcfiold, and turns up in tho nick of time to thwart hie villainous cousin's designs and rc-storo his wife's reason. Mr Allan Wilkio is, of course, the unfortunate though eventually honoured and happy hero, Captain Paul Romain, bue he has by no means tha heaviest part. In fact, he is off the stage fox the greater part of the play, though wh»n ! ' ho is there his presence is sufficiently dramatic in very truth. Once again Mr Wilkie proves himself a finished and versatile actor, though his delivery is even more pronouncedly "jerky" than before, a fault which rather mars an otherwise first-clas3 performance. In tho part of the Princcca Venetia, Miss Maris Ney is first-class, acting with an admirable restraint without which the charactjf might very easily be ruined. Mr Vivian i_.Jv;ard6, as the cashiered officer who subsequently enlists aa a trooper and proves tho truest of true friends and the soul of honour, is eminently successful in his rather laborious task, and Mr Herbert Leigh is responsible for a very creditable piece of character acting as Father Theodore. Mr Walter Hunt makes a most convincing and consummate villain, while the lighter side of the story is admirably portrayed by Miss Adele Inman and Mr Henri Dore, whose acting also is marked by naturalness and a total lack of any tendency to overdo. Miss 'Nollio Ferguseon, Mr Robert Inman, Mr H. W. Varna, and '-he | re«t of the well-balanced company are all successful in their various parts. As previously mentioned, the pieco is admirably '■ i staged, the wedding scene, the j the church in the moonlight, and the various j other scones leaving little to be desired, while ! the celerity of the scene-shifting also deserves a word of praise. Mr Percy Kehoe and his orchestra do yeoman work, and the haunting melody of "The Rosary" sung by Mies Olive Stovens, and played at intervals on the organ, wafts itself gently throughout the whole play. To-night "The Story of tho Rosary" will bo repeated. "THE BABES IN THE WOOD." Viewed from every possible standpoint, the William Fox production, ' The Babes in tho Wood," oalls forth- the highest pvaise. Lovers of moving pictures have long connected the name of Fox with tho hieh-wator mark of perfection in cinematography, but after witnessing this finely admirably photojrraphed, and gorgcor.6 produ:tion they will be inclined to think that William Fox has exoellod anything that has hitherto come from his Btudios. Ono is impressed with tho inventiveness and re- j ' source of the producer in evolving from such comparatively simple material as the well- ' known tale of the two innocent children who I were tho victims of their unclo's greed, a j : story displaying such a wealth of detail and ' incident. And both detail and incident fit ' in so naturally that they convey that feel- ; ing of satisfaction that characterises all true ; works of art. Tho hypercritical might i roisi> objection to the intensely modern prologue and epi'ogue which introduce and fin- | ish off tho fairy tale; but thoy are rcelly' t not so incongruous as some think. They ; ecrvo to point tho moral of the old tale, and ' to show that .Yuman nature is much the samo 1 in these days as it was in the days of old. ! ■ Tlio prologue introduces a modern family; ' the father is suspicious of his Eoconi wife's loyalty, and adopts a stratagem in order to ; 1 find out what are his wife's and his brother's j real feelings towards his children. He returns in time to frustrate a modern replica of the old-time tragedy and, responding to < the children's request for a bed-lime story, i tells them of "The Babes in the Wood, and t in a twinkling modern Now York fades away, i and wo are back in mediaeval times. Ths : characters in the fairy &le aro taken by i those taking part in tho prologue. 'lne i death of the father, the plotting of the wife a | arfd her brother-in-law, tho abduction of tha i ■ two children are oil witnessed. I* is when I the Black Forest is reached and the two bad s men cuarrel, the one killing tho other, and < the children are left alone, that interest is ' heightened, and many strange and wonder- f ful things happen. Wonderfully reolistio s are the woodland scenes. I3ig tjece rear t themselves skyward, and there are delightful c glades in which tho fairies danco while th-j s babes sleep. Then we are taken to tha c castle of tho bad prince. It is in a big 1 tree, and is reached by a wonderful rustic i stairway. The bad prince is tho bad prinoo ® we have pictured in our childhood, with 1 fierce, black moustache and a wild aiid rov- g ing eye. Ho and his myrmidons find tho o children, but they elude him, and are do- v coyed by a white dove to the witch's ginger- a bread Loose. The witch is also the typical o witch of youthful fancy. Sho has made her t] house of gingerbread in order to entice boys and girls to corns to her, so that when thoy g are nico and fat she can make o: * meal of them. T£e children T

experience Bomo torrible adventures whilo with the witch, but they emerge from them ecathleas whilst the witch meets her fato in tho oven sho was preparing for them. The bad prince, however, picks up the trail and ■ultimately captures the babes and takes them to his castlo. Just as he is about to make the boy drink poison, tho king's soldiers arrive and there is a spirited fight. At length, after further adventures and liarrow escapes, tho-babes return' to their .native village, they tell their story to tho villagers and the wicked stepmother ana equally wicked tinclo meet with their deserts. The manner in which all these varied adventures aro screened is truly wonderful, and the wealth of detail and the ingenuity displayed in devising the varied incidents is truly marvellous. As to the acting, tho honours are easily and decidedly with "the babes" — Virginia Lee Corbin and Francis Carpenter. , They are lovable children, bo lovable, indeed, that it seems scarcely credible that anyone, uo matter how wicked they are, could harbour an unkind thought about them. Both have beautiful hair, fluffy and vagrant, and both fit into their parts with perfect ease. Noteworthy i 3 tho entire absence of "etagine33." They can hardly be said to act; everything they do is done with the easy natural grace of children; nor is there any apparent eelf-consciousness; they are so immorscd in the story that it all seems I real to them, and they convoy that realism to the beholders. And Virginia cries so naturally and Francis is eo thoroughly the little man—ever eager to defend and protect his sister. Apart from all the gorgeous Betting and all the wonderful incidents depicted, the acting of these two children is alone a source of tho greatest pleasure—a fact that was testified yesterday both at the Crystal Palace and at Starland when the ] youthful portions of the audiences manifested ! the greatest possible delight in following j the fortunes of the babes. Thero was also j screened at both theatres yesterday a furI ther instalment of the mystery serial: "Who is Number One?" a comedy entitled I'l in Your Husband," and the Paramount Gazette. Noteworthy amongst the subjects dealt with in the Gazette wero scenes of tie devastation and havoc wrought at Halifax by the big explosion. To-day and this evening at Crystal Palaoo and at Starland "The Babes I in tho Wood" and the supporting films will b« "-min screened. The box plau is at Tho Bristol. QUEEN'S THEATRE. A glad welcome was accorded Juliette Day by patrons of the Queen's Tbcaitio yesterday, and thero is every indication that she will become a great favourite with appreciators of cinematograph stnns in this city. Hor type of beauty is oertainly distinctive, and her acting is charmingly natutal and marked by great spontaneity. "Tho Calendar Girl,' tho American Mutual production,, which headed yesterday's new programme at tho Queen's, gives Miss Day ample opportunities for displaying the high talents she possesses as an actress, an 3 though a porusal of tho outlines of tho story may give tho imprefsion that "The Calendar Girl 1 is intended to apoeal chicfly to the gentler sex, tho fact is that "mere man" finds it quite as compellingly interesting. Early in tho action of the piece the beholder is introduced to tho fashionable cown shop of Madame Lizette, where Middy Manning (Juliette Day) is discovered working. hard with necdlo and cotton. The 6cenes r.t the modiste's aro sure to bring unalloyed joy, mingled with not a little envy, to the fair sex. ' A procession of mannequins, attired in filmy creations that lppear to float on them, pass in roview before tho fashionable lady customers. Thes© scenes gratify by their realism and by tho luxuriousness of tho costumes that are displayed. Some idea of tho "poetry of motion" is convc-yed by tho graceful carriage of the mannequins, and "mcro man," beholding theso dreams and creations, forgets for the time being that it is a display of feminine frir-perios unworthy tho serious attention of the human male, though, to womenkind, a most serious and important part of their existence. > But "The Calendar Girl" is not all a procession of mannequins. Middy transforms a rejected ; bathing costumo into something fetching, at- ! tractive, and novel, a"d_ having been pxo- ■ moted to bo a mannequin, is sent off to Occan i Beach to display (he latest thing in bathing costumes. This is tho reel beginning of her adventures. An advertising man_ "snaps her in the costume, and Mo-dame Lizette decides to have a calendar made of the photograph. To escano tho attentions of the advertising gentleman, Middy jumps into a handy automobile, which happens to belong to a Western Philip Gordon, who promptly fslta in love with her. To detnil Middy's further adventures would detract some'.vhat from tho pleasure of following them u-on tho screen. Let it suffic© to state that they are in tho vein of pure comedy, nnd keep the attention on th.~ qui vivo all the time. In fact, there is not a dull moment during tho hour that tho film take 3 to screen, and when the happy climax is reached tho beholder is anxious for more. Produced in the stvlc, of cinematography, with evidence of the closest attention having bren mid to all matters of detail, "The Calendar Girl" is a film that gives real to witness, and the wellconstructed plot cf the comedy-drama is completely satisfactory. The second inntalment of "A" Lass of tho Ltimberlands" was screened, and for the benefit of those who did not see the first instalment, it was also screened. In the second instalment the development of tho storv invnlvos son-e pensational incidents, in which Helen Holmes figures. Her rcscne of tho hero from tho wreck of a steamship in a fog is a wonderful piece of nliotoTra-hv. and the same applies to tho equally thrilling race between an antomobilo and a locomotive. Of hor it'ma shown were tho beauty comedy, 'Tho Stinger Stung," and the dramatic bnr'es.n'e. "Pierre Bri«ac. the Brazen." Suitablo selections vers p'layrd at th» evenin-r session ] by th* orchestra. "The Calendar Girl and | the other films will be shown to-day and this i evening. EVERYBODY'S. It seems a remartcnble tiling that "Th? Gordon of Allah," Kobert Hichens's fascinating tale of the dcseit, has not been pic- ; turised -cfore this. "Tho Garden cf Allah was the literary sensation of i'e year. Tho strange atmosphere, tho sense of mystery and enchantment with which the author surrounded his characters made it more than 8 mcro romance —it was speedly accepted j almost a a a c'assic by English-speaking : peoples the world over. The picture ver- | sion released by Selig will therefore be J eagerly welcomed by lbvers of Hichens. j Selig ha« the art of making a perfect back- • ground for a plot. That in the big Selig j studios no expense is evsr spanxl to make j the picture as realistic as may be has been j demonstrated again and again, notably in ; such succcsses as "The Spoilers," the picture j of Kex Beach's famous novel, which was th-- j last Selig picture shown in this city. And j in *"Tho Garden of AKah" background, at- j and detail alike are excellent, j There are marvellous desert j glimpses of strange narrow streets, bazaars, : oases in desert, and little picturesque j iriews of .• garden of Count Anteoni. Hero • and there, faces fla c h on to the screen and , off as quickly, while all through the 6tory there are odd bits of film which show Laroi, 'who was always in love," Hatouch, tha ; *uidc, Hodj, Irena the dancer, and the host j >f other characters imagined by the author, j Che leading characters aro excellently

ed. Helen Ware, who is the Domini of the picture, is a powerful emotional actress, possessed of a compelling power of attraction, albeit she is not boxuti.ul in. tho strict sense of tho word. But it must be remembered that Hichens's heroine was over thiity, and not beantiful, and accuracy of detail would appear to be a watchword with Selig. Thomas Santschi, as Boris, presents a fine character study, his acting being restrained all through. Some of tho scenes are wonderful. Kvening drav. ing over the desert is one of the best of these. The beholder sees the Arabs turning to pray as the muezzin calls from tho tower, and later there is the picture of the Arab city by night, with the cafes waking to life, and the dano- , ing girls amusing the visitors. Another splendid scene is that of the Trappist Monastery, while th© sandstorm in the desert is a weird piece of realism. The picture is in ten reels. The supporting programme includes an interesting Gazette. LIBERTY THEATRE. Tho pictorial faro at the Liberty Theatre thia week is so ample and varied in character "that it will be received with delight by all lovers of the movies. There is a firstrate Gaumont Gazette, which gives .gome good glimpses of interesting topical events. , Then cornea what is probably iho most popu- | lar picture of the lot, Charlie Chaplin in "The Adventurer." Tho sceno opens with armed warders vigorously searching a rocky sea short for an escaped convict—who is Charlie. The warders are many ■ and. vigilant, but they are not quite spry enough for tho redoubtable Charlos, who, in his own inimitable fashion, eludes them in a marvellous, not to say miraculous, manner. He ovemually takes to tho water ar.d after relieving a swimmer, who is about to ' take a dip from a boat, of his bathing suit, Charles arrives at a watering place just in time to rescue a fair lady and her mother from a watery grave. Ho also at the same j time falls foul of a bearded gentleman who is madly in love with tho heroine of tho niece, Charlie accepts an invitation to the homo of the rescued ladies and proceeds to make himself thoroughly at homo. Much foolery in Charlie's beet vein keeps tho audience in roars of luughter, the fato of an ice creatn absolutely bringing down the house. Charlie is oventuallv "given away" by Ilia rival and tho advont of the prison posse on tho scene result i in a mad chaeo about tho house, and Charles by his dexterity at last gets clean away. Tho other star film, "Until they get me," is of an entirely different character, but it is oven better in its own way. It is a thrilling talc of the North-west Mounted Police, whoso boast is that "they always get their man." A pioneer of the Canadian prairie in a xaeh moment kills a man and become^—an outlaw. He escapes from his pursuers and gains his shack only to find that his wife h;»s just died in giving birth to a sou. Tho outlaw, Kirby, vows that ho will visit his home once a year to see his son—"until they get me," and ho leaves his baby in charge of an old Indian squaw. He carries out his scheme for some time, but being chased by both the American and Canadian police he at last only manages to escape by tho aid of a girl —whoso part is admirably taken by Pauline Starke. She assists him to elude the Canadian force, but becoming a protege of the police poat she falls in love with tho officer detailed for Kirby's capture and unthinkingly gives tho man away. The _ acting and staging of tho piece are magnificent, and there are many powerful situations. Included in the programme is another instalment of tho thrilling serial "The Neglected Wile," and tho current chapters are no whit behind their predecessors in grip and power.

GRAND THEATRE. There woro large attendances at the Grand Theatre yesterday when the new prolamine, headed by y"Thc Avenging Trail," a Metro, drama, featuring Harold Lockwood, was screened. The story told in "The Avenging Trail" is one of love a:>d hate, and the role taken by Harold Lockivood i 3 ono of the biggest ho has appeared in. Gaston Olaf, played by Harold Lociwood, goes to the lawless lumber village of Havens Fails, and ho defends Rose Havens from tho advances 6f Lctty Kcd, an unprincipled lumberman. Later the two men meet and fight it out, and Gaston bests his opponent. Gaslon takes Lefty's place as foreman, but Rose snubs him, thinking tliat lie is only a barroom fighter. Gaston, however, discovers that timber that has been cut by his boss really belongs to Rose. In tho end ho se®3 that reparation is made Rose, and though for a time she misunderstands his motives, she at length recognises the strength of his love and all erd3 happily. To day and this evening "The Avenging Trail" and supporting films will be again screened. STRAND THEATRE. The new programme of the Strand Theatre was very v.-eli patronised yesterday, and the delightful Lasky film, which is a most succospful dramatisation of Gone Stration Porter's well-known novel "Frcckles," was received with the utmost appreciation. Louise Huff acts most charmingly in the role of the principal female character, and Jack Pickford in the r/ame part gives a sympathetic yet spirited representation o£ the lutle onearmed orphan who is the scoff and butt of his more favoured fellows. The story is too well known to nesd detailing, but it can bo said that it loses nothing on the ecreen, in fact the magniucent staging and photography make tho characters live in a way a booi; ca .mot, except to ihoso blessed with a lively imagination. The sccnes in tho great timber country are splendid in every

way, and the glimpses of the rough but picturesque Jifo of the lumbermen in their camps are intensely interesting:, apart altogether from the vivid and powerful story. No 0110 should miss tho great fight between rreckles and the timber stealer. The euyporting programme is a fine one, including an uproarious comedy, "Home Defence," a Gplendid instalment of Burton's Travelogues which shows scencs in l tho work of tho forest rangers of the United States, "Aquatic Sports at Island Bay, Wellington," and a very good American Gazette.

. "THE ETERNAL CITY." On Saturday, at tho Theatre Royal, will be screened the Paramount adaptation ol Hall Caine's novel "The Eternal City." In magnificence and in the attention paid to details tho film ranks with such cinematograph triumphs ae "Intolerance." One of the moat spectacular events in "Tho Eternal City" is the wonderful pageant of tho Pope't. jubileo. To witness this procession people iiocked to Rome from every corner of the globe. At the blare of a dozen trumpet, every eye is turned towards tho Vatican tc catch the first glimpse of tho procession i;-. it appears through the bronze doorway. / cordon of infantry lined both sides of 111; path, aud between them slowly came th various participants ill tho procession. Firs the laymen, the Apostolic Qureori dressed i tho red and black of their order. Then th singers of tho Sistino Chapel in whito _atr. la«o. Those are followed by Frati innumci able, every order being represented. As th imposing spectacle moves forward, over til heads of tho. waiting populace breaks th sound of the "Veni Creator," chanted by th singers of the Sistine Chapel. As tho guar preceding tho Pope comes into view tho wail ing crowd breaks into a wave of applause and a cry goes up "Viva! Viva! Viva il Papa He!" From his vantage-point the cinematograph operator has reeled off the scenes in all their puleating splendour, and they stand: revealed as ono of the greatest spectacles \ ever transferred to the screen.

OPERA HOUSE. The partial change of programmo at .the Opera House last evening was witnessed by a large audience. A new-comer on the vaudeville bill was Bellora, who proved himself a remarkable imitator of inhabitants of a back yard—fowls, dogs, cats, etc. In between his mimicries he told some humorous stories, and his wholo turn was very well received. Carlton Max made a reappearance after over twelve months' absence, iind his vcntrikK tiial turn was much enjoyed. His knee figure errv" is a very good one indeed. Other contributors to the programme were Raleigh and McDonald-, slack wire performer, and his singing partner, Frank, Lank, and Alice, clover jugglers and lightning club transferers, and Upsido Down Wright, all of whom repeated their last week's euccc3scs» Not tue least enjoyable portion of the entertainment was the repetition by the Haverley Company tho humorous farce "Murphy Marooned,' m which the fun was fast and furious, the songs and choruses catchy, and the work of the Kewpic Kids exceedingly smart. Tho earn© programme will be given to-night. SKATING RINK. Throughout tho day and evoning yesterday there woro large attendances at the Colosseum Skating Rink. Tho learners' session continues to show a steady increase, and this is most satisfactory in view of tho big carnival which tlio management intend to ho.d in a few weeks' time. At last nights session tho band, under tho conductorship of Mi C Dunn, played some new waltzes, twosteps,' etc. Intending patrons are asked to noto that the amusement lax is borne by the management. The rink will be open at the usual hours to-day.