ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 682, 6 December 1909, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

:-r '■ '■; '..v-. •:"'■■'''/.--. ■■'~-.■?'■■'■>-.■ ' : ."'■:';': : -: ; '' '■■■' ; V ;/;;;-;',JULIUS/ KNIGHT,SEASON.':'/-.' ; -\ ■ That^extraordinarily , successful-play of Major Du-,-Maurier*s, : " An Englishman's Home," was-staged at the Opera House by Ifr. Julius" Knighfs .company ,, for,/the second/time on Saturday evening,:'and drew a full house. It .was preceded by ■. -".The , Sacrament-. of: Judas," a one-act playlet of.. absorbing power and interest, -pertectiy..staged.;. The 'VSacrameiit of Judas." isi easily tho finest Mttlo work of dramatic art seen in Wellington for soiho time. As.: the piece de resistance, ";The Englishman's Honie,"; 'sufficient /has already, heen said v in the,notice of-tho.first night's performance to inspire in/the minds of/probably eyoryone: an , irresistible desire to witness its production; The acting is good all through, .the motif of.theplay is of topical interest, 'its:preseiitnion in -England creating, a profound sensation. The; final, performance of- '•' The. Sacra Ment '■ of Judas" and. "'lhe Englishman's Homo" will be 'given this evening. "The. Royal Divorce" will be staged 'to-morrow evening, and oh.' the remaining' two./nights of .the:season, :which closes; on-Thursday.. ;// :..- ; . '...,'■■/ :■' /, /■;■■■-. ■~:: -ROYAL.:-' '■;:/:/'/;.' -jV . ■ An /.attroctive and Trell-arranged ptogramnio was submitted.to patrons of ''the.. , .' Theatre Royal' on Monday evening, aild the management .reaped : their: :re.wam in ■ a/weil-h'lled. house.-which .bestowed . its applause ■■•/frebli." From the/rise of- tho curtam _to//the/.cucl there' were hd'.dull moments, and iu the:.space, of ■ hro; hours /the. audience had .'tt'aversed 'a consider'ablo. portion of the globo/ and hnd seeu; humour,. tragedy and monuments' of- iiidustTial. activity. " Tribute-Rico. in- China" was . u. sketch of ; the inanneij in whicli the' Chinese handle.rice at tho port, and,-later with ' the chop-stick. / A':strong, picturo, , ' not .without *a moral,.: was entitled " Gambling Fever.", , The scene opened withhalf .a dozen men gambling .at; their club. One of the number has an exceptionally bad run of, luck;: and is "cleaned ; out." - Several efforts which he makes to borrow off brother clubmen are re-' snltless,. and. he, .eventually borrows .from /one., of tho servants,- giving his watch and chain' as', security ior the.- money, with which. he ■ hopes .his shattered.fortunes'..: Bad luck still dogs him and this money,is .soon squandored, together, with the proceeds--of'''his' ',wife's jewellery: which , he steals at night, and to make the wreck, complete7tho gambler is caught 'in , the .act/of robbing/a ..coat in. the coat-room of the club and so exposed and expelled- from /the; club. Broken and- disgraced, he is on the point of Wowing out, his'braiiis with a revolver when his much-tried: wife, .interposes: and.forgives the .erring husband who forswears the gambling room for over." "Sweet and Twenty,- an. attractive aud. humorous story of youthful love, comes like a bright ray of sunshine after tho dramatic gambling opiisode,; and 'tho audience " lets: itself go " and revels in tho really laughablo situations which ,are clovcrly presonted. "Renunciation"- is another film on soßVtnrlmt similar lines, but with a leaning toward tho: tragic', 3iile. : until tho laughable climax is roached.-- Some attractive ' dancing is introduced in -" Tho Land' of: the Gitanos" which, although short, has tho merit of.novdty. " R3LS. Maurotania at Fishguard" is an interesting picture, the .more so becauso of, tho frequency..with which wo hear of the doings of tho huge Cunardor. A woll-produced scenic screening was "Through the Netherlands," > and industry was reproseiited -by " Manufacturing Fountain Pens," which, proved, an .jinteresting, /as well 'as., instructive, contribution. Tho '■ other,, pictures were:" A Convict's Sacrifice," "They Would bo Acrobats," "Pair of Balmorals,/ "Pig Chase , by Aeroplane," "Chemical Experi-. raonts," and' "Cobbler- and• Caliph." The program/mo will he repeated throughout, tho ,woek. //'./■: .-'■' ■'./;■..'■ ■:-.//.■■; ■ ::;■// ■!/■ "K;!:i.HIS/AIAJESTrS THEATRE^--;-.;: / ; ' Both tio -maiiiiee and ' eyealng- displays - o) the Royal Pictures at. His' Jtajestye . Theatre on Satnrdny, wtro, well patronised '.by , , the public./ .-With. suoh: star, items as v tlw thrluing story of/;" Sexton Blako,"",the Msteical/ £lm'