ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2500, 29 June 1915, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A queen of ragtime indeed is Dorothy Harris, who sany to a packed house at His Majesty's last evening. Song after snug by this gifted artist was received with the greatest eiilhusiasm. At length the house demanded "The Missisippi." They got it—sung as many of them had never before heard it sung. Still Miss Harris was recalled to respond to a further request. Her reappearance in Wellington lias had a most successful beginning. The bill staged by the management of the theatre this week is excellent. "The Tossing Testros" give a novel exhibition of balancing and weight-lifting, and into their turn the Japanese element is neatly introduced. A wonderful child contortionist, "Little Verlie," makes her first appearance, and quite amazes one with iier proficiency in this difficult business. A particularly fine turn is done by tho "Three Ruddles," who sing, dance, and perform acrobatics excellently. The bigser girl of the party carries tho principal burden of the turn, and the small hoy presents a remarkable caricature of Charles Chaplin. Quite a number of other artists are on the programme.

THE KING'S THEATRE. A story of slum and society life under the title of "JL.il o' London" is the leading film on tho picture programme screened for tho first time at the King's Theatre last night. Tho subject was adapted to the kincmatograph by Mr. Harold Shaft, from the book of Mr. Bannister Menvin, and it has been produced by the London Film Co. in excellent style. The title vole is played by Miss Edna flugrath, whose clever work was much admired by last night's crowd at tho King's. Miss Flugrath is fast coming to tho front as a pictufo actress, and now plays in which she appears will be eagerly looked for. Tho present drama gives her ample scope as a homeless, starving girl in the great metropolis, and she is splendid in the closing scenes, which require more than ordinary ability to achieve the best result. One of the principal supporting items is "Hogan's Aristocratic Dream," a highly amusing Keystone comedy, in which the now famous Charles Murray scores heavily. Thero is always something new about the comedios in which Charles Murray appears, but thoy never fail to provoke hearty laughter from start ■to finish. The latest is no exception to tho rule. Another good comedy on this week's programme is "William Henry Jones's Courtship." The Edison Company is represented by "The Phantom Thief," a drama partly written by Mark Swan, and completed by Miss Maude Clement Moore for a prize of 1000 dollars, presented by the "Daily Mirror." Other numbers are: The latest "Topical Gazette," and a charminn Vitagraph scenic, "Picturcsquo California." Music is supplied by the King's Symphony Orchestra.

"OUR TROOPS IN EGYPT." An exceptionally interesting film, entitled "Our Troops in Egypt, was the chief attraction in the new programme screened at' Everybody's Theatre yesterday. The picture showed many phases of the training undergone by the New Zealanders and the Australians before their iinai departure from Egypt to the Dardanelles,- where were to put that training to such effective use. The long marches across the sand plains of Egypt, with the Pyramids in the background, and scenes from life in the camp, were shown with remarkable clearness, while the drill of the troops showed that they had reached a high standard efficiency in their training. A great march-past, with General Birdwood and General Godley at the saluting. base, was feature of the picture. In every , way it is a film WGrth seeing. The second attraction in the programme is a I\lajestic drama, of His Past," telling how an adventuress got a young man sent to prison for a crime he never committed, and then when lie had escaped and entered work as a private secretary to a rich man, worked on his fears to open a 6at'e containing a valuable pearl necklace. The young man falls in love with his employer's grand-daughter, and the two overhear a dramatic encounter between the adventuress and the secretary, in which the real guilty one is disclosed. Everything cuds happily when the young man is pardoned. "Hogan's Romance Burst," featuring Charles Murral, is a very laughable film. Gaumonfc Graphic shows some topioal war scenes, and an animated cartoon, "Britannia Rules .the Waves," made up an excellent programme.

THE EMPRESS. Tiie popular Empress Theatre was thronged yesterday and crowded in tho evening by patrons attracted by a meritorious change of tilms, and a very enjoyable lot they are. Hearty laughter came fast and frequent during the screening of tho big Keystone mirtbraisiug iarce, "CJussle's Day of Rest." The popular comedian, Syd. Chaplin, is seen to advantage in the role of leading fun creator, and a noticeable feature oi the comedy, is that much of the "business" introduced is fresh and uuhack'neyed. Some of tlio incidents are distinctly novel. "Life Right at the Front" is a motion picture taken at the front, which catches the eye at the outset, and holds the interest right to the end. In one section the camera man is in tho trenches under fire. Lubin's excellontly-mountcd and well-produced military play, "The War Baby," touches ' a very tender note here and there, while the strongly dramatic passages of the drama are realistic and convincing. A particularly interestmg "War Topical" gives fine glimpses of tho Queeu's Westminsters, heroes of other wars, Turkey's Sultan, Ireland's new Viceroy, reception at Dublin Castle, the Black Watch and the Nurses, reception at Dublin Castle. The orchestral music was tuneful and appropriately selected.

THE CHERNIAVSKYS. The farewell concert of tho Cliorniavskys takes placo on July 7, 8, and 10. In August they sail from Auckland to Vancouver, giving concerts at Suva and Honolulu en route. Music lovers who heard tho talented trio on their last visit to" Wellington will doubtless welcome the further opportunity of • enjoying tho feast of music provided.