ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 289, 26 August 1918, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"THE DEEMSTEK." All mature readers of current literature ol a quarter (if a century ago will recall without any diiiieulty the proiouuci iuipiussioii made l)y the ciirlior stones oi jiuiiic life which made the name of xiall Oaine I'iiiaons unions; novelists, and tn tliOEi , . as v.i'll an those of Hie younger genera lion who may not have read the book, ibe r«niarkably coufplete audconvinduß piniuisation of tho vibratingly dro iwU ii siory of "ilie Deemster," phouii 10 crowded amlicui'L's at. the King's Theatre on Saturday Rliernoon and evening, will have an inteiT.it, out of the eoninion. This is no weal,, kneel, exotic, story, but a vigorous pulsating drama, pussiolo, convineini;, mid luii-pow-ered—in short, it is a very perfect, mnisalion of "'Che Deonmlcr," one of the best, novels (.'nine ever wrote. The Etory is niadc to live hy the indiipion of a wenilh of sa.liisf.vine detail iu scenic effects, quaint Manx customs and dri'S.-ef. and n lit i]c bit of the real lifo of that part of Hie. isle not known to the average tourist. Thn •luting is generally of such i> liisli order of merit that the story leave nt one vividly from the enrsi'ii and engrosses llm attention front begliiimis to end. The nicturo commences by sliowins the differences U; the characters of Datt ■Mylioa. the. bishop's sun, who love; the sea, rMher than tli';olo',T, iiiid >;wn.n, the: Decmstw'p eon, "'ho lias leanings towards the. Church, which his hiirsii old father' menu. Dan follows his bnni, »nd with the ivuffh iisher folk soun learns !<i driuk dee]), so that at the end of his first fishing season he finds himself unable to niKut his obligation.'--, ile tries to borrow fvci;j Ewan.'wlio resents Ilau'ij tarousina'. , ! ana hA\v4 asked to nay fur tliam, iiml in it quarrel Dan stiikua the Deemster's son to the ground. The break causes family .bitteniesa, and all are agiiinsl Han, save ilomi, thi! Deemster's daughter, who loves him dearly, in spite of his faults, Dan steals an interview with Mona, and the tact that he is seeu coming from her room provides the Deemster with the means to ruin the led. He whispers his baso insinuations to Ewan, who, in a white pasoion, BUeks out Dan on the coast. Thetc ti thrilling light, endins in Dan pushing liwau to his death ovor ft elirt. Dan's Usher friends come to his assistance, and .oguilier they bury the body at sea. But the sea gives up ,ite dead; liwan's body is found, tne Etory of the quarrel becomes known, and Dan is hunted down. After a night of mental torture he gives himself up and taken his trial on the famous Tin- , walrt Hill, the Manx seat of open-air jus- j lice. Ife pleads guilty, but just as the JJcenu-ler is about to pronounce sentence of death, the bialiop—the highest judicial authority on the isle—takee his place, and pronounces a banishment. No one musi speak to him, nor minister to him in sickness, and, when dead,' no one must bury mm—a sentence worse than death. Dan, under this curse, lives for seven miserable years in a lonely hut by the sea. Then a IHjigue eweepa the land, and .1 priest, who knows the cure, is sent for from Ireland; out on tho passage the vessel is wrecked, and the priest, the only survivor from tht. wreck, drags himself, mortally hurt, to Dan's hut. Ho tells Dan of his mission, and giving him his cure, gives up the ghost. Dan decides to succour his people, and in order to, do so, dons the prieet's habilanients. Jlis ministrations check ths ravages of the plague, but ho contracts the fell disease himself, just as «the enecilic gives out (I'herc is only one doßu left, and that he gives to the Deemster himself. Mona, learning who the pseudo priest really is, speeds to the lonely hut, where the faithful self-sacriflciiig Dan dies in her ai-me. Mr. Derwent Hall-Oaine is finely dramatic as Dan, and good work is dono by Mr. Sydney Bracy (son of the late Mr. Henry Bracy, well known in Now Zealand), who gives a most effective oldman study as the Bishop. Mona is very prettily played, and tho actoi entrusted with the role of tho Deemster is sound. The scenery is miparb throughout, and tho fight on the clid edge is most realisticall" depicted. "Tho Deemster" will be show throughout tho week, afternoon and evei ing. The picture is presented by Mr. ] J. Carroll, under arrangements with tl N.Z. Picture Supplies, Ltd.

S> EUfPRESS THEATRE. s ' All lovers of romance will find plenty to eatiafy their desiro in "The Witch Woid man," a live-reel World drama at present l( v being shown at the Empress Theatre. This ■° piuturo is an adaptation of tne story by " Willard Mack, in which is featured iithei icl (Jlayton, who takes the part of Aiarie, a is simple .French nonsant girl, who, betrayed bv an artist, is driven irom home in diagrace, and loses her reason. Tho plot ,u certainly is an unusual one, but as unci, folded on the screen it cannot but make 10 a strong emotional appeal. Some of till) n scenes are weird, especially those in which ; the mad Marie, having acquired tho renu- '■' tation of a witch, lives iu a cave and is ), seen iu all manner of strange situations. j, ihu pliotofc-raphy and general staging cf- ,, iccta are very line, and materially cuhiince the value of the- Him. '■The rt'itch Woman was shown to largo numbers of spectators on Saluntay, and they all testihed to their hearty approval of tho subject, which should command special attention during the current week. The pics turo is really a very fine production from i a dramatic standpoint, and is well worth , seeing. Tho supporting subjects «ro all u ot a high order of merit, and the whole t programme is so nicely balanced and ac- ;. companied by suitable and pleasing o chestral accompaniment, lliat a very entertaining time can profitably bo spent at 11 the Isinpreso. 0 EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. , _ A very attractive set of pictures is bo- . ins screened at Everybody's Theatre this v week, and the star film, entitled "The Mark of Cain," ie a powerful drama of , exceptional merit, bold in its conception, - and very cleverly worked out. A man is ( mysteriously murdered, and his nephew is suspected of the crime, The young man coulirms tho suspicion by bolting. Tho ■ actual murderer is a judge and the friend - of the murdered man. Jtow this fact is unt earthed by a young woman, who is actu- . ated by a strong love for' the accused > a,nd innocent man, is one of the thrilling ■ and clever incidents of the drama. Mrs. , V c-rnon Castle, who takes the part of Alice, the girl who iinds out the identity of the murderer, lias a part that suits her ad- ' mirably, and her work as an amateur ' detective is cleverly done. Antonio Jioreno, as the accused but innocent man, has a difficult uart to play, but plays it exceedingly well. The scenery throughout is effective, while the photography is perfect. Tho thirteenth episode of "Tho Mystery of the Double Cross," entitled "The iace of the Stranger," carries the serial mystery film a stage further, and deepens tne mystery. Bridelcy Bcntley is cleverly foiled in more of his desperate attempts j to marry Philippe, Brcwster. The Patho r Ciazette, depicting the lateet world events, ; is also shown. The orchestral arrangement I haa undergone- a change. Hitherto a ! pianola lius wovided the music, but now a violinist nnd pianist furnish the music, and good and attractive music it is. "JOAN THE WOMAN." At Ure Paramount and Arlrraft (late Crown) Theatriiß tliis lvi-ek ie beißs; itcreen■ed a remarkable picture. 'Moau the ! Woman," in which Geraldine Fartar, America's leading .grand opera artist, portrays the lole of Joan of Arc. The nil--turn is primarily a representation of !hc leading events in the life of the Maid, .vet by an ingemons working in of an incident, in the present war the years are bridgocl—in which is revralsd Ihe fact that 1 even in these days the spirit of the Jlaid still lives. The production is remarkable for the numerous "big" scenes. One of these, at least,, is probably the most realistic evjr si-cn here, and depicts tho struggle between the English and French for the castle during the sicse of Orleans. Another beautiful scene shows the coronation of the Freiirh Kins at, Reims. From hoth. educational and entcrtainiiif! nnim.'i of view ".Iran the Wnm.i-n" is a very line picture, which should appeal Jo all picturfgoers. I.KE TOY OHUNti. Considerable intcro.-'l is Ijelupr tnlnn in the appcaianro of Ijcc: Toy Chillis, I lie Haslorii.jiitigi'iiiin, wito will commence hie pensnn of myfti-ry at Ihe Grand Opera, House on Wednesday evening, bee Toy Cli'ing is said to have the happy knack of holding his audiences interested the whole timo lit- is on Ihe stagp. 11, is just the snnit- pven wl(imi iio is performing; some feat, as ho explains, that caji be acuoinplished by the smallcst uliiltl (niter ahoul fifteen years' nrni'ticci. He is dcscrilicd a» tbo possessor of a quaint gnort-luunoured licvsoiiiility. which never faiis to nloasc, and ii keen scii.-r of humour. lip docs not depend on Hiiboratn nu'ciuuiiciil clicclri to produce his illusions, etc., but eccins to make various article*! apnea r and disappear so i|iiirlily that one is kcint wonderine what will hapnen nest. The rest nf the proßriiuunc hi I'OHi'h'i-i'd of artists Helirlt-,1 upccially for this "lour of the Dominion, and includes I'rofessnr D'alinaine, hypnotist, who will prevent his original enloriuintnnil cuiliraniiis medical a.ntl scicnt'i'n- hypnotii; t.i-stp. t.osjptlu-r with soma very aimiiiiu!; eomndy fcoiics that an- said to keep Hie anC'mv.r in a slate of umrridk'Rl. Popular prico: , will lie charged, so iiit.piulins natrons nrc advised to hook their seals early at the Bristol. The Jiox Plan opens this niorniiu,'.