ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 64, 17 March 1913, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE ALLEN DOONE SEASON. On Easter Saturday evening Mr. Allen Doone will commence his season of Irish drama at the Opera House with the romantic costume drama "The Wearing of the Green." "The Wearing of the Green" was specially written for Mr. Doone by that well-known author of Irish plays, Theodore Burt Sayre. It is a picturesque patriotic drama set in the Georgian era when men went bravely arrayed in satin, and powdered wigs were favoured by dandies. It is a pretty play with a charming love idyll running through it, and turns upon an old time custom, the betrothing of children by their parents. "The Wearing of the Green" is a comedy drama but not farical drama. Although the piece abounds with rollicking^ fun and amusing situations it does ' not suffer in any, way from interpretation. It is described as good, wholesome comedy drama. The box plan will open at tiie Dresden to-morrow. THEATRE ROYAL. The current programme at the Royal continues to attract large audiences. "Electra," the man who defies electricity^ continues to laugh at the current which is switched through his body, and now declares that he will "take" the full current from the tramways main— if the city authorities will permit it. Henry and May make .merry with their bicycle, and the three Marsdens give a fine demonstration of the extent to which physical culture can be carried. Others who contribute to an excellent programme 1 are Slavin and Thompson, Miss Louie Duggan, the Esma Duo, and Austen and Cowan. This week there will be the usual change of programme. CITY ORGAN RECITAL. Mr. Maughan Barnett's organ recital at the Town Hall on Saturday was comparatively well attended. The programme was of a thoroughly representative character, but particular attention "was paid to Wagner, from whose works were played "Star of Eve" and overture to "Tannhaußer," "Ride, of the Valkyries," and the "Preielied." Schubert's Serenade, Max Reger's Toccata in D-minor, and the same composer's "Aye Maria" were also played. Mr. Barnett and Mr. Horace Hunt repeated the duet for the organ played at the complimentary concert on Friday last," two movements, andante and allegro, from Merkel's Sonata. Miss Gertrude Hunt was the vocalißt of the evening, siriging two Mallinson songs, "My True Love Has My Heart" and n The Rosebud," also Felicia Needham's "Fairy Lullaby." Mr. Barnett will give an organ recital on Good Friday. ' THE NEW THEATRE. The customary change of programme of the New Theatre Continuous Pictures today introduced a 'modern drama by the Nordjsk, Company, entitled "Dearly Purchased Friendship." At the outset Lieutenant Udo magnanimously pays the gambling debts of his comrade, Lieutenant Ralph, who promises to abstain from card-playing henceforth. Ralph, however t resumes his bad habits, and when cheating uses a marked card which results in a big ruin for him. Lieutenant Udo keeps the marked card, and declines to accept the money with whiGh Ralph offers to repay him. Later Ralph is injured at the military manoeuvres, and is invalided home. Lieutenant Udo asks his fiancee to look after Ralph, who mistakes her kindness and endeavours to kiss her. This results in a< bitter quarrel, and Ralph tries to compel- Lieutenant Udo to fight a duel. The latter's fiancee produces Ralph's marked card, and prevents her lover frOm being branded as a coward. The President of the Officer?', Court of , Honour hands Ralph ( a loaded' revolver, ' with a stern hint to' end his life.™ The subsidiary items include " A Race With Time (Kalem railway drama), "By the Sea " (Lubin drama), "Gulf of Spezia " (scenic), and a number, of comedies. SHORTT'S PICTURES. Shortt'o Theatre was well filled at all sessions to-day. The new programme 16 an excellent one. There are two "feature" dramas — "Alone in Parie" (Pathe colour) and "Pals." The latter is a pathetic story, well told. Employed on a ranch by Thomas Wells is an old man, Dan Matthews, who has for his constant companion the three-year-old child of his employer. Wells has discharged from his ranch Henry Willis and Steve Johnson, for which act they both hold a grudge against him. He also finds himself compelled to let Dan go also. His wife pleads with him, but he is ' obdurate, and, after giving Dan a horse, Wells tells him he can use him no longer. The little one is lonely without her pal, and goes to seek him. Night finds her asleep on the open range. There she is discovered by Willis and Johnson, who were looking for a place in which to camp for the night. They pick up the Weeping child, and proceed to camp under a tree, where old Dan is resting. There they plot revenge upon Wells through the medium of the child. How their plot is foiled by Dan completes an interesting picture. The comic element is well sustained. The, programme will be repeated«.at all sessions to-night. f STAR' THEATRE, NEWTOWN. . To-night's new programme at the Star Theatre, Newtown, contains many interesting subjects. "The Black Mask," an American film release, is a dramatic story of a highly sensational nature. A remarkable rescue by tightrope from two high buildings, the rope gradually burning strand by strand, ie sensational in the extreme. An interesting picture is that of H.M.S. New Zealand, the Dominion gift battleship, during a visit by the King and many New Zealand notabilities. A Lubin drama, "The Power of Silence," deals with ranch life in the West of America. "Ireland, the Oppressed" is another 6tory of the popular kind. The latest gazette will also be screened. ARAWA'S CREW ENTERTAINED. Prior to their departure for Home the crew of the R.M.S. Arawa' were entertained at the Kelburne Kiosk on Saturday afternoon. The treat, which was arranged by Mr. James Moore, was most enjoyable, there being between, sixty and seventy persons present. Songs, contributed by Madame and Miss Mueller, were much appreciated, and Mr. Crawley (of the Arawa) delighted the audience with some quaint recitations. Miss M'lntyre acted as accompanist. The prizes, donated by the passengers by the vessel on her last trip from London, were presented by Mrs. Shaw to the following :— Messrs. BlockBom. Marshall, Mulholland, Shortt. Keys, Coflingß, Farrer, Outram, Ballard, Woods, Williams, Oborn, Heywood, Kadqf, Wraight, and Crawley. At the conclusion. Mr. Batty (of the Arawa) proposed a. vote of thanks to all those who had assisted in making the event so Successful, which was carried amidst cheers. KILBIRNIE SKATING RINK. Owing to the uncertainty of Saturday's weather the Kilbirnie Skating Rink had more than average patronage at both sessions. The rink will be open to-night as usual, when the concession tickets will be available at Courtenay-place tramway office. To-morrow (Tuesday) evening the rink is privately engaged,, „- "-- 1

'IRISH NATIONAL CONCERT. ' A fine programme has been prepared for the Irish national concert to be held in the Town Hall to-night in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Items by Miss Teresa M'Enroe and the Orpheus Quartette are included, and the Marist Brothers' School choir will open and conclude the programme. Other contributors to the programme are Miss Agngs Segrief, Miss Nellie Simpson, Miss Shaw, Master R. A. Pankhurat, and Messrs. J. Parker, D. .J. Kenny, H. M. Fletcher, and Allwright. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. A particularly interesting series of films, those taken on board H.M.S. New Zealand at Portsmouth by permission of the Admiralty, will be shown at tho Fuller Proprietary's theatre in Courtenay-place, this evening. Another star film will be "Ireland, the Oppressed," and this latter will be accompanied by Irish orchestral selections. THE KING'S THEATRE. A complete change of programme will be screened at The King's Theatre this evening. The films to be shown will all be new to Wellington, and will include the latest dramatic, Bcenic, and industrial studies from the leading makers. The comic element in the new programme is not forgotten. THE EMPRESS THEATRE. "The Telephone Girl," a sensational A.B. drama, provided the "feature" subject of to-day's regular change of programme of the Empress Theatre continuous pictures. The story develops along startling lines. Two other praiseworthy dramas are "Lady Angela and the Boy" and "A Wolf in the Fold." "A Trip to Tahiti" belongs to a claas of film, which is popular with the majority of picture patrons. An object lesson on a very undesirable and insistent household pest is presented in the scientific item, 4'The Fly Danger." The A.B. Company has made the moist of an amusing notion in the comedy "The Best Man Wins." This is a skit on a wedding at which the bridegroom find« himself supplanted. The comedy-drama, "A World-weary Man," also finds much favour. The Kalem drama, "I Saw Him First," provides another enjoyable farce. f ST. THOMAS'S HALL. Ample food for entertainment is contamed in the new programme of moving pictures to be presented at St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown, this pvenjng. Thebijl is entirely fresh, and includes pictures of all-round quality and variety, with one ortwp of conspicuous merit. TRUTH ABOUT GERMANY. . •Mr. Heinrich Hemmer, a German author and satirist, will give a lecture to-morrow in the Opera House. The subject will be : " Truth about Germany " — a characterisation of the tendencies of modern Germany, supplemented by kinematographic films and lantern slides. Mr. Hemmer has been heard in all the cities of New Zealand, and met with hearty approval from the press and public. The lecture will be patronised by the Mayor, Sir Robert Stout, Mr. Justice Chapman, and Sir John Findlay. A successful Irish concert was held on Saturday night at. the Eastbourne Hall before a crowded audience. Messrs. R. Sievers, S. V. Hutton, H. Phipps, W. Eaton, R. S. Allwright, and H. N. Fletcher rendered several songs. A monologue was giyen by Mr. Stanley Rankine (who acted as accompanist during the evening), and Mr. Marcus Marks pleased the audience with several tales of "The Sod." A draniatie recital by Mr. R. A. Keenan' and a banjo solo by Mr. Connors were also enjoyable items. Part songs, among which was a beautiful setting of Nevin's "Rosary," were sung by the Orpheus Quartette (Messrs. .Fletcher, Phipps,- Allwright, and Sutton). A dance concluded an enjoyable evening. A successful humorous and dramatic recital was given by Mr. J. Culford Bell and Miss Betty Purdom at St. James's Hall, Lower Hutt, on . Friday night. Miss Natusch and Mr. R. R. Orr also contributed to the programme.