AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 14962, 23 August 1912, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

PBIXCE-SS THEATRE. Vacant seats were few and far between at the Princess Theatre last night. A new programme of pictures was screened, and proved to be one of the best shown at this theatre for some time. The most interesting and instructive film in the bill depicted the doings of a hydroplane in the vicinity of New York. Some of the pictures were taken from the ground and others from the airship itself. The machine was shown rising out of the water and also alighting. A bird's-eye view of some of the most famous landmarks of the great American city is obtained. Altogether, the film is unique and arresting. 'A Beast at Bay' has for its ehicf feature a thrilling race'between a railway engine, a touring car, and a racing auto. 'A Mexican Romance' tells of the love of a hot-blooded Mexican: how ho halved his fickle affections between two. Jealousy, love, and hate are the roads which the principals travel ere they reach the zone of " happinness ever after." 'A Railroad Engineer' deals with the gallant conduct of a girl who averts a serious railway accident by conveying a warning at great risk to an approaching train of the presence ahead of a burning viaduct. 'How Ho Papered the Room ' should have a negative in the middle of it, for John Bunny never papered the room. ' The New Woman and the Lion' deals with a lion at large and the terror it- created among the timid menfolk in the neighborhood. A "new woman" who has been taking all jorts of lessens in the art of aggressive self-defence—pcesibly with a view to becoming a suffragette—ultimately puts the cowardly males to shame by taking the lion in hand herself. Under the influence of her powerful personality it follows her like a dog, and fhe earns £SCO reward. Her husband comes on the scene at this critical moment, hut is ignominiously "turned down." The programme will be repeated to-night. THE QUEEN'S THEATRE.

The current programme at the Queen's Theatre, where the entertainment is continuously on offer during the. day, is particularly attractive. The best picture has a frightful title—' A Beast at Bay'—but the name is the only weakness. The film ehould have been named ' A Race for Freedom,' for it depicts the desperate attempt of a convict to escape from his pur.-ue>s. He presses a lady motorist into his ferviee. The race that follows is tremendously exciting. The girl's lover hires_ an express engine, which races the convict's car for miles. It is a great film. other films are at a high standard. The fame series will be shown to-night. THE SKATING RINKThe ''ladies' invitation night" at the Brydone Rink this evening promises to be a, success, a. record number of invitations having been circulated. The programme includes an interval for waltzing, and the serpentine parade will also he given. Mr Beaumont's orchestra, which will be augmented for the occasion, will supply a number of popular skating melodies. HAYWARDS' PICTURES. Owing to Burns Hall being rehired for other purposes, no pictures will be shown there to-night. To-morrow afternoon the usual matinee will be held at 2.00, when special Wild West films will be shown for the delectation of the. rising generation. The evening entertainment will commence at 8 o'clock. This will be the final opportunity of seeing the splendid comedy 'Matrimonial Squalls.' 'MRS BRIDGET M'SWEENFAV There is a fascination about Irish humor that always strikes home. Portrayed upon the stage, it has been the kernel of several successful play?, and none more so in Australia than 'Mrs M'Sweeney,' the clever farcical comedy that bad such a splendid run in Sydney and Melbourne. That Miss Maggie "Moore's appearance, in the title role had a great deal to do with that success there can be no doubt. The vivacious actress has in Bridget M'Sweeney a part that is dear to her heart. Full of the rollicking fun of the land of the ivy and the colleen, she is just as happilyplaced in that direction as she is in the subtle pathos of the play. There is no pathos more telling than the pathos of the Irish, and Miss Moore can give full scope to her great talents in the character which she has made so peculiarly her own. Every moment of the action of the play is full 'of humor, and Miss Maggie Moore extracts every ounce of it. The season will commence at His Majesty's Theatre to-morrow evening. The pifin is on view at the Dresden.

'TINY TOWN.' The quaint and dainty little people of 'Tiny Town* are drawing the crowds at the Garrison Hall. Both, yesterday after noon and evening large audiences witnessed their unique and interesting performance. Last night Tom Thumb met with a slight accident, and was unable to appear. His valet, while carrying him, trimied over a rope, and the little man fell and injured his head. He will be able to appear tonight. The audience were delighted with the performance, and at the close manv stayed behind and had a pleasant halfhour's chat with the little folk, who are most interesting. This afternoon's entertainment was also well attended. Tomorrow a number of new items will be introduced, and a special feature will be the displaying, for ladies only, of Mrs Arthur Huhl's midget trousseau. The afternoon performances are very popular with young folk, who are never likely to forget 'Tiny Town.' 'BEN HUR.' The final performance of "Ben Hur' was given at His Majesty's Theatre last nijhi by Mr J. C. Williamson's company. Every feat in the theatre was occupied." THE KING'S THEATRE. The current week's programme at popular King's Theatre is headed by Miss Beaumont Collins and her West E,nd company, who appear in a short tragedy drama entitled 'The House of Terror/ The actors and actresses do not miss any opportunities of thrilling their audience. The trick cyclists. Newman and Hughes, supply a creditable turn, and the other performers contribute meritorious items. KNOX CHURCH CHOIR. As a matter of interpretation we have not heard a more satisfactory rendering of 'The Woman of Samaria' than that whi-h was given by Knox Church choir at the Knox Church Sunday School last nigtr. Mr XV Paget Gale, the director, cou'd have ventured -on a bolder scheme if ho had been in control of a little more full no s in the bass part and greater strength in the upper soprano music. But, havina to rely in the choruses on his own choir, he wifely scjj'ed the singing to what they could do with sureness. Everything was nicely in proportion, and the character of Sterndaltt Bennett's line cantata was well observed. The execution was also creditable. We do not often hear such tone quality from a church choir, and they kept the pitch capitally. In only one number —'Come, 0 Israel'—was the reading at all rickety, and from this fault the tenors are exonerated. Their part was exceptionally well sung right through. The solo parts were undertaken by Miss Violet Fraser (soprano). Miss Verona Camp!>ell (contralto), Mr Colin Gray (tenor), and Mr Jago (bass), and they presented good studies of their music. Miss Fraser was particularly successful. Her singing, always earnest, had no trace of heaviness, and she gave the part that quiet suggestion of impersonation which is fitting for a platform performance. Mr Jago was hardly in his best voice, yet he did well. The audience were much pleased with the unaccompanied quartet, 'God is a Spirit,' and demanded an encore. Much of the success of the cantata may be ascribed tc the steady organ playing of Mr D. Cooke and the uncommonly skilful work of Mis M'Laren on the piano, this instrnaml being cleverly employed for effects that 4M usually left to an orchestra. The ftnrt

part of the programme was made up of concert it-ems. Mr Gale and Miss M'Laren played a tarantella by Raff in absolute agieement; Miss Fra-ser sang 'Where My Caravan Has Rested' (Lohr) with uncorrupted taste; Mr Colin Gray imported all the required brightness into Ronald's "Southern Song'; and the anthem 'Nazareth/ with solo by Mr D. F. Barrie, was a. musical treat. One other item remain*' to be mentioned. We refer to Mr Jago's masterly singing of 'Claude Duval.' It was a feature in an excellent programme. Mr Jago has quite perfected his study of Molloy's song, arid it may stand as a-n example of how a descriptive ballad should lie treated. It must be fully five years or more since we first heard Mr Jago on the concert platform, and he is better than ever. He never makes the mistake of presuming upon his knowledge and becoming careless.