AMUSEMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 15690, 2 January 1915, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE

The company that Air George Willoughby directs had the pleasure of acting to appreciative audi?iices on Thursday and Friday evenings, and the patrons were provided with an interesting and adequate representation of ' Under Two Flags/ _i-.ii. adaptation from Ouida's once-familiar novel. To get the real Ouida atmosphere on the stage is impossible. No manager could lay such a table as Ouida describes. No manager can lintl the typical Ouida hero : the languid and discredited patrician with ' Family Herald ' legs reaching to the mantelpiece, with golden moustache and such a wondrous physique as to enable him to emerge from his club for elsewhere) after a night out and forthwith stroke the Oxford crew to victory. No actress cares to actually depict the Ouida heroine who revalues the Commandments and treats the seventh as a postscript. The difficulties in the way of really transplanting Ouida to the stage are insuperable. Playwrights and managers realise this, and get over the difficulty by picking for the stage certain aspects instead of a comprehensive view of the novel chosen to work on. The version presented on this occasion emphasises the war side of 'Under Two Flags,' but this is on the backbone line of the work, and for that leason. and the further one that -Mr Cross. Mr Riley, Mr Neill, Miss .Ilotson. and .Miss "Remee in ■particular, and other members of the company in a general way acted well, we place 'in record the opinion above expressed, that the drama was adequately represented—meaning thereby that tffe possibilities were fairly explored.

To-night ' Camille ' will be .-tnged. Thi; was and i- always a sure moneymaker. It is a great piny by a great author, and the management, in presenting it, are doing so with a cast thoroughly able to cope with all its intricacies. Miss Vera Remee, as the unfortunate Camille. is in her element —that of an emotional actress—and she has the youth and good looks to carry her through*the part. The Sydney Press gave her the credit of being one. of the be.-t Camilles they had seen. Mr George. Cross will play Armand, and of this performance a Sydney contemporaiy says: " A more robust Armand than that presented "by Mr George Cross could scarcely be desired."'. Those who wish to see a good performance of a good legitimate drama should not miss this opportunity--the last of the season. The box plan is at Jacobs'?. THE KENNEDYS. The Xi-w Year's Eve and New Year's Night entertainments given by the Kennedys at 'the Burns Hall provided genuine pleasure to large audiences. In view of the season, the classical offerings were judiciously leavened with more popular Scotch -songs, and the result wan exceedingly happy. As a quartet th-e Kennedys played rSr.ihm's- 'Hungarian Dance.' 'The Death of Nelson.' and other numbers with indefectible taste and executive ability ; Miss Dorothy Grace sang ' The Passion of Spring' and 'The Rosary,' and Miss Rose Fitzgerald contributed amongst other it-ems a musical vemon of Tennyson's

'.Break, Break, Break,' composed by Mr Laurie Kennedy. There is no need, to enlarge further in these pag-?s upon tlio high artistry and executive skill of Messrs Laurie, Lance and Keith Kennedy. Their work was, as usual, a matter of high achievement, arousing the audiences to something approaching enthusiasm. ■ Tlio accompaniments were played throughout by Mdme Bertha Kennedy. The company appear finally io-night.

KING EDWARD THEATRI

At the King Edward Theatre, South. Dunedin, a programme of exceptional merit is being placed before the public. The Vita drama ' Her Husband,' for instance, is (something special, in which two wellknown screen artists in Miss Clara Kembali Young and Mr Earle WilUams are featured. A Keystone comedy, ' Mabel's Blunder.' is a veritable scream, and there is a good list of supports.

PLAZA PICTURES.

The holiday programme at the. Plaza Picture Palaco is an attractive one. Today the children are catered for with some (Special films. 'The drama ' Bohemian Life' is causing admiration, the scene at the models' ball being a brilliant one. An attractive budget of war pictures and some comics provide adequate support. QUEEN'S THEATRE. To-day and to-night the Keystone comedy, ' The New York Girl,' will be screened for the last time. This and its supporting films have proved a very popular programme. For Monday is promised something remarkably good in a Nordisk production. ' The Woman with the Red Hair,' which has boen screened with groat success in the northern, centres.

PRINCESS THEATRE

A very capable company of performers are at pre&ent holding the hoards at the Princess Theatre. The Magpies, a band of versatile artists, sing charming songs and humorous ditties in a way which has made them extremely popular with patrons of vaudeville. Others who provido meritorious items are Rosa Lee Ivy and Herman and .Shirley. Tho company will appear again this evening. HAYWARDS' PICTURES. Heading the current programme at the Ootagon Hall is a finely-acted and staged dramatic film, ' Tess of the Storm Country,' which portrays a most interesting story. The- supporting subject* are all of good quality and worthy of their places on the programme. This evening the current programme will be repeated. FULLERS' PICTURES. 'The Sacrifice of Kathleen,' an exciting dramatic, film, heads the current programme at the King's Theatre. There is also a, film depicting a sensational motor polo match. Other pictures are ' Inmates of the Aquarium' and ' The Demon of tho Rails.' The same programme will, be shown to-night.

"YOUNG- COM PA STY. A quartet of artists—Miss "Florence Young, Mr Reginald Roberts, Mr Claude Bant-oek, and Mr Edward Sherras—well known to fame within the four corners of the Commonwealth and tho Dominion, will present tho latest a-nd most successful musical comedy of modern times at His -Majesty's Theatre on Monday next, under tho direction of Messrs George Stephenson and Alfred Linley. With this piece Miss Young and company have been touring Australia for some considerable time. ' The Climax ' has been termed the most popular and time-defying production ever staged. It contains some of the most pleasing elements known to theatregoers.. introducing wholesome comedy,_ pathetic incidents, and is a play into which music, largely enters. During •the recent Melbourne season .Miss Young received the greatest 'compliment which can bo paid to an artist, the vast auditorium being filled nightly by large and enthusiastic audiences. The box plan is open at the Dresden, and seats may Tae reserved for any evening during the season. Day sales at Jacobs's.