AMUSEMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 16514, 28 August 1917, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS

EMPIRE THEATRE. 'Seventeen' is the title of the new.production presented at the* Empire Theatre yesterday in connection with the bi-weekly change of programme. The picture is adapted from a novel by Booth Tarking- 1 ton, and is suitable for the young, the old, and those who are 17. It is a clean and wholesome comedy-drama by the Famous Players, to which parents need not be afraid to send the young folk. Among the many clever artists who appear in Famous Player's' productions, few possess the personal charm and manner of attracting that are Louise Huff's chief assets. In ' (Seventeen' she has a character that suits her admirably. She is Well supported by Jack Pickford, as a love-sick youth of 17, and betwixt them the pair get an immense amount of real fun out of innumerable humorous situations. Others who contribute a fair share to the general hilarity are Walter Hiera, a ponderous youth, and Winifred Allen, who is in love with the hero. 'Seventeen' shows William Sylvanus Baxter, a youth who has attained the age of 17 and prof-esses to be satiated with women. Lois Pratt comes on a visit to the village, and Baxter soon becomes her slave, and puts himself in many ridiculous positions in order to please her. Ho proposes to elope with her, and in fun she consents. He hires a motor car, but being unable to drive comos to grief, and has tho mortification of seeing his friend, Georg« Cooper, drive ofi with his beloved. In despair at his sweetheart's fickleness, he determines to take his life, but cannot make up his mind how to die. His faithful little friend, May Patchier, sells her horse to pay for the damage to tlve motor car, and prevails upon him to live. Baxter then transfers his affection to May, and the pair are made happy, whilo Lois rejects George at tho church door. It is truly a romantic and amusing love story, and the production throughout is marked by light-hearted situations, which are calculated to provoke hearty laughter. In addition to ' Seventeen,' the new programme contains several other excellent interesting pictures. There ia a magnificent educational ' Travelogue' of tho Panama Canal.'which should be seen by everyone, both old and young. Wo have seen many views of this famous waterway from time to time, but the picture now being shown at tho Empire is undoubtedly the most complete set of views ever shown on the screen in Dunedin. There are views from the Atlantic to the Pacific, showing Gatun Lake, Gatun Locks, control stations, powerful towing engines, cliannel through the Gulebra Cut, with the huge grab dredges at work, and many other splendid views of the canal and surrounding districts. ' A Lucky Mistake' is a very amusing ivalem comedy, and all the latest American views are to be seen in the ' Topical Gazette.' There were crowded attendances at every session yesterday, and the present programme will undoubtedly prove a big draw for the next two days and nights.

'VERY GOOD EDDIE.' At His Majesty's Theatre on Thursday next the short season of J. and N. Tail's new musical comedy company will be inaugurated. ' Vory Good Eddie,' or rather the plot, is based on the farce ' Over Night.' written by Philip Biirtholomae and Guy Bolton," lyrics by Schuyler Greene, and the music by Jerome Kern. The plot 'deals with the adventures of two newly-married couples starting out on their honeymoon up the Hudson River. The couples get mixed during the scramble for luggage," with the result that the steamer "starts with one husband and one wife, but unfortunately they are not the right husband and wife, and as they are compelled to stay the night at the Rip Van Winkle Inn' and are .taken for husband and wife tho position is most embarrassing, and the incidents occurring after their arrival at the inn are' said to be screamingly funny. The piece abounds with Rood, clean, wholesome humor, and the management _ claim there is not the slightest suggestion of vulgarity or double meaning in the bright and clever story. The company of 60 people is headed by the favorite comedian Mr Barry Lupino, and Miss Fayette Perry and Miss Lilian Tucker are both prominent music;:! comedy artists in America, as is also Mr John Beck, who gives a qnaint study of an hotel clerk. The chorus and ballet were specially selecled for the production, the staging and dressing arc said to be on a very lavish scale, and a full orchestral band is a feature of the production. ' Very Good Eddie 'is brimful of catchy music, and a few of the most popular numbers are ' Nodding Roses,' ' On tho Beach at Lo Li Wei,' ' When Yon Wear a. Thirteen Collar,' 'Old Boy Neutral,' and a duct, 'The Babes in the Wood.' Owing to disorganisation of shipping, tho Dunedin season is limited to four nights, and the box plan for those nights is now on view at The Bristol.

PORT CHALMERS PICTURES. The Lyric Pictures showed in the Town Hall last night a remarkable film picture which must appeal to everyone interested \ in the vital subject of social nnrifcy. The picture is called 'The Girl Wh.> Doesn't Know.' It emphasises the fact that innocence should not be handicapped by ignorance. Ignorance is a young girl's weakness ; knowledge Iwv strength. For > centuries past there have been scores of j yoinicr girls who never have hexrd of the j perils that lurk in the path of the " girl j who doesn't know," and no one would tell , them except those who distorted the truth j in order to mislead and betray them, j Every day the Press have mention of a i tragedy that, could have been averted bad j a little knowledge been imparted to the victim by those nearest and dearest to her. ; Tho "true to life" quality of this film , story shows tho red importance to par- ' puts" of putting its lesson into practice. It is a masterpiece of .sci'eeneraft. and opens the hardest heart with its wistfnlness, its sorrow, and its longing for what : might have been. To-night's programme j also shows a very entertaining comedy.' j