AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16567, 3 June 1914, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL. At the Theatre Royal last ovening the Willoughby Dramatic Company repeated its performance of tho new dramatic versiou of " Uncle Tom's Cabin." Tho audience was largo, and tho play was received with frequent demonstrations of approval. A feature of the performance was tho clever singing of tbo " Era Quartette," and tho attractivo dancing and singing of the juvenile "National Duo." "Uncle Tom's Cabin" will bo repeated 1 this evening, and this afternoon at two o'clock a special matinee performance will be given. On Saturday there will bo a revival of " Tho Bad Girl of the Family." HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. " The Forest Dwellers," which deals with industrial strifo in Europe, was shown' at Mis Majesty's Theatre last night. At tho matinee to-day and tonight a remarkable film of tho disaster which befell tho Main Trunk express will bo submitted. The picture gives a very comprehensive idea ,of tno terrific smash, and shows the overturned vans and engines in the swamp, tho telescoped sleeping cars and the shattered mail van. Tho other films included in tho programme aro "The Path© Gazetto," with illustrated news from Home; a drama entitled "The Ring," a simple and'engaging story of a young couple; "A Canine Hero," in which tho sagacity of a dog is tho main feature; a. Puth'ecolour, "The Roman Canipagna," is a film of great merit. The star item js a lengthy drama entitled " The Forest Dwellers." Tho story deals with;' a plot concerning the misappropriation of a largo sum of money. The comedies include an entertaining film, "Taming Terrible Ted," and a Vitagraph comedy, in which John Bunny and Flora Finch are the principal actors. TANGO COMPETITIONS. Judging by the exhibitions of tho tango given last night by sixteen people I who had had but fourteen days' tuition at most, the "cruzo" dance is not beyond the ordinary ballroom dancer. I At the Opera House a tango competi- | tion was commenced last night, and the building was crowded by an audience j eager to behold and to criticise, but I for the most part they applauded.vigorously. The. sixteen couples.entered for j the competition were paraded, and wont through tho dance in an ensem- ! bio. Afterwards the joint eight pairs lon the list gave individual exhibitions iof their prowess. The final selection of i the three best pairs was left to the '.audience, which expressed its collective j opinion by weigbt and duration of, api pin use. After a close contest the folj lowing was the placing made by Mr I J. Phillips with the seeming approval of the audience:—Miss C .brown and i Mr A. Russell, 1; Miss 0. Woodward 'and Mr J. Wilson, 2; Mrs D. Whelan i and Mr C. Pearce, 3. These three will ! be pitted against tho three best in tho ' second section of eight on Thursday, when tho final will be held. The ordinary programme at tho Opera House was also given, and was well received-To-night the same artists will appear. QUEEN'S THEATRE. In the new programme which was introduced at the Queen's Theatre tho chief featuro was a revival of the motion picture production of " Sweet Nell of Old Drury," with. Miss Nellie Stewart in tho part with which sho scored such a big success in Australia and New Zealand. The film was produced in Australia, and tho fact that j i Miss Stewart's popularity still conj tinues is probably the reason for a re- j j vival of tho picture play. Amongst the other pictures the most interesting j was the Topical Budget, which showed the effects of a big blizzard in New 1 Jersey, in which fifty lives were lost. The electric linesmen were shown at work, and there was a fine picture of the rood express going to New York, behind four heavy freight ongines which were required to puil the big load through tho, 6now drifts. Cross-coun-try and walking races were also shown. "An Exchange of Heads" • was a British comedy film in which a stout man and a thin man became mixed through an exchange of heads in a trick shop. The other picture in the programme was a scenic study illustrating some of the beautyspots in old Brittany, as well as many of the Breton manors. The programme will be repeated to-day. GRAND THEATRE. Tlie Grand Theatre continues to attract large numbers of patrons. It will bo open as usual to-day and to- : night. , GLOBE THEATRE. Monday's programme will be repeated at the Globe Theatro to-day and tonight. . OLYMPIA RINK. Tho Olympia Rink is still a popular place of winter amusement. It will be open as usual to-day and to-night. FULLER'S PICTURES. There was an appreciative audience at the Colosseum last evening, tho principal attractions being ." Threads of Destiny" and "The Big Camp at Hautapu." A special film of the Main Trunk railway smash near Huntly will he added to the programme to-day. It will show the shattered engine,, the trucks lying in the swamp, the crumpled mail van, and the general .havoo resulting from tho terrible ..impact ;■■ "The Huntly Railway Disaster" will bo shown at the matinee this afternoon and in the evening. SYDENHAM PICTURES. j The sensational drama, "The Forest j Dwellers," and current pictures at tho Sydenham Theatre were watched by a large and interested audience last night. The same pictures, wrth the addition of the "Main Trunk Railway Disaster," will be shown at the special holiday matinee this afternoon, and again'at the night performance. Tomorrow a complete change will be given; GLEE AND MADRIGAL SOCIETY. The Christchurch Glee and Madrigal Society will give its first concert of the •season in the Choral Hill to-morrow night. Tt-e choir, which has been well trained, will present some line part songs and glees. Mrs R. B. MacWhirter (soprano) and Mr Sidney Williamson (baritone) are tho soloists. _ In addition to tho solo items they will bo heard in some duets. Miss Audrey Gibson, who recently obtained a scholarship at tho Royal Academy of Music, London, wi'l he pccompanisc. I