AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16602, 14 July 1914, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. \ kliiematograph version of apopulai . ' novel is sometimes disappointing, but " • no reproach of this kind can bo laid ' against " The Day of Days,” presented ' for tlic first time in Christchurch at His Majesty's Theatre last evening. Mi • T,. J. Vance’s tale of love and adventure has been given pictorial form in a series of vivid and convincing scenes, with a famous American actor as.the central figure. Sybarite Pcreival’s great i day begins when bis employer, a pro--1 saie dealer in bides, gives him tickets for the play. Ho invites a girl worki ing in a drapery store to accompany j him to the theatre, unaware that she is the. missing heiress whoso whereabouts is being discussed by tho newspapers in sensational headlines. Then 1 adventures descend upon him in rapid succession, and he, being a keen-witted, venturesome young man, meets them i more than half-way. The heiress is j being sought by bold and influential j men, because on tho morrow she comos into possession of her property, and her guardian wants to marry her at once to his son. • Incident follows incident with almost bewildering rapidity. I l’orcival averts a crime, wins a forj tune, escapes from a raided gambling 1 den, rescues the girl from the hands of kidnappers, and finally marries her just in time to forestall her frantic guardian. The details of the story are I developed in a most convincing manner j and the keen interest of the plot does j not flag for a moment. The other items - of the now programme presented last night are all attractive. “ Closed at 'l'en ” is a comedy showing what happened when a college girl who had stayed out late at a ball climbed from a ladder into the wrong bedroom. “A Boarding-house Romance ” is’ another | comic film, tho work of the popular Edison players. An exhilarating picture allows winter sports in Sweden, I including 'ski running, skating, tobog- ' ganing and bob-sleighing. Then a beautiful Rathe colour film deals with life in a freshwater aquarium, presenting tho larval and young of many in- ; tercsting insects and fishes. A good number of the “Rathe Gazette” illusI trate's some of the world’s happenings 1 during recent weeks, and shows some pretty Paris fashions. The programme will be presented every evening during this week. Tho next attraction at His Majesty's Theatre, will be a big film telling the story of Antony and Cleopatra. GRAND THEATRE. A story by James Oliver Curwood, the well-known American writer, transformed into a picture drama entitled "liior—Lord' of tho Jungle,” was the “star” film on tho new programme . shown at the Grand Theatre for the 1 first time yesterday- Ourwood’s name f is sufficient guarantee of a.n interesting I ' and reasonable plot-, and the picture i fully bore out expectations. The story of Thor, who is really an African lion, deals with liis capture in liis native wilds-by the son of an American circus proprietor, who induces a hunter and his daughter to accompany him in liis ! quest. The girl is loved by ail old | friend', who, however, is ousted by tho I American new-comer and departs lieart- - broken. Thor is captured and taken to America, and the American induces the hunter’s daughter, with lavish promises. to accompany him. He reveals himself in liis true colours on the boat,' and she lands in America forsaken. However, she is engaged in the circus, having made great friends with Thor. The proprietor’s soil continues his attentions to her, but eventually lie is ( killed' by Thor, who escapes from liis j cage. Tho girl takes the lion back to Africa, where she finds her father and ' lover waiting for her, and Thor is released to his native jungles on the wedding da v. The picture was finely mounted and staged, and was received with' much approval. An excellentlv-acted drama, “ Trust Begets Trust,” depicted the rise to a responsible position and happiness of a notorious New York “crook.” The “Eclair Journal” contained the latest topical news at- Home and abroad. Among the subjects it contained were the uigantic liner Aquitnnia d'ooking at Liverpool, tho King and Queen at Aldershot, Sir Tan Hamilton at Brisbane, and Paris fashions. Two good comedies, “115111 in a Cupboard ” and “ The Overall Outing.” romnieted tho programme, which will be shown again to-day.

OPERA HOUSE. Miss Jessie M. Millar’s engagement aL the Opera House will meet with high approval from the public. Miss Millar made her first appearance last night. She played fivst on the cornet and then on the piano-aeeordion, and s-lie showed so much musical talent, that she quite captivated her audience. Evidently she has studied and practised both instruments assiduously, and is equally at home on both of them. Specially* popular were her rag-time ditties and selections from “Tales of Hoffman” on tho accordion, but all the pieces she gave, from operatic music to popular airs and pibroebs, were more than acceptable. She was helped in her items by Miss Dolly Millar, who gave several dances, including a native dance of the Hawaiian Islands. xYnotlier notable item last night was supplied by Mr Goyt and a small company of small dogs. Performing dogs, apparently, are coming into fashion-at vaudeville entertainments, and Mr Goyt’s are tho best that have appeared at tho Opera House. Their tricks last night were decidedly clever. Yet another item well worth seeing was that of Carl Bentzen and Phyllis Lawton. They are dancers, and tho lady performer, by lier nimbleness and easy "race, fairly danced herself into the goodwill of" her audience. Together tliev gave a number of ballroom dances, into which a good deal of tho element of tho waltz entered, and tlxey also danced singly. The tango was not. included in their list. Dir J. Opie sang several popular songs acceptably. The Crystal Sisters gave a spectacular dance item, and Vernon and Sinclair a comedy sketch. Three of last week’s performers have been retained this week. One of these, Millie Doris, gave character sketches, and the other two, Armstrong and Howarth, again demonstrat-ed-their undoubted talent for comedy. The programme will be repeated this evening, and will be given at a matinee on Saturday afternoon. QUEEN’S THEATRE. To-day the new programme at the Queen’s Theatre will, be headed by a film entitled “The Opium Smoker.” Briefly the plot of the story is that an opium-smoker is jealous of liis elder brother, who is affianced to a young o-irl Having indulged m opium-smok-ing ho- experiences some strange hallucinations, and when some months later ho finds that he has been disinherited, his hatred for his brother bursts out afresh. Ho attempts to kidnap his brother s wife, but the attemp i ,s unsuccessful. The opiumsmoker hurries to where lie had previously seen what he supposed to be liis brother s dead body. accusing image appe ars * “is brain goes wrong, and he falls to tho ground lifeless. The ,?'<*««» consist of ‘<Topical "Aw Al l m tho Air” (comedy). “ Hab»ta and Customs of \rnbs ’ (educational), and “A Weekend at Happy Hurst (comedy). FULLER’S PICTURES The new .programme at the Colosfieum last night w as headed by a long detective drama entity “ A Eight for n Fortune. ' K picture showed in a lather graphic way the sensational and Sing adventures which a detectiveand his lady assistant had to go through

in order to regain tho stolen secret of a rich goldmine. Tho assistant, while in tho lounge of a hotel recognised the leader in disguise of tho " Black 13" „. gang, and learnt that an attempt was , to bo made that evening to secure the ,u secret plans, which had hecn drawn on « so small a scale that they could only be d read through a microscope. Whilst the t directors were examining them the waiter, who was a member of the gang, feigned illness and in tho confusion the i- loader removed tho priceless plans. The n loss was quickly discovered, and the de- (> tcctivo arrested the waiter as an accomplice. While on tho way to tho police station in a motbr-caf, several 11 members of the gang in a motor lorry i- ran the other car down, thus enabling s the waiter to escape. In the mean- - I while, the lady detective, disguised as a y j Chinese boy. followed up tho leader of e | the gang. She was captured, however, ~ . but later rescued by the detective who ; - j then discoverd that the gang leader had „ left for the scene of the mine. In the d | Pursuit a motor-cycle, monoplane and | 1 balloon were successively brought into a use, until finally tho precious plans s were recovered, and the notorious head j of tho gang met his death. The most popular picture of the programme was j a comedy entitled, "A Bathing Beauty." It was a brilliant piece r ' of comedy work, and a number of the Coney Island amusements were intro- • duced with a good effect. "In North- - ern Italy" was a good coloured .scenic I film, and the " Gaumont Graphic" was s replete with tho latest Continental hapr penings. The othor pictures wore a ; drama entitled " The Inscription," and \ two comedies, " Polidor and tho Seer saw, "and 'How Buko and Buck made j Good." The same pictures will be , shown again this evening. ' OLYMPIA RINK. There were large attendances at all [ the sessions at tho Olympia Kink yes- , terday. The rink will be open at the usual sessions to-day.

! GLOBE THEATRE. " The Dance of Death" was the principal attraction in the new programme at the Globe Theatre yesterday, when there were largo attendances at each session. The plot of the story, although set amid novel surroundings, followed along conventional lines, but nevertheless, tho picture was thoroughly interesting, and never at any time leagged. It told how a young man, the sou of a wealthy American magnate, went out to'an outpost in the Pacifio as the secretary to an American Consul. There he came across a beautiful native dancer, and quickly won .. her heart. Later they went through the pretty native marriage ceremony. A year passed, and then the news of his father's death readied the secretary, and he was compelled to leave instantly for | America to manage his father's busi- | ness. Returning homo, he soon forgot his native wife, and became eni gaged to a girl who had promised to r await his return when ho had sailed I away with tho Consul- In the mean- | time, however, a theatre proprietor, on a visit to the island, engaged the native girl as a dancer for a tour through tho United States, and subsequently she appeared in the city j where her husband dwelt. On tho I night before his second marriage was ■ to take place, tho ex-secretary and his fiancee were both present at the I performance. The dancer produced her "Dance of Death," which was destined to end tragically. In tho course of her performance she saw her husband in tho audience, aaicl noticing him with another woman, quickly made use of the dagger in her dance and stabbed herself. The film was entertaining in many respects, and tho picturesque native village scenes, and the dancing wen? attractive features. In the supporting pictures, there were two revivals. Both " The Madonna of the Storm " and "An Error in Kidnapping. - ' have been seen before by Christchurch audiences, but the former, a beautiful drama with an excellent moral in it, was well worth the resuscitation. " The Warwick Chronicle" contained an interesting collection of recent events, including the visit of the King and Queen of Denmark to England, a historical carnival in France, the opening ceremony of the Rochester traffic bridge, the 'Australian ladies' diving ■championships at St Kilda, Melbourne, the fete in Sicily taken a day before tho earthquake disaster, a novel marriage, and tho latest ladies' fashions,. " Japanese Workers" was an interesting educational film and completed the programme, which will be shown again at to-day's session., SYDENHAM PICTURES. The new programme presented at tho Sydenham Theatro was witnessed by a large and interested audience last night. The chief item was a dramatio store entitled " A Day of Days," in which the hero had some thrilling adventures- He aided an heiress to escape from a villain. Shortly after he got into a notorious gambling house and broke the bank. Later be escaped from an attempt to rob him, and in his flight found himself in a woman s bedroom, where he explained his presence by telling her be was after a burglar.' He was next seen in a secret dive of the underworld, where he. discovered a plot was on foot to abduct the heiress at a fancv dress ball. He attended the ball, and rescued the girl for tho second time. They escaped in a motor-car, and were married just as the clock denoted the end of his " d.-iv of days." The supporting films, which were excellent, comprised the " Patho Gazette," containing the latest fashions and world's news; "Closed at Ten," a "beauty" picture of fun; "Winter Sports'in Sweden"; "Fresh Water Aquarium." Pathe Nature study; and " A Boarding House Romance." The pictures will be shown again to-night. MADAME GOWER-BURNS'S MATINEE. Madame Gower-Burns's second matinee will be given at the Alexandra Hall this afternoon at throe o'clock. Madame Gower-Burns will be assisted by Mrs Monteath, who will accompany her vocal selections from the following composers: —< Meyerbeer, Beethoven, Debussy, Schubert, Mozart and Verde, and will also have the assistance of Mr Ernest Empson (pianist) and Mr Vere Buchanan (violinist). Singlo tickets can be obtained at Messrs Milner and Thompson's, or the Dresden.

“PRESERVING MR PANMURE.” Sir Arthur Pinero’s latest comedy, “ Preserving Mr Panmure,’.’ will be produced at the Theatre Royal on "Wednesday and Thursday next. The dialogue is said to be bright and witty, and the play to abound with interesting and humorous scenes. “The Players,” amongst whom is Mrs Marsh, who will make her re-appearance, have been rehearsing for the past five months, and have now mastered the comedy. Some beautiful Parisian gowns will bo worn, nr.d the settings give an opportunity to display some magnificent furniture and a complete new sot of scenery. The box plan is open at the Dresden, and day sales are at the Toy Cave. MISCHA ELMAN’S SEASON. The box plans for the two concerts to bo given here by Mischa Elman in the Theatre Royal on Saturday and Monday next, July lo and 20, are open at Messrs Milner and Thompson s. Much interest is being evinced in tiro visit of Mischa Elman, for it is recognised that lie comes to Christchurch the accr edited greatest violinist i n the world mid in tlio zenith of his wonderful success, while Ins visit from an cational standpoint nmst be very considerable. Mischa Elman had no greater admirer in all Europe than the lato King Edward and the Queen Mother Alexandra, teiey being among the first to recoguiso the great genius

of the young Russian and command that lie appear before them- Mementoes from the late King, now highly prized by young Elman, are a scarf-pin presented him just before his Majesty passed away, and a ring in the form of a lion’s head, tho eyes being diamonds, received on an earlier occasion. The latter presentation was made after Elman had appeared at Buckingham Palace at a niusicale given in honour of the present King of Spain, who was at that time visiting the British metropolis. Associated with Elman in his concerts in Christchurch are Milo Eva Gauthier, the brilliant Frcnch-Canadian mezzo-soprano, and Mr Percy Kahn, pianist, who has been with Elman for the past six years. There will positively only be two concerts in Christchurch.