AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16812, 23 March 1915, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL.

Mr Beaumont Smirii's clever company repeated its performance of “Seven I.ittlo Australians” at tlio Theatre Royal last evening with much success, the audience being both large -.’d erthuriartic. Th" nlav will be performed for tho last time this evening. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. Tlio principal attraction at His Majesty’s Theatre last evening, when a new programme of moving pictures was presented, was the dramatic picture “ The Little Grey Lady.” It dealt with the adventures of a treasury clerk, who discovered a method of piecing together pieces of mutilated underweight money so that they might pass as currency. The “litt-lo grey iady ” was a good girl, who was in lovo with the clerk, but the clerk loved a_ voting woman who was not particularly good. Tho Secret Service detectives became suspicious of the clerk, but the selfuacrifice of the “ little grey lady ” saved him from arrest._ The other young woman discarded him in his trouble. In the end the. clerk decided that honesty was the best policy, fell in love with the little grey lady,” and presumably lived happily ever afterwards. “The Wrong Flat” was a cleverly planned comedy film of the “ Box and Cox” variety, and “Out Again and In Again ” conveyed a terrible, warning to husbands who attempt to deceive tlicir wives. Japanese-Ameri-can Fishing” was an interesting industrial film, and the latest editions of the “ Topical ” and “ Pathe Gazette war budgets were full of vivid glimpses of life at the ‘‘rout. The programme will be repeated this evening.

QUEEN’S THEATRE. An entertaining film entitled “ The Floating Call ” headed the programme at the Queen’s Theatre yesterday. A lady newspaper reporter led into a hoax iob bv the men on the staff, stumbled across a coiner’s gang at work. She entered the gang s stronghold in disguise, and was discovered and bound and gagged. She released j herself and covered part of the gang with a revolver. The leader, however, returned and forced her to barricade herself in a room, and to waste moso of her ammunition. The reporter, however. was able to send a call for help by throwing a message written on a board into a river near by, and sho escaped by knotting two sheets together and climbing from a window The message wats found by her lover, a Secret Service man, and the police were able to take charge of the comers. The lady reporter secured the bast story of the year for her paper, and earned recognition from the male portion of the staff. The supporting pictures were “'Leading Lizzie Astray (corned v), “ Little Captain ” (drama), “Burin" a Sunken Yacht” (topical), “Tonicaf Budget ” and “ Lidia’s Rerlv.” Tho, same pictures will be shown to-day.

GRAND THEATRE “ A Study in Scarlet,” one of Sir Arthur Conan Doylo’s famous senes ot stories dealing with the achievements of the redoubtable Sherlock Holmes, headed the list .of pictures at tho Grand Theatre yesterday. A family of English pioneers-went prospecting in America in a desert bovdenng on tlio (Mormon State of Utah. AH but a, small daughter and an old guide to tho party succumbed to thirst, and the survivors fell into the hands of the Mormons, who were on the way to their promised land. The wayfarers -.were taken with the band upon tho consideration that they accepted the Mormon creed. Yeais passed, and the small girl grew into womanhood under the care of the old scout. The time came when the old scout hacl to make formal recognition of the Mormon creed, and as lie postponed it the Mormon leader became more insulting. His ward ivas only rescued from the hands of two Mormon striplings by a young prospector. At last the scout and thel girl could bear the Mormon tauntings no longer, and, in company with rhe young prospector, they escaped. AVhile the prospector was away from camp the old man was killed by the Mormons and the girl taken hack into the city to lie tho wife of one of the elders’ sons. The prospector arrived in timo to stop the ceremony, but ivas imprisoned. He escaped,_ but found that the girl had been killed by the bridegroom and his brother. After a fruitless search for the perpetrators of the crime, he went back to London, and after twenty years had passed fate delivered iho murderers into his hands, and he killed the men. fiberlock Holmes and Dr Watson were here introduced into the film, and they succeeded in unravelling the mystery surrounding the death of the two men. “A Study in Scarlet” will bo repeated to-day.

GLOBE THEATRE. Tlie most beautiful of all Alaori legends, “ Hinemoa,” was screened in picture form at. tile Globe Tneatre yesterday, and attracted large auciionces. I'lie picture was produced m iNew Zealand' among tho interesting surroundings of Rotorua, and the Is a tires selected for the cast were taken from tho Rev F- Bennett’s well-known Alaori choir at Rotoru*. The story has beeft closely followed in the‘production, and the Ucting is very creditable. “The Bosun’s Mate,” a- comedy, based on tho well-known story by \\. AV. Jacobs, was an admirable picture, and was much appreciated by the audiences. A film which was watched with, great interest was “Exercises and Tests of Strength ill tho French Army.” It showed' some excellent athletic and acrobatic work, and gave a good idea of the training which the French soldier has to undergo. “ The Birth of Plants” was an interesting study of plant life, and “Just a Song at Twilight” was a drama in which two small children played an important part. The “Australian Gazette” showed a number of incidents of topical interest, and the war special, “ India's Reply,” was an exceptionally good’ film, showing the training and manoeuvres of the Sikhs and Indian cavalry, who are now fighting in France and Belgium. The same pictures will be screened today.

EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “ Dough and Dynamite.” a comedy with the inimitable Charles Chaplin in the leading role, was sufficient- attraction at Everybody’s Theatre yesterday to ensure very large attendances at all sessions. There- is no forcing of the humorous, situations with Charles Chaplin. Practically every movement of his body produces merriment for the audience, but.. excellent though he is. a good word should also be said for the other actors and actresses- Tin- combination is of the best, and the antics of those in the pictures delighted the audience, and drew continuous laughter at every turn. In the picture Chaplin obtained a situation as a French waiter, and his awkward movements got him into trouble with everyone with whom he came in contact-. The bakers wont on strike, and' he mixed the dough, and for a while dough was everywhere—everybody who went near him took away a portion of it on some pa.-t of his or h-w )x>rson. The strikers objected to the new baker, and placed a plug of dynamite in some bread, which, when placed in the oven, blew tho whole place to pieces. “ Egyptian Monuments” was a Particularly interesting scenic film. “His Chorus Girl AA'ife ” told a pathetic story of love between a rich young man and a chorus girl, and ."Maria’s Sacrifice’’ was a study of the Italian quarter of Now York. A- local picture of interest showed' the candidate for the combined picture theatnw for the queen of tlie

carnival competition. The other pictures were “Gathering and Preparing: Nuts in the Philippines ” (topical), and the “ Gaumont War Graphic.” The programme will be repeated to-da-y.

OPERA HOUSE. At the Opera House last night the Handel I Jacicsou Concert Company made its first appearance, and provided the lirst hair of the evening's programme. If prolonged applause. and very hearty laughter can be said to provide a standard by which to judge the company, then it must be admitted frankly that it scored a pronounced success. It is a clover combination and it provided an enjoyable programme. Of the concerted items “ The Land of I Dunno’ Where” was easily the most successful. Miss Florence West is the possessor of a nice mezzo-soprano voico and she chooses her songs with discretion. “When You Come Home” was well sung and earned a decided encore. To Miss May Windsor falls much work, and she does it well. Besides playing most of the accompaniments Miss Windsor cave a “ talk at the piano” entitled “The Little Girl Next Door,” and had to respond to an encore. Later in the evening she appeared with Mr George Nash in a humorous duet, “The Bookie and tlio Quaker Girl.” The popular “Up From Somerset” was Mr Randell Jackson’s choice, and he sang it well, the chief fault being in the articulation, making the words difficult to catch at times. The voice Is a light baritone of pleasing quality. Mr Herbert Winter’s song, “ Italiano,” was one of the chief successes of the evening and he had to respond to an encore by making certain gvuesofne confessions in a manner very far from gruesome. He also appeared with Mr George Nash in a clever item entitled “Piracy.” In this item Mr Nash was responsible for some good work. In the second part Mnndeno’s dogs provided a good turn, and the Three Starrs, who were making tlieir first appearance in Christchurch, proved themselves to be dancers of merit. Wykeham and Preston presented a sketch that went with a swing from start to finish, and other artists assisted to make a good programme. The same artists will appear to-night.

SYDENHAM PICTURES. The new programme screened at the Sydenham Theatre last evening was a most attractive one and was received with much approval. The chief picture was entitled “Tlio Little Grey Lady,” and featured the American actress Jane Gray. It is a powerful and thrilling love story, dealing with offi-> dal life in Washington. The supporting films were “The Latest War Gazette” (topical), “The Wrong Flat” (comedy), “ Japanese-American Fishing” (interest), and “Out Again and In Again ” (comedy). The pictures will bo shown again this evening.