AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17646, 26 November 1917, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

" THE NEW HENRIETTA." • '"The New Henrietta," presented by Messrs J. and N*. Tait's new • Comedy Company on Saturday night turned out,to be.a very much .better pls'v than'-'the initial production. It moved smobthlv off in a series of more or less unexpected developments of comedy-drama, 'culminating #ri the penultimate act in a dramatic denouement, which would have been far beyond-the ran,?e-of a stock company. The New Henrietta of the piny is a mine, and its fortunes on Wall Street are the motive for the conspiracy that is frustrated finallv by the ne'er-do-well son, who has be« given u» us hopeless by his father. The theme is as old as. it is successful, but in the "New Henrietta" .the dramatic element Ferves merely as a bromide for the effervescine comedy that the playwright has concentrated his wit, upon. l«t the play has situations of the most dramivtic intensity,' altcrhatm? with soma .very charming '.ovo scene?. The early action is rapid, but not elusive, and the entrances are nicely calculated. The central figure is Nicholas Van Alstyne, . jovial millionaire ex-miner, playing the stock exchange successfully, and securing as his final coup a controlling .interest in the fabulously rich Henrietta inme. The c!o?e attachment that he has for his.

charmin? ward, Agnes Gates, is offsetby Uje worry of an idle son, an immaculate "knut,". who "is finally disowned when .the father turns over his business to .Mark Turner, his son-in-law, with the intention of gomg. West, to the scene of early dissins days. Turner is a. villain, and in the old man's absence plans a- bear raid on the Henrietta mine, the result, of which is to be ruin foT Van Alstyne, and fortune for himself. In the midst of thece machinations, Van Alstyno has lost his heart, and for the time being his business ccttmen, in pursuit of a fashionable widow, while' ; BeTtie. .hi? son, lißs declared his passion to.his. father's, ward. .These are the elements with which the Tait Company, with Mr Gaston Mervale. as producer, entertained an expectant audience on Saturday night. The company was admirable, and numbered several actors who are quite in a class by themselves. A very heavy evening's work fell on Walter 'P. Richardson, who . nad to shoulder the part of the elderly Van Alstyne, always in the middlo of the stage. His makeup was excellent, and in a man so young the. part was wonderfully acted, and always laugh, rb'e Gaston Mervale, as Mark lurn«r, played the part, of the villain so smoothly as to create a doubt, as to his real stage character. He and Gerald Harcourt as Watson Fin*, a, broker, and one might add, Maurice Dndle). as the old man's private secretary, were, so naturally suited to their parts as to leave no room for criticism; but the real triumph of the evening was John Junior, as the prodigal but immaculate son. This young man s entrances, and even his graceful exits, riveted, the attention of the audience, and-h.s bored presence on the alago was a thing to provoke laughter in itself, .Siaplelon. Kent,, as an amorous young clergyman, drew m«vj laughter from the audience, while Carlton Stuart, George Chalmers and R-. H. Long sustained their par<s Perfectly Owen Dorse gave a natural simplicity to.the part of. Rose Turner, in which bov pnncipal duty was to lend the feminine touch . to, scenes which otherwise misrht. have seemed Lizotte Tarkes took the part oi Van. Alstjne a w rd very charrninsjy. and in (he scene- with tho old man. and wi Berhe she displayed «.-degree- of-vemtihtv Uiat mm not have been expected in er Th» dressing throughout was lilain .uti clam > and Miss Parkcs looked very sweet in a semi Xctivelv The stafin? of the piece was excne.cM\ei>. in*. . ... ff , w j S produced co lent, and a pretty citecr. »»». *■ in Himpses of room? beyond the ««»•• ""The< Xew Henrietta" will be played for two more, nights. ■ 1

OPERA HOUSE., . The" programme to be presented at the Opera House this evening will Uiroe new turns. Rio and KeW, two leoent American importations tnll -be •«. ir » " stron" nun act, and Mane Jjueiier, ftiso latest New York cabaret' J«ngß. -Uo.cy, an ex-member of- (he .Five-. .Manjhurians. will, make hia appearance in comf remarkably cte7er acrobatic and JWgUng feats, fevdney. Jones and Agnes Raines, who were very snoco«.ful last week, will bo heard in new hummoiw »n« and piano nccompaiuments end Lew jS a.nd Reina Selma will submit new local interest, eongs and patter. iS Pitcher, who has had a. very success-

fill season in Christchurch, will further draw upon his extensive repertoiro of oomio songs and Gus Blake and Maud Grandby will stage another playlet entitled "The Clarionet." New. items by tho popular soubrettes, tho Coleman Sisters, will round off a well varied programme. The box plan is at Messrs Milner and Thompson's. .;. "THE CHEAT." - "The Ghent." the sensational photoplay by Jesse L. Lasky, will bo the principal riichu-o at, the Grand Theatre this week. Fannio Ward, tho famous international beauty actress, and- Sessuc Hayalawa, the popular •Tapanesa player, take the leading .parts. The plot deals with high American life and tho passionate infatuation of a Japanese for a stockbroker's wife. How she unconsciously places herself in his power fl-nd how she attempts to fres herself from his elntehes are most realistically depicted. The _«liiuax is a startling one. Tho programme includes another instalment of " Rex Beach's' Travels " and a coinedv entitled "Jolted Justice." | LIBERTY THEATRE. Two of the world's picture stars. Douglas Fairbanks and Charles Chaplin, will be seen in the new T>To:rrammo to be presented at tho Libertv Theatre this week, commenciu'r to-day at noon. "Tho Habit of Happiness." featuring Doualas Fairbanks, is a comedyin which B worthless son sets out with a mission to make people laugh, and his operations rnngo from a bn.nd of derelicts to a dvsneptic millionaire. Tho nhoto-play is generally regarded as ono of the best in whicli the popular player has tsken p»,rt. The other comedy is entitled " Easy Street," and features Charles Chanlin in a st-m-v abounding 'with ridiculous situations and laughable aniws. In addition the Vitagranh serial " Tlva iSealed Packet," will be carried % stago further, wd th*' third eniswde, tho " Secret Kingdom,'' is said To be fully as exciting as the previous instalments.