ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2004, 21 December 1921, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

INDEPENDENT PICTURES. TOM MIX IN "HANDS OFF." Tom Mix, the world's cowboy champion, will make his lasl appearance at the Opera House to-night in "Hands off," the wild and woolly Western liim which has drawn sued big houses to the Opera House. Jn this film Mix fans have the greal favourite at hi;; best, on "horseback, with rope and gun. "UNCHARTERED SEAS." Alice Lake, in "Unchartered Seas," the Metro photoplay, which will come to the opera Houston Thursday, is at the summit of her art. She brings a wealth of talent to play in her interpretation of the pari oi a wife of a millionaire's wastrel son who struggled to reform him and despairing, threw him aside for a real man. The dressing is beautiful indeed and the all-star cast will add considerably to the drawing power of this great attraction. KOSY. PICTURES TO COMMEND. The dramatic wallop of a beautiful young girl marrying a dying man at his request so that he can have her a fortune, and then his unexpected recovery, his equally unexpected relapse and death and his impersonation by another man are among the interesting situations in "Thunder Island," Editli Roberts' latest action drama, now showing at Hie Rosy. "A Divorce of Convenience" is the other feature showing, it shows Owen Moore and | his new wife as a great couple in clean 1 comedy parts. PALACE. "THE .JACK KNIFE MAX." The Jack Knife Alan is simple hearted Peter Kane, who leads a life of solitude in a little .Mississippi houseboat he Jias built for himself. Widow Potter thinks it too solitary, ► but I'eter is shy. A stormy night brings a dying woman and Jier little boy, "Buddy." Peter cares for them tenderly, borrowing food from the widow In exchange for his alarm clock, to feed the wanderers. JJe sells Jiis boathouse to get.medical attention, but the woman dies and Peter becomes mother and father for "Buddy." A singing tramp is added to the family, called "Booge," from Buddy's mispronunciation of "Booze," and the two men devote themselves to the child, Peter carving a Noah's Ark of birds and animals to amuse the child. All goes well until Rev. Briggles appears with court authority to place the child with some family. There is a struggle for possession, during which Peter finds there is a little sister, Susie. J-le becomes reconciled to the loss of Hie child and goes voluntarily to gaol. He is refused admittance and climbs over the fence to break rock. There he finds Booge. Peter is thrown out' of gaoi and compelled to be respectable. Re notes there is a donation party on and gathers together the playthings of Buddy. This contribution attracts the attention of a J\'ew I'ork lady, who promptly sets to work to make Peter both rich and famous. He is on his way to prosperity when he decides to wash, shave and dress in new store clothes. Made over new, he goes to the widow, ready to bow to the inevitable. She accepts him, and Peter is overjoyed to find that she has adopted botJi Buddy and his sister Susie. Booge, once again free, has learned they are his children, but he is a tramp by nature, lie goes away, leaving them where lcind and sympathetic kindness is assured them until they can take care of themselves. "THE LILAC DOMINO" COMPANY. RETURN WITH "FIREFLY." After the impression made by the members of the "Lilac Domino" Company at the Opera House on Friday last, everybody is waiting on tip toes tor their return on Friday night next, when they will present their other comic opera success, "Firefly." It is doubtful if ever a company in tire history of. the theatrical business in New Zealand has toured the Dominion so well equipped as this popular company, with two such productions as "TJie Lilac Domino" and "Firefly." In every town this company lias played there has been a lot of controversy as to which is the better show, and taking it on the whole, the opinions are fairly evenly divided. It is said that in "Firefly" the artists have more scope to show their versatility, and it also contains a larger share of popular numbers, a few of them being: ".Love is Like a Firefly," "Giannina," "The Dawn of Love," "In Sapphire Seas," "The Beautiful Ship from Toylaiul," which is sung by Mr Lou Vernon with the aid of the full male chorus, and last but not least, "Sympathy," a duet, which is charmingly done by Mr Claude Flemming and Miss Edith Drayson. The box plan is no»v on view at Oates' Music Store.

DA.il E CLARA BUTT. It does not seem seven years since we had a visit from the famous contralto and Mr Rumford, yet 'tis that long: since they were here, and they return with fresh laurels won in England and during their just completed tour of Australia, which J. and N. Tait state records were established in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane; in fact, in Melbourne the Town Hall could not accommodate the crowds and the huge Exhibition Building was engiiged and the audiences there averaged over 6600. For her distinguished services rendered in aid of numerous war charities the eminent contralto was decorated Dame of the Order of the British Empire, and during the years of war Dame Clara Butt was responsible for the handing over of £100,00(1 to the various organisations and in addition provided engagements for concert artists during- the lean times. On the outbreak of war Mr Humford offered his services to the War Oflice and he' was for the first few years continually at the front in France right up in the lighting line as chaffeur to a high staff officer and later he gained his captaincy and was transferred to the War Oflice, where he was engaged in important work in the Intelligence Department. Bast year the two great singers engaged in a memorable tour of Great Britain, during which in conjunction with the Coldstream Guards Band they gave a series of one hundred concerts, and it says much for their pluck and enterprise that although they were faced with a weekly expenditure of over £3OOO the tour resulted in a great financial and artistic success. On the eve of their departure on this tour they gave a farewell concert at the Crystal i'alaee, and the, magnitude of the event may be gauged when it is .stated that the audience numbered over 25.000, the choir and orchestra numbering 5500, consisting of The HandeJ festival Choir and Orchestra and the Bondon Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Frederic Cowan. Accompanying Dame Clara Butt and Mr Kumi'ord am Daniel Melsa, a Polish violinist, and the eminent pianistcomposer' Miss Grace Torrens. Time [will allow of only a limited number