ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17105, 10 March 1919, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE.

Tim programme to be presented at the Opera. House this evening will be a complete change from that of last week. The Al. Bruce and his Rosebuds Company will commence their second last week in Auckland, and will be seen in a new production. The vaudeville half of the bill will comprise the popular Pollard and Jackeon, who will offer new selections from their extensive repertoire of operatic gems. Romaine, the " roarring" violinist, the eccentric contortionist, Mr. Payne, and his well-gowned partner, and Ray and Gray, patter artists. The same bill will be presented nightly throughout the week, and at the customary Saturday matinee and Wednesday matinee.

MUNICIPAL ORGAN RECITAL. A bright programme of modern organ mn&ic was submitted to a large audience at the municipal organ recital by Mr. Maughan Baxneti in the Town Hall on Saturday evening. Waring'* " Festival March," a work characteristic of tho composer, was well appreciated, and Ffaulke's " Meditation," a ?we<.t melody, with an ever-recurring theme, gained approbation. Especially pretty were the passages lepresenting a flute and hautbois duet. A clever arrangement by Mr. Barnett for organ and carillons, of an old English folk song, " Mowing the Barley," was delightful, the melody seeming unusually suitable for the telling bell effects. The classic work of the programme was Reubke's " Adagio and Finale," from the *' Sonata in C Minor." The finale was jierhaps the better of the excerpts, the piece working up io a splendid, unexpected conclusion. Saint Saen s popular " Swan" was enthusiastically received, the magnificence of the composition being brought out on the softer stops of the organ. As a grand finale, the fantasia on " Carmen." by Bizet, was appropriate, the opening passages and the allegretto movement saining their usual appreciation. The vocalist of the evening, Mr. Ernest Drake, sang Verdi's "Quests 0 Quella," from " Itigoletto." and Pringle Scott's "The Sea-el," being vociferously encored for each item. Miss Clarice Wood was the accompanist

STRAND THEATRE The ever-unique Charlie Chaplin, of the films, has rarely provoked such miith as was heard at the Strand Theatre on Saturday, when he was seen in "A Dog's Life," billed as " lie first of his million dollar films." The comedy was written «nd produced by himself, and it therefore affords proof that the diminutive comedian it not only an actor, but also a man with original ideas on the subject of what makes people laugh. " A Dog's Life " is true to the well-known Chaplin methods, but at the same time it is full of originality. Ludicrous climax characterises the picture. In thif. picture a nondescript sort of a dog accompanies Chaplin in his adventures with police and desperate characters, and the excellent work of the photographer in catching suitable expressions on the dog's face is noteworthy. If this picture may be taken as & sample, Chaplin's own productions will inorase the popularity of the actor. The programme includes a well-acted GOldwyn play, entitled " Fighting Odds," in which Maxine Elliott appears. The gowns worn by this actress are of great excellence. The story io one of " big business " in America. The methods of the successful manufacturer, who lias the interests of his employees at heart, is contrasted with those of the commercial sharks. But for a slight weakness in the plot, which is apparent when the successful humanitarian blindly signs his business into tho hands of the trust, the play is excellent, and ends with s triumph for right over wrong. The hero of the story has made a fortune in a Western city through motor manufacturing, and he issues shares to all his men. He is persuaded to become president of a trust, behoving he will be able to improve working conditions in all the factories. A statement he signs is " doctored," the gang informs the justice authorities, and he goes to gaol His wife, however, sets to work to prove his innocence. The ona man who could help her k afraid of the " big boss," but he ihelps her to try feminine wiles on the foe. She almost succeeds in securing the ali-important document, but her identity is revealed, and the power of the trust decides to leave for Canada. Her butler, however, is a servant of the district attorney, and he secures his erstwhile master, and the closing scene shows the gates of Sing-Sing prison opening for the hero and closing on the culprit. The ■acting throughout is good. A good series of tonical pictures is included in the programme. TTVOLI THEATRE.

An . emotional picture-drama entitled " The Song of Songs " was screened at the Tivoli Theatre for the first time on Saturday. It is an Artcraft production, with Elsie Ferguson in.the leading role. It is a pathetic story of a girl's fight to master her destiny, but the odds are too much for her, and she bows to the inevitable, and follows the career which fate seems to have ordained. The story is staged with expensive settings. Pathetio scenes are witnessed before the climax is reached. Miss Elsie Ferguson, who has made her name as an emotional actress, impersonates the part of Lilly Kardos, the daughter of a musician. Owing to the mother's drinking habits, Lilly's father leaves home and disappears. The mother dies in a drunken fit and Lilly is left to face the world alone. Her beauty attracts the wrong sort of men, and Lilly's path through life is anything but smooth. She marrits a wealthy man, but is compromised by the action of her husband's housekeeper, who is jealouß of her master's choice. Lilly is divorced, and eventually meets a man who believes in her - and wishes to make her his wife. This is prevented, and Lilly returns to the man whose protection she has sought after she was divorced. Other interistang films are shown.

LYRIC THEATRE. " The Man Who Stayed at Home " was presented for the first time at the Lyric Theatre on Saturday. This is a highly dramatic play, which on the real stage had a high propagandist value in England, helpinff to awaken the people to the menace of the German within the gates. The original London company acted for the film, Dennis Eadie taking the title role. The work of this actor is splendid. A trusted secret service agent in reality he act* the paift. of the athletic English fool to disarm the suspicion of spies. He is sent to an East Coast resort, and, aided by a trusted female accomplice, demotes himself to finding out how Admiralty information is leaking out. A German in the Admiralty office is suspected, and eventually is found to have a secret wireless plant, carrier pigeons, and a welldisciplined staff at the boarding-house. Highly dramatic situations occur. In the picture are introduced scenes of naval and military preparation, including views of the departure of the New Zealand Main Body from Wellington. Cfcher items are thowu. PRINCESS THEATRE. "The Secret of the Storm Country," screened at the Princess Theatre on Saturday, justified advance reports. It is one of the finest films seen in Auckland, and is undoubtedly a worthy successor to the first of the series, " Tess of the Storm Country." As the girl cf the mountains, Miss Norma Talraadge appeals directly to the audience, and nor acting is original and natural. The story is quite dissimilar to that of ''Tess." Tessibel Skinner, daughter of Orn Skinner, who is serving a life sentence in the penitentiary, is the favourite of the squatter settlement. Her cup of happiness is overfilled by the devotion of Frederick Graves, a young divinity student, who has persuaded the girl to marry him secretly. Graves is the son of a worldly, ambitious mother who has welllaid plans' for the future greatness of her offspring. The picture reaches a splendid climax. Other films are screened.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. The chief feature of the programme ecreened at Everybody's Theatre this week « an intensely dramatic adaptation of Wesson's fine novel, "The Truant Soul," KSI Henry B. Walthall takes the leading role. The cast of the play in ether respects is unusually good. The artists, beaded by Mies Mary Churleson as Joan Wentworth, also include Patrick Calhoun as Meyer, the evil genius of the

story, and Messrs. Whitaker, Hunway and Honpt in other important parts. The play is divided into eight acts, and each one reveals situations of great and stirring dramatic interest, while the story is one that will appeal to all classes. This fino photo-drama will be screened throughout the week.

GLOBE THEATRE. The second episode of the stirring Paramount serial photo-play entitled "The Eagle's Eye " was screened on Saturday at the Globe Theatre. It is a highlyinteresting instalment of a most exciting story of German intrigue in the United Slates during the war, and the scenes depicted claim the interest of the audience from beginning to end. The story, which is by Mr. W. J. Flynn, the recently, retired chief of the United States Secret Service, deals chiefly with a gigantic plot to cripple th* American Navy.

EMPRESS THEATRE. An excellent and varied programme will be screened at the Empress Theatre, Newton, this evening. The leading film will be an adaptation of Mr. Rudyard Kipling's tine story, "The Nukuhala," which will be followed by the exceedingly amusing Artcraft comedy film, "Are You a. Mason?" Other attractive pictures will include a fine Gazette series, and Mr. Mack Sennett's entertaining comedy film, entitled, " The International Sneak.'"

QUEEN'S THEATRE The story of a mouutain girl, who dared to be herself and to follow where love led, forms a fascinating chief item, screened at the Queen's Theatre this week. Its title is " The Power and tho Glory." The various scenes are beautifully presented, and are entirely in keeping with the theme of the story. A fine supporting picture is the seventh episode of The Fighting Trail."

GRAND THEATRE. A thrillir-g love story, entitled, "In Dodging a Million," is screened this week as the chief item of the fine programme presented at the Grand Theatre. The story is excellently produced, the setting of the pictures being exceptionally good while the beautiful dresses worn by the actresses are a feature of the film. A fino supporting film is shown in the fourth chapter of the intensely exciting serial, entitled, " The House of Hate."

NATIONAL THEATRE. Miss Virginia Pearson, an American actress, who has achieved great fame of recent years, will be seen at the National Theatre this week in the film drama, '"When False Tongues Speak." There were excellent attendances at every session on Saturday, when the picture was presented for the first time, and general appreciation was evinced by the audiences The story is of a young reporter, who becomes acquainted with a good woman, unhappily married. Many exciting incidents occur.