ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17144, 25 April 1919, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

—^ — OPERA HOUSE. Originality is" the essence of the excel* lent vaudeville entertainment given this ■vfaek at the Opera House. Signor and Sigfiora Molifiari, tenor and soprano, givo an enjoyable musical interlude, and other items are given by Leonard Nelson, Corrio | and Baker, and Rieuse and $oger. Tho Tom Haverly- Revuo Company prtsents "Murphy's Elopement." HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. , "The Sorrows of Satan." a film adapta- ! tion of Miss Maris Corelii's famons novel I of the same title, is being screened at His I Majesty's Theatre this week before largo attendances. It is a weird and gripping tale, telling of tho return to earth of Lucifer, after spending thousands cf years cast out from heaven. At the head of a; 'cast which includes many English actors ' and actresses of nots, is Miss Gladys Cooper, the world-famed beauty. The programme is enhanced by a musical melange given by the popular musical" trio, Misses Carrie Lanceley, Ava Symons arid Nellie I Simpson, soprano, violiniste and flautists, : respectively. Miss Doris Strubel is the ', accompanist, and gives some bright monologues. For the first time this evening , " Tho Anzac in Palestine," a record of, Sir Edmund Allenby's operations in that country, will bo screened. NATIONAL THEATRE. Tom Mix will be seen for the last time, to-day at the National Theatre in a fine drama, "Fame and Fortune." A special double-feature programme will be screened ! tomorrow. The principal film is entitled "Bonnie Annie Laurie, and is a 6tory of the great war. In this new photo-mama Mies Peggy Hyland portrays a winsome Scottish lassie who is the affianced bride of a gallant Scots captain. While the latter is at the front she saves the life of a shipwrecked stranger, who wins her true heart's love, ana later proves to be an American officer who has forgotten his own identity. Cast out unjustly by her stern father, Bonnie Annie finds solace in ministering to the wounded soldiers of the Allies, and it is tb«n her rival lovoro are brought to her blinded and injured. How i a sudden turn of fate deepen* her cruel ' dilemma, and how she finds true peace and j happiness in the end, are features of the play. The other attraction is entitled j "Quean of Hearts," and is a detective story, with Miss Virginia Pearson in the title role. Tho 6tory tells of tho arrest of la dangerous criminal, which brings to public attention tho wonderful detective ability of a young and charming woman. This yonng woman's father was found dead under mysterious circumstances by I the police, with a bullet wound in his ' j body. The voung woman's suspicions were ' 'strongly directed toward a group of i gamblers with whom the dead man had been associated. In furtherance of her [ 1 vow to unravel the mystery r-jie became j ! the head of a well-known gambling saloon. | j The cunning methods employed by the i girl detective that finally fastened the i crime on the guilty man are said to form a sensational and absorbing story. STRAND THEATRE. Madge Kennedy and Tom Moore aro , seen together this week at the Strand j Theatre in a. rollicking comedy drama, j j "The Kingdom of Youth." A good sup- i porting programme is screened. To-mor- ; row " The Better "Ole," from Bairns- ! father's cartoons, will be shown. A critic; writes: " Bruce Bairnsfather's story of tho British' Tommy's life in the trenches ie all j human. Laughter, often akin to tears, permeates almost every situation. Tito three soldiers who make most of the story are compared to the Three Musketeers, but I Athos, Potthos, and Aramis, in all the brave swagger of velvet, feathers, curls, and swords, were never human heroes as Old Bill, Alf, and Bert. Dumas' musketeers, after all, are merely tho children of romance; the firm three are warm and alive after many adv«ntures. It falls to Old Bill to do the chivalrous deed of the story; He accidentally fools a soy of his ! plans and just as accidentally has them deciphered, and resolves to frustrate their plans alone. It nearly cost Old Bill his; life, but even that ho faced cheerfully, \ The spirit of gratitude is too lively in ' France;, but Old Bill is saved .at the' . opportune moment by the little French ' girl who shared his secret turning up with j a French general, who pins tbe Croix & { Guerre over his astonished heart and kisses him on both cheeks. . TJVOLI THEATRE. Miss Mary Pickford gives a splendid perfofmance in her characterisation of. Stella Maris, the Artcraft film, which is screened this week at the Tivoli Theatre. ' She impersonates Unity Blake, a queer child with uncouth manners and grotesque appearance.' It would take a very discriminating patron to identify the popular screen favourite in this role. But in that of Stella Maris herself, Miss Pickford is j d'ven an opportunity of displaying her! winsome manner and charming presence i to the full. Although the part calls for little histrionic ability, Miss P-.ekford makes the character, by its very sweetj ness, stand out with rare clarity from i the more sordid background of the play. I The work of the actress, who takes the part of the degenerate wife, ie one of the I finest individual pieces of screen work seen i it Auckland for some time. Her representation of fiendish cruelty is a meritorious piece of work. The noted American actor, Conway Tearle, is also seen to advantage. The scenes, especially the views' in the old-time garden, are delightful. "Stella Maria' is being shown at three sessions daily. To-morrow, Douglas Fairbanks will be seen in bis latest production, entitled " Bound in Morocco." LYRIC THEATRE. The Apostle of Vengeance," screened i at the Lvric Theatre this week, is on 1 excellent Sim. William Hart is in the orincipal role. The story tells of a blood feud, between two families. The father of one is killed by a member of the rival faction, and the eldest son, portrayed by Hart, ia sent for to take his place and carry on the vendetta. On arrival ho proves to be a clergyman, and instead of fighting he endeavours to make pei/io between them. He rescues the daughter of the other family from a lumberman who attacks her, then endeavours to earn' on the propaganda of peace. But his advice is rejected with scorn by the members of his familv, and he is ordered out of tho 1 house by his younger brother, who i threatens"him with a rifle. As it is evident , that ho is a coward, lie lives in a l'-ttle '. cottage op tho hillside. Events hurry along fast, as his own sister is attacked , by a member of the opposing family, and ' to save herself from worse than death, she ' ' jumps from a bridge into a stream and is ' j carried away by the rapids. Many exciting ' incidents occur. •

PRINCESS THEATRE. The principal film screened at the Princess Theatre this week is most enjoyable' and is entitled " Lend Me Your Name." The late Harnld is in the principal role, and gives a very capable characterisation. 'ho » lnr briefly, is as follows: The Karl of Gilleigh finds a burglar in his room, and each realises that he is the doublo of the other. Both of these part* aro played bv Harold Lorkwnod. The earl trades identities with the intruder, in order to escape his unruly wife, and many complications furnish scene after scene of fun fo" tho spectators. To-morrow, a special 1 programme will be screened. The feature will bo an adaptation of ono of 0. Henry's masterpiece* of short-story writing, entitled " Find the Woman." In the chief part will be dainty Miss Mice Joyce, who is a pronounced favourito with 'Auckland picture-goers. The story tolls of a beautiful girl who is inveigled into a society scandal. Tho scenes are laid in romantic Louisiana, and ninny parts of New Orleans, near the levees, are shown. Special music will be played by the Princess augmented orchestra. GRAND THEATRE.. "Cassidy,"' and origiral dnima, telling of the many adventures of an riah waif, is screened at the Grand Theatre this week. To-morrow, for the first time in Auckland, a dramatic film. " Tho Balcony of Death," will be screened. Mile, Rachel Devirys, a'beautiful young actress of tho Palais Royal, Paris, whoso advent to tho screen has been hailed with acclamation by all enthusiast*, appears in the principal role,, The jtory is of a beautiful young • i

girl, whose mother is possessed of a pas-1 sion for cards and racehorses, and, consefluently,' is Unable to provide" a dowry for her daughter. The mother wins £120 on a horse she had been informed of by some distant relative of a jockey acquainted with' her dressmaker's assistant, and goes with the family to Monte Carlo to back more horses. At Monte Carlo she meets a rich count, who marries her daughter after many adventures. Other films will bo screened. QUEEN'S THEATRE. " Tho Apostle of Vengeance," with William Hart in the principal role, will bo screened at the Queen's Theatre for tho last time to-day. Mr. Hart appears as , a clergyman, and gives , an excellent characterisation of a difficult role. Tho story tells of a deadly feud between two I families. On the death of the father of ,; one, the eldest son k summoned from ' abroad' to continue the vendetta. The son, a clergyman, instead of seeKing ~ revenge, endeavours to make peaco between ■ the two families. Another chapter of ! " The Fighting Trail " is also screened. To-morrow. Franklyn Farnum and Anna j liaison will appear in what is said to bo ija thrilling Metro drama, entitled "In Judgment Of." EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "Barbary Sheep," an excellent photoday, continues to attract a large gathering at Everybody's Theatre this week. It is a splendid play telling of lifo in Algiers ana Morocco. „ EMERY BROS:' CIRCUS. Emery Bros.' Circus, on the Old Dock, site, continues to attract large attendances. The Australian buckjumpers' contest will be concluded to-day. The sea-saw ! ponies give a fino performance, and altogether an excellent programme is sub* . mitted.