ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17145, 26 April 1919, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

COMIO OPERA " MAYTIME." The popular J. C. Williamson Royal | Comic Opera Company, headed by Miss ] Florence Young, will appear at His 1 'Majesty's Theatre on Thursday, May 8, * in the three-act musical comedy, " May- I I time." Tho lyrics m by Rida Johnson J } Young and the music by Sigmund Rom- c berg. The story deals with four periods I fl in the history of an old Dutch family in ! j New York City. The first scene is set in j £ 1840 and the last in the twentieth cen- I j tury. On the surface the play is some-1 j what akin to " Milestones," and the mam- 1 1 ; bers of the cast have the heavy task of i j. I impersonating characters during various • j j stages of life from youth to old age. Tho | (| j play will be interpreted by the following ; j prominent members of the Royal Comic ;. Opera Company : — Messrs. Reginald i / I Roberts, Leslie Holland, John Forde, John 11 Ralston, Percy Claridge, C. R. Lantock i. and Phil Smith, Misses Florence Young, I, Gladys Moncrieff, Olive Godwin, Addie ' Lennard, Maie Baird, Alice Williams, Eva c Webber. The box plans for tho Grst six J nights will be opened at Wildman, and * Arey's, Tuesday, May 6. c OPERA HOUSE. i Tho present programme will bo concluded at the Opera House this evening. A sensational feature if to be introduced . on Monday evening; this is the "Devil's . Whirl," aa presented by the Staig troupe, ' who, mounted upon motor cycles, repeat- . edly loop the loop inside a huge silver- J steel cage. The dauntless riders will be . attired as demons and the cage will be swathed in red fire. The giant globe is . an expensive and unique apparatus, which . vfas built in America, and took several . months to make, at a cost of over £2000. j MISS BARTLEY'S PUPILS' RECITAL, j f The programme of the recital to be j given by Miss Zoo Bartley's pupils nest j Tuesday evening shows that to those interested in elocution and dramatic art a diversified and entertaining performance , } is promised. On this occasion Miss Bart- '. ley is presenting mostly her more ad- | .vanced pupils, and a feature of the pro- I j graramo will bo the number of costume j sketches, both grave and gay, many of »j which are being given for the first time in . Auckland. A number of songs and musical ■, sketches are included in the programme, , and several of these will bo presented in i new and beavitiful costumes, with special i lighting effects. Tho performance will I ( conclude with a charming >.id-time cos-1 ( tume comedy in one act. " Penelope," pre- j sented for the first time in New Zea- , { land. The box plan is now open at Wild- ( man and Arey's, and seats may be booked without extra charge. MUNICIPAL ORGAN RECITAL. \ A popular programme has been arranged j ( for tne..organ recital in the Town Hall tonight. The city organist will play works',! by Harwood and Dubois, Schubert's Mili- 1 , tary March, Strawberry Fair for bells and '. organ, and a fantasia on national airs.j , Miss Miua Caldow has selected songs by ; ' Saint Saens and Rudd, and "Alas, Thos, : Chimes," from "Maritana." i INVITATION RECITAL. An invitation recital, by Mrs. irthur Griffiths and family, assisted by pupils, will be presented in the Town Hall con- , cert chamber on Saturday and Monday, | May 3 and 5. The programme will include I costume scenes from Shakespeare and, Dickens, and classic dances, monologues, nnd sketches. A fairy play will also be staged. Songs will be sung by Miss Lalla Knight and Mr. Atkinson, the accompanist being Miss Marjory Earlo. Seats may be reserved at Wildman and Arey's. THE BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA. The Bohemian Orchestra will give the first concert of its sixth season in the Town : Hall on Thursday, May 8. The orchestra has been augmented by several members who have just returned from tho front. New subscribers can enrol with the secre-, tary. Mr. A. W. Robertson, 189, Queen Street. STRAND THEATRE. "The Better 'Ole" will be screened at the Strand Theatre to-day. A critic says of the play: "To say that 'The Better 'Ole' is old England's masterpiece of film production is no ex alteration. The play, made world-famous by the Bairnsfather cartoons,, has had a run of conspicuous success everywhere on account of its wonderful appeal to humanity at home from humanity in the trenches, as represented ! bv the svmbolic characters, Alf, Bert, nnd ' Old Bill,' ai'd all that they stand for. The ', film goes further than the play, it being t easier to reproduce more faithfully the, incidents depicted on the screen, where! all nature is the stajo, than in a theatre i where production is limited by mechanical ; devices and imitations. The dory, while being woven into-the Romance of Old Bill. is plentifully besprinkled with those won-! derfully lifelike incidents of adversity which Bairnsfather so humorously depicted for the delectation of the whole world. The characters, which have become so dear to British hearts, seem to spring to life, and are henceforth true beings, hitherto existent only in the imagin- > ation. The Alfs. Berts, and Old Bills will now live in every home, an>i will embody ! that spirit of emulation and sacrifice that love of fellow-kind, and, above all, that. infinite sense of humour and the ridiculous, | irhich enabled them to 'keep on carrvin', jn.' In the face of unknown and hideous ; adversity,, they rose triumphant'with the self-same smile and joke that they woro an the portals of the Great Beyond. While 1 The Better 'Ole' brings the tears of sympathy, unashamed, to the eyes, it also, -harms them away immediately with lashes of scintillating wit. like glistening iowdiops in the early sun-rays." j NATIONAL THEATRE. I Two notable pictures are to be shown it the National Theatre to-day. The first )f these will be " The Queen of Hearts, i society drama in which Virgin l * Pearson s said to act with distinction. (Believing that he caused the death of her father, a :onscience-stricken young man is known to have mado a complete confession to tho ;irl he wan engaged to marry. While folding a loaded revolver he had discharged the weapon accidentally. The bullet passed through a door behind which the girl's parent wus seated. Whon the latter's body was found later, tho' daughter vowed to hunt down the one who bad fired the fatal shot. When the chain of evidence reached to her Banco the young woman questioned i him, and he thereupon unburdened fiimself of his secret. The identity of the criminal is disclosed in this exciting photo-play. The second " feature" will be " Bonnie Annio Laurie," in which Peggy Hyland will be in the principal role. Of this picture an American critic said" In the new William Fox production, " Bonnie Annie Laurie," a succession of stirring scenes in No Man's Land, the war-swept area between the two great armies in France, are shown with absolute fidelity and intense realism. Out of this inferno of death and heroism is born the solution of one cf the sweetest, most tender love tales ever shown on the screen." GRAND THEATRE. "The Balcony of Death" is the title of the principal him to be screened to-day it the Grand Theatre. Miss Rachel Devisys, of the Palais Royal, Paris, is in the principal role. Some of the features of the play are scenes from Monte Carlo, irTiere many of the incidents of tho play Dccur, and the "chic" fashions displayed by the actresses. How a perfectly innocent past can rise up from nothing and nearly wreck three lives and be eventually returned to its proper generation, is told by the picture. Scones of Paris life, tho races at Longchamps. and the- Casino at Monte Carlo are faithfully portrayed. In i p>»rt which gives her every opportunity i)f disp'aying her ability in scenes requiring great emotion, Miss Devisys is said to jive a fine characterisation. Her dresses, if possible, add g»eatljr to her charm. She is supported by M. Jourdains end Jean Ayme, two of the most prominent French actors of the day. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. 'The Sorrows of Satan", continues to attract large attendances nightly to His Majesty's Theatre. The photo-play, which b taken from a novel of the same name bv Marie Corelli,- is replete with rapid action and gripping situations. Gladys Cooper, an English actress of repute, bead* the, cast. Excelled ■I

films, showing tho deeds of the New Zealand soldiers in Palestine, are shown also. Several pleasing interludes of musical itoms are given by Misses Lanceley, Bymons, Taylor, and Strublo. • TIVOLI THEATRE. A new Fairbanks production, " Bound in Morocco," will be screened at the Tivoli Thealtre to-day. It is said that the story makes it possible for Mr. Fairbanks to present several sensational feats. One worthy of mention is a dive from the top t of a high sand diino upon the shoulders 1 of an Arabian rider, who is passing by j on a swiftly speeding horse beneath. This ( ie followed by an exciting hand to band . fight on the desert sands, which is exceedingly thrilling. Qp-Bued across the burn- « ing sands of Sahara by Arab policemen, 1 this boy, enjoying the race for life, left 3 his pursuers enveloped in a sand cloud. { Barred by a tribe of fierce bandit 3, he shot ] ] about a dozen, laughing gleefully as he mdtored out of the melee, leaving the . bandits swearing vengeance upon him. ' On reaching the City of El Harib, he « hears the screams of a beautiful girl who ] I is being dragged into the Governor's I harem. Tbp boy is told that it is certain '< death to enter a harem. He gains admis- 1 ( sion to the harem, foils the callous Basha, t rescues, the girl, and generally upsets the 1 city, still smiling his way through the 1 dangers that are said to tax his American i ingenuity and wit to their utmost. ] PRJNCESS THEATRE. 1 " Find the Woman," said to be a splen- < did photo-play, will be screened at the < Princess Theatre to-day. A critic writes I of the film:— gifted author of tho 0. Henry stories must have been in a ] romantic mood when he wrote " Find the j Woman," which lias been produced on the i Bcreen by the Vitngraph Company as a i Blue Ribbon feature. The picture is a i love story, with Madeline Reuard, of tho i French Opera Company of New Orleans, as < its heroine, Alice Joyce plays the part, i and makes it human and appealing. I Modem realism has little in common with i the method and personality of this refined I and earnest actress; the gentleness and charm of the young opera singer who is i the central character in 'Find the ] Woman.' fits her in every way, Tom Terries directed the picture. His work is . greatly to bis credit. The New Orleans : exteriors are well chosen, and there are i glimpses of an old garden that are very ; beautiful. Doles? one knows New Orleans intimately, it is difficult to realise that tho scenes of the story are in tho United States and the time is to-day. The entire atmosphere is French, and 0. Henry has caught the style of the French romantic school. Mmo. Tibault, the < keeper of tho cafe, who pastes a fortune in Government bonds over a crack in the wall, is a char- . actcr that belong to a land different from ~ ours." 11 LYRIC THEATRE. - The film adaptation of the famous series ■ of cartoons by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather ■ "The Better Ole,'' will be screened to- . day for the first time in New Zealand, at the Lyric Theatre. An American journal ; says of tho photoplay: "The tale ol , ' The Bettor "Ole" is too well-known to , retell, but the film play visualises it in a new'form. This romance of Old Bill : has its worth in its symbolism, Juan- : kind always searches for symbols to carry , its thoughtr-the' Great War has its symbol to British people— is Old Bill, ue epitomises for us the old army that was in being, and the new army that rose to ; the call. He stands for dogged devotion , to duty, unfailing humour ana'unflinching . valour. The laugh in the face of death. . that wins great victories— doeji it I betoken ? Not levity, but pride of race— I i the common possession of British peer ; and peasant. This adventure of Old Bill, which became his romance, is only typical of thousands of incidents bred of the Great War, but it conveyed the message of cheer, the doctrine of ' carry on,' to ' the- men in the trenches, to those who , waited in, the widespread homes from : which, they came, . and though' tost a. j modest romance, became a vital message ] at a vital moment." QUEEN'S THEATRE. , A new programme will be screened at the Queen's Theatre to-day. The principal film is entitled "In. Judgment of.' Tho story tells of Mary Manners, who possesses the occult powers of mind reading. Mary's father, who is a power in politics, and her mother, view this gift with uneasiness, as it enables their daughter to read their .. unformed, thoughts, often causing them great embarrassment. One day, at a lonely spot on a country road, Mary's automobile is brought to a sudden : i standstill. A man appears, and she is ; struggling with him when Dr. John ! O'Neal, a young physician whose parent- ' age is shrouded in mystery, comes up. He , disarms the highwayman and drives him 1 off, then turns his attention to Mary, who 1 has fainted. He is amazed when, upon ; returning to consciousness, Mary calls : him by name. She invites him to a lawn , party at her house, but he demurs, not knowing how he will bo received socially. I She assures him that the mystery surrounding his birth will be cleared, thereby causing him more mystification. GLOBE THEATRE. Owing to the unprecedented success of the Australian ' film, "The Hayseeds," 1 shown for the last week at the Globe i Theatre, screenings w ! be continued to- ' day. The picture has a certain Australian atmosphere, which apparently appeals to I the popular fancy. 4 The main characters i are played by prominent Australian actors. I On the same programme will be shown ; the ninth episode of the serial, "The Eagle's Eye. EMPRESS THEATRE. Clara Kimball Young will be seen in " Shirley Kaye," a fine society drama, at! the Empress Theatre to-night. Tho supporting pictures include The Scarlet I Runner" and a 2000 ft Keystone film. On I Monday a great double programme will be I screened. Harold Lockwood will appear in " T,end Me Your Name," ana Olivo Thomas in " Limousine Life." "THE HAYSEEDS." Owing to the very large attendances at, the Globe Theatre during the week the management has decided to extend the season to another three nights, when the ■ laughable comedy, " The Hayseeds," will be presented. PALACE THEATRE. William S. Hart, well known to Auckland picturegners as a sins exponent of i Western roles, will be. seen at the Palace i Theatre to-day in his latest production, , "Tho Apostle ol Vengeance." It is a tale of a mountain vendetta and how the eldest ; son of the family ends the feud. Other , films will be screened. ' EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. A new programme, including what is ' said to be a fine Charlie Chaplin film, will ' be screened at Everybody's Theatre to-day. A special orchestra will play selections. i EMERY BROS.' CIRCUS. Large crowds have been present daring > the week at Emery Bros.' Circus, on the ' Old Dock Site. Several excellent "turns" I j are provided, and the buck-jumping dift- ?' plays are very fine. Performances will r be given to-day and this evening.