ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9600, 5 March 1917, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. To-night, at the popular Fuller vaudeville house, a new and entertaining programme will be submitted by Mr Ben J. Fuller. Mr Victor Prince and his musical comedy company will be seen in a new revue, which is said to bo one of the most hilarious productions yet submitted by this merry coterie of favourites. It is entitled “The Beauty Shop.” Mr Prince’s wholesome comedy work and unlimit ed versatility are well known, and his admirers are legion, and it therefore seems superfluous to detail again his undoubtedly remarkable (capabilUifiM. Suffice to say, the weighty comedian has a part which gives full opportunity for a display of his breezy personality and comicalities. He will be supported by Miss Lillian Colenso, Miss Pearl Livingston, Mr Yorke Gray, Mr Charles Zoli, Miss Dorothy Hastings, and a full company of ballerinas and comedians. An American artist of great repute, Air Billy Mann, is announced for his first appearance in Wellington to-night. Air Alann was engaged for the f uller circuit direct from the largest and most famous fine of variety houses in America, the famous Orpheum “line.” He is a frontrank comedian, and has won fame throughout the United States as an exponent of hlack-face humour and vocalism. In the Australian theatres he was a gigantic success, and on his showing in Christchurch and Dunedin bids fair to duplicate his Australian triumphs in New Zealand. Early and Laight have an entirely new sketch to offer, which is entitled “Some Baby,” and they will bo assisted by Aliss Glen Echo, a young soubrette of ability. That king of “drunks,” Mr Pino Percival, is still on the bill, and he also will have something now to proffer. Marjory Aiwyn, contralto, and Leonard’s performing poodles will complete a splendid Erogramme. The same programme will e repeated nightly for one week. Intending competitors in the forthcoming "Fox Trot” competition are reminded that Mr Gray and Aliss Lang will be in attendance at the theatre to-night at 6 o’clock for the purpose of instructing contesting couples in the competition dance. There is no entrance fee, and handsome prizes will be given ny the management. The audience yvill Judge the competition on’ the night it is to take place. THE EMPRESS. A sensational story of Russian intrigue and mystery, entitled “The Scarlet Oath,” was shown for the first time at the Empress Theatre on Saturday. Tlfc film is really the last word in sensatfon; mystery is piled upon mystery, and there is a mesh of inch dents that must gladden the hearts of picture theatre patrons who love the startling. The great film star, Gai) Kane, plays dual roles—one the character of a light-hearted girl who has just become engaged to a successful business man, the other of the daughter of a Russian anarchist who has sworn to avenge the death of her mother. These two characters a<re sisters- The scene at the revolutionists’ meeting in Warsaw, where a plot is being hatched for'the assassination of the Chief of Police, and the police appear just as the scarlet oath ,is being taken, is tense and full of realism. Then the picture of the torture chamber of the Chief of f Police is shown in all its horrors. Singularly beautiful, too, is the snow-covered, desolate country through, which the police chase the daughter of the Russian anarchist after she has avenged the death of her mother by killing the Chief of Police. The finale is tragic to a degree. Altogether the picture is a remarkable one. There are some excellent supporting subjects, including » Sydney Drew Vitagraph comedy entitled “The Professional Patient,” in which a dentist hires a patient to leave the surgery with tooth in hand and a glad smile on his face. This restores the wavering courage of the waiting patients. An interesting number of the Path© Gazette is also shown. EVERYBODY'S. This popular theatre seems well named, for nearly everybody patronises it. Even the press critic has a hard job to- get in at times like Saturday night, when' the admirers of Billie Burke turned out in great numbers. The leading screen story was a continuation of a film novel entitled “Gloria’s Romance.” in which the charming Billie, taking the part of a millionaire’s daughter, contrives to get lost, after wrecking an expensive automobile. Two admirers run after her, as well as her own kith and kin. Gloria has some queer adventures in the course of her ramble through the wood, falling in at first with a rustic family, who relieve her of her money, her bracelet, and (by request) her expensive clothes. She gets in exchange short pants and a rustic cap. The short pants enable Billie to display her well-turned ankles to advantage, as well as get through the forest mote easily than with skirts. She falls in with some Indians, one of whom proposes to make her his squaw—but Billie is too well-bred for that, and prefers death to a loss of oaste, like a true millionaire’s daughter. She escapes the knife of the rejected Indian, who has a fine rough-and-tumble with one of Gloria’s admirers. Just then another young fellow comes on the scene, and carries off the girl, leaving his rival to settle with the Indian. Of course he gets all the credit—which makes the real hero feel sore. . How the thing ends can be guessed, but if readers desire to know positively, it may be mentioned that the film novel will be continued this week. Douglas Fairbanks is seen in “Reggie Mixes In,” a picture which was produced in America, and' is characteristically lively. KINGbS THEATRE. Both as a drama and a scenic .“The Stronger Love,” screened at the King’s Theatre this week, js a most attractive film. The play, the scene of which is laid in a picturesque and mountainous region of the United States, deals (1) with the blood feud between the .Serviss and' Rutherford clans; (2) with the love story o| Nell Serviss and her cousin Jim, caused to run none too smoothly by a passing fancy on Nell’s part for a handsome stranger, geologising on the mountains, who turns out to be a Rutherford, caught young by the city and civilised: and (3) more or less incidentally, with an illicit still run by the Serviss clan, but detected and fired by the "revenooers.” The plot, as may well be imagined, abounds in thrills, and the drama was greatly enjoyed by large audiences on Saturday afternoon and evening. “Legal Advice,” illustrating most amusingly the adventures of a young lady lawyer, starting in practice in the far West, is a strong supporting film; and the Gaumonl Graphic series of topical

film-paragraphs is of fimre than usual interest. THE CROWN. At the Crown Theatre, Thorndofi, will he introduced this evening a superb “feature” photoplay ‘ The valley of the Missing,” which is interpreted by a cast entirely new to New Zealand. The story is by the noted writer Grace Millar Witte, authoress of “Tess of the Storm Country.” CITY ORGANIST S RECITAL. The city organist was successful in thoroughly interesting the audience which assembled at the Town Hall on Saturday night with the programme he presented, some old favourites being brought forward, notably the “Peer Qynt” Suite of Grieg, Blumenfeld's Prelude, and Handel’s Concerto in D Minor. A work new to Wellington audiences was Emanuel Moor’s “Chorale” (Op. 82), and proved to be a thoroughly musical composition.