ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10542, 19 March 1920, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

“THE ROTTERS." * I Tlio Grand Opera House was well at- , tended last evening when. H. E. d ley's clever comedy, “The Betters, ' was again staged by the Allan Wilkie Company. The play is brimful of humourous dialogue and ludicrous _ situations j. which, kejit the audience heartily amused 0 throughout the performance. The plot it has to do with « self-made man. Counr cillor Clugston, who impresses on his family the necessity of maintaining » G reputation of great respectability, 'ihe e members of the Clugston family, howr ■ ever, develop a perversity which is em- « bjarrassing and annoying to the worthy councillor.- In the end he is exhibited s as an utter hypocinite under laughable circumstances. Mr Allan Wilkie as ~ CliugstoiV/i chauffeur, iMfiss /I'iredrswyde “ Hunter-Watts as the elder Mias Clugston, •" and Mr Edward Eamdor as Clugston give ' excellent impersonations. The last two performances of “The Totters” are nnnounced for this evening and to-morrow \’ evening. The box plan will be at the * Bristol till 5 p>m. to-diay and after that * hour at Ned Perry's. HIS MAJESTY'S. ;• His Majesty's Theatre was well ■ patronised last evening when every item II of a generous programme. by Pullers’ 3 Vaudeville Company was enthusastically i> received. Among the chief attractions are the acts by Paul, Stanhope’s Bevue * Company, Maud Courtenay and Mr * "C,” Webber and Shaw, Mr Louis Lon- '• don, and Miss Elsie Brown. The bill wall be presented again this evening and there will he a matinee to-morrow. ' EMPRESS THEATBE. s Commencing from to-day the Empress^ ~ Theatre will have a complete change of . programme every Friday instead o< Sat- . urday as has been the rule in the past. , The -star picture, comme-nciing to-d«y,' will be a seven-reel comedy-drama by the - name of "Ginger.” It is rather a dar- . ing experiment to screen a film on the - subject of calf-love, especially when the . principals are of the ages suited to the acquirement of the -disease. But by a , happv chance in the selection of the , principals the World Film Corporation has made a distinct hit with "Ginger,” the romance of a New York of erookdom. By a kindly twist of Fortune’s wheel “Ginger,” as she is called, 1 becomes the adopted daughter of a judge, whoso only son, Bobby, years ‘ after, marries her. The rivalry of a ; newspaper boy for “Ginger’s” affections introduces amusing episodes during a ; violent attack of calf-love, which spreads 1 to all three. Why “Ginger" married Bobby must be left to the story. The. ; story is featured by some fine battle i episodes on the French war front during tho big scrap. Tho fourth episode of ; “The Man of Might," called "The Grrpi ping Hand.” will be also shown, and the Gaumont Graphic and topical news will l make up the remainder of this week’s new •programme. KING’S. THEATBE. Sensational incidents and thrilling moments - are the features of the new Paraltn film drama, "A Burglar for a Night," starring J. Warren Kerrigan, to be screened tonight. * The hero burglar goes - a-burgling an a good cause, butwhen he is caught in -the act it is. realised that good causes do not justify burglary, and things happen very quickly indeed. As his captor is a woman, and a very ‘pretty woman at that, the situation is not so terrible as ft looks at firstsight, in fact the burglar eventually gets a wife out of it. But it’s a. long and highly exciting story. Supporting films include soenic, comedy, and the latest “Gazette.” A special feature this week will be a selection from Verdi’s “II Trovatore,” to be played by the. King’s Grand Orchestra of ten of New Zealand’s best instrumentalists' under the leadership of Mr L. D. Austin. Mrs J. F. Woodward, soprano will be beard in "Rosebuds” (Arditti), “Lilac Domino,” and "'On Miami Shore.” EVERYBODY'S THEATBE. An exceptionally good programme has been arranged for screening at Everybody’s, commencing to-day. The picture is entitled “Put up Your Hands,” and features Margarita Fisher. The story of this picture follows tho adventures of a high-spirited girl with too much rod blood in. her veins to suit her blue-blood-ed relations. She goes with her father to the wild raining- country of the West, and soon finds adventures more than enough to satisfy the cravings of her dare-devil spirit. Among other things 'she is a devotee and skilled exponent of the noble art, and no mean performer cither, ns some of the sensational incidents in the play amply demonstrate. '■ FAREWELL CONCERT. An exceptional concert is being organised as a farewell to Mr \V. W. Crawford, one of Wellington’s most popular elocutionists and entertainers, who has accepted an engagement with J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Mr Crawford’s versatility has for marry years been a source of pleasure to Wollrngtomans. In. “Snn Toy’’ Mr Crawford gave an. admirable rendition of the part of Yen How, and picture-goers who saw C. J. Dennis’s “Sentimental Bloke” will not forgot his interpretation of "I’ve Chucked up rny Pals for my Donah," and his quaint dance. The farewell concert has .been fixed for March 23rd. 5 GRAND OPERA HOUSEThe Vernon Spencer management announces another series of competitions for adults arrd children to take place at tho Grand Opera House on Saturday, March 27th. Tho prizes, amounting to 20 guineas, will be distributed amongst the winners. Those competitions are becoming popular, and the liberal prizes oiVred ishould 1 stimulate .keen imrbercst among vaudeville aspirants. Intending competitors are advised to write immodnately to Vernon Spencer, P.O. Box 1195, Wellington.