AMUSEMENTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue 13047, 9 January 1917, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

THE WAYBACKS. Mr Philip Lytton's Australian comedy "The Waybaeks," which will be presented at the Municipal Opera House, to-night (Tuesday) is one of vivid char-' aeterisation rather than plot, and special care was necessary in ' selecting artists for the various parts. One of the outstanding features of the producr tion is the excellent acting of Mr William- Stewart in the part of "Dads," who, while steering clear of burlesque and clowning, reaches a. high level of ..portraiture. The old selector, racy of the soil, from first to last visualises in hi 9 rugged personality the gril and courage of his class. Miss Jane King is a. decorative feature of life in the backf ■blocks as "Felicia Holmes," the bush schoolmistress. Others promineui/iiii a. long cast are Mr Harry Hodson as. "Dan Robins," a neighboring selector; Mr Frank Shepard as "Charley Lyons," the awkward, vet ardent "Romeo of Prickly Flat": Mr Herbert Stallard, Mr' John Fernside, Miss BettertonGlover, Miss Blanche Blair, Miss Lucy Adair, and! Mr Cleave M'Grath. Unusual interest has been aroused by the visit of this comedy company, and it seems' assured that the Australian and New Zealand successes will be repeated! in Oamaru.

HAYWARDS-FULLBRS' PICTURES

A good house greeted the screening of the change of . programme- at. the Oper.j'House-last night, The star film is a production of T. W. "Griffiths; "Daphne, and the Pirate," featuring Lilian Gish, tjie charming heroine of "The Birth of a Nation." The story opens in France, where Daphne lives. a free and wild' life in a forest, with an. indulgent uncle. Then Philip',, son of one cf the Kin g':f courtiers, comes and' makes lpvo to Irr, hut she refuses, him. Fascinated, Philip hires three ruffiansi to kidnap her and convey her to a housei in Paris, where she is to be kept until, ho calls. In the meantime, however,'he .becomes involved in a duel with the King's counsellor, whom he kills, thus having to flee for his life. He takes refuge in an inn, where he is-drugged' by pirates and taken to saa as a recruit. Meanwhile the King's men have raided the house in which Daphne was lodged,; for women, fpr the marriage market in America. Daphne is seized along with! several others iuid .transported. On the; voyage they, meet thr. pirate ship, and a fight ensues, in which the King's ship eventually comes out on top. The final scene shows Philip niid Daphne united, living in contentment and peace with" Daphne's uncle. Special mention might be made,' of the fight scene, w'iiere the two ships are fighting throughout the night, the flares and flashes of the guns' being marvellously realistic. This programme will be screened for the last time at the Picture Palace to-night.