AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15183, 30 June 1911, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

, HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. t Lovers o£ pood musical comedy 1 oould >• not reasonably expect a botter programme 3 than that which, tho management at rlis Majesty's Theatre again presented last . night. "Tho Arcadians" is a play .that , compels laughter, not only on,the occasion l of first witnessing it. but afterwards, for : many of its situations are extremely amus- - ing. Tho house, which was crowded down- , stairs and quite full in the circle, heartily enjoyed tho performance. The beauti'ul > 6tngo ' effects and tho elaborate dresses, ; notably in tho racecourse soenc, aro some-. ) tKinif out of the ordinary, and Dunedin . audiences will remember them for a long , time. Tli© dancing, the staging, nnd the ! incidental music each came in for its share of tho lavish appreciation of the audience. Mr Tom Walls and Mr Fred Winn gained i tho unstinted nlaudits of tho house for i their exceedingly clover performances, and , tho others taking _ prominent parts helped ■ admirably to sustain the mirth of the piece . right to the close. "The .Arcadia.us" wili 1 bs repeated to-night and to-morrow night. I "The Belle of Brittant." On Monday night next will ba starred ; "The Belle of Brittany," a musical play i with a long English and American '.un to i its credit. Mr Tom Walls, Miss Florence : Quinii, Mr Fred Winn, and tho other meml hers of the company have congenial parts. > Some fine scenery has been painted by Mv > I'hil Goatohcr, ajid the dressing, which • lias boon designed by Mr Percy Anderson, ' will be another feature of the piece. Tho story is set in most picturesque surroundings in Brittany, there is plenty of humour in the play, and tho comcdians have gcod scope. POLLERS' PICTURES. Charles Dickons wrote his famous novel ' "A Talo of Two Cities" in the year 1859; ' his opening chnptere were descriptive of tho conditions prevailing in England' and , Franco in 1775, and r.ow in U:o year of graco 1911-wo in Dunedin are being shown pictures illustrative of the incidents of tho ; novel. - Such aro tho strides being made by the manufacturer of the cinematographic 1 film. Necessarily the illustrations in feme instances do . not accord entirely with'tho story as related by Dickens, but, this not- : withstanding, tho dramatist has worked out ' a splendid and connected series of pictures which give an excellent idea of tho groat 1 struggle which took place between the 1 French people and tho aristocrats r n the eighteenth century, culminating in tho terrible scenes of blood which shocked the world. The story as depicted at the Princess Theatre last evening was oommejiccd by pictures of the condition of serfdom to , which tho lower Frenoh classes had been . brought, and then the spectators were made acquainted with the haughty Marquis de . Foromondc, his nephew, Charles Darnay. Dr Manette, and his daughter Lucie, title . Defarges, Jan-is Lorry, and Sydney Car- , ton, tho scenes in which tho actors and . actresses portrayed the several incidents , | being beautifully arranged and finely in- | terprcbed. Tho lurid and awe-inspiring . scenes consequent on tho taking of tho Bastillo wore presented with life-like offeot, ; the Vojigcance and Madame Dcfaye—her knitting done—being generally shown lead- . ing on tho rabble of sansculottes. The last , tableau, showing Sydney Carton—the n»n , of good abilities and • noble emotions, tho victim of fate—standing on the oiiillotino awaiting the tragic climax of his supremo , self-sacrifice, was most impressive; and as . | the film was allowed to fade away grai:lu- . | ally into opa<iuenii>ss as tho soricw con- . eluded, one could not but breathe a siirfi of relief that " tho best of tinws and the worst of tim«" aro not coir l|Jncs. Tho Fuller management must be complimented [ on having s«cumd this (pia-nd historical drama of the French Revolution. "Glimpses of China" gave some fine studies of certain ph?«e3 of life in tihis sreat Eafttcirn country, while "The Magnet" proved ex-

eeptionally educative, showing the drawing powers of magnets, and illustrating how tho mariner's compass is- worked and can be affected by magnetism and otheT interesting characteristics coming within this province. "Survival of t.lfo Fittest" docs in any way describe an cxcollent lot of films, in which wonderful pictures of a travelling circus with its attendant menagerie are shown, as also the animals going through' their exercises under tho care of a trainer, etc., in a huge enclosure, tlie whole being rounded off by an exciting c7i • oa ' the daughters of tho proprietor bsing tho object of tho aftcefcion and consequent jealousy between two rivals. Pathe's Gazette is full ?i C3 r?, nt • sra P s ' ,o^ Si an <l " Society and tho Man is responsible for a splendid dramatic story. The ccnncs are calculated to drive away the woret attack of tho megrims, being all intensely ludicrous. In addition, ttere is tile artistic music played by U>o orchestra, which helps in no small degree towards tile success of the evenings entertainment.

lIAYWARD'S PICTURES. Tho current programme, of pictures at -the Burns Hall is an exceptionally wellarranged one, and as the widely-varied' subjects are unfolded in uninterrupted sequence -every section of the audience finds itself alternately interested and amused. The dramatic element in which tho regular patrons find such keen delignt U supplied • by such pictures as " John Mjinchot's Lie," "A Bad Man's Down. fa"i' and '■ Tho Broken Trail." A thoroughly _ enjoyable scenic is entitled bummer in the North," while tho comics are numerous and would be hard to im. pio.vo .HP 01 '; A very capablo orchestra under Mr Parker dispenses music of wide , \ancty and oxcellont quality. KING'S THEATRE. Tho current programme at the King's . ■theatre was received" with manifest approval last-evening. The opening part of tie entertainment is charmingly set, .and the items contributed by those figuring in it are uniformly good The Kelso Boys . (club jugglers), tho Lewis Sisters (a dainty . combination), ICearns ■ and Roslyn (comedy duo), and Gardner and Le Mar (jiu-jitsu . experts), and others provide an excellent bili. The same programmo will bo presented this evening. ARCADIA PICTURES. Ihe attendance at the Arcadia Picture Palaco at Cttrgill's Corner was again most satisfactory last night, when the programme " was submitted for the last time. A complete new programme will bo submittal ■ this evening, and tile new pictures promise to lxr well up to the standard of former eeries. "Lochinvar" is a pictorial adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's ■famous ballad, whilo " The Heart of the Sierras" is a sensational film of lifo in tho Far West. There are several American oomedy films, notably " Forty-five Minutes from Broadway." In the company's illustrated bulletin aro included dredging on the Molyueux, a Maori carver ' at work, a study of the kea, and the second series of Lawyer's Head: seascapes. A children's matinee is announced for tomorrow afternoon. . CONCERT AT.CAVERSHAM.. Tlie Caversham Presbyterian Hall was crowded to the doors last night by an audience that was well rewarded for' its attendance by listening to a well-arranged. entertainment promoted to assist the fundi of the looa.l Girls' Club. Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., very briefly expressed his pleasure at seeing such a large gathering, and explained the good purpose for which tho entertainment was being held. A long programme full of well-selected items was then gone through, and in consequence of insistent encores the performances were not concluded until a late hour. The lady soloists were Mesdames Monkman-Demp-ster, Ea-ston, and PoweT, the Misses Mazengarb (2) and Pitcher, Messrs M'Namara, >Y. and E. Morgan, and Barling. Musical monologues, duets, quartets, and character recitals by Miss Bain vaiied tho programme agreeably, and the. entertainment closed; with a comody sketch entitled " Mrs Twobcdy's Dilemma," in which the Misses B. Macfic, Simpson; and I. Mazcngarb wado tlio best uso of opportunities to amuse. . Miss Queenie Foster and others played accompaniments to the vocalists. WILLIAM ANDERSON'S NEW. DRAMA. Playgoers who saw and enjoyed Walter .. Howard's drama, "The Midnight Wedding," will, probably attend at , Hia. Majesty's Theatre on Wednesday evening : next, when Mr William Anderson will .. enter upon a.season-, with a new drama' entitled "The Prince and thoßeggaj'Maid." The production will be the. same in.detail as it was at the King's Theatre, Melbourne, during its run of nine .weeks.. .The piece has been described as a play of plot and - passion that holds the attention of the ' audience to the end. There is much in it to appeal to the eye—excellent scenery, . bright uniforms, and rich and costly costumcs, those worn by the principals being conspicuous examples of the oostumier's art. Tho 1 plot rests on tho refusal of the reigning Princess of Illyria to-marry tho reigning prince of the neighbouring principality, ''Not for a long while," says the Melbourne Age, " has a work so full of interest, of colour, of life, and of movement . teen staged at a Melbourne theatre. It is melodrama of the highest class, with a saving sense of restraint running through it, It is a breezy, spirited,, attractive production." Mr H. R. Roberts and Miss Boatrieo Day are included in the cast of ~ Mr Anderson's new organisation. Tho box plan will be on view at tba Dresden this morning. THE "GLASGOW " THEATRE. The popularity of picture shows is evi- ■ dently becoming as groat in Dunedin as it has proved olsowhore. The latest aspirant for publio patronage is the Glasgow Theatre, late South Dunedin Town Hall; in King Edward street. It will bo openeu to-morrow night, ■when a programme of new pictures will be submitted, and from the following Saturday there ■ will be a weekly matinee.

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