THE KING'S THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3019, 24 January 1912, Page 68

THE KING'S THEATRE.

Tho rapid rise in popularity of th© King's Theatre is easily accounted for when the fine quality of pictures chosen for exhibition is considered. On th© 22nd the initial presentation of a new programme showed that during tho week no one who goes lo see it is likely to bo disappointed, nor will the (>opuJarity of the house bo otherwise than augmented. The first film is scenic. Tii© programme calls it “ Zara,” but sine© it was printed a change has been made, and th© actual scenes shown ar© taken in th© “ Valley of the Wye,”—one of the most l>oautiful bits of old English scenery imaginable. “ The Satyr and the Lady,” a drama centred round the lives of an. artist’s model and a pedlar and his child, with the artist ag tli© eventual happy husband, is produced in an effective manner and runs on somewhat novel lines. ‘"Tho Voyager,” th© other dramatic study in tho first part of the programme, is laid in th© Canada of th© old Hudson Bay Trading Company. An English lady and her brother visit the far land, and whil©_ stopping at a trading post tho lady falls in love with th© hero. The brother objects to such a union, and the leaves the post. Some time later the visitors leave on their return homeward. They put ashore in a canoe to spend the first night, but are ambashed by Indium and captured, with (ho exception of the guide, who escapes buck with tli© nows. By good fortune the wandering lover passevs tho spot shortly afterwards, and finds what has taken place. He sneaks into tho Indian camp and succeeds in liberating tho prisoners and getting them away. A posse from th© post surprises th© camp, and soon after tn© story concludes in tho complete acquiescence of all parties to the transaction. ,“A Casting Foundry ” is an industrial number, containing matter for thought to apprentices in the engineering shops in. tin's country, things being don© on “ the grand scale.'* The great film of th© evening, “Th© Colleen Bawn,” produced by the Kalem Com-

pany, of New York, must certainly fulfil the highest expectations of all who go to eee it. The company ie a strong one, every part being ably and worthily undertaken, and the interest of the story is greatly heightened by the fact that the accompanying scenery is taken on the actual snots mentioned in the story. Mi?s Gene Gauntier, the great American beauty actress, makes an admirable heroine, and the whole story, despite 'its length, may be easily fob lowed, oven by such as are not familiar with it. The accompanying music i® a groat feature of the programme, the familiar Irish melodies following one another in happy succession to the evident delight of every person in the building * The Australian Gazette ” contains much good matter, included in it being the team® cn their way to the field in the first test match. There are three comic pictures, all of them thoroughly good of their sort, _ so that the programme as a whole is one that can be confidently recommended.