ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 17935, 29 January 1917, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

GRAND THEATRE. "HOME" AND BESSIE BARRISCALE. •‘Home,” which is regarded as one of the most delightful photo-plays ever brought to New Zealand, opens this afternoon at the popular Grand Theatre. The three star performers, Bessie Barri. scale. Chas. Ray and Louise Glaum ("The Wolf Woman”), oppear in it at the head of a big cast. Bessie Barriscale in serio-comic vein is an unusual role for the Triangle Company’s emotional dramatic star. You remember her in "The Payment?” but we are assured that in “Home” a lightsome sketch of human nature as depicted In the family life of the Wheatons Bessie is sparkling and versatile. The story of the play, which is one of T. H. Ince’s achievements, describes the efforts of a girl to save her family from the evils of suddenly acquired riches. She nearly sacrifices her own happiness in the attempt, but success brings a pleasant denouement. The Wheatons dazzled by their unexpected wealth’ aspire to climb the social ladder. The “climb” is sometimes amusing, sometimes pathetic. Comedy pervades the breakfast table when they endeavour to "do the thing” as they think it ought to be done, while the simple wiles of society etiquette provide amusing pitfalls. But it “is not all comedy, and here the mercurial temperament of Bessie Barriscale gives the artistic touch to the contrast in light and strain. In this she is ably seconded by her former associate in more serious work, Charles Ray, who proves that he is as adaptable as his charming co-star. Miss Glaum as usual scores heavily. Supporting the premier film are, one of the Vltagraph Company’s laughable comedies "The Man from Egypt” "The Topical Budget” and a charming Nordisk scene series entitled “Summer Pictures.” ALBION THEATRE. TRAVEL FILM AND LECTURER. The biggest and best of captivating travel pictures "Greater New York,” 4000 ft long, opens at the luxurious Albion Theatre to-day at 2 o’clock, and will remain until Wednesday night. Mr W. B. Holmes, raconteur, who knows his subject, will guide spectators through the mazes of the marvel city and supply a fund of interesting information. Those who remember the fascinating scenes and incidents depicted in the travel picture, “The All Red Route,” shown in New Zealand with immense success some time ago, will welcome a similar series of sight-seeing in Greater New York, to-day. New York, with its magnificent splenlour, squalid East Side poverty and congestion, its famous Bowery, and other spots celebrated in romance and drama, is at once the glory and the tragedy of civilisation. The richest men in the world live there in luxurious comfort, a stone’s throw from their fellows existing in the most hideous poverty that It would be possible to imagine. Masters of crime lurk in its depths. “Greater New York” depicts all phases lof life in the most magnificent and most terrible metropolis in the world —"A month’s sight-seeing in an hour” — a wondetrful variety of scenes, which include, to mention only a few—"The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,” where the emigrants land, “Brooklyn Bridge,” famous “Wall Street,” "The Tombs Prison,” “The Bowery,” where the toughs have their abode, "Chinatown,” “Coney Island,” fashionable quarter, “Fifth Avenue," “St. Patrick’s Cathedral.” the largest and most beautiful Church in America, Chas. M. Schwab’s seven-million' dollar mansion, and dozens of other celebrated places and institutions. There are also depicted in infinite variety, tenement life in East Side, Sheep’s Head Motor Speedway, showing the death of Carl Lemburg ■while heading a motor race at 106 miles an hour, sensational -wreck on the elevated railway, underground New New York, the interned German liners, the Lusitania leaving on her last fateful voyage, and many prominent citizens, including John Purrey Mitchell, the city’s 30-year-old mayor. The accompanying lecture embellishes the picture and makes it easily comprehensible to all. A second star item will be Triangle Keystone’s huge mirth-maker in two reels. "Maid Mad,” “Here and there in Spain,” an artistically coloured series, and the latest Pathe Gazette. POPULAR PICTURE PALACE. "THE LURE OF HEART’S DESIRE.” Metro films, like all others, vary In excellence from time to time, though we • do not remember one that failed to reach a certain high standard, whilp there have been many that were quite outstanding. This being so, it is a bold thing to say of their latest production “The Lure of Heart’s Desire.” that it is Metro's greatest and best achivement. The picture as remarkable for a cast of character of such uniform excellence that it is impossible to discriminate between them, and this although the leading role is assumed by the eminent actor Edmund Breese, who gives us of his best. The story is a powerful one, full of light and shade and dramatic surprises, and the settings, which include some wonderful pictures of the great “Snow World of Alaska,” arc fascinating in the extreme. There is a grim reality about these views of the rough mining camps in the Klondyke region, which is all the more impressive because they are interspersed with scenes, showing the artificial Ilfs of New York drawing-rooms and gambling clubs. The contrast between the two is striking. In the city the atmosphere is that of a hothouse; in Alaska, the great wide spaces covered with snow, the icy winds, and the rude huts of the prospectors all suggest life at its most primitive. Of the many big scenes in the picture perhaps the most thrilling is the fight between Jim Carew and the camp bully. This is no makebelieve struggle, but a real hard-fought contest, in which swinging blows and deadly punches are freely exchanged. Another fine scene is that in which a dog-sled falls over a precipice. For sheer excitement it beats the ordinary motorcar smash to a frazzle, besides being infinitely more spectacular. Some of the views in the snow-bound wilderness permit of extraordinarily beautiful photographic effects, and nothing for instance could be finer than the picture of the camp fires burning against the backgrounds of snow. The film would be worth seeing for these alone. Another picture that should prove of interest to the sporting fraternity is the Auckland Cup, showing scenes on the lawn, the race, the finish, and the winner. Another beautiful series of the Metro Travelog is included, and a screaming Christie Comedy “The Making Over of Mother.” The latest Eclair Journal concludes a collection that it would be hard to equal The big picture will be screened at 7 and 9 each evening. SELINSKY-AMADIO. Tlie Selinsky-Amadio. coterie of artists will appear in the Municipal Theatre to-morrow evening. In noting the first concert in Christchurcli the Sun says: “The best concert company which has visited this city for some vears made it first appearance in the Theatre Royal on Saturday evening. This commendation may sound rather excessive, but it will probably be subscribed to by every member of the audience which enjoyed two hours of unalloyed pleasure .- The entertainers were the Selinsky-Amadio Concert Company which consists of four musicians, all of whom have attained to a distinguished degree of artistry. The standard of merit is so even, and yet so high, that the audience was not required to sample the mediocre performances which too often are sandwiched in between the virtuoso items. Each artist held the audience enthralled, and every item was received with manifest appreciation. The concert was a delightful one, which could bo heartily enjoyed by the ordinary lover of music, as well as by those whose knowledge of music converts them into critics.” Of Selinsky the same journal says; “He is a vilonist who would rank high in any company, a player who is a master of technique, with the temperament and soul of an artist.” John Amadio, flautist, also receives the goodwill of the critics, one writer saying, “He rises over pitfalls which would appal the ordinary flautist, and trills and thrills like the gentle lark.” Miss Elsy Treweek, the vocalist of the party is referred to as “the best concert soprano who has been heard for many a day.” Miss Jessie Masson, pianiste, is written of as, “an extremely able and brillirmt player, and it was a pleasure to listen to her intelligent interpretation and skilful presentation of her pianoforte solos.” This remarkably fine company will present the choicest items from their extensive tepertoire to-morrow evening. The plan is now open at the Bristol.