AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 26, 13 January 1912, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

MR H. B. IRVING IN HAMLET. It will ho most gratifying for playgoers of Kltham and surrounding districts to know that definite arrangements have been made by the .1. C. Williamson Ltd. management to present for one night only at the T own Hall on Tuesday, January. 23rd, the groat English actor Mr H. B. Irving, arid his complete London company which includes Miss Dorothea Baird in n‘Hamlet.” Mr 1 Irving’s repiitation as an aetpr, coupled with the fact that he is the son of Sir Henry Irving, ;riadf> Australian theatregoers more than keen to welcome him, and so enormous was the demand for scats to witness the opening performance of “Hamlet” in Sydney that the whole of the dross circle and reserved seats wore hooked up in less than two hours after the plans were opened, and eventually it was found necessary to allow patrons to hook seats in the gallery, which was also taken up entirely a week before the famous actor made his debut. The price charged for admission to the reserved portions of the threatre on that occasion was _7s 6d, and there was a suggestion to raise the prices for the New Zealand tour, but after considering the matter the management has decided to adhere to the prices which were charged for “Our Miss Gibbs” tour, viz., 6s 4s, and 2s. Mr Irving said “Good-bye to London playgoers in “Hamlet” and it will be in Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy that he will ho presented here. The famous artist created quite a sensation as the Prince of Denmark in Sydney, where although it was originally intended to stage “Hamlet” for a fortnight, it ran for four weeks and on each occasion that it was staged the large auditorium of His Majesty’s Theatre proved quite incapable of bolding the numbers who nightly endeavoured to gain admission. This success was repeated in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth, and it is safe to predict that the management will not regret their enterprise in arranging for Mr Irving’s visit to Eltham. The plans will ho opened at Car* man’s on Friday next, at 8 a.in. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. The programme inaugurated on Thursday evening was repeated last night at His’Majesty's Theatre before an appreciative audience. “The Hundred Dollar Bill” is ranked among the “comics,” but is really wjiat is described as a “comedy drama,” being one of a number of ranch pictures excellently acted for thcSXitagraph Company. The picture deals with the adventures of a New York man who is in the last stages of poverty. He searches the newspapers, selects one or two vacant positions, applies for -them, but is found unsuitable in each case. He is reduced to patronising a charitable institution where breakfast consisting of bread and coffee is supplied, but even this he cannot enjoy, as ho nieets an elderly man no less poor than himself, to whom ho gives his breakfast. Late that evening ho is dejectedly walking along a footpath with drooping head when he collides with a fat, wellgroomed gentleman whom ovine has made semi-oblivions of mundane matters. The derelict falls down, much to the alarm of the rich man, who suddenly is struck with the idea of taking him homo and giving him a good deal. They proceed home in a taxi-cab, and the outcast does full justice to the supper. On leaving he lias a note for a hundred dollars forced into bis hand. But his wealth avails him little, for at clothing and boot shops which ho visits he is accused of endeavouring to pass a counterfeit hill, and is hidden begone. Tu despair he outers a fashionable restaurant and demands a n cal. The manager asks him to leave, he produces bis note, and is at once haded before the Police Court, a handy policeman taking him thither. But while the trial is proceeding his friend of the night before appears, having been persuaded to pay a visit to the city’s slums and having vis tyd the Police Court as part of the outing. I lie derelict recognises his friend, wJio pats everything straight again. The same programme will bo repeated this evening for the last tone. On Monday an entirely new programme will bo screened, the chief item being “Onntain Stark» T ht, Bushranger.” The items in Monday’s programme will be found detailed in the advertisement in this issue.