AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 40, 12 February 1912, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

“THE SPECKLED BAND.” A .mysterious murder, a surgeon l/iith lus mind as unbalanced as bis heart is avaricious, an Indian servant, a deadly snake, and Sherlock Holmes .—these are the rough materials out of which Conan Doyle has moulded one of the best of lids inimitable stories. It gives opportunity, above all, for good dramatic acting, and the cast of characters in Saturday’s performance of cho play at Eltham was a particularly happy one. One could only wish that Miss Katherine Grey, who, with AVill Desmond, made such, a hit in “Paid in .pull,” had been with the company to plav Enid Stonor to Mr. Desmond’s Shei lock Holmes. As it was, the part was played by Miss Dorothy Dix, an actress with an engaging personality, but possessing a- voice whose tone must have been disturbed by the many vacant chairs which graced the hall. To say the least, it was harsh and forced, calling to mind the trials of the heroine in°third-rate “bellodrama.” On the other hand, the male actors, without exception, lifted the piece from the “Blood-stained Putty-knife” plane, and made it one of the finest little diumas that has ever had the misfortune to miss Stratford. The curtain rose on Saturday evening (a trifle unviilingly and with marked hesitancy, it might, be said), for the Eltham curtain has not get “found” itself), with twelve good men and true endeavourng to get to the bottom of the mysterious death of Enid Stonor’s sister Dr. Rylott, a retired surgeon, and step-father of the girls, is not disposed to enlighten them, and gives his .vidence in a plausible manner, after raving “cooked” the evidence of Ids mtier. Music, sweet and strange, and he mystic words “band, speckled,” ire all that is tangible from the evilenfce tendered. The murdered girl was mgaged to bo married when she so itrangely died, and the time duly ar•ives when Airs. Stonor also plights ier troth. At the same time her sep’ather moves her bedroom to the one u which the sister had slept. Suspi■ion leads her to engage the services if Sherlock Holmes, who has already I;splayed his talent in dealing with s morning’is long list of clients. The ietective goes to stoke charm in the cuise of butler. At night, the last that dnid Stonor is to spentl at the Hall, md therefore the one of which the nad doctor will make the most of his ihances, he and Dr. Watson keep vatch in the girl’s bedroom. Sherlock iolmes finds that the bed is damped •u the floor, and that the bell-rope and entilator just over its head serve no ■iseful ends. The scone, Which in the lim light, the weird music creeps in their ears, and from Hie opened ventiliter slips the snake with the speckled mud is thrilling in the extreme. The dimax comes when Sherlock Holmes 1 rives the snake back to its master’s room, where it wreaks vengeance on she doctor, who ends his career of :rime at the feet of the great Holmes. As Sherlock Holmes, Will Desmond nereased the reputation lie gained rhen, with Miss Katherine Grey, he reated such a favourable impression n “Paid in Full.” The heaviest and host exacting part is played by Air. Gaston Mervale, who, as Dr. Rylott, Tactically made the piece. . Boyd Irwin had a poor part in Dr. Watson, mfc made the most of the opportuhi.ies given. Janies B. Atholwood, as the butler, Winter Hall, as the ’corner, and Miss Susie Vaughan, housekeeper, were all excellent in their reipective parts. Fred Camhourne, as Mr. Armitage—“a Methodist and the ion of a Alethodist”—supplied all the .urnour ,of the piece in splendid style. HIS AIAJESTY’S THEATRE. To-night’s new picture programme it. Bernard’s popular amusement house )remises to be the best that lias been orecned in Stratford, considering that he dramas included in the programme .re all .now films, and are big star productions. “Lost in the Jungle” is die best animal picture that has over men brought before the public of the world, showing .as it does a groat wild animal-hunting party in the jungle. One of the party, a yoiing girl, gets separated from her friends, and is chased by lions, tigers, leopards, etc., but is saved at tiie critical moment by an elephant who seizes the girl in its huge trunk and carries her to safety. The rest of the big dramas are •The Old Captain,’’ a thrilling story iff the ever-moving sea, “A Sheriff’s brother,” a Wild AVest photo play ivith much emotion and exciting incidents, and “A Pal’s Oath,” a trne-to-iife story. The rest of the programme is of the best scenic and comic productions.

On Wednesday next Bernard’s have ■secured the great picture of the Stratford School picnic, held at New Plymouth a week or so back, and it is said to be a very clear, interesting and funny film, showing some of Stratford’s well-known residents, both male and female, sporting themselves i” their annual sea bath. This picture iwill be shown for one night only, as tiie (ilm is to be sent direct to Wellington.

WIRTHS’ (JIRCUS, A FINE SHOW.

The annual visit of Wirth Bros’ circus to Stratford on Tuesday February 13th. one night only is again approaching. They introduce .each ‘year something new, fresh,,. edifying, for while the Wirth s’ “greatest show on earth” is a great amusement enterprise, it is also an educational institution of importance and value which instinctively appeals to young and old. Having agents everywhere on earth seeking out new and novel features for the amusements of its patrons, it makes known .to Australasia the startling exploits of other countries or originitc« new sensations; it exhibits scores of superb horses the very pick of Australian studs and it brings to the doors of the Australian public strange people and odd and curious animals from every spot on earth. This year the proprietors have excelled all previous efforts, for they have engaged from America and Europe no less than thirty-five new artists and twenty new wild animals. Amongst the latter, are ten pure white, full-grown Polar bears, which together with two American buffaloes, three grizzly bears, and two beautiful .Russian boar hounds perform a remarkable act, irrespective of their value for slioav purposes, as this is the largest group of Polar hears in existence and cost Wirth Bros. £20,000, plus their faro and expenses from Hamburg. The circus artists too, are the very best iu their line the world can produce, and include the seven flying .lordans, double company of annalists, the beautiful sisters Atlelia and George, acrobatic wire-walkers; Alf Tack the up-side-down phenomenal : La "\ an Artois and Stump aerial horizantal bar performers; Foy and Kitchen, trampoline exports; Harry Barge and Co., of six comedians in comedy act on a real motor car; Herr and Frnulien Schmidt, Polar bear educators; and the Bastem family of eleven, who perform an acrobatic act on horseback.

The whole of these personally engaged by' Air. George AVirth on Jus recent tour of the world, and there may also he seen the menagerie in the afternoon from 4 to 5, when the band will play selections at intervals.