AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1914, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

HIS MAJESTY'S PICTURES. Last night's new series presented at Bernard's Theatre was highly appreciated by a very fair attendance of picture lovers. The star drama, "Triumph'of Strength," is a most thrilling story and takes place in a-sculptor's studio, where a number of beasts of the forest, which have been secured as models for the artist, escape from their cages, and the thrilling episodes fairly make one's hair rise. What with the menagerie and Bernards star picture last night, Stratford seemed to be a veritable jungle "The Stopped Clock" is a fine detective drama by the A.B. actors. The supporting films are all good. This programme will be repeated to-night for the last time. To-morrow evening a complete change of all new films will be screened. The star feature, "Chequered Wooing," has a rather novel scenario, which runs as follows :—Jacques, a musician, and Pomponette are two hard-up young people, who live in the same house. Fortunately for Pomponette, she comes into a large "sunt of money and resolves to go to her, aunt in the country. Jacques, who loves Pomponette, and has tried all sorts oi extravagant schemes to make her acquaintance, is desolated to ; -lose her, and sets off to find her. This he succeeds in doing, and adopting an extraordinary method of introduction, be wins her friendship and' then her love. But the time comes when he must .return to Paris, and he leaves her, promising to return. When he does so, after winning success as a composer, ho finds her gone. As a matter of fact she has been turned out by her aunt. How the poor girl, unable to find Jacques, tries to commit suicide, and how he fifids her and fescues!'her from the very jaws of death is depicted in scenes of the most compelling pathos. TOWN HALL PICTURES. At the Town Hall there will be a complete change of programme again on Saturday night, showing for the first time in this town "A Throne at Stake." This is a scenic drama 3000 feet long, an exclusive star picture. "On the Mountain Ranch" is a 1500 ft drama, Ed. Wallace, foreman of Fordman's ranch, saves the life of Nellie Fordham .when her horse runs away with her. Jim, who later becomes Kd's rival for Nellie's love, accuses him of killing a Nellie rides to the sheriff for help, but is caught by the real murderer arid' tied up. She escapes with tied hands and reaches the sheriff in time for help.

WIRTH'S CIRCUS. There was a crowded house to witness last night's performance of the above company on a site in Regan Street. The troupe of Polar bears, trained and introduced by Heir Schmidt, went through a host of tricks to the amusement and delight of those present. The Hobson Sisters were heartily, applauded on retiring after performing somo wonderful tricks in skipping and Tunning on a wire rope. Doblado's flock of trained Spanish mountain sheep and Louisa, the pig clown, were the cause of much merriment on the part of the audience. The Bastion Family; wliich consists of seven acrobats, received an ovation for their clever performance, as also did the Brothers Bastion for their head-to-head balance on horseback. Alfredo, described as the flying man, and 20th century mid-air marvel, went through some daring tricks on the trapeze ; as an instance, he swung head-down-wards, supported by his heels from the height of the marquee. The flying Cadonas, billed as the greatest aerial artists on earth, went through some very pretty acts'in mid-air. The last item on the programme, but not at all the least, was daredevil Desperado's dive from the- t'dji kjf the tent. After being introduced as "the only man whoso life the insurance companies won't risk,he climbed to the main polo on the tent, and everything being ready, the manager said "go," ami down he went through the air on to the shute and off on to a sack held by two men-—this act takes longer to describe than did the actual performance itself. It was announced that Wirtli Bros, would visit the town every year with an entirely new programme. It was generally agreed that the performance last night was a model of managerial punctuality, the various sensations following one another with clockwork regularity. Another speciality which marks Wirth's as a front-ranker in the "sawdust" world was the splendidly accoutred and well conditioned state of the animals from the enormous hippo "Lizzie" down to the diminutive performing pig.