THE THEATRES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 377, 26 April 1915, Page 9

THE THEATRES.

OPERA HOUSE. jMuee-iuuv acts, all of unusual importance, will make their first appeatnnc.e at the Opera House to-night. They include Phil Percival, an entertainer at the piano. lie is a satirist to whom nothing is sacred. An Englishman of great musical gifts and humour, Percival combines these two, and the result is one of the finest monologuists in the world. Since Mel B. Spurr's time, Percival is the only one who has come along with the same degree of magnetism and temperament. His success has been enormous throughout Australia. Another act is that of the Four Aerial Lesters, who are nothing if not nerve-thrilling. They are four fearless performers, defying the laws of gravity, besides being unique and clever. It is at the same time the most graceful of all aerial acts. A new .juggling act of undoubted ability is that to be presented by Frank, Lank, and Alice, three capable artists from the London Hippodrome. Other acts include those charmJug dancers, Mathilde and Elvira, also Mann and Franks, Eleanor and Bertie, and Les Warton, all of whom do a farewell week. It will be gathered from the above that a very fine and attrac- ! tive entertainment is promised for tonight. Mr Albert. Bidgood, the well- ! known musician, resumes the position ' of conductor, a fact that will be plea's- : ing to everybody.

"DU BARRY." A good house assembled to witness the final performance: of "Du Brirry" in the Theatre Royal on Saturday nightMiss Nellie Stewart sustained her part —and she is really the whole playbrilliantly, and the audience on this' occasion proved themselves unusually responsive. To-night. " Dorothy 0' the Hall" will be produced for the fust time of a three-night season.

DOROTHY O' THE HALL. ; "Du Barry,'' Belaseo's great specta- : i-ular historical play* played to capacity • business at the Theatre Royal last ■ week. To-night (Monday) Miss Nellie ~f Stewart; SviSl W seen :i« V.Dorothy o'itfpe I Hall, a pretty' romantic drama dealing '• 'with a chain of authentic incidents in the I good old days, of Queen Bess. Miss i Nellie Stewart' lias} a role in which she ? revels, that of self-willed ; young beauty, and it lias been acclaim!ed as her best creation. Included iia ' the play is goigeous Elizabethan :■ court, and besides the great Queen herself, the tragic figure of Mary Queen ! ®f Scots is seen. GLOBE THEATRE. At the Globe Theatre to-day the new • programme is featured by '' Bread Upon 1 the Waters," a Vitagraph drama. Another star is Russia's Great Haul ? " i jhoWing tlie Russian offensive, Austrian' prisoners, and tlie Slav. on : the road to i Berlin J" While other'pictures are "As a i Man Thinketh," comedy; "Tlie Aus- ' tralian " Gazette,'' topical; "In the Tsar's Gardens," scenic; "Peggy's Invitation," drama; and "The Shocking : -Event," comedy. The same picture? ■will be presented this evenipig and to•morrow. ■ t ; HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. •; "The Colonel of the Red Hiissars,' ?an elaborate, ph'otp-play production by i ' '-y-i ■ : '

the Edison Company, will figure, as the star attraction of the new programme this week. The subject is an adaptation from the romantic, novel of the same name. The story concerns King Fredo ric.lt of Va.lar.ia. Other films associated with this programme include a special war topical, ''Russia's Great Haul,'' which depicts in particular the large number of Austrian and German prisoners. Another feature is a picture of the great earthquake in Italy. Comedies are provided in "The Band Leader'' and "Getting Father's Goat." A dramatic item, '' The Love of Pierre Larosse," and the war topical in the " Pathc Gazette," complete the list. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. To-day at Everybody's Theatre the new programme is featured by "Hushing the Scandal," a lengthy Keystone farce featuring Syd Chaplin. The story hinges 011 the schemes of a match-mak-ing mother who unfortunately .wears a wig. Chaplin discovers this fact, and the.family's life is made miserable by reason of their trying to placate him. Supporting numbers comprise "The Baby's Bide," a comedy,..drama; "Out of the Deputy's Hands,?**' a Western romance; "The Five Bob Rebellion," a series of war cartoons; and the "Gaumont War Graphic." The same pictures will be presented this evening and throughout to-morrow.

SYDENHAM PICTURES. At the Sydenham Picture Theatre to-night the feature attraction of the new programme is "The Colonel of the Red Hussars," an Edison drama telling a'story of the Court of Valarin. The supporting pictures are "The Great Earthquake in Italy"; "The Love of Pierre Larosse," drama; "After the Snowstorm in Denmark," scenic; "Getting Father's Goat" and "The Band Leader," comedies; and various interesting war pictures.

ORG-AN RECITAL. There was a small attendance at the organ recital by Dr Bradshaw at His Majesty's-'Theatre last night;. A prp-, gramme of music by; Polish; bomposprs presented. Chopin by "Polonaise in A," "Prelude in* D Hat," "Polonaise in E flat minor';' ('•'The Revolt"), and tho "Funeral March" and the "Nocturne in E flat." Paderewski's.''Minuet'' and Mosskowski's "Entr'acte" were also effectively dealt with.